The Starr Family of Sharon, CT

Research Subject
Written By John Mills

In the 1750's, a young child was ripped from his homeland of Guinea, Africa. He was placed on a slave ship, then enslaved to the Starr family of Danbury, CT. He was assigned the name Robin.

During the Revolutionary War, Robin enlisted, serving from January 1777 until June 1783, which was longer than most. He served so long that George Washington sent him a letter and badge of military merit. Even though, he was still enslaved on return... so he used his military earnings to pay the $40 to his enslaver for his freedom. He then moved to Sharon, CT, taking on his enslavers name, calling himself Robin Starr.

Robin and his wife Lily had 1 child named Abel. Abel and his wife Betsy had 7 children... 3 of whom enlisted in the 29th Connecticut Colored Regiment during the Civil War. Their names were Josiah Starr, Lewis Starr and Charles Starr. Charles died at war on October 13, 1864. Josiah was shot in the face at the battle of Kell House on October 27, 1864, then discharged. Lewis was also shot at the battle of Kell House on October 27, 1864, then discharged.

I ran into this family while looking at the June 2, 1870 Litchfield Enquirer. Cornwall was holding a parade for their military veterans. Two men walking in the parade representing the 29th Connecticut Colored Regiment were Josiah Starr and Lewis Starr. I then learned that two of their current-day descendants wrote a book back in 2007... I ordered it. I then went to find their graves, assuming there MUST be a plaque or some sort of honor to this heroic family, right?!?! There wasn't. The only two stones that still stand are father and son, Abel and Josiah, and both stones are broken.

… and thus, I have another project.

John Mills

Originally from San Diego, John Mills is a technologist by trade, but an equity advocate and independent scholar by passion. The descendant of both southern and northern enslaved, John focuses on unearthing little known people and stories of this country’s history in slavery and the transatlantic slave trade. John presents research through the lens and perspective of a descendant, with intent to inspire understanding and empathy, a means to inspire good, God fearing people, now armed with information, to look into whether they may be unwittingly aligning to biases resulting from the reverberating effects of a past time. John is a member of the Connecticut Freedom Trail and a member of the Webb Deane Stevens Museum Council. John is also working with an international team funded by the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) and the UK Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC) in an effort to deliver transformational impact on digital methods in cultural institutions...a means to decolonize museums. Finally, John is working with the state of Connecticut, business leaders and scholars in Middletown, CT to honor and memorialize a former enslaved individual by the name of Prince Mortimer.

https://alexbreanne.org
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The Lathrop Family