|
|
Capt. George Eskridge, Sr.
Facts and Events
Military Service
- American Revolutionary War Veteran
Revolutionary War Pension Information
Information from “Virginia/West Virginia Genealogical Data from Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty Land Warrant Records”, Vol. 2, compiled by Patrick G. Wardell, Lt. Col. U.S. Army Ret. :
Eskridge, George - entered service 1775 in Northumberland County, Virginia; born 2/1757; granted Pension 1818 in Hampshire County, Virginia; son mentioned but not named in 1821; in 1855 Colonel Hector Bell, son of only daughter of soldier, resided in Winchester, Virginia; query letter in file states soldier was a brother of Samuel. F-S8428, R934.
Records in Virginia
- 17 August 1818; George Eskridge Senior came into court and declared upon oath in order to obtain the provision made by the late act of Congress... that he was commissioned an Ensign some time in the year 1776 in the 15 VA regiment on the continental establishment commanded at that time by Colo David Mason and afterward by Colo Innes that he was attached to Capt. Edward Hulls company that at the time he entered the service he resided in the county of Northumberland VA that he continued in said service until September or October 1777 when he resigned his commission to General Washington at the White Plains, that he is 61 years of age and a resident of Hampshire County... Page 97. [Hampshire County, Virginia (now, West Virginia): Volume II--Minute Book Abstracts 1817-1823, Hampshire County Minute Book Abstracts - Volume II, 1818, pg. 21]
- On this 22nd day of November 1820 personally appeared in open sourt it being a court of record George Eskridge aged sixty four years in February next resident in Hampshire County Virginia who being first duly sworn according to law down on his oath declare that he served in the Revolutionary War as follows, that in the year 1776 he was commissioned as an ensign and served in the 1st Virginia Regiment on the Continental Establishment commanded by Col. David Marow and afterwards by Col. (Juros/Iunes)/ that he was attached to a company under the command of Captain Edward Hule, Captain Geo. Timbervilles and others at the time he entered the service he was a resident in the County of Nurthumberland, Virginia that he continued in said service after said regiment was reduced until September or October 1777 or 1778 when he resigned his commission to Gen'l G. Washington at the White Plains which will more fully appear by his original declaration filed in the war office dated the 15 day of September 1819 upon which he has obtained a certificate of pension numbered 14725.. viz one horse, saddle and bridle worth about one hundred dollars that the debts he owes for which he is bound as security will amount to between two and three thousand dollars. That he has no family and that in consequence of his age is unable to support himself. Page 259. [Hampshire County, Virginia (now, West Virginia): Volume II--Minute Book Abstracts 1817-1823, Hampshire County Minute Book Abstracts - Volume II, 1820, pg. 61]
- 23 August 1821; Ordered that Negroes Nancy, Amy and Harriett aged and infirm, Negroes belonging to George Eskridge in the future exempted from county levies and poor rates. Page 287. [West Virginia. County Court. Minute Book, Hampshire County : 1788-1789, Hampshire County Minute Book Abstracts - Volume II, 1821, pg. 287].
Image Gallery
References
- Hampshire County Minute Book Abstracts - Volume II, 1821, in West Virginia. County Court (Hampshire County), and Historical Records Survey (West Virginia). Minute book, Hampshire County : 1788-1789. (Salt Lake City, Utah: Genealogical Society of Utah, 1961).
23 August 1821
Ordered that Negroes Nancy, Amy and Harriett aged and infirm, Negroes belonging to George Eskridge in the future exempted from county levies and poor rates. Page 287.
- United States. 1810 U.S. Census Population Schedule. (National Archives Microfilm Publication M252).
Name: George Eskridge
Home in 1810 (City, County, State): Hampshire, Virginia
Free White Persons - Males - Under 10: 1
Free White Persons - Males - 16 thru 25: 1
Free White Persons - Males - 45 and over: 1 [b. 1765 or before]
Free White Persons - Females - 16 thru 25: 3
Free White Persons - Females - 45 and over: 1 [b. 1765 or before]
Numbers of Slaves: 3
Number of Household Members Under 16: 1
Number of Household Members Over 25: 2
Number of Household Members: 10
- United States. 1830 U.S. Census Population Schedule. (National Archives Microfilm Publication M19).
Name: George Eskridge
Home in 1830 (City, County, State): Hampshire, Virginia
Free White Persons - Males - 15 thru 19: 1
Free White Persons - Males - 30 thru 39: 1
Free White Persons - Males - 70 thru 79: 1 [b. bet. 1751-1760]
Free White Persons - Females - 30 thru 39: 2
Slaves - Males - 10 thru 23: 3
Slaves - Females - 36 thru 54: 1
Slaves - Females - 55 thru 99: 1
Free White Persons - Under 20: 1
Free White Persons - 20 thru 49: 3
Total Free White Persons: 5
Total Slaves: 5
Total - All Persons (Free White, Slaves, Free Colored): 10
- American Genealogical - Biographical Index. (Middletown, Middlesex, Connecticut, United States|Middletown, Connecticut: Godfrey Memorial Library).
Name: George Escridge
Birth Date: 1757
Birthplace: Virginia,
Volume: 51
Page number: 155
Biographical Info: Rev.War
Reference: Census of pensioners for Rev. military serivces. Washington, DC. 1841. (195p.):134
- ↑ Ancestry.com. Public Member Trees: (Note: not considered a reliable primary source).
- Graves, William T. Southern Campaign Revolutionary War Pension Statements & Rosters.
Pension Application of George Eskridge S8428 VA
Transcribed and annotated by C. Leon Harris. 14 Jan 2014.
Virginia to wit
At a Court Continued and held for the County of Hampshire the 18 day of August 1818: George
Eskridge Sr resident in the said county came into court and declared upon Oath in order to obtain the provisions made by the late act of Congress entitled “An act to provide for certain persons engaged in the land and naval service of the United States in the revolutionary War that he the said George Eskridge was commissioned an Ensign some time in the year 1776 in the 15 Virginia regiment on the continental establishment commanded by Colonel David Mason at that time & afterwards by Colonel [James] Innes that he was attached to Captain Edward Hulls [sic: Edwin Hull’s, pension application W14316] Company that at the time he entered the service he resided in the County of Northumberland Virginia that he continued in said service after said regiment was reduced untill September or October 1777 [sic: 1778] when he resigned his commission to General George Washington at the white plains that he is 61 years of age & now resides in Hampshire County Virginia also that he has sundry notes & certificates shewing that he was in said service. that he is now in reduced circumstances and stands in need of the assisstance of his country for support and that he has no other evidence now in his power of said Service.
Ordered that it be certified that it appears to the satisfaction of the Court that the said George Eskridge did serve in the revolutionary war as stated in the preceeding declaration against the common enemy for upwards of nine months and that he is in reduced circumstances & stands in need of the assisstance of his Country for support & that the proceedings & testimony aforesaid be transmitted to the office of the Secretary of War pursuant to the directions of said act of Congress.
At a Court continued & held for Hampshire County the 22d Nov’r 1820
Present: William Fox, George Sharfe, John McDonell, David Gibson & Frederick Shutz Gent[leme]n Justices
On the 22d day of November 1820 personally appeared in open Court it being a Court of Record George Eskridge aged Sixty four years in February next resident in Hampshire County Va who being first duly sworn acording to Law doth on his oath declare that he served in the Revolutionary war as follows. That in the year 1776 he was commissioned as an Ensign and served in the 15th Virginia Regiment on the continental establishment Commanded by Colo David Mason and afterwards by Colo Innes that he was attached to a company under the command of Captain Edward Hull Capt George L Turberville [sic: George Lee Turbeville BLWt2153-300] & others that at the time he entered the Service he was a resident in the County of Northumberland Virginia that he continued in said Service after the said Regiment was reduced [14 Sep 1778] untill September or October 1777 or 1778 when he resigned his Commission to Genl G Washington at the white plains which will more fully appear by his original decleration filed in the war office dated the 15th day of September 1819 upon which he has obtained a certificate of pension numbered 14725 and he did solemnly swear that he was a resident Citizen of the United States on the 18th day of March 1818 and that he has not since that time by gift sale or in any manner disposed of his property or any part thereof with intent thereby so to diminish it as to bring himself within the provisions of an act of Congress entitled “an act to provide for certain persons engaged in the land and naval service of the United States in the Revolutionary War” passed on the 18th day of March 1818 and that he has not nor has any person in trust for him any property or securities contracts or debts due to him nor has he any income other than what is contained in the Schedule hereto annexed and by him subscribed viz One Horse Saddle & Bridle worth about one hundred Dollars. That the debts he ows and for which he is Bound as Security will amount to between two & three thousand Dollars. That he has no family and that in consequence of his age is unable to Support himself. And it is ordered to be Certified that the total amount in value of the property exhibited in the Mr. Eskridge informed me that he had bought a Negro fellow, and intended to pay for him in March out of his pension money. He is not included in the schedule. For this reason the case was directed by the Sec’y. [probably Secretary of War] to be suspended. J. L. E. [James L. Edwards, Chief Pension Clerk] 24 Feb. 1821
State of Virginia }
Clarke County } S.S.
On this 26th day of Feb’y 1838 personally appeared before the Court of said County, George Eskridge a resident of said in the said State of Virginia, age 80 years and upwards, who being first duly sworn according to law, doth on his oath make the following declaration, in order to obtain the benefit of the provision made by the Act of Congress, passed June 7th 1832. He states that when the affair of Dunmore about the magazine broke out at Williamsburg [Lord Dunmore’s ordering the seizure of gunpowder, 21 Apr 1775] he volunteered as a Lt. Dragoon under Cap. P. P. Thornton [Peter Presley Thornton; Presley Thornton BLWt553-300] of Northumberland County Va and entered service – that was in 1775 – after the expiration of that service he volunteered under Cap. Thomas Jones of same Co. as a minuteman and whilst engaged in that service was commissioned an Ensign, in the 15th Reg’t Virginia Troops, on or about the formation of the regular Army. This was in 1776. After serving in that Capacity for a considerable period he was promoted to a Lieutenancy in the same Regiment which was commanded by Col. David Mason and he belonged to the company commanded by Cap. Edwin Hull. That his said service as Lieutenant commenced 1st Jan’y. 1777 and continued until his appointment as a captain in the militia of said county. During this period he was actively engaged in the Northen service till the fall of 1778 when he was sent to Virg’a. on the recruiting service for the regular Army. And in this service continued actively engaged till coms’d. as a Captain as aforsaid. The recruiting service at the period refered to, when this declarant was engaged in it was a laborious, difficult, expensive, and in some instances a hazardous business. This declarant avers that he never received a cent from Government for his services after his return from the Northern Army – and in many instances he advanced recruiting money to a large amount which was never re-imbursed to him. He further states that whilst he was engaged in said service Cap. Edwin Hull was killed at Northumberland Court House by a rioter, who with many others had rebelled againt the raising of soldiers by draft from the Militia to supply the regular regiments. He declares that he was commissioned as a Captain of Militia immediately after the 9th August 1779 and continued to serve as Lieut up to the time when he qualified as Captain, and then entered on his active duties in that Station. That the frequency of the visits of portions of the enemies fleet in the waters bordering on the country where declarant then was, made it necessary to keep up a continual militia force for the safety of the country – and this declarant when prevailed on to accept of a commission in the militia, was governed in so doing by the necessity under which the country labored for immediate and active defence by experienced officers. He avers that the acceptance of a militia Commission was to enable him to be more immediately useful in the defence of that Section of his Country. All of which he could without difficulty prove by documents which were once in his possession, if he now had them – but he, trusting to an agent employed by him some years since to obtain his pay from Virginia (one Abel Westfall) and of more recent date to another agent of the name of John B. White, to procure an increase of his pension he delivered to them all the papers considered of any importance, such as his Col’s. orders – & rolls of the army – or lists of the troops, and many others not now recollected, and they are lost, and this declarant has been thus far entirely baffled in regaining possession of any of them. That exhibition of actual & positive proof under the circumstances would therefor be impracticable – and he is conscious of not being able to prove the full extent of his services. He visited the section of country where he performed his recruiting, and his militia service some time since and found nearly all his old acquatances dead or removed to distant places, and but one who could give any account of his services – but he was not with declarant in the militia except at the Seige of York. But this declarant has found amongst the remnant of his old papers the receipt of Abel Westfall, for this declarant’s account for his last services, and this is the only voucher which he exhibit for the duration of his militia service as Captain. That receipt shews the balance due this declarant on the score of services to have been £115.13.4, which of itself proves actual service of 10 months or thereabouts, but his services as Captain was more that 10 months, and if this declarant had his lost papers he could prove that fact. He further states that for his services in the regular army he has recently been allowed the Virginia land bounty of 2666b acres for a service of 3 years according to the laws and customs of that stated. He herewith exhibits proof of such allowance also a certified copy of the evidence which he presented to the Executive of Virg’a. And on the Documents now filed, and his statement, which he has made as full, and at the same time as particular as he could considering the nature of the subject, and the great lapse of time & loss of memory, he founds his present application for a pension under the Act of 1832 – and most respectfully begs leave to say that he feels consciencious in praying, that the the amount of pension now asked for, may be ascertained, first, as for a Captain’s services in the militia for 10 months – and that the remainder of the 2 years may be estimated as for a Lt’s. services, to with 14 months. This declarant never had knowledge of the fact that he could claim for his services in the militia till lately. He herewith surrenders his old pension certificate.
He hereby relinquishes every claim whatever to a pension or an annuity, except the present, and he declares that his name is not on the pension Roll of any Agency in any State, except the agency in the State of Virginia
[Signed] George Eskridge
Hampshire County, Virginia, Sct
I William Welch a Justice of the peace in and for the County aforesaid in the state of Virginia do hereby certify, that John Cundiff [S8272] aged about Seventy nine of Eighty years and of good Charracter personally appeared before me some time in the year 1834 and made oath on the holy Evangelist of Almighty god that he knew George Eskridge to be an officer in the Continantle Army of the Revolution and a Recruiting officer as well as I Recolect in Northumberland County in Virginia the said John Cundiff has since departed this life the particular year in which the services were rendered by the s’d. Geo. Eskridge I cannot Remember. But I do Remember distinctly that there was an affidavit taken before me of the above import given under my hand this 24th day of november 1837
Wm. Welch J.P.
To His Excellency the Governor and Council of Virginia.
Your memorialist George Eskridge, a citizen of Clarke Co. Virginia, at this time, but originally a citizen of the County of Northumberland in the state of Virg’a. having in the meantime resided in Frederick & Hampshire Counties Va. respectfully represents that he is now upwards of 80 years of age.
That when the affair of Lord Dunmore at the City of Wmsburg took place, in relation to the magazine, at the commencement of the War of the Revolution, he volunteered as a Light Draggoon under Cap. Peter Presley Thornton of Northumberland County, and entered the service of his country. That was in 1775 as well as he remembers. After the expiration of that service he volunteered under Cap. Thomas Jones of the same County, as a minute man, and whilst in that service was coms’d. as an Ensign, on or about the period of the formation of the Continental Army; in the 15th Reg’t. of Va Troops. This he thinks was in 1776. That after being & serving in that capacity for a considerable period he was promoted to a Lieutenancy in the same Reg’t. The above Reg’t. was commanded by Col. David Mason and Cap. Edwin Hull was the Captain of the Company to which your memorialist belonged. Your memorialist was with the Northern Army till the fall of 1778 as near as he can recollect at this time, when he was sent to Virg’a. on recruiting service for the Army – and in this service continued actively engaged, and with more than usual success, till he consented to receive the Commission of a Cap. in the Virg’a. Militia in the same county – which took place in the latter part of the summer of 1779. Your memorialist states that whilst engaged in the recruiting service he recruited as many or more men for the Continental army than any other officer of his grade; and that with the exception of a sum of money which he received from his Captain, Edwin Hull, for that purpose, he believes that he furnished all the other funds for recruiting out of his own pocket; and that he was never been reimbursed by the Government one cent of it. Your memorialist was then possessed of considerable property, & the means of commanding the requisite funds. He further states that he should have applied some time since, but at an early date, say about the time of the settlement of Kentucky, he parted with his main vouchers to two agents (Thomas Carnall and Abel Westfall) in order to receive the am’t. of his account for certain money charges on account of the services of himself & his brother Sam’l. F. Eskridge [Samuel F. Eskridge; Samuel Eskridge VAS1285] who died in the Service, a Midshipman in the Navy – and that he has never since seen s’d. markers, nor a cent of the money. He further states that some few years since he placed in the hands of one Jus. B. White as agent, some other vouchers for the purpose of prosecuting his revolutionary claims & has, as he is now informed by said White, also lost them so that your memorialist has now the remnants only of his Revolutionary papers, which were not considered as of any, at least not of as much importance as those above referred to. but he hopes that they together with such evidence as the records may afford and the evidence of others, if any should be now living, who can speak as to his services, may be sufficient to establish his claim for Virg’a. land bounty. That the whole of his service from the volunteer service in the first instance, the minute service in the second, and the regular Army as Ensign & Lieutenant he thinks amt. to more than four years. He has been drawing a pension from the U. States of $240 annually since 1818. He prays that he may now be allowed the land bounty of a Lieutenant for a service of three years, and the Register of the land office may be authorized to issue warrants for the same, and he ever pray &c.
[9 Jan 1838]
This is to Certify, That it appears from a List in this Office of such Officers and Soldiers of the Virginia Continental Line, during the Revolutionary War, as settled their Accounts, and received Certificates for the balance of their Full Pay, according to an Act of Assembly, passed the November Session, 1781, that a Certificate issued on the 10th day of April 1787 in the name of George Eskridge as Lieut of Infantry for £131.5.6 which Certificate appears to have been delivered to Thos. Carnal and was given for services prior to the 1st Jan’y 1777 to 14 Sept’r. 1778.
Given under my hand at the Auditor’s Office, Richmond, this 18th day of January 1838.
Jas. E Heath AUDITOR.
NOTES:
On 17 Aug 1821 Thomas Van Swearingen wrote to the Secretary of War that he had been told
that George Eskridge, his constituent, “was exceedingly poor and depended entirely upon his son for a support,” and that “many years ago he resided near Winchester… then in affluent circumstances.” He added, “I am convinced, from information, that his character did not suffer by his loss of fortune.”
Correspondence in the federal file between 1851 and 1855 indicates that Hector Bell of Winchester was the son of Rebecca Bell, the only daughter of George Eskridge, and was probably then the sole heir of George Eskridge.
https://revwarapps.org/s8428.pdf
|
|
