David Mulford ²

   Cause of his death was smallpox.

  General Notes:

David Mulford was appointed muster master and colonel of Suffolk Co., Minutemen 1775. He died of smallpox on 18 Dec. 1778. He was born and died in East Hampton, New York.

ALLEGIANCE TO THE CROWN
What was true of Huntington soon became true all over the Island. The general form of the Oath was this:
I do swear upon the evangelist of Almighty God, that I hold true and faithful allegiance to his Majesty King George the Third of Great Britain, his heirs and successors; and hold an utter abhorrence ofcongresses rebellions etc., and do promise never to be concerned in any manner with his Majesty's rebellious subjects in America. So help me God. In some cases, like the following, Gov. Tryon signed his certificate to the Oath:
I Do hereby certify that Aged 26 of Southampton Township, has voluntarily swore before me, to bear Faith and true Allegiance to his Majesty King George the Third, and that he will not, directly or indirectly, openly or secretly, aid, abet, counsel, shelter or conceal, any of his Majesty's enemies, and those of his Government, or molest or betray the Friends of Government; but that he will behave himself peaceably and quietly, as a faithful Subject of his Majesty and his Governm ent. Given under my Hand on Long Island, this 22d Sept. 1778.
The Oath was more often administered by a Commissioner appointed by Gov. Tryon . Onderdonk ("Suffolk Co." p. 49) records that Col. Abraham Gardiner administered the Oath of Allegi ance to the people of East and South Hampton. He surrounded the house of Col. Jonathan Hedges at Sagg, and the house of Col. David Mulford at East Hampton, and forced them to take the Oath. Not only Col. Gardiner , but the other two Colonels afterward became Ref ugees and served the cause of the Americans. This question in casuistry -- the binding of an Oath secured by force -- was well set forth byHon. Henry P. Hedges in his " Sag Harbor Address," in 1910:What should they do? Take the oath and live? Ref use, and die? They took the oath but in heart were as devoted to their country and as hostile to their oppressors as before. This is a subject avoided by writers, but fidelity to historic truth demands expression. When residents of Sag-Harbor and the Hamptons took this oath, as they in fact did, they reasoned thus: Refusing I die with no benefit or help to my family, friends or country's cause; living, I may be a help to all, ministering to aged parents, to sick and dying of family and friends, protector of wives, sisters and children from brutal assaults on their purity and honor.
In law and moral, fraud or force annuls a deed or contract, and undue influence voids a will, and why not an oath? To hold an oath procured by force, valid, is to hold force the law and above the right. WhenCol. Gardiner as commissioner, with a company, surrounded the house of Col. Jonathan Hedges , of Sagg and at the point of the bayonet compelled the old hero to take the oath, what else could he do?
What else could Col. Hedges do? It was this or death They were both known as patriots then and after. If Col. Gardiner did not compel Col. Hedges and others to take the oath he was liable to all the penaltiesof Martial Law just as Col. Hedges was if he did not take it. At this very time Nathaniel Gardiner , son of Col. Gardiner , was a Surgeon in the American Army and served as such until the end o[f] the war. Who can doubt the patriotism of the father? ^{2 3}

David married Phebe Hunting on 16 Jun 1751 in , , New York.¹ (Phebe Hunting was born in 1736 and died in Sag Harbor, Suffolk, New York.)