| Gen. John Stark |
Revolutionary (1728 - 1822)
John Stark is best known for popularizing the NH state motto "Live Free or Die". NH born and bred, Stark was possibly the best military leader in Granite State history. He fought with Robert Rogers in the French and Indian Wars. He commanded a large force of NH men at the Battle of Bunker Hill. He won the Battle of Bennington, which some historians say led to the British loss at Saratoga and turned the tide of the Revolutionary War. The son of Glasgow immigrants, Stark was born in Londonderry, NH and moved to Derryfield (Manchester) where he is buried and his home still stands. When not soldering, Stark was a farmer. He and his wife Molly raised 10 children and Stark lived to age 94.
"Live free or die," he said.
"Death is not the worst of evils."
More Famous NH People
JOHN STARK LINKS
LIFE OF STARK
Framers of Freedom: John Stark
Short biography on SeacoastNH.com sums up the life of NH's most famous soldier
Famous Figures of New Hampshire
Portraits in the Concord, NH state capitol building and the official state of NH biography sketch
Hero of Vermont
A key figure in the Battle of Bennington, Stark gets a high rating from the Green Mounting state too
John Stark, the Forgotten Revolutionary
A student report by Elisabeth Adams
Stark Family Collection
Items archived at the University of NH Library from direct descendants of John and Molly Stark
MAJOR EVENTS
NH at Bunker Hill
Our essay on the forgotten importance of NH at ths famous Revolutionary War battle
The Decisive Day Has Come
Battle of Bunker Hill from the Massachusetts Historical Society web site
Battle of Bennington
Includes map and pictures
Battle of Bennington, August 16, 1777
Arguably the turning point of the American Revolution
Events Preceding the Battle of Bennington
From the society of the Sons of the American Revolution
The British Campaign of 1777
Timeline from the online Arrmy ROTC course at Worcester Polytechnic tracing Burgoyne's forces
Portrait of Stark at Bennington
John Stark Flag
1776 flag from the Battle of Bennington (scroll down)
Stark's State Motto
The NH state motto (and license plate) attributed to Gen. Stark. This is the officeial NH state web site
Live Free or Die
Story of the state motto. (Note: This article is reprinted from another source and carries a political agenda.)
Flying the Stark Flag
A message from the Governor of New Hampshire
List of Washington's Generals
Personal web page lists how many of the generals were Masons, including Stark
Molly Stark: The Real Story of a Heroine
HISTORIC SITES
Stark Statue in Washington
Duplicate of NH statehouse statue given to US Capitol Statuary Hall in 1894
John Stark House
We've not been able to find an official site yet, but this relates to an elm tree in front of this historic house in Manchester, NH
Picture of Stark House, Manchester, NH
This one comes right from American Memory section of the Library of Congress web site
History of Manchester, NH
With a nice clickable portrait of Gen Stark
Bennington Museum, VT
Home of a fascinating Bennington flag with a detailed history of the flag online
Bennington Monument History
A book about the 306 foot monument
New Hampshire Statehouse
Has a statue of John Stark (see engraving at top of page) in front of the state capitol building in Concord, NH and two portraits
Stark's Knob Historic Reservation
Preserved area in NY is both a volcanic site for geological study and historic location connected with Battle of Saratoga
Fort at No 4
Stark assembled his troops here in Charleston, NH before the Battle of Bennington
Battle of Bennington Site
A homemade overview site
Molly Stark State Park, Vermont
Molly Stark Cannon, New Boston, NH
Molly Stark House, Dunbarton, NH
Stark's Journey
Historic marker in Charleston, NH
Stark's Hometown, Londonderry, NH
Stark's Grave
in Manchester, NH on Find-a-Grave
Grave of Gen. Stark
Essay by NH historian Bruce Heald from the Laconia Times
NAMESAKES
Fort Stark, Newcastle, NH
The official NH state web page
Much More on Fort Stark
Much more detail on the fort named in honor of Stark from PortsmouthForts.com. A superb resource, but beware of ad consoles.
John Stark Society of New Hampshire
Key source of information for Stark enthusiasts (but beware of console pop-up windows)
John Stark Family Genealogy Page
Molly Stark Tavern, New Boston, NH
John Stark Regional High
Meet "The Generals" of Weare, NH on Stark Highway
Stark, NH
Official Coos Country name change report
Starkville Community, Mississippi
KEY BOOKS
Search for out of print books on Bibliofind
http://www.bibliofind.com/
Anderson, Leon W, Major General John Stark: Hero of Bunker Hill and Bennington, 1972
Dean, Leon W, Stark of the North Country, Farrar, 1941
Moore, Howard Parker. A Life of General John Stark of New Hampshire. Howard Parker Moore author and publisher, c.1949.
Proceedings in Congress on the Acceptance of the Statues of John Stark and Daniel Webster Presented to the State of New Hampshire, Washington, DC, 1895
Richmond, Robert P. John Stark: Freedom Fighter, Dale Books, Waterbury, Ct, 1976
Stark, Caleb, Memoir and Official Correspondence of Gen. John Stark, Eastman, 1860
Photo: Engraving of statue of John Stark located at NH Statehouse in Concord, NH
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