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| ~ Bio - Corporal Stephen Eastman ~ | |||||||
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Stephen Eastman was born January 25, 1755 in Norwich, New London County, Connecticut. He was the 5th son born of Jonathan Eastman and the 8th of 14 children born of Jonathan and his 2nd wife Elizabeth Wood (1724-1800). Stephen's siblings were: Hannah (b. 1740), Lydia (1745-1796), Enoch (1748-1829), Cyprean (1748/9-1798), Bathsheba (1751-1843), Jonathan (1753-1816), Peter (b. 1754), Esther (1757-1837), Miriam (1758-1839), Calvin (1760-1856), Oliver (b. 1762), Amos (1763-1864), Justin (1764-1772), and Amy (1766-1853).
Stephen was one of three Corporals in Captain John Warner's Company, Lieutenant Colonel Samuel Herrick's Regiment of Green Mountain Rangers, July 20, 1777 to December 3, 1777 when that Company was discharged from service. Captain Warner's Company was engaged in the Battle of Bennington, August 16, 1777. Stephen's eldest brother, Enoch, was the Company's Lieutenant. On June 5, 1778, Stephen entered a Detachment of Colonel Gideon Warren's 5th Regiment of Vermont Militia, commanded by Captain Gideon Ormsby called out to guard the frontiers, by order of the Vermont Governor and Council. Stephen served for 22 days in that Detachment. He was discharged from that service, July 6, 1778. Later in the same year, beginning November 7, 1778, Stephen served in Captain Tehan Noble's (Rupert) Company, Colonel Gideon Warren's 5th Regiment of Vermont Militia for 7 days when that Company was called out by order of the Vermont Governor and Council to defend the frontiers of the State. The 6th Regiment of Vermont Militia was established October 23, 1779 upon the reorganization of the 2nd and 5th Regiments of Vermont Militia into 3 Regiments. The Rupert Company was then reassigned from the 5th Regiment to the 6th Regiment. Stephen served as a Corporal, for 6 days, in Captain Tehan Noble's Company, Colonel Ira Allen's 6th Regiment of Vermont Militia when that Company was called out to respond to the alarm of March 26, 1780. Later in the same year, October and November 1780, Stephen served as a Sergeant for 18 days in Captain Nathaniel Smith's Company, Colonel Ira Allen's 6th Regiment of Vermont Militia. That call up was in response to the alarm caused by the raid led by British Major Christopher Carleton into the Lake Champlain Valley and beyond. In 1782, Stephen served 3 days as a Sergeant in Captain Nathaniel Smith's Company doing duty for the State of Vermont. Stephen married, about 1786, Jerusha Jones (1767-1822) by whom he had eleven children (7 sons and 4 daughters, including 2 sets of Twins): Stephen (1787-1817), John (1789-1821), Amos (b. 1790), Levi (b. 1792), William (b. 1794), Mary (b. 1794), Lydia (b. 1799), Mary (b. 1799), Oliver (b. 1801), Alvin Griswold (b. 1806), and Jerusha (b. 1810). Stephen resided in Rupert until his death on April 25, 1819. Stephen is buried next to his wife Jerusha in the North Rupert Cemetery, Rupert, Bennington County, Vermont.
- Biographical information courtesy of Herman C. Brown
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In 1764, or slightly before, Stephen, at about the age of 9 years, moved to Bennington, Bennington County, Vermont with his parents. Bennington was first settled, June 18, 1761. In 1766 or 1767, the Eastmans were among the first settlers to move onto the 1st division lots in Rupert, Bennington County, Vermont and commence clearing the land in what is now called East Rupert.