Pawtuckaway Lake Association

PLIA Member Stephen Soreff, MD. has been chasing down Generals since moving to Pawtuckaway Lake. He has provided us with a story about his quest.

Upon moving to Nottingham, the most prominent marker of the hamlet has been  the signs noting one’s entrance into it.  It says Nottingham established 1722 and is the Home of Four Revolutionary War Generals. This claim Revolutionary history piqued my interest especially since I had never heard of any General from this area before I came here.

Early in my quest I inquired on any native I happen to meet as to who these generals were.  This was fruitless but did give people pause to contemplate.  I next went to the Blaisdell Memorial Library.  There I secured a volume on the history of Nottingham.  Much to my dismay, the book yields no reference to any Nottingham Generals except one General Sullivan.  The search had proved to be more elusive. 

When I returned the book to the library, Pat the librarian, took up you my cause.  She quickly said Cilley, Dearborn, Bartlett and Butler.  So I had my answer.  She coupled this revelation with handing me several photocopied pages from the History of Rockingham County obtained from the Dover Public Library on March 13, 2000 and sold me for a dollar a copy of  a commemorative issue “Nottingham 250” compiled by the Nottingham Historical Society.  I had more ammunition to continue the quest.

The History of Rockingham County proved to be initially more elusive than illuminating.  Yes, it did mention all four generals.  Yet, their rank and military careers were more convoluted.  Most of them lived around the town Nottingham Square. This must have been a pivotal location then.  It is the sight of the rifled soldier erected on July 4, 1917 by the DAR and has on its base the four names: Cilley, Dearborn, Bartlett and Butler.

First noted was General Joseph Cilley who received his title for the State Militia.  Next was Dr. Henry Dearborn who history records as General Henry Dearborn. He served in the Quebec Campaign, Saratoga, Monmouth and Yorktown as well as in the Battle of Bunker Hill.

Thomas Bartlett had a membership in the Committee of Safety and served at West Point.  Later, after hostilities had ended he was in the New Hampshire Militia where he achieved the rank of Major General.  Finally, there was Henry Butler.  He served with Thomas Bartlett at West Point and later he followed him in the New Hampshire Militia where he became a Major General.

In the process of this discovery adventure I learned many things about Revolutionary Nottingham. First, that the town contributed more soldiers to the war than any other town in New Hampshire of its size.  When word reached Nottingham of the Battles of Lexington and Concord on the morning of April 20, 1775, Dr. Dearborn sent out the word for the troops to assemble.  By 4 PM, 100 soldiers gathered and marched to Massachusetts.  By legend and tradition the company reached Medford, Mass by 4 PM on April 21!

And the answer to the town’s greeting sign as to the Four Revolutionary War Generals is Cilley, Dearborn, Bartlett and Butler

[Editors note: This article is unedited except for spelling]