An American Family History

Isaac Davis Dwinnel, Sr. was born on July 14, 1794 in Keene, Cheshire County, New Hampshire. His parents were Israel Dwinnell and Eunice Davis. He was named for his mother’s father, Isaac Davis. He worked as a laborer. 

On July 31, 1814, Isaac D. Dwinnell enlisted in Colonel Robert Bogardus's Regiment of the U.S. 41th Infantry. He was enlisted by Lieutenant Bakman for the period of the war. He was a tailor born in New Hampshire and 5’5” tall. He had grey eyes, brown hair and a dark complexion.

His record indicated that he was from New York and on August 1, 1814, he was with the party at Hudson. 

Colonel Bogardus' orders for August 5, 1814 indicated that he should supply the Decatur Blockhouse at Rockaway Point. The Blockhouse guarded New York Harbor during the War of 1812.

Coln. Bogardus will take under his immediate orders the Garrison of the Block House at Rockaway. He will see that it is regularly supplied with provisions and all other requisites, relieve the garrison as often as he finds convenient and sign all other requisitions for its use. An awning, officers tent and spy glass will be necessary. He will establish signals between it and the Hdqrs of his Regt and support a communication with it by interior navigation through Coney Island Inlet.

Colonel Robert Bogardus led the 41st Regiment U.S. Infantry which was organized in 1813. It was composed of eight Companies, and was stationed at New Utrecht, Brooklyn in 1814.

Captain Quackenbos’s Company book for 1814-1815 indicated that Isaac deserted on October 14, 1814. Mangle Minthorne Quackenbos served throughout the War of 1812. He was appointed Captain on January 7, 1814. He transferred to the 8th Infantry on May 17, 1815.

He probably married before 1816 when he was about 22 years old. Isaac Davis Dwinnell, Jr. was probably born in 1816 in Manilus, Onondaga County, New York.

He (Davis Dwinnell) was arrested for grand larceny and convicted in Onondaga County, New York on November 27, 1818 for a term of five years. The records on file at the County Clerk’s office in Delhi, Delaware County, New York show he had a light complexion and was five feet and seven inches tall. He was pardoned in 1819 when he was 24 years old. He was released on October 24, 1819 with time remaining in his sentence of four years, one month and three days. (New York State Prison Pardons 1819 by Linda Ogborn)

The 1820 census recorded the Davis Dwinnell family in Aurelius, Cayuga County, New York.

On August 23, 1820 (part 2 of record) Isaac D. Dwinnell from Keene enlisted again. He was 30 years old and 5" 7'. He had grey eyes and brown hair and was a laborer.

He deserted October 10, 1824.

In 1830 Isaac D. Dwinnell was in Salina, Onondaga County, New York. 

Isaac, Sr. does not appear in Onondaga County in 1840 or any records after that.