William Stark (1 April 1724 – 27 August 1776) was a Revolutionary War era officer. He was the brother of celebrated Revolutionary war hero John Stark.
Early life
Stark was born in Londonderry, New Hampshire.[1]
He was with his brother John Stark, David Stinson and Amos Eastman, hunting along the Baker River, a tributary of the Pemigewasset River, on 28 April 1752, when John Stark and Amos Eastman were captured and David Stinson was killed by Abenaki Indians. William escaped in his canoe after being warned by his brother.
Stark's property in New Hampshire was confiscated by the revolutionary government.
Rick Holmes, of Derry News 1 Aug 2013, Derry, New Hampshire wrote:
"William Stark was born in 1724 in a small house on Stark Road in Derry. In the 1750s, William moved to Starktown – now Dunbarton, N.H. — where his house was used as the meeting house for the next 17 years. On the frontier, the Stark brothers soon gained a reputation as skilled hunters and trappers who ranged all over New Hampshire and Quebec. While hunting in 1754, they were ambush by Indians. William managed to escape but his brother was taken prisoner. John was taken to Montreal where he was eventually ransomed for $103 – the price of a pony. During the French and Indian War, William Stark was part of Rogers' Rangers – colonial America’s greatest fighting force. William Stark was appointed captain and was second in command to the legendary Robert Rogers himself. During the next few years, he fought with bravery in many battles from Fortress Louisbourg in Cape Breton to Fort Ticonderoga in New York. William frequently traveled with his dog Beau de Bien, who drew full soldiers pay because of services as a scout and guard. William was assigned to go with Gen. James Wolfe to attack the French-held city of Quebec. The general could find no way to attack the French army, which was secure on top of the impenetrable cliffs looming high above the St. Lawrence River. One historian purports that it was Major William Stark who told Wolfe of the hidden path to the top of the cliff. The English went on to win the battle but Gen. Wolfe was critically wounded. Stark was one of the four officers who were assigned to carry Wolfe away from the fighting. In Benjamin West’s famous painting, "The Death of General Wolfe", it is believed that it's William Stark cradling the dying general in a pose reminiscent of Christ in Michelangelo's "Pieta". This battle resulted in England taking control of all of Canada. It is considered one of the most important battles in world history. After Quebec, William returned to his farm high on a ridge in Dunbarton. Here for the next 16 years, the soldier was at peace; here he and his wife raised seven children and took part in small-town politics. During the morning of 17 April 1775, he was startled to hear the distant sounds of cannon fire coming from 70 miles away at Bunker Hill outside of Boston. Immediately, he grabbed his musket, jumped on his horse and rode toward the fighting. By the time he arrived, the battle was over and he joined his brother John in Medford. William Stark was solidly on the patriot side and soon applied for command of an army to protect the northern border and capture the city of Quebec. Because of his experiences in the French and Indian War there was no one who more qualified for that position then Stark. The New Hampshire government saw fit however to award the command to a politically connected soldier who had formerly been one of Stark's lieutenants. This act of disrespect and idiocy infuriated William Stark. He rode to the British line and became a colonel in the king's army. This action was very upsetting to his brother, patriot Gen. John Stark. When hearing about his brother leaving the state, John Stark said that leaving was "the best thing he ever did!” During the war William Stark served in the defense of New York City. The government of New Hampshire confiscated all of his property consisting of thousands of acres of farm and forest land."[4]
Stark was the son of Archibald and Eleanor Nichols Stark and the older brother of General John Stark, the hero of the Battle of Bennington. He married Mary Stinson on 22 February 1754 and they had seven children: William JR., John, Archibald, Mary, Stephen, Thomas, and James.[5]
Kingdom of Great Britain