More Revolutionary War Veterans in Logan County

I know about the prior four Revolutionary War Veterans buried in Logan County, Illinois, because I descend from all of them.

There is at least one more and possibly three more.

One is Henry Kimes. According to an early work on Illinois veteran burials, he was born in Chester County, Pennsylvania, and served in the Chester County Militia in 1780, 1781 and 1782. It says he went to Logan County, died and “is buried near Lincoln.” Actually, he is buried in Atlanta Cemetery. I have seen a photo of his stone. I have never run across a descendant. The source given for the information is Pennsylvania Archives.

The same book lists a Peter Borders who “served in the South Carolina troops.” It says he was from Newberry County and went to Sangamon County but died in Logan County. I have never seen evidence that he is buried in Logan County nor have I run across a descendant. The source given for the information is “Pension Records.”

Finally, there is William Patterson. There have been various references to his Revolutionary War service. I have talked to descendants looking into a DAR membership based upon his service. I have not seen their research. He was born in Virginia in 1757. His first child was born in Botetourt County. We know he was in Ohio by 1809 when his son Thomas married there. From Madison County, Ohio, he came to Logan County with his son Moses before 1840. He died March 16, 1840.

Patterson was born in Virginia in 1757. His first child was born in Botetourt County. We know he was in Ohio by 1809 when his son Thomas married there. From Madison County, Ohio, he came to Logan County with his son Moses before 1840. He died March 16, 1840.*

I know more about him because one of his sons married Elizabeth Morrow, a daughter of James Morrow and Hannah Downing. A daughter married a William Frakes, brother of Hannah Frakes who married John Downing. These people are from the Downing line which is buried at Bowers-Templeman. For some reason, William Patterson was buried in Downing Cemetery, the final resting place of the other Downing line.

John Downing, Revolutionary War Veteran

John Downing was born about 1762 in Maryland. Thanks to DNA testing we know he saw service in the Washington County, Maryland, militia. He was a Private, 5th Class, in Capt. Basil Williams Company, 2nd Battalion, in 1778. For many years he was believed to have served in Pennsylvania. 

As far as we know, he did not apply for a pension which is part of the reason his service was elusive. As a result, we don’t have a written version of his travels across the country. We know in 1783 he was living in Marsh Hundred, Washington County, Maryland. By 1786 he was living in Hopewell Township, Bedford County, Pennsylvania. In 1790 he is on the first federal census there. By 1808 he was in Jefferson Township, Monroe County, Ohio. A history of Madison County says he was “a native of Virginia.” It also tells us that in 1822 he moved to Logan County. In another error, it places Logan County in Ohio.

On August 6, 1831, he purchased 80 acres of federal land in Chester Township.

John Downing and his wife Hannah Frakes had eight children, seven of whom survived childhood. Three served in the War of 1812 while they lived in Ohio. One died in battle and one died not long after returning home. The third died in Logan County at the age of 93. Another son continued on to Iowa and another eventually went to Kansas. A daughter married and left for Oregon but got delayed in Kansas. Another daughter died in Logan County before her father.

Downing died on December 18, 1838, in Salt Creek Precinct, Sangamon now Logan County, Illinois. Less than two months later Logan County was officially formed. There were various early courthouses but the final one is in Lincoln. Almost immediately after all files were transferred to the new courthouse it burnt. There is no probate file nor any other records.

Unlike James Turley and Humphrey Scroggin, we know exactly where he is buried – in Bowers Templeman Cemetery.

Abraham Lucas, Revolutionary War Veteran

Abraham Lucas was born in 1761 in Morris County, New Jersey. Illinois Revolutionary War Veteran Burials says 1756. Unlike Turley and Scroggin, his pension application defies attempts to transcribe. However, we know his service from other records.

Lucas was living along the Monongahela River on the Pennsylvania frontier. He served in Captain Brinton’s Company under General McIntosh in 1781, according to the DAR record.

He served in the Washington County, Pennsylvania, Militia three times in 1782. “This is to certify that, under the Militia Loan of 1 April 1784, a certificate of public debt, Number 1894, in the amount of £5.5.0, was issued in the name of Abraham Lucah for a tour of active duty in the Washington County Militia, which he performed as a member of Captain George Sharp’s Company during the period March 5-April 6, 1782.”

He served Lieutenant Jonathan Arned’s Company May10-June 10, earning £5.8.6, and in Ensign Zophar Ball’s Company September 15-22, earning  £1.4.6.

In 1785 he married Marcy Kelsey. After the war, he moved briefly to Mason County, Kentucky, where her father died before March 9, 1812, when the will was probated, and then to Greene County, Ohio. In Greene County he was involved with the Caesar’s Creek Baptist Church which would move, almost in its entirety, to Logan County, Illinois, becoming the Lake Fork Predestinarian Baptist Church.

Lucas stopped briefly in Athens Township, Menard County, Illinois, then went to Corwin Township, Logan County, where he bought land in 1828. His daughter Pheobe and her husband Solomon Wood lived in what became Corwin Township. By 1830 he was in Salt Creek Precinct of what became Mt. Pulaski Township where he voted.

Marcy Kelsey Lucas died in August 1835. In 1836 Abraham Lucas filed his pension application. It was denied for less than six months service.

Abraham Lucas died July 22, 1841, and really was buried in Steenbergen Cemetery.

Humphrey Scroggin, Revolutionary War Veteran

Humphrey Scroggin has been discussed before. His burial place is almost certainly in Carlyle Cemetery but his DAR marker is in Steenbergen. 

Humphrey Scroggin was born in 1763 in Culpeper, Virginia. He served in Capt. S. Tarrant’s Company of Colonel Abram Penn’s Regiment. His application for a pension was more detailed as to his service record.

“On this seventeenth day of November, Eighteen hundred and Thirty four, personally appeared before the Circuit Court, in and for the county and state aforesaid, Humphrey Scroggins, a resident of said county and state, age Sixty Eight years, who being first duly sworn, according to law, doth on his oath, make the following declaration, in order to obtain the benefit of the provisions made by the act of Congress, passed June 7th, 1832 – That he was drafted into the service, in the State troops of the State of Virginia, in the year 1781, in the early part of the month of March, and served in the following manner and under the following named officers –

“That he was drafted into the Company commanded by Capt. George Hastern, but does not recollect the names of the Lieut. and Ensign – the Company belonged to Col. Richardson’s Regiment, Lieut. Col. Halcom – Recollects no other field officers – Said Regiment was immediately marched to guilford Court House in North Carolina and joined the Army commanded by Genl. Nathaniel Greene, the day after the Battle at that place, and was placed in Lawson’s Brigade –

“That the Army then marched in pursuit of the British, Down to Deep River, at Ramsay’s Mills – This took them 7 or 8 days by forced march – at Ramsay’s Mills, Lawson’s Brigade were all discharged, with the Exception of Capt. Hastern’s Company, and the Company commanded by Capt. Shaw – Our Company was then marched alone down to the lower part of North Carolina across Cape Fear River – The Company remained at Cape Fear River 2 or 3 weeks – Then marched back by the way of Hillsborough to Henry County, Virginia and were then discharged in the Latter part of May – He received a written discharge for three months service from Capt. Hastern.

“That he was drafted again in the year 1781, in the month of July – in Capt. Hamon Crite’s Company, Lieut. John Torrence – Regiment was Commanded by Col. Halcom – Recollects no other officers – Our Company was marched to Mobbins Hill, at Woodson’s ferry, on James River, where we joined our Regiment, then the army commanded (as he thinks) by the Marquis LaFayette – The Army marched across Pomunky River, and he with four others of his company, were placed in a reconoitering party, Commanded by Col. Matthews and marched to within 8 miles of Williamsburgh and Encamped at a place called Ruff Creek Church, and there remained 4 days – Then Fell back 4 miles and staid there 3 or 4 days – We 5 were then discharge from Col. Matthews for 3 months service – in Sept. as he thinks

“In November 1781 he volunteered in Capt. Peter Hasterns Company – the Company was placed in a Battalion or Regiment Commanded by Major Fearn consisting of 300 men and marched as a guard, having in charge 500 British and 40 tories taken as prisoners at the battle of Cowpens, at Tarletons Defeat – through Spittsylvania, Halifax, across Staunton River at (Chisholm’s?) Ford – a new guard then relieved us commanded by Col. Callaway, and we marched back to Henry County where we were discharged in December or January -Received a written discharge from Capt. Hastern for two months Service –

“In February 1781 (1782?) he volunteered in the Company commanded by Capt. Samuel Torrence, Lieut. Jno. Torrence – in the Regiment Commanded by Col. Matthews – marched to Spittsylvania, then Returned & were discharged – were gone 2 weeks – Received a written discharge from Capt. Torrence for 2 weeks Service.

“That in all, his service was 8 1/2 months – that the said 4 written discharges were all burned together with his papers, in his sons house, which burned down in this County, about four years since – That when he Entered the service at the Several periods above stated, he resided in the county of Henry in the State of Virginia, and removed after the war to South Carolina, from there to Kentucky, from there to Tennessee and from that State, to Sangamon County, in the State of Illinois where he has resided for (last or just?) seven years.”

On October 15, 1784, he bought 351 in District 96 in South Carolina. Shortly thereafter he married Sarah Ann Kirby, a daughter of David Kirby and Elizabeth Tarrant, and a sister to James Turley’s wife Agnes. Were they related to Capt. S. Tarrant? I don’t know.

By 1800 the Scroggin family was in Warren County, Kentucky, according to the reconstructed census. The census was taken from the tax lists so it seems likely he owned land there.

On September 10, 1814, he bought 160 acres in Gallatin County, Illinois. By the 1830 census, he was living in Sangamon now Logan County, Illinois. From his pension application, it would seem he arrived in the area about 1827.

On March 15, 1835, Humphrey Scroggin’s pension application was denied for having less than six months service.

He died in July of 1845.

James Turley, Revolutionary War Veteran

James Turley was born January 8, 1761, in Fairfax County, Virginia. We know a great deal about James Turley because he wrote about his life in detail his application for a Revolutionary War pension.

“I was born in the year 1761 at my residence in this County, I have a record of my [birth] copied from my Father’s family Bible.” It was in Virginia in 1781 that he married Agnes Kirby. Agnes was one of the daughters of David Kirby and Elizabeth Tarrant. (They will come up again.)

Turley wrote “the first time I entered service I was a resident of Fairfax County, Virginia.” In his letter for his application for a pension he said he was only 16 when he enlisted in August of 1777. He was a private in Captains Thomas Pollard’s and John Seal’s companies of Colonel Rumney’s Virginia regiment.  He served at the Battle of Germantown and was discharged about December 1, 1777.

“I moved to Henry County in 1778 and resided there fourteen years.” In the spring or summer of 1781, he enlisted and served three months as a private in Captain Hill’s company of Colonel Richardson’s Virginia regiment. Immediately after completing that service he enlisted and served four weeks as a private in Captain Torrence’s company of Colonel Lyon’s Virginia regiment.

“I moved thence to South Carolina where I resided four years, thence to Montgomery County Kentucky and lived twenty years…” In 1807 he was the Sheriff of Montgomery County, Kentucky.

“…then to Union and lived five years…” I haven’t looked into this. It is likely Union County, Kentucky, on the southeast border of Illinois. Union County, Illinois, would be out of the way for his journey from Kentucky to central Illinois.

“…and thence to this County in which I have resided thirteen years…” According to his account, made in 1831, he arrived Sangamon now Logan County, Illinois, in 1818.

His chronology makes his arrival in Sangamon County to be 1821. He is recorded as being one of the first settlers in the area, probably arriving a bit earlier. His granddaughter Martha, born in 1822, was the first white child born in what became Logan County. He voted in Sangamon County on June 23, 1821, in the Militia election, and on August 2, 1824, when he was Clerk of the election.

On June 7, 1832, he was awarded a pension effective March 4, 1831, in the amount of $23.33 (and a third) per year, payable semi-annually. How they divided that one-third cent is not stated.

He died on June 4, 1836, and was buried in the Turley Graveyard, now Carlyle Cemetery. The exact location is unknown.

JOHN DOWNING'S ELUSIVE SERVICE

John Downing, an early pioneer of Logan County, Illinois, fought in the Revolutionary War. That was never in doubt. The problem turned out to be where. It was complicated by so many John Downings and the lack of diversity in place names in early America.

Originally, John got a Revolutionary War marker based upon his service in the company of Capt. James Scott, 3rd Battalion, Washington County Militia, Pennsylvania. He was a private 5th Class and can be found listed in the Pennsylvania Archives. DAR agreed. Later John and his extended family and friends traveled to Ohio and on to Sangamon now Logan County, Illinois. They even brought along James Scott. 

(When I looked into this I couldn't find anything about the James Scott except he traveled with John Downing. About the same time a James Scott joined the Lake Fork Predestinarian Baptists before dying in neighboring Macon County, Illinois. I could not swear it is all one person but it seems likely. Not that it mattered.)

Then it was determined that was not the right service for this John Downing. Nope. His service was in Capt. Timothy Downing's Company, Washington County, Pennsylvania, militia. At least the location was correct. And probably the two Johns are related. A new marker was added to the old on at Bowers Templeman Cemetery just north of Salt Creek. The DAR participated in the ceremonies. That was 1977. 

Then the DAR decided that wasn't correct either. And the timing really was off. After the war John moved back east in Pennsylvania instead of continuing on west? That could not be explained. 

Recently, DNA testing allowed Mary Lou Cole of Pennsylvania to follow a theory. John Downing didn't serve in Washington County, Pennsylvania, but Washington County, Maryland. Mary Lou is not a descendant of this particular Downing line but she was determined. There were naysayers, including me. She continued on.

On September 5, 2013, the DAR notified Mary Lou that they agree with her conclusions (and documentation of course) and John Downing is now officially recognized as having his Revolutionary War service in Maryland.

John Downing has three stones. He has his original, which goes with the stone of his wife Hannah, to go with the two in the photo. Will he get a fourth, this time with the correct service? 

Fantasy Genealogy

A woman wrote that she was descended from "almost all of the Magna Carta Sureties." I advised that several of them either had no known issue or their line was extinct within four or five generations. She became very upset, said I was just jealous. I didn't hear from her again.

I don't know of any Magna Carta Sureties in my lines. My sister has some. She's a Calvert descendant. It doesn't seem to make her life better or worse. She may not even be aware of it because she's not terribly into genealogy.

Frankly, if I were going to pick a noted ancestor I'd want it to be one of the Yorkists, the later Plantagenets. I just find them more interesting. Alas, I think that is highly unlikely.

I have seen one of my lines traced back to Adam online. A genealogist of some regard thinks one of my lines goes back to Charlemagne. I don't believe either one.

I have ancestors who were Revolutionary War veterans, War of 1812 veterans and Civil War veterans. Isn't that enough? There are plenty of people who would happy for those. I have Huguenots. I have Dutch settlers and those who were in Jamestown and early New England. No Pilgrims though. No Kings either. There is a thief who was transported, barely escaping death at Old Bailey*.

What is with us that we need to have fantasy pedigrees to someone famous? Isn't a thief we can prove better than an fantasy online pedigree hooking us to Cleopatra?

*Old Bailey Proceedings Online (www.oldbaileyonline.org, version 6.0, 27 November 2011), April 1740, trial of William Isgrigg (t17400416-2)