Brandywine Soldiers » Virginia Units

Crookshanks, John

admin — Fri, 08 Jul 2011 16:41:49 +0000

A long time ago I obtained a copy of the military records of John Crookshanks for his time of service during the Revolutionary War. Thought you would enjoy knowing that he spent the winter with Washington at Valley Forge. He was in the battles of Georgetown, Germantown, Brandywine, participated in the Christmas attack which routed the Hessens, then marched on up to White Plains, NY before heading south to North Carolina where he was wounded during the battle for Guilford Courthouse (now Greensboro). The wound left him crippled in the knee, a token of sacrifice shared by many who have given so much.

John Crookshanks Revolutionary War Muster Roll

Submitted by Ron Cruikshank

Elliott, George

admin — Fri, 08 Jul 2011 16:28:04 +0000

George Elliott of Virginia fought and died at the Battle of Brandywine. His son, Thomas Elliott, served under General Frances Marion in South Carolina, after the death of his father. Thomas Elliott became an aide-de-camp to General Marion. An old letter reads as follows:

“Glenmora, La.

August 1, 1914
Mrs. Alice C. Morrow,

Ruston, La.

Dear Cousin Alice:
Your most highly appreciated letter reached me some time since and would have been answered sooner, but I failed to get hold of a paper except the one I had which contained my Mother’s obituary, so I took the copy I had and sent it to our town paper and had about fifty copies printed and I am sending you a few copies as I promised.

Most of the family history is from tradition, handed down from one generation to the next. Yet it is true.

Now, our great grandfather, Thomas Elliot, killed two Tories after his father (George Elliott) and brother’s deaths at Brandywine because they abused his mother and sisters by taking their feather beds out of the house, cutting the ticking open and letting the feathers fly off in the wind, and this is what caused him to leave Virginia and go to South Carolina with General Francis Marion, though only a boy sixteen years old.

Dear Cousin, I am trying to get my children to keep a record of their family history, and have given each of them a copy of what I send you.

As to the essay that dear Mother wrote in August, 1836, the printer got the last part of it a little wrong in specifying as Elihu Robinson. It should have said also the principal of Spring Hill Academy, which he was at that time.

Now, Dear Cousin, I am called to visit a patient and shall have to close this short letter. Give my kindest regards to Eva and Mr. Gill.

Hoping you will visit us some time in the near future. I beg to remain,

Your cousin,

(Signed)

J. T. Phillips”

An article appeared in the January 1778 issue of the Virginia Gazette at Williamsburg, Virginia, that read as follows: ““George Elliott, Robert Gilles, William Lyons, William Francis, jun. draughts for York county, failing to appear at the time appointed, I hereby offer a reward of twenty dollars for each of them, being delivered up to the commanding officer in Williamsburg.

AUGUSTINE TABB, Lieut. State Regt.”

George Elliott was being sought, but had died at the Battle of Brandywine. If records were kept by General George Washington of the patriots who fought and died at the Battle of Brandywine, they have never surfaced.

Alice Morrow descends from George Elliott as follows: GEORGE ELLIOTT (b: ca. 1709 d: 1777)>THOMAS ELLIOTT (b: 1761 d: 1805) & Elizabeth Mayers>WILLIAM DAVID ELLIOTT (b: 1 February 1795 in Warren County, GA d: 30 January 1865 in Rapides Parish, LA) & Elizabeth Jane Andrews (b: 17 August1800 d: 17 August 1866 in Rapides Parish, LA)>MARY ANN ELLIOTT (b: 14 June 1826 in Rapides Parish, LA d: 14 Aug 1890 in Rapides Parish, LA) & Rev. William Daniel Godwin (b: 1824 in LA d: 30 Dec 1907 in Rapides Parish, LA )> ALICE C. GODWIN MORROW (b: 30 April 1849 in LA d: 8 June 1919 ) & Edwin Morrow (b: 16 September 1846 d: 15 October 1890).

Thanks,

David Couch

Preston, Nathan

admin — Sat, 14 Mar 2009 01:32:52 +0000

Preston, Nathan. One of my ancestors was at Brandywine. He was Pvt. Nathan Preston 14th (10th) VA Continental Line.

SUBMITTER INFO:
J. R. VanHoose

Payton, Jacob

admin — Sat, 14 Mar 2009 01:05:03 +0000

Jacob Payton was my gggrandfather. Heroes of 1812 p 146-7 Nebr. Soc. dau. of 1812: It was family tradition that Jacob and William Payton’s father [my ggggrandfather Payton, whose first name is unknown] was present in the battle of the Brandywine. It was presumed his people were early arrivals in Virgina. The family crossed the Ohio River from Bourbon Co. Ky. and other members of the family reached S.W., Ohio where they grew up. Jacob and William [Payton] enlisted in 1812. After the War, they located in Indiana. (Note: I have been told that the contributor of this article was a Mabel Kimble who ultimately was trying to get bounty land for William Payton’s service in the War of 1812.) Jacob Payton b 1787′s d 12/10/1876 Woodhull, IL obituary states “When quite young, his parents moved to Hamilton Co. Ohio. His father died, when he was 5 or 6. From that time he was left to struggle up to manhood alone.

The computer data base at Valley Forge lists a Reubin Payton VA 1st Dragoons; VA 28974, Pvt. Col. Theobald, support brigade to cavalry. He is the only Payton listed at Valley Forge. It is my understanding that after the Battle of the Brandywine, the army went to Valley Forge. It may be likely
therefore that my ggggrandfather was at Valley Forge. I have no evidence that my ggggrandfather might be this Reubin Payton.

SUBMITTER INFO:
Sheila Anastas

Norman, William

admin — Sat, 14 Mar 2009 00:56:52 +0000

William Norman enlisted in the Virginia Continental Line on Feb. 1, 1776. He was assigned to Capt. George Stubblefield’s Company of the 5th VA Regiment, commanded by Lt. Col. Josuah Parker. In June, 1776, he was transferred to Capt. Philip Richard Francis Lee’s Company of the 3rd VA Regiment, commanded by Col. Thomas Marshall. His name last appears on the payroll records February 16, 1778.

William often told the story to his children and grandchildren of his trials of the War. He said that he was standing near Gen. LaFayette when, after dismounting to rally the troops, the General was shot in the leg. This would place William near the top of the 2nd Colonial hilltop position retreating from the oncoming British and back up the small hill. William was shot in both knees and crippled for life. He was taken to Bennett Farm for treatment. It has been passed down in the Norman family that LaFayette intervened in the amputation of William’s legs due to “the patient’s stubborn resistance to the surgeons…” William Norman was listed on the muster roles as “absent and wounded” until February 1778. His name last appears on the payroll February 16, 1778. No record could be found of his discharge. The British bullet and a piece of bone from William’s knee were kept in the Norman family for 150 years. One of William’s gg-grandchildren remembers seeing them in his grandfather’s home in Hamburg, Arkansas. William was known to celebrate the date of the battle every year with friends and grog.

SUBMITTER INFO:
Liz Nash
http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.com/~lincolncountynormans

Neal, James

admin — Sat, 14 Mar 2009 00:48:02 +0000

Captain James Neal of the 13th Virginia [later the 9th Va]. Served under Generals Green, Muhlenburg, Col. Russell. Fought at White Plains, Brandywine and Germantown. First settler of Wood County VA/WV, Parkersburg area.

SUBMITTER INFO:

Rick Vance

Mitchell, Mark

admin — Fri, 28 Nov 2008 21:05:52 +0000

MITCHEL(L),MARK was a private in the 10th Regiment of the Virginia Continental Line. He fought in the battle of Brandywine as well as in the battle of Monmouth and others and was with General Anthony Wayne at the storming of Stony Point. He was married to Mary Ryder in March of 1787 after his discharge and moved to Tennessee. He was my 4g-grandpa. I just returned from Tennessee where I was finally able to visit his gravesite. How I wish he could have come up, sat down, and talked for a spell.

SUBMITTER INFO:
Janet MITCHELL Aikin
saudade@bright.net

Kelly, John

admin — Fri, 28 Nov 2008 19:43:21 +0000

John Kelly enlisted 2 Feb 1777 as a private in Capt. Charles Porterfield’s Company, Col. Febiger’s 11th Virginia Regiment. He was wounded at the Battle of Brandywine and carried a bullet in his neck until he died. He was discharged 2 Feb 1780 and applied for a pension on 6 Jun 1818 at the age of 62. He is listed as one of the patriots of Muskingum Co. Ohio.

The first history of Preston County (done in the 1880′s) states that John Kelly lived in the county, then moved on to Muskingum Co., OH, about 1811 and lived to be 103 years old.

John Kelly is buried in Rich Hill Cemetery in Rich Hill Township, near Rix Mills Muskingum County, Ohio. His grave does have a Rev. War Marker.

SUBMITTER INFO:
Richard A. Vance
219 Travois Road, Louisville KY 40207
r.vance@insightbb.com

Horton, Robert

admin — Fri, 28 Nov 2008 19:22:28 +0000

Robert Horton: December 26, 1751, Christened St. Sepulchre, London, London, England to Drayton and Ann Horton. Bet. 1769 – 1770, Robert Horton arrived in Am. as emigrant in Bondage aboard the Justitia. February 09, 1776, Enlisted with 3rd VA Regiment in Captain John Thornton’s Company. Bet. 1776 – 1778, Served in Battles of White Plains, York Island, Brandywine and Germantown. February 1778, Discharged at Valley Forge in PA. November 1778, Married Jaley Underwood. April 10, 1818, While resident of Culpeper County VA, he was allowed a pension at age 66. April 13, 1820, Died in Culpeper County VA. 1837, Jaley, wife of Robert Horton, was last “heard from” in an application for Robert’s pension filed from Falls Township, Muskingum County, Ohio. She possibly was living with one of their daughters, Mary (Mrs. Elsey) Anderson.

SUBMITTER INFO:
Randy Horton, randyh@hertland.net
William F. Horton, wfhorton@hertland.net
William A. Horton, bshorton@heartland.net

Horton, Robert. Drummer – 3rd Virginia Regement, Captain John Thornton’s Company.

Holyfield, Daniel

admin — Fri, 28 Nov 2008 19:16:36 +0000

I am a direct descendant of a soldier who fought at Brandywine Battlefield on Sept. 11, 1777. His name was Daniel Holyfield, but his last name is spelled on his Feb.1777 pay record as mine is now, which is Holifield. I don’t believe he knew how to write, so the spelling of his last name was at the discretion of the writer of the record. He was a private and was paid about 16 dollars a year. The average wage for a farmer, which he was, was 18 dollars a year at the time. He enlisted in Loudoun County,Virginia in Feb. 1776 in Capt. Charles West’s Rifle company, which was the 3rd Company of the 3rd Virginia Regiment of the Continental Line and seemed to live at his Grandfather’s Valentine Holyfield’s farm in Goose Creek. He was born in either 1753 or 1757 which would make him either 24 or 20 years old when he fought there at Brandywine Creek. He survied the battle and the Revolutionary War and apparently finnished a 2 year enlistment which would have ended in Feb. 1778 at Valley Forge. The previous battles of the 3rd Virginia Regiment were,”Harlem Heights-Sept.16,1776;Trenton-Dec.25-26,1776″. He married in 1778 to a woman by the name of Mary Pye and had some 8 children. He went on to acquire land grants as a benefit of the U.S. government for his service. The Land grants were in North Carolina,Georgia & Alabama and totaled over 800 acres. He last settled in a new county called Sumter,Alabama established in 1832 in a town called Belmont. The land he last acquired in a land grant there in Belmont,Alabama still has the log cabin that he lived in with his daughter Jemima & her husband Caldwell Estes. Today it is privately owned and rented out for hunting and used on weekends by family & friends of the present owner’s. He last attended and is buried at Old Belmont Church, which was then a Methodist Church. It is still used today and the town is still very small with only one stop sign, two families mainly and one telephone number listed in the directory for Belmont. He died on Oct.11,1834 there in the log cabin he lived in just 2 years after moving there. His headstone reads in part “Daniel Holyfield, Aged about 78 years which would put his birth at about 1756. I am the 6th generation descended from Daniel Holyfield/Holifield through his son,Willis, then Wiley H. Holifield, then Wiley Henry Holifield, then Herbert Joseph Holifield, then James Edward Holifield and my name is James Alan Holifield.

SUBMITTER INFO:
James A. Holifield
Pensacola, Florida
Light_n_me@juno.com