In This Article
His Story
On August 29, 1779, Continental soldiers advancing through western New York confronted British-allied forces near Newtown, not far from present-day Elmira. Among the American soldiers wounded during the engagement was Sergeant John Fadden of the Massachusetts Line.
The battle formed part of the Sullivan Expedition, an American military campaign directed against British-allied Haudenosaunee communities during the Revolutionary War. Fadden served in the Seventh Massachusetts Regiment under Colonel John Brooks.
His participation and injury are supported by an important surviving military certificate. On January 25, 1792, Joseph Tucker, a former officer, confirmed Fadden’s rank, regiment, and wound received from the enemy at the Battle of Newtown.
That certificate became part of the documentary evidence preserved in Fadden’s Revolutionary War pension file, now held by the National Archives.
Fadden’s life also illustrates the complicated movements of American families during and after the Revolution. Born in colonial Massachusetts, he married during the opening years of the war, later established family connections in Albany, New York, and eventually became associated with northern Vermont.
His surviving records provide an account of military service, marriage, children, pension benefits, and later family circumstances. They also reveal unanswered questions concerning his early military career, first marriage, place of death, and burial.
Early Life
John P. Fadden Jr. was probably born about 1753 or 1754 in Massachusetts Bay Colony. Later genealogical accounts associate his birth with the communities of Stoughton, Milton, and the area that subsequently became Canton.
His father was reportedly John P. McFadden Sr., born about 1729, and his mother was Grace Liscom, born August 14, 1732, according to genealogical accounts.
The couple married in Stoughton, Massachusetts, on April 12, 1751, following a marriage intention recorded March 16, 1750/51.
A baptismal entry published in the New England Historical and Genealogical Register, Volume 24, page 43, records a John, son of John McFadden, at Milton on March 18, 1753.
This entry may refer to the future Revolutionary War soldier. However, the identification has not been conclusively established.
Family accounts identify John’s father as a mariner who died about 1755, reportedly after being lost at sea. The precise circumstances have not been independently verified.
John had an older full brother, James McFadden, reportedly born about March 1752.
On August 24, 1758, Grace Liscom married Comfort Whiton in Sharon, Massachusetts. Whiton’s surname also appears in records and genealogies as Whiting and Whyton.
The second marriage produced a large family of children who were John’s maternal half-siblings.
Although records identify members of his immediate family, the surviving evidence does not establish John’s education, childhood occupation, or the circumstances that first brought him into military service.
Revolutionary War Service
Early Revolutionary Associations
Later accounts associate John Fadden with military activity beginning in the earliest years of the American Revolution.
A retrospective statement preserved in his pension material connects him with engagements including Lexington, Bunker Hill, and White Plains.
These references are valuable research leads, but the surviving documentation reviewed for this biography does not independently establish his presence at those engagements.
Consequently, they should be distinguished from the better-documented service established by his later military certificate.
Service in the Massachusetts Continental Line
John Fadden served as a sergeant in the Seventh Massachusetts Regiment of the Continental Army.
The regiment was commanded by Colonel John Brooks, an important Massachusetts officer who later became governor of the state.
As a sergeant, Fadden held the responsibilities of a noncommissioned officer. Sergeants helped maintain military discipline, supervised soldiers, and assisted commissioned officers with the practical administration of their companies.
The surviving certificate confirms his rank but does not describe his individual duties in sufficient detail to reconstruct his daily military responsibilities.
The Sullivan Expedition of 1779
In 1779, the Continental Congress and General George Washington authorized a major expedition into the territories of the Haudenosaunee nations.
The campaign followed years of frontier warfare involving American settlements, British forces, Loyalists, and Indigenous nations whose political and military interests were not uniform.
Major General John Sullivan commanded the principal American expedition. Its objectives included disrupting British-allied military operations and destroying settlements and agricultural resources that supported resistance to American forces.
The expedition advanced through Pennsylvania and into western New York during the summer of 1779.
The Battle of Newtown
On August 29, 1779, American troops encountered a defensive position occupied by British-allied forces near Newtown, in the vicinity of present-day Elmira, New York.
The defenders included Loyalist and Indigenous combatants, while the American force included Continental regiments participating in Sullivan’s expedition.
American forces attacked the position and compelled the defenders to withdraw. The victory allowed the expedition to continue deeper into Haudenosaunee territory, where American forces destroyed numerous settlements, crops, and food stores.
John Fadden was among the soldiers wounded during the engagement.
His injury is specifically documented in Joseph Tucker’s certificate dated January 25, 1792.
The certificate establishes that Fadden was wounded by the enemy, but it does not identify the location, severity, or lasting medical consequences of the wound.
After the Campaign
The precise chronology of Fadden’s military service following Newtown requires additional examination of surviving muster rolls and related military records.
By January 1792, his former officer Joseph Tucker was able to certify important details of his service.
Nearly three decades later, Fadden continued to rely upon this certificate while pursuing his federal pension documentation.
Battles and Campaigns
Battle of Newtown
Date: August 29, 1779
Location: Near present-day Elmira, New York
Campaign: Sullivan Expedition
The Battle of Newtown was an important engagement during the Continental Army’s campaign against British-allied Haudenosaunee communities.
American troops attacked a defensive position held by Loyalist and Indigenous forces.
Sergeant John Fadden was wounded during the fighting.
Participation: Documented by Joseph Tucker’s certificate dated January 25, 1792, preserved in pension W.21084.
Lexington and Concord
Date: April 19, 1775
Later family-related testimony associates Fadden with the opening military events of the Revolution.
Participation: Not independently verified.
Battle of Bunker Hill
Date: June 17, 1775
Location: Charlestown, Massachusetts
Later statements associate Fadden with the battle, but the evidence reviewed does not establish his specific military assignment or participation.
Participation: Unverified retrospective claim.
Battle of White Plains
Date: October 28, 1776
Location: White Plains, New York
White Plains appears among later claims concerning Fadden’s early Revolutionary War service.
Participation: Not independently established.
Military Honors and Recognition
John Fadden’s military service received formal recognition through the federal Revolutionary War pension system.
His service as a sergeant in the Massachusetts Continental Line and his wound at Newtown were documented by surviving military testimony.
His pension was recorded at $96 annually, effective March 28, 1818.
The pension was entered on August 6, 1818.
Later correspondence from his descendants concerned possible military bounty-land rights. The inquiry does not establish that a land grant was awarded.
No specific military decoration or separate wartime honor has been established from the surviving evidence reviewed.
Original Military Records
John Fadden’s surviving military and pension documentation is preserved in Revolutionary War Pension File W.21084 at the National Archives.
The file contains 39 pages, including military certificates, pension papers, correspondence, family records, and later testimony.
Joseph Tucker’s Military Certificate
Date: January 25, 1792
Location: Boston, Massachusetts
Record: Pension W.21084, page 34
Joseph Tucker certified that John Fadden served as a sergeant in the Seventh Massachusetts Regiment commanded by Colonel John Brooks.
He also confirmed that Fadden was wounded by the enemy at the Battle of Newtown on August 29, 1779.
John Fadden’s Letter
Date: June 17, 1820
Location: Alburgh, Vermont
Record: Pension W.21084, page 39
Fadden’s surviving correspondence discusses documents connected with his military pension, including the earlier certificate issued by Joseph Tucker.
The letter provides direct evidence of Fadden’s connection with Alburgh in 1820.
Family Birth Register
Record: Pension W.21084, pages 22–23
A damaged family register preserves birth information concerning several of John and Catharine Fadden’s children.
Some entries are difficult to read. The surviving register is especially important when compared with later affidavits and genealogical accounts.
Later Heirs’ Correspondence
Dates: 1853 and 1857
The pension file includes later inquiries concerning the veteran’s military history and possible bounty-land entitlement.
Some retrospective claims in these documents require independent verification.
Revolutionary War Pension
John Fadden received a federal Revolutionary War pension based upon his service in the Massachusetts Continental Line.
His pension was recorded at $96 annually, effective March 28, 1818, and entered August 6, 1818.
His pension file contains important documentary evidence concerning his military service, family, and later life.
Catharine Fadden’s Widow’s Pension
Following John’s death in 1825, his widow Catharine pursued federal pension benefits based upon his Revolutionary War service.
Her application was supported by marriage evidence and family testimony.
A certificate dated July 10, 1837, documented the marriage of John Fadden and Catharine Van Der Werken in Albany on December 4, 1778.
The original church entry recorded the groom’s surname as Fatten, illustrating the variations in spelling that appeared in Dutch-speaking communities.
James Fadden’s Testimony
John’s son James supplied testimony in 1837 concerning his parents and family history.
His statements are particularly important for understanding the family’s residence, the pronunciation of the surname, and the chronology of the children.
James’s reported birth year differs from the year suggested by the surviving family register.
Later Family Inquiries
The surviving file also contains correspondence from descendants who continued investigating their father’s and grandfather’s military rights.
An 1853 inquiry concerned possible Massachusetts bounty land. No award has been established from the evidence reviewed.
From His Account
John Fadden’s 1820 Correspondence
On June 17, 1820, John Fadden wrote from Alburgh, Vermont, concerning documentation associated with his Revolutionary War pension.
His letter referred to the earlier certificate issued by Joseph Tucker, which established important details of his service.
The correspondence demonstrates that Fadden remained personally involved in documenting his military record more than forty years after the Battle of Newtown.
Source: Pension W.21084, page 39.
This passage summarizes the surviving correspondence. It is not a verbatim transcription.
Military Service Record
| Conflict | American Revolutionary War |
|---|---|
| Allegiance | United States |
| Branch | Continental Army |
| Rank | Sergeant |
| Regiment | 7th Massachusetts Regiment |
| Commander | Colonel John Brooks |
| Documented Campaign | Sullivan Expedition, 1779 |
| Documented Battle | Battle of Newtown |
| Wounded | August 29, 1779 |
| Reported Early Battles | Lexington and Concord; Bunker Hill; White Plains. Not independently verified. |
| Pension | W.21084 |
| Annual Pension | $96 |
| Pension Effective | March 28, 1818 |
| National Archives ID | 54532506 |
Later Life and Burial
Following the Revolution, John Fadden’s family history became closely associated with eastern New York and the northern borderlands of Vermont.
The birth records of his children place members of the family in Pennsylvania and New York during the closing decades of the eighteenth century.
A possible 1790 federal census entry in Albany records a household under the surname Fadon.
Although this entry may represent John Fadden’s family, the identification requires comparison with the original census enumeration.
By June 1820, John was associated with Alburgh, Vermont, as demonstrated by his surviving letter.
His pension documentation establishes that he died on July 29, 1825.
The precise place of death remains uncertain. Later genealogical material identifies Albany, New York, while other accounts associate his final years with Alburgh.
His burial place has not been established.
A later Vermont military reference suggests burial at Ira, Vermont, but that identification requires corroboration before it can be accepted.
His widow Catharine survived him and pursued pension benefits in 1837.
Later genealogical accounts report that she died February 19, 1849, although her precise death location remains disputed.
Family History
The Yost Post · Family DirectoryJohn Fadden’s family history extends from colonial Massachusetts into New York, Vermont, and Lower Canada.
The following directory combines church and town records, pension documents, published genealogies, and later cemetery memorials. Some relationships and dates remain provisional.
Family Name & Heritage Fadden Explore surname origins and meaning
Meaning and Etymology
The surname Fadden has historical connections with Gaelic-speaking regions of Scotland, particularly the western Highlands and islands.
According to research published by House of Names, the surname developed from the Gaelic personal name Paidean.
The forms Mac Phadein and Mac Phaidin are interpreted as meaning “son of Paidean,” with Paidean described as a diminutive of Patrick.
Early Historical Origins
House of Names associates the surname tradition with the historical Scottish kingdom of Dál Riata and with Kintyre.
One of the earliest cited references concerns Malcolm Macpadene, recorded as a charter witness in Kintyre in 1304.
Other early references include Conghan MacPaden in 1390, John McFadyeane in Edinburgh in 1457, and Donald M’Fadzeane in Kirkcudbright in 1473.
These references establish the antiquity of related surnames, but they do not demonstrate a direct lineage to Sergeant John Fadden.
Historical Spelling Variations
Recorded forms of the broader surname tradition include McFadyen, Fadden, Fadyen, Faden, McFadin, Fadin, McFadwyn, Fadwyn, McFadyean, McFadyon, McFayden, and Feyden.
Within John’s own family records, the surnames McFadden, Fadden, Fatten, and possibly Fadon appear.
These variations are important when examining eighteenth-century military, church, and civil records.
The Fadden Name in Colonial America
House of Names identifies a James Fadden who reportedly arrived in New England in 1726.
Genealogical accounts separately identify the soldier’s paternal grandfather as James McFadden, reportedly associated with the District of Maine during the 1720s.
The similarity in name and chronology is an interesting research lead.
However, no original record has yet established that the 1726 immigrant was the soldier’s grandfather.
A surname’s linguistic history does not establish an individual’s precise ancestry, ethnicity, or entitlement to a coat of arms.
His Parents
Reported father of John Fadden Jr. and James McFadden. Married Grace Liscom in 1751.
View Additional Research
Marriage
Married Grace Liscom April 12, 1751, in Stoughton, Massachusetts.
Occupation and Death
Genealogical accounts describe him as a mariner who reportedly died at sea around 1755.
Research Status
His reported occupation and circumstances of death require additional original documentation.
Mother of John and James McFadden. Remarried Comfort Whiton in 1758.
View Additional Research
Birth
Reportedly born August 14, 1732.
First Marriage
Married John McFadden April 12, 1751.
Second Marriage
Married Comfort Whiton August 24, 1758, in Sharon, Massachusetts.
Children
Had two reported children with John McFadden and at least nine attributed children with Comfort Whiton.
Research Status
Her reported death around 1823 remains to be independently verified.
His Grandparents
Reported father of John P. McFadden Sr. Associated in genealogical accounts with the Georgetown area of the District of Maine.
View Additional Research
Reportedly married Rebecca Pierce around 1728. His identification with a James Fadden who arrived in New England in 1726 has not been established.
Reported wife of James McFadden Sr. and paternal grandmother of John Fadden Jr.
View Additional Research
Her parentage, marriage, and precise identity remain incompletely documented in the genealogical evidence.
His Stepfather
Second husband of Grace Liscom and father of John’s maternal half-siblings.
View Additional Research
Reportedly born September 15, 1736, and died January 4, 1830.
Married Grace Liscom August 24, 1758, in Sharon, Massachusetts.
The surname appears as Whiton, Whiting, and Whyton.
His Marriages
First reported wife of John Fadden. Associated with a marriage intention recorded in Stoughton.
View Additional Research
Marriage
A marriage intention was recorded February 11, 1775. The marriage reportedly took place March 6, 1775.
Child
A son John, born November 18, 1776, is associated with this marriage.
Later Life
A Mary Fadden married Ozias Whiting in 1787, but her identification as John’s first wife has not been established.
The circumstances ending the first marriage remain unknown.
Married John Fadden December 4, 1778, in Albany, New York. Later applied for a widow’s pension.
View Additional Research
Marriage Record
Albany First Dutch Reformed Church recorded the marriage of John Fatten and Catharine V. d. Werken.
Family
Genealogical accounts identify her parents as Roeloff Gerritse Van Der Werken and Hannah Vosburgh.
This parentage requires independent verification.
Widow’s Pension
Applied for benefits in 1837 based on John’s Revolutionary War service.
Death
Reportedly died February 19, 1849. Her place of death remains uncertain.
His Children
The surviving family register, pension affidavits, and later genealogical accounts identify several children of John Fadden. Some birth dates and identities remain disputed.
Reported son of John Fadden and Mary Billings.
View Additional Research
Associated with Stoughton and later Canton-area vital records. A later marriage to Hannah Johnson is reported but unverified.
He should not be confused with another John Fadden whose dates are given as 1796–1848.
Born December 12, 1779, in Sunbury, Pennsylvania, according to the family register.
View Additional Research
Her birth appears in the pension family register. Her reported death around 1817 requires additional documentation.
Son of John and Catharine Fadden who supplied important testimony during the 1837 pension proceedings.
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The family register appears to give March 15, 1782, while James’s own affidavit indicates 1781.
His birthplace is associated with the Manor of Rensselaerswyck, New York. Later genealogical accounts place him in Quebec.
Born in August 1784 in the Manor of Rensselaerswyck, New York.
View Additional Research
The family register appears to indicate August 12, 1784. Other genealogical accounts give August 2 or August 17.
Later family records associate Comfort with Quebec.
Possible identification of a child born April 25, 1789, in Albany.
View Additional Research
The damaged family register appears to contain a Nathaniel entry. The identification and later death date require verification.
Distinct from John’s maternal half-brothers named Nathaniel Whiting.
Possible identification of a child born September 7, 1792, in Albany.
View Additional Research
Later sources associate William with service during the War of 1812.
His identification with the unnamed 1792 child requires corroboration.
Born in Albany, New York, according to the surviving family register.
View Additional Research
The register appears to give March 19, 1795. Other memorial information gives March 13.
War of 1812 references to Joseph Fadden require separate identification.
Born in Champlain, New York, according to the family register.
View Additional Research
Her later marriage, death, and descendants remain subjects for additional research.
His Full Brother
Older brother of John Fadden and son of John McFadden Sr. and Grace Liscom.
View Additional Research
Married Mehetable Wentworth August 13, 1772, in Stoughton, Massachusetts.
Reportedly died April 16, 1795, in the Stoughton area.
Later references to Canton describe a locality that did not become a separate town until 1797.
Reported children include James Jr. and possibly Andrew.
His Maternal Half-Siblings
After Grace Liscom married Comfort Whiton in 1758, the couple had a large family. Nine children are attributed to this marriage in the genealogical material reviewed, with a possible tenth child requiring additional verification.
Reported wife of Joseph May.
View Additional Research
Born in Stoughton, Massachusetts. Reportedly had six children, including Polly May Greeley and Nancy May Phillips.
Her death date remains unknown.
Born January 28, 1761, reportedly a twin of Philip.
View Additional Research
Reportedly died in infancy in October 1761. His death requires original-record confirmation.
Twin brother of the first Nathaniel.
View Additional Research
His birth is associated with Stoughton records. His adult life, marriage, and death remain undetermined.
Reported wife of Captain Thomas Moore.
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Born December 1, 1762, in Stoughton.
Reportedly died June 14, 1848, in Royalton, Vermont.
A son, Thomas Porter Moore, was reportedly born in 1785.
Thomas Moore appears in DAR research, but the precise military service must be checked.
Reported wife of Malboro Ripley.
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Born November 6, 1764, in Stoughton.
Reportedly married July 16, 1787, in Bridgewater.
Children reportedly included Solomon, Marlboro, Simeon, and Ruth Wilde.
Born March 6, 1767, in Stoughton, Massachusetts.
View Additional Research
Earlier genealogical accounts did not establish her marriage or death.
A later Find a Grave family listing identifies her as Rebecca Whiting Billings, 1767–1861.
These later details require verification.
Born December 24, 1768, in Stoughton.
View Additional Research
Named after the earlier Nathaniel who reportedly died in infancy.
The death year 1844 appears in later memorial information and requires independent confirmation.
Daughter of Grace Liscom and Comfort Whiton.
View Additional Research
Her birth is associated with Stoughton records. Her later marriage, residence, and death remain undetermined.
Reported son of Grace Liscom and Comfort Whiton.
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A birth around November 8, 1773, is reported.
Conflicting death identifications appear in genealogical sources. Neither has been conclusively connected to this individual.
Listed as a half-sister of John Fadden in later cemetery memorial information.
View Additional Research
Her reported parentage and dates have not been independently established.
If confirmed, she would represent an additional child of Grace Liscom and Comfort Whiton.
Family Research Update
The surviving pension file provides unusually important evidence concerning John Fadden’s military service and immediate family.
The family register and testimony from his son James should receive particular attention when evaluating conflicting birth dates.
The reported identities of several maternal half-siblings remain incomplete, particularly Grace Whiting Wentworth.
The Fadden surname’s Scottish Gaelic history does not establish a documented medieval lineage for this family.
Likewise, the James Fadden reported as arriving in New England in 1726 has not been proven to be John’s paternal grandfather.
Original Sources
The following bibliography includes original pension documentation, historical record transcriptions, published genealogies, surname research, and later memorial information. Not every source is a contemporary primary record.
-
Revolutionary War Pension File W.21084
John Fadden and Catharine Fadden. National Archives, 39 pages. Particularly pages 21–24, 27, 31, 34, and 37–39.
National Archives Catalog -
Joseph Tucker Military Certificate
January 25, 1792. Pension W.21084, page 34. Confirms Fadden’s rank, regiment, commander, and wound at Newtown.
View Pension File -
John Fadden’s Letter
June 17, 1820. Alburgh, Vermont. Pension W.21084, page 39.
View Original Record -
Albany Dutch Reformed Church
Marriage Register
December 4, 1778. Marriage of John Fatten and Catharine V. d. Werken.
View Marriage Transcription -
New England Historical and
Genealogical Register
Volume 24, page 43. Milton baptismal record, March 18, 1753. Possible identification of the future soldier.
View Historical Register -
Stoughton and Canton
Vital Records
Published records concerning births and marriages in the Stoughton area.
View Vital Records -
Find a Grave — John Fadden Jr.
Memorial #174425607. Secondary genealogical account with family relationships and research leads.
View Memorial -
House of Names —
Fadden Surname History
Scottish Gaelic etymology, early surname occurrences, spelling variations, and reported immigration.
View Surname History -
Allen L. Stratton —
History, Town of Isle La Motte, Vermont
Published 1984. Local historical references relevant to the Fadden family.
View Town History -
Abby Maria Hemenway —
Vermont Historical Gazetteer
Volume II, 1871. Regional historical and genealogical context.
View Gazetteer -
Genealogical Abstracts of
Revolutionary War Pension Files
Published pension abstracts, Volume II, page 1143. Secondary reference requiring comparison with original records.
View Pension Abstracts
Historical Research Note
Birth and Baptism: The March 18, 1753, Milton baptism may refer to John Fadden Jr., but the identification has not been conclusively demonstrated.
Military Service: Joseph Tucker’s 1792 certificate directly supports Fadden’s rank as sergeant, his service in the Seventh Massachusetts Regiment, and his wound at Newtown.
Early Battles: Claims concerning Lexington, Bunker Hill, and White Plains are retrospective and remain unverified.
Battle Wound: The surviving certificate does not identify the anatomical location, severity, or lasting consequences of the injury.
First Marriage: Mary Billings’s later history and the circumstances ending her marriage to John remain unresolved.
Second Marriage: The December 4, 1778, marriage to Catharine Van Der Werken is supported by the Albany Dutch Reformed Church record.
Children: The family birth register is damaged, and some dates conflict with later testimony and genealogical accounts.
Death and Burial: The death date of July 29, 1825, is supported by pension documentation. His precise place of death and burial remain undetermined.
Family Relationships: Several reported maternal half-siblings and other family connections require additional original-record verification.
Surname History: The Fadden surname has Scottish Gaelic linguistic origins. This does not establish a direct medieval pedigree for the soldier.
Portrait Disclosure: The accompanying portrait is an AI-generated historical interpretation, not an authenticated contemporary likeness.
Genealogical Research Note
This family history has been compiled from military pension records, church registers, town vital records, published genealogies, cemetery memorials, and historical research.
The information reflects what has been recorded or attributed to these individuals by previous researchers and may contain inaccuracies, conflicting dates, or unverified family relationships.
The Yost Post presents this information as a historical and genealogical resource rather than a definitive account of every family connection.
Readers are encouraged to consult original documents and conduct additional research when tracing their ancestry.