Aquila White (1745 - 1823)

Born 8 Dec 1745 in Baltimore County, Maryland

Husband of Susannah (Noland) White — married 28 Jan 1765 in Rowan County, North Carolina

Died 4 Oct 1823 at age 77 in Red River, Montgomery, Kentucky, USA

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Biography

Captain Aquila White served with 8th Pennsylvania Regiment, Continental Army during the American Revolution.

Aquilla and his father John owned land in Bedford County, Pennsylvania. Aquilla and his wife, Susannah Noland White, were taxed in Turkeyfoot Township in Bedford County, PA. from 1773-1778; in 1779, only Susannah was taxed. He enlisted for service in Bedford County, PA. in 1775 for the American Revolutionary War (April 19, 1775 - October 19, 1781) and in 1776 was stated as him "being of full age."He became Captain of the Pennsylvania Line in the Eighth Regiment and did service on the Virginia Frontier. His service ended on the 23rd day of February, 1777. Aquilla applied for Pension in 1811 and was issued Pension # S37533 and started to receive it on January 27, 1819 as listed on the 1820 Kentucky Pension List.

Military

American Revolutionary War (April 19, 1775 - October 19, 1781)

Captain of the Pennsylvania Line in the Eighth Regiment and did service on the Virginia Frontier.^[1]

Several White's were married in Rowan County Kentucky.Marriages listed:

Aquilla to Susanna Noland 1/28/1765 Rowan CO.

James to Mary Lawson 4/13/1770 Rowan CO

Elizabeth to Thomas Peden 3/3/1772 Rowan CO

Mary to William McCree 2/11/1776 Rowan CO

Margaret to Thomas Roberts 11/29/1779 Rowan CO

Mary to Christian Knup 12/8/1779 Rowan CO

Andrew to Ezebella (Izabella) Gellah 8/8/1788 Rowan CO

Margaret to John Scott 1792 Cabarrus CO

Aquilla liked what he saw in Kentucky County Virginia and made the decision to leave PA. He arrived at Boones Fort on April 13, 1779. Boones Fort was also known as Ft. Boonesborough. Daniel Boone had settled here and his settlement was established as a "Fort" on April 3, 1775 and completed as one on June 14, 1775. Daniel Boone and his family were there from March 1775-1783. Other WHITE family members listed at Fort Boone: Benjamin (killed at Fort B, leaving a widow), Ambrose (killed), and Galen. They may be some of the ones mentioned who were killed by Indian attacks on Boone's Fort. It is believed Benjamin, Ambrose, and Galen were all related to Aquilla; Brothers or cousins.

There were several Indian tribes that claimed Kentucky County Virginia as their "Hunting Ground" and this often led to deadly confrontations. Because of this, Kentucky became known as "Dark and Bloody Ground". A few noted Tribes: North of the Ohio River were Mohawk, Onondagas, Cayugas, and others....South of Kentucky were: Cherokee, Chickasaw, and others. Boonesborough was the main object of Indian hostilities."On April 6, 1775, Indians attacked and killed one white man at the fort.On December 24, 1775, they killed another one and wounded one."One noted attack was on April 15, 1777 which resulted in the loss of some men, corn, and cattle.Also, on July 4, 1777, over two hundred warriors attacked the Fort with the siege lasting two days and nights, but the Indians were unsuccessful. August 8, 1778 was the last noted Indian attack by five hundred armed and painted warriors. Once, Canadian Officers, displaying British colors, demanded surrender of the Fort, it did not happen. After 1793, only a few prowling Indians remained in Madison County, Kentucky.

Excerpt from "Reminiscences from the Life of Col. Cave Johnson" written by Cave Johnson, 1849, several months before his passing; submitted to the Kentucky Archives by Polly A. Menendez:

(Cave Johnson was born November 15, 1760 in Orange County, Virginia. He was the son of William and Elizabeth Cave Johnson.)

"On the first day of April, 1779, my brother, Robert, myself, and one other man (Wm. Tomlinson) set out from Orange County, VA for a visit to Kentucky. There was then about two hundred miles of the road from the back settlements on Holston waters to Kentucky that was considered to be quite dangerous, traveling with so small a company as ours (only three), but we pushed on, and at the Cumberland River we overtook a company of several families of Bryants, from North Carolina, on their way to Kentucky, to settle at a place called Bryant's Station, on North Elkhorn. We joined the company and arrived first at Boonesborough where we obtained some little Indian corn, and then went on to North Elkhorn, where we arrived about the last of April. We, that is, Tomlinson and myself, assisted the Bryants in putting up some cabins. Robert Johnson left us and went to Lexington, which had just been settled from about Allegheny and Monongahela. After viewing and exploring the country some weeks, he returned to Virginia. Tomlinson and myself planted about four acres of corn, and after we had finished working it, in July we left for home. And there I will mention an incident that happened on the way in the wilderness; A number of Bryant's and others, were along. One company was considerable as to numbers, and when in the wilderness, not far from the Cumberland River, we stopped to eat our dinners and noon it, as it was called, and let our horses graze. While we were stopped, a number of men took their guns and turned out to hunt, wishing to kill deer, and while they were out from camp, one man, AQUILA WHITE, shot and killed William Beamlett (Rev. William Bramlett), mistaking him for an Indian. Beamlett was a preacher, and one of our company, and there we buried him. Tomlinson and myself reached home in safety."

It is believed that Daniel Boone was part of the "considerable numbers" that Cave Johnson mentioned. This has been determined by the "Daniel Boone Papers" compiled by Lyman G. Draper. Draper visited and interviewed Daniel Bryan/t of Fayette County, Kentucky who was the nephew of Col. Daniel Boone April 1844. These "Papers" are deposited at the Wisconsin State Historical Society. Capt. William Bryan/t married Daniel Boone's sister and they had Daniel Bryan. In these "Papers", it states that in 1779 while in Kentucky traveling with a group, the death of one "Bramblette" occured. In addition, Bryan states the Bramlett who was killed was Ambrose, but it was William. The possibility exists that William's full name was William Ambrose Bramlett which would explain the mix up in the name given for the Bramlett killed. Also, notation is made in these "Papers" that the party was returning to Virginia when they were attacked by Indians and Aquilla White mistook Bramblett for an Indian and shot him.

About June 1, 1779, Aquilla left Boonesborough with Ruben Proctor and Capt. John Wittectger to explore the south side of Kentucky and to settle there. While exploring, they noted "Licks" which were exposed salt deposits. Animals frequented these areas to lick the salt. Some of the "Licks" were without names, and one located in Madison County Kentucky on Tates Creek became known as "Aquilla's Lick".

In the fall of 1779, he moved his family to Boonesborough. Aquilla was named as one of "The Defenders and Hunters of Boonesborough, 1779". He was a frontiersman and woodsman who continued to move from place to place. He and his family left Boonesborough and settled at McGee's Station on Cooper's Run in Fayette County (which was about three miles from Boonesborough) and lived there from 1780-1781. They then moved in the spring of 1782 to Grubb's Station and stayed about three years. He and his family lived in and around these areas of Kentucky. There are Land Records showing he owned 300 acres below Miller's Creek, 500 acres at West Fork of Station's Camp Creek (near Estill County), and had a total of 2,040 acres on Abraham Banta on Muddy Creek. From 1779-1812 Aquilla filed land deeds and surveys. Aquilla, John, Pierce, Thomas, and Elizabeth (these names can also be found in Bedford County, PA., living close to each other in the early 1770's) all filed land surveys in Kentucky County Virginia which became Madison County, Kentucky in 1785.

Estill County, Kentucky Archives also shows Land surveys for 150 acres to John White July 22, 1818 on South Fork Kentucky River about 7 months later, to Aquilla White 50 acres same location as John on January 28, 1819. Based on the fact that these two tracks adjoin, we can assume this John was Aquilla's brother.

Aquilla was appointed Constable for Madison County Kentucky on August 23, 1786. As Kentucky County Virginia grew, new counties emerged, changing land boundaries. Aquilla gave three depositions regarding land boundaries: June 10, 1799, August 21, 1807, and in 1809.

How Kentucky was formed:

Fincastle County Virginia was divided on December 31, 1776 into three new counties....Washington, Montgomery, and Kentucky (now Madison County). May of 1780, Kentucky County Virginia was divided and established three counties....Jefferson, Fayette, and Lincoln. October 1784, the part of Jefferson County, South of Salt River was established and named the County of Nelson. May 1, 1785. Bourbon County was formed out of the Northern part of Fayette County and in that same year, on August 1st, Madison and Mercer Counties were carved out of Lincoln County. Madison being the seventh county formed. May 1, 1788, Mason County came out of Bourbon County, and Woodford County out of Fayette County. At this date, there were now nine Counties carved out of the original Kentucky County which comprised the Commonwealth of Kentucky when admitted into the Union as a State on June 1, 1792. Clark County was formed from Fayette and Bourbon Counties in 1792. Estill County formed out of Madison and Clark Counties in 1808. Owsley County formed from part of Estill County in 1843. Powell County formed from Estill County in 1852, and in 1870, Lee County was also formed from part of Estill County.

Aquilla is found in various counties throughout the Census/Tax Lists due to new counties being established; the land he owned and lived on was the same...but the boundary lines changed, placing him in Madison, Estill, Lee, and Montgomery Counties.

Madison County Tax List of 1800 list these WHITE's:

Anne, Aquilla, Arnold, Edward, Galon (Galen), George, James, Joel, John, Nathan, Nicholas, Pirce (Pierce), Stephen, Thomas, Thomas Sr.

1810 Madison County Census list these WHITE's:

Aquila (Aquilla), Arnold, Asa, Benni (Benjamin), Capt. James, David Sr., David, Durret, Elizabeth, Galin(Galen), George, Joel, John, John, John, Joseph, Nathan, Nicholas, Pierce, Stephen S., Thomas Sr., Thomas.

1810 Estill County Census list these WHITE's:

Page one: All Listed living "next" to one another.

William, Henry, Jesse

Page 7 James

Page 9 Listed "next" to each other

Anne, Willis

Hartford County (boundary changes), Maryland 1st and 3rd Districts show these WHITE's listed in 1850 Census:

Andrew, Ratchell (Rachel), Aquiler (Aquilla), Charles, Mary, Washington, William, William, William.

1860 Hartford County Maryland various districts:

A.H. (Andrew), Elizabeth, Isaac, Aquilla, Charles T., Edmunds, George, Hannah, Henry, Isaac, Jesse, Mary, Washington, William, William, William.

The White and Noland families remained close. One hundred years later, on July 22, 1876,Thomas Noland paid $100.00 for a Marriage Bond between John W. White and Matilda Francis Dawes in Irome, Kentucky:

MARRIAGE BOND

• The Commonwealth of Kentucky

Be It Known That we, John W. White as principal, and Thomas Noland surety, are jointly and severally bound to the Commonwealth of Kentucky in the sum of One Hundred Dollars.

THE CONDITION OF THIS BOND IS AS FOLLOWS:

That, whereas, Marriage is intended to be solemnized between the above bound John W. White and Matilda Francis Dawes.

Now, if there is no lawful cause to obstruct said marriage, this bond shall be void, otherwise it shall remain in full force and effect.

Dated at Irome KY. this 22nd day of July 1876.

Witnessed and signed with the mark of John W. White and Thomas Noland.

Marriage Bond Information:

• MALE FEMALE

Name of Groom: John W. White

Name of Bride: Matilda Francis Dawes

Residence of Groom: Estill County, KY

Residence of Bride: Estill County, KY

Age of Groom: 21 Years Age of Bride: 16 Years

No. of Marriage of Groom: 1st Number of Marriage of Bride: 1st

Occupation: Farmer

More About AQUILLA WHITE:

Burial: Madison County, Kentucky

Occupation: Farmer

Sources

1. ↑ https://familysearch.org/search/record/results#count=20&query=%2Bgivenname%3AAquilla~%20%2Bsurname%3AWhite~%20%2Bbirth_place%3A%22Baltimore%20County%2C%20Maryland%22~%20%2Bdeath_place%3A%22Red%20River%2C%20Montgomery%20County%2C%20Kentucky%22~%20%2Bfather_givenname%3AJohn~%20%2Bfather_surname%3AWhite~%20%2Bmother_givenname%3AElizabeth~%20%2Bmother_surname%3ABrome~%20%2Bspouse_givenname%3ASusannah~%20%2Bspouse_surname%3ANoland~%20%2Bbirth_year%3A1743-1747~%20%2Bdeath_year%3A1821-1825~

• http://familytreemaker.genealogy.com/users/k/r/a/Raya-A-Krause/GENE6-0005.html
• "United States Census, 1820," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:XHGF-9P9 : accessed 11 May 2017), Aquilla White, Montgomery, Kentucky, United States; citing p. 291, NARA microfilm publication M33, (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.), roll 25; FHL microfilm 186,185.
• Pension Application of Aquila White, shared by Fold3.com
• See also: https://www.geni.com/people/Aquilla-White/6000000003101933161

Footnotes

Acknowledgments