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Facts and Events
Duncan Gullion was one of the Early Settlers of Augusta County, Virginia
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Records in Augusta County, VA
From Chalkley's:
- Vol. 1 - 1779-80. Jailor's account, 1780. To keeping the following: Will Hinton, confined for treason, 23d March to 30 May, 69 days; William Stonate, confined for desertion; George Lair, confined for desertion; Barnebas Tandy, confined for desertion; John Potter, confined for desertion; Mathias Miller, confined for desertion; William Cook, for desertion; Patrick McCimsy, for desertion; James Bridget, for desertion; Henry Lorance, for desertion; Thomas Moreson, Toryism; Duncan Gullion, treason; Swain Palson, treason; James Care, treason; Nathaniel Buton, treason; Joseph Patterson, desertion; Barnebas Barnbloom, desertion; Francis Simson, desertion; John Hikkey, desertion; Peter Bever, desertion; William Douglas, desertion; Charles Millard, desertion; William Brown, desertion; Zack Price, desertion; Samuel Bates, desertion; William Awty, desertion; Samuel Davis, desertion; Thomas Womsby, desertion; Alexander Nelson, desertion; Elkener Moland, desertion; John Cravin, desertion; Dennis Regin, desertion; Barnebas Ackling, desertion; William Graham, desertion; William Hinton, Toryism; Josiah Cockrin.
Other Records
- 1783 Duncan Gullion, assignee of Walter Crockett, attorney for James Clark, treasury warrant, 20 acres between Jacob Kittering and Patrick Johnson on the Big Road (withdrawn); also 125 acres on Pine Run, branch of Reed Creek joining Charles Fullen and Barney M Smith (Messersmith); also 80 acres joining old Syphers and John Messersmith (withdrawn) (Pg 87 Early Adventurers on the Western Waters by Mary B. Kegley 975.57 H2kv2)
- 20 Jan 1783 - Duncan Gullion had 500 A land surveyed 20 Jan 1783 in Montgomery Co. It was located head waters of Walkers Creek near land of John Henderson dec'd. (pg 169 Record of Surveys). Familysearch.org
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Ancestry.com. Public Member Trees: (Note: not considered a reliable primary source).
- Dunmore's War, 1774, in Bockstruck, Lloyd de Witt. Virginia's Colonial Soldiers. (Baltimore, Maryland: Genealogical Publishing Co., c1988)
pg. 150.
List of Robert Doack's Company of Militia, 2 June 1774 (30034)
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Robert Doack, Capt.; Jehu Stephens, Lt.; William Doack, Ens.; Andrew Thompson, Ens.; William Ward, Sgt.; James Downey, Sgt.; William Meek, Sgt.; ..... Barny Gullion; Charles Fullen; John Gullion; ... Duncan Gillion; ...
- Osborn, Richard. William Preston and the Revolutionary Settlement.
[William] Preston's allusion to enemies on the Holston did not mean Indians but Loyalists, because in the midst of these Indian attacks, Preston began to receive several disturbing accounts of a concerted Loyalist plot against him and other Patriots. One account reported that a group of twenty Loyalists would join with the English and Indians in an effort to kill Patriots before proceeding to destroy the Lead Mines near Fort Chiswell. More ominously for Preston, one of the plotters, Duncan O'Gullion, vowed to scalp Preston and James McGavock. The reports made sense. With the state and Continental Army relying on the Lead Mines for much of their ammunition supply, it represented a likely target And with Montgomery County's arms supply located at Smithfield, it also represented a natural target for attack. And what better way to damage the Patriot cause than to kill Preston, the major revolutionary leader of southwest Virginia? The threat came even closer home when word arrived that only three miles from Smithfield in the general vicinity of Michael Price's home oaths of loyalty were being taken by the King's supporters.[sup]186[/sup]
The whole question of loyalism or disaffection continued to pose a real problem of identifying which individuals belonged in each category. The variety of motivations can best be illustrated through depositions taken from individuals captured as Loyalists in this period. Informant Michael Henninger told a story of Loyalist plotting in which they would assist the English and Indians in "destroying the Country." But an ethnic element entered the picture. He reported that John Griffith, a key Loyalist leader who lived on the South Fork of the Holston River, had already gotten at least twenty citizens in that area to swear allegiance to the King with many of those mentioned bearing German names such as Weiss, Kittering, Vant, and Bronstedder. Many Germans felt more comfortable with the status quo and had no reason to support the Patriot leaders with whom they had experienced poor relationships over the years. Some of the depositions showed the wild nature of rumors being spread throughout the area to raise unfounded fears which could be a motivational tool. Henninger reported that Matthias Crumb told of 4,000 men who had subscribed to a paper which placed them against the Patriots and warned that "the dispute . . . would shortly be finished."187 Given the population in the region, no such number was remotely possible. After giving his testimony, Henninger asked that it not be divulged until after all of the accused were in custody because he feared for his own life.188 John Henderson's confession revealed still another motive used by English recruiters to get people on their side. They reminded him that the French, Virginia's recent enemy, had joined the American cause leaving him to ponder what the French might do, even if the Americans defeated the English.189 Would they try to get back their old lands and seek revenge against the colonists who had defeated them in the recent war? As other Loyalists said at the time, "they may as well fight under the King of Great Britain as to be Subjects to France."190 Henderson revealed an even stronger motivation. He was asked to draw up lists of those on each side because when the Americans suffered the defeat that most expected, a distinction would be made between Whigs and Tories--a distinction not spelled out but clearly a case of the victors getting the spoils of lands and property.[sup]191[/sup] But the English also held out a "carrot" as a strong motivating tool. Those who joined the Loyalists were promised ,0.20.6 per day and 450 acres of land without any obligation to pay quit rents for twenty-one years. Such incentives give a hint that those involved in loyalism may have represented individuals without much land who resented the wealthy Preston and others of his elite group who had controlled land sales for years in the southwest.192 Another group did not feel comfortable taking oaths, some for reasons of conscience, others not willing to undertake the strong promises made in the required oaths. To keep them quiet, these "non-jurors" were allowed to put up bonds of ,1,000 pledging they would not support England.193 So ethnic diversity, resentment against Preston and those like him who played such a dominant role in the economy of the area, desire for more land, loyalty to the King, religious conviction, and just plain confusion about what was going on all played a part in motivating the disaffected. It is difficult to determine what motivated those plotting that spring to capture the Lead Mines or to kill Preston. To counteract such plots, local militia officers were authorized to move immediately on major threats if warranted and then inform Preston, the county lieutenant, of their actions. Illustrating the seriousness with which this plot was taken, Major Walter Crockett of the Montgomery County militia sent fifty militiamen to help the sheriff arrest the suspected Loyalist plotters. As required, he immediately sought Preston's advice.194 When nine suspects were brought in by James McGavock, some were released on bond so that the investigation could continue, while others facing the most serious charges, like O'Gullion, were placed in irons to keep them from escaping. After hearing the charges against recruiter John Griffith, they also arrested him but soon released him on bail while the investigation proceeded. McGavock reported that those hearing the testimony of these captured Loyalists became "alarmed, and Expected themselves to be in great danger." Even some of the county militia helped exarcerbate these feelings by playing jokes on their fellow citizens. Preston had to arrest two men returning from duty for hanging a Blanket on a Stump & setting a hat on it: & Laying by the road side with their Arms ready to Fire; and at another Place firing their Guns & Hallowing like Indians in the night amongst the Inhabitants to alarm them.[sup]195[/sup]
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