New Hampshire Governor Kelly Ayotte Proclaims 'General John Stark Day' on April 13, for his Military Valor in the American Revolution

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Today, New Hampshire Governor Kelly Ayotte proclaimed April 13, 2026 as General John Stark Day in the State of New Hampshire, encouraging citizens to "remember the legacy of General Stark and reflect on the values of freedom, bravery and patriotism that continue to guide our state and nation." 


The annual event to honor native son John Stark includes a ceremony at 1:30 on April 13 at the New Hampshire Capital Building in Concord, organized each year by the Sons of the American Revolution. The ceremony features remarks from members of the New Hampshire legislature and a reading of the proclamation issued by Governor Ayotte.   The ceremony includes the placement of a commemorative wreath at the base of the John State statue and concludes with a traditional three-volley musket salute by the Color Guard.

Stark may be best known today for coining the phrase 'Live Free or Die.'  In her proclamation, Governor Ayotte notes, "In a letter written in 1808, General Stark famously declared "Live Free or Die: Death is not the worst of evils," a statement that continues to inspire Granite Staters and serves as our official state motto."

The son of Scots-Irish parents who emigrated from Ulster in Ireland to the American colonies in 1720, John (1728-1822) and his brothers were raised in the Scots-Irish colony of Nutfield, NH, which today includes Derry, Londonderry, Windham and parts of Manchester and Hampstead.

Stark led the First New Hampshire Regiment to fight bravely at the Battle of Bunker Hill on June 17, 1775, and later, he fought in the defense of New York, the American retreat from Canada and at the Battle of Trenton and the Battle of Princeton in New Jersey. In 1777, he and his Scots-Irish regiment were instrumental in defeating British General John Burgoyne at the Battle of Bennington, where there is a statue in his honor today. 


New Hampshire has several landmarks in his honor, starting with the John Stark statue in front of the New Hampshire State House, unveiled in October 1890.    There is also a statue of General Stark at Stark Park in Manchester, a 30 acre public park that was once the site of the Stark Family farm.  It was originally sculpted by Richard Recchia of Quincy, MA and unveiled in 1899. 

The General John Stark Scenic Byway, a circular route connecting the towns of Goffstown, Dunbarton, Weare and New Boston, also honors Stark.  It was officially designated a Scenic Byway in 2008 by the State of New Hampshire, according to the General John Stark Scenic Byway Council.    

Read about the Revolutionary Irish Trail, which chronicles the Irish and Scots-Irish contributions to the American Revolution in greater Boston. 

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