Hunterdon’s Revolutionary War Veterans: Edmund Dalrymple

In recognition of the upcoming 250th anniversary celebration of the American Revolution, we present an occasional series of articles focusing on Hunterdon County residents who served during the war. Several articles to be published are adapted from biographies that appeared in the Hunterdon Historical Record in 1976, while others will be based upon new research.

Born on March 22, 1752, Amwell resident Edmund Dalrymple was one of five brothers who joined the American cause during the War for Independence. He volunteered for the “Amwell Regiment of Militia” under Captain Arthur Gray and Lieutenant Jacob Runk. In March, 1776, he was with the militia when it marched to Hoboken and from there to “Amboy,” serving a one month tour of duty.

He barely had time to tend to family business before he was again answering his regiment’s call. In the summer of 1776, he marched to Woodbridge, serving for another month. About August or September of the same year, the Amwell Regiment was split into two divisions, each taking alternate monthly tours. Edmund, who was in the second division under Captain Cornelius Hoppock, regularly made his tour of one month “whenever it came to the turn of our class to go which was every other month while the British overran New Jersey & while . . . other tories laid at Staten Island.”

Edmund ultimately served tours at Amboy, “at the Blazing Star at Woodbridge,” Thorntons farms, Elizabethtown, twice in Newark, “Aquackanuck,” “Boundbrook,” and “Passaick falls.” Edmund also was stationed “at Coryells ferry” [Lambertville] on the Delaware under Capt. George Ely to ferry the army across the Delaware.” He also helped to ferry Washington’s army across the Delaware River prior to the Battle of Monmouth. Throughout the war, Edmund said he was “frequently on alarm,” and served no less than two years.

By 1785-86, Edmund was a resident of Alexandria Township, and was engaged in merchandising, as was his brother, Evan. In November, 1792 “Edmund Derumple” was a member of the Amwell Militia. No records indicate that Edmund ever married or had any children. When on September 2, 1833 he filed a pension application for his service during the Revolution, Edmund reported that he was “a resident of the Poor house of the township of Amwell.”

Dalrymple was granted a pension for his service on May 1, 1834, after which he seems to have taken up residence with his nieces, Ereminah and Elizabeth Dalrymple, the daughters of his brother Thomas, who had a home in Alexandria Township.

Edmund died on July 19, 1845 in Alexandria Township, at age 94. His funeral was held on the 21st by Rev. Manning Force, “a highly distinguished and widely known Minister of the M.E. Church.” It is not known from where Edmund’s funeral was held, nor where he was buried. In his obituary it was noted that there was no “tomb stone to tell his name, his birth, or his death.” Although the funeral services were attended by “a large number of relations and friends . . . No funeral drum rolled over the bier of the soldier of the Revolution.”