Bement, Jonathan (1705 - 1747); b. 12 DEC 1705 in Enfield, Hartford Co., CT; d. 1 JAN 1746/47 in Cape Breton Island, Nova Scotia, Canada; father: Bement, Edmund(1672 - 1745); mother: Warner, Priscilla(~1680 - 1719)
JONATHAN BEMENT, born 12 Dec 1705 at Enfield, Connecticut, died 1 Jan 1746 at the age of 40 at Cape Breton Island, Nova Scotia; married 30 Sep 1731 Patience Allen at Enfield, born 22 May 1709 at Enfield, died at Suffield, Connecticut, daughter of John Allen by his wife Bridget Booth.
In 1745 in common with the young manhood of Enfield and New England, Jonathan caught the military enthusiasm of the projected expedition against the French stronghold at Cape Breton Island, Nova Scotia where he later perished. Dr. Pease's narrative, written in 1829, describes Enfield's relation to this event and her proportion of loss from the disastrous results of victory:
"A large band of young men the flower of the town, the pride and strength of almost every family joyfully embraced the opportunity to fight for glory. They went off in a frolic without even dreaming of danger. The first news their parents had from them was of the most animating character. A glorious and almost bloodless victory had been obtained, nothing less than the conquest of Louisburg, the key of Canada, the strongest fortress in the western world. The shouts of victory now resounded over the hills and through the valleys of New England, every countenance beamed with joy and every heart was filled with the most cheering anticipations, but mark the sequel. The next news from the brave army of New England was (of) the most appalling kind, the fine army which had achieved such a glorious victory were dying of famine and disease of the hundreds amidst the inhospitable climate of Cape Breton Island, Nova Scotia. Nineteen lovely youths from Enfield perished in this expedition. When the melancholy news of their fate arrived the whole town was wrapped in mourning such mourning as it never experienced before nor since."(Source: Allens' Enfield, vol. 1, p. 19.)
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