This year, an additional flag has been placed in the Point of Graves honoring the American Revolutionary Patriots buried there. Captain Daniel Huntress joins Captains James Drisco, Tobias Lear, and Joshua Lang Huntress.

Daniel Huntress was the son of George (1727-1765) and Sarah (Lang) Huntress (1729-1768). He was born in Portsmouth, New Hampshire, September 23, 1755 and died May 5, 1820.

Daniel was a Master Mariner and served in the Continental Navy. He was captured by the British during the American Revolution and taken to the Old Mill Prison at Plymouth, England.
(reference: Mariners of the American Revolution by M. J. Kaminkow)

The inscription of his gravestone reads:

At his own special request we have
Here deposited the remains of
Capt. DANIEL HUNTRESS
who departed this life
May 5, 1820
Aged 65 Years.
A WORTHY HONEST MAN
[A verse, illegible now.]

THE NEW HAMPSHIRE GENEALOGICAL RECORD vol. i. July 1903— April 1904

Daniel is buried in the Huntress plot in Point of Graves cemetery, next to his brother, Joshua Lang Huntress.

Memorial Day 2016, I visited two of my favorite cemeteries in Portsmouth, New Hampshire — The Point of Graves, located on Mechanics Street across from the beautiful Prescott Park and Pleasant Street Cemetery, located on Pleasant St. next to the Mark Wentworth Home [for Assisted Living]. I like both these cemeteries because they are small and I can easily get to know those buried there through Genealogy research. I was saddened to find there were no American flags in either cemetery to honor those that served in a military capacity.

I knew from precious researches, that there were Revolutionary Patriots buried in both cemeteries. It was such an important time in American history, that it bothered me to have these men forgotten for their contributions. So, I set out to do something about it.

I talked to many people on the proper procedure to honor these Patriots. I was passed from agency to agency. No one seemed to know what to do or who might be in charge of doing anything at all. My husband and I finally ended up at the Portsmouth VFW. They used to place flags, but they have trouble keeping up with newer Veterans and have had to forgo placing flags on older graves. They leave it up to the families or private citizens to honor them.

For this Fourth of July holiday weekend, my husband and I put American flags on the graves of the Patriots buried in Point of Graves and Pleasant St. Cemeteries. They will remain for the weekend and be removed late July 4th or 5th at the latest. It might be against protocol, considering they should have been placed on Memorial Day, but I find it appropriate that these men be honored during the time we Americans celebrate our country’s birthday.

Click on a name to view grave

American Patriots buried in The Point of Graves

Captain James Drisco
Captain Joshua Lang Huntress
Captain Tobias Lear
Captain Daniel Huntress

American Patriots buried in The Pleasant Street Cemetery

John Evans
Captain Ephraim Ham
Benjamin Partridge
Captain James Shores
John Wendell

I found an interesting newspaper article concerning those who had been captured from their sailing vessels and imprisoned in an English jail during the war. One of the names mentioned was Nathaniel Marshall of Portsmouth, New Hampshire. There is is a Nathaniel Marshall buried in the Point of Graves that lived during the time period of the Revolutionary War. I have not been able to confirm that he is the same one as mentioned in the article. If indeed he is the same, I will honor him next year with a flag, also.

Boston Evening Transcript

https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=2249&dat=19120727&id=Oq4-AAAAIBAJ&sjid=8FkMAAAAIBAJ&pg=3796,4145520&hl=en