Elihu Hoyt (1771-1833) was 23 years old when Massachusetts appointed him Major-Sergeant in the Fourth Division of the state militia in 1794. Militia officers were generally well-respected members of the community and their military rank increased that status. Hoyt was later promoted to Colonel and became a state legislator; his brother, Epaphras Hoyt (1765-1850), became a Major General. The modern National Guard of the United States traces its origins to 1636, the year Massachusetts Bay Colony organized its militia companies into three regional regiments. All male inhabitants aged 16 to 60 were required to have firearms, drill regularly, and be prepared to defend their communities and the colony. Massachusetts continued to require men to serve in local militia companies after the American Revolution and Congress passed a national militia act in 1792. When Elihu Hoyt was appointed, Massachusetts law required “each and every free, able-bodied white male citizen” aged 18-45 to serve. Militia officers continued to enjoy local prestige. Colorful uniforms, music, and military drills and parades made militia training days popular public events.
Colonel Elihu Hoyt Military Commission. Commonwealth of Massachusetts, June 25, 1794. Pocumtuck Valley Memorial Association, American Centuries. https://americancenturies.org/collection/l99-093/. Accessed on October 16, 2024.
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