Isaac Holt Revolution and Family Tree

His Story

On April 9, 1818, Isaac Holt appeared before Judge Stephen Minot in Essex County, Massachusetts, to request a pension for his service during the American Revolution. Holt was sixty-six years old, living in Andover, and struggling financially. More than forty years earlier, he had enlisted in the opening weeks of the war, served eight months with Massachusetts troops, and then entered a New Hampshire regiment sent on an expedition to Canada. His second period of military service ended when illness forced him to seek permission to leave the army.

Holt’s pension declaration offers a remarkably clear account of his two enlistments. He stated that he entered Captain Stickney’s company in Colonel Bridge’s Massachusetts regiment in April 1775. He remained in that organization for eight months, completing the term for which he had enlisted.

Immediately afterward, Holt reenlisted for one year in Captain Richard Shortridge’s company of Colonel Enoch Poor’s New Hampshire regiment. This second assignment took him into the American military effort directed toward Canada during 1776.

Holt reported that he served approximately ten months in the New Hampshire regiment before illness caused him to request a discharge. His declaration placed his departure around November 1776.

One of the most distinctive features of his pension file is the testimony of three fellow soldiers who personally remembered his service.

Paul Hunt stated that he had served in the same regiment as Holt during the eight-month enlistment of 1775. Ezekiel Wardwell confirmed that he had served alongside Holt in Captain Shortridge’s company during the expedition to Canada. James Chandler also remembered Holt’s service in Shortridge’s company and testified that Holt had been discharged because of illness.

Their statements provide important corroboration beyond Holt’s own recollections. They also reveal a small but significant disagreement concerning the timing of his discharge.

Holt recalled leaving the army around November 1776. Chandler believed that Holt had been discharged around the middle of October. Wardwell stated that he had left the company sometime in October while Holt remained in service.

These accounts establish the general circumstances of Holt’s departure but leave the exact date unresolved.

Holt’s pension application also reveals the difficulties faced by aging veterans who had returned to civilian life without sufficient financial security. He explicitly stated that his reduced circumstances made assistance necessary for his support.

Judge Minot accepted the testimony, certified Holt’s service, and described him as being in indigent circumstances.

Although the Pension Office initially noted that Holt could not be found on the Massachusetts rolls and that the New Hampshire rolls had not yet been received, his claim was ultimately admitted.

Holt was placed on the Massachusetts pension roll at eight dollars per month, beginning April 9, 1818. His pension certificate was issued on August 14, 1818.

The surviving transcriptions do not identify his parents, wife, children, death date, or burial location. Nevertheless, his pension file preserves the essential outline of his Revolutionary War experience: an early enlistment in Massachusetts, a second term in the New Hampshire Line, service connected to the Canadian expedition, illness that ended his military career, and the testimony of fellow veterans who remembered him more than four decades later.

Early Life

Isaac Holt of Massachusetts

Isaac Holt was born approximately 1751 or 1752, based upon his statement in April 1818 that he was sixty-six years old.

The pension records examined do not establish his exact date of birth, birthplace, or the names of his parents.

By 1818, Holt was living in Andover, Essex County, Massachusetts. His declaration identifies him as a resident citizen of the United States who belonged to that town.

The surviving documents do not establish whether Andover was his birthplace or whether he had lived there throughout his life.

Andover was an established Massachusetts community whose eighteenth-century economy depended upon agriculture, local trades, and connections with neighboring towns.

Its residents participated in the broader political and military developments that transformed Massachusetts during the years preceding the American Revolution.

Massachusetts Before Independence

During the 1760s and early 1770s, Massachusetts became a center of resistance to British imperial policies.

Disputes over parliamentary taxation, colonial representation, and British military authority contributed to growing tensions between colonial communities and the imperial government.

Following the Boston Tea Party in December 1773, Parliament enacted punitive measures against Massachusetts. Colonial resistance intensified, and the Massachusetts Provincial Congress encouraged the organization of military forces.

By early 1775, militia companies were preparing for the possibility of armed conflict.

On April 19, British regulars marched from Boston toward Concord to seize colonial military supplies. Fighting at Lexington and Concord marked the beginning of the Revolutionary War.

Holt’s own declaration places his enlistment in April 1775, during the opening weeks of the conflict.

The record does not identify his occupation before enlistment or establish whether he had received earlier militia training.

Revolutionary War Service

First Enlistment — April 1775

Isaac Holt stated that he enlisted in April 1775 as a private soldier for a term of eight months.

He entered Captain Stickney’s company in Colonel Bridge’s regiment of Massachusetts troops.

His declaration identifies the company and regiment but does not provide the first names of Captain Stickney or Colonel Bridge.

Massachusetts raised substantial numbers of troops following the outbreak of fighting at Lexington and Concord. Provincial regiments assembled around Boston as American forces attempted to contain the British garrison.

Holt’s enlistment occurred during this period of rapid military mobilization.

His pension testimony does not identify his precise station, individual duties, or participation in particular engagements during the eight-month term.

Holt stated that he completed the full period of his enlistment and left the service when his term expired.

Completion of His Eight-Month Term

Holt’s first period of service lasted approximately eight months, beginning in April 1775.

According to his declaration, he fulfilled the obligation for which he had enlisted.

Short-term enlistments were characteristic of the early Revolutionary War. Colonial governments initially relied upon men willing to serve for limited periods, often creating difficulties when enlistments expired during ongoing military operations.

The Continental Congress and General George Washington increasingly sought longer-term soldiers capable of maintaining a more stable army.

Holt’s decision to reenlist immediately after completing his first term placed him among the men who continued serving beyond the initial mobilization.

Second Enlistment — Colonel Enoch Poor’s Regiment

After completing his Massachusetts service, Holt entered Captain Richard Shortridge’s company in Colonel Enoch Poor’s regiment of the New Hampshire Line.

He enlisted for a term of one year.

Colonel Enoch Poor was a prominent New Hampshire officer whose regiment participated in the American military effort during the early Revolutionary War.

Holt’s second enlistment demonstrates the movement of soldiers between colonial military establishments as the Continental Army developed.

Although Holt later resided in Massachusetts, his second period of service was performed in a New Hampshire regiment.

The pension records identify this service as part of an expedition to Canada.

The Expedition to Canada — 1776

Holt stated that his service in Captain Shortridge’s company was performed during an expedition to Canada.

The American invasion of Canada had begun in 1775 as Continental leaders sought to remove British military power from the province and encourage Canadian support for the American cause.

American forces advanced toward Montreal and Quebec through separate routes. Although Montreal was occupied, the attack upon Quebec on December 31, 1775, failed.

During 1776, American forces faced British reinforcements, difficult supply conditions, and disease. They ultimately withdrew from Canada toward the northern frontier of New York.

Holt’s service in Colonel Poor’s regiment belongs to this broader military effort.

His surviving testimony does not identify his exact movements, the places where he was stationed, or his participation in individual engagements.

Nevertheless, his identification of the Canadian expedition is a specific and important element of his military history.

Illness and Discharge

Holt stated that he remained in Captain Shortridge’s company until approximately November 1776.

He explained that illness prevented him from continuing his military service and that he received permission from his captain to leave.

His declaration describes approximately ten months of service during the second enlistment.

The testimony of fellow soldiers confirms that he remained in the company well into 1776 and left because of illness.

James Chandler believed Holt was discharged around the middle of October, while Ezekiel Wardwell stated that he departed the company in October and left Holt still serving.

These recollections support the circumstances of Holt’s departure but do not establish a single exact discharge date.

No subsequent Revolutionary War enlistment is identified in the surviving pension transcriptions.

Battles and Campaigns

The Opening Campaign in Massachusetts — 1775

The American Revolution began with the fighting at Lexington and Concord on April 19, 1775.

British troops attempting to seize colonial military supplies encountered resistance from Massachusetts militia forces. The fighting quickly spread along the road between Concord and Boston.

In the following weeks, thousands of provincial soldiers assembled around Boston and established military positions intended to contain British forces.

Holt enlisted in April 1775 in Captain Stickney’s company of Colonel Bridge’s Massachusetts regiment.

His service dates place him within the opening period of the war, when Massachusetts troops were being organized for sustained military operations.

However, the surviving pension transcriptions do not establish that Holt personally fought at Lexington or Concord.

The Siege of Boston — 1775

Following the opening battles of the Revolution, American provincial troops surrounded Boston, where British regulars maintained a fortified position.

The siege continued throughout 1775 as American commanders attempted to organize their forces, maintain defensive positions, and restrict British military movements.

General George Washington arrived in July 1775 and assumed command of the American army.

The military forces around Boston faced shortages of gunpowder, equipment, and other essential supplies. The organization of the army remained a continuing challenge as enlistment terms expired and new units were formed.

Holt’s reported eight-month Massachusetts enlistment overlapped the siege.

His company and regiment were part of the Massachusetts military establishment raised during the opening months of the conflict.

The surviving pension declaration does not identify Holt’s precise station or describe any individual military action during this period.

His association with the Siege of Boston is therefore based upon the timing and military context of his service rather than a verified account of personal participation in a specific siege operation.

The Canadian Campaign — 1776

The American campaign in Canada was one of the most ambitious military operations undertaken during the early Revolutionary War.

Continental leaders hoped to weaken British control of the northern frontier and encourage support for the Revolution among the inhabitants of Canada.

American forces captured Montreal in November 1775 but failed to capture Quebec.

During the winter and spring of 1776, American troops experienced serious shortages of supplies, severe weather, and outbreaks of disease.

British reinforcements arrived during the spring, forcing the Americans to withdraw from their positions.

By the summer of 1776, the American army had retreated toward the Lake Champlain region.

Holt identified his second enlistment under Captain Richard Shortridge and Colonel Enoch Poor as service on an expedition to Canada.

His statement directly connects him to the campaign, and the testimony of Ezekiel Wardwell corroborates his presence in the company during the Canadian service.

James Chandler also confirmed Holt’s service in Captain Shortridge’s company during 1776.

The surviving testimony does not specify whether Holt participated in the siege of Quebec, the retreat from Canada, or particular operations around Lake Champlain.

Those details require further examination of regimental muster rolls and campaign records.

Military Illness During the Campaign

Illness was a major threat to eighteenth-century armies. Soldiers frequently suffered from infectious diseases, poor sanitation, exposure, and inadequate nutrition.

These conditions could remove men from military service even when they had not been wounded in battle.

Holt stated that illness caused him to request permission to leave Captain Shortridge’s company.

His testimony does not identify the disease or describe his symptoms.

The evidence establishes that sickness ended his service but does not support a more specific medical explanation.

Military Honors and Recognition

Recognition of Revolutionary War Service

Isaac Holt’s service received federal recognition when his pension claim was admitted in 1818.

The Pension Office placed him on the Massachusetts pension roll at eight dollars per month.

His pension certificate was issued on August 14, 1818.

This recognition was based upon his reported Continental military service and the sworn testimony of fellow veterans who corroborated his enlistments.

Supporting Testimony from Fellow Soldiers

Three veterans provided testimony supporting Holt’s claim: Paul Hunt, Ezekiel Wardwell, and James Chandler.

Hunt confirmed Holt’s service during the eight-month Massachusetts enlistment of 1775.

Wardwell and Chandler confirmed his service in Captain Shortridge’s company during 1776.

Their statements were particularly important because Holt’s military service was not immediately verified through the available pension-office rolls.

No battlefield decoration, individual military award, or formal commendation for a specific act of valor has been identified in the surviving transcriptions.

Original Military Records

Revolutionary War Pension

Application Under the Act of March 18, 1818

On April 9, 1818, Isaac Holt submitted a declaration seeking a pension under the federal Act of March 18, 1818.

The law provided pensions for qualifying Revolutionary War veterans who had served in the Continental military establishment and were in reduced financial circumstances.

Holt identified himself as sixty-six years old and a resident of Andover in Essex County, Massachusetts.

He stated that he had served in two military organizations during the Revolution.

His first enlistment began in April 1775 and lasted eight months. His second enlistment began immediately afterward and continued approximately ten months into 1776.

Holt explained that his financial circumstances had become sufficiently difficult that he needed assistance for his support.

He also stated that he had not previously received a pension under federal law.

The Testimony of Paul Hunt

Paul Hunt provided supporting testimony concerning Holt’s first period of service.

Hunt stated that he knew Holt and had served in the same regiment during the eight-month enlistment of 1775.

He affirmed that Holt had served as a soldier during that period.

Hunt’s testimony corroborated the first portion of Holt’s military chronology.

The Testimony of Ezekiel Wardwell

Ezekiel Wardwell provided evidence concerning Holt’s second enlistment.

Wardwell stated that he had served in Captain Shortridge’s company during the expedition to Canada.

He personally remembered Holt serving in that company for more than nine months.

Wardwell also stated that he left the company sometime in October 1776 while Holt remained in service.

His testimony supported Holt’s claim of extended service in the New Hampshire regiment.

Wardwell further described Holt as very poor and in need of assistance.

The Testimony of James Chandler

James Chandler provided additional testimony concerning Holt’s service in Captain Shortridge’s company.

Chandler stated that he had served alongside Holt during 1776 and remembered him remaining in the company from the beginning of January until at least October.

He believed Holt had been discharged around the middle of October because of illness.

Chandler also confirmed that Holt was living in indigent circumstances.

His testimony was sworn before Judge Minot on August 4, 1818.

Judge Stephen Minot’s Certification

Judge Stephen Minot reviewed Holt’s declaration and the testimony of the supporting witnesses.

He certified that Holt had performed Revolutionary War service as stated in his application and that the witnesses were credible.

Minot also certified that Holt was in indigent circumstances and required assistance for his support.

The proceedings were forwarded to the federal War Department for consideration.

Difficulty Verifying the Military Rolls

An administrative notation in Holt’s pension file reveals that federal officials initially encountered difficulty verifying his military service through available records.

The notation stated that Holt was not found on the Massachusetts rolls and that the New Hampshire rolls had not yet been received at the Pension Office.

The same document referred to related administrative endorsements in the cases of Isaac Lovejoy, Daniel Gray, and Michael Carleton.

Despite these difficulties, Holt’s claim was marked admitted.

This episode illustrates the importance of sworn testimony in Revolutionary War pension proceedings, particularly when military rolls were incomplete, unavailable, or difficult to reconcile.

Approval of His Pension

Holt was placed on the Massachusetts pension roll at eight dollars per month.

His pension was made effective April 9, 1818.

The certificate was issued on August 14, 1818, and directed to Judge Stephen Minot for forwarding to Holt.

The administrative entry records an arrears calculation of approximately thirty-eight dollars and ninety-three cents through September 4, 1818.

The monthly allowance amounted to ninety-six dollars annually.

The transcriptions examined do not establish the total amount Holt received over the remainder of his life or the date upon which his pension payments ended.

From His Account

Isaac Holt’s pension file preserves his sworn account of Revolutionary War service and the testimony of men who served alongside him. The following excerpts are reproduced from the supplied archival transcriptions. Minor uncertainties in historical spelling should be checked against the original manuscript images.

Holt began his military service during the opening month of the Revolutionary War.

This statement identifies the military organization in which Holt served during his first eight-month enlistment.

Holt’s second enlistment placed him in a New Hampshire regiment participating in the American military effort directed toward Canada.

Holt attributed the end of his second enlistment to illness rather than the expiration of his contracted term.

This statement directly connects Holt’s service in Colonel Poor’s regiment to the American campaign in Canada.

Holt’s application reveals the financial hardship that led him to seek federal support more than forty years after his military service.

Hunt’s statement independently corroborated Holt’s first enlistment.

Wardwell confirmed the company and campaign associated with Holt’s second period of service.

Chandler’s testimony provided additional confirmation of Holt’s New Hampshire service and the illness that ended his enlistment.

Military Service Record

The chronology reflects Holt’s own recollections and the sworn testimony of fellow soldiers. His first enlistment lasted eight months, while his second was reported as approximately ten months, producing a total claim of roughly eighteen months of service. The exact beginning and ending dates of the second enlistment require further verification.

Later Life and Burial

Return to Civilian Life

After leaving the army because of illness in 1776, Isaac Holt returned to civilian life.

The surviving pension transcriptions do not provide a continuous account of his activities during the decades between his military discharge and his pension application.

His occupation, marriage history, and household circumstances during those years remain unverified.

Residence in Andover

By April 1818, Holt was living in Andover, Essex County, Massachusetts.

He identified himself as a resident citizen of the United States and a member of the Andover community.

His correspondence requested that the War Department send his pension certificate to Judge Stephen Minot of Haverhill, who would forward it to him.

The request provides a small but useful detail concerning how Holt expected to receive official federal correspondence.

Financial Hardship in Old Age

Holt was sixty-six years old when he applied for his pension.

He described himself as being in reduced financial circumstances and needing assistance for his support.

Both Ezekiel Wardwell and James Chandler corroborated his poverty.

Judge Minot certified that Holt was indigent and required assistance.

The pension file therefore provides evidence that Holt’s financial condition had deteriorated by 1818.

It does not establish his income, occupation, or property ownership during earlier periods of his life.

Death and Burial

The surviving transcriptions examined for this biography do not establish Isaac Holt’s date of death or burial location.

He was living on April 9, 1818, when he submitted his pension declaration.

No verified cemetery or grave marker has been identified from the records examined.

Further research in Andover vital records, Essex County probate files, local church registers, and pension payment records may help establish the final years of his life.

Original Sources

The following documents form the primary foundation for this biography. The principal source is Isaac Holt’s Revolutionary War pension file preserved by the National Archives.

National Archives Pension File

1. National Archives and Records Administration. Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty-Land Warrant Application Files, Isaac Holt, Massachusetts and New Hampshire service. National Archives Identifier 54912945. View archival record.
2. United States Pension Office. Pension roll entry for Isaac Holt, recording eight dollars monthly beginning April 9, 1818, and certificate issuance on August 14, 1818. Image 4159560_00482.
3. Isaac Holt. Request for transmission of his pension certificate through Judge Stephen Minot of Haverhill, April 9, 1818. Image 4159560_00483.
4. United States Pension Office. Administrative notation concerning the absence of Holt’s name from the available Massachusetts rolls, the unavailability of New Hampshire rolls, and admission of his claim. Image 4159560_00484.
5. Isaac Holt. Sworn Revolutionary War pension declaration, April 9, 1818, before Judge Stephen Minot. Image 4159560_00485.
6. Paul Hunt. Sworn testimony corroborating Holt’s eight-month Massachusetts service in 1775, April 9, 1818. Image 4159560_00485.
7. Ezekiel Wardwell. Sworn testimony corroborating Holt’s service in Captain Richard Shortridge’s company during the expedition to Canada, April 9, 1818. Image 4159560_00485.
8. Stephen Minot. Judicial certification concerning Holt’s military service, financial condition, and supporting witnesses, 1818. Image 4159560_00486.
9. James Chandler. Sworn testimony concerning Holt’s service in Captain Shortridge’s company and his discharge because of illness, August 4, 1818. Image 4159560_00486.

Transcription Collection

The Yost Post research collection, RevWar-Transcriptions-Final.xlsx, records associated with National Archives Identifier 54912945.

The supplied transcriptions provide the basis for the military chronology, pension history, witness testimony, and archival excerpts reproduced in this biography.

The original manuscript images should be consulted for final verification of handwriting, officer names, discharge dates, and administrative pension details.

Historical Research Note