Draft:Thomas Tash
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Colonel Thomas Tash (1722–1809) was a prominent military officer and civic leader in New Hampshire, best known as the founder of New Durham and a distinguished veteran of the colonial and revolutionary wars.
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Early life and colonial service
Born in 1722, Tash was a descendant of the Piscataqua Pioneers[1], the early settlers of the Portsmouth and Durham region of New Hampshire. His early military career began during King George's War (1744–1748), and he saw extensive service during the French and Indian War (1754–1763) (the North American theater of the Seven Years' War).[2]
Founder of New Durham
In 1749, Tash was among the grantees who received land from the Masonian Proprietors, a group of wealthy New Hampshire investors who held the rights to the Mason Grant.[3]
- Town Incorporation: He was a primary founder of New Durham, New Hampshire.
- Civic Leadership: In 1762, he was authorized by the Royal Governor to call the first town meeting following the town's formal incorporation.
- Infrastructure: Tash is credited with erecting the town’s first gristmill and sawmill, essential for the community's early economic development.
Revolutionary War
During the American Revolution, Tash served as a Colonel of the New Hampshire Militia.
- He served as a major at the Raid of Fort William and Mary in New Castle—a critical coastal defense for the Piscataqua River.[4]
- Command: In September 17, 1776, he was commissioned to command Tash's Regiment of reinforcements and sent to aid the Continental Army at Fishkill, New York.[5]
- Battle of Trenton December 26, 1776 took 1000 Hessians are prisoners
- Battle of Princeton on January 3, 1777
- Correspondence with Washington: His military contributions brought him into direct contact with George Washington, who sent orders to Tash regarding the movement and deployment of his regiment in New York and New Jersey in late 1776.[6]
Notable associations
- Henry Tufts: Tash’s life intersected with colorful figures of the era. He is mentioned in the memoirs of the notorious thief and soldier Henry Tufts, who served under him.[7]
- Elisha Thomas: He also had military dealings with Elisha Thomas, a soldier in the New Hampshire line[8] and first man executed by hanging in 1788.[9]
Death and legacy
Colonel Tash died on October 1, 1809, at the age of 87. He is buried in an obscure family plot in New Durham, where he is remembered as a central figure in the town's founding and a "Revolutionary War hero".