Person:John Varvel (2)

Information on John Varvel, Jr.

Several times among these early records John Varvel, Jr. is mentioned along with his father. Earliest of these was in 1768 when Penn's agents had come to Redstone to warn off the settlers. Since he is listed separately, it can probably be assumed that he was at least 16 years old, which would date his birth sometime prior to 1752. The next reference to John is the Bedford County 1772 taxlist, where he is designated a single man living in Springhill Township.

John Varvel (Jr.) provided Revolutionary service on the Frontier in the Washington County Militia, created shortly after the county was formed in 1781. In those days the county militia was composed of 5 battalions - each battalion was commanded by a Lieutenant Colonel aided by a major, and was comprised of 8 companies. Each company was led by a Captain, usually assisted by a Lieutenant, an ensign, a couple of Sergeants, and anywhere from 50 to 100 privates. Privates were further divided into classes of a dozen men or less. After some initial tour of duty, privates were called back (usually by class) for additional service, which seems to have occurred at approximately monthly intervals. John was a private (5th Class) in Capt. Ezekiel Rose's company - one of 73 privates (also serving in this company was a Francis Casteel - see below). The PA Archives doesn't have an exact date for when Capt. Rose's Class Role was recorded, though the rolls of other Company's were made throughout the fall of 1781, so it seems reasonable to assume that his was also. John was subsequently recalled for another tour of duty on May 17, 1782.

While tax lists of Washington County from 1781, 1783, and 1785 are available, (John Sr. is listed on all three of them), John Jr. only paid taxes to Washington County in 1783 - on 40 acres in Bethlehem Township, 2 horses, two cows, and a sheep. It is not clear whether John Jr. just avoided paying taxes or whether he was not living there during those years. It is known that John spent at least a little time in 1784 back in Romney (seat of Hampshire County) where he worked as a court crier - an officer of the court that proclaimed the court's orders (Hampshire County Will Book 2, p.193). It is not an unlikely scenario that John may have traveled back and forth between the now vibrant community on the South Branch and the Monongahela settlements, as they were joined by relatively good roads and were separated by less than 100 miles.

Source: Genforum.com post