PREVIOUS POSTS ABOUT DANIEL JOSEPH
4th Great
Grandfather Daniel Joseph served in the Augusta County, Virginia Militia under
Capt. Patterson according to Gwathmey’s Virginians in the Revolution.[1] I’m
not certain what militia duties Daniel was required to perform or where or when.
The regular Army was recruited by offering bounties, volunteers and drafts from
the militia so it’s possible he saw some fighting.
Joseph A. Waddell, the author
of ‘Annals of Augusta County, Virginia From 1726 to 1781’ provides this account
describing militia life (page 244):
The
whole State [Virginia] was divided
into military districts, and the militia were ordered to be embodied as
minute-men. The counties of Buckingham, Amherst, Albemarle and Augusta
constituted one district. Each district was to raise a battalion of 500 men,
rank and file, from the age of 16 to that of 50, to be divided into ten
companies of 50 men each. The officers were to be appointed by committees
selected by the various county committees. The battalion was required to be
kept in training at some convenient place for twelve days, twice a year; and
the several companies to be mustered four days in each month, except December,
January and February, in their respective counties.
Every man so
enlisted was required to “furnish himself with a good rifle, if to be had,
otherwise with a tomahawk, common firelock, bayonet, pouch, or cartouch box,
and three charges of powder and ball.” Upon affidavit that the minute-man was
not able to furnish his arms etc., they were to be supplied at public expense.
The officers were required to equip themselves, and officers and men were
liable to a fine for failure in this respect.
Joan Ault, a Daniel Joseph
descendant, provided me with copies of two military court proceedings for
Daniel. By the way, Joan’s ancestor was Daniel Joseph’s daughter, Eve. Eve
would marry John Gilliatt and settle in Orange County, Indiana.
On the 5th of May
1781 Daniel was fined for not appearing at a private muster while under Capt.
Patterson’s command.[2]
 |
| Scanned Image from Personal Collection |
Photocopy from Virginia Archives courtesy of Joan Ault
Daniel was ill along with
three other men. They were exempt from duty temporarily until they 'come to
their health'.[3]
 |
| Scanned Image from Personal Collection |
Photocopy from Virginia Archives courtesy of Joan Ault
In England on February 27,
1782, the House of Commons voted against continuing the war in America. By
March 1782, the British prime minister resigned with his replacement
immediately beginning peace discussions. The War was going to end. The
following month on the 19th of April 1782 Daniel contributed
supplies to the cause of the American Revolution—920 barrels of flour, 5 flour
barrels and 44 ½ gallons whiskey.[4]
After the war John Campbell
and Daniel Joseph petitioned the General Assembly on Dec. 9, 1785 because the
Army owed them for seizure of fifty-five cattle by army commissioners in 1780.
They only received certificates from the Army when the cattle were taken and
the people who they bought the cattle from were bringing court suits against
them for payment.[5] Disappointingly,
their claim was rejected by the Assembly. A transcription of the petition
follows:
To the Hon’ble thee Speaker, and the other Gentlemen of the House of
Delegates, the petition of John Campbell, and Daniel Joseph of Augusta County
Virginia
Humbly Sheweth
That in the summer of the year 1780 your Honours Petitioners purchased a
drove of cattle, in number 55, on and near the frontiers of Augusta and
Rockbridge Counties, entirely at their own expense and Credit, but as soon as
they were collected the Commissioners appointed under the Act for furnishing
provisions to the Army violently seized and took away the whole drove, the
Original cost of which amounts to nearly 270 Pounds Specie when Liquidated
exclusive of trouble and expenses and all the compensation your Petitioners
have as yet received for such a large share of their small property, is only a
Certificate, which is very little consolation to either them or their
Creditors; The situation of your Hon’s Petitioners are the more melancholy, as
there are many suits commenced against them by persons from whom they purchased
part of the Cattle, the principal, Interest, and the said Suits, appears to end
in the ruin of your Petitioners and their families. Gentlemen as your Pet’rs
have always contributed chearfully with their fellow Citizens for the support
of Government, and Independence, their Case merits your Honours Consideration,
it is distressing for them to feel themselves greater sufferers than their
fellow Subjects
Therefore your Hon’s Pet’rs most humbly request that you may be pleased to
consider their Case, and order them such redress as your Wisdom and prudence
may think reasonable.
And your Pet’rs with ever Pray
Dated October 3rd 1785
The Subscribers have for many years been acquainted with the above Pet’rs
and always understood them to be hearty and Zealous friends to the United
States of America
If their case is not redress’d, it deserves to be pitied!
Jno. Poages John Hamilton
Jacob Peck Robert Stuart
Thomas Fork H. King
Robert Aistrop Thos. Frame
Wm. Wilson [Unreadable]
R. Gamble John Hooke
Peter Hanger
George Berry
[Unreadable]
No pension, service or bounty
land applications exist for Daniel or his wife, Eve that I’ve been able to
locate. Daniel died before Feb. 22, 1796 and Eve remarried Warner Peters in
1799.
As always, I would like to
know more. Comments and suggestions are welcome.
[1]
Historical Register of Virginians in the Revolution, Soldiers-Sailors-Marines
1775-1783 by John H. Gwathmey, page 431
[2] Virginia
Archives courtesy of Joan Ault
[4] Augusta
Co., VA Court of Claims
[5] Campbell,
John &
Joseph,
Daniel:
Petition, Augusta County, VA, 1785/12/09, Legislative Petitions Digital
Collection, Library of Virginia, Richmond, Va.
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