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The following is from the HEDGER Binders of the late researcher Pat Smith:
Merged note of GED-065:
!Source: Hedger Binder C-111a,113,194,272,273,274,276,277 C-111a PC-Buried Florida Twp, Adams Cemetery, Grave 1, Lot 260. Upright Government Marker. Private American Revolutionary Soldier. 1775-1783 Culpeper Co.,VA. Pension #S32314. On Culpeper Co.,VA Tax List. C-113 WP-A notation below the picture of the stockings worn by Thomas S Hedger at his wedding says of the stockings: "The cotton was raised, spun & knit by his mother in Virginia..." C-194 WP-(From ?):Thomas Hedger b 25 Mar 1747 Somerset Co.,NJ d1845 Parke Co.,IN m Mary (?) bur Adams Cem Parke Co.,IN Thomas moved to Culpeper Co.,VA sometime before the American Revolution. He enlisted from VA in the spring 1781 and re-enlisted in the summer of 1781. (Footnote 1):1. Pension certificate 25054-National Archives,
Washington,D.C. Claim S 32314 "Thomas Hedger served in spring 1781 as a private three months in Captain James Thomas' Company, Colonel Slaughters Virginia Regiment. Enlisted again in the summer of 1781 and served three
months as a private in Captain Benjamin Lillard's Company, Col.John Slaughter's Virginia Regiment, Signed - Winfield Scott, Commissioner" He made application for a pension in Mercer Co.,KY, Oct 7,1833, & asked for a
transfer Oct 22,1840 to Rockville, Parke Co.,IN as he was going to live with his children there. He stated in his application that he moved to Fayette Co.,KY, in the fall of 1790. He lived there 5 years then moved to
Mercer Co.,KY. Application was witnessed by William Hedger. Mrs. Engelhardt (deceased)Manchester,OH., sent my grandfather the following in addition to what I had above. She was interested in family history. Children of Thomas and Mary Hedger 1. William b ca 1774 2. Joseph b Feb 17,1775 or 1776 - Her grandfather. 3. Samuel 4. Sarah (Could this Sarah be your line? She must have been born about ca 1779 or 1780. 5. Margaret "Polly" 6. Elizabeth called Betsy 7. Lucy born Jan 1,1788 married Nathaniel Evans, Mercer Co.,KY. They had 12 children and she died Parke Co.,IN. 8. Melinda born May 12,1793 m Oct 22,1812 to Stephen Sales, Mercer Co. (She said that she
had copied this from Malinda Sales old Bible) 1. William Hedger born about 1774 in Virginia died 1864 Woodford Co.,KY Woodford County.KY Will Book S, p. 80 Will dated October 9, 1858. C-272 Thomas Stearn Hedger was born
in Somerset Co.,NJ on 25 Mar 1747. This is according to the application of Thomas Hedger on 7 Oct 1833 when he filed a pension claim for his Revolutionary Services. Some researchers have confused this Thomas with his brother Stevenson (or Stephen) and his tombstone bares the name "Stephen" Thomas Hedger" and has a GAR marker. While there is no doubt that Thomas Hedger was a Revolutionary Soldier, confusing him with his brother Stephen has made it extremely difficult to identify the family of his brother. There also exists an erroneous identity of his wife, Mary. I do not believe she is Mary Stiles who first married Silas Lupton in Cape May Co.,NJ on 11 May 1756, and was married as the widow Lupton, to a man named Thomas HEDGER on 16 Feb 1762. Here one must consider the birthdate of Thomas, which is 1747. For him to marry in 1762 would approximate his age at marriage as 15 years old, to a woman first married in 1756 when Thomas was only nine years old. Further doubt arises when one examines the birthdates of the children. The oldest child of Thomas and Mary was born in 1772, TEN years after the marriage date of the widow Lupton. It seems highly unlikely that any couple in those days would spend the first ten years of marriage childless and then have ten children in close succession. All the proper indications are that Mary, the wife of Thomas Hedger, was probably a lady from Virginia, born about 1750, and they were probably married in Fauquier Co.,VA about 1771. Sarah (Stevenson) Hedger made the stockings worn by Thomas at his wedding, from cotton raised, spun, and knitted in VIRGINIA, and I feel the record of Thomas's marriage will eventually be found there. C-273 Thomas Hedger was in Fauquier Co.,VA in 1771. In St.Mark's Vestry Book there is a record of Joseph Hedger being paid for a year's care and burial of an orphan named Sarah Burk. The year was from 23 Dec 1775 to 23 Dec 1776, so it is logical to believe that Thomas lived in Fauquier at the same time as his father. In the Fall of 1780, in Culpeper Co.,VA, Thomas employed a man named Willis (or Willets)
to serve for him in the Militia of the State of Virginia. The Taxpayer's records for Virginia for 1782-87, show both Thomas and his father present in Culpeper Co. Thomas moved to Fayette Co.,KY about 1790/91, About 1795
he removed to Mercer Co.,KY where he was living when he applied for his pension in the Fall of 1833. In 1835 Thomas moved to Parke Co.,IN to live with his daughters, Elizabeth, Lucy and Malinda, and he requested that his
pension be paid to him there because he was unable to travel to Kentucky to take payment. It was sent to Rockville,IN where he recieved it until his death on 5 Dec 1845. The date of Mary's death is not known. Her name
appears with Thomas in Mercer Co.,KY, Deed Bk 3, p. 324 on 28 Mar 1797. In 1811 she executed two deeds with her husband in Mercer Co. (Deed Bk 8, p.116/7) On 6 July 1814 Thomas and Mary deeded to Joseph Mosby, but by 5 Aug
1814 Thomas was the sole signer for receipt of 50 acres of land from John and Anne Smock. This indicates Mary's demise between July and Aug of 1814 in Mercer Co.,KY Thomas is buried in Adams Cemetery near Jessup, IN. A
small Slip of paper was stored in the box with the stockings so carefully kept by the descendants of Thomas, as illustrated on pg C-274. This slip of paper clearly states the right name of Thomas. I have no notion where
the name Stearn originated, perhaps from a neighbor well admired, or a doctor who may have delivered Thomas, or even a midwife, more frequently used in those days. At any rate, this is the proof I have found that his
name was THOMAS STEARN HEDGER, and it must, therefore, separate his identity from his brother Stephen. This is not offered to discredit the work of any well-meaning persons who have previously worked on this family, but it ALWAYS enhances the veracity of a study when it is done more thoroughly, logically, and correctly. The descendants of this family, I am sure, will want to have a proper record. C-274 (Picture of the stockings) There is some data regarding the identity of the wife of Thomas S.Hedger. While it is not proved, the conclusions to be drawn from the data are more logical than to assume that Thomas married while in his early teens a widow who was much older and was childless the first ten years of his marriage. In Fauquier Co.,VA, an early neighbor of Joseph Hedger was Benjamin Morris. These families were living on adjacent lands at the time Thomas and Mary were married and their names have been interlinked many times in the records of Virginia. When Thomas leased his
first land in Culpeper Co.,VA in 1779, the instument was witnessed by Benjamin Morris, and as the reader will see in text, Sarah, the eldest daughter of Thomas, married into the Morris family. Benjamin Morris, Sr.
left a will in Pittsylvania Co.,VA. It is recorded in Will Bk 10, p. 35, dated 13 Dec 1794 and proved on 21 Jul 1794. Legatees are son Samuel, daughter Elizabeth Donelson, wife Mary, and the children of Mathew Creel,
Mary Hedger and Benjamin Morris, Jr., son John Morris, son Willian Morris. Since no other Mary Hedger had a connection to the Morris family, it seems logical that this Mary Hedger was the wife of Thomas Hedger and that we
have found our lady of Fauquier Co.,VA. C-276,277 Jacket & Application of Claim: STATE OF KENTUCKY ) This day Thomas Hedger, a Revolutionary Soldier ) VIZ and resident of Mercer County and State
of Ken- MERCER COUNTY ) tucky came into open court, it being the county court of Mercer and a court of record and made oath to the following statements for the purpose of obtaining a pension under the
late act of Congress passed the 7th day of June 1832, viz:
I, Thomas Hedger, now in the 87th year of my age and now a resident
citizen of Mercer County, Kentucky, being first sworn according to law,
state that in the fall of the year 1780 I employed a man by the name of
John Willis for three months in the militia of the State of Virginia,
Culpeper County and the said Willis served the full time for me and was
honorably discharged at the end of three months which he served in the
war, (I am not able to give the names of the officers.) and again in the
spring of the year 1781 I was drafted in the militia service of the
State of Virginia and County of Culpeper in the Company of Capt.
James Thomas of Col. Slaughter's Regiment and marched from said county
to Falmouth and was stationed at that point during the time for which
I was drafted which was (3) three months and was honorably discharged
and returned home again early in the summer of 1781 in said County of
Culpeper and the State of Virginia, I was drafted for three months in
the militia service in Capt. Ben Lillard's Company of Col.
Slaughter's Regiment and Genral Edward Stephen's Brigade and we
marched from Culpeper County Virginia to the Mobbin Hills below
Richmond where we were stationed about two weeks and from thence we
marched to Richmond and joined the main army at Richmond and from
there to King William County toward where Lord Cornwallis lay a short
time before his defeat. I was then honorably discharged in said county
having served three months of this service and having faithfully
performed six months in actual service myself in all in the army of the
revolution and three months by substitute, making in all nine months. I
further declare that I was born on the 25th day of March 1747 in the
State of New Jersey and County of Somerset and moved from said county
and state sometime before the war to the County of Culpeper Virginia
where I was living when the Revolutionry War commenced and after the
war closed I moved to Fayette County Kentucky, (I moved to Kentucky in
the fall of 1790.) and after living five years in Fayette County
Kentucky, I moved to Mercer County Kentucky where I now live and I
further state that I have no documentary evidence by which I can prove
my services, nor know of no man living by which i can prove anything in
relation to my services except William Hedger and hereby relinquish
all claim that I have to any pension or annuity which I may be entitled
to except the present. Witness my hand this 7th day of October 1833.
Thomas Hedger =Pat SMITH=JB =Jim FAULCONER=JB Affidavit of William HEDGER,
who made affidavit in Mercer Co.,KY 9-20-1833, and states he is well
acquainted with Thomas HEDGER and believes he served in the Revolution, as
he has stated..For I well remember that he was drafted in Culpepper
Co.,VA., to serve in the Army of the Revolution as he has stated for which
he was drafted and I recollect distinctly of his return home from the Army
and my recollection is that Thomas HEDGER served in the Army of the
Revolution six months, but I cannot recollect as to dates - I recollect
that he went out into the Army under General Edward STEPHENS. This Edward
STEPHENS was a merchant and lived at the County Seat of Culpepper County
with whom I was well acquainted, but do not remember any of the other
officers names under whom Thomas HEDGER served. I remember that Thomas
HEDGER moved to KY. in 1791 as I moved with him to KY. And as I have dates
to show that fact and that I believe him to be of the age he stated as I
have been acquainted with him about 58 years and believe him to be a good
citizen and a man of truth.---Affidavit of Thomas HEDGER, who appeared in
Parke County Indiana, Oct.22.1840 before a J.P. and states he is the same
person whom formerly belonged to the Company of Capt. Benjamin LILLARD in
the Regiment of Col. John SLAUGHTER, in the service of the U.S. and that
his name was placed on the pension roll of KY. from whence he has removed
and that he now resides in Indiana where he intends to remain and wishes
his pension transferred. The reason he moved to Indiana, he had children
there with whom he wishes to reside - states that he had been in Parke
County Indiana for 5 years. He had intended to return to KY, but was now
too infirm. In an affidavit in Parke County Indiana by Stephen SALE, 1840,
states that he knew this soldier formerly resided in Anderson Co.,KY. A
letter written on the same folded sheet of paper states; Rockville,
Indiana. 10-26-1840 from J.P.GOBLE, in the Pension Commissioner. Dear Sir:
Thomas HEDGER, a pensioner of the U.S. came from Kentucky to this state to
make a visit to a daughter who lived in this County. He came soon after
recieving his certificate, due on 9-4-1855 with intention of returning to
KY., but his health prevented.
!My notes, source?=JB A Mrs FISHBACK of Rosedale, Park Co.,IN went into
the DAR on his record as a RW Soldier, States: "My father said he was 5
years old when his GTGTGrandfather died, but that there was snow on the
ground & he was hauled 1/2 mile on a sled & was buried about 4 rows East
of where his daughters Lucy & Elizabeth are buried".
!"Graves of Revolutionary War Patriots" Vol 2 E-K pg 139 HEDGER, Edward -
private cem - Phelps & Field Farm - Taylor,NY. 36.(rin 26586) HEDGER,
Steven Thomas - Adams Cem - Florida Twp.,Parke Co.,IN. 71. (this is
Thomas Stearn)
!1989 Corr: Neoma JORGENSEN. Her files: HEDGER, Thomas (Stephen), Private
Born 3-25-1747 Somerset Co.,NJ VA Militia-Col Slaughter's Reg't. Action Ft
Pitt & Wheeling, operations against Cornwallis, after war in Culpepper
Co.,VA then to Mercer Co.,KY in 1791. Died 1845.
!1993 Corr: Carol (GROSS) HEDGER. From Maude (RUSSELL) BARTON rin 13366.
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