Joseph Frye (March 19, 1712 – July 25, 1794) was a military leader from colonialMassachusetts.
Born inAndover, Massachusetts, he obtained the rank of general in theMassachusetts militia after serving inKing George's War and theFrench and Indian War.
During the latter conflict, under the command ofEdward Winslow, Frye helped buildFort Halifax in present-day Maine and then participated in theBattle of Fort Beauséjour and theBattle of Petitcodiac. He reported to have barely escaped with his life from a French-allied Nativemassacre of British forces after having surrendered Fort William Henry. He was commander atFort Gaspareaux.[1]
He was present onLake George in August 1757 at theSiege of Fort William Henry. Then he returned to Nova Scotia and took command ofFort Cumberland. He served in the2nd General Assembly of Nova Scotia in 1759–1760, representing Cumberland Township.[2]
For services during that conflict, theMassachusetts General Court in 1762 granted him a township on theSaco River which had once been the SokokisAbenaki village ofPequawket. In 1777, the plantation was incorporated asFryeburg, Maine, named in his honor.
Frye is best known for the role he played expanding the colonial frontier into lands formerly held by both theFrench andAbenakis. He is regarded as the successor ofJohn Lovewell, and also an enemy ofMolly Ockett, leader and sage among dispossessedAlgonquian peoples.
Frye served in the early stages of theAmerican Revolutionary War, first as a major general of Massachusetts militia, and then briefly as a brigadier general in theContinental Army. He resigned on 23 April 1776, because his age made him ill-suited for active duty.
Joseph Frye married Mehitable sometime before the birth of Joseph Jr on 17 July 1733. Samuel followed in 1735, and then Mehitable in April 1738, who died young, and was replaced by another Mehitable in May 1739, who died within the month. Mehitable Frye was born in April 1741. In the interim, Joseph Jr died and was replaced by another in July 1743. Tabitha followed in 1744, and next Hannah in 1748. Richard was born in 1751 to the Captain, and then Nathaniel in 1753. In the meantime, Samuel had expired and was replaced by another in 1758, this one born to the Colonel.[3]
He is the namesake ofFrye Island, Maine, and the aforementionedFryeburg, Maine.[4]
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