Pedro Francisco Sr (1760 - 1831)

Born 9 Jul 1760 in Porto Judeu, Angra do Heroísmo, Terceira, Azores, Portugal [uncertain]

Ancestors

Husband of Susannah (Anderson) Francisco — married Dec 1784 in Virginia, United States

Husband of Catherine Fauntleroy (Brooke) Francisco — married 8 Dec 1794 (to 1821) in Richmond, Virginia

Husband of Mary Beverly (Grymes) Francisco — married 1823 in Buckingham, Virginia, United States [uncertain]

Descendants

Died 16 Jan 1831 at age 70 in Richmond, Virginia, United States

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Peter Francisco Sr resided in the Southern Colonies in North America before 1776. Join: US Southern Colonies Project Discuss: southern_colonies

Biography

Peter Francisco Sr served with 10th Virginia Regiment (1777), Continental Army during the American Revolution.

Peter Francisco Sr is Notable.

"Virginia Giant" or “Giant of the Revolution” - an American Patriot 6 Foot six inches tall, weight 260 pounds.

In June 1765, Peter (Pedro) Francisco was found abandoned at a wharf in present-day Hopewell, Virginia (then City Point). He was then about five years of age, and was believed to have been Portuguese, possibly from the Azores, and possibly kidnapped from his homeland and taken to America. Raised as an indentured servant by Judge Anthony Winston, Peter was trained as a blacksmith.

In 1775, he heard Judge Winston's nephew, Patrick Henry, give his famous speech, “Give Me Liberty or Give Me Death”, and became a supporter of the colonies breaking away from England. By 1776, Peter had joined the 10th Virginia Militia as a private. A five-foot sword was given him by Gen. George Washington, after Francisco's complaint that ordinary swords were too light.

At the age of 15 he was permitted to enlist, in 1776, as a private in the 10th Virginia Regiment. He re-enlisted two more times and was injured at least four times, once being left for dead. His feats were legendary. He reportedly picked up a one thousand pound cannon and hauled it on his back off the battlefield in New Jersey. Another story tells how he singelhandedly escaped from nine British soldiers that were holding him prisoner and escaped with their horses. His strength, size and bravery led to him being called "Hercules of the Revolution" and "The Giant of Virginia." After the war he became a wealthy store owner and was named the Sergeant-of-Arms for the Virginia House of Delegates. He was a national hero in the 1800s with children's books written about him and several states setting aside March 15th as "Peter Francisco Day." Several monuments and parks are named in his honor and in 1975 the U.S. Postal Service issued a commemorative stamp to celebrate his service to his country. An original eighteenth century engraving of this soldier is on display at Independence Hall in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

Peter was wounded at the Battle of Brandywine, and was at Valley Forge with Washington and Lafayette. He was wounded again, in 1778, at the Battle of Monmouth, then in the big Battle of Cowpens, after starting his third enlistment. At Cowpens he was part of Lt. Col. William Washington’s troops.

He was at the Battle of Stony Point, where he was wounded again, with a British bayonet (that soldier he then killed, who had been under Lt. Col Basastre Tarleton). Further wounds were received at the Battle of Camden, and then, with Colonel Watkins, at the Guilford Courthouse Battle, where he was bayoneted again in the leg. In the various battles he killed 11 men.

After the Guilford Courthouse battle, he defeated Tarleton’s Raiders in what was called “Francisco’s Fight” and made off with most of their horses. Peter was at Yorktown to see the British surrender. (Then) Colonel George Washington was so impressed that he offered him a commission, but Francisco declined (due to his lack of education), and stated that, ‘Without him, we would have lost two crucial battles, perhaps the war, and with it our freedom," and "He was truly a one-man army."^[1]

At war’s end, in 1783, Peter went home to Buckingham, Virginia. He had inherited a farmhouse and land, named “Locust Grove”, in Richmond, Virginia, from his first wife, Susannah.

Marriages

1. Susannah (Anderson) Francisco (1763-1791), by some reports, they married when she turned eighteen and she died five years later^[2]
2. Catherine Fauntleroy (Brooke) Francisco (abt.1773-1821), whom he married two years after Susannah died^[2]
3. Mary Beverly (Grymes) West Francisco (abt.1782-abt.1858), whom he married in 1823^[2][3]

Children of Susannah Anderson

1. James Anderson Francisco, who was an heir to his mother's Cumberland County land that she had inherited from her father^[2]
2. Polly Francisco

Children of Catherine Fauntleroy Brooke

1. Susan Brooke Francisco
2. Benjamin M. Francisco
3. Peter Francisco, II
4. Catherine Fauntleroy Francisco

He was a legend in his own time.

Peter died of appendicitis Jan. 16, 1831 in Richmond, Virginia.

Research Notes

The American historiography^[4][1][5], associates Peter Francisco with a Pedro, that was born on 9 July 1760 in Porto Judeu, Terceira, Açores, Portugal, he was the godson of his uncle Pedro Francisco, and son of Francisco Machado Luís and Maria da Ascenção.

This document names Francisco Machado Luis and Maria da Ascenção as his parents.

Transcription of the baptism record:^[6]

“PEDRO, son of Francisco Machado Luis and his wife Antonia Maria, natives and parishioners of this parish of St. Anthony of the place of Porto Judeu, was born the 9th day of the month of July of the year of 1760, and was baptized on 20th of the same month by me, Antonio Gardoso de Castro, the Vicar of the Parish. Godparents: Pedro Francisco, son of Francisco Machado Luiz (grandfather of the baptized) and Marianna de St. Joseph, daughter of Pedro Pacheco and his wife Maria de St. Joseph natives and parishioners of this said parish; to state made this record on the same day, month, and year above

Vicar Antonio Gradoso de Castro

Joao Roiz da Costa

Joao Joseph Machado"

This document suggests that Francisco Machado Luiz and Marianna de St. Joseph were his grandparents.

Sources

1. ↑ ^{1.0 1.1} "Peter Francisco: American Revolutionary War hero", by Michael D. Hull; Military History magazine; History.net; July/August 2006 issue.
2. ↑ ^{2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3} W Edwin Hemphill, ed. Daniel, J. R. V. The Giant of Virginia [Peter Francisco, Alias the Hercules of the Revolution]. Vol. 1. Issue 2. Virginia Cavalcade: History in Picture and Story. 1951, p. 39. Richmond, Virginia: Virginia State Library.
3. ↑ See also (no direct source identified): Wikipedia: Peter Francisco.
4. ↑ Moon, William Arthur. Peter Francisco, the Portuguese Patriot. Colonial Publishers, 1980. pp 49,52,53,. https://www.familysearch.org/library/books/records/item/662661-peter-francisco-the-portuguese-patriot .
5. ↑ Ornelas Mendes, António, and Jorge Forjaz. Genealogias da Ilha Terceira. Vol. V. Lisboa: DisLivro Histórica, 2007. p551,552. https://www.familysearch.org/library/books/records/item/145262-genealogias-da-ilha-terceira-v-05
6. ↑ "Batismo de Pedro", 1760/7/20. Açores, Terceira, Angra do Heroísmo, Paróquia do Porto Judeu 1643-05-03/1911-03-31, Batismos 1643-05-03/1911-03-29, PT/BPARLSR/PRQ/AGH06/01-001/0005, fl 70v. Biblioteca Pública e Arquivo Regional Luís da Silva Ribeiro, Angra do Heroísmo, Açores, Portugal. (Centro de Conhecimento dos Açores: TER-AH-PORTOJUDEU-B-1751-1770): http://culturacores.azores.gov.pt/biblioteca_digital/TER-AH-PORTOJUDEU-B-1751-1770/TER-AH-PORTOJUDEU-B-1751-1770_item1/index.html?page=72

See also:

• Wikidata: Item Q4492411, en:Wikipedia
• Schellhammer, Michael. “Peter Francisco: Distinguishing Fact from Fiction.” Journal of the American Revolution, July 23, 2013.
• “DAR Genealogical Research Databases - FRANCISCO, PETER / Ancestor #: A04164” Accessed September 25, 2022.
• Find a Grave, database and images www.findagrave.com/memorial/8184034/peter-francisco accessed 25 Sep 2022, memorial page for Peter Francisco (1760–16 Jan 1831), Find A Grave: Memorial #8184034, citing Shockoe Hill Cemetery, Richmond, Richmond City, Virginia, USA; Maintained by Find a Grave.
• “Portuguese Immigrants in the United States: Peter Francisco.” Library of Congress, Accessed September 25, 2022.
• Bowman, Travis. "The Peter Francisco Story". Accessed September 25, 2022.
• “Peter Francisco Society”. Accessed September 25, 2022 .
• Moon, William Arthur. Peter Francisco, the Portuguese Patriot. Colonial Publishers, 1980.
• Wikipedia: Peter Francisco
• Wikipedia: Francisco's_Fight