Our Revolutionary War Veterans

Throughout the year, in celebration of our nation’s Sesquicentennial, the West Greenwich Preservation and Heritage Commission will be profiling Revolutionary War soldiers from our town. By highlighting these individuals, we hope to honor their service while continuing our mission of preserving and sharing the rich history of West Greenwich for future generations.

The first in this series is Ebenezer Hopkins.

Ebenezer Hopkins was born on November 6, 1751, in West Greenwich, Rhode Island. He was the son of Honor Brown, who was 41 years old at the time of his birth, and Judge Samuel Hopkins, who was 47.

On March 22, 1773, at the age of 21, Ebenezer Hopkins married Abigail Davis in West Greenwich, Rhode Island. Together, they had three known sons: Davis (often recorded as David), Christopher, and Alexander.

During the American Revolutionary War, Ebenezer Hopkins served as an Ensign representing West Greenwich. He served in the 2nd Regiment of the Kent County Militia and is listed in Civil and Military Lists of Rhode Island, page 510.

Ebenezer Hopkins died on April 5, 1827, in West Greenwich, Rhode Island, at the age of 75.

His gravestone is in the Theophilus Whaley Lot, designated as Rhode Island Historical Cemetery WG-033.

The second in this series is Sergeant Gideon Waite, Esq.

Sergeant Gideon Waite was born in 1745, the son of Thomas Waite, Jr., and his wife Tabitha Ellis of Dartmouth in Bristol County, Massachusetts. He was also the great-grandson of the immigrant ancestor Thomas Waite, who was born in Northern Wales and later settled in Portsmouth, Rhode Island.

On April 6, 1766, Gideon Waite married Lois Tripp. Together they raised a large family and were the parents of thirteen children, though one sadly died in infancy. Their children were Dorcus, Eunice, Silas, Jeremiah, Simon, Thomas, Gideon II, Reynolds, Benjamin, Lois, Stephen, and Hannah. The Waite family became part of the growing community that would help shape the early history of West Greenwich.

During the struggle for American independence, Gideon Waite served with honor as a Sergeant in the Revolutionary War, answering the call to defend the liberties of the American colonies. He served under Captain Joseph Hopkins and Major Samuel Wall, contributing his efforts to the cause of independence during one of the most pivotal moments in the nation’s history.

Records of his service can be found in several historical sources, including the Rhode Island State Archives Index to Military and Naval Records, 1774–1805 (Family History Library Roll #934773) and John Russell Bartlett’s Civil and Military Lists of Rhode Island, 1647–1800, Volume I, pages 385, 398, 412, and 418. These records preserve the names of the men who stood in defense of their communities and country.

Following the war, Gideon Waite continued to serve his community in civic life. He held the office of Justice of the Peace and served as a member of the West Greenwich Town Council, demonstrating the same dedication to public service in peace that he had shown in wartime.

Sergeant Gideon Waite died on April 1, 1808, and was laid to rest in Plain Meeting House Cemetery (WG-002) in West Greenwich, Rhode Island. His life stands as a testament to the enduring spirit of those early citizens of West Greenwich whose service, sacrifice, and leadership helped shape both their town and their nation.

Our third Revolutionary War soldier profile is:

David Matteson II, Esq.

DAR#: A075349

Born on October 25, 1763, in West Greenwich, Rhode Island, David Matteson II entered the world at a time when the American colonies stood on the brink of revolution. He was the son of David Matteson and Rebecca Andrews and would come of age during one of the most defining struggles in our nation’s history.

As a young man, David answered the call to service, taking up arms as a private in the American Revolutionary War. In doing so, he joined countless ordinary citizens who became extraordinary through their courage, sacrifice, and unwavering commitment to the cause of liberty. His service helped secure the freedoms that future generations would come to cherish.

Following the war, David returned home to West Greenwich, where he built a life rooted in family and perseverance. On January 2, 1785, he married Dorcus Waite, the daughter of Gideon Waite and Lois Tripp. Together, they raised five known children: Amos, Peleg, Andrew, Benoni, and Lois. Through them, his legacy carried forward into the growing nation he had helped defend.

David Matteson II lived a long and full life, passing away on June 25, 1847, in West Greenwich, the same town in which he was born. He now rests in the David Matteson Lot, known as WG-008, on the Alton Jones Campus—a quiet and enduring reminder of a life marked by both service and strength. David Matteson’s epitaph on his headstone reads:

 “Though long thy life, thy race is run. The years and toils of life are done. When ours shall cease O may we meet to cast our crowns at Jesus feet.”

Today, we remember David Matteson II not only as a husband and father, but as a patriot—one of the many whose bravery laid the foundation of our nation. His story continues to live on in the fields, forests, and historic grounds of West Greenwich.