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Though technically part of the Seven Years War--the larger European conflict between the British and the French and others--this segment was fought entirely in North America by the British and its ally, the Iroquois Indians; and the French and its allies, the Huron and Algonquian Indians among others.  In the United States, it is known as the French and Indian War.  In Canada, it is known as the Seven Years War, The War of British Conquest, and the War of the Conquest.  It seems to have no name designation in Europe.  This war took place before the American Revolution, and the American Militia fought side by side with the British. 

 

In the mid-1700s, both the French and the British had settlements in the New World.  There was much unsettled land, and both expanded into these areas. This caused a great deal of conflict, as well as disagreements in hunting, trapping, and trading rights.

 

The war took place largely in northern New York State, southern Canada, and as far south as Pennsylvania.  The war concluded with the capture by the British of Quebec and Montreal, Canada.  The Treaty of Paris was signed in 1763.  The result was that the French lost its colonies in Canada, which the British gained.  Spain lost its Florida area, while it gained the Louisiana territory which the United States later purchased.

Military Roster, French and Indian War  1754 - 1763

 

After the Treaty of Paris in 1763 ending the Seven Years War in Europe and marking the formal ending of the French and Indian War in America, colonists in America began to feel serious outrage over the taxation imposed upon them by England.  While they accepted the concept of being governed, the idea of being taxed without representation in Parliament was considered intolerable and completely against their natural rights.  England, without conceding this, demanded that the colonies pay their share for the protection afforded to them and for part of the cost of governmental administration.  The consequence of this was a series of taxation laws imposed upon the colonists by Parliament.  In addition, Parliament had passed a law forbidding colonists settling west of the Appalachian Mountains, all of which excited outrage in the colonies.

 

Violence began in 1770 in Boston when snowballs and perhaps some sticks were thrown at British troops resulting in the Boston Massacre and the deaths of three colonists.  War hostilities began in 1775 at Lexington and Concord.  With the crucial help of France, the revolution ended in 1783 with the British surrender at Yorktown, Virginia.

Continental Colors, considered to be the first flag of the United States.
Military Roster, American Revolutionary War   1775 -  1783
AMERICAN MILITARY ROSTER
FRENCH AND INDIAN WAR 
THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION
 
The French and Indian War
 
The American Revolution
 
 
AMERICAN REVOLUTION 1775 - 1783
THE FRENCH AND INDIAN WAR  1754 - 1763
The Red Uniform of the British Army and the
Green of the Colonial Militia, Rogers Rangers.
Colonial Red Ensign.  First "National" Flag to fly over the English/American Colonies.
Flag of the Iroquois Federa-tion--the Mohawk, Oneida, Onondaga, Cayuga, Seneca, and Tuscarora.
The Flag of New France
George Washington French and Indian War.
Lithograph by Lemercier, 1854, Library of Congress.

Name

Date of Birth

Parents

Details of Service

Regiment/Company

Other Information

Keep, Jabez

2 Mar 1728

John Keep

Abigail Munn

Had the rank of Corporal in Captain Daniel Burt's company in the French and Indian War from March 1755 - January 1756.

Keep, Jabez

13 Dec 1736

Jabez Keep

Sarah Leonard

In 1755, Jabez had the rank of Corporal in Col. Timothy's Ruggle's Regiment.  He took part in the Battle of Lake George (New York)  that year.   Also saw service at Crown Point (New York) in 1758.   He also was in Col. Jonathan Butterfield's Co. in 1760 in the expedition against the French in Canada.   He was one of the first to respond to the alarms of the Revolutionary War for the independence of America from British colonial rule (see Revolutionary War Chart).

Keep, Samuel

22 Aug 1670

John Keep

Sarah Leonard

The Son of John Keep of Longmeadow and known as Ensign Samuel Keep.  He was in  theMassachusetts militia in the 1700s.  No doubt too old for the French and Indian War, but he could have been involved in King William's War, about 1689-1697, and Queen Ann's War, about 1704-1714.

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 Early American Naval Flag
Name

 

Date of Birth

Name

Details of Service

Regiment/Company

Other Information

Chandler, Joseph

28 Apr 1738

Sarah Keep

David Chandler

In Nov., 1777, Joseph enlisted in the Regular Army (The Continental), and during his honorable service became disabled, something that might be called a post traumatic stress disorder that greatly affected his later life.

 

Name

Date of Birth

Parents

Details of Service

Regiment/Company

Other Information

Keep, Caleb

13 Dec 1736

John Keep

Abigail Munn

Began as Sgt. in the Revolutionary War, and marched to Cambridge at the alarm of Apr. 19, 1775.   Is on list of officers in Col. Timothy Danielson's Regiment May 27, 1775 with Rank of Lt.  Also rank of Lt. in Capt. Jos. Thompson's Co./Col. Daniel's Regiment, Aug 1, 1775.  Had rank of Capt. in Continental Army, Col. Shepard's Regiment, for service Jan. 1, 1777 - Apr. 13, 1778. Was in the Battle at Saratoga.  Appears with rank of Capt. in Capt. Caleb Keep's Co., Col. Israel Chapen's Regiment, enlisted Oct. 15, 1779, discharged Nov. 21, 1779.  Received rank of  Capt. of 9th Co. of 1st Regiment, Hampshire County Militia, Gideon Burt,Col. 

Caleb Keep was at Valley Forge.

Keep, Jabez

13 Dec 1736

Jabez Keep

Sarah Leonard

 

Participated in the French and Indian War, see that chart.   Was among the first to fight in the Revolution as a Sgt. in alarm roll in Jonathan Davis' Co., John Whitcomb's Reg. which marched from Harvard to Cambridge on  Apr. 19, 1775.  2nd Lt. of Capt. John Burt's Co., Col. Asa Whitcomb's Reg., enlisted Apr. 26, 1775, in the Battle of Bunker Hill.  2nd Lt. in Capt. Hezekeah Whitney's 9th Co., Col. Josiah Whitney Regiment, commissioned March 20, 1776.  In Col. Smith's Co., as a Capt. he marched to Canada to aid the Continental Army there July 22, 1776.  Also in Capt. T. Hartshorns 4th Co., and Col. Michael Jackson's Regiment, discharged Dec. 3, 1780.                                                                                                              

Keep, Jabez

8 Sept 1759

Jabez Keep

Phoebe Crosby

Held rank of Private, Teamster, Corporal, and Sergeant.  Enlisted at age 15 at the Lexington Alarm with rank of Private in James Burt's Company in Col. Asa Witcomb's regiment , marching from Harvard on Apr. 19, 1775. Was Teamster in Capt. David  Nunn's Company in New Jersey.  He was enrolled as a regular soldier in the Continental Army in Col. Michael Jackson's regiment from Arp. 1, 1777, to Apr. 1, 1780, in Capt. Brown's company to Jan. 1, 1780, and then in Capt. Burnam's company.   Finally, he enlisted on Mar. 8, 1781.  Margo Keep's Keep genealogy, "John Keep of Longmeadow," tells us that he appears on the descriptive list as "age 21 years, stature 5 feet 3 inches, complexion dark, hair dark, eyes dark, occupation bloomer, residence Harvard."  In Apr. 1883, he was promoted to Sgt and as such was mustered out with the regiment in Oct., 1783.

Keep, James

----

Pvt. in 2nd Virginia Reg., 3rd Division.

James Keep was at Valley Forge.

Keep, Jas

----

Pvt.

Keep, John

10 Mar 1749

Samuel Keep

Sarah Beman

Served during the Revolutionary war as Chaplain in Col. Jonathan Smith's Regiment.

Keep, John

29 Sep 1753

Jabez Keep

Experience Lawrence.

Entered service from Harvard as Pvt. under Capt. Coffin and General Montgomery.

Keep, Jonathan

7 Aug 1745

Jabez Keep

Experience Lawrence

1st Lt., 1st Co., 6th Regiment, Middlesex Co., Massachusetts Militia.

Keep, Joseph

 

Captain, Massachusetts.

Keep, Josiah

30 Aug 1745

Josiah Keep

Lois Noble

Corp., Capt. Reuben Munn's Co., col. David Leonard's Reg., March 1, 1777 to Apr. 11, 1777, reinforced the army at Fort Ticonderoga.

Keep, Leonard

7 Oct 1742

Jabez Keep

Experience Lawrence

Quartermaster in Col. Samuel Ashley's Regiment of militia., Massachusetts, marched from Chester Co. to Fort Ticonderoga May 7, 1777, and was discharged on June 18, 1777. Pvt. in Capt. John Cole's Co., Ashely's Reg., June 29 to 11 July, 1777.  Pvt., to Saratoga in Capt. Benj. Flood's Co., Col. Bellow's Reg, Sept 21 to Oct. 21, 1777.

Keep, Matthew

24 Mar 1745

Matthew Keep

Abigail Wolcott

At Lexington alarm, marched from Springfield on Apr. 20, 1775 as Corp. in Maj. Andrew Colton's Co.  At the Bennington alarm in 1777, was enlisted as Pvt. in Capt. James Shaw's co., and served 32 days.  Enlisted on Oct. 18, 1779, in Capt. Caleb Keep's Co. until discharged on Nov. 21, 1779.

Keep, Samuel

3 Nov 1732

Jabez Keep

Sarah Leonard

Spy for Ethan Allen's Green Mountain Boys and assisted in the capture of Fort Ticonderoga.   See story on Personal Experience Pages.

Keep, Samuel

 

26 May 1739

Samuel Keep

Sarah Beman

Sgt., marched on alarm to Lexington Apr. 19, 1775, from Springfield to Brookfield where his unit was called back.  Was part of Col. David Leonard's Regiment on March 2, 1777.  Was part of reinforcement of Fort Ticonderoga.

Keep, Samuel

See note*

On a list of names, "all of whom are presumed to have answered the call and enrolled themselves for service," found on reverse side of a formal written announcement of the attack on Lexington, April, 1775.  On the list of Minute Men of the regular Longmeadow company, under Capt. David Burt who marched to Boston on April 20, 1775, for service of 10 days.  Listed as Springfield's contribution, responded to call in April, 1775, ordering the Hampshire County militia to take part in the expedition against Ticonderoga in Col. David Seward's regiment.  Source:  A History of Hampden County,Massachusetts, 1902.   *Very possibly the same Samuel, b. Nov. 3, 1732, listed above.

Keep, Simeon

26 Feb 1737

John Keep

Abigail Munn

Lt., Massachusetts Militia.  Lt.  in Capt. James Sherman's Co., Col. Ebenezer Larned's Reg., commission in Council, Feb 1, 1776.  Also listed among officers in the 9th Co., of the 1st Hampshire County Reg. as 1st Lt.  Also in Lt. Col. Timothy'sHampshire County Reg. to March 25, 1777.  On Feb. 24 was on roll at Ft. Ticonderoga.

Keep, Stephen

25 Jan 1765

Stephen Keep

Hannah Colton

Enlisted Aug 20, 1781 in Captain Abel King's Co., Col. Sear's Reg. and served in Saratoga, and was discharged Nov. 20, 1781.

This Stephen Keep was probably at Valley Forge.

Keep William

----

Sergeant.  Rhode Island

American Revolutionary War Participants
Keep Family Members with other surnames

The flag of John Paul Jones' ship Bonhomme Richard during his battle with the British frigate Serapis.

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