Page 19 - Armstrong Bloodline - ebook_Neat

As with family history versions 2 & 3 above, there seems to be some confusion as to which generation of our
ancestors actually participated in the Revolutionary War. The second bio makes reference to Jerome’s
grandfather and three of his uncles as having participated in the conflict. We know that Elliot was but a child
when the war ended with the Americans effectively victorious in October 1781, although the war didn’t
officially conclude until the British finally abandoned any claims to the United States and signed the Treaty of
Paris in 1783 - so we know he could not have been involved. As we have not yet succeeded in locating any of
great-grandfather Martin’s male siblings (if there are any), we also have no way of verifying that other
Armstrong uncles of the generation served during the war. He also refers to a maternal uncle, we assume was
a Treadway. Jerome’s maternal great-grandfather was Jonathan Treadway who enlisted as a drummer boy,
beat his drums to call to arms at Lexington, MA, was in the Battle of Bunker Hill and White Plains, besides
other engagements, served under Captain Wells and Colonel Lans Wythe, and was with General George
Washington at Valley Forge. Jonathan also had three brothers who were of age to participate in the war, so
this part of Jerome’s narrative may have been true. Interestingly, there was a Captain Noah Phelps and a
Captain Elisha Phelps, both listed as being from Simsbury, CT, who were listed as affiliated with Allen's group.
As mentioned above, we know that Martin's youngest son Elliot married a member of the Phelps family.

Unfortunately, after being able to refute so much of the above narrative, this whole portion relative to the
timeline of our Armstrong American origins and their contributions to the struggle for independence tends to
move unstoppably toward the category of “unsubstantiated folklore” in our minds. If there is a grain of
substance in this part of Jerome’s second bio, it has yet to reveal itself to us through another avenue.

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So now we’re confused. Did our Armstrongs arrive in the 17 century or in the mid 1700s? Did they arrive in
Long Island, go to the mainland, settle in Connecticut, or go somewhere else before we find our earliest known
ancestor named Martin?

Unfortunately, more potholes lay ahead. In an undated data sheet either prepared by or at least in the
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possession of Kay West , it is states that Martin Armstrong was born between 1730 and 1745 and died
sometime after 1794. His marriage date, wife’s name and date of birth are not shown, but it indicates she died
Jan. 4, 1776 in Shoreham, VT. It goes on to relate that he (Martin) is said to have come with his brothers, Eliot
and John from Scotland to Long Island; to have gone to Massachusetts prior to the Revolutionary war and
finally settled in Shoreham, Addison Co., Vermont. No references are provided to substantiate any of this
information. So now we have more folklore to deal with but no more facts. In addition, we are informed that
he comes from Scotland, not Ireland; have Massachusetts as a place of residence thrown into the mix; are
provided with the names of two brothers to ponder; and an unsubstantiated death date and location for his
wife whose last name we learned earlier is Elliot (maybe).

In chapter 1 I mentioned that one of my early family research breakthroughs came when I received a family
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printout prepared by the Armstrong Clan Association . On page one of this packet the following is shown for
Martin Armstrong:

Born 1750 in Norwich, New London, CT (or 1730/45 Sco?). Married about 1766. Died 1815/1820 in Essex NY.
His father’s name was either Timothy or Robert. His mother’s name is unknown. He resided from 1786 to 1793
in Shoreham Addison VT. His wife’s name is shown as Abigail who died 11 Dec. 1811. Place unknown. It is not
known if he had other wives. The names of his three children as shown to Lois, Jewett, and Elliott, all said to be
born in Essex NY.

A note is printed on the bottom of the page and reads as follows:

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