Isabella Eldridge

     Isabella Eldridge was born on 25 February 1753 at Truro, Barnstable Co, Massachusetts. She was the daughter of Timothy Eldredge and Hannah Dyer. Isabella Eldridge married Solomon Dyer, son of Solomon Dyer and Sarah Atkins, on 24 October 1770 at Truro, Barnstable Co, Massachusetts. Isabella Eldridge married Seth Nickerson, son of Ebenezer Nickerson and Elizabeth Mayo, on 25 October 1779 at Provincetown, Barnstable Co, Massachusetts. Isabella Eldridge died on 3 August 1837 at Provincetown, Barnstable Co, Massachusetts, at age 84; The pension application and subsequent papers indicate that Isabella, widow of Seth Nickerson had died at Provincetown 3 Aug 1837 and left eight children: Jemima Collins, Jenny Lascom, Seth Nickerson, Jesse Nickerson, John Nickerson, and Eldridge Nickerson, all of Provincetown, as well as Isabella Standley of "St John's in the Province of New Brunswick, and Thankful Thomas of Boston".^1,2 She was buried at Provincetown Cemetery, Provincetown, Barnstable Co, Massachusetts; She was buried in Lot #318.¹
     A document dated 10 June 1842 stated the Boston Municipal Court had accepted the evidence brought forth that Isabella, widow of Seth Nickerson had been a resident of Barnstable County, and had died at Provincetown 3 August 1837, and that she left eight children: Jemima Collins, Fanny? Lascom, Seth Nickerson, Jesse Nickerson, John Nickerson and Eldridge Nickerson, all of Provincetown, "Isabella Standley of St. Johns, in the province of New Brunswick," and Thankful Thomas of Boston.
Further on was a statement by Silas Atkins of Provincetown, who said he was in his 79th year, and lived in a neighborhood with Soloman Dyer, who had a son by the same name, Solomon, who was about 15 or 16 yrs older than he was, who married Isabella Eldridge, "and by her had two daughters and a son, he then enlisted as a soldier in the army of the revolution and went in the army to canada and was there killed by the bursting of a cannon as I understood at that time".
His brother, Micah Dyer, also stated that the family had lived in Truro until he was 10 or 11, and then they moved to Provincetown. He had been told that his brother was killed "in firing a salute". Another declaration mentions that Solomon was drafted into Gen. Schuyler's regiment and was killed by the "bursting of a gun or field piece at or near Plattsburg point while engaged in firing a salute after the skirmish" during 1776.
In addition to that is mention that since he never returned after first entering the service, his family never knew anything about where or what he was doing. It adds he first served on the seacoast just south of Boston, after his Uncle Naylor Hatch of Malden convinced him to join him in war.
Isabella indicated that "the news came that he was killed by a gun, and some time after his cloths were sent home to me and I remained a widow seven years".³