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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. 6, compiled by Patrick G. Wardell, Lt. Col. U.S. Army Ret. :
Westfall, Jacob - born 10/10/1755 in Hampshire County, Virginia; entered service 1781 in Monongalia County, Virginia, where resided in Tygarts Valley, as lieutenant of Virginia Regiment; moved in 1792 to Nelson County, Kentucky, then to Hardin County, Kentucky, then to Miami County, Ohio, 1808, then in 1827 to Putnam County, Indiana, where granted Pension 1833 when residing in Clinton Township, died 3/5/1835; married in Spring of 1777 to Mary, Tygarts Valley, Virginia, who granted Pension abt, age 80 in Boone County, Indiana, 1838; son Cornelius made affidavit there in 1832 that he was born 3/7/1778; query letter in file in 1934 from descendant Elmore Wesrfall Elliott, Chicago, Illinois, states that soldier's wife died in 1841; query letter in file in 1906 from great grandson J.C. Caldwell, Lafayette, Indiana. F-W9159, R2538.
Information on Jacob Westfall
From "Westfall Genealogy Site" of Walter Westfall:
(10aa) Jacob and Judith (Hornbeck) Westfall's son Jacob Westfall was born October 10, 1755 in Hampshire Co. (West) Virginia, and died March 5, 1835 in Putnam County, Indiana. He married Mary King 1777 in Tygarts Valley, Virginia. She was born 1758, and died 1841 in Putnam County, Indiana. Jacob served as First Lieutenant in 1781 in the Augusta Monongahalia militia. He went on an expedition with George Rogers Clarke against the Indians. Jacob was pensioned on Sept. 18, 1833. He was appointed County Lieutenant for Randolph County, (West) Virginia on Aug. 28, 1787. He also served as the first sheriff of Randolph County and also as a justice. He organized scouts to observe Indian travel around the settlement at Beverly in 1790, but left for Kentucky in October 1792 leaving no one to certify the claims of his scouts for pay. In 1792 Jacob and Mary sold property in Randolph Co. and removed to Kentucky. In 1803 from Nelson Co., Ky., Jacob and Mary granted land in Randolph Co. to Cornelius Westfall of Dayton, Ohio. This evidently is their son as a Montgomery Co., Ohio history says Cornelius Westfall, a Kentuckian, opened a school in the fall of 1804. The family lived in Nelson Co., Kentucky awhile, then in Hardin County until 1808 when they moved to Miami Co., Ohio. Jacob left Ohio in 1827 to settle in Putnam Co., Indiana where he died on march 5, 1835. his wife Mary was born in 1758 and died in 1841. Jacob was granted a pension for service in the Revolution in September 1833 in Montgomery County, Indiana but was living in Putnam County, Indiana by then. He was awarded $80.00 a year. After his death in 1835 his wife Mary applied for pension from Boone County, Indiana in 1838 at age 80.
Source: http://w-westfall.tripod.com/relfam7.html (added with permission of Walter Westfall - walterwestfall@@webtv.net).
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References
- Graves, William T. Southern Campaign Revolutionary War Pension Statements & Rosters.
Pension application of Jacob Westfall W9159 Mary fn49VA
Transcribed by Will Graves 8/30/11
[fn p. 11]
State of Indiana Montgomery County: SS
On this 18th day of September A.D. 1833 Personally appeared in open Court before it
John R Porter President Judge of the Montgomery Circuit Court now sitting Jacob Westfall a
resident of Clinton Township Putnam County and State of Indiana aged about seventy-eight
years who being first duly sworn according to law doth on his oath make the following
declaration in order to obtain the benefit of the act of Congress passed June the 7th 1832.
That he entered the service of the United States under the following named officers and
served as herein stated. General George Rogers Clark commander in chief. In the Regiment of
Colonel Zachariah Morgan commanding a Regiment of Volunteers Major William Louder [?]
(who became unhealthy & obtained leave to return home and about one month after he joined the Regiment) Adjutant, John Mauglinson [?] Captain, George Jackson, first Lieutenant Jacob
Westfall this applicant 2nd Lieutenant, William Wright Ensign, Hezekiah Davidson who acted as quarter Master Sergeant – Captains in said Regiment William Bunn [?]-- Johnston – Whaley – Stewart. This applicant left home on the 20th day of June in the year 1781 and rendezvoused at Morgan Town on the 24th day of the same month and served a tower [tour] of six months. The Regiment to which this applicant belonged marched from Morgan Town in the State of Virginia to the new Store (as it was then called) on the Monongahela River and there joined General Clark with Colonel Crockett's Regiment of regular troops. This applicant resided at the time he entered the service as above in Tiygrs Vally [sic, Tygart Valley] Monongahela County (now
Randolph County) and State of Virginia.
The object of this expedition as this applicant was informed by General Clark was to
march to Detroit which was in the possession of the British and if possible to take that place.
The two regiments took water on board of boats at the new Store the 26th of July and descended the River and landed four miles below Fort Pitt and continued there for some days collecting provisions. After leaving the encampment below Fort Pitt we did not land again until we arrived at Wheeling where a council was held the conclusion of which was to continue down the River to and Island below the mouth of the little Kenhawny [Kanawha] river and wait the arrival of Colonel Laughery [Archibald Lochry1] who was expected on with about 200 men. After landing at said Island and remaining a few days several men deserted and a council was held and the idea of marching to Detroit was abandoned as the force was considered by us insufficient. It was then determined by the General and officers to continue down the River to Kentucky and raise an additional force of Kentucky Militia and march out against some of the Indian Towns. Major Cracraft [? Craigcraft?] was left with some men to guard some boats of provisions until Colonel Laughery should arrive. Colonel Laughery came on and some time afterwards who after
descending the Ohio River about fifteen miles below the mouth of the great Miami River he was decoyed [?] by the Indians with his boats between an island and the mainland and the whole detachment was either killed or taken prisoner – General Clark continued down the River to the falls of the Ohio where a two [? another?] council was held with the Regulars, Volunteers & Kentucky Militia officers and it was then and there concluded that to raise a sufficient force and march against the Indian Towns the season would be too far advanced for the volunteers to return home to the State of Virginia the distance being so great. This applicant was not engaged in any battle there being none fought during the Campaign.
The Indians killed several persons belonging to the Army besides Colonel Laughery's
detachment. This applicant recollects the name of the following officers in Colonel Crockett's Regiment of Regulars to wit Major Wales – Captains Tipton & Chapman (who were both killed by the Indians in Kentucky), Young, Carney and Cherry — This applicant has no documentary evidence of his claim his commission having long since been lost or worn out or destroyed and does not know of the residence of any person who served in said Campaign who is now living.
I hereby relinquish every claim whatever to a pension or annuity except the present and
declare that my name is not on the pension roll of the agency of any State whatever. The
following interrogatories were propounded by the Court to the applicant.
1st Where and in what year were you born?
Ans. I was born in Hampshire County in the State of Virginia and from the best information I have on the 10th day of October in the year 1755
2nd Have you any record of your age and if so where is it?
Ans. I have none
3rd Where were you living when called into service: where have you lived since the
Revolutionary War and where do you now live?
Ans. I lived at the time I was called into the Service in Tigers Valley Monongahela County in the State of Virginia. In the year 1792 I removed to Nelson County in the State of Kentucky and remained part of the time in Nelson County and the balance in Hardin [?] County until the year 1808 when I removed to Miami County in the State of Ohio and remained there until the year 1827 when I removed to Putnam County in the State of Indiana where I now live.
4th How were you called into service; were you drafted; did you volunteer or were you a
substitute, and if in substitute, for whom?
Ans. I volunteered
5th State the names of some of the regular officers who were with the troops when you served, such Continental and militia regiments as you can recollect and the general circumstances of your service.
The Regular officers who were with the troops where I served were Colonel Crockett,
Major Wales – Captains Tipton, Chapman, Young, Carney and Cherry &c as stated above
together with all the internal Circumstances of the Campaign.
6th Did you ever receive a Commission and if so by whom was it signed and what has become of
it?
Ans. I received a Commission and as well as I can now recollect was signed by Patrick Henry
then Governor of the State of Virginia and it is either lost or worn out or destroyed –
Why did you not make your declaration in the County where you reside –
Ans. Because the
Circuit Court of that County does not sit till sometime in October next and because the distance from my residence to the County seat is greater than it is from my residence to this place as my residence is immediately at or near the line dividing Putnam and Montgomery counties and I am better known to the citizens of this County having had more intercourse with them and having been acquainted with many of them in the State of Ohio previous to their moving to this State – and further that there was no clergyman in my neighborhood with whom I am acquainted and the Reverend Robert Stapleton with whom I was well acquainted for some years in the State of Ohio resides near this place to wit Crawfordsville whose certificate I wish to procure
7th State the names of persons to whom you are known in your present neighborhood and who can testify as to your character for veracity and their belief in your services as a soldier in the revolution.
Ans. Dan Mills and Robert Stapleton a clergyman before mentioned.
S/ Jacob Westfall
S/ John Wilson, Clk
[Robert Stapleton, a clergyman, and Dan Mills gave the standard supporting affidavit.]
[fn p. 47]
The State of Indiana Morgan County: SS
Personally appeared before me the Subscriber an acting Justice of the peace within and
for said County Cornelius King2 of about seventy-eight years of age who being duly sworn according to law deposeth and saith that he is and has been well acquainted with Jacob Westfall who is an applicant to obtain the benefit of the act of Congress passed June the 7th 1832, prior to the year 1780, in Tigers Valley then Monongahela County and State of Virginia, in the forepart of the year 1781 this deponent was absent in Kentucky and when he returned home the said Jacob Westfall had gone as first Lieutenant in Captain George Jackson's Company of Volunteers on a six months tour of duty under General Clark as this deponent was informed and believes and this deponent well recollects said Jacob Westfall's returning home from said Campaign and has frequently heard said Westfall and others who served in the same Company with him relating circumstances and transactions that took days while on the Campaign above mentioned, and further this deponent sayeth not.
S/ Cornelius King
[fn p. 10: On November 13, 1838 in Bone County Indiana, Mary Westfall, 80, filed for a
Widow's pension under the 1836 act stating that she is the widow of Jacob Westfall, a pensioner of the United States for his service in the revolution; that she married him in the spring of the year 1777 and that her husband died March 5, 1835 and that she remains his widow. She states that she was married in Tygart Valley Virginia by a Baptist Minister by the name of Redding and that she believes there is no record of her marriage.]
[fn p. 9: Affidavit by Mary Westfall that the family record states that Cornelius Westfall was born the 7th of March 1778 and that Mary Westfall married Jacob Westfall prior to the birth of Cornelius Westfall.]
[fn p. 7: On November 13, 1838, Cornelius Westfall gave testimony verifying the family record offered by his mother in support of her application.]
[Veteran was pensioned at the rate of $80 per annum commencing March 4th, 1831, for 6 months
service as a Lieutenant in the Virginia militia. Veteran's widow was pensioned for a like amount commencing March 5th, 1835.]
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1 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Archibald_Lochry
2 FPA S17527
- Mills, Frank Moody. Something about the Mills family and its collateral branches: with autobiographical reminiscences. (Sioux Falls, South Dakota: [s.n.], 1911)
Pages 17-19, 20., 1911.
Pension Office, Washington - Certificate text, transcribed by F.M. Mills, c.1911. (formatting not in original; curly-braced passages not in original)
Jacob Westfall was appointed lieutenant June 20, 1781, and served six months under Capt. Jackson in Col. Crockett's Reg., Va. Resided at Taggarts Valley, Va., {'arts' as written in source} at time of enlishment, applied for pension, Sept. 18, 1833, residing at date of application in Putnam Co., Indiana. Born Oct. 10, 1755 in Hampshire Co., Va., (was only 21 at data of declaration of Indpendence.) His claim was duly allowed. He married Mary King in 1777, in Taggerts Valley, Va., {'erts' as written in source} Died March 5, 1835, and she was pensioned as his widow. He removed to Kentucky in 1792, thence to Miami Co., Ohio in 1808, thence to Putnam Co., Ind., in 1827. No other Jacob Westfall of record in the Pension Dept. -- Signed, V.P. Warner, Com.
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Virginia State Librarian - certificate text, transcribed J.M. Mills c.1911
Richmond, Va., Mch. 21, 1900
.....I, W. W. Scott, State Librarian and as such, custodian of the Revolutionary archives of the Commonwealth, hereby certify that the name of Jacob Westfall appears on said archives as a soldier of infantry in the Virginia State Line and Continental establishment.
.....Given under my hand the day and year above written at Richmond, Va.,
.....W. W. Scott, State Librarian
.....(Seal)
.....Dear Sir:
.....I have pleasure in sending you the enclosed certificate. I find the name of Abel Westfall, Cornelius, and also John, Abram and Jacob. Finding name of Jacob last and his being he name I am looking for I prosecuted my search no farther. The Westfalls appear to have been a valiant family. Jacob Westfall was paid through the hands of M. -- Van Meter, June 2, 1784, quite a sum for balance of pay, under the statute to equalize pay becasue of depreciated continential currency.
.....I find in Heming's Statutes, Vol. 13, page 170, that he was named as one of the trustees of the town of Beverly, statute passed, Dec. 16, 1790.
.....After the Revolutionary war all the old soldiers were brevetted of a title of some dignity, never below the grade of Captain. There is no record of these titles in the library, though this is a small matter.
.....Perhaps his service with Gen. Wayne was in the Western country when Washington was President.
.....Very Truly, W. W. Scott
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"Grandfather was captain of the fort where Beverly now stands and his name is held in veneration there to this day, as I am informed by the postmaster of the town who referred me to Wither's History of Border Warfare. He was variously called Captain and Major and Colonel to the day of his death. His service was extensive and varied, but it was necessarily border warfare and not all under regular United States enlistment."
- Mills, Frank Moody. Something about the Mills family and its collateral branches: with autobiographical reminiscences. (Sioux Falls, South Dakota: [s.n.], 1911)
Page 194., 1911.
Genealogy tree shows Jacob's father to be "Cornelius Westfall", contrary to the present record. (page 194)
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