Bennington

DEWEY, Elijah

Vermont Historical Magazine, No XI, October 1867, pp 175-176 [excerpt from a 
section on the history of Bennington]

Capt. Elijah DEWEY was born 28 November 1744 at Westfield [Hampden County], 
Massachusetts, son of Rev. Jedediah DEWEY. Elijah DEWEY came to Bennington 
[Bennington County, Vermont] with his father in the fall of 1763. His name 
is found among the privates in the first military company formed in town in 
October 1764, he being then under twenty years of age. He was Captain of one 
of the Bennington companies early in the war of the revolution, was at 
Ticonderoga with his company in the fall of 1776 and again at the evacuation 
of that fort by St. CLAIR in July 1777, and he was at the head of his company 
in the Battle of Bennington, 16 August 1777. He was also in service at 
Saratoga on the surrender of BURGOYNE in October following. Captain DEWEY 
also served the public in various stations in civil life; represented the 
town [Bennington] in the General Assembly in 1786, 1787, 1788, in 1796 and 
again in 1812 and 1813 and, and was a member of the Council of censors in 
1790. Capt. DEWEY was a federalist in politics and headed the list of 
Presidential Electors of this state in 1797 and also in 1801, voting on both 
occasions for John ADAMS. Capt. DEWEY was a man of sound and discriminating 
judgment, and of undoubted integrity, who did well and faithfully whatever he 
undertook. He was uniformly respected; he [Elijah DEWEY] died 16 October 
1818.

Submitted by Cathy Kubly