I mentioned a couple of days ago that one of my goals for the second half of the year was to finally complete my Sons of the American Revolution application. Well, after sifting through the hundreds of documents on my computer, I have made significant progress. So far, I have found seven ancestors who participated in the war effort to support the Continental Army.
However, I can only sufficiently support through documentation one of the lines. This line is that of John Redcross who, according to records, fought both in the 2nd Virginia Regiment and the Amherst County Militia. This is not particularly uncommon for many of the Native Americans in the area as they were valued contributors to the cause due to their unparalleled knowledge of the mountains. Here is the line that connects me to the Revolution (records used to prove the lines are mentioned after the ancestor):
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JOHN REDCROSS
1. ME – Birth Certificate
2. FATHER – Marriage License and Birth Certificate
a. Vietnam War – Military Records
3. Percy Davis Teaford (1918 – 1985) – Marriage License, Birth Certificate, Census Records, Family Interviews
a. World War II – Military Records
4. Nettie Caldwell Love (1897 – 1972) – Death Record, Census Records, Family Interviews, Marriage Records
5. Laura Belle Redcross / Cross (1862 – 1938) – Census Records, Family Interviews
a. Last Full Blood Monacan Indian in this line.
6. Paulus E. Redcross / Redcrop (1828 – 1914) – Census Records, DAR Application of Shelby Jean Wood Penn
7. John Redcross (1768 – 1861) – Birth Record, Marriage Record, Census Records, DAR Application of Shelby Jean Wood Penn
8. John Redcross (1740 – 1800) – Virginia Tax List Record of 1793, DAR Application of Shelby Jean Wood Penn
a. 2nd Virginia Regiment (1779) and Amherst County Militia (1781) – Muster Roll, Records of Virginia Militia Members during 1781.
b. Monacan Indian Chief – Founding Father of the Modern Monacan Nation. Burial on Bear Mountain in Virginia.
Not all men were able to fight in the revolution; some did what they could to contribute to the cause monetarily and through the sale of goods. This was an important demonstration of patriotism and support shown by many men who were either physically unable to fight or they simply had to do what they could to support and protect their families from home. Jacob Düffordt was one of those men. Here is the line that is one step away from being fully substantiated:
JACOB DÜFFORDT
1. ME – Birth Certificate
2. FATHER – Marriage License and Birth Certificate
a. Vietnam War – Military Records
3. Percy Davis Teaford (1918 – 1985) – Marriage License, Birth Certificate, Census Records, Family Interviews
a. World War II – Military Records
4. Harry Gilmore Teaford (1895 – 1963) – Marriage License, Birth Certificate, Census Records, Family Interviews
5. Roy / Rolly Harrison Teaford (1857 – 1914) – Marriage License, Birth Certificate, Census Records
6. John Wesley Teaford (1837 – 1909) – Marriage License, Birth Certificate, Census Records
a. Civil War – Pension Records and Muster Roles
7. Jacob Teaford (1790 – 1877) – Marriage License, Birth Certificate, Census Records
a. War of 1812 – Pension Papers
8. Jacob Teaford / Düfford (1768 – 1840) – Census Records, Wills, Deeds, Court Records, Engagement Records
9. Jacob Düffordt (1734 – 1800) – Deeds, Will, Census Records
a. Donated 55 pounds of flour to the Continental Army of Virginia (1784) – Receipt from Continental Army
b. Arrived in Philadelphia on 27 October 1764 on the Hero from a German enclave in the Alsace – Lorraine region of France (considered a German immigrant) – Ship Manifest
John Jacob Myers is the first of the Pennsylvania contributors that I came across. From immigration to independence, here was a full life lived. I am further still from providing documented support throughout this line:
JOHN JACOB MYERS
1. ME – Birth Certificate
2. FATHER – Marriage License and Birth Certificate
a. Vietnam War – Military Records
3. Isabel Ardis Hallman (1920 – 1980) – Birth Record, Death Record, Marriage License, Census Records, Family Interviews.
4. Sarah Mabel Ardis (1899 – 1982) – Birth Record, Death Record, Marriage Record, Census Records, Family Interviews.
5. Sarah Hansell Myers (1874 – 1932) – Birth Record, Death Record, Marriage Record, Census Records.
6. Henry Levi Myers Jr. (1841 – 1941) – Birth Record, Death Record, Census Records.
7. Henry Levi Myers Sr. (1809 – 1893) – Birth Record, Death Record, Marriage Record, Census Records.
8. Isaac Myers (1784 – 1867) – Birth Record, Death Record, Marriage Record, Census Records.
9. John Heinrich Myers (1765 – 1837) – Birth Record, Death Record, Marriage Record, Census Records, Land Grant.
10. John Jacob Myers (1732 – 1808) – Birth Record, Death Record, Marriage Record, Census Records, Naturalization Papers.
a. 6th Pennsylvania Battalion out of Lancaster – Muster Rolls, Veterans Burial Card.
b. Arrived in approximately 1760 from Westphalia, Germany – Naturalization Papers.
Now we come to the only ancestor I could find up to this point that, so aptly put by President Lincoln 87 years later, “gave the last full measure of devotion.” Rufus Cone wasn’t able to fully embrace independence. In fact, he spent his final moments stripped of his freedom and taken from his newly declared country. While the “proof” may not be there yet, the family connection is strong.
RUFUS CONE
1. ME – Birth Certificate
2. FATHER – Marriage License and Birth Certificate
a. Vietnam War – Military Records
3. Isabel Ardis Hallman (1920 – 1980) – Birth Record, Death Record, Marriage License, Census Records, Family Interviews.
4. Sarah Mabel Ardis (1899 – 1982) – Birth Record, Death Record, Marriage Record, Census Records, Family Interviews.
5. Sarah Hansell Myers (1874 – 1932) – Birth Record, Death Record, Marriage Record, Census Records.
6. Lizzie F. Hansell (1848 – 1879) – Death Record, Census Records.
7. Margaret Cone (1825 – 1899) – Census Records.
8. Rufus Cone (1784 – 1846) – Census Records, SAR Application of Charles George Leeper
9. Azel Cone (1763 – 1820) – Birth Record, Census Records, SAR Application of Charles George Leeper
10. Rufus Cone (1737 – 1776) – Census Records, SAR Application of Charles George Leeper
a. 7th and 17th Connecticut Regiments.
b. Taken prisoner at the Battle of Long Island 27 August 1776.
c. Died aboard British prisoner ship.
Someone had to be the politician in the family and in mine it was John Fulton. Another immigrant to the colonies, both John and his son served in the Revolution. While the ender was representing the people in a government defying the political odds, his son was in the field fighting for an as of yet unknown Pennsylvania regiment. While there is still much work to be done on this line my current research has resulted in the fascinating lineage listed below.
JOHN FULTON
1. ME – Birth Certificate
2. MOTHER – Marriage License, Birth Certificate.
3. William Reuben McKannan (1914 – 1981) – Marriage License, Birth Certificate, Census Records, Masonic Record, Family Interviews, Draft Registration Card, Family Albums.
4. Helen Walker Fulton (1892 – 1922) – Marriage Record, Birth Record, Death Record, Census Records.
5. William Harvey Fulton (1858 – 1930) – Census Records.
6. James H. Fulton (1829 – 1894) – Census Records, Tombstone, Pension Papers, Draft Cards.
a. Civil War – Pension Papers, Muster Rolls.
7. Hugh Fulton (1784 – 1843) – Census Records, Death Record, Marriage Record.
8. John Fulton Jr. (1755 – 1808) – Census Records, Tombstone, Veterans Records.
a. Unknown Pennsylvania Regiment
9. John Fulton Sr. (1713 – 1796) – Census Records, County Documents, SAR Application of Alfred Miller Fulton.
a. Member of the Pennsylvania General Assembly (1776 – 1779) from Chester County – County Documents, SAR Application of Alfred Miller Fulton.
b. Arrived in 1762 from Scotland and settled near Oxford, Chester County, Pennsylvania – Census Records, SAR Application of Alfred Miller Fulton.
The last of the connections I have been able to uncover is that of Samuel Dickey Jr. A first generation American, it is has been said that he was among the men who crossed the Delaware River in December 1776 under the command of General George Washington. Currently this is hearsay but it will be an adventure either proving of disproving it.
SAMUEL DICKEY JR.
1. ME – Birth Certificate
2. MOTHER – Marriage License, Birth Certificate.
3. William Reuben McKannan (1914 – 1981) – Marriage License, Birth Certificate, Census Records, Masonic Record, Family Interviews, Draft Registration Card, Family Albums.
4. Helen Walker Fulton (1892 – 1922) – Marriage Record, Birth Record, Death Record, Census Records.
5. William Harvey Fulton (1858 – 1930) – Census Records.
6. James H. Fulton (1829 – 1894) – Census Records, Tombstone, Pension Papers, Draft Cards.
a. Civil War – Pension Papers, Muster Rolls.
7. Hugh Fulton (1784 – 1843) – Census Records, Death Record, Marriage Record.
8. Jane Dickey (1765 – 1796) – Census Records, Tombstone.
9. Samuel Dickey Jr. (1730 – 1795) – Census Records, Tombstone, Chester County Historical Marker, Veterans Index.
a. Served under General Washington during the Crossing of the Delaware River on 25-26 December 1776 – Revolutionary War Rolls, Veterans Index.
10. Samuel Dickey Sr. (1708 – 1778) – Census Records, County Records.
a. Arrived in 1730 from Ireland and settled near Oxford, Chester County, Pennsylvania.
Those are my six degrees of Revolution (as of right now). Obviously, I will continue to research each of these ancestors in the hope of building support for these lines. Maybe all will be proven; maybe only one or two more; maybe I will make more connections; maybe I will only be able to prove the current definitive line. Who knows but I am going to keep learning about the history of my family and, therefore, the history of this country.
Do you have a genealogical connection to the Revolution? Maybe not, maybe your family’s ties to independence came later. Either way we are all a part of this country and we are all united by the rights and freedoms fought for during that time. What is your family’s story?
I've talked to many people who are surprised to learn they have Revolutionary connections in their family tree. The most common excuse I hear is "My grandparents were immigrants." When I remind them that they have another set of grandparents, a light bulb goes off on their faces. What's more, I remind them, each generation back doubles the number of people who may have some connection to the revolution! Several times, I've had people tell me that when they researched the other side of their family, they finally found that link to the Revolution that they didn't know existed.
ReplyDeleteFinding that connection to your family makes the history personal; it's well worth the effort. Even if you don't find someone who was in the American Revolution, you're going to find stories along the way that will make historic world events a personal matter.
Thank you for your comment and sound advice. I completely agree with you. This post includes a list of initial discoveries. I have since added to the initial six. I will be sure to write about this topic in a future post both of the newly discovered lineage and the process of joining the SAR. Thank you again.
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