3---Crance (or Cronts), Michael ---Revolutionary soldier who on June 1840, was aged 97. Was at that time living in Wayne tp. Allen Co. Ind. Would like location of his grave, also address of any descendants.
4--Week, Charles - Was living In Perry tp., Allen Co. Ind, June 1. 1840, at which. time he was 70 yearn old. A. Revolutionary soldier. Can you tell where he was burled, or give address of any of his descendants?
G--Berry, William- Revolutionary soldier living in Cedar tp., Allen Co., Ind., June 1, 1840, at which time he was 16 years old. Do you know where he is buried or the address of any of his descendants?
6--Hall, James -. A Revolutionary soldier living In Allen Co., Ind., in 1835. Do you. know where he was buried or the address of any of his descendants?
7- -Saunders, James - A Revolutionary soldier resided in Allen Co., Ind., In .1835. Desire to know where he lies buried: also address of any descendanta.
Posts such as this one remind us one reason a lot of our ancestors historic papers don't survive is what they had to do to survive themselves. Notice the paper cartridge is some sort of paper document at a time when paper was a scarce commodity.
During the Revolutionary War it took a skilled soldier 20-30 seconds to load and fire his musket. That must have seemed...
During the Revolutionary War it took a skilled soldier 20-30 seconds to load and fire his musket. That must have seemed like an eternity when the enemy was firing back at you, or worse yet charging toward you with a bayonet. [ The 2nd Amendment was ratified on December 15, 1791 fifeteen years after the Revolutionary War started in 1776. ]
Loading required several steps. First, a gun was “half-cocked,” that is the hammer with the flint attached was pushed back. Then the steel covering over the flash pan (called a frizzen) was opened, a small amount of gunpowder was poured into the pan, and the frizzen was snapped shut (so the powder in the pan wouldn’t spill out during the other loading steps). Then, with butt of the musket on the ground, powder was poured down the muzzle of the gun, followed by the lead ball and paper wadding. Next the gun’s ramrod was removed from its holder and used to ram the ball and wadding down the barrel. Then the ramrod was returned to its holder (“channel”) and the hammer was pulled back to fully cock the weapon. Finally, the soldier would raise and point the gun in the direction of the enemy, then squeeze the trigger. The spark caused by the flint striking the steel would ignite the powder in the pan, which would in turn ignite the powder in the barrel, causing the gun to fire.
To expedite the process the soldiers carried their ammunition pre-made into paper “cartridges,” which held the powder and ball. When loading, a soldier would reach into his cartridge box (a pouch, usually leather, that he wore over his shoulder), take out a cartridge, bite off the end of it, pour a little powder into the pan, pour the rest down the barrel (with the ball), then push the paper into the barrel and ram it all down with his ramrod.
Because gunpowder won’t ignite if damp, it was necessary that the cartridge boxes be waterproof. Although sometimes made of tin, they were usually leather with a heavy leather flap designed to keep the powder dry.
The images are photos of a cartridge and a cartridge box.
Mary Penrose Wayne Chapter DAR Maker moved to the Veterans' National Memorial Shrine, 2122 O'Day Road on August 20, 2000. The Mary Penrose Wayne Chapter NSDAR has a list of names with Biographies on their Allen County Indiana Cemetery Project Revolutionary Soldiers page. They include a few names not listed below.
Newspaper article Quiet 4th a chance to reflect on past by Frank Gray of the Journal Gazette July 3, 2012.
MG Anthony Wayne brought his 3rd US legion through Fort Wayne in 1794 and stopped to pay his respects to fellow soldier William Berry, who fought with him at Yorktown. (Seen today at William Berry’s Grave Marking)
From David Edwin Rousculp:
"It was an honor to speak and pay my respects to William Berry’s new monument, presented by the SAR today at Leo Cemetery, In."
Samuel Bird - ISSAR says died March 1829, buried in Broadway Cemetery now McCulloch Park, Fort Wayne, Indiana. Most graves except Governor Samuel Bigger were moved to Lindenwood Cemetery on Main Street. His name does not appear in the ACPL Lindenwood Cemetery Index which starts in 1860. Name appears on Mary Penrose Wayne Chapter DAR Bronze Marker. A couple of Bird's are in 1840's Obituary Index. The DAR has his biography on their Allen County Indiana Cemetery Project.
David Blair - name appears on Mary Penrose Wayne Chapter DAR DAR Marker.
David Bryant - ISSAR says died August 1835, buried on the East Bank of Eel River, 15 miles Northwest of Fort Wayne and lists children. It is now Noble County, Indiana.
Name is on Mary Penrose Wayne Chapter DAR Bronze Marker and has his biography on their Allen County Indiana Cemetery Project.
Grudin Burnham -ISSAR says died October 16, 1844, name is on Mary Penrose Wayne Chapter DAR Bronze Marker
Millett Cardinal DAR biography on the DAR Allen County Indiana Cemetery Project.
Ebenezer Frothinghom - ISSAR says died October 22, 1790 in Harmar's Defeat. The DAR has his biography on the DAR Allen County Indiana Cemetery Project.
Antoine Rembault DAR biography on the DAR Allen County Indiana Cemetery Project.
James Saunders - ISSAR says died February 2, 1834. Name is on Mary Penrose Wayne Chapter DAR Bronze Marker and his DAR biography on the DAR Allen County Indiana Cemetery Project.
Thomas Threlkeld - ISSAR says died October 22, 1790 in Harmar's Defeat. The DAR has his biography on the DAR Allen County Indiana Cemetery Project.
William Tucker - ISSAR says died September 30, 1846, burial in Huntertown Cemetery. Stone. The DAR cemetery page says no stone found in their 1932 readings although in the DAR biography it says the first reference is the 1932 cemetery readings.
George Warner - ISSAR says died December 16, 1842, burial in Huntertown Cemetery - DAR has George Warner tombstone photo which says "Blessed are the dead
----- Who die in the Lord. " The DAR has his biography. George Warner in online records. Frank Gray article says "His tombstone is next to a Joseph Warner."
John Palsgrave Wyllys - ISSAR says died October 22, 1790 in Harmar's Defeat. The DAR has his biography. HMdb.org has photo of his marker and some information. There is a privately printed 1933 book Captain Nathan Hale, 1755-1776, Yale College 1773, Major John Palsgrave Wyllys, 1754-1790, Yale College 1773: friends and Yale classmates, who died in their country's service, one hanged as a spy by the British, the other killed in an Indian ambuscade on the far frontier (now Fort Wayne, IN). A digressive history now told with many antiquarian excursions, genealogical, architectural, social, and controversial: with an account of some members of a great patrician family, their manorial establishment in Hartford, their custody for generations of the Charter of King Charles the Second, and the story of the hiding thereofby George Dudley Seymour. The book is available by subscription at Ancestry.com.
Harmar's Defeat was a battle with the Native Indians in the Northwest Territory. It took place on October 22, 1790 near Maimi Town (now Fort Wayne). It is also known as The Battle of the Pumpkin Fields, because the steam from the scalped skulls reminded the Indians of squash steaming in the autumn air. A large force of Indians defeated several hundred militiamen and 60 regulars commanded by Brigadier General Josiah Harmar.
Frank Gray article says "On Edgewater Avenue is a nearly century-old stone marker, currently obscured by fallen trees, marking the spot where some other veterans were killed during an Indian battle in 1790. John Wyllys is the only man named on the marker (see above), but it is known that a John McMurtrey, Ebenezer Frothingham and Thomas Threlkeld died there along with perhaps 100 other men."
Harmar's Defeat - Ohio History Central with Josiah Harmar's portrait
Harmar's Defeat - Whitley County, Indiana Historical Society
Revolutionary Soldiers Buried in Indiana - Sourcebook on Revolutionary veterans who died in Indiana, lists about 785 soldiers buried in Indiana, with service records and extensive genealogical and biographical data. Also contains information on 352 soldiers who lived in Indiana and either moved to or died in other states. Published as two volumes in one, original volume and 1954 supplement are arranged alphabetically, and followed by a full index. Mrs. Waters' compilation augments Roster of Soldiers and Patriots Buried in Indiana (Ancestry.com), edited by Mrs. Roscoe C. O'Byrne and published under the auspices of the Indiana Daughters of the American Revolution in 1938. Among the sources consulted by Mrs. Waters was the Veterans' Graves Registration, an Indiana American Legion project which attempted to list the burial place of every veteran in Indiana as of 1940 as derived from soldiers' burial claims, section lists, cemetery record books, county rosters, undertakers' records, flags, government markers, etc.
A 1949 edition with 1954 Supplement as a Google ebook.
20th Century Veterans Honor Roll - "This growing collection of records consists of military veterans who served in World War I, World War II, the Korean War, the Vietnam War, the Persian Gulf War, or served at other times in the 1900s. To submit information to be included in this honor roll, contact John Hannigan by email at naginnahj@yahoo.com."
21ST Century Allen County Veterans Honor Roll - "If you know of a family within Allen County that has a member who has served in the United States Air Force, Army, Coast Guard, National Guard, Navy, Marine Corps, or reserves since Jan. 1, 2000, please consider submitting their name(s) and service details for inclusion on this Honor Roll."
Pension files are an excellent resource for genealogy. The files often contain records of marriages, births, and the maiden names of widows. Some even include pages from the family bible, like this one for William Kerr from Pennsylvania. He served in the Revolutionary War. US, Revolutionary War Pensions, 1800-1900
If you are researching Revolutionary War soldiers, pension files are an amazing resource. This pension record contains a...
If you are researching Revolutionary War soldiers, pension files are an amazing resource. This pension record contains a page from the family bible listing birthdates for the soldier, his wife, and all their children. The information learned here corrects an erroneous county history that has led to 200 years of genealogical mistakes in this family. Have you made any amazing discoveries with pension files? Check out Revolutionary War Pension Files here: NARA M804. Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty-Land Warrant Application Files.
On this day in history, November 5, 1780, a Revolutionary War battle known as De la Balme's Defeat or De la Balme's Massacre takes place when retired French cavalry officer Augustin de la Balme is killed near present day Fort Wayne, Indiana in a battle with Miami Indians. The officer had been appointed in 1777 as the Continental Army's Inspector of Cavalry, but resigned this position due to his dislike for Polish General Casimir Pulaski, the Commander of the United States Cavalry.
In 1780, De la Balme left on a voyage down the Ohio River on a mission to capture the British Fort Detroit. Historians are uncertain whether he undertook this mission on his own or if he was acting on secret orders from General George Washington. De la Balme gathered Canadian colonists who had been living under British rule along the way in Kaskaskia, Cahokia, and Vincennes (in what is now Indiana).
De la Balme's men moved north toward Fort Detroit and when they arrived in Kekionga (modern day Fort Wayne, Indiana), they found an unoccupied British and Indian trading post, the British and their Miami Indian allies having left the post, apparently on a hunting mission. De la Balme occupied the post and began to raid other British posts in the area. On the 5th, De la Balme set out for a post along the Eel River.
In the meantime, a group of Miami hunters returned to Kekionga, killed the 20 men De la Balme had left there and spread the word among the local Indians. Chief Little Turtle, who lived on the Eel River nearby, attacked De la Balme's party before he could reach the trading post. de la Balme's men entrenched themselves along the river, but were eventually overcome. De la Balme and most of his men were killed, with only a few escaping to tell the tale.
Chief Little Turtle would go on to become a successful war chief against the Americans in the Northwest Indian Wars of the 1790s and, in spite of De la Balme's failure, the British would post a group of Rangers at Kekionga to protect it from further attack. Fort Detroit would remain in British possession until the signing of the Jay Treaty in 1794.
Learn more about what happened on this day in history during the American Revolution here: On This Day in History
The Last Muster Journey April 22, 2019 Maureen Taylor The Photo Detective on YouTube.
This episode focuses on my Last Muster project.
Almost two decades ago I started looking for images of individuals who lived during the American Revolution and into the age of photography after 1839. It’s been an amazing journey. Two volumes with a third in the works, two museum exhibits (one permanent at the Museum of the American Revolution) and three films. Thank you for joining me on this journey.
November 8, 1800: Fire destroys Revolutionary War records in War Department
On this day in history, November 8, 1800, a fire destroys the Revolutionary War records in the War Department building in Washington DC. Most other records of the war were lost during the British invasion of Washington DC during the War of 1812. Because of the fire, few records from the Revolution were in federal custody until 1873 when Secretary of War William Belknap purchased records from several private collections, including those of Timothy Pickering, who had been a member of the Board of War between 1777 and 1785 and Adjutant General and Quartermaster General of the Continental Army, and those of Samuel Hodgdon, who served as Commissary General of Military Stores during some of the war years. In addition, Secretary Belknap purchased several minor collections and individual items from various people. Over the next several decades, records of the American Revolution held by other departments were consolidated and all were transferred to the Department of State. In 1914 and 1915, the War Department made photocopies of Revolutionary War records held in various institutions in North Carolina, Virginia and Massachusetts. The whole collection was transferred to the National Archives in 1938." Copied from a November 8, 2022 post by The Founding of the United Stateson Facebook.
Papers of the War Department 1784-1800On the night of November 8, 1800, fire devastated the United States War Office, consuming the papers, records, and books stored there. Two weeks later, Secretary of War Samuel Dexter lamented in a letter that “All the papers in my office [have] been destroyed.” For the past two centuries, the official records of the War Department effectively began with Dexter’s letter. Papers of the War Department 1784-1800, an innovative digital editorial project, will change that by making some 55,000 long lost documents of the early War Department available online to scholars, students, and the general public. By providing free and open access to these previously unavailable documents, Papers of the War Department 1784-1800 will offer a unique window into a time when there was no law beyond the Constitution, when the federal government hardly existed outside of the Army and Navy, and when a new nation struggled to define itself at home and abroad. Copied from Roy Rosenzweig Center for History and New Media at George Mason University.
Data Loss and Recovery in the Age of Paper Not all lost federal records can be reconstituted or reconstructed. Some losses of federal records have been devastating. by Sheila A. Brennan posted June 7, 2017 at The Social Science Research Council, an independent, international nonprofit, mobilizes necessary knowledge for the public good by supporting scholars worldwide, generating new research across disciplines, and linking researchers with policymakers and citizens.
Have you explored the Final Payment Vouchers Index collection? This index includes cards from 1818-1864 (primarily for Revolutionary War veterans) and shows death dates and sometimes the maiden or birth name of a widow. Explore it here:
A LOOK AT THE PENSION BUILDING AND ITS CURIOSITIES.
Revolutionary Relies and Bushels of Bibles --The Biggest Brick Building in the World -- Col. Bayne on Blaine's Popularity -- Stories of Hugh J. Jewett.
(Special Correspondence.)
WASHINGTON, July 26. -The interest in pension matters has increased with the president's vetoes, and I have received a number of inquiries lately about the pension bureau and its business. It is one of the largest bureaus of the government, and it employs over 1,500 clerks. It disburses about as much money every year as Jay Gould is worth, and it does its business in the largest brick building in the world.
The new pension building is a curiosity in way of modern architecture. It is modeled after the old Roman palaces of the Fifteenth century, and is the only building of in America. Most of its kind in America. Most of the other government buildings of Washington are after the Greek, and the interior department has a portico which is an exact reproduction of the Parthenon at Athens. This new pension building covers about two acres of ground, and it consists of a series of large rooms running around a great central court, and surmounted at the top with roof. It has three stories of rooms, and the court in its this great court that the inaugural ball was center is as big as a one feld. It was in held, and here will be held, in all probability, the inaugural balls of the future, This court reminds one of the grand square of St. Mark's, in Venice. It has arcades or cloisters running around its big floor which make you think of the grand promenade which takes place nightly around the piazza of St. Mark's, in the arcades by which it is bounded. But St. Mark's has only the Italian sky to roof it, while this pension building is covered by a sky of glass, and can be lighted on the darkest night by the blaze of the electric light.
