Tim’s 5th-great-grandfather, Ephraim Koyl, son of John & Agnes (—) Kyle, was born 1 July 1753 in Windham, New Hampshire, and died 25 August 1838 in Elizabethtown-Kitley, Ontario. He married c. 1778 in Londonderry, New Hampshire (as his first wife and as her second husband), Abigail (Redding) Kincaid, who was born 17 February 1753 in Portsmouth, New Hampshire, and died 11 April 1810 in Kitley, daughter of John & Mary (—) Redding.
Abigail had married c. 1776 (as her first husband) John M. Kincaid, who died in the 16 August 1777 (Revolutionary War) Battle of Bennington while serving with Ephraim. The Americans successfully defended colonial military stores against a British raiding party. After Abigail married Ephraim they moved to Canada about 1792, and had settled on Irish Creek, near a place called Koyl’s Bridge, in Kitley by 1803. After Abigail died, c. 1811, Ephraim married a second, unidentified wife, who died in Kitley, 6 September 1844.
by John Trumbull
Private Ephraim fought in the Battle of Bunker’s Hill near the beginning of the Revolutionary War. He was wounded by a musket ball which entered his jaw and lodged in his neck, and was later removed, leaving a scar. As he was being carried off the battlefield his gun and bayonet were taken from him, for which he was later given some monetary compensation. Promoted to sergeant, Ephraim went on to fight in the Battle of Bennington two years later.
The following is from The History of Windham in New Hampshire by Leonard Allison Morrison, (Boston, Massachusetts: Cupples, Upham & Co., 1883), 68, 615, 616
WINDHAM MEN IN THE BATTLE OF BUNKER HILL
Capt. Elisha Woodbury’s company, Colonel Stark’s regiment
CASUALTIES AND LOSSES
Ephraim Kyle, 1 gun and bayonet, £2, 2s.
~ Wikipedia
Apparently the name Kyle was used in the United States, but changed to Koyl when the family moved to Canada. Ephraim is listed under both spellings in his Revolutionary War pension files. It’s puzzling why Ephraim decided to move to Canada after fighting on the American side of the Revolution.
Ephraim & Abigail were the parents of seven children:
1. Jane Koyl (Tim’s 4th-great-grandmother), born 4 April 1779 in Manchester, Vermont, died 19 October 1870 in Albion, New York. She married (as her first husband), 15 January 1797, Abram Randolph, who was born 24 October 1767 in Vermont, and died 18 November 1824 in Albion, son of Benjamin & Jane (Long) Randolph.
Jane married (as her second husband), 25 February 1847, David Coombs.
2. Ephraim Koyl, born 9 November 1781 in Manchester, died 26 October 1864 in Kitley. He married July 1805 in (Leeds) Ontario, Elizabeth “Betsey” Lillie.
3. William Koyl, born 11 March 1783 in Manchester, died 15 December 1870 in Springfield, Ontario. He married Mary “Polly” Lyman, who was born in 15 June 1788, and died 24 December 1860 in Springfield, daughter of Benjamin & Mary (Temple) Lyman.
4. Peter Koyl, born 26 March 1785 in Manchester, died 25 August 1871 in South Dorchester, Ontario. He married Julia (—).
5. Anna Koyl, born 10 December 1786.
6. Sarah “Sally” Koyl, born 10 December 1788 in New York. She married Peter Welles, who was born 16 August 1787, and died 18 July 1854, son of Peter & Laura (Louis) Welles.
7. Abigail Koyl, born 18 Jun 1791, died c. 1882. She married Rhodes Streeter, who was born c. 1788, and died c. 1842, son of Amos & Deliverance (Sheldon) Streeter.
Last Revised: 3 September 2024