Lemuel Spear was about twenty-eight at the beginning of his service and signed up for the war in Braintree Mass. He started as a drummer and was led by Captain Eliphalet Sawen which assembled April 19, 1775 as apart of the minutemen.
April 19, 1775 was the day of the Battle of Lexington and Concord, which was the first major military altercation between the Patriots and the British. Lemuel served for eight days during this time of urgence and chaos.
Lemuel became a Private under the company of Captain Frederick Pope. He enlisted on June 27, 1775 and served for about 1 month and 7 days. There are records showing Lemuel received supplies, including a bounty coat (a military clothing payment/benefit).
In March of 1776 he served again under Captain Eliphalet Sawen in Colonel Joseph Palmer’s regiment. This service lasted 15 days. In this company he served as a sergeant. Lemuel's last service recorded was 4 days in June of 1776.
'Battle of Lexington' by William Barnes Wollen (1910) Public Domain
Lemuel's Recorded Service
Lemuel Spear's military headstone
Lemuel Spear's military and his original headstone in 2025
Lemuel Spear's original headstone is from 1809 and was placed on the other side of the military headstone after repairs in 2024.
Lemuel's military headstone was placed in the Old Baptist Cemetery over a hundred years after Lemuel's death. The military headstone was placed near his follow Spear family members in the cemetery an is believed to mark his original burial location. On Lemuel Spear's military headstone is the inscription,
"LEMUEL SPEAR / NEW YORK / SGT / COL PALMER'S REGT / REV WAR / AUGUST 3 1746 / AUGUST 3 1809"
Lemuel Spear's sons, Jacob and Lemuel "Samuel" fought in the War of 1812. More on their personal and military lives are listed on the website.
Links below and the information can be found under "Veterans" and the "War of 1812" tag on the website's navigation bar.
On Saturday, April 25th, Macedon held a Hometown Heroes banquet to honor veterans from Macedon, from the Revolutionary War to the present day. The banquent was held at Crooked Pines Golf Club for the Macedon Banner Project. Senator Pamela Helming, along with Brian Manktelow was there in support.
The veterans being honored were granted banners with their names and service listed, along with their photos when available. Since most of the soldiers were not around to be photographed art of what the soldiers of the time would have looked like were used instead. Of the over twenty banners created, five were from the Old Baptist Cemetery. The following men were given banners that are scheduled to be displayed on Macedon's Main Street along Route 31: Private Ephraim Green, Corporal Jacob Spear, Sergeant Lemuel Spear, Private Aaron Brister, and Private Levi Wood.
Lemuel Spear's Revolutionary War Burial Index Card
First Baptist Church in Macedon - New York Historical Markers on Waymarking.com
Palmyra New York Compiled by the Woman's Society of the Western Presbyterian Church 1907 PALMYRA
P A L M Y R A — WAYNE COUNTY, NEW YORK: Copyright 1907 from the OFFICIAL JOSEPH SMITH HOME PAGE
REVOLUTIONARY PATRIOTS BURIED IN AND AROUND ONTARIO COUNTY, NEW YORK
US, Massachusetts, Soldiers and Sailors in the Revolutionary War, 1775-1801
Lemuel Spear's Revolutionary War Burial Index Card (From Fold3)