Person:Thomas Vaughan (21)

Obituary

THOMAS VAUGHAN was born in Pennsylvania, September 2, 1787, and died at his old home in Jackson County, Ohio, March 7, 1871, aged 83 years, 6 months, and 5 days. He volunteered as a private soldier in the War of 1812, and was sent to join the North Western Army, then under the command of General Harrison, and was in charge [in THE charge - RWMeyer note] at Fort Meigs, under the immediate command of Col. Dudley, who was ordered to drive the enemy from their position, and spike the guns, which was promptly done. He continued with the command until the British and Indians were reinforced, surrounding and overpowering Col. Dudley, and capturing him and nearly all of his men. He was also present when the great Indian Chief, Tecumseh, was killed. After enduring great hardships and suffering in the army, and his term of enlistment having expired, he returned to his native State; but the patriotic fire kindled in his heart during the War of 1812, for liberty and his country, continued to burn, until the latest moment of his life. Shortly after his return to his native State, he was married to Miss Rebecca Dunham, of the same State, and remained there about seven years, and then removed to near where the city of Wheeling now stands. But being unwilling to raise his family in a slave State, and hearing of many advantages to be derived by a residence in south-eastern Ohio, he moved to Jackson County in the spring of 1822, and bought a part of the land occupied by him during the remainder of his long and eventful life. He was one of the Associate Judges of Jackson county about seventeen years, and filled various offices of trust for near forty years, always filling them with promptness and accuracy. He lost the wife of his youth November 29, 1846, who died in great peace. They were the parents of ten children, seven boys and three girls, all now living but Samuel, who died in the full assurance of a blessed immortality, Dec 4, 1849. Judge Vaughn was a strong believer in the christian religion, and having been raised by pious parents, those principles of truth and veracity implanted in his mind when young, continued with him until life's latest hour. He joined the M.E. Church about twenty-nine years ago, and though not in Church communion at the time of his death, yet previous to, and during his last sickness, he gave great satisfaction to his family and friends, giving them an assurance that he was prepared to die. Mr. Vaughn was a good citizen, a kind neighbor, and a very affectionate father, and in his death his family and the community have lost a friend. His last sickness was short but very severe, and at different times when racked with pain he would speak of his rest above. Thus passed away one of the oldest citizens of Jackson County, having been identified with the growing interests of the county almost from its organization, and thus passed away a man highly esteemed by all who knew him. His furneral services took place in the grove near the Union School House, near his former residence and was attended by a large congregation, the whole community apparently sympathizing in this bereavement. (Written by L. A. Atkinson)

Y-DNA Research

Years of research by descendants of Thomas Vaughan have failed to locate the parents of Thomas Vaughan. Using Y-DNA testing, a 2nd great grandson was shown to carry the Y-DNA of a man by the name of Case (CASE). This may explain why biographical accounts of Thomas Vaughan do not include information about the names of his parents. However, the Y-DNA results do not pinpoint a specific generation, and therefore, the Case surname could have appeared several generations before Thomas Vaughan was born. As we continue to search for his parents, we must consider the surname CASE as well as the surnames VAUGHAN and VAUGHN.

Associate Judge, Jackson County

pg. 423, Hanging Rock Iron Region, "The office of Associate Judge was one of the greatest dignity in the county while it existed. In 1836 Thomas Vaughn became Associate Judge. The court disappeared in 1851 under the new constitution. The last members were Thomas Vaughn, Robert M. Mims and George M. Adams. Vaughn, who served 12 years, was the father of Rev. M.D., James, Stephen, and Thomas Vaughn, all deceased. He was a native of Pennsylvania, and was in charge of Ft. Meigs in the War of 1812. He died in Bloomfield Twp."

NOTE: This should state "he was in THE charge of Ft. Meigs..."

Thomas Vaughan was a Justice of the Peace in Jackson County, Ohio, in 1831, when he performed the marriage ceremony of his brother-in-law, Stephen Dunham, to Jane Masters on 12 Oct 1831.

Biographies

Excerpt from History of Gallia County, Ohio 1882 - Bicentennial Edition, May 1978, pg 7:

Jacob Vaughn -- was born in Fayette County, Pennsylvania, December 20, 1814. His father, Thomas Vaughn, was born in the State of Pennsylvania, September 2, 1787, and died at his home in Jackson County, Ohio, March 7, 1871, aged 83 years, 6 months and 5 days. He volunteered as a private soldier in the war of 1812, under the command of General Harrison, and he was in the charge at Fort Meigs under the command of Colonel Dudley. He continued with the command until the British and Indians were reinforced, surrounding and overpowering Colonel Dudley, and capturing him and nearly all of his men.

Mr. Vaughn was present when the great Indian Chief Tecumseh was killed. After his return to his native State he married Rebecca Dunham, a native of the same State, and moved to Jackson County, Ohio in 1822. He then bought the farm which he occupied the remainder of his life. He was one of the associate judges of Jackson County for about seventeen years, and filled various offices of trust for nearly forty years, always attending to their duties with promptness and accuracy.

His wife died November 29, 1846. They were parents of ten children, seven boys and three girls, all, with one exception, Samuel, who died December 4, 1849, are now living. Judge Vaughn was a strong believer in the Christian religion, a good citizen, a kind neighbor, and a very affectionate father, and in his death the family and the community lost a true friend.

From A Standard History of Ross County, Ohio - Vol. 2, pg. 738 & 739:

"He [Newton Asbury] is a grandson of Thomas Vaughan, who was born in Pennsylvania, of early Welsh ancestry. From Pennsylvania he went in the early days to Ohio, moving with wagons and teams and becoming an early settler in Bloomfield Township of Jackson County. At that time nearly all that section was a wilderness, land could be secured direct from the Government by paying a small fee, and his neighbors secured their meat largely from the wild game in the woods. He bought a tract of timbered land in Bloomfield Township, improved it with a log house, and after getting established in a financial way became prominent in public affairs. He served seventeen years as circuit judge. He lived on his farm in Jackson County until his death in 1870. Judge Vaughan married Rebecca Dunham, who died in middle life, after rearing the following children : Jacob, Annie, Phoebe, Margaret, Mordecai, Samuel, James W., Stephen N., William and Thomas H. All the sons became farmers and all lived to a good age except Samuel, who passed away in middle life. William for some years was connected with the furnace business at Jackson. Mordecai, in addition to farming, was active in the ministry of the Methodist Episcopal Church. [Stephen was a farmer and owned the home farm in Bloomfield Twp., Jackson Co.]"

Regarding Thomas Vaughan's Presence at the Death of Tecumseh

Tecumseh played a key role in the War of 1812, being active in the fall of Detroit, but he was killed at the Battle of the Thames on October 5, 1813, at the age of forty-five. October 5, 1813, was the last day of Thomas Vaughan's one-year enlistment, however, Thomas was not discharged until October 15, 1813, from Detroit. Thomas Vaughan's obituary, written by L. A. Atkinson, states that Thomas Vaughan was present at the death of Tecumseh. After studying the timelines and documents written about the War of 1812 and the Battle of the Thames, I believe that he was, at the very least, in the general vicinity of the battle when Tecumseh was killed. Perhaps he was actively engaged in the battle.

Military Service

Thomas Vaughan served as a Private in Capt. James A. McClelland's Company of Light Dragoons, under Lt. Col. James Ball's Squadron of Light Dragoons. Thomas Vaughan enlisted on Oct 5, 1812 for a one-year term to end Oct. 5, 1813, but was discharged on Oct. 15, 1813 at Detroit. Involved from April 1813 to July 1813 at Fort Meigs. Note that the cavalry units of McClelland and Brashear were 12-month volunteers remaining at Fort Meigs well after many of the Infantry departed. (Taken from the Western Pennsylvania Genealogical Society Quarterly, Volume 13, Number 4, pg. 15.)

Dragoons were basically mounted infantry. They carried a weapon known as a musketoon in the early days, which was a shortened musket. Later, they carried carbines. They basically used their horses to move them from place to place, not for fighting. Most, if not all, of their fighting was done dismounted. Light cavalry served an entirely different purpose. It was primarily intended to scout and screen an army's advance, and to do whatever fighting it did do mounted, typically using either the saber or pistols. The main difference between mounted infantry and dragoons was armament. Mounted infantry carried rifles (Enfields, Springfields and the like). Dragoons carried either musketoons or carbines. The mounted infantry would have a hard time firing and reloading mounted, since they were using muzzle-loading weapons. Carbines, like the sharps, were breech-loaders, so they could be fired and reloaded mounted. That would make a major difference.

The Ohio Historical Society has a timeline of the War of 1812 online at http://ww2.ohiohistory.org/onlinedoc/war1812/chronology/0019.html, 1813--GENERAL HARRISON'S SECOND CAMPAIGN AND THE FIRST SIEGE OF FT. MEIGS, February 11-May 4, which is a very interesting document to compare to the dates on the pay vouchers for Thomas Vaughan, shown below.

At the National Archives I requested Thomas Vaughan's (yes, spelled VaughAn) service record in the War of 1812. There were 11 small (1/3 of an 8" x 11" page) pay roll vouchers and company muster rolls inside an envelope labeled, "Vaughan, Thomas, Lieut. Col. Ball's Squadron Light Dragoons, U.S. Vols. (War of 1812)...Private | Private" It lists 11 numbered documents which the envelope contains. Below is a transcription of the vouchers, numbers are added by me:

1) Company Muster Roll: Thomas Vaughan, Pvt. of Capt. James A. McClelland's Troop of Cavalry, Pennsylvania Vols., Liet. Col. Ball's Squadron, Light Dragoons, U.S. Vols.; Date of appointment or enlistment: Oct. 5, 1812; To what time engaged or enlisted: Oct. 5, 1813; Present or absent: Present.

2) Company Pay Roll: Thomas Vaughan, Pvt. of Capt. James A. McClelland's Troop of Cavalry, Pennsylvania Vols., Lieut. Col. Ball's Squadron, Light Dragoons, U.S. Vols.; from Oct. 5 to Dec. 5, 1812; Date of appointment or enlistment: Oct. 5, 1812; To what time engaged or enlisted: Oct. 5, 1813; Term of service charged: 2 months; Pay per month: 5 dollars; Amount of Pay: 26 dollars; Remark: Including 6 months clothing.

3) Company Muster Roll: Thomas Vaughan, Pvt. of Capt. James A. McClelland's Troop of Cavalry, attached to Major James V. Ball's Squadron; Lieut. Col. Ball's Squadron, Light Dragoons, U.S. Vols.; For Nov. & Dec., 1812; Date of appointment or enlistment: blank - noted 'roll torn'; To what time engaged or enlisted: blank - noted 'roll torn'; Present or absent: Absent; No. of horses: blank; Total sum of money paid since called into service of the United States at Pittsburgh: $26.00; Remarks and alterations since last muster: Driving team at Franklinton. [Franklinton was the first settlement in what is now Franklin Co., at the present site of Columbus, Ohio.]

4) Company Pay Roll: Thomas Vaughan, Pvt. of Capt. James A. McClelland's Troop of Cavalry, Pennsylvania Volunteer Light Dragoons., Lieut. Col. Ball's Squadron, Light Dragoons, U.S. Vols.; For: Oct. 5 to Dec 31, 1812; Roll dated Dec. 31, 1812; Commencement of service or of this settlement: Oct. 5, 1812; Expiration of services or of this settlement: Dec. 31, 1812; Sums advanced heretofore: 26; Remarks: Absent, No horse mustered.

5) Company Muster Roll: Thomas Vaughan, Pvt. of Capt. James A. McClelland's Troop of Cavalry, Lieut. Col. Ball's Squadron, Light Dragoons, U.S. Vols.; For: Jan. 1 to June 1, 1813; Time of volunteering: Oct. 5, 1812; To when volunteered: Oct. 5, 1813; Present or absent: Present; Horses: 1; Note: None of the above non-commissioned officers and privates have received any compensation in lieu of clothing (see Act of February 6, 1812). 'Tis much desired.; Remarks since last muster: Absent when last mustered at Franklinton driving team - due him then $23.56.

6) Company Pay Roll: Thomas Vaughan, Pvt. of Capt. James A. McClelland's Troop of Volunteer Light Dragoons, State of Pennsylvania, Lieut. Col. Ball's Squadron, Light Dragoons, U.S. Vols., For: Jan., Feb., Mar., Apr., and May, 1813; Roll dated May 31, 1813; Commencement of service or of this settlement: Jan. 1, 1813; Expiration of service or of this settlement: May 31, 1813; Term of service charged: 5 months; Pay per month: 5 dollars; Amount of pay: 25 dollars; No. horses: 1; Horse hire per day: 40 cents; Amount of horse hire: 60 dollars, 40 cents; Whole amount: 108 dollars, 96 cents; Remarks: 23.56 owe for 1812, now added

7) Muster Roll: Thomas Vaughan, Pvt. of Capt. James A. McClelland's Troop of Cavalry, A muster roll for clothing; Lieut. Col. Ball's Squadron, Light Dragoons, U.S. Vols., Roll dated: Camp at Cleaveland July 19, 1813; Time of volunteering: Oct. 5, 1812; To when volunteered: Oct. 5, 1813; Present or absent: Present; Remark: No pay has yet been received in lieu of clothing by any of the above members since called into the service of the United States.

8) Company Muster Roll: Thomas Vaughan, Pvt. of Capt. James A. McClelland's Troop of Cavalry attached Squadron of Light Dragoons commanded by Lt. Col. James V. Ball, Pennsylvania Vols., Lieut. Col. Ball's Squadron, Light Dragoons, U.S. Vols., For: June 1 to Aug. 7, 1813; Roll dated: Aug. 7, 1813; Date of volunteering or entering the service: Oct. 5, 1812; To what time engaged or volunteered: Oct. 5, 1813; Present or absent: Present; No. of horses: 1

9) Company Muster Roll: Thomas Vaughan, Pvt. of Capt. James A. McClelland's Troop of Cavalry attached to a Squadron of Light Dragoons commanded by Lt. Col. James V. Ball., Lieut. Col. Ball's Squadron, Light Dragoons, U.S. Vols., For: June 1 to Oct. 15, 1813; Dated Oct. 15, 1813; Date of volunteering or entering the service: Oct. 5, 1812; To what time engaged or volunteered: Oct. 5, 1813; Present or absent: Absent; No. of horses: 1; Remarks and alterations since last muster: On command

10) Pay Roll: Thomas Vaughan, Pvt. of Capt. James A. McClelland's Troop of Cavalry of the 12 months Volunteers attached to Squadron of Light Dragoons commanded by Lieut. Col. James V. Ball, Lieut. Col. Ball's Squadron, Light Dragoons, U.S. Vols., For: June, July, Aug., Sept. & Oct., 1813; Commencement of service or of this settlement: June 1, 1813; Expiration of service or of this settlement: Oct. 5, 1813; Term of service charged: 4 months, 15 days; Pay per month: 8 dollars; Amount of monthly pay: 35 dollars, 87 cents; Allowance of 40 cents per day for hire and risk of horse, &c,: 54 dollars, 80 cents; Allowance for travelling from place of discharge to place of residence, Detroit to Uniontown, Fayette County, Pa., 363 miles: 7 dollars, 88 cents; Total amount of pay and allowances due: 98 dollars, 55 cents

11) Pay Roll: Thomas Vaughan, Pvt. of Capt. James A. McClelland's Company of Vol. Light Dragoons, State of Pennsylvania, Difference of Pay, Liet. Col. Ball's Squadron, Light Dragoons, U.S. Vols., From: Jany. to Oct inclusive, 1813; Commencement of service or of this settlement: Jany. 1, 1813; Expiration of service or of this settlement: Oct. 5, 1813; Term of service charged: 5 months; Pay per month: 3 dollars; Amount of pay: 15 dollars.

On the 8th of April, 1813, Colonel James Ball arrived at Ft. Meigs with 200 dragoons (which would include our Thomas Vaughan). On the 12th General Harrison arrived at Ft. Meigs, with about 300 men. The rumor that the British were headed to Fort Meigs was confirmed on the 26th of April when the enemy was discovered at the mouth of Maumee Bay. Inside Ft.Meigs the grand traverse is built: 12' high, 20' wide, and 300 yrds, long and all tents are moved to the rear of it. As the British and Indian forces built their defenses, the men inside Fort Meigs did not have the time to complete wells, and had to go to the river to fetch water, under fire of the enemy. The first three days of May the British kept up an incessant shower of balls and shells upon the Fort. "On the night of the third the British erected a gun and mortar battery on the left bank of the river, within two hundred and fifty yards of the American lines. The Indians climbed the trees in the neighborhood of the fort, and poured in a galling fire upon the garrison." (excerpted from timeline of the War of 1812, Ohio Historical Society (http://ww2.ohiohistory.org/onlinedoc/war1812/chronology/0019.html and Henry Howe's "Historical Collections of Ohio in Two Volumes" published in 1889, Page 865, retells the story of the Siege of Fort Meigs and the conditions suffered by Harrison's army. Transcription available online at http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~henryhowesbook/wood.html, search for Page 865):

"General Harrison received a summons from Proctor for a surrender of the garrison, greatly magnifying his means of annoyance; this was answered by a prompt refusal, assuring the British general that if he obtained possession of the fort, it would not be by capitulation....in the several sorties of the 5th of May, and during the siege the American loss was 81 killed and 189 wounded. When the enemy raised the siege they gave a parting salute, which killed ten or twelve, and wounded double that number. "However," says one who was present, "we were glad enough to see them off on any terms. The next morning found us something more tranquil; we could leave the ditches, and walk about with something more of an air of freedom that we had done for the last fourteen days; and here I wish I could present to the reader a picture of the condition we found ourselves in when the withdrawal of the enemy gave us time to look at each other's outward appearance. The scarcity of water had put the washing of our hands and faces, much less our linen, out of the question. Many had scarcely any clothing left, and that which they wore was so begrimed and torn by our residence in the ditch and other means, that we presented the appearance of so many scarecrows."

After the seige of Fort Meigs, Lt. Col. Ball's squadron remained at Fort Meigs. On July 2nd a mounted regiment is sent to River Huron from Ft. Meigs via Lower Sandusky. Colonel Ball's squadron arrives at Lower Sandusky to help Harrison track down some unruly Indians who had been raiding the frontier. On July 3rd Colonel Ball's squadron escorts Harrison from Lower Sandusky to Cleveland. There Harrison makes arrangements for the better security of boats which are being built there. He also has a small fort constructed on the lake and directs the new boats to be hidden by sinking them as soon as they are built in a deep part of the Cuyahoga River. Colonel Ball is put in command of the new post. In a communication written from Lower Sandusky by General William Henry Harrison on 13 July 1813, he reports to Governor Meigs that the militia under Capt. Vance "have behaved as badly as those at Cleaveland have done well."

On September 10th, 1813, the British fleet is defeated by Commodore Perry's fleet in the Battle of Lake Erie. General Harrison is at what is now Port Clinton with an army of near 8,000 men by September 13th. His plan is to used repaired ships from the British fleet to cross to Fort Malden in Canada. Col. Richard Johnson was to lead a regiment of 1,000 mounted Kentuckians (including Simon Kenton) by land around the lake to Detroit to cross and meet Harrison at Sandwich (Windsor). A fence was constructed around a one-mile square of pasture on Catawba Island to hold the horses until the mounted regiment returned. By October 4th, many of the Indians were frustrated with the retreat of General Proctor along the Thames River and were abandoning the war, leaving only 500 Indians with Tecumseh, and a British army of only 600. Tecumseh continued to try to persuade Proctor to stand and fight. On October 5th Col. Johnson is ordered "to lead his 1,000 mounted dragoons on an immediate charge against the British position. Procter was decisively defeated, the battle lasting 5 minutes or less. Col. Johnson and about 180 of his horsemen thundered toward the Indian position, led by Capt. James Davidson and his 144-man advance company. The full number of Harrison's force moved forward to fight the Indians. Tecumseh is killed, and the war in the Northwest is over. Casualties were reported as: 12 killed and 22 wounded for the British; 7 killed and 22 wounded (5 of whom later died) for the United States. Thirty-three Indians are found dead on the field." By October 10th all of Harrison's army is back at Sandwich (Windsor). (excerpted from timeline of the War of 1812, Ohio Historical Society (http://ww2.ohiohistory.org/onlinedoc/war1812/chronology/0019.html )

Included in the frieze in the rotunda of the U.S. Capitol Building is the depiction of the Death of Tecumseh. "Tecumseh, a brilliant Indian chief, warrior, and orator, is shown being fatally shot by Colonel Johnson at the Battle of the Thames in Upper Canada during the War of 1812. Tecumseh and his followers joined forces with the British to resist the encroachment of settlers on Indian territory. With Tecumseh's death (Oct. 5, 1813), however, the momentum and power of the Indian confederacy was broken." (http://www.aoc.gov/capitol-hill/frieze-american-history/death-tecumseh)

"A Sorrow in Our Hearts" states that David or Daniel King, a private in Johnson's company actually slew Tecumseh on Oct. 5, 1813.

Note: At the time our Thomas Vaughan was driving team at Franklinton, in Nov. & Dec. 1812 (and apparently from his muster roll card, did not go on the expedition to the Indiana territory), Lt. Col. J. B. Campbell was ordered by Gen. Harrison to lead an army of mounted men and infantry (800 men) to the Mississeneway along the Wabash to destroy the Miami towns. Major (later Lt. Col.) James Ball's Squadron of Light Dragoons was part of Campbell's army...Campbells assembled army consisted of a mixture of Dragoons and Mounted Infantry numbering about 600 men in all (8). This small army contained a Regiment of Kentucky Volunteer Dragoons, and one troop of U.S.Dragoons (Major Ball took one squadron of mounted calvary) combined with squadrons of Kentucky, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and Michigan Volunteers. A company of the 19th U.S. Infantry, along with a Company of Pennsylvania Riflemen and the "Pittsburgh Blues" formed the Mounted Infantry. The two senior Officers under Campbell were Lt. Colonel James Simrall (9) and Major James Ball...Campbell left Franklinton (now Columbus) on November 25th and proceeded via Springfield to Xenia, where the troops were mustered in and paid. William Northcutt of the 'Bourbon Blues' recalled,"We got there (Franklinton) about the 5th of November ...here we were about three weeks fixing for the Miami expedition on the Mississinawa river. Here we gave up our muskets and cartouch boxes that we drew at Newport in August 1812 and drew a sword, one pistol and a yauger or short rifle for the expedition."
The Battle of the Mississinewa - November & December, 1812, by Keith Raynor See http://www.militaryheritage.com/mississa.htm for details of Campbell's campaign in November and December, 1812.

compiled by Rachel Meyer --RWMeyer 21:53, 24 September 2013 (UTC)

1. ↑ Find A Grave.

   Thomas Vaughan

2. ↑ Evans, Lyle S. A Standard History of Ross County. (Lewis Publishing Co., Chicago, 1917)
   Vol. 2.

   Pages 738, 739 & 740

3. ↑ St. Peter's Episcopal Church, Gallipolis, Ohio. History of Gallia County. (Gallipolis, Ohio: St. Peter's Episcopal Church, 1976)
   7.