Thomas Brimigion

(1754 – December 17, 1843) 

Thomas Brimigion was a farmer from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, in 1773.

His obituary states that he took part in the Boston Tea Party, but it is unclear how Thomas ended up in Massachusetts. There is, however, considerable evidence supporting his military involvement in the Revolutionary War.  

By his personal account in a letter to the pension board dated April 10, 1818, Brimigion stated:  

“I Thomas Brimigion aged sixty three years, a citizen of the U. States, born in Philadelphia, but now resident of Bowdoin, Maine upon oath testify and declare, that in January 1776, I enlisted as a drummer in the war of the revolution, against the common enemy, upon the continental establishment, for the period of one year in Captain Elijah Van’s company and regiment commanded by Col. Graten of Massachusetts’s troops under this establishment I served until Nov 2 1776, when I reenlisted as a drummer upon the same establishment for during the war in Captain Daniel Lane’s company and Col. Alden’s regiment of the Massachusetts Line. I served until June 10, 1783 and then at Newburgh, New York I took my final and honorable discharge from the army as a private. My discharge is lost and is not now to my knowledge in existence. I was in battle with the Indians under Major Sherburne at the Cedars above Montreal, in both the battles of the taking of Burgoyne (sic) and was in the Indian Country under General Sullivan. From my reduced circumstance I am in need of assistance from my country for support. And I do hereby relinquish all my claims to every pension hereafter allowed me by the laws of the U. States, if any; but I am not to my knowledge…on any pension list whatever I request that I be placed upon the pension list for the District of Maine.” 

Thomas Brimigion’s published obituary states that not only did he participate in the Boston Tea Party, but he was also present at the Battles of Lexington and Bunker Hill. 

Thomas Brimigion died in Bowdoin, Maine, on December 17, 1843. He is buried in Woodlawn Cemetery, West Bowdoin, Maine.