The Minor Family of Somerset

MI reads, Also the body of the above Jeremy Lister, of Shibden H
all, who departed this life Feb 10th 1788, aged 74 years. He be
came master of Shibden after his brother James who was unmarrie
d died. Jeremy lived until 1788 when his second son James, anot
her bachelor had Shibden Hall until 1826. Jeremy Lister, serve
d as a captain in the American War of Independence and was wound
ed at the battle of lexington. Jeremy Lister, of Shibden Hall
, wrote to his eldest son james, then on a visit to London Aug 2
1st, 1770. "I have had somediscourse with my son Jeremy. He t
ells me has no dislike of going into thearmy. I would have yo
u to desire Col. Fawcett to buy your brother Jeremy a Commissio
n in the army as soon as he can with convenience for the best ad
vantage, and that I shall think myself happy to have a son unde
r his care." TheCommission for an ensign-ship in the 10th Regi
ment of Foot arrived at Shibden Hall on Christmas Day, and the e
arly months in 1771 were spent by ensign Lister in the home of C
ol Fawcett, where he was very merry. On June 23rd, he landed i
n Quebec, and remained in America until he was invalided home a
t theclose of 1775, with a shattered elbow as a relic of the Wa
r of independence.Jeremy Lister has achieved fame because of h
is Narrative of Concord Fight,april 19th, 1775, is a document o
f American national importance. In 1931, the Harvard Universit
y issued a small book of 56 pages, "Concord Figt, being somuc
h of the Narrative of ensign Jeremy Lister, of the 10th Regimen
t of Foot, as pertains to his services on the 19th of april, 177
5, and to his experience in Boston during the early months of th
e Siege."
CONCORD FIGHT
Lister ought not to have been at Concord, but he volunteered t
o take the place of a Lieut. Hamilton, who feigned sickness whe
n the order came to go on a secret expedition. His account of t
hat Day is most viviid, and yet we can only give brief extracts
. "Just about that time I received a shot through my right elbo
w joint, which effectually disabled that arm....We arrived at Le
xington, which from what I could learn is about 9 miles....At Le
xington caused a littlehalt when I got Mr. Simes, Surgeon's Mat
e to 43rd Regt., to examine my arm, when he extracted the ball."
....On landing at Boston....." I then proceeded through the tow
n to my lodgings, where I arrived about 9 o'clock, after a marc
h in the whole of about 60 miles in the course of 24 hours, abo
ut 24 milesafter, I was wounded, and without a morsel of victua
ls except what I have before mentioned. On my arrival at my lo
dgings, Mrs. Miller, the Mrs. of the house, I desired to get m
e a dish of tea, which she immediately set about, but Mr. and M
rs. Funnel....pronounced me light-Headed in asKing for tea. I o
ught instantly to go to bed, but persisiting in having some te
a before I leftthe place, it was brought. The imagination ma
y conceive, though it is beyond the power of words to express, t
he satisfaction I felt from that tea. Notwithstanding, I was in
terrupted with a thousand questions, till I was asked whethe
r I had seen Lt. Sunderland of the 38th Regt., when I replie
d I had, and supposed by that time he was dead. His wife, bein
g just behind my chair, immediatly dropped down in swoon, whic
h then diverted the company's attentiona little from me, whic
h I was not at all sorry for, as I then got my tea witha littl
e more quietness."