April 17, 1776

In March 1776, a few babies named for major generals in the Continental Army were baptized in Connecticut. Richard Montgomery Dimon, whose namesake had died at Quebec in December 1775, was the son of Captain Jonathan Dimon, “now in the continental service,” according to newspaper reports. Charles Lee Wakeman was named for the British-born Charles Lee, who had recently moved from Cambridge, Massachusetts, to New York, and was on his way to Williamsburg, Virginia, at the time of Wakeman’s baptism.

The news of these baptisms was accompanied by a blessing: “May the children live and possess the patriotic virtues of those distinguished persons.” By naming their children after Montgomery and Lee, the parents must have wanted to keep the men “in grateful remembrance.”

The Pennsylvania Gazette
Printed by Hall and Sellers

NEW-YORK, April 11.
[...]
On the 3d of March last, a son of Mr. Peter Wakeman was baptised in Greenfield, Connecticut, by the name of Charles Lee, and on the 24th, a son of Capt. Jonathan Dimon, now in the continental service, by the name of Richard Montgomery; and a son of Mr. James Goodsel, by the name of John McPherson.—May the children live and possess the patriotic virtues of those distinguished persons, whom their parents and every friend to his oppressed and bleeding country wish to be kept in grateful remembrance till time shall be no more.