The simple answer: yes. "And be it further enacted That a tax of two shillings and six pence on the pound be and the same is hereby laid upon the polls and rateable estate of the inhabitants of this State upon the list aforesaid to be paid by the first day of December next in… Continue reading Did Connecticut pay the 1780 beef tax?
In order to furnish the Continental Army with supplies, the 1780 Massachusetts legislature passed a tax specifically designed to provide beef. This tax was allowed to be paid in either money or in cattle. Because this was a payment of tax specifically in support of the Revolutionary cause, it can be considered qualifying service for… Continue reading What was the 1780 beef tax?
Many Connecticut towns and organizations required a public statement of support for the cause. The statements, issued in the form of an oath, were considered binding. Even better for the Revolutionary cause, they had public relations value. After you'd just sworn in front of the entire town to support the cause, public pressure was likely… Continue reading Did my Connecticut ancestor swear allegiance to the Revolutionary cause?
The simple answer: yes. It seems to have been more common for patriots of color to serve on the Continental Line. Due to longer enlistments, the financial benefit of joining the Continental Line was greater. A Continental soldier could have an enlistment bounty in addition to his regular pay. Enslaved soldiers may have been promised… Continue reading I’m researching a patriot of color in Connecticut. Should I check militia records?
If your family has a story of an ancestor serving as a spy in Revolutionary War Connecticut, there is a source that can help you learn more. Mark Allen Baker's Spies of Revolutionary Connecticut: From Benedict Arnold to Nathan Hale was published by the History Press in 2014. The text starts by outlining the basics… Continue reading A Revolutionary War spy in Connecticut?
