If you've come to my site hoping I could design a website for you, I'm sorry to say I am no longer physically able to do such work. Physical limitations have made it increasingly impossible to spend many hours at the computer.

I've placed a photo of one of my fourth great-grandmothers, Margaret Spies, on my homepage because her father served in the Continental Army. He was at New York, and then crossed the Delaware to Trenton, Princeton and New Brunswick in New Jersey under the command of General George Washington. I've read of the unbelievable weather conditions through which Martin Tschudy and several of my ancestors traveled and fought in the Revolutionary War. These men endured much to obtain the liberties we enjoy today.

I would like to use this site to honor my ancestors who have passed through this life without the fame that follows many. They bucked the system. It may have been acting on something faith related that they did not support. It may have been standing up and taking action when someone under the guise of government was taking what truly belonged to them, and that they worked very hard to obtain. One such man was one of my ninth great-grandfathers, Edward Gove of Hampton, New Hampshire.

While New Hampshire was under the rule of the Massachusetts Bay Colony, a militia was formed. Edward Gove, Ensign, served as an officer in that militia. In 1675, the king's attorney decided that Robert Tufton Mason had a legal right to the Province of New Hampshire. He visited the area "to secure legal possession of the estate to which he believed that he had the legal title. He endeavored to obtain rents from the settlers, but they claimed that he had no rights". Although many in the town complained, only a handful stood up for what they believed to be right. Edward was chief among them. The governor, having received information of his movements, immediately sent messengers to Hampton and Exeter with warrants for the constables, requesting them to arrest Gove, but fearing this show of opposition and that Gove's party might become too strong for the civil power, he forthwith ordered the militia of the whole province to be in readiness." Edward was ultimately arrested and tried.

During his testimony at Gove's trial, Mason said, "Gove was a person of considerable property, lieutenant of the military company and somewhat popular", and as Randolph, an English devotee of Mason, affirmed, "a leading-man and a great stickler in the late proceedings of the assembly." He resolved, almost single-handed, to redress his own and others grievances. "He makes it his business," said Randolph, "to stir the people up to rebellion. ... He endeavored, with a great deal of pains to make a party, solicited many of the considerable persons in each town to join with him to secure their liberties."

He also testified that about the 27 Jan 1683 Gove declared "that his sword was drawn, and he would not lay it down till he knew who should hold the government." Edward was found guilty of high treason.

He was transported to England aboard the ship "Richard" of Boston. On June 6, 1683 he was confined to the Tower of London to await his execution. His sentence was that of one found guilty of high treason. He was to be hung, brought down alive, be disembowed and have them burnt before him. His head was to be cut off and his body torn in four, with the pieces going where the King decided.

Had we failed to win the Revolutionary War, those who rose up against King George would have been given the same sentence. If Edward had been born in the day of John Adams and Benjamin Franklin, he would have been called an American Patriot.

Source: Joseph Dow's History of Hampton, New Hampshire by Joseph Dow, Pub 1893, Salem Press Publishing & Printing Co., Salem, MA

To see how Edward's life was spared, click this link to History of the Town of Hampton Falls, New Hampshire written by Warren Brown, and published in 1900.