Colonel Jonathan Brewer (SAR RC 164778 or 328600?) by Jeffrey M. Brewer

Whether he was born in 1725 or 1726 in Framingham, Mass., Colonel Jonathan Brewer packed a remarkable amount of patriotism and adventure into his lifetime.

He married Frances Buckminster of Framingham in 1760.A veteran of the French and Indian War, he served as a company commander in the expedition to Quebec in 1759.

Having purchased a tavern in Waltham, Mass., in 1770, Colonel Brewer raised a regiment of 397 men in advance of The Battle of Bunker Hill and sustained a severe arm wound during the battle. This regiment was known as the "Massachusetts 13th" or "Brewer's Regiment." His regiment fought in the open on the Charlestown peninsula defending the “diagonal” between the earthen redoubt on Breed’s Hill and the rail fence to the Mystic River. His son, Francis (born 1766), a young boy during the early stages of the American Revolution, served as Colonel Brewer’s “waiter” or valet, receiving Rev War service credit. In May, 1775, he had petitioned the Provincial Congress to lead a second expedition to Quebec, but was rejected. The mission was later entrusted to Benedict Arnold.

Along with Colonel William Prescott, Colonel Brewer was among 14 officers to sign a letter of commendation recognizing the Bunker Hill contribution of black soldier Salem Poor. Under order from General George Washington, he served as a Barrack Master following Bunker Hill and later commanded a provisional regiment of artificers in 1776 as the Revolutionary War shifted to the New York-New Jersey campaign. Declaration of Independence signer Robert Treat Paine said: “That Colonel Brewer is the biggest sense (sic) man I know, but rough as a grizzly bear.”

Colonel Brewer died Jan. 4, 1784 in Waltham four months after The Treaty of Paris (Sept, 3, 1783) officially secured America’s Independence.

‍Moses Crawford, P-140753, by M. Brett Callaway

‍Moses Crawford was born in St. Mark’s Parish,Culpepper County, Virginia, in 1759. He served as Sergeant in the Virginia militia under Major Angus McDonald and Captain Hugh Stephenson during Dunmore’s War, receiving his pay at Romney, Virginia (present day West Virginia) in 1775. As many others who were paid at Romney, Moses signed up as a private for the Continential army with Captain William Croghan in February 1775. His original term was for three years. He served in the Virginia Eighth Regiment, Company Nine. Company Nine was detatched to the First Virginia for the campaign of 1776. His Company had engagements at Harlem Heights, Mamaroneck, White Plains, wintered at Valley Forge, crossed the Delaware with General George Washington’s troops to victory at Trenton. Then in 1777, still attached to the First Virginia, they fought at the Second Battle of Trenton, Princeton, and New Market. Moses may not have participated in these battles as he was listed at the May 1777 muster as “sick at Trenton.” In the summer of 1777, Moses was chosen for a special detachment of light infantry under the command of General William Maxwell, Colonel William Crawford, and Captain William Darke. As part of this light infantry, he fought at Brandywine and was wounded in the hand. While in the same detachment, Moses fought at Germantown. Back under the command of Captain Croghan, Moses fought at Monmouth Courthouse. Parts of the Virginia Fourth, Eighth, and Twelfth Regiments were combined into a newly constituted Virginia Fourth on September 14, 1778 under the command of Colonel James Wood. Moses remained under the command of Captain Croghan. Moses was part of the hand-picked raiders at the Battle of Stony Point in 1779. In 1780 he marched from winter quarters at Morristown to Charleston (“Charles Town”) through the coldest winter in a century. Moses was captured at the Siege of Charleston. The British stole his papers that entitled him to land bounties for his military service. He escaped from captivity July 27, 1780, but could not rejoin his company before Yorktown due to sickness.

‍In 1786 Moses married Sarah Ann Singleton. Their only known child was William Singleton Pickett Crawford. Sarah died in 1789. Now in Burke County, Georgia, Moses married again in March of 1790 to Nancy Dorsey. They had six children: John (b. 1790), Elijah, Elisha, James, Delilah, and Betsey (b. 1806). He was a poor farmer, never having received any of his land bounties. He died in Bledsoe, County, Tennessee December 17, 1826. His place of burial is not known to me. ‍‍‍ ‍

John Darlington, P-143849, by David J. Linton, 226394

John Darlington was born at Brandywine, Pennsylvania, on August 20, 1756.  He was first drafted into the Pennsylvania Militia in August 1776 at Chester County, Pennsylvania.  He married Elizabeth Irwin December 20, 1780.  Their known children are Jinny (born September 29, 1781), Theophilius (born January 3, 1783), Joseph (born September 13, 1784), John (born February 17, 1786), Elizabeth (born January 18, 1788), E. Mary (born July 20, 1789), Robert (born May 9, 1791), Margaret (born February 8, 1793), Abraham (born July 26, 1795) and Rebeckah (born November 9, 1799).  He died January 29, 1833, at Brandywine Township, Chester County, Pennsylvania.

 John Darlington was first drafted into the Chester County Pennsylvania Militia in August 1776 as a private in a company commanded by Captain Robert Lockhart as part of a Regiment commanded by Col. John Hannum and Lt. Col. Joseph Parks.  The company assembled in Brandywine Township, and joined the regiment in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and marched to Amboy, New Jersey, where they constructed a battery.  He then witnessed the battle of Long island, New York where they could see the “flashes, smoke of the guns and at times the movement of men”, but the regiment took no part in the battle.  John was discharged from the service.

After his discharge and while still at Amboy, New Jersey, he enlisted in the Flying Camp for four months into a company commanded by Capt. James McClure.  The company was in the regiment commanded by Col. Thomas Bull and Major Bartholomew and the Flying Camp was commanded by Gen. Ewing.  The regiment marched from Amboy, New Jersey, to Bayonne, New Jersey, and then to Fort Lee.  The regiment was then carried across the Hudson river to defend Fort Washington.  John was posted on guard duty at Fort Lee and did not cross with the regiment.  When the British attacked all of the regiment was taken prisoner and removed to New York.  John, however, was again discharged from the service before Fort Washington was taken by British forces.

On August 3, 1777, he was again drafted into the Chester County Militia for two months joined a company commanded by Capt. James Robinson.  His company met at Old Chester, Pennsylvania, on the Delaware river in Delaware County, Pennsylvania, where they built a battery.  They then were marched to Chadd’s Ford, Pennsylvania, and were present for the battle of Brandywine Creek.  After the battle they then retreated back to Old Chester, Pennsylvania, then to Darby, Pennsylvania then to Richard Thomas’s farm near Downingtown, Pennsylvania, and through other points in Chester County, Pennsylvania.  John spent almost all of this enlistment on the march before being discharged for the third time.

John Darlington was drafted for his fourth term of service in 1781 into a company commanded by Capt. Robert Lockhart in a regiment commanded by Col. Robert Elton.  The regiment started on the march to New York through New Jersey but never left the state of Pennsylvania.  John was discharged after a month’s service.

Medad Dewey II

(P-147503) by Craig S. Isaacson (5X Great Grand Son)

Medad Dewey II was the son of Medad Dewey I (1736-1760) and Elizabeth Noble (1738-1803).  Medad Dewey’s birthplace was Westfield, MA (1760) and he died in West Leyden, NY where he is buried (1849).  His only known sibling was Soloman Dewey (1758- ). Medad Dewey II married Tryphena Roberts (1769-1849).  Their children were Bethia (1789-1849). Amiria (1794-1822), Harvey (1795-1876), and Lemuel (1804-1858).  Harvey is buried next to his parents’ grave in West Leyden, NY Cemetery.

Medad Dewey II fought in the Battle of New London, CT against the British forces led by the traitor Benedict Arnold.  Patriots were forced to retreat when numerically superior forces overwhelmed them.  As a result of the battle, New London was set afire by British and Loyalist troops.

Dewey II was a private in Capt. Preserved Leonard’s Company of Westfield, MA in Col. Elisha Porter’s Hampshire County Regiment (28 Jul 1779 to 2 Sep 1779 and fought in the Battle of New London, CT. Fortunately, Dewey II was in the town of New London and not across the river in Fort Griswold where are of the surrendering patriots were slaughtered following their capitulation.

Jedediah Garrison by Garry Linton, Jr.

·         Birth: About 1750-1752 in Carteret County, NC

·         Death: 03 March 1830 in Franklin County, GA

·         Service: Jedediah Garrison served as a Soldier (rank of Private) for North Carolina during the Revolutionary War.

Jedediah Garrison was born in Carteret County, NC and served as a Soldier (rank of Private) for North Carolina during the American Revolution1-6 after moving from Duplin County, NC to Orange County, NC in 1774.4  His brother, Isaiah Garrison, also served in the American Revolution.4  In 1776, Jedediah signed a petition to call for new elections in Orange County, NC after riots disrupted previous voting.

Jedediah married Jane Williams (born about 1750, Duplin County, NC, died about 1827-1829, Franklin, GA) in Orange County, NC. Jedediah and Jane had the following children: James Caleb Garrison, David Garrison, Levi B. Garrison, Thomas Wesley Garrison, Christopher Columbus Garrison, Rebecca Garrison, Jane Williams Garrison, James Garrison, Caleb Capais Garrison, and Martin Garrison.

 After the American Revolutin, Jedediah moved to Greenville, SC about 17884 where he is listed in the 1790 U.S. Cesus.  He moved to Franklin County, GA about 1804-1805.  Jedediah started the Mount Pleasant Methodist church in Banks County, GA after his move to Franklin County, GA (now Banks County, GA).10  Jedediah, his sons Levi Garrison and David Garrison, and Levi Garrison’s son, Foster Washington Garrison, and their relationships to each other are listed in the book, The Methodist Preachers in Georgia, 1783-1900.

A Georgia land grant lottery was made to Jedediah in 1827 for his status as a Revolutionary War veteran.

Jedediah Garrison is buried in the Mount Pleasant Methodist church cemetery in Banks County,GA.

 Andrew Lyda/Lyday - National Number: 195660 by Norman C. Lyda

Andrew Lyday/Lyda was born in Rienbeck, Dutches County, New York about 1739.  He served in Captain Thomas Ingles’ Company of Militia at Montgomery County, Virginia in 1781.  He married Mary Davis about 1769.  Their children were Mary, John, Isaac, Andrew, Abraham, Jacob, William, Henry and Rhoda.  Andrew’s name first appears in Orphans’ Court in York County, Pennsylvania on December 4th, 1762 involving the settlement of his deceased father’s property.  Soon after his father’s death, he moved to Montgomery County, Virginia where he met and married Mary.  Several land transactions were recorded on Wolf Creek of New River, Virginia beginning in 1770.  After his first wife died in 1784, he married Sarah Mackey and they moved to Rutherford County, North Carolina about 1785. Their children were Mary, Esther and Gideon.  Andrew and his family appear in the 1790 Rutherford County census which in 1791 became Buncombe County and in 1838 became Henderson County.  Andrew moved from Henderson County to Transylvania County, near Brevard in 1802.  He died and is buried in an unmarked grave on the bank of the French Broad River.

 Phillip McConnell P#244192 by Brian McCall

Phillip McConnell married Sarah McClelland on 18 Feb 1763. They were married in Salisbury, Rowan, North Carolina.  Bondsmen were John Fleming, Henry Horah, and Thomas Evans. Phillip served, in the 2nd North Carolina Regiment, Continental Line. The commanders were Captain John Armstrong and Colonel Alexander Martin.  The Valley Forge Muster Roll shows Philip, as sick.  Phillip McConnell was discharged 10 Sep 1778. 

His child, William McConnell married Rachel Adams. Matthew Adams was her father. His Will is dated 1781 Rowan, North Carolina. William McConnell received a land grant in 1787.  It lay on a branch of Rocky River, Rowan, North Carolina. He secured a  Richland Creek’s West Bank land grant, before 1796. Where he built a house, according to the “Annuals of Haywood County”.  22 Jun 1820, William appointed his attorney Captain James Mebane. A Military Land Warrant was owed to William, from North Carolina.  27 July 1820, he received 640 acres in Weakley County, Tennessee.  

John Henry (Johann Heinrich) Rightmyer 1722-1778 by Thomas Nelson Rightmyer

John Henry Rightmyer was born November 5, 1722 in Unterwössingen, Baden in southwestern Germany.  He came to Reading, Berks County, Pennsylvania in 1743, returned to Germany to marry in summer, 1750, and returned to Reading where he died before April 2, 1778.  On June 28, 1777 he took the Pennsylvania Oath of Allegiance before Henry Christ, Esq. which qualifies him as a “recognized patriot.”

Henry married Felicitas Friebel on October 26, 1750 in the Evangelical church in Wössingen, Baden, Germany. He was naturalized in Pennsylvania on September 25, 1758.

In the 1768 Berks County, Pennsylvania Tax and Exoneration Lists, Henry  is listed as a wheelwright with 1 house, 1/2 lot, 1 cattle.  In 1771, in Alsace Township, Berks County, Henry purchased 9 acres from Samuel Potts and in 1777 deeded same to Michael Rapp.  He is reported to have been a Berks County Commissioner from 1771-1773 and a petit juror in 1772 and 1774 for the Berks County Court of Oyer and Terminer.

Henrich Reitmeyer died before April 2, 1778 intestate. His estate was administered by his wife, Filisedas Reuthmeyer.  They had 7 children, Christopher the oldest and two, Adam and Eva, under 14.  She later married Dorst Pfister. Trinity Lutheran Church, Reading has records of family baptisms, marriages, and deaths. I descend from Adam.

r.