The 1782
Volunteer Militia from
And
their Moravian Indian victims
By
George C. Williston.
Who were the men who murdered the
Moravian Indians in that infamous event of
My intention is to put forth a list of
names of the men who were on this expedition. The men will be identified as to
their township, creek or settlement of residence as well as other
characteristics of their identity to answer the question of who they were and
how they fared after this murdering. A list of 196 names will be developed with
authority clarified as to why each name is on the list. A part of this question
is whether they were a militia organization at the time, and on official
military duty. The nagging question is: what kind of men when in a group would
murder men, women and children living in Christian pacifism and political
neutrality? That is the over riding question which has prompted this
investigation. .
Surprisingly, the first list of names
was not published until 100 years after the event, and has not been
re-published since 1906.[1]
This is the history of a mimeographed list presently available at the
Historical Society in
The Caucasian Moravians were the first
to write and publish in
A few years later in the last century several
reputable local historians tried without success to find lists of names. Both
Boyd Crumrine and Isaac Craig tried to find a list which was rumored to exist.
Isaac Craig wrote to Boyd Crumrine in 1881 that he knew of a list, but couldn’t
get it- and apparently never did.[6]
Consul W. Butterfield- a notable historian of this Western border- wrote in
1882 that he was unable to find lists and public documents about this unseemly
event.[7]
It is obvious from the documentation used by Crumrine and Butterfield that they
would have presented a list had they had one. Crumrine does give a couple of
the names he knew, but only a couple of the total.
Strangely enough the first publication
of a list of these men was in the 1888 series of the Pennsylvania Archives
which was the official publication of the State of
-000-
Lieutenant Colonel
David Williamson
Captains
Samuel
Shearer (?) John Cotton
Lieutenants
Hugh
Forbes William Wilkins
Sergeant
Thomas Rankin
Privates
Samuel
Riddel
James
Huston
John
Riddel Jesse Edginton
James
Roney Thomas
Marshall
James Buchanan Thomas
Montgomery
William
Forbes Eleaser Jenkins
John
Baird William
Black
Joseph
McCullough William
Ledlie
James
White William
Irwin
Nathaniel
White Robert
Henry
David
Hosack Isaac
Vance
Thomas
Orr John
Little
John
Pollock William
Quigley
John Breckenridge William
Masterson
Alexander
White John
Masterson
Andrew Wineman Zachariah
Masterson
Samuel
Stewart. Joseph
McConnell
Thomas
Byers John
Munn Jr.
John
Edie David Hopkins
James
Bradford James
Steel
Charles Bevington Charles
Bilderback
Stephen
Wilkins John
White
William
McClain Daniel
Leet
Thomas
McClain Dennis
Jones
Robert
McComb Frederick
Crowe
Richard
Davis
Even after the publication in 1888 a
man who had spent thirty years around WashingtonCounty inquiring about the
massacre and its perpetrators said in 1900 that he had some names, but the
names were very difficult to come by.[10]
Unfortunately, William Farrar didn’t print his collection of names for the Ohio
Historical Society at that time, and his list is not in the OHS archives today.
At the same time Farrar did not acknowledge the existence of the 1888 list
printed above. Farrar is well worth reading. He did repeat a story of a
participant who had a slave. The slave told the story of the owner returning
with blood on his shirt the evening of
Lists of Militiamen
who served the first week of March, 1782
Louise Martin Mohler was the first to
recognize that certain published lists of WashingtonCounty militia units which
served that first week of March, 1782 would have to be the men paid to go up
the Muskingum with Colonel David Williamson.[11]
Louise Mohler saw that the men listed in the Pennsylvania Archives were those
militia units for the ‘Second Williamson Expedition’ [12]
Those men were all part of the Fourth Battalion of Washington County Militia of
that first week in March in 1782. Whether or not that grouping of men as the
Fourth Battalion was a permanent or stable organization or whether the
battalion was made up just for this expedition will become clear further on in
this paper.
The Fourth Battalion had been under
the command of James Marshel as Lieutenant Colonel of the militia for
WestmorelandCounty before WashingtonCounty was formed out of Westmoreland. At
the time of the formation of WashingtonCounty in the summer of 1781 James
Marshel was appointed CountyLieutenant with a colonel’s rank in the militia.
That officer was the highest ranking militia officer in command of all county
militia units in each PennsylvaniaCounty. C. W. Butterfield has published
letters between General Irvine at FortPitt and militia Colonel Marshel.[13]
Butterfield points out that David Williamson who with Marshel had been a
militia officer for Westmoreland County had taken the Oath of Allegiance to
Pennsylvania and been commissioned a Lieutenant Colonel of the Fourth Battalion
for the new Washington County militia. Colonel Williamson had taken a unit up
the Muskingum to the Moravian Indian towns the preceding fall of 1781. It is
Butterfield’s contention that David Williamson was the right hand man of
Colonel James Marshel, and that Williamson may have been the only Colonel ready
to go for the new county the first week of March. Other battalion commanders
had according to Marshel refused to take the Oath of Allegiance to the State of
It is not clear whether the militia of
WashingtonCounty were organized on the basis of locality, fighting talent, age
or other factors.
The question has been raised as to
whether this was an on-duty militia expedition. It is absolutely clear that
County Lieutenant Colonel James Marshel had the authority as given early in
January, 1782 by the Supreme Executive Council of Pennsylvania to call out the
militia. The authority to call out units had been given to the
CountyLieutenants of both Washington and Westmoreland counties by the Supreme
Executive Council of Pennsylvania. It is further clear from the correspondence
Colonel Marshel had with General Irvine at FortPitt that Marshel was being
given advice and requests were being made of him by General Irvine. Whether or
not General Irvine could command Colonel Marshel and the militia is a little
unclear. General Irvine did not use a commanding tone with James Marshel, and
Colonel Marshel sometimes said he could not comply with the wishes of General
Irvine[16].
The fact is that when this expedition
left for the Muskingum General William Irvine had been in the East for some
time, and had no knowledge of its organization. Communication being several
days away on a fast horse this was apparently done without the knowledge of General
Irvine or the knowledge of Colonel Gibson at Fort Pitt in charge after the 15th
of January.
With this introduction here are the
‘returns’ or lists taken as authorizations to pay by company for the time
between the 1st of March and the 8th of March, 1782
exactly as they appear in the Pennsylvania Archives, Sixth Series.
ASSOCIATORS AND
MILITIA –
A Return 1st and 2nd
classes Cap’n Henry Graham’s Company of the 4thBatt’n Washington
County Militia Ordered to Rendezvouze the 1st day of March, 1782
(c.)
1st Class
William Price Joseph
Willson
John
Marshal Abner Willson
Henry Cooper James
How
Nicholas
Smith John
Cooper
Isaac
Johnston
2nd Class
Thos. McKibbens Robert
McCulloch
John Gardner Robert
Marshal (Smith)
Daniel
McCoy Samual McKibbins
Daniel McGoogen Samuel
Hindeman
Thos. Strain James
McMillan
Given unto my hand this 8th
day of March, 1782
HENRY GRAHAM, Capt.
+++++++
A Return 1st and 2nd
Classes Captain Robert Miller’s Company in the 4thBatt’n Washington
County Militia Ordered to Rendezvouze the 1st Day of March, 1782.
1st
Class
John
Odonel, Ensign Joseph
Blair
Samuel
Cahoe John
Ralston
Mathew
Ritchie Arthur
Campbell
Stephen
Vineyard Aaron
Carter
James
McCready Jno.
Reed
Barney
Carter
2nd Class
Edward
Davis Nathaniel
Cahoe
Thomas
Peircifield William
Wilson
Jno.Willson William
Orr
David
Gault David
Long
William
Black Joseph
Holmes
Given under my hand this 8th day of
March, 1782
ROBERT MILLER, Capt.
++++++++
A Return 1st and 2nd
Classes Captain Thomas Renkon’s Company in the 4thBatn.WashingtonCounty
Militia Ordered to Rendezvouze the 1st Day March, 1782 (c)
1st Class
Hugh
Patton Daniel
McCloud
William
Shearor Robert
Hayes
William Sinclair Michael
Dohertey, Senr.
William
Martin
2nd Class
Daniel
Currey Daniel
Clark
William
Hilbit William
Hayes
John
Roberts Robert
McKnight
Jno. Cunning
Given under my hand the 9th Day of
March, 1782
THOMAS RANKIN, Capt
++++++++++
A Return 1st and 2nd
Classes Captain Charles Reed’s Company in the 4thBatt’n Washington
County Militia Ordered to Rendezvouze the 1st Day of March, 1782
(c.)
1st Class
Shadrack Stillwell, Serj’t. Adam
Hickman
James
Densmore Charles
Reno
Wm.
Miller John
Fosit
Francis
Lesnit Miles
Willson
2nd Class
Thos.
Young, Serj’t. Geo.
Thorp
Geo.
Reno Tobias
Mattocks
John
Armstrong Robert
Piatt
Thos.
Coneyers William
Turner
Abraham
Slover Isaac
Springer
Given Under my hand this 9th day of
March, 1782
CHARLES REED, Capt.
+++++++++
A return 1st and 2nd
Classes Capt. David Reed’s Company in the 4thBatt.Washington County
Militia Ordered to Rendezouze
1st Class
James
Reed Humphrey
Aitchison
Christ’r Gaunce Brice
McGeehon
Mathew
Aitcheson Robt.
Boatman
James
Kerrlin
2nd Class
Thomas
Chenney, Ensign John
Coneyers
John
Montgomery John
Reed
Jams.
McBride Jams.
Martin
Saml. Scott William
Stevenson
John
Hudgel
Given under my hand this 9th day of
March, 1782
JOHN RENEAN (?) Leut.
+++++++++
A Return 1st and 2nd Classes
Capt. Wiliam Scott’s Company in the 4thBatt.WashingtonCounty Militia
Ordered to Rendezouze
1st Class
Wm.
Scott, Capt. Wm.
Gill
Henry
Nelson, Serjt. Aaron
Sackett
Thos.
Walter
Hill Wm. Sparks
Valentine
Sennet Wm.
Hervey
2nd Class
John Carpenter, Leut. Michael
Huff, Jun.
Richard
Stevenson William
Hanks
Edwd.Smith Junr. Morris
West
Edwd.Davis William
Harris
Charles
Norris Charles
Stewart
David
Baily
Given under my hand this 9th day of
March, 1782
WILLIAM SCOTT, Cap’n.
+++++++++
Names added by James
Simpson
An Editor of the 1912 edition of
Joseph Doddridge’s “Notes” mentioned above added in a footnote seventeen names
which he had apparently collected. These names came from James Simpson who was
a historian of the Cross Creek area. This attribution of James Simpson is on
the attribution of Dr. Raymond Martin Bell- an authority on the names of
WashingtonCounty people during the early period.[17]
The names of the seventeen men appended to Doddridge are as follows: JOSEPH
VANCE, JOHN McWILLIAMS, CHARLES CAMPBELL, ROBERT MARSHALL, THOMAS MARSHALL,
THOMAS CHERRY, JAMES ROSS, MOSES PATTERSON, DAVID KERR, JOHN GRAHAM, SAMUEL
MERCHANT, ROBERT WALLACE, JUDGE JAMES TAYLOR, SOLOMON VAILE, DAVID GAULT,
SOLOMON URIE (died 1830), AND OBADIAH HOLMES JR. Half of these men were from
the Cross Creek area. All were included in the Mohler-Bell list by the authors
of that list.
THE M-B LIST WITH ADDITIONS;
SETTLEMENT, LOCATION AND OTHER DATA;
To provide the answer to the question as to
where these men lived search was made of surviving tax lists. A Tax list for
WashingtonCounty for 1781 arranged by township was searched for every name.18 From the experience of using the index
and searching the list it is clear that the index lists men on the wrong pages,
and some men are on the list but not in the index. The index is not complete or
accurate which means that after using the index one must also search the whole
list. It is also clear that the same man may be listed in more than one place.
This is clear in looking at the listings of Colonel Dorsey Pentecost as this
man with such an unusual name is listed in several places where he owned land.
That opens up the clear possibility for confusion if and when a man owned land
in more than onetownship.The amount of land, number of animals and money
valuation are listed for every man on the tax list; but only the extremes of
ownership are reported here. Only men who had little or nothing, and those who
had wealth are pointed out. Single men without anything or single men with land
will be listed. One of these men had as many as 1500 acres in one place or
township which was the upper end while some men had no land and little more
than a horse.
While the massacre was done in 1782
there is no tax list for that year in the Court House at
A second kind of locational
information is the place these men settled on land granted to them by the state
of
There is a published list of warrants
for the purchase of land from
It is important to note that both
Only men in the Archives lists have
military rank in this listing. Men from the Simpson list and other sources do
not have military rank in this listing as there is no primary or compelling
evidence for assuming that they were on military duty.
Researched, written and Copyright © 2000, 2001 George C. Williston [email protected]
The author would be interested in the names of other men of this army,
Or any family stories about the tragic event.
Permission is granted for any genealogical usage.
[1] W. H. Egle, editor; Pennsylvania Archives, 2S:14:753-754 and 6S:2:257-258.
[2] Louise Martin Mohler, The Massacre at Gnadenhutten, 1782, (Washington: Washington County Historical Society , 1986) mimeographed, 8 pages.
[3] J. D.
Schopf, Travels in the United States: (
[4] Joseph
Doddridge, Notes on the Settlement and Indian Wars (Clarksburg W. Va,
1824); ( reprint.
[5]Doddridge 188.
[6] Isaac
Craig, letter to Boyd Crumrine,
[7]Consul W.
Butterfield, Washington-Irvine Correspondence, (
[8]W.H.Egle, editor; Pennsylania Archives, (Harrisburg: Myers, 1888) 2S:14:753-754.
[9] Thomas L. Montgomery, editor; Pennsylvania Archives (Harrisburg: Ray, 1906), 6S:2:257-258.
[10]William
Farrar, “The Moravian Massacre,”
[11]Mohler 3-6.
[12]
[13] Butterfield, Correspondence Appendix J, 277-320.
[14]
Butterfield, 281-282.
[15]Paul W. Myers, Washington Co. Pa Frontier Rangers 1781-1782, (Apollo: Closson, 1987).
[16]Consul. W. .Butterfield, Historical Account of the Expedition Against Sandusky, ( Cincinnati: Clark, 1873) 24.
[17]Raymond
M. Bell, letter to the author,
18Raymond
[19] Raymond
M. Bell, “Dates of Settlement from
National Genealogical Society Quarterly, 45(11957)132-136.
Raymond M. Bell, “Virginia Land Grants in
107.
Raymond M. Bell, “Settlement Dates, Washington Co.,
54(1966), 222-224.
[20] William
Egle, editor Pennsylvania Archives (Harrisburg: Ray, 1897)3S:26:531-624.
Jonathan Steyer of the Commonwealth Land Office, Pennsylvania State Archives,