Ford, Hannah Lockwood, 1767-1858
John M. McDonald interview — 1847-11-02
Hannah Lockwood Ford (1767-1858) was the daughter of Captain Samuel Lockwood, a native of Greenwich, Connecticut, who was a whaleboat man for much of the Revolutionary War. She describes his service, and explains the story behind the hanging of Brom Barrett in Greenwich by whaleboat man Fade Donaldson and her father’s feelings over the execution. Mrs. Ford gives her impressions of several figures from the Revolutionary War, including the Reverend Blackleach Burritt, and American generals John Glover, Robert Howe, and Samuel Holden Parsons. She concludes by noting that her father went behind British lines in New York with the goal of blowing up British ships.
Manuscript page facsimiles
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Transcription
Nov. 2nd Mrs Hannah Ford, (widow of Eliakim Ford) of Greenwich Point: "My father, Captain Samuel Lockwood was born at this place, Greenwich Point, in November 1737, and died at the same place, August 26, 1807, aged 69 years and 9 months. He was in the Continental service in the beginning of the war and was taken at Quebec in December 1775, serving then under Montgomery. General Lamb was taken prisoner at the same place and wounded at the corner of the eye. Mr. Lockwood never afterwards was in the Continental service but was during the whole war engaged in the whale boat warfare. He built a galley himself which was blown up accidentally. Brom Barrett was an Irishman, and Fade Donaldson who feared neither God nor man, insisted upon hanging him believing him to be a spy. My
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proposed to keep him and give him a trial, but Donaldson insisted upon hanging him forthwith. It was considered a very wrong action, and my father always grieved about it. The Revd Blackleach Burritt lived at Greenwich Point where he taught school and preached. He had a large family and was once taken prisoner, but soon exchanged. He was a man of great eccentricity of character. My father was a middle sized man very active until his death, and always very much respected. Colonel Mead and his son were taken prisoners at Horseneck. I knew him well. Genl Robert Howe was a tall elegant man. Generals Parson and Glover were short men. They all dined one day at our house. Colonel Fitch, of Horseneck, was a
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very fine man and good officer. Lieut Hull of his corps, was the father of Commodore Hull, as I have always understood. Lieuts Lay and Shailor, I think, were of Meigs's, and were very brave officers – particularly Shailor. I remember when Colonel Humphreys horse was shot at Greenwich Point about half a mile below here. My father went down towards New York, a number of times with persons engaged in trying to blow up the British ships, and once he went all the way down upon the ice."