612
REDLONS OF HOLLIS, MAINE.
as Mr. Redlon had taken the ring of a heavy chain in his hand, and was
stooping down to put it around the boom-stick, Rogers called him a liar.
In an instant the insulted man sprung to the bank, and with herculean
strength struck at his antagonist with the chain. His son Thomas saw
what was coming, and quickly pulled Rogers one side, and just saved him
from being killed. The chain cut a limb from a tree overhead as large as
a man's thumb.
He served two terms
At one time Mr. Redlon's sheep had been scattered by dogs, and it was
a long time before the flock was gathered back. Hearing there was a
stray wether at a barn in Limington, he went there and found it to be
his own. When he could not lead the sheep, he took it across his broad
shoulders and carried it nearly nine miles, to his home in Hollis. This
was a feat of strength few men could carry out.
Thomas Redlon was a soldier of the Revolution.
in the army.
His first enlistment was in John Crane's artillery, the sec-
ond under Col. James Scammon, of Saco. He was at the fortification of
Dorchester Heights, and at the surrender of Burgoyne. He said when he
reached the army the second time he had considerable money, but finding
his uncle, Daniel Field, and brother Daniel, very destitute, he divided
with them.* One of his company came home from the army sick, and
called at the house of Mr. Redlon to tell his family, "You will never see
Thomas again, for I marched with him so far north that the north star
was south of us, and he has been going in the same direction six weeks
since I came away." Mr. Redlon returned home in a few days after, to the
surprise of his friends. The heavy "Queen's-arm" gun carried by him in
the army was long kept in the house of his son Thomas, and I have fired
it when a boy; but my father used the barrel to burn out bow-holes in
his yokes, and it was spoiled. This gun was long, clamped, and iron-
trimmed, and with it Mr. Redlon killed many bears and other wild ani-
mals after his return from the army.
He was buried in the "Old Ridlon Burying-ground," on the hill beyond
the homestead-buildings of his brother James, but there is now nothing
but small ledge stones at his grave to mark the place of his earthly rest.
Two of his eleven children are now living, each rising ninety-five years of
age, and well preserved physically and mentally.
Mary Redlon (2), second daughter of Matthias (1), was born in
Saco, Me., June 2, 1758, and was burned to death in the house of James
Edgecomb, at "Edgecomb's Meadow," so called, April 10, 1767, together
with Reliance, daughter of James Edgecomb, and Elizabeth, daughter of
Samuel Fletcher. Mary was a niece of Mr. Edgecomb, and was at his
home on a visit, when, while the heads of the family were absent for the
night in Scarborough, the house took fire while these children were asleep,
and all were burned so their bodies were not distinguishable when found
in the ruins the next day. This sad occurrence was not known to Mr.
Edgecomb and his wife until, as they were returning the next morning,
they saw the smoke rising from the debris.
John Redlon (3), fourth son of Matthias² (1), was born in Saco, Me.,
Nov. 11, 1760; married Dec. 15, 1779, Abigail Holmes, of the town of
*DANIEL FIELD married his sister Rachel, and was called "brother;" but who
was the "Uncle Daniel Field"? Was the mother of Daniel Field, Jr., an Edge
comb and sister of Matthias Redlon's wife? He was telling this to his children
and according to common custom would call his brother-in-law "brother Daniel."
