MARLBOROUGH – While thousands of runners made their way from Hopkinton to Boston on Monday, April 15, Tim Tonner made his way to the grave of Robert Eames at Evergreen Cemetery on Wilson Street.
Tonner, dressed in full colonial militia regalia, fired three shots from his Brown Bess musket to honor Eames, who took part in the battles of Lexington and Concord on April 19, 1775.
According to information from the Marlborough Historical Society, Eames served as a private with the company of Daniel Barnes April 19-25, 1775.
He also joined the Continental Army in 1777 for two months.
A Marlborough native, Eames married Lydia Harrington (who is buried with him); they had 10 children. According to Tonner, two of Eames’ sons also fought in the War for Independence.
Tonner added that it was likely Eames may have seen Gen. George Washington in Marlborough – either when Washington was en route to Concord to take command of the Continental Army; or years later when Washington toured New England as part of a presidential visit in 1789.
During both visits, Tonner said Washington stopped at the Williams Tavern on Lakeside Avenue.
Tonner has been a member of the Sudbury Companies of Militia and Minute since 2016.
For more information on the group, visit https://www.sudburyminutemen.org/
