(ON THIS DAY-1775) Revolutionary Patriot TIMOTHY DART

 5GGF-Timothy Dart-Dort

“By the rude bridge that arched the flood,

Their flag to April’s breeze unfurled,

Here once the embattled farmers stood

And fired the shot heard round the world.”

The opening lines of Ralph Waldo Emerson’s poem, “Concord Hymn” seem a fitting tribute to commemorate the 250^th anniversary of that famous “shot heard round the world”—marking the beginning of the War of American Independence. The Battles of Lexington and Concord, fought on this day—April 19, 1775—were the first military engagements of the American Revolutionary War that would test the bravery and impact the lives of many of our GloverSmith ancestors.

Titus Dort, Jr.’s grandfather--TIMOTHY DART--was one such colonist who took up arms as a third-generation American ready to defend his home and community less than 100 miles from Lexington and Concord.

(above) Connecticut 4th Co. military roster under Cpt. Jonathan Birge who, like Timothy Dart, was from Bolton, Connecticut. Captain Jonathan Birge served with 3rd Battalion, Col. Comfort Sage, Wadsworth's Brigade, Continental Army during the American Revolution. Likewise, Col. Sage is listed with Birge under Timothy Dart’s service description. (*note: other Dart kin on the roster--see below)

Although little is written about Private Timothy Dart (later spelled Dort), he purportedly fought in the pivotal Battle of Fort Ticonderoga, led by Ethan Allen and Benedict Arnold, where the Green Mountain Boys captured Fort Ticonderoga from the British on May 10, 1775--less than a month after those first shots were fired at Lexington-Concord. (Although it is unclear if Timothy was one of the Green Mountain Boys, they were a militia formed a few years earlier to protect New Hampshire's land grants west of the Green Mountains from New York’s claims. Since Ft. Ticonderoga was a march of over 200 miles from Timothy's Connecticut home, it appears that he chose a half-way point sometime during the war to settle down in New Hampshire. Timothy Dart’s second child, Titus Dort [father of 3^rd GGF Titus Dort], was born in Gilsum, New Hampshire, along with a number of his siblings.)

A short bio of Timothy Darte [Dort] is found in my worn copy of Thaddeus L. Bolton’s Genealogy of the Dart Family in America:

(The "automobile and carriage business" mentioned above belonged to J. Dallas Dort, nephew of Titus Dort, junior. DORT MOTOR CAR COMPANY ran from 1915-1924. It was a spin-off from the Durant-Dort Carriage Company, Flint Michigan.)

 ~

What heroes from the woodland sprung,

  When, through the fresh awakened land,

The thrilling cry of freedom rung,

And to the work of warfare strung

  The yeoman's iron hand!

(opening lines from poem “Seventy-Six” by William Cullen Bryant)

*NOTE: The following entry is from a Find-a-Grave contributor, Lola Dart Doane, regarding another related Dart on Captain Birge's list--THOMAS DART. Thomas, son of Ebenezer, is found in our Dort family tree. His military service record and relocation to NH likely parallels that of his 'cousin' TIMOTHY DART.

"Thomas was called a "carpenter" of Bolton [CT] when he bought land in Surry, NH, June 3rd 1771, of Chas Rice and William Barron. Surry is bound on the east by Gilsum. About 1781 Thomas returned to Gilsum where he built himself a dwelling house and served the town in many capacities. He also served in the Rev. War, along with ten other Darts-father, sons, brothers and cousins--from Surry and Gilsum. Thomas was a private. He entered on June 28th 1777, in Capt. Elisa Mack's Co. Col. Samuel Ashley's Reg. which was sent to Ticonderoga. He traveled 100 miles and was discharged July 10th 1777. Most of these men belonged to the town's Militia and fought when they were called upon to service. No doubt to our ancestors as to most of our other soldiers, the Rev. War years were nothing more than a break in the real business of life. They fought and went home to work and came back to shoot more British or be killed. They grumbled and swore and probably brawled as all good soldiers must.Thomas was among the signers of the "Declaration" a promise to "resque" their lives and fortunes to oppose the "Hostile Proceedings" of the British Fleet and Armies and against the United American Colonies. This was know as the Committee of Safety and was signed by all men of 21 years and older in Surry and Gilsum."