Spirit of '76 Patriots
Spirit of '76 Partriots
The following list and accompanying preamble, originally called the Spirit of ‘76 People in Washington County, Ohio, contained the names of Soldiers and Sailors of the American Revolution who supposedly lived or were buried (*) in Washington County, Ohio. That list, compiled just before America’s Bicentennial in 1976, contained 606 names. Some of those names had two surname spellings. When those spelling variations were added as separate entries for better searching capability, the list of names grew to 614 entries.
The following list has also been alphabetized, so the original Spirit of ‘76 numbering has changed. The original list was recompiled on 29 Dec 2007 by the Marietta Chapter, Sons of the American Revolution.
Please note that this list has not be adequately researched and almost certainly contains errors. However, it is the best starting point for research that is currently known to exist for Washington County, Ohio. As the Marietta Chapter is trying to verify whether any of these Patriots lived in Washington County, Ohio or had descendants who lived at some point in Washington County, please let us know when you discover errors. Thank you!
Preamble
The initial settlement of Marietta, Ohio, April 7th 1788, was to acquit certain New Englanders for their service in the American War for Independence. If lacking wound or scar, they had shared the fright of paper scrip for pay. Since the fledgling government lacked a treasury, the scrip was virtually worthless. In some measure then this land, the Territory North and West of the River Ohio, was to be their tardy payment. And so these Patriots came, tugging over mountain and by river. Some came only to move on into the Wild. Others spent the salvage of their years here and were gathered unto their Fathers.
We are now preparing to remember the deeds of the American Revolutionary War and its people, as the Bicentennial of those events approaches. Whether we recall the sound at Concord or Point Pleasant, at Yorktown or Newburg, the date of July 4th 1776 should rally us in unity.
The following role of Revolutionary War Patriots associated with Washington County, Ohio, is preliminary. By publically issuing this roster, interested persons may supply additions or corrections. No dates or other substantiating data has been supplied.
Hopefully a reconsidered and refined listing may be issued by 1976. Names with an asterisk are persons known to be buried in Washington County, Ohio, according to the records of the Marietta Chapter, N.S.D.A.R. It will be noted that numerals precede the names. This is but an additional reference point, not a puff.
Understandably there always was an awareness of the Revolutionary Soldier in our midst. This was emphasized from time to time, the moreso during anniversary years, that of 1888 being notable. A more continuous concern has no doubt been maintained since December 30th 1903, when the Marietta Chapter, N.S.D.A.R., was organized. In 1923 this group issued an 83 page booklet, Revolutionary Soldiers Buried in Washington County, Ohio. Another source identifying these Patriots is the 1929 publication, Official Roster: Soldiers of the American Revolution Buried in Ohio; and two subsequent volumes of a similar nature. The DAR Patriot Index (1966) while perhaps commendable, fails to supply the final residence of the Soldier. These three references do not encompass the sources of identification (published rosters, pension papers, etcetera).
It is not possible to catalogue the persons who have exercised themselves in determining the proof of the Patriot Soldier. Yet it would be unthinkable to neglect one lady, Mrs. C. R. (Helen neé Hill) Sloan (1883-1962). She no doubt, above all others, created a mountain of evidence to glory the Soldier. Mrs. Paul E. Martin, Regent of the Marietta Chapter, N.S.D.A.R., wishes to thank MISS HILMA TRUE who formulated and finalized the present roster.
If this gathering of names be thought unworthy, we can but stress that it is our touch with that now ancient cry, “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal.”
January 1975
Ralph L. Schroeder,
President
Washington County Historical Society