Ebenezer Bodwell (1785-1868)

War of 1812 Pensioners, p. 192
Bodwell, Ebenezer, Old War IF# 19553, sv as Cpl in Capt Chadwicks 34^th US Infantry.

Maine Revolutionary Pensioners
'35 a Bodwell, Ebenezer.....Corporal.......Oxford County....From Mass. in 1817
'40 -----------------------------age 55-Oxford County....Resident Andover

Andover Memorials by Agnes Blake Poor
Ebenezer Bodwell, came here with Mr. James Wyman and the other early settlers of the town, while still quite a young man. As a boy he was affable and pleasant and of a roving disposition. Bought and rented quite a number of farms here and in other places. He could not content himself to live long in any one place, and even went to Canada and lived a few years. He has lived in Colebrook and Errol, Nh. The North Surplus, Byron, Roxbury, etc. When he had been married fifty years he had moved fifty-one times, and he was like the rolling stone that collects no moss. Some of his children were born in Canada, some in the other places mentioned, and some here. As a man he was rather wild when young, but grew sedate as he grew old. He was by occupation a farmer. Enlisted and went up to Canada in the War of 1812, and was in the Battle of Chateaugay, and was wounded in the head there, and drew a pension from the Government from 1814 to the time of his death in 1876. He did not accumulate much property, but died a good old man.

Pension Records from the National Archives:
"I certify the Ebenezer Bodwell a Corporal in Capt Peter Chadwick's 34^th Infantry is entirely unfit for Military Duty in consequence of the loss of the use of his right arm, caused by a wound received at the battle at Ossistown from a musket ball Oct.26 1813 - and is entitled to pension - His manual labor is entirely affected . Plattsburgh 21^st March 1814. H. Gross, Surg. 33^rd Infantry."
Another document records the start of the pension and the transfer of it from Massachusetts to Maine.

Service Record from the National Archives:
Bodwell, Ebenezer. Rank: Sergeant. Regiment 34^th U. S. Infantry. Company Commander: Capt. Chadwick. Height: 5 feet, 8 inches. Hair: Dark. Complexion: Light. Age 26. Occupation: farmer. Enlistment: April 25, 1813. Period: 1 year. Nov 30, 1813, absent wounded. Oct 31, 1813 to April 30, 1814, absent sick at Burlington. Entered Hospital February 1814, discharged from same May, 1814- Surgeon's Certificate of disability dated - Loss of use of right arm by musket ball at the battle of Ormstown (Quebec - on the Chateauguay River). Discharged at Plattsburgh (New York), March 23, 1814 on Surgeon's Certificate.

Bob Spidell discovered a microfilmed newspaper obituary for Ebenezer that places his birth place as Bradford, Mass. (August 5, 1997) "In Andover, November 4^th, Deacon Ebenezer Bodwell, age 83 year 5 month 2 days. Deacon Bodwell was born in Bradford, Massachusetts, and in his early life came to Andover. He was a soldier in the War of 1812, and received a very severe and dangerous wound in the head during the engagement at Chategue Woods which rendered him a pensioner for the remainder of his life. He was a most consistent professor of the Christian religion, and after serving his Great Master in a long and useful life, he awaited patiently for God’s own time to take him to his Mansions above." From the Oxford Democrat, December 11, 1868, Oxford County Maine.

Born	Died	Married	Spouse	Her Father
2/3 Jun 1785	4 Nov 1868	27 Nov 1806	Elizabeth Burnham	Jeremiah Burnham
Bradford, Ma	Andover, Me	Andover, Me	b. 24 Jul 1785 Bridgton, Me	Moved to Andover, Me from Bridgton, Me

03/30/97

Contact: charlie@bodwellfamily.org