52 Ancestors Week 27: Independent

Question

Time for the next 52 Ancestors challenge!

Please share with us a profile of an ancestor or relative who matches this week's theme:

Independent

From Amy Johnson Crow:

We are now in the second half of the year! Can you believe it?! In the U.S., we'll be celebrating Independence Day on Thursday, so it seems appropriate to have the theme of "Independent." You could feature a Revolutionary War veteran, an ancestor who had an independent streak, or an ancestor of independent means. Be creative!

Share below!

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Answer 1

I had the follow six ancestors that I know of that fought for the American Revolution:

• Caleb Arnold: as Deputy and Member of the War Committee, 1773-1775; Rhode Island
• Oliver Babcock: as one of the Westerly Alarm Men, he was a Lieutenant of the Reformadors, 1776-1777; Rhode Island
• Jonathan Anthony Brown: as a private: spring 1776 for 15 days under Capt John Case, RI; July 1776 for 15 days under Lt. Thomas; Fall, 1777 for one month under Capt. John Brown and Col. Cray; Spring 1778-16 March 1779 under Capt Alexander Thomas and Col. John Laphar; Fall after British evacutated Newport; one month under Lt. Spencer Taylor and Col. Lemuel Bailey. Engaged in the following battles: Spencer's Expedition; Siege of Newport and Battle of Rhode Island.; Rhode Island
• Jotham Bruce: as a private, 1775; Massachusetts
• Reuben Bruce: for two weeks as minuteman at the Battle of Lexington, 1775; as a private for five months, 1776; Massachusetts
• George Henton: served in the Virginia Militia, 1776, Virginia.

To each of them and their compatriots I owe my freedom and so I honor them and their companions.

Answer 2

What is independence?

My maternal grandfather, who married and had several children, including one who was conceived and born whilst he was away during WWI (certainly stretched the idea of brotherly love!). He and family moved to France to continue his work for the England War Graves Commission. They were totally without family around them. In 1939 the family fled France, by going cross country, not along the roadways where so many were mown down. They were held up at Dunkirk because they needed birth certificates in English for the younger French born children. They were some of the last to make it, sailing on a boat crammed with civilians, government workers, and wounded.

Many years later one of his daughters (my mother) flew with her family to Australia. They emigrated alone and no family to meet up with.

Answer 3

I do not know for certain, but I believe my husband's great grandmother Mary Augusta Furniss was a very independent woman. She was born out of wedlock in 1849 in Derby, Derbyshire, England. The person I believe was her father emigrated to Australia with his parents and siblings after she was born. In February 1853, John Hoey returned to England to marry Sarah Furniss, Mary Augusta's mother. John and Sarah then sailed to Australia, leaving Mary Augusta with Sarah's parents. As a four year old, she may have already been so attached to her grandparents that she wanted to stay. The reason she stayed behind may never be known. In 1874, she married Henry Lawless. In 1880, with two children ages 4 & 2, and another one on the way the small family sailed to America.

I had the privilege of meeting her youngest daughter, Madeline (known to everyone as Aunt Mad) in 1981. She told the story that Mary Augusta's father wanted her to go to Australia with them, however, Henry and Mary were determined to set out on their own to America. They lived in Manhattan long enough to be listed on the 1880 census. They then moved to Connecticut, eventually settling in Middletown where most of the large family worked at the Russell Manufacturing Company.  

Answer 4

The most independant relative I have is my great Grandmother on my maternal side Eleanor https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Carr-7983 " She used to wear a long black dress and stand on the corner of the street, some people thought she was hard up and gave her a few coppers now and again. What they didn't realise was that she actually owned all of the houses and one shop in that street!

As this was in the late 1800 and early 1900's  meant she was rich. Shame her one remaining son managed to lose everything, he generously gave half o the Zion Church then through poor investments and a fire that destroyed an uninsured warehouse. 

Answer 5

My paternal 4xgreat grandmother Mary Roskilly nee Quiller http://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Quiller-1 was described as "Ind" on the 1841 census. I assume this stands for Independant. She was the widow of a tailor. In the 1851 census she is described as a Linsey jacket maker (at least that is what it looks like).

Answer 6

My 4th GGfather was Andrew Sharp, a Pennsylvania farmer who fought with George Washington to secure our great nation's independence.  He was appointed Captain at the Battle of Brandywine.  He survived the war and returned to his family. However, in 1794, as he was moving his family to Kentucky by flatboat, a few miles outside Pittsburgh, PA, they were attacked by Indians, and Andrew will seriously injured.  He was taken to Pittsburgh, where he was recovering well, until cannons were fired on July 4, in honor of the victory that he helped to secure, and his wounds we re-opened by the vibration and he died.

Answer 7

Just last year I received my membership to the Sons of the American Revolution.  My ancestor, Gilbert Pinckney, was a private in the Revolutionary War, serving New York in the Westchester County Militia, 3rd regiment.  Gilbert is my 5th GGF.

Comments

In addition to my ancestor, this year also marks the first year of me being registered as an American Independent!  I'm done with the Elephants and Asses.  :)

Answer 8

Not so much independent by choice but forced to be independent by her circumstances by 4x great grandmother Lucy Higgins (Higgins-5449)  who was the unmarried mother of 4 children who she raised on her own.

Answer 9

Rumor has it that my great grandfather Jacob Faden came to the states from Poland around 1887. It was said that he came on his own at 16. He might have even been a stow-a-way on the ship. He died right before I was born so I have been unable to verify. 

Answer 10

Col William Stacy Revolutionary War veteran

Answer 11

Several of my ancestors fought in the Revolution.  Today I want to highlight my ancestor William Nutting Esq.  Not only did he fight for independence but he was a man of independent mind. During the Revolutionary War William Nutting served as a Corporal in Capt. Asa Lawrence's company of Minute-men. He was a farmer, introduced the cultivation of Irish potatoes to the area; and a teacher. He helped bring the process of vaccination for small pox to the area. He was a writer and kept a journal of "minute-books" that are great sources of information on the details of life during the period.

In the days before photography you had to be pretty special to have a portrait done so there is no image of William.  However, he sent two sons to Dartmouth College.  The College still has the shadow portrait done of young Rufus Nutting.  I image he looked a lot like his Dad.

Answer 12

My great aunt Lulu was a truly independent woman.  She gave up marriage to care for her mother, remained single after her death.  She maintained a large home outside of Boston.  I remember visiting her as a child and was impressed with her.  Actually, she is most responsible for my interest in family history.  She claimed we were descended from William Bradford.  I wish I had questioned her about that, but as a youngster i accepted what she said as truth, especially since fa!Ill members were named after him!  I have been unable to make that connection!

Answer 13

Like some of people here I have a lot that fought in the Revolutionary war. My will be Vinett Fine had brothers that fought in it also. His profile is https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Fine-206.

Many of the Fines were traders, and the county and state boundaries are not what they used to be. It is likely, like the Indians, these traders considered a vast amount of territory their property. It is however known, that most of the Fine family at this time were Baptists. (Fine Huber)

# Vinet and Peter and some other unrelated guys had just gone from North Carolina across the mountains into Tennessee to kick some Cherokee butt; Vinet was killed as they were running back across to North Carolina. This was a fairly longstanding argument about cattle raiding and whatnot; raiding was going on on both sides. 

Vinet was listed Dunmore County Militia in 1775 and in the 8th Virginia Regiment with Rev. Muhlenberg. "German Regiment." In July 1781, he was in a party attacking a party of Indians with Col. John Sevier. The 1783 Shenandoah County VA census showed Vinet as head of family, with 6 in family.

In April 1783, he was with a force who crossed the mountain to the Overhill Town (Cherokee Indian) of Cowee and burned it. All Indian aggressions upon the Pigeon and French Broad River settlements had come from this town. The force was commanded by Col. William Lillard and Major Peter Fine.

In the Winter of 1783, Indians began to steal horses and cattle from the Big Pigeon settlements in Cocke County TN. Major Peter Fine and Captain John McNabb raised a company of men and followed the Indians across the mountains into North Carolina, where they killed one Indian and wounded another, but recovered the stolen horses. The Indians fired upon them, killing Vinett Fine, and wounding Thomas Holland, and a man named of Bingham. Because there was no time for grave-digging and apparently no safety in trying to escape with the body, the ice in the creek was broken and the body placed there. Before the men could return for it, the creek became flooded by a sudden change in temperature, and the body was washed away and was never recovered. To this day, the creek is known as Fine's Creek. Fine's Branch, in 1998, is in Cocke County, TN. 

Answer 14

As a 9th generation Vermonter, my idea about independence may be a little different.  We were so independent, we had our own independent republic from 1777 to 1791.  New York claimed us, and New Hampshire claimed us, so we couldn't be part of the original 13 colonies.  We were there alright, and our rabble in arms (my ancestors) fought at the Battle of Bennington, which set the course for the British defeat at Saratoga.  Even our general, Ethan Allen was independent.  He was the one who invited the New Yorkers to Bennington, so they could learn that the Gods of the hills are not the Gods of the valleys.  Independent cuss.  He was inviting the Yorkers up so we could show them what for.  One of my ancestors dressed up as an Indian to greet those Yorkers.  Yup, we kept our land from the Yorkers and their tax collector.  It took years for it all to come out in the wash.   Finally, we could join as the 14th state in 1791,  But we've been independent ever since.

Answer 15

I will nominate my Great Grandfather Alfred Pallant who lived with his much older brother when his parents died but remained in England alone at the age of 11 when his brothers family emigrated to New Zealand in 1875 . 

He eventually moved to Leicester ( my home town ) by 1881 to work in the boot & shoe industry.

He married and had 12 children.

Answer 16

Elisha Eastus (Estes) and Thomas W Crumbliss were both in the Revolutionary war. We have located Elisha's service records, but the spelling of the times continues to hide Thomas :(

Elisha and Thomas were reportedly mates in the revolutionary war, both from Ireland, both serving with the Virgnia Regiments that fought at King's mountain, and both noted in books written to commemorate and applaud their service that are held in the Roane county Museum in Roane TN. These men are both the Gx grandfathers from the late 1770's, patriots!

Answer 17

I think I uploaded a photo of my Great Grandmother Inez Schwenke Bonney. Independent? You Betcha! Scandalous? Absolutely!! Inez and her girlfriend dressed up like men c 1907 and you JUST DID NOT DO THAT back then. This was an independently minded woman who applied for homestead BEFORE marriage and in her OWN NAME! I do believe that was illegal! She lost her first baby because the men folk were gone and bad weather was threatening the corn crop, so she went out to harvest and had that baby right there, all alone in the cornfield. Unfortunately the baby did not survive.