Photos from Dian Chapman

Concord Fight

On the morning of April nineteenth, 1775, while the British held this bridge, the minute-men and militia of of Concord and neighboring towns gathered on the hill across the river.
There the Concord Adjutant Joseph Hosmer demanded "Will you let them burn the town down?" There the Lincoln Captain, William Smith, offered to dislodge the British. The Acton Captain,Isaac Davis said, "I haven't a man that's afraid to go." And the Concord Colonel, James Barret,ordered the attack on the regulars.

The column was lead by the Major John Buttrick, marching from his own farm. His aide was
Lt. Colonel John Robinson of Westford. The Minute-men of Acton, Concord, Lincoln and
Bedford followed. After them came the Militia. At the British Volley Isaac Davis fell. Buttrick cried "Fire, Fellow-Soldiers, for God's sake fire." And himself fired first. The British fled.
And here began the separation of two kindred nations, now happily long united in peace.

Allen French

The battleground!

In 1775...the first battle of the Revolution was held right there.

When we started on this drive, I wasn't all that interesting in the historical aspect,
I just wanted to hit Salem and check out the Witch Museum.
But once here...standing on this hallowed ground...it was as if I could feel the past.
I was suddenly struck by the fact that a couple hundred years ago a bunch
of farmers fought for freedom...and many died...RIGHT HERE.

Written by Dian Chapman

The river behind the farm

This is the location of the farm house owned by Major John Buttrick,

whose land is the location of the beginning of the Revolutionary War.
Just down this hill is where the first battle took place. The "Red Coats"
were coming over the bridge to his farm...when they were
confronted and pushed back by a bunch of patriot farmers.



This was taken by Dian Chapman and the notes was from her website.

Maj John Buttrick's home

This is the ancestral land of the Buttricks dating back to the mid-1600s with the arrival of William Buttrick one of the original settlers of Musketaquid (Concord). The family name was made famous by a fourth generation Buttrick, Major John Buttrick who led the militia to meet the British at the North Bridge in 1775. This home sits atop what is now Minuteman National Park, at the peak of a slope. As founding members of Concord, the original parcel was over 200 acres. The Buttricks maintained much of the lands including the homestead through most of the 20th century.

In the 1930s, a series of magnificent gardens were carved out of the land by John Buttrick’s, great, great grandson, Stedman Buttrick atop the rivers edge near the original farm pictured above. These became world-class estate gardens and today you can walk through them, well worth your time especially in early spring. However, one must only imagine now the feast for the eyes they once brought forth. Evidently, horticulturists from far-flung regions would come annually to see the irises and columbine that dotted the landscape. The gardens themselves were maintained by generations of the Buttrick family until well into the latter half of the 20th century. I learned this bit of history that is completely omitted at the Visitors Center at MNP on Concord’s community website, Concordma.com.

While I regret not having the chance to see the entire estate in its former glory, neither the panorama nor history of the place is overshadowed by the limitations a National Park must sometimes operate under. Although they were not able to invest in all aspects of the estate, much of the architecture and artifacts are preserved and the history, celebrated. But, perhaps a better model for preservation may be coming with the complete and careful renovations of Henry David Thoreau’s Birthplace and Major John Barrett’s home, now well underway here in Concord.

This came from the internet http://theconcordlife.com/2009/01/16/buttrick-estate-minuteman-national-park/

Maj. John Buttrick

This is a card bought off E Bay and letting the world know about Maj John Buttrick. He was at the old North Bridge, and after the British fired there first volley, Killing all in the front row, Maj John Buttrick took charge and ordered the firing of the shot heard around the world. This was the first action of the United States Army, and the first call for Freedom. Maj John Buttrick is the most popular of our lines of Butricks. April 19, 1775.

photo and info from Larry Buttrick

Enos Butrick

This is my 2nd great-grand uncle Enos

This is a photo of Enos Butrick. He was born in 1812 Passed in 1883. Wife Catherine Ann de Lavergne Butrick. She was born in Jan 1816 passed in March 1864 Enos married Sarah Brown de Lavergne. Enos was a true pioneer as records indicate he was the first living white man to settle in Western Iowa. His exploits can be followed in a book titled. " Buffalo Trails Plowed Under" A history of Carroll Co Iowa.

Photo and info from Larry Buttrick

Wyllis Buttrick

This is my 2nd great-grand uncle Wyllis Buttrick

Wyllis is the brother of Enos and Jared
Wyllis was born Feb 24, 1809 Son of Joseph and Elizabeth Maran Buttrick. Wyllis served in the Union Army during the Civil war. He passed March 1890.

Photo from Larry Buttrick

My Grandma Dorothy Sarah Buttrick

This is my Grandma Dorothy Sarah Buttrick when she was 15 yrs old

4 generations

4 generations
My gggrandma Sarah Ann William-Reighley-cotton, ggrandma Minnie Alberta Reighley-Buttrick, grandma Dorothy Sarah Butrick-Pederson, uncle William Peder Pederson (Also known as Bill)