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.
Author: James D. Perkins
Sergeant Joseph Stearns, of Attleborough, Bristol County, Massachusetts enlisted 1 May, 1775 and served as a sergeant in Captain Caleb Richardson's Company, Colonel Timothy Walker's Massachusetts Regiment. He again enlisted in July 1776 in Captain Elisha May's Company, Colonel Thomas Carpenter's Regiment for five months, during which time he was engaged at the battle of White Plains. After returning home for a short time, he was called out on alarm and served 3 months in Captain Jacob Ide's Company, Colonel John Dagget's Regiment. He enlisted again sometime in August, 1777, following and served in Captain Caleb Richardson's Company. Sergeant Stearns again enlisted in July 1780, for three months in Captain Richardson's Company in Colonel Abiel Mitchell's Regiment. Below are exerpts from Avis Stearns' work published in 1901, pertaining to the lives of patriot, Sergeant Joseph Stearns. Full text of "Genealogy and memoirs of Isaac Stearns and his descendants" By MRS. AVIS STEARNS VAN WAGENEN. Syracuse, N, Y. Courier Printing Co. 1901. 591— JOSEPH STEARNS (214), b., Oct. 7, 1751, son of Capt. John and Rebecca (Dean) Stearns, of Attleboro,Mass.; d., June 2, 1829; md., Dec. i, 1774, Rhoda Tingley, b., Aug. 17, 1755, who d., Dec. 21, 1837, dau. of Thomas. and Martha Tingley. In 1783, they moved from Attleboro to Tolland, Conn., and in 1792, he went to Mt. Pleasant, Wayne Co., Pa., reaching there on the 5th of March, with his two sons, James and Otis. In the early fall, Mr. Stearns returned to Conn, for his wife and six other children, and, with them, commenced the privations and hardships of pioneer hfe. His son, Jabez, was the first male child born in the town. "Wayne Co. was then a wilderness, with the red men lurking in am- bush and the bear, panther and wolf roaming unmolested. On one occasion Mrs. Stearns took her infant son, Ashbel, into the woods with her to save some sap that was wasting. Lay- ing him in a sap trough, she went about gathering the sap and, on her return, was horrified to see a large bear on a log beside the improvised cradle, in the act of seizing it with his distended jaws. With a wild shriek Mrs. Stearns fell forward, while their dog, Carlo, attacked Bruin and compelled him to retreat. At one time, being destitute of meat, Joseph was very much discouraged. His wife, believing in an over-rul- ing Providence, placed the kettle over the fire and said, "Now I have done my part, and believe the Lord will do His." Be- fore the water boiled, a fawn, apparently frightened, entered the field where the boys were at work and was caught by them." He was a soldier in the Revolutionary War, and they remained at his father's house, after their marriage, until the close of the war. "He was plowing in the field when the bat- tle of Lexington was announce'd; left his team and started, but it was over before he reached there. Two of the eight men killed that day were his cousins; he helped sink the British ship. Roebuck." at Hellgate." He had ten children.
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