John Starr, an American soldier, born at Londonderry, N. II., Aug. 28, 1728, died at Manchester, N. II., May 8, 1822. In 1752, while on a hunting expedition, he was captured by the St. Francis Indians, and remained with them several weeks until ransomed. In 1754 he joined the rangers under Major Rogers in the war against the French and Indians, and in 1757 was made a captain, He rendered efficient services in bringing off the troops after the expedition to Ticonderoga in 1758, and was actively employed in the subsequent campaign. In 1775, after the battle of Lexington, he received a colonel's commission, and enlisted a regiment which formed the left of the American line at Bunker Hill. He was in the expedition against Canada, and remonstrated against Gen. Schuyler's retreat to Ticonderoga. In December, 1776, he marched with his regiment under Gen. Gates to reenforce Gen. Washington. He led the van in the attack upon Trenton, and was in the battle at Princeton. In 1777, the time of his regiment having expired, he returned to New Hampshire and raised a new one; but considering himself unjustly neglected by congress in the list of promotions, he retired from its service.

He received a vote of thanks from the New Hampshire legislature, and was placed in command of the troops raised there to oppose the British advance from Canada. Acting upon the authority of the state and his own judgment, he refused to obey the orders of Gen. Lincoln to march to the west of the Hudson, leaving Burgoyne's rear unmolested; and on Aug. 16, 1777, he fought the battle of Bennington, for which congress passed a vote of thanks to him and made him a brigadier genera], notwithstanding they had just before censured him for his disobedience of the orders of Gen. Lincoln. He joined Gen. Gates at Bemis's heights, but the term of his militia having expired, he returned to New Hampshire and recruited a new force, with which he cut off Bufgoyne's retreat from Saratoga. In 1778 he was placed in command of the northern department; in 1779 and 1780 he served in Rhode Island and New Jersey, and at West Point, and was a member of the court martial which condemned Andre; and in 1781 he again had command of the northern department, with his headquarters at Saratoga. He lived in retirement after the war, of which he was the last surviving general except Sumter. - See "Life of John Stark," by Edward Everett, in Sparks's "American Biography," 1st series, vol. i., and "Memoirs and Official Correspondence of General John Stark," by Caleb Stark (8vo, Concord, 1860).