‘They did it for their children': Descendants honor soldiers in Battle of Bunker Hill

To commemorate the 250th anniversary of the Battle of Bunker Hill, a group with personal ties to the historic event converged on Boston’s Charlestown neighborhood Tuesday.

Descendants of those who fought in the battle gathered at the Bunker Hill Museum to share personal stories of their ancestors, offering a glimpse into the human side of the American Revolution.

“I’m related to Johnathan Allen, who was a chaplain at Bunker Hill. He came from East Bridgewater and he enlisted as a lieutenant and came out as a captain,” said Clarissa London, who is a sixth direct descendant of Allen.

Many of the men and boys who fought in the Battle of Bunker Hill were everyday citizens — blacksmiths, tradesmen and farmers — but they answered the call. Gladys Van Otteren’s eighth great grandfather was Captain David Sleeper.

“He was a farmer. He was a militiaman like they all were, and he was from New Hampshire — Rockingham, New Hampshire,” said Van Otteren. “And so, Josiah Bartlett who was a signer of the Declaration of Independence, wrote him a letter and asked him to go to Lexington and Concord, and he stayed and kept fighting.”

She became emotional when speaking about the courage and bravery of those who fought.

“They did it not for themselves. They did it for their children, and I am that child,” said Van Otteren.

The Charlestown Historical Society spent about eight months tracking down descendants through the Brothers of the Battle program.

“It started out as a basic genealogical research. How old were they? Where were they born? How many children did they have? What company or regiment were they in?” said Timothy Riordan, vice president of the Charlestown Historical Society. “These men never intended to be soldiers. They were farmers, they were cobblers, they were merchants.”

Riordan conducted his research for about a year and a half to learn more about these often-overlooked stories. Descendants were also invited to bring family artifacts to the museum.

“A lot of the descendants brought swords, bullets, and cannonballs, as you can imagine. Things that have been passed down generation to generation,” said Julie Hall, president of the Charlestown Historical Society.

Hall says many of the stories of these unsung heroes had been lost to family lore, but were then rediscovered through letters, journals and diaries.

“We really created this rich tapestry of stories about these men and boys who fought at the battle that have not been told before publicly,” Hall added.

About 40 descendants returned to Charlestown for the special anniversary, expressing great pride in their ancestors and grateful for the opportunity to connect with one another.

“Learn about your family history, make that personal to you, and then share what you’ve learned to the generations after you,” said Steve Pearson, the seventh great grandson of Lt. John Wheeler who fought in the redoubt.

The reenactment of the Battle of Bunker Hill is this weekend. It will be held in Gloucester, Massachusetts, to accommodate its large scale.