The Fordham Family's Revolutionary War

While the Fourth of July has many special traditions in Sag Harbor, the village sent several men to fight for independence. Last year, SHHS provided a brief history of the Battle of Sag Harbor. Continuing on the theme of recognizing our Revolutionary War history for the 4th of July, this year the focus will be on the Revolutionary War service of the Fordham family.

23 of Sag Harbor's verterans are known to be buried in the Sag Harbor Old Burying Ground. Of those veterans, almost a quarter were the sons, grandsons, or sons-in-laws of Nathan Fordham of Bridgehampton.

Nathan Fordham of Bridgehampton died in 1774. His sons, Daniel, "Esquire" Nathan, and Ephraim Fordham all fought for the Patriot cause. His son-in-law Braddock Corey also fought with the Americans.

"Esquire" Nathan Fordham, known for his title as a lawyer (probably to distinguish him from all the other men of the same name in the family) was a member of Sag Harbor's Committee, a group of local supporters of the Provincial Congress, and an early leader in the Patriot political movement. "Squire" Nathan Fordham served in Josiah Smith's militia regiment, and fled to Connecticut when Long Island fell to the British. "Esquire"'s son John Fordham also served in the militia and is recorded among the refugees in Connecticut.

Brother Ephraim Fordham appears to have captained a ship, probably a privateer, during the war. He helped move his family and his brothers' families to Connecticut. He signed the Articles of Association, an open political declaration of support for the American cause.

Daniel Fordham joined Colonel Mulford's militia men. During the war, Daniel Fordham, like many other Long Island volunteers, was able to get leave to transport families between British-occupied Sag Harbor and American-controlled Connecticut. Daniel's wife Phebe Jessup Fordham and her daughters and younger sons to eventually travel to Connecticut for safety, staying first in Saybrook and later in Middletown. That move was probably quite a challenge, considering it involved rowboats and small children. Phebe had 10 children, her youngest children were born in 1771, 1774, and 1779 respectively. The youngest son was born during the Fordhams' time as refugees in Connecticut.

Phebe and Daniel Fordham's older sons, Nathan and Frederick Fordham, served under Colonel Henry B. Livingston's 4th New York Regiment of the Continental Line. The Fordham brothers were involved in defending New York during the Battle of Long Island. Both brothers were captured and imprisoned in the Wallabout Bay Prison Ships where they survived for an astonishingly long period of approximately 6 years (an average life expectancy of 3-6 months on the prison ships makes this hard to believe). During Nathan and Frederick's imprisonment, Daniel secured permission to travel to Sag Harbor and repair his son Nathan's home after it was attacked by plunderers.

Frederick Fordham died at age 17 from mistreatment during his imprisonment, after surviving several months on the Wallabout Bay prison ships in Brooklyn. Fordham's imprisonment experiences were probably comparable to Captain Thomas Dring and Joseph Plumb Martin's and others who recorded their life on the HMS Jersey. Frederick was released from Wallabout Bay as he neared death in 1782, and he was able to make it back to Sag Harbor before he died. His uncle, Captain Ephraim Fordham, appears to have returned to Sag Harbor around the time of Frederick's burial.

Daniel's son Nathan became a refugee in Connecticut following his release from the prison ships, like the rest of the family. Nathan seems to have stayed in East Haddam, CT, like some of Daniel's brothers. Nathan would later become one of the ship captains of Sag Harbor, and he and his wife Mary Howell Fordham would name two sons after Frederick, although neither of those boys lived until adulthood.

Sites associated with the Fordham family in Sag Harbor include the the American Hotel, which was the site of Daniel Fordham's inn. The Long Wharf also has strong associations with the Fordham Family. The first Long Wharf was built in 1761 by a Nathan Fordham (probably "Esquire" Fordham) and James Foster. In 1771, Daniel Fordham became a shareowner in the original Long Wharf. A later descendant, John Fordham, operated a blacksmith shop known locally for eel spears and clam rakes. Somehwere near where the Watchcase Factory condos are currently being built, Ephraim Fordham and another Fordham family member owned homes in the late 18th Century. Ephraim's home was closest to where Sage Street hits Madison Street, and the property probably extended to Church Street.

Daniel Fordham's home was probably near the present-day American Hotel, and other Fordham family members owned businesses along West Water Street, one of them is probably near where the Post Office is today. Braddock Corey lived somewhere on Union Street, probably between the Old Whalers' Church and Main Street.