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: Captain / Civil Service / Patriotic Service
Author: Rodney France
Joseph Sargent was born the 6th of October 1732 in Stow, Massachusetts and died on the 22th of March 1797 in Princeton, Massachusetts and is buried there. Joseph Sargent of Princeton, Massachusetts was a Captain in Colonial Sparhawk’s regiment which marched on April 20, 1775 in response to the Alarm of April 19, 1775 to Cambridge. In March, 1775, a company of minute men was formed, armed, and equipped, and ordered to "train once a week" and to "put themselves in a proper position for defense." At the same time the town voted to "procure seventy- two dollars for their use, "the selectmen being instructed to pay said money "when they marched." On the memorable 19th of April, 1775, the arrival of a messenger shouting, "to arms ! to arms ! the war has begun !"and the ringing of the church bell summoned the people together. In a short time the minute-men were paraded on the common and took up their line of march towards Lexington and Concord.
The alarm list had for special purpose the defense of town and church against attacks by the Indians. The town provided the powder and ball; each man owned his rifle or shotgun, but was responsible to the town for the use of the ammunition, none of which was to be used for private purposes, such, for instance, as hunting game, or shooting-matches. Each Sunday the men of the alarm list brought their guns, powder and ball to the church. After morning service they were inspected by one of the deacons, and any deficiency in ammunition was to be paid for by the man found to be deficient. A small building was set apart, in the cemetery, where the town's arms, powder and ball were kept. Joseph Sargent, Captain of the 6th company of Col. Josiah Whitney’s 2nd Worcester co. regiment of the Massachusetts militia. May of 1777, Joseph Sargent, Captain of a company drafted from Col. Josiah Whitney’s and Col. Stearns’s Regiment which marched to serve under Gen. Spencer in Rhode Island. Warwick Neck was strong Patriot fort built at Rocky Point to prevent the British from landing there and making a land advance against Providence. Even with the gift of historic hindsight, it’s difficult to evaluate the significance of the militia units in Rhode Island. Without a doubt, the forts at Pawtuxet and Warwick Neck served, at least to some extent, of having British hesitate to invade the mainland. The Warwick area enjoyed a brief period of high spirits following Major Barton’s capture of the British general, Richard Prescott.
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