Display Patriot - P-270045

Eli PHINNEY

SAR Patriot #: P-270045

The following information was assembled from numerous sources and cannot be used directly as proof of Qualifying Service or Lineage.
It is considered a research aid and is intended to assist in locating sources that can be used as proof.

State of Service: MA Qualifying Service: Patriotic Service

DAR #: A090860

Birth: 16 Jan 1727 Barnstable / / MA
Death: 03 Feb 1777 Centerville / / MA

Qualifying Service Description:

Town of Barnstable
- Committee of Correspondence, 12 Oct 1774
- Committee to purchase arms and ammunition, 25 Apr 25 1775
- Committee of Safety, 06 Jul 1775
- Committee of Correspondence, Inspection and Safety, 05 Mar 1776
- Representative to the General Court, 25 Jun 1776

Additional References:

Lovell, Town of Barnstable, Records
- Vol. 2, pg 291
- Vol. 3, 1765-1793, pg 101, 106, 108, 113, 117

Spouse: Mary Phinney
Children: Paul; Richard; Susanna; Deborah; Solomon; William; Edward; Jane; Robert;

Members Who Share This Ancestor

Date Approved	Society	ACN	SAR Member Info	Lineage via Child	View Application Detail
1965-09-29	TX	Unassigned	Peter Michael McKinley (92383)	Paul

Burial:

Centerville Ancient Cemetery_(C-0075258)

Location:

Centerville / Barnstable / MA / USA

Find A Grave Cemetery #:

2130820

Grave Plot #:

Grave GPS Coordinates:

41.654750 / -70.343184

Find A Grave Memorial #:

44592834

Marker Type:

SAR Grave Dedication Date:

Comments:

Photos displayed courtey of David Crandall Schafer, MASSAR
The gravestone of Eli Phinney is made of gray slate. It is 20" wide, 26" tall and 1.25" thick. It is in good condition but has a large cedar tree which has grown to the point of blocking view of some of the gravestone. The gravestone of his wife Mary Phinney is to the right of his gravestone

Directions to Cemetery / Gravesite:

The Ancient Cemetery of Centerville is located on Phinney's Lane one-fifth of a mile south of Route 28. It is a relatively small cemetery consisting of 0.73 acres of sloping ground. It has about 180 gravestones with the earliest being for Jonathan Hamblen, dated June 22, 1743. It has an average elevation of 44 feet above sea level and has a split rail fence on the street side with no other fencing. It is owned and managed by the Town of Barnstable and is an inactive cemetery

Photo: 1 of 2

Photo: 2 of 2

Author: David Crandall Schafer

Eli Phinney was born at the Town of Barnstable, January 16, 1727, a son of Thomas Phinney and Reliance Goodspeed. He was the oldest of seven children with siblings Lydia, Sarah, Isaac, Patience, Abigail and Elizabeth.

At the age of twenty-five he married his first cousin Mary Phinney, a daughter of Jabez Phinney and his wife Jane Taylor. Together Eli and Mary had nine children born between 1755 and 1753: Richard, Susanna, Deborah, Solomon, Paul, William, Edward, Jane and Robert.

Eli Phinney was an active citizen of the Town of Barnstable, serving in the position of Town Selectman from 1765 through 1770: and Town Assessor from 1766 through 1770. As difficulties developed between the colonies and Parliament, notable men from Barnstable took major leadership roles at Town Meetings and in the Provincial Congress. At the October 12, 1774 Town Meeting the Honorable James Otis, Esq. was chosen moderator, followed by the vote to choose a committee to join with the Committee of other towns in the County to “...Consult on measures to prevent disorder in the same...” with James Otis, Major Joseph Otis, Daniel Davis, Eli Phinney and others were selected for said committee and that it be a “Committee of Correspondence.”

Again, at a April 25, 1775, Town Meeting, James Otis was selected moderator, followed by a vote to purchase one hundred and twenty small arms, and to purchase ammunition to be added to the Town stock, and that Daniel Davis, Colonel Joseph Otis, and Mr. Eli Phinney be a Committee “...for to purchase arms and ammunition...” Later that year at the Town Meeting of July 6, it was voted to choose a Committee of Safety, with William Taylor, Jonathan Crocker, John Lewis, Joseph Hallet, Eli Phinney, John Crocker and Samuel Crocker chosen for said purpose.

At a March 5, 1776 Town Meeting, it was voted to choose a Committee of Correspondence, Inspection and Safety, with Deacon Crocker, Samuel Crocker, John Lewis, Eli Phinney and Joseph Hallet chosen for said purpose. At this same Town Meeting a “...Committee to inquire into and state the grievances this town labor under in general & why persons are taken by an armed force & any of them carried out of the County for trial without first being examined by the Committee of Safety...” choosing Eli Phinney, Captain William Taylor, Daniel Davis, Captain Ebenezer Jenkins, Captain Sturgis Gorham and Samuel Crocker for said committee.

The final service to the Town of Barnstable given by Eli Phinney was when he was elected to be Representative to the General Court by the major vote of the electors present at the Town Meeting of June 25, 1776.

On Monday the February 3, 1777 Eli Phinney died "...in the 51st year of his age..." and was buried in the Centerville Ancient Cemetery. His wife Mary lived another forty-four years and died February 21, 1821 "...in her 86th year...," when she was buried beside her husband Eli.

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