Parsons Anderson

As part of my ongoing study of family members who served in the Revolutionary War during America’s 250th‑anniversary year, I turned to Parsons Anderson, my sixth great‑grandfather, who served as a Private during the war. Parsons connects to my Wilson/Lankford line through his granddaughter Mary H. Anderson, daughter of Brazier (or Brazure) Cocke Anderson. Mary married John Wilson Jr., and their descendants eventually include James C. Lankford, my second great‑grandfather.

Parsons Anderson was born about 1737 to Charles Anderson and his wife Elizabeth in colonial Virginia. Although no record explicitly names him as Charles’ son, the evidence is clear: Charles conveyed land to Parsons, they appear side‑by‑side in levy lists, parish records, processioning returns, and even in minor court fines. Taken together, these records show Parsons operating within the same precinct, land cluster, and civic environment as Charles Anderson, consistent with a father–son relationship. Parsons had at least two siblings: Frances “Fanny” Anderson and Mary Anderson.

Parsons first appears in Prince Edward County in January 1757, witnessing an indenture between Abraham Venable and Nathaniel Venable, and again in June 1757 when Alexander Kean conveyed 400 acres on Little Briery River to Abraham Venable Jr. These early entries show him already trusted to participate in land transactions among prominent county figures. A September 1757 deed identifies Elizabeth Anderson as the wife of Charles Anderson, the same Charles who later conveyed land to Parsons in 1759. Her private dower examination confirms her identity, and because Parsons consistently appears in records as Charles’ adult son, this establishes Elizabeth as Parsons’ mother.

On February 15, 1758, Parsons married Mary Cocke in Cumberland County, Virginia. The marriage bond includes written consent from Charles Anderson, required when a groom was under 21 or otherwise needed parental authorization. Mary was the daughter of Brazure and Frances Cocke, members of the long‑established Cocke family of Henrico County, descendants of Richard Cocke of Bremo. Parsons and Mary had at least three children: Mary, James, and Brazier Cocke Anderson. It was Brazier’s later migration to Greene County, Georgia that ultimately led me to research Parsons and his father Charles. 

Soon after his marriage, Parsons appears in local parish and civic records. A Sandy River Parish vestry entry dated October 26, 1758 includes a payment to “James Thackston & Parsons Anderson Chain Carrurs,” documenting his work as a chain carrier. The same vestry record orders payment to Charles Anderson for land sold to the parish for a glebe (parish‑owned land that provided the minister with a home, farm, and income), placing father and son together in parish business.

On February 10, 1759, Charles conveyed 504 acres on the South Fork of Buffalo River to Parsons for 20 pounds sterling, land originally part of the 1749 Thaxton patent mentioned above. The deed, proved at March Court by Nathaniel Venable, Sarah Henderson, and Richard Woodson, represents the strongest direct record linking Charles and Parsons by name. It documents a deliberate land transfer from Charles to Parsons at a token price, a pattern typical of a father establishing an adult son on family land, and no other record places them together in such an intentional, legally significant act. In the county levy for November 1759, Parsons was compensated “for guarding Godpy Titas one day and for nails,” showing him performing routine county service during this period.

In August Court 1760, a deed from James Shelton to Parsons was proved by the oaths of Charles Anderson, Elizabeth Anderson, and Joseph Mullens. The appearance of Charles and Elizabeth together in this transaction, both present to witness a conveyance to Parsons, provides another strong link connecting the three.

Parsons appears frequently in Prince Edward records through the early 1760s. In February 1762, he sold a 200‑acre tract on the east side of Baylies to James Shelton for 97 pounds, 10 shillings, a substantial sum that reflects his standing as an established landholder in Prince Edward County. His wife Mary was privately examined and formally relinquished her dower rights, confirming both his residence and his family structure at this time. In April 1762, a small item of Parsons’ personal property was attached and sold for one penny to satisfy a minor debt action. In May Court 1763, the Prince Edward County grand jury returned presentments against both Parsons and Charles Anderson for profane swearing, showing their shared presence in the same social setting.

In February Court 1765, a Prince Edward County minute entry notes a routine civil matter in which William Cocke petitioned against Parsons. Parsons did not appear, and the case was dismissed. In his will dated September 20, 1766, Brazure Cocke bequeathed enslaved individuals to his daughter Mary, confirming her inheritance and demonstrating that she and Parsons held tangible property from the Cocke estate.

Parsons’ last civilian‑era appearances occur between 1767 and 1772, across three counties: Prince Edward (1767), Brunswick (1767 and 1772), and York (1771). These entries show Parsons still active in Virginia courts into the early 1770s. 

Parsons served as a Private in Captain John Morton’s Company of the Fourth Virginia Regiment during the early months of the Revolutionary War. His name first appears on the June–July 1776 pay roll of Morton’s Virginia Regulars, where he is credited with one month’s service for two pounds sterling. The Virginia Regulars were full‑time Continental soldiers enlisted for extended service under General Washington, distinct from the short‑rotation militia who served only briefly near home. 

Compiled Service Record card for Parsons, 4th Virginia Regiment

A second entry, a 1777–78 pay ledger kept by paymaster Mosher Hunter, records an additional 11 shillings owed to him for service already completed. 

Ledger page listing pay due to deceased officers and
soldiers of the 4th Virginia Regiment, including
“Parson Anderson 11 ⅔ [shillings]”

A third ledger page lists pay due to deceased soldiers of the regiment, including “Parson Anderson 11⅔ shillings,” indicating he did not survive the war.

Pay card for Parsons, 4th Virginia Regiment

The Fourth Virginia Regiment drew heavily from Prince Edward, Cumberland, Amelia, and neighboring communities—the same region where Parsons lived, held land, and appeared in parish and court records throughout the 1750s–1770s. His enlistment fits neatly within his known timeline: a man in his late 30s or early 40s, established on land conveyed by his father Charles Anderson, and active in the same precincts documented in county records. A separate listing in Virginians in the Revolution records “Anderson, Parsons, Prince Edward Mil.,” confirms that he also served in the county militia, a dual obligation common among Southside men of his generation.

Parsons left no pension application, bounty‑land claim, or postwar affidavit. His Revolutionary War file contains only the two pay records available on Fold3 and a third ledger page on FamilySearch. The absence of later paperwork indicates he died before the pension era. His death is documented instead through county records. A Prince Edward County marriage bond dated February 11, 1801 for his daughter Mary identifies her father as “Parsons Anderson, dec’d.”

Prince Edward County, Virginia marriage bond dated
February 11, 1801, naming Parsons Anderson (deceased) as father
of Mary Anderson

More decisively, an August Court 1784 order states that “Parsons Anderson departed this life while a soldier in the Continental service.” In the same entry, the court certifies that his son “Brazure Cocke Anderson” was the heir of Parsons and the heir‑at‑law of Charles Anderson, late of Amelia County. This establishes the direct lineage Charles > Parsons > Brazure and confirms that both Charles and Parsons were dead by 1784.

Prince Edward County, Virginia court order, August 1784,
certifying that Brazure Cocke Anderson was the eldest son and heir of
Parsons Anderson, who died while serving in the Continental Army

Parsons’ Revolutionary era surroundings are better understood through the community in which he lived. During the mid‑1760s, Parsons and Patrick Henry were residents of Prince Edward County at the same time, each involved in the county’s civic and political life. Henry lived in the county from 1765 to 1768, practicing law and participating in the rising revolutionary movement. In those same years, Parsons was an established landholder, appearing regularly in deed records and court proceedings, including his 1764 land transactions. Their overlapping residency places Parsons within the same community and political environment that helped shape Henry’s early revolutionary leadership. Parsons’ name later appeared in Charles Edward Burrell’s History of Prince Edward County, Virginia (1922), which preserved him among the county’s Revolutionary soldiers.

Much about Parsons remains unknown—his exact birth date, birthplace, the full identity of his mother, and whether he had siblings beyond those I documented. No death record, burial site, or probate entry has been found in Prince Edward, Cumberland, or neighboring counties. For now, the document trail ends with the 1784 court record. I’ll continue monitoring new releases for additional clues.

References

• Brazure Cocke, Virginia, U.S., Wills and Probate Records, 1652–1900.
• County court Orders 1, 1754-1759, Prince Edward County, Virginia: Prince Edward. Court Records 1754–1758, images 97, 150, and 173, FamilySearch.
• County Court Orders 2, 1759-1765, Prince Edward County, Virginia: Prince Edward. Court Records 1759–1765, images 28, 68, 93, 157 and 196, FamilySearch.
• County Court Orders 3, 1765-1767, Prince Edward County, Virginia: Prince Edward. Court Records 1765–1767, image 25, FamilySearch.
• County Court Orders 4, 1767-1770, Prince Edward County, Virginia: Prince Edward. Court Records 1767–1770, image 43, FamilySearch.
• County Court Orders 7, 1782-1785, Prince Edward County, Virginia: Prince Edward. Court Record Indexes 1782–1785, image 158, FamilySearch.
• Deed Book 1, 1754-1759, Prince Edward County, Virginia: Prince Edward. Deeds 1754–1759 | Prince Edward. Deeds 1754–1759, image 50, FamilySearch.
• Deed Book 2, 1759-1765, Prince Edward County, Virginia: Prince Edward. Deeds 1759–1765 | Prince Edward. Deeds 1759–1765, images 98 and 233, FamilySearch.
• Episcopal church Vestry Book, 1755-1774, Prince Edward County, Virginia: Prince Edward. Vestry Records 1755–1774, image 10, FamilySearch.
• Marriage Bonds, 1754–1850, Prince Edward County, Virginia: Prince Edward. Marriage Bonds 1754–1850, image 221, FamilySearch.
• McAllister, J. T., Virginia Militia in the Revolutionary War: McAllister’s Data, 1913.
• Order Book 11, 1768-1772, Brunswick County, Virginia: Brunswick. Court Orders 1765–1768, images 202 and 255, FamilySearch.
• Order Book 12, 1772-1774, Brunswick County, Virginia: Brunswick. Court Orders 1772–1774, images 108 and 110, FamilySearch.
• Parson Anderson, Virginia, County Marriage Records, 1771–1989, FamilySearch.
• Parson Anderson, Virginia, U.S., Marriage Records, 1700–1850.
• Parson/Parsons Anderson, John Hastings Gwathmey, Historical Register of Virginians in the Revolution, Soldiers, Sailors, Marines, 1775–1783, Richmond [Virginia], Dietz Press, 1938; United States, Muster Rolls 1775–1783, image 29, FamilySearch.
• Parsons Anderson, Ancestor no. A218863, National Society Daughters of the American Revolution.
• Parsons Anderson, US, Revolutionary War Service Records, 1775–1783.
• Parsons Anderson, Virginia, Select Marriages, 1785–1940.
• Pay Roll of Captain John Morton’s Company of Regulars, Fourth Virginia, 1776, Virginia Military Records, Appendix: State-Wide and Miscellaneous Records, p. 678.
• Virginia. Biographies 1935–1937, History Records 1935–1937, Periodicals 1935–1937, Society Records 1935–1937, images 59–70, FamilySearch.

James S. Ferrell, Virginia Militia–Revolutionary War

As part of my ongoing look at the Revolutionary War in honor of America’s 250th birthday, I was fortunate to uncover the pension file of James S. Ferrell, my husband’s 4th great‑grandfather, while researching his granddaughter, Rebecca Longwell. James’ daughter Martha Ferrell—Rebecca’s mother—is the nearest common ancestor to my husband, and her family connections led me directly to James.

James S. Ferrell was born on April 24, 1763, in the part of colonial Virginia he described as Berkeley County, essentially the same area that is now Winchester—a place familiar to me today. His likely parents were Robert Ferrell (whom he named a son after) and Hannah, surname unknown. Monongalia County records suggest he had several siblings, including Robert Ferrell Jr., Jane Ferrell, Rebecca Ferrell, Susanna Ferrell, and Hannah Ferrell. He likely married Rebecca Bunner, daughter of John and Martha Bunner, who appear to have had at least five children: Robert Ferrell, John B. Ferrell, James S. Ferrell Jr., Eli (or Elisha) C. Ferrell, and Martha Elizabeth Rebecca Ferrell.

I was able to reconstruct James’ family using Monongalia County records that mention the Ferrells and Bunners. The only direct statement is an 1818 court entry naming Robert Ferrell as “son of James,” which anchors James’ household. Other likely children and siblings—especially Hannah Ferrell, who appears in an 1819 court recognizance (a legal bond requiring someone to appear or keep the peace) with members of the Bunner family—fit through age, naming patterns, and close interaction with James. The older couple Robert Ferrell Sr. and his wife Hannah, documented in Monongalia deeds, match the right generation and location to be James’ parents.

Because the available records do not provide a complete picture of his family, this sketch centers on James’ military service. He grew up on the dangerous western frontier near present‑day Morgantown in Monongalia County, and it was from this rugged landscape that he entered Revolutionary War service as a teenager.

His recollections—given 55 years after his service—were remarkably detailed. James entered the war “being a little upward of sixteen years of age.” In May 1779, he volunteered in Captain David Scott’s Virginia militia company under Colonel David McIntosh. He helped build Fort McIntosh on the Ohio River and later garrisoned Wheeling Fort, defending frontier settlements during months of intense Indian activity. His three‑month enlistment stretched into eight, a common reality for militia on the western line.

Header page from James’ Revolutionary War pension file, noting
his service as a private in Captain Scott’s company under
Colonel McIntosh in the Virginia militia

He returned to service in 1780 or 1781 in the company commanded by his father, Captain Robert Ferrell, serving under General George Rogers Clark, the famed frontier commander whose campaigns secured the Ohio Valley for the United States. James served at Fort Defiance near the Falls of the Ohio, where Indian attacks were constant. He recalled one day when a man hitched his horse near the fort and was immediately shot through the ear by hidden attackers. Another attack killed six men in a boat at the mouth of Beargrass Creek, including Captain Lipton. James and his father led relief missions to evacuate isolated settlers and break up exposed forts.

His final and most harrowing service came in 1782, again under Captain Ferrell, when he joined Colonel William Crawford’s Sandusky campaign. The expedition collapsed into chaos after a devastating Indian attack. James gave a vivid firsthand account, preserved in his pension file. He testified that just before dawn, his father—officer of the day—rode into camp and warned Crawford: “The encampment is surrounded by Indians… every man for himself, and God for us all.”

Moments later the Indians opened fire from all sides, and the army broke in confusion. James attempted to escape on horseback, but his horse was shot out from under him, throwing him to the ground. He fled on foot through the darkness until he found another horse, mounted it, and continued the desperate retreat. He traveled for days with a small group of survivors, living on whatever game they could catch, and after weeks of hardship they reached Fort Pitt. James finally returned home in September 1782.

After the war, James continued to appear in Monongalia County records. In 1796, he was appointed Ensign in the county militia, serving under Captain Daniel Sayre after his father resigned his commission. By 1811, he was still living in Monongalia County, where he appeared as surety in a felony recognizance for Robert Ferrell Jr., likely his brother. He remained in the county through at least 1819, when multiple executions were issued against him and Samuel Grubb.

Around 1827, James moved west to Ohio Township, Monroe County, Ohio, settling near the Longwell family. Militia records show he returned briefly to Monongalia County by May 1831, when he resigned a second militia commission as Ensign in Captain William Hayhurst’s company. By 1837, he was again living in Monroe County, where neighbors—including Robert Longwell, his future son‑in‑law—supported his pension application. In 1838, James relocated to Tyler County, Virginia, joining his daughter Martha, who had married into the Longwell family. Although his pension was later suspended after conflicting testimony, the federal government ultimately recognized his Revolutionary War service.

James’ pension was granted at a rate of $30 per year, beginning March 4, 1831. His certificate was issued on November 4, 1838, through the Woodsfield, Ohio office, with arrears totaling $225 and a semi‑annual allowance of $15.

Excerpt from James’ Revolutionary War pension file showing
his certificate issued November 14, 1838, through the
Woodsfield, Ohio office, with arrears of $225 and a
semi‑annual allowance of $15

Excerpt from the Wheeling pension ledger showing James’
payments, including arrears issued through the Woodsfield, Ohio
office in 1838

In July 1838, the Monroe County Court appointed James as surveyor of a newly established road running from the meeting house above John Meadows’ place, connecting Grahams Ferry to the mouth of the Greenbrier River and then across to Bradshaw’s Run Road. As surveyor, he was responsible for directing the hands listed on Isaac Milburn’s subscription paper to clear, finish, and maintain the road—an important civic duty during the same period he was pursuing his pension. The following year, on October 7, 1839, he purchased a 12‑acre tract on the north side of the Greenbrier River from James and Jane Graham of Schuyler County, Illinois. The deed describes the parcel as adjoining land already owned by James and the heirs of David Graham, confirming his established presence along the river and his continued involvement in local land transactions.

James’ exact death date is unknown, but the surviving records establish a clear window. His pension payments appear regularly through 1840, after which the Wheeling pension ledger stops listing him. Tyler County court records prove he lived beyond that point: he appeared in person on March 4, 1841 to take the benefit of the Insolvent Act, a legal process that allowed debtors to declare insolvency and avoid imprisonment, and he is named again in multiple executions issued in early 1842. The latest of these is dated March 21, 1842, making this his final confirmed appearance. He therefore died sometime after that date.

James’ recollections preserve a vivid frontier account of his Revolutionary War experience, and the records that follow his life afterward trace the steady path of a man who served, endured, and remained rooted in the communities he helped defend.

References 

• Execution Book, 1815–1846, Tyler County, Virginia: Tyler. Court Records 1815–1846, images 152 and 162, FamilySearch.
• James S. Ferrell Sr., Virginia, U.S., Compiled Census and Census Substitutes Index, 1800–1890.
• James S. Ferrell, U.S., Revolutionary War Pensioners, 1801-1815, 1818-1872.
• James S. Ferrell, US, Revolutionary War Pensions, 1800–1900.
• John Bunner, West Virginia, Wills and Probate Records, 1724–1978.
• Monongalia County, West Virginia, Guardianship Records 1807–1820, Land Records 1807–1820, Military Records 1807–1820, Probate Records 1807–1820, Public Records 1807–1820, School Records 1807–1820, Tax Records 1807–1820, Government Records 1807–1820, Court Records 1807–1820, Citizenship Records 1807–1820, image 227, FamilySearch.
• Monroe County, West Virginia, Court Records 1834–1841, 1843–1846, image 571, FamilySearch.
• Monroe County, West Virginia, Deed Books 1840–1846, image 185, FamilySearch.
• Revolutionary War Payment Ledger, Wheeling, West Virginia.
• U.S. Federal Census, District 106, Ohio Township, Monroe County, Ohio, 1850.
• U.S. Federal Census, Sardis, Monroe County, Ohio, 1860.
• U.S. Federal Census, Tyler County, Virginia, 1840.

Moses Holland, a Revolutionary War drummer boy

As part of my ongoing look at the Revolutionary War in honor of America’s 250th birthday, I next turned to the service of my 5th great‑grandfather, Moses Holland, born in Virginia on November 17, 1758.

For many years, Moses’ military service has been repeated in newspapers, historical markers, online trees, and even in DAR applications. An obelisk in his memory stands at Big Creek Baptist Church near Williamston, South Carolina—the church he organized in 1788—and describes him as a Revolutionary patriot who was present at the surrender of Lord Cornwallis at Yorktown. The surrender took place on October 19, 1781, after a three‑week siege that effectively ended major fighting in the war. But none of these commemorations provided actual documentary evidence.

After reviewing many references, I found only two records that meet the standard of reliable documentation. The first is a payment entry recorded under December 10 in Virginia’s Revolutionary‑era public accounts. It lists “Moses Holland, for pay as Drummer to Charlotte,” identifying him as a drummer in the Charlotte County militia. Although the ledger page does not repeat the year, entries of this type come from the early 1780s, when Virginia was settling militia pay and public service claims. This establishes that Moses served as a drummer in a Virginia militia unit associated with Charlotte County—a role that carried both military and communication responsibilities.

A second, independent source places Moses in a 1777 militia record. This listing appears in the List of the Revolutionary Soldiers of Virginia, compiled by archivist H. J. Eckenrode in 1912 from original state records. The notation “War 23 (1777)” indicates that Moses appears in a 1777 document within that archival series. Together, these two records show that Moses served more than once and was active earlier than the single payment entry alone would suggest. Although neither provides a full-service history, both confirm that he was officially recognized by Virginia as a Revolutionary War soldier and that his role as a drummer was documented.

A drummer boy in the Revolutionary War wasn’t simply a musician—he was essential to communication. At about age 16, Moses would have learned drum signals that told soldiers when to wake, assemble, march, load their weapons, or move into position. On a battlefield filled with smoke and gunfire, where officers’ voices could not carry, the drum conveyed orders. In camp, the drummer kept the daily routine running by marking roll call, meals, and other duties.

After the war, Moses moved to South Carolina and settled in what became Anderson County. Married twice, he was the father of several children. In 1788 he founded Big Creek Baptist Church and served as its pastor for 41 years, playing a foundational role in the region’s early Baptist growth. A July 1884 article in The Atlanta Constitution reported that his son, Elijah M. Holland, owned a pair of yard gloves said to have been worn by Moses “during the surrender of Cornwallis to Washington at Yorktown, over 100 years ago.” The article describes the gloves as well preserved despite heavy use and repeats several family traditions about Moses’ long ministry, his two marriages, and his death in 1829.

Even though he was young during the war, Moses held a position that required steadiness, discipline, and reliability—qualities that offer a glimpse of the character he carried into his long life of ministry and community leadership. He died in Williamston on September 8, 1829.

References

• An Old Relic, The Atlanta Constitution, July 6, 1884, Atlanta, Georgia.
• Big Creek Baptist Church Historical Marker, South Carolina; https://www.hmdb.org/m.asp?m=8441. 
• History of Big Creek Church: Big Creek Records from 1801 to 1850, The Intelligencer, Anderson, South Carolina, August 24, 1898.
• List of the Revolutionary Soldiers of Virginia: Special Report of the Department of Archives and History for 1911, H. J. Eckenrode, Archivist, p. 222, Richmond, Virginia, 1912; https://ia601602.us.archive.org/4/items/listofrevolution09virg/listofrevolution09virg.pdf.
• Personal visit to Big Creek Baptist Church Cemetery, Williamston, South Carolina.
• Siege of Yorktown; https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Siege_of_Yorktown?utm_source=copilot.com. 
• The Virginia Magazine of History and Biography, Volume IX: Virginia. Biographies 1902, History Records 1902, Periodicals 1902, Society Records 1902, image 127, FamilySearch. 

Henry Church: A British Regular in the American Revolution

I’ve been focusing on my Revolutionary War–era ancestors but didn’t want to ignore my husband’s. The only person we’re aware of serving was Henry Church, my husband’s fourth great grandfather. But he wasn’t a patriot—he was a Regular in the British Army.

Henry “Old Hundred” Church, born around 1750 in Suffolk, England, is remembered as one of Wetzel County’s most distinctive early settlers—a man whose remarkable age and colorful past left such an impression on his neighbors that the town of Hundred, West Virginia, carries his nickname.

Henry Church, Harper’s New Monthly Magazine, June 1859

Many accounts describe Henry as having served in the British forces during the Revolutionary War, though the details vary widely. One account holds that he served under Lord Cornwallis in the 63rd Light Infantry and was captured on a scouting mission somewhere between Richmond and Petersburg by troops under the Marquis de Lafayette, after which he was imprisoned near Lancaster, Pennsylvania, until the end of the war. Another late‑nineteenth‑century newspaper article offers a different version, reporting that Henry began the war as a British soldier but deserted and joined the American cause, later seeking seclusion in the hills of Virginia out of fear of arrest. Still others claim he once served in the personal guard of King George III and that he and a companion named John Taylor were among several young men sent to the colonies to serve under Cornwallis.

More recent research, however, provides a clearer picture. Our Taylor Clan (Thomas F. Taylor, MD, 2003) includes work by the authors and other family researchers who examined British muster rolls WO 12/7241 and WO 12/7242 at the Public Record Office in Kew, London. Their study—based on transcriptions and analysis by Sharon Wodtke and Gerry Edwards between 2001 and 2003—documents the British military service of John Taylor, the same man long remembered as Henry’s wartime companion. Those same muster rolls show that Henry Church served as a private in the 63rd Regiment of Foot (West Suffolk) during the American Revolution. He first appears on October 24, 1780, transferred into Captain Bent Ball’s company from an “Additional Company H,” likely arriving from England late in the war. The regiment’s muster lists place him in New York through 1780–1781, after which he disappears from active rolls. Although the 63rd did not fight at Yorktown, later notes suggest Henry may have been captured during a scouting mission in 1781. In the final administrative roll filed on July 4, 1783, he is recorded as having “deserted” on July 1, 1783—a notation historians believe was commonly used at the end of the war to clear the names of missing or captured soldiers, not necessarily evidence of literal desertion.

Although these stories differ in their specifics, they share a common theme: Henry’s wartime experiences—whatever their exact nature—became part of the local lore that surrounded him. According to these accounts, after his release from imprisonment he chose to remain in America, where he met and married Hannah Keine, a Pennsylvania Quaker born around 1755. By the early 1800s, Henry and Hannah had settled along Fish Creek in what would become Wetzel County, West Virginia, where they raised eight children.

According to family historian Ethel Briggs, life for Henry and Hannah remained lively long after the Revolutionary era. She wrote that the couple was widely respected for their honesty and hard work, and that Henry in particular was admired for his patriotic spirit. During the War of 1812, Briggs said Henry was drafted into American service and proudly set out with his rifle, prepared to fight against Britain despite his lingering loyalty to the crown. She noted that Henry had refused to take the oath of allegiance required of Englishmen after the Revolution, explaining that he had already sworn loyalty to King George. Only decades later, when he wished to sell part of his land, did he finally sign the oath, because it was legally necessary.

On April 6, 1858, Henry appeared before the Wetzel County Court to file his Declaration of Intention—the first legal step toward becoming a naturalized U.S. citizen. In this sworn statement, he renounced allegiance to the Queen of Great Britain and Ireland and affirmed his “bona fide intention” to become a citizen of the United States. By then he was well over 100 years old—born around 1750, he would have been about 107 or 108 in 1858. 

Wetzel County Court April 6, 1858.

I Henry Church do declare on oath that it is my bona fide intention to become a citizen of the United States and to renounce forever all allegiance and fidelity to all and any foreign Prince Potentate State and Sovereignty whatever and particularly to the Queen of Great Britain and Ireland of whom I was a subject.

Henry Church

I Francis Cox clerk of the County Court of Wetzel County in the State of Virginia do certify that the above is a true copy of the original declaration of intention of Henry Church to become a citizen of the United States remaining of record in my office. In testimony whereof I have hereunto subscribed my name and affixed the seal of said Court this 6th day of April 1858.

Friend Cox, Clerk

Under the naturalization laws of the time, he would have needed to wait two years before returning to court to complete the process. He never reached that second step. Henry died on September 13, 1860, only a few months after he became eligible to file his final petition. Hannah had died just weeks earlier, on July 27, 1860, at about 105 years old.

In their final years, Henry and Hannah’s home became a familiar landmark to travelers along the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad. Passengers would crowd the windows hoping to glimpse the legendary old man who was said to have lived past a hundred years. His age became part of the local lore, and “Old Hundred” became both his nickname and, eventually, the name of the community that grew nearby.

Behind the legend is a simpler truth found in the muster rolls at Kew: Henry Church was one of thousands of British Regulars who crossed the Atlantic during the Revolutionary War, served far from home, and chose not to return when it ended. He lived nearly 110 years—long enough for stories to grow around him—but the records that survive still point back to those few lines in the books of the 63rd Regiment of Foot. That brief service shaped the course of his life, carrying him from Suffolk to the American frontier and, eventually, to the hills of northern West Virginia, where the town of Hundred still remembers the man they called “Old Hundred.”

References

• Briggs, Ethel L., Ohio Valley Richmonds: Their Kith and Kin, The Early Settling of Wetzel County, pp. 226–227, 1976.
• Comstock, Jim, Hardesty’s West Virginia Counties: Doddridge, Marion, Upshur, Wetzel, Richmond, West Virginia, 1973, West Virginia. Biographies, History Records, images 229–230, FamilySearch.
• Death of a Centennarian: Mrs. Hannah Church, Richmond Dispatch, Richmond, Virginia, July 31, 1860.
• Death of a Patriarch: Henry Church, Richmond Dispatch, Richmond, Virginia, October 1, 1860.
• Declaration of Intention of Henry Church (April 6, 1858), Wetzel County, West Virginia, Court Orders 1854–1861, 1846–1854, 1862–1872, image 346, FamilySearch; https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-CSVD-RN2?view=fullText&keywords=Church%2CDaniel%2CUnited%20States%2CWetzel&lang=en&groupId=.
• Here’s How the West Virginia Town of “Hundred” Got Its Unique Name, West Virginia Explorer Webzine; https://wvexplorer.com/2024/01/22/old-hundred-west-virginia-henry-church-wetzel-county/. 
• Remarkable Family: The Founder of Hundred, in Wetzel County and His History, The Wheeling Daily Intelligencer, Wheeling, West Virginia, November 23, 1895.
• Taylor MD, Thomas F., Our Taylor Clan, War of the Revolution: British Emphasis on the 63rd Light Brigade/Regiment of Foot, 2003, United States, Genealogies, History Records, Periodicals, Indigenous People Records, Oklahoma. Indigenous People Records, images 24–25, FamilySearch.
• Wetzel County, West Virginia, Deeds 1845–1855, images 140, 180, and 432, FamilySearch.
• Wetzel County, West Virginia, Deeds 1855–1865, image 52, FamilySearch.

Robert Shields: A Family Tradition Re‑Examined

Another figure in my 250th‑anniversary project on Revolutionary War–era ancestors is my 6th great‑grandfather, Robert Shields—a man whose life is remembered by his descendants but sparsely documented in surviving records.

Robert was born in Virginia, likely in Augusta County. His tombstone gives his birthdate as November 9, 1749, while the Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR) lists it as circa 1738–1740. SmokyKin, a large genealogical site focused on early Sevier County settlers, repeats the November 9, 1749 date and places his birth in what is now Harrisonburg, Rockingham County. With no surviving birth or death record, the exact year remains uncertain.

Around 1761, Robert married Nancy Stockton, daughter of Richard and Agnes Stockton. Together they raised 11 children—1 daughter and 10 sons—born in the Shenandoah Valley in what was then Augusta County and later became Rockingham County: Janet (or Jennet), Thomas, Richard, David, William, John, James, Robert, Joseph, Benjamin, and Jesse. Although some online trees include an infant son named Ezekiel, said to have been born and died in 1778, no records support his existence, and researchers do not count him among the documented children of Robert and Nancy. Their sons are often referred to as the “the Ten Brothers.”

Robert’s tombstone states that he served as a private in “Francis Lang’s Company” during the Revolutionary War, a detail that immediately raised questions. Because Robert died in 1802, long before the pension laws of 1818 and 1832 that generated the service records we rely on today, he left no pension file, no sworn testimony, and no official record of his service. The only surviving federal documentation comes from a 1976 application submitted by his 2nd great‑granddaughter, Francis Dennis Mize, requesting a government‑issued veteran’s marker. Her application states that Robert enlisted in 1777 and was discharged in 1783, relying heavily on a likely long‑remembered association between Robert and a soldier named Francis Lang.

Photo used with permission of Paul J. Lambert
(Find A Grave member 46544256)

Because the VA required proof before issuing a military headstone, Robert’s service had to be verified to federal standards. His modern marker therefore reflects not only family memory but also formal recognition of his Revolutionary War service nearly two centuries after his death. The following two images are the original 1976 application that secured that acknowledgment.

Veterans Administration application submitted by
Robert’s 2nd great granddaughter in 1976

Yet family memory is not always correct. When I searched Fold3, a subscription site for digitized military records, I found no service file for Robert—not surprising for a man who died before pension laws existed. But when I turned to the man whose name appears on Robert’s tombstone, I discovered something unexpected: Francis Lang never commanded a company at all.

Lang enlisted as a private on July 18, 1780, in Charles County, Maryland, serving first under Capt. Charles Smith in the regiment commanded by Col. Smith of the Maryland Line. As the Maryland Line reorganized, he continued—still a private—under Capt. Bluff in the regiment of Col. Ford, remaining in service until his discharge by public proclamation in November 1783 at Nottingham in Prince George’s County. During those years, he fought in major southern battles including Guilford Courthouse, Camden, the Siege of Ninety Six, and Eutaw Springs.

So why does Robert’s tombstone reference “Francis Lang’s Company”? The most reasonable explanation is that the inscription reflects family memory of an association, not a documented chain of command. Robert may have known Lang, served near him, or spoken of him often—but no surviving record links Robert to Lang’s unit or to any specific regiment. The inscription preserves a tradition, not evidence.

To understand what Robert’s service might have looked like—if he served at all—it helps to look at the units active in the regions where he lived. This context is useful, but it is not proof of his participation.

Men from Augusta and Rockingham counties often joined the 8th Virginia (“The German Regiment”), the 12th Virginia, or local militia battalions. Others enlisted in Maryland units, especially those living near the border. Soldiers from these regions fought at Brandywine, Germantown, Monmouth, Camden, Cowpens, Guilford Courthouse, Ninety Six, Eutaw Springs, and eventually Yorktown. If Robert served, he might have encountered some of these campaigns—but no document ties him to any of them.

Cross‑border enlistment was common: Rockingham County was only 30–50 miles from Maryland, and Augusta County only 50–75 miles. A Virginia‑born man serving in a Maryland unit was far from unusual. Still, without a muster roll, pay record, or pension file, none of these scenarios can be confirmed. They remain possibilities only—historical context, not evidence.

After the war—likely in the 1780s or early 1790s—Robert joined the wave of Shenandoah Valley families migrating into East Tennessee. He settled in what became Sevier County, where he and his sons built Shields Fort, a small frontier stockade near present‑day Pigeon Forge and Shields Mountain. According to the biography of his eldest son, John Shields—later a member of the Lewis and Clark Expedition—the family lived in the fort for years as protection during periods of conflict. Many settlers abandoned the area due to attacks, but Robert and his family remained.

Robert died in Sevier County on January 18, 1802, long before pension laws could have documented his service. Nancy died in 1805, also too early to qualify for the widows’ pension acts. Both rest at Middle Creek Cemetery in Sevierville.

But he left a family who remembered him, a fort he helped build on the Tennessee frontier, and a legacy strong enough that his descendants fought to have him recognized as a veteran nearly two centuries later. As we mark 250 years since the Revolution, remembering Robert feels like a way of honoring all the ordinary soldiers whose stories were never fully written down—men who served, endured, and helped shape the country we live in today.

A descendant claims that Robert served in the Revolutionary War, but no primary records confirm it. The only known claim comes from a 1976 government marker application submitted by that person. Until a military record is found, his service must be considered unproven. The DAR now classifies Robert’s Revolutionary War service as unproven, noting that earlier applications relied on evidence—likely family tradition—that no longer meets modern standards. The DAR’s own notation confirms this, stating that his previously accepted service is no longer considered valid and that future applicants must provide new, verifiable proof.

Robert as recorded in the DAR index, including a notation that
“Future Applicants Must Prove Correct Service”

DAR explanation for the notation

Robert does not appear in Eckenrode’s 1912 List of the Revolutionary Soldiers of Virginia, a key statewide compilation based on surviving military records. I also checked the National Archives, the Internet Archive, the Digital Public Library of America, the University of Virginia Library, and the Library of Virginia websites and did not find Robert listed in any military records, further indicating that no contemporary documentation of his service has been found.

Although some online trees refer to a “Capt. Francis Long,” no militia records from Augusta or Rockingham counties list a man by that name as an officer; the only documented Long captains of the era were John and Benjamin Long of Rockingham County.

So, when I began this sketch, I expected to be able to name an ancestor who served with the Continental Army during the Revolutionary War, but it appears that now I cannot. No Revolutionary War battles were fought in the area that later became Sevier County. When Robert settled there in the 1780s, the war in the South was essentially over, but the region remained a tense frontier. Settlers along the French Broad and Little Pigeon Rivers faced periodic conflict with Cherokee groups and relied on small forts and local militia for protection. These were post‑war frontier skirmishes rather than Revolutionary War engagements, and they were never recorded as Continental service.

In the end, Robert’s story reminds me that not every Revolutionary‑era life left a clear paper trail, yet each one—documented or not—helped shape the world the Revolution made.

References

• Charles Smith (?-1788), Archives of Maryland, Biographical Series, MSA SC 3520-16774; https://msa.maryland.gov/megafile/msa/speccol/sc3500/sc3520/016700/016774/html/16774bio.html?utm_source=copilot.com. 
• Eckenrode, H. J. (Hamilton James), List of the revolutionary soldiers of Virginia. Special report of the Department of Archives and History for 1912, Virginia State Library. Archives Division; https://archive.org/details/listofrevolution00virg/page/274/mode/2up. 
• Edwards, Olga Jones, ‎Izora Waters Frizzell, Connection in East Tennessee, p. 244, 2001.
• Find a Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/18788/john-shields: accessed January 14, 2026), memorial page for CPT John Shields (1769–Dec 1809), Find a Grave Memorial ID 18788, citing Little Flock Baptist Cemetery, Elizabeth, Harrison County, Indiana, USA; maintained by AJ (contributor 1003).
• Francis Lang, US, Revolutionary War Pensions, 1800–1900.
• John Shields (explorer); https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Shields_%28explorer%29?utm_source=copilot.com. 
• Nancy Stockton, U.S. and International Marriage Records, 1560–1900.
• Robert Shields, DAR Genealogical Research Databases; https://services.dar.org/public/dar_research/search_adb/?action=full&p_id=A103711. 
• Robert Shields, SmokyKin; https://www.smokykin.com/tng/getperson.php?personID=I9099&tree=Smokykin. 
• Robert Shields, U.S., Headstone Applications, 1925–1963.
• Shields, John Arthur, The Shields Family, 1917.

Nathan Lankford: Patriotism Beyond the Battlefield

With the 250th anniversary of American independence on the horizon, I decided to explore the Revolutionary War period through the lives of the men and women in my own family tree. I began with my 5th great‑grandfather, Nathan Lankford—a man long assumed to have been a soldier. What I discovered instead was a story of civic duty, community leadership, and patriotic service that unfolded not on the battlefield, but in everyday work.

Born in 1764 in either Mecklenburg or Rutherford County, North Carolina, Nathan is connected to me through his daughter—my 4th great‑grandmother, Mary Elizabeth Lankford. Although he never enlisted, he is recognized by the Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR) for his Patriotic Service to the cause. His contribution is documented through two Revolutionary War pay vouchers issued by the State of North Carolina, official records showing he was compensated for services rendered. While the vouchers don’t specify the exact nature of his support, they indicate that he aided the Patriot effort, likely by furnishing supplies or labor. This kind of civil service was essential to sustaining the war, and Nathan’s inclusion in the DAR database affirms his role in the struggle for independence, even if he never wore a uniform.

Nathan as shown in the DAR Index

Nathan is sometimes described in online trees as having fought at the Battle of Kings Mountain (October 7, 1780) at age 16 and later helping build the first White House (construction began in 1792), but I find no evidence to support either claim. His name does not appear on the Kings Mountain lists I’ve seen, he left no pension application documenting combat service, and his verified Revolutionary War involvement consists only of North Carolina pay vouchers for patriotic service in 1782. Given that he was born in 1764, he would have been too young for most early‑war military service but old enough by the final years of the conflict to contribute in non‑combat or local support roles, which aligns with the type of service reflected in his voucher. These stories are best treated as unproven family lore.

In June 1782, Nathan was formally compensated by the State of North Carolina for his contributions to the Revolutionary War effort. A pay voucher issued in the Salisbury District records that he was allowed 17 pounds, 10 shillings, and 5 pence in specie (gold or silver) for a public claim—an official acknowledgment by the Board of Auditors that he had either furnished supplies, performed services, or otherwise supported the Patriot cause. A second voucher, issued on September 6, 1782, allowed him one pound specie for another public claim. Although neither document specifies the nature of his contribution, both confirm that Nathan was actively involved in the war’s final year and recognized by the state for his role.

Pay voucher (June 1782)

 

Pay voucher (September 1782)

Around 1790, Nathan married Meron (or Marion) Caldwell, daughter of Curtis Caldwell and Sarah W. Fondren, in Rutherford County. Together they had 11 children that I can document: John, Curtis C., Robert S., Elizabeth, Meron, Mary, Sarah “Sally,” Sibby, Rhoda, Martha, and Minor S. Lankford.

Nathan appears in Rutherford County records as early as April 1794, when the court appointed him overseer of the public road from John Cummins’ place on White Oak to the Block House. Road overseers were typically established householders entrusted with maintaining important transportation routes, so this appointment indicates that Nathan was settled in the area, likely owned or occupied land along the road, and was actively participating in local civic duties. In July 1795, he served as a juror tasked with laying out a new public road, further demonstrating his involvement in community affairs.

By 1800, Nathan was living in the Morgan District of Rutherford County with his wife, seven children under 16, and one enslaved person. His census entry places him in the 26–44 age bracket. The presence of multiple young children and an enslaved laborer suggest a growing farm and a household firmly rooted in the community known as Skywicker.

Nathan’s status as a landowner is well documented. In January 1802, the court appointed him—identified as a freeholder—to help set aside a year’s support for Rebekah Earle, widow of John Earle. This role was reserved for trusted, established men. Between 1804 and 1805, Nathan purchased at least 255 acres in Rutherford County: 100 acres from the administrators of John Earle’s estate on Skyuka and 155 acres from the estate of James Logan on the Long Branch of the Pacolet River. The Logan deed was witnessed by Charles Lankford, highlighting early ties between the Lankford and Logan families—connections that later deepened when Nathan’s daughter Sarah married James Logan Jr. Both deeds were formally proved in court in October 1809.

Despite claims found online, there is no evidence that Nathan Lankford of Rutherford County served in the War of 1812. A reference card does exist for a man of the same name in Pearson’s 7th Regiment, but the full pension file shows that soldier was a different individual—one who lived in Polk County, married Mary Brock in 1862, and died in 1873. Rutherford County’s Nathan died in early 1826 and was married to Meron, not Mary Brock. Based on naming patterns and family proximity, the Polk County Nathan was likely a younger relative, possibly a first cousin (son of Robert Lankford and Sybil Taylor), but the two men should not be mistaken for one another.

Nathan’s daughter Sarah “Sally” married James Logan in Rutherford County on December 2, 1813. In 1816, his son John received a 50‑acre land grant adjoining Nathan’s property on Skyuka. Nathan’s 1825 will later bequeathed John the tract “below the mill,” matching the location of the 1816 grant. On December 15, 1816, Nathan signed the £500 marriage bond for his daughter Sibby, who married Leeroy Caruth. In October 1817, he was appointed constable, entering into a £500 bond and taking the oath of office—a position reflecting trust and responsibility.

Nathan’s 1820 census entry lists 11 individuals in his household: 8 free white persons and 3 enslaved people. He and an adult woman—presumably Meron—were both over 45. The household included several children and young adults, and five individuals were engaged in agriculture, indicating a working farm. Nearby lived Robert Lankford, John Lankford, and Nathan Hobbs (husband of Nathan’s daughter Mary), showing the family’s close geographic clustering.

In April 1822, Nathan appeared in court to prove a deed from Isaac Cloud Sr. to Jonathan Williams. Isaac Cloud was married to Nathan’s aunt, Sarah “Sally” Lankford. Between 1824 and 1825, court executions against Braxton Lankford repeatedly described his 200‑acre tract as adjoining the lands of Robert Lankford, Nathan Lankford, and Watson Collins, confirming Nathan’s property boundaries and his proximity to other Lankford relatives. One case involved a debt originally owed to Nathan, showing his financial dealings within the family.

On December 28, 1825, Nathan wrote his will, describing himself as “sick and afflicted in body” but of sound mind. He provided generously for his wife Meron, granting her the use of all land and personal property during her lifetime or widowhood so she could support herself and the unmarried children still at home. After her death or remarriage, he directed that John receive the Skyuka tract below the mill; Curtis inherit the Long Branch “Piece Place;” and Robert, still underage, receive the home tract under John’s guardianship. He also made provisions for his daughters, including livestock and the future increase of enslaved people, or monetary compensation if no increase occurred. The remainder of the estate was to be sold and divided among his children and the heirs of any who had predeceased him. Nathan named Meron and John as executors, excusing John from commissions.

Just weeks before his death, on January 9, 1826, Nathan completed a final land purchase from George Williams: 100 acres on the North Pacolet River and both sides of Skyuka Creek. Although the deed was not recorded until 1835, the transaction itself occurred during Nathan’s lifetime. Nathan died sometime between January 9, 1826, when he executed the Williams deed, and February 13, 1826, when the deed was proved in court. His son John submitted the estate inventory in April 1826, marking the close of Nathan’s long and active life in Rutherford County.

References

• Births, Delayed Births, Divorces, Marriage Bonds, Licenses, Certificates, Registers, Cohabitations, and Grave Removals: Rutherford County, North Carolina, Birth Records 1779–1868, Divorce Records 1779–1868, Delayed Birth Records 1779–1868, Grave Registers 1779–1868, Licenses 1779–1868, Marriage Bonds 1779–1868, image 94, FamilySearch.
• Nathan Langford, Daughters of the American Revolution, Ancestor Search; https://services.dar.org/public/dar_research/search_adb/?action=full&p_id=A068974. 
• Nathan Lankford, North Carolina Revolutionary Pay Vouchers, 1779–1782.
• Nathan Lankford, North Carolina, Wills and Probate Records, 1665–1998.
• North Carolina, Military Records 1779–1792, image 503, FamilySearch.
• Rutherford Co. File No. 3009, Capt. John Lankford, NC Land Grant Images and Data; https://www.nclandgrants.com/grant/?mars=12.14.108.3013&qid=1233707&rn=1. 
• Rutherford County Land Grant File No. 3009, Capt. John Lankford, NC Land Grant Images and Data; https://www.nclandgrants.com/frame/?fdr=547&frm=1050&mars=12.14.108.3013. 
• Rutherford County, North Carolina, Marriage Bonds 1810–1859, image 98, FamilySearch.
• Rutherford County, North Carolina, Court Minutes 1786–1789, 1789–1793, 1779–1786, 1781–1786, 1794–1798, images 700 and 754, FamilySearch.
• Rutherford County, North Carolina, Court Minutes 1799–1802, 1803–1806, 1813–1817, 1806–1810, 1810–1813, images 142, 491, and 810, FamilySearch.
• Rutherford County, North Carolina, Court Minutes 1825–1830, 1818–1819, 1821–1825, 1820–1821, 1831–1837, images 268, 398, 440, and 444, FamilySearch.
• Rutherford County, North Carolina, Deeds 1807–1816, image 417, FamilySearch.
• Rutherford County, North Carolina, Deeds 1835–1840, image 31, FamilySearch.
• Rutherford County, North Carolina, Wills 1782–1868, images 367–368, FamilySearch.
• U.S. Federal Census, Morgan, Rutherford, North Carolina, 1800.
• U.S. Federal Census, Rutherford County, North Carolina, 1820.