Theophilus Wilder (1740 - 1821)

Born 16 May 1740 in Hingham, Suffolk, Massachusetts Bay

Ancestors

Husband of Lydia (Cushing) Wilder — married 16 Dec 1762 in Hingham, Suffolk, Massachusetts Bay Colony

Descendants

Died 28 Oct 1821 at age 81 in Dennysville, Washington, Maine, United States

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Biography

Captain Theophilus Wilder served with Colonel Nicholas Dike's Regiment during the American Revolution.

Theophilus Wilder is a DAR Patriot Ancestor, A126771.

Theophilus Wilder was born at Hingham, Massachusetts, 16 May 1740, the son of Theophilus Wilder and Mary Hersey; ^{[1] [2] [3]}

He married at Plymouth, Massachusetts, 16 Dec 1762, Lydia Cushing.^[4][2]

Theophilus was a constable in Hingham, in 1768.^[1]

Following the purchase of Plantations #1 and #2 by Gen. Benjamin Lincoln and associates, Theophilus removed to Dennysville with the initial group of Hingham settlers in May 1786,^[5] his wife and family following in Jun 1788.^[1]

He settled in that part of Plantation #2 that is now Pembroke, in the Pennamaquan section thereof. He was chosen moderator of the plantation meeting on 24 Mar 1800, the first of which there is an extant record, and of the first town meeting in Mar 1818.^[6] He possibly was moderator of all of the plantation meetings, as at the 2nd town meeting it was "voted that the thanks of the town be given to Theophilus Wilder senior, for his former services as moderator of all our former plantation & town meetings."^[7]

During the Revolutionary War, he served as a lieutenant and then captain on multiple occasions in 1776-78 and in 1780 ^[8][9]

He commanded a company of militia at the surrender of Gen. John Burgoyne, 17 Oct 1777.^[10] He continued to serve until the surrender of Gen. Charles Cornwallis. ^[11]

The children of Theophilus and Mary are:^[1]

1. Lydia, died in infancy
2. Lydia, b. 31 May 1764; m. 1) William Lewis, and 2) William Southworth
3. Theophilius, b. 21 Jan 1766; m. Hannah French, widow of Robert Waterman and dau. of Theodore and Mehitable (Lewis) French.
4. Mary, b. 15 Jul 1768
5. Sarah, b. 7 Aug 1770; m. Moses Lincoln
6. Ebenezer Cushing, b. 20 Aug 1772;
7. Susannah, b. 9 Aug 1774;
8. Bella, b. 15 Oct 1776
9. Persis, died in infancy
10. Persis, b. 13 Oct 1780
11. Deborah, b. 13 Dec 1782
12. Elizabeth, b. in Maine
13. Theodore, b. in Maine; m. Margaret Hersey

He died 28 Oct 1821,^[1] at Pennamaquan (a neighborhood in Pembroke), Maine,^[12][3] or 31 Oct 1821. ^[13] at age 81years. He is buried in the Forest Hill Cemetery at Pembroke. ^{[14] [15]}

Sources

1. ↑ ^{1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4} History of the Town of Hingham, Massachusetts (The Town of Hingham, Massachusetts, 1893) Vol III, p.318
2. ↑ ^{2.0 2.1} William Richard Cutter, A.M., New England Families, Genealogical and Memorial, Third Series, Volume II (Lewis Historical Publishing Company, New York, 1915), p. 763. Cit. Date: 7 Mar 2020
3. ↑ ^{3.0 3.1} Joseph Crook Anderson II, CG, Maine Families in 1790, Volume 6 (Maine Genealogical Society Special Publication No. 31, Picton Press, Rockport, Maine, 1998, 588 pages), p. 480
4. ↑ "Massachusetts Marriages, 1695-1910", database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:FHR2-9N5 : 24 January 2020), Theophilus Wilder, 1762.
5. ↑ "Dennysville 100th", pp. 26, 36
6. ↑ "Dennysville 100th", pp. 68 73
7. ↑ "Dennysville 100th" p. 74
8. ↑ Massachusetts, Soldiers and Sailors, 17:352-53
9. ↑ Fisher's Soldiers, p. 861
10. ↑ Vital Records from the Eastport Sentinel of Eastport, Maine 1818-1900'. 34.
11. ↑ DAR Lineage Book Vol XXXVIII, p.252 Theophilus Wilder
12. ↑ Vital Records from the Eastport Sentinel of Eastport, Maine 1818-1900'. 458.
13. ↑ Vital Records from the Eastport Sentinel of Eastport, Maine 1818-1900', p. 34.
14. ↑ "Maine, Faylene Hutton Cemetery Collection, ca. 1780-1990," database with images, FamilySearch: 16 March 2018, Theophilus Wilder, 1821; citing Burial, Pembroke, Washington, Maine, United States, Maine State Library, Augusta; FHL microfilm 1,787,567. Burial Family Search
15. ↑ Find A Grave, database and images (accessed 07 March 2020), memorial page for Capt Theophilus Wilder (16 May 1740–28 Oct 1821), Find A Grave: Memorial #77584115, citing Forest Hill Cemetery, Pembroke, Washington County, Maine, USA ; Maintained by Maine 101 (contributor 47130320) .

Bibliography

• Memorial of the 100th Anniversary of the Settlement of Dennysville, Maine [1886], Dennysville 100th
• Kenneth L. Willey, editor, Vital Records from the Eastport Sentinel of Eastport, Maine 1818-1900 (Maine Genealogical Society Special Publication No. 24, Picton Press, Camden, Maine, 1996, 884 pages, ISBN: 0-89725-249-7

See also:

• United States Rosters of Revolutionary War Soldiers and Sailors, 1775-1783
• Maine, Veterans Cemetery Records, 1676-1918
• Maine, Nathan Hale Cemetery Collection, ca. 1780-1980