Darling Whelpley

     Darling Whelpley was born in 1738 at Greenwich, Connecticut.^1,2 He was the son of Jonathan Whelpley and Martha Pennoyer.

Darling Whelpley married Abigail Peck, daughter of Jeremiah Peck and Mary Johnson, circa 1758 at Greenwich, Connecticut.¹ He was a corporal in the Connecticut Third Regiment, Captain and Colonel David Wooster, 4th Company, Captain Thomas Hobby in 1759.^3,4 In 1776, he was a sergeant in Mead's Regiment of the Connecticut Militia.^4,5,6 In 1779, he switched sides and fought on the British side of the Revolutionary War. He fought at Lloyd's Neck on Long Island, NY and was defeated by the American Revolutionaries. Darling and the other British soldiers made a raid on Greenwich where he burnt buildings including the church, likely the same church where the family's records were held. After losing the war, he was sentenced to death by the victorious revolutionaries. Before he could be executed, however, it was decided that he would be exchanged for an American prisoner. The family did, however, lose all their land and property, which was given over to the American side. His wife, Abigail Peck and their ten children suffered the horror and anxiety of having your husband and father sentenced to death, and then the relief of having him returned, but losing all your property and land and being forced to leave to a new country. The following entry the minute book kept by Peter Mead:


After he was exchanged, his estate was forfeited and confiscated.⁴ Darling Whelpley left the United States and sailed for New Brunswick on board the ship called "Hope" in 1783, along with his wife and nine of their children, according to the passenger lists. They settled in Upper Saint John and Kingston area with many other British loyalists. Another son, Jonathan, probably came later.⁷ Darling Whelpley died on 21 April 1813 at Saint John, New Brunswick, Canada.^1,2 He was buried at Loyalist Burial Ground, Saint John, Queens County, New Brunswick, Canada.²