My Revolutionary War Ancestors


    These are my ancestors with Revolutionary War service that I can prove. There were probably several more, but they died before they could apply for a pension, which is often the only record of service for some veterans. Others had common given and surnames and cannot be sorted from other men of the same name. When I get a chance, I will flesh out the descriptions of the service of my ancestors. Several of my ancestors who are not listed below rendered what the DAR calls "Civil Service", which included things like holding positions in county governments which were loyal to the Revolutionary government, including constable, justice of the peace, juror, surveyor/overseer of roads, etc. 

    On this page, several DAR ancestor numbers are cited, though I have found DAR ancestries to be unreliable. Before claiming service for and ancestor or concluding that your ancestor did not render service, it is advisable to do your own research. County court minute books are a good place to find records of your ancestors' civil or patriotic service and less so, military service. That being said, the DAR has not been willing to correct several errors.


Colonel John Barber - Tryon and Lincoln Counties, NC. John Barber was a member of the Tryon County, NC. Committee of Safety in 1775. He was a delegate from Tryon County to Halifax Convention in 1776. He served as an Assemblyman from Tryon County to North Carolina legislature in 1777. He served as a Captain, Major and Lieutenant Colonel in the North Carolina Militia from 1775-1783, mostly in Graham's Regiment of Tryon and Lincoln counties but in at least one other regiment, as well. He was promoted to Colonel at the end of the War. He served in several battles and skirmishes, including Graham's Fort, Great Cane Brake, Snow Campaign and Guilford Courthouse. He is mentioned in the pension applications of more than a dozen men who served under him. His DAR # is A005871. He is my fourth great grandfather on my mother's side.

The DAR has incorrectly placed markers to John Barber on a non-existent grave in the Bethell Cemetery in York County, SC. He is actually buried in the Warlick Cemetery in Cleveland County, NC. The DAR has, so far, been unwilling to admit their mistake and correct this error. The DAR has also permitted descendants of two other men named John Barber to claim the service of Colonel John Barber, granting them DAR membership.


William Baxter -
Spotsylvania County, VA. William enlisted at Fredericksburg, Virginia into the Continental Army in 1781. His rank and service unit are unknown. He originally served under Captain William Payne. He may be the William Baxter of Culpeper County, VA who was drafted from the county militia into the Continental Army in 1781. He was probably enlisted rank. He is mentioned in the pension application of John Redinhour, a comrade in arms. He did not apply for a pension for his service. He is my fifth great grandfather on my mother's side.


Thomas Allen Beale - Montgomery County, MD. Thomas Allen Beale served in the 2nd Maryland Regiment as a private in 1778 at age 16. He served under Capt. Thomas Edmunston in the 4th Regiment, Lower Battalion, Montgomery County, MD as a private in 1780. His DAR # is A007926. He is my fourth great grandfather on my mother's side.

Thomas Daniel - Washington County, VA. There is little doubt that Thomas Daniel served in the Revolutionary War from Washington County. He was born about 1750 in Caroline County, VA and settled in what was later Washington County in 1771, claiming 800 acres of land on the Maiden Springs fork of the Clinch River by right of settlement. He was associated with several known Long Hunters. His land bordered that of William Bowen who was the captain of a militia company during the Revolutionary War. Thomas Daniel served 99 days during Dunmore's War in 1774 under Lt. William Bowen and Capt. William Russell, Bowen's father-in-law, donated supplies to the militia and was in Russell and Bowen's company at the Battle of Point Pleasant in 1774. Capt. William Bowen was an officer at the Maiden Springs Fort and his brother, Lt. Rees Bowen was killed at the Battle of Kings Mountain. Spilsby Daniel, Thomas' first cousin, was Thomas' neighbor and received a pension for his service fighting Indians and for being at the Battle of Kings Mountain. The only mention of Spilsby Daniel's service in primary records is his pension application which was attested to by witnesses and approved. It seems likely that Thomas was also at the Battle of Kings Mountain, probably a member of Bowen's company.

All of Thomas Daniel's close Daniel cousins, at least a half dozen of them, served on the side of the United States in the Revolutionary War, including Major Walker Daniel who was later the first Attorney General of Kentucky and was killed by Indians there in 1784. Thomas was raised with Walker in Caroline County, VA and named a son for him. Unfortunately, militia rosters and records on the western frontier, especially for Washington County, are sparse and Thomas Daniel died about 1825, before the pension act for Revolutionary War veterans commenced. Thomas Daniel was probably an enlisted man, likely a private. He also likely rendered some sort of patriotic service, donating supplies to the county militia, for example, but left the county just before the time that citizens sought compensation for their property. Property was often "requisitioned" not offered, so it seems unlikely Thomas could have avoided providing supplies or being conscripted into the county militia if his acts were not voluntary.

Also worth noting is that no children are attributed to Thomas Daniel from February 1777 until May 1782 which suggests some sort of absence between February 1777 and September 1781.

The search for proof of his service continues. All six of Thomas Daniel's sons served in the War of 1812. Thomas Daniel was my third great grandfather on my father's side.


James Fox -
Loudoun County, VA. Patriotic Service. James hauled supplies for the Virginia militia and contributed supplies to support the Virginia militia. He also supported the Colonial government by purchasing 995 acres of land in Kentucky using two Virginia Treasury Warrants in 1778. He was in his forties at the time he gave service. He is my third great grandfather on my father's side.

Another mistake (James Fox, A041350) by the DAR has attributed  this service to James' son, James Jr. who was at home as a child during the war, did not own land, etc., and once again, the DAR is unwilling to admit their error and correct their mistake.

Dudley Gatewood - Bedford County, VA. Patriotic Service. He furnished beef for the Bedford County militia. The DAR number for his service is A209506. Proof of his service may be found in Bedford County, VA Court Order Book 6, page 355. He is my fifth great grandfather on my father's side. His son, my ancestor, also rendered patriotic service.


James Gatewood -
Bedford County, VA. Patriotic Service. He furnished beef, corn & "diets" for the Bedford County militia. The DAR number for his service is A209505. Proof of his service may be found in Bedford County, VA Court Order Book 6, page 362. He is my fourth great grandfather on my father's side. His father also rendered patriotic service.


John Henderson - Orange County, VA. Patriotic Service. He furnished, corn, oats, beef, bacon and teams for hauling supplies. The court order books for claims for his service note that the supplies were for General Muhlenberg's Brigade, Col. Call's Legion, General Nelson's Brigade and Major Higgins detail for use in hauling supplies to Culpeper County (DAR#A054722). He is my sixth great grandfather on my mother's side. His son, my ancestor, rendered civil and patriotic service.


Samuel Henderson - Caswell County, NC. Civil Service/Patriotic Service. He served on several juries and was a member of a jury (committee) tasked with laying out a new road to the "muster grounds". He purchased land from the State of North Carolina in 1778. He purchased land in 1782 from the General Assembly of the State of North Carolina in  grant signed by Alexander Martin, governor of South Carolina and Signer of the Declaration of Independence. He was paid for service rendered to the North Carolina military for which service his descendants were granted membership to the DAR (A054817). He is my fifth great grandfather on my mother's side. Samuel's father rendered patriotic service.

Joseph Tolbert/Talbert - Caswell County, NC. Civil Service. Joseph was appointed as an Assessor for Richmond and Caswell Districts on 5 June 1782 and was paid for that service at the next Court on 5 September 1782.  He is my sixth great grandfather on my mother's side.

William Ware - Caswell County, NC. Civil Service. He took the Oath of Allegiance to the new government, though the list of oath takers has not survived. A court minute entry records that Spilsby Coleman, the Captain of this district (Caswell District) was tasked with recording every male over age 16 as having taken the Oath of Allegiance. Very shortly thereafter, William Ware was on a jury (committee) which was assigned to lay out new roads the "muster ground". William also served on several juries as a juror after the order requiring males over the age of 16 to take the Oath of Allegiance. His son was a soldier in the Caswell County Militia. William was my sixth great grandfather on my mothers side.

John Ware - Caswell County, NC. John Ware served multiple tours in the North Carolina Militia from 1776-1781. Enlisted rank. He received a pension for his service. Even though there is a detailed pension application which absolutely proves this man's service, and he has many living descendants, no one has joined the DAR using him as an ancestor. He is my fifth great grandfather on my mother's side.