In the pre-dawn hours of April 19th, 1775 an alarm was spreading through the Massachusetts countryside that British regulars were on the march towards Concord.
As the word reached Westford and the other surrounding towns, men grasped their muskets and swords, said goodbye to their loved ones, and rushed to the call to arms. In advance of the rest of the Town of Westford's Minutemen and Militia companies, three men left that morning on horseback for the ten mile trek to Concord. Sgt. Joshua Parker said goodbye to his wife Hannah, while his three children Joshua Jr., Mary, and Patty, awoken by the commotion looked on, probably not understanding the gravity of what was to come. All three men said goodbye and rode off, not knowing if or when they would return, or that they would be witness to great events soon to come that day in Concord, and along the road back to Boston.