Nathaniel Oak (1751-1840), Revolutionary soldier

Born: 16 May 1751, Westborough, Mass., "Nathaniel, s. John and Susanah" (printed town records). Confirmed
Identity: The Westborough child was probably the later Revolutionary pensioner. His age, Winchester residence, Hastings connection and the comparison with other men of the same name support that identification. Likely
Married: Bolton recorded the marriage of "Nathaniel Jr." and Susanna Hastings on 2 June 1773. Confirmed The 1906 register says the groom was this Nathaniel and the bride the Susanna born at Bolton in 1748/49, "d. Benjamin and Abigail"; no record names the groom's parents. Unconfirmed The register calls her father Capt. Benjamin Hastings. Whether her father or the Benjamin Hastings Jr. who married in 1782 led the Bolton company in 1775 is not settled. Unconfirmed
War service: marched on the Lexington alarm, 19 April 1775, in Capt. Hastings's company; served again in 1776 in Col. Wingate's New Hampshire regiment, by his sworn declaration. Confirmed
Pension: granted in 1832, when he was 81 and living at Chelsea, Vermont (file S.18534). Confirmed He kept a hotel and was town sexton there. Likely
Half-sister: in a sworn statement at Chelsea on 22 December 1837, aged 86, he called Susan Butler his half-sister and recalled her marriage to Joseph Marble about the spring of 1777 (affidavit in Joseph Marble's pension file). Confirmed as his statement, made sixty years later; the marriage date is his recollection.
Last years: in March 1839 he moved to Exeter, Maine, "to spend the remainder of his days with his son who resides in Exeter." Likely He died there on 15 March 1840. Likely

Evidence note: The family monument calls him “Capt.” The service records cited here do not establish that rank.

Relationships shown: son of John Oak Likely; father of Nathaniel Oak, born 1780 Likely.

Sources: printed Westborough vital records p. 81; Revolutionary War pension file S.18534 (National Archives); 1830 Chelsea, Vt. census; 1906 Oak family register.