- From FindaGrave
Son of an ardent patriot, Sgt.John Dunbar and his wife Temperance Hall, Moses Dunbar was an Anglican Tory who was tried for High Treason and executed by hanging during the War of the Revolution. His trial date was 1-23-1777, in Hartford, CT.
" The General History of the Town",[Hartford], states that he was hung "in the presence of a large concourse of spectators. He was but 30 yrs. old.
Moses lived in CT, in an area known as Chippens Hill, near the Bristol/Farmington area. He lived out his life in this place, and as one author put it, it was a "tragedy meant for a poet's pen".
He married young, just a few days short of his 18th birthday. In the span of 12 years, he and his wife Phebe Jerome had seven children together. She died in May of 1776, and one of their children died the same year, probably even within a few days of her, though the record is not clear on that date. Soon after the death of his wife Phebe, Moses married Esther Adams. Esther was the sister of one John Adams, whom Moses was accused of recruiting for the British army. Esther was pregnant at the time of his hanging in March, and she was forced to view the event from a carriage. She was only 18 years old. Moses left five small children and one unborn.
His crime was being found with a Captain's warrant in his pocket authorizing him to enlist men and horses for the British Government, to whom he was loyal. Dunbar's indictment charged him with "not having the fear of God before his eyes and being seduced by the instigation of the Devil" conducting a "traitorous correspondence" with the British army, with joining a British regiment, with engaging "to levy war" against Connecticut, and with attempting to enlist John Adams (his brother-in-law) of Farmington. His own father offered to supply the rope to hang him with.
His grave is unmarked and his person long forgotten except by those who study history and hold interest in such things, and by those of us who descend from Moses Dunbar,who would not be living today were it not for some of his very own blood coursing through our veins. If not famous, he can be called 'infamous', as he was the only person in the state of CT tried and hung for treason during the entire Revolutionary War. He left an autobiography and advice to his children which is eloquent and moving. It shows him to have been a man of strong principles, convictions, and spiritual beliefs. This letter is on file at the Morgan Library in NYC.
Known children of Moses were: Bede, Sene, Dana, Zina, and Phebe.
There is an article published by the New England Historical Society that says "it is believed" that Moses' body may have been moved by his family later to the Episcopal Cemetery in East Plymouth. However, there is no headstone and no record of the removal. So, at this point I will leave the Ancient Burying Ground as his place of burial as there is an actual record of his burial there.
UPDATE: There is another memorial for Moses that includes a headstone in East Plymouth Cemetery, Terryville, Litchfield, CT. It is said that the body was removed from Hartford to that cemetery.
Inscription
Here lies the body of Capt Moses Dunbar hanged 1777 aged 30
Gravesite Details
possible cenotaph although it is said his body was removed to here from Hartford.
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1746 - 1777 (30 years)
