Semiquincentennial - - Revolutionary War - - Captain John Kennington

- 2nd in a series of  posts about our family's Revolutionary War soldiers -

250 Years; 1776 - 2026

Our Family was there, from the Beginning

Our family had many branches living in the American Colonies, before the United States were formed. In Pennsylvania, Virginia, North Carolina and South Carolina my great grandfathers & great uncles left their farms and their families to break away from British rule. They were soldiers in the Revolutionary War. We can proudly know that our family was there in those early days to help ensure our independence. 

  

Captain John Kennington 

Circa 1745 South Carolina - Circa 1814 Lancaster, South Carolina

Son of Edward Kennington; Husband of Martha

My 5x great grandfather 

Captain, Camden District Regiment, South Carolina Militia 

John Kennington was born circa 1745. He was born in and spent his life in South Carolina. He and his wife, Martha [surname unknown], had at least seven children.[i], [ii] Captain John Kennington served in the Revolutionary War.[iii],[iv]

 

He served 56 days as a horseman during 1779 and 1780 and thirty days as a footman during 1781 under Col. Marshall.[v]

              In 1784 John had 50 acres of land on Flat Creek in Camden District.[vi] In 1787 he had 630 acres on Flat Creek and Wild Cat Creek.[vii] In 1789 John was mentioned in deed transactions that adjoined his land on Flat Creek.[viii]

            John was listed in the first census of the United States. In 1790 he and his family were in Lancaster County, Camden District. There were five females and five males in the household.[ix]

            Between 1795 and 1797 John’s name was included in land transactions. He either witnessed deeds or his land was a boundary in those deeds.[x]

            While the Kenningtons were living on Flat Creek and Wild Cat Creek, the Faulkenberry/Fortenberry family was also living there. The Fortenberrys lived on Lynches Creek and Flat Creek.[xi] In 1803 Violette Kennington, daughter of John and Martha Kennington married William Jasper Fortenberry, son of John and Hannah Faulkenberry.[xii],[xiii],[xiv]The two families came together in a connection that would lead to our family.

            In 1800[xv] and 1810[xvi] he was still in Lancaster County as evidenced by census reports and land deeds.[xvii]

            John Kennington died between the 1810 US Census and November 1815 when his estate was settled. The estate was divided between his wife, Martha, and his children: William, Edward, John, Marian, Catherine, Sarah and Violette.[xviii]

 

Read more about our family's pioneers & patriots.

This is my newest book, published in late 2024. It includes chapters on these families:

Alford, Ashely, Brown, Brumfield,

Fortenberry, Hollis, Kelly, Kennington,

Lawrence, Ott, Smith & Spurlock

Buy from me: Price: $95.00 + $10 shipping & packaging. No credit cards.

OR: use credit card & purchase through Troy Book Makers.

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[i] Criminger. Adrianne Fortenberry. The Fortenberry Families of Southern Mississippi, 1677-1984 (SC: Southern Historical Press) 198-199.  

[ii] Order Book, Lancaster County, South Carolina, Estate of John Cannington; Ancestry (ancestry.com: accessed March 2019) 6 Nov. 1815.

[iii] US Revolutionary War Rolls, 1775-1783; digital image, Ancestry (ancestry.com: accessed March 2019) Captain John Kennington.

[iv] South Carolina Historical Society, The South Carolina Historical and Genealogical Magazine, Vol. 5, No. 1, 1904; digital image, Genealogy Gophers (gengophers.com: accessed March 2019) 59-60; Captain John Kennington.

[v] Moss, Bobby Gilmer. Roster of South Carolina Patriots in the American Revolution (Baltimore, MD: Genealogical Publishing Co., Inc.) 529.

[vi] South Carolina Department of Archives and History, State Plat Book; Series S213190, Volume 12, Page 328, Item 2; digital image (scdah.sc.gov: accessed March 2019) John Kennington, 1784, Camden District.

[vii] South Carolina Department of Archives and History, State Plat Book; Series S213190, Volume 21, Page 210, Item 0; digital image (scdah.sc.gov: accessed March 2019) John Kennington, 1787, Camden District.

[viii] Holcomb, Brent. Lancaster County, South Carolina Deeds, 1787 – 1811 Greenville, SC: Southern Historical Press, Inc., 1982) 57 – 58.

[ix] 1790 US Census, SC, Lancaster; digital image, Ancestry (ancestry.com: accessed March 2019) Jno Caniston.

[x] Holcomb, Brent. Lancaster County, South Carolina Deeds, 1787 – 1811 Greenville, SC: Southern Historical Press, Inc., 1982) 55, 62, 82.

[xi] South Carolina Department of Archives and History. Colonial Plat Books; Series S213184, Volume 7, Page 113, Item 3; digital image (scdah.sc.gov: accessed March 2019) John Faulkenburough, 1758.

[xii] Fortinberry, G. K. Abstract History of the Fortinberry Family; 1795-1940's; (Family History Center Microfilm #1036152).

[xiii] Criminger, Adrianne Fortenberry. The Fortenberry Families of Southern Mississippi. (SC: Southern Historical Press, 1984) 41 - 44.

[xiv] Gurr, C. B., & Gurr, D. R.  The Ties that Bind us Together. [Salt Lake City, UT: C.B. Gurr, 2006].

[xv] 1800 US Census, SC, Lancaster; digital image, Ancestry (ancestry.com: accessed March 2019) John Cannington.

[xvi] 1810 US Census, SC, Lancaster; digital image, Ancestry (ancestry.com: accessed March 2019) Jno Kennington.

[xvii] Holcomb, Brent. Lancaster County, South Carolina Deeds, 1787 – 1811 Greenville, SC: Southern Historical Press, Inc., 1982).

[xviii] Order Book, Lancaster County, South Carolina, Estate of John Cannington; Ancestry (ancestry.com: accessed March 2019) 6 Nov. 1815.

Ancestor Anniversaries, April 1 - 15

Every month is a good month for a wedding.

Here are a few April Anniversaries.

1 April 1901.  Harvey E. Miner married Ada Lavina Messmore [daughter of Allen G. & Barbary Ann (Ritter) Messmore]. They had six children. 

3 April 1943               3 April 1943. NY.  Augustine F. Pasquale, 1920 – 1997 [son of Frank & Giovanna Pascale] married Alice J. Marshall, 1918 – 1999. They had five children. They were married 54 years.

                                  4 April 1903. LA. Andrew Jackson Fortenberry, 1879 - 1956, [son of William Jackson Fortenberry & Canolia A. Simmons] married Victoria Brock, 1884 - 1956,  [daughter of James Monroe Brock]. They had two sons. They were married 53 years.

                          

5 April 1931               5 April 1931. Bronx, NY.   James Joseph McCall, 1898 – 1944 [son of Daniel & Elizabeth (Noye) McCall] married Marion J. Coyle, 1900 – 1991 [daughter of Michael & Mary Josephine (Mullane) Coyle]. Married in New York City. James was a New York City firefighter. They were my great aunt and uncle. They were married 13 years. 

 

6 April 1921               6 April 1921. East Orange, NJ.  Thomas Lynch married Catherine Brady [daughter of Patrick & Ellen (Reilly) Brady]. Married in New Jersey. They had three children.

 

6 April 1946              6 April 1946. Henry Leissinger married Wesley Pierce [daughter of Arlie & Lyda Mearl (Brown) Pierce] They had two children.

 

8 April 1800              8 April 1800.  John Frederick Wolf, 1779 – 1872 [son of Johann Jonas & Appollonia (Dick) Wolf] married Esther Barbara Shaffer, 1777 – 1866. They had 10 children. They were my 4^th great grandparents. They were married for 66 years. 

 

8 April 1880              8 April 1880. Stark, Ohio. Frederick Leser married Louiza Gruissy [daughter of Christian & Mary (Wise) Gruissy]. They had two children.

 

11 April 1950             11 April 1950. Oregon. Bernarr Jessee Reynolds, 1925 – 1995 [son of Thelma Lady Brown] married Jessie Elizabeth Overby. They had three children.

 

12 April 1947             12 April 1947.  Joseph W. Balog & Virginia Caroline Moore [daughter of Floyd Bernard & Anna (Slaby) Moore] 

 

13 April 1871              13 April 1871. Ohio.   John William Ritter, 1850 – 1932 [son of Isaac & Isabell (Fisher) Ritter] married Ruth Anna Scott. They had eight children. John was my second great grand uncle. John was a carpenter. John was married three times.

                                     14 April 1884. James Joseph Ball, 1858 - 1937 [son of James Michael Ball & Lacey A. Alford] married Mattie Dennison, 1856 - 1942 [daughter of Evan Dennison & Louise Rankin]. 

 

15 April 1922              15 April 1922.   Eslie Guy Mark, 1890 – 1972 [son of William & Elidia Rebecca (Ritter) Mark] & Golda Mae Warner. They had three children. They were married for 50 years. 

                                   15 April 1925. Tuscarawas, Ohio. Harry Lewis Creasy, 1891 - 1950, [son of Philip M. Creasy & Mary E. Wasem] married Mabel. 

                                    15 April 1945. Mississippi. William Edwin Blades, 1921 - 1975, married Pansy Fortenberry, 1924 - 1999, [daughter of Willis Franklin Fortenberry & Ivy May Smith]. They were the parents of nine children. 

Learn more about my family's branches by reading my books.  

 

Semiquincentennial - - Revolutionary War - - William Stark Kelly

- 1st in a series of posts about our family's Revolutionary War soldiers -

250 Years; 1776 - 2026

Our Family was there, from the Beginning

Our family had many branches living in the American Colonies, before the United States were formed. In Pennsylvania, Virginia, North Carolina and South Carolina my great grandfathers & great uncles left their farms and their families to break away from British rule. They were soldiers in the Revolutionary War. We can proudly know that our family was there in those early days to help ensure our independence. 

 

 

William Stark Kelly

17 March 1739 Ireland - 13 December 1826 TN

Husband of Mary F Durham

My 5x great grandfather 

Private in the North Carolina Militia

William Stark Kelly was a Revolutionary War soldier. It is because of the files of the Daughters of the American Revolution and the National Society of the Sons of the American Revolution that we know about William, his wife and his descendants. Many people have laid claim to William as their ancestor to become members of these organizations and have, therefore, submitted details of their links to him. Piecing together this data forms a reliable Kelly family tree. According to those sources William was born on 17 March 1739 in Ireland, came to the American Colonies in 1755 and settled in Wake County, North Carolina.[i], [ii]

            Currently, the names of William’s parents, siblings and his birthplace in Ireland are unknown. In the future we may be able to learn more.

            William Kelly was a private in the Revolutionary War, serving in the North Carolina Militia.[iii], [iv]

 

[He] Served as a private in Capt. Brown's Company, Col. Thomas Clark's Regiment (first) North Carolina Continental Line 1777; also in Capt. Brinkley's Company of 1st Regiment of North Carolina Militia.[v]

North Carolina’s First Regiment was active during the war.[vi]

 

The 1st North Carolina Regiment was raised on 1 September 1775, at Wilmington, North Carolina, for service with the Continental Army. In January 1776 the organization contained eight companies. … The regiment was present at the defense of Charleston in 1776. It transferred from the Southern Department to George Washington's main army in February 1777. At that time, Thomas Clark became colonel of the 1st Regiment. The unit became part of Nash's North Carolina Brigade in July. … In 1777 the 1st North Carolina saw action at the battles of Brandywine and Germantown and it was present at White Marsh. Still led by Clark, it fought at Monmouth in June 1778. The North Carolina Brigade marched south under the command of James Hogun and arrived at Charlestown, South Carolina in March 1780. The 1^st Regiment was captured by the British army at the Siege of Charleston on 12 May 1780. Clark and 287 men became prisoners. The regiment was reformed in the summer of 1781 and fought well in Jethro Sumner's brigade at Eutaw Springs in September that year. The 1st North Carolina was furloughed on 23 April 1783 at James Island, South Carolina and disbanded on 15 November 1783.[vii]

 

            William married Mary Frances (Durham) Kelly[viii], daughter of William Durham and Margaret (Colough) Durham.[ix] Fortunately William’s Will lists the names of their children. 

            When writing about William’s great grandson, Richard Bussey Kelly, Joel Campbell DuBose briefly explained William’s travels.

 

William S. Kelly, “an Irish lad, tiring of the oppression of England, decided to come to America, where men enjoyed the privilege of political and religious freedom. This Irish lad, William Kelly, settled in Wake County, N. C., where his son, Sims Kelly, was born in 1784. Sims Kelly loving liberty like his father, became one of the combatants when war was declared against England in 1812.

 

            In 1800 William and family were living in York District, South Carolina.[x] During the War of 1812 William and Mary’s sons, William Durham Kelly and Sims Kelly served as volunteers from Tennessee. They enlisted in September 1814 which tells us the family was living in that state at the time.[xi] In 1820 William Kelly and his wife were living in Franklin, Tennessee.[xii]

It would be interesting to have more details on William’s movements from Ireland (1739), to the Colonies (1755), to North Carolina (1777), to South Carolina (1800) and on to Tennessee (1814). Unfortunately, we do not have that information.

            William Stark Kelly died 13 December 1826 in Tennessee.[xiii]

 

William’s sons, William Durham Kelly and Sims Kelly, fought in the War of 1812. William’s grandson and son of Sims Kelly, Samuel Camp Kelly, fought in both the Mexican – American War and the Civil War.

 

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Read more about our family's pioneers & patriots.

This is my newest book, published in late 2024. It includes chapters on these families:

Alford, Ashely, Brown, Brumfield,

Fortenberry, Hollis, Kelly, Kennington,

Lawrence, Ott, Smith & Spurlock

Buy from me: Price: $95.00 + $10 shipping & packaging. No credit cards.

OR: use credit card & purchase through Troy Book Makers.

 

[i] Sons of the American Revolution, Membership Applications, 1889 – 1970; Louisville, Kentucky; National Society of the Sons of the American Revolution, microfilm; William Kelly.

[ii] Russey, George S., The Russey Family in America: A Genealogy of James Russey (1970) Genealogy Gophers (gengophers.com: accessed January 2020) 79.

[iii][iii] Compiled Service Records of Soldiers Who Served in the American Army During the Revolutionary War; NARA catalog 570710, Record Group 93; digital image, Fold3 (fold3.com: accessed January 2020) William Kelley.

[iv] Revolutionary War Soldiers for NC and SC; digital image (ourfamtree.org: accessed January 2020) William Kelly/Kelley.

[v] Sons of the American Revolution, Membership Applications, 1889 – 1970; Louisville, Kentucky; National Society of the Sons of the American Revolution, microfilm; William Kelly.

[vi] J. D. Lewis, 1^st North Carolina Regiment, The American Revolution in North Carolina; digital image (carolana.com: accessed January 2020).

[vii] Wikipedia. 1^st North Carolina Regiment; digital image (en. wikipedia.org: accessed January 2020).

[viii] US and International Marriage Records, 1560 – 1900; digital image, Ancestry (ancestry.com: accessed January 2020) William S. Kelly and Mary Frances Durham, m. in NC.

[ix] Russey, George S., The Russey Family in America: A Genealogy of James Russey (1970) Genealogy Gophers (gengophers.com: accessed January 2020) 79.

[x] 1800 US Census, SC, York; digital image, Ancestry (ancestry.com: accessed May 20200 Wm Kelly.

[xi] Tennessee Secretary of State, History & Genealogy/War of1812, Regimental Histories of Tennessee Units During the War of 1812; digital image (sos.tn.gov: accessed June 2020) Major William Russell.

[xii][xii] 1820 US Census, TN, Franklin; digital image, Ancestry (ancestry.com: accessed January 2020) William S Kelly.

[xiii] Russey, George S., The Russey Family in America: A Genealogy of James Russey (1970) Genealogy Gophers (gengophers.com: accessed January 2020) 79.

St. Patrick's Day - - Irish Roots

 

Happy Saint Patrick's Day!

May laughter be your music and joy your guide,
May the spirit of St. Patrick walk by your side.
May rainbows light your path, and blessings overflow,
With love and luck wherever you go.

Enjoy this special day, my birthday! - - Colleen

Some of my family names associated with Ireland:

• Bartholomew Anthony Brady 1866 – 1943
• Bartholomew Brady bc 1897
• Catherine Brady 1872 – 1930
• Catherine Brady bc. 1893
• Ellen Brady bc. 1902
• John Brady bc. 1894
• John Brady 1864 – 1957
• Patrick Brady bc, 1847
• Patrick Brady bc 1899
• Peter Brady 1891 – 1951
• Thomas Brady d 1914
• Thomas Brady b 1860
• Thomas Joseph Brady bc. 1890

• James Theopilous Dillon bc. 1719 Ireland, my 6x great grandfather

• Margaret (Brady) Coyle c1855 Ireland – 1934, my 2x great grandmother 
• MaryAnn Brady bc. 1900
• Mary Josephine (Mullane) Coyle 1867 – 1927, my great grandmother
• Michael Coyle b 1870, my great grandfather
• Michael Coyle bc. 18o5 Ireland, my 3x great grandfather
• Patrick Coyle 1841 Ireland – 1925, my 2x great grandfather

• James Cunningham, b c 1771 Ireland, my 4x great grandfather
• Mary (Cunningham) Coyle, c 1810 Ireland - 25 Jan 1848 Moate, Cavan, my 3x great grandmother 

• Catherine (Gibney) Brady, 1818 Ireland - 27 Mar 1873 Granard, Cavan, my 3x great grandmother 

• William Stark Kelly, 17 Mar 1739, Ireland - 13 Dec 1826 TN, my 5x great grandparents

• Daniel Mullane c1838 Ireland – 1930 Ireland, my 2x great grandfather
• Brigid (English) Mullane d 1920 Ireland, my 2x great grandmother 
• Frances B (Mullane) Keeton 1878 Ireland – 1946

Learn More! Read my Book!

     Remembrances is the story of my mother’s family from stories told me to when I was a child to research I did as an adult. My maternal grandmother’s family includes the surnames Brady, Coyle, Cunningham, Gibney, Mullane, Sullivan & more from the counties Cavan, Cork & Tipperary in Ireland. My maternal grandfather’s family includes the surnames Edelstein, Farkas, Gartner, Horn, Katz, Weissberg & more from Eastern Europe. How did these very different families come together? What was life like for my grandparents?  What were the celebrations and sorrows in their lives? Research in archives, libraries, courthouses & cemeteries helped me answer many questions about these families. Photographs, letters, diaries and documents helped to bring these ancestors to life once again. This book includes timelines, family tree charts, local history, source citations and an index. It is my sincere hope that the stories in this book will keep our family’s ancestors alive far into the next generations.

   Soft cover, over 340+ pages with family charts, timelines, old letters, many photographs & an index. $50.00 + $10 postage & shipping. No credit cards. 

      Contact me for a copy. <cgbp@nycap.rr.com>

     OR Contact Troy Book Makers, who publish my books

  

Ancestor Anniversaries in March

Do you have an anniversary in your family branches in March? 

I have uncovered a few. 

Check the surnames to see if you may have a match here. 

Follow the links for more information.

2 March 1963. John Eugene Jolliff (b 1937) married Nora Louise Dulaney (b 1942). John was the son of Glenn Raymond Jolliff & Helen Vanita Eschleman. 

3 March 1916. County Tipperary, Ireland. Timothy J. Horgan (c 1885 – after 1920) married Julia Mullane (1885 – 1918). Julia was the daughter of Daniel Mullane & Brigid English. She was my great grand aunt. Their children were Mary & Teddy. Their marriage was brief because of Julia’s death at the age of 32.

4 March 1897. Ohio. James Elmer Messmore (b 1873) married Emma D. Ritter (1876 – 1969). Emma was the daughter of John William Ritter & Anna Scott). 

7 March 1946. James Sheppard, Jr. married Elenora Cutrer. Elenora was the daughter of Isaac Omer Cutrer & Serena Olivia Lee. 

8 March 1888. Ohio. Philip M. Creasy (1867 – 1934) married Mary E. Wasem. Philip was the son of Christian Gruissy & Mary Wise. Their son was Harry Lewis Creasy. They were married 46 years.

9 March 1947. Ohio. William Alered Huff (1926 – 1979) married Lucille Marguerite Mark. Lucille was the daughter of Charles Forest Mark & Bertha Flickinger.  

10 March 1864. William H. Schilling married Christianna Euseba Fortenberry (1844 – 1920). Christianna was the daughter of Gasua Chapman Fortenberry & Sarah Brown. 

10 March 1898. Ohio. Samuel Martin Jolliff (1871 – 1927) married Margaret Maude Mark (1881 – 1964). Margaret was the daughter of William Mark & Elidia Rebecca Ritter. They had 8 children. 

11 March 1878. Mississippi. Samuel Matthew Foil married Margaret Jane Brumfield (1862 – 1937). Margaret was the daughter of Isaac Nelson Brumfield & Sarah Jane Smith. They had ten children. They were married 58 years.

12 March 1927. Howard Merton Hurd (1900 – 1973) married Marian Louise Lehman (1904 – 1969). Howard was the son of Roy Hurd & Mona D. Morrison. They had 2 children and were married 42 years.

16 March 1848.  William John Fortenberry (1814 – 1896) married Elizabeth Martha Ann Cutrer (1827 – 1909). William was the son of William Jasper Fortenberry & Violette Kennington. They had 10 children. 

23 March 1896. Amite, Mississippi. Frank Richard Brumfield (1869 – 1960) married Julia Gardner (1877 – 1948). Frank was the son of Joseph Warren Brumfield & Courtney Jane Simmons. They were the parents of 12 children. 

24 March 1878. Manhattan, N.Y.  Leopold Gartner (1860 – 1948) married Florence Edelstein (1860 – 1908). Leopold was the son of Markusz S. Gartner & Devorah Dora Horn. Fannie was the daughter of Adolph Edelstein & Netty Grofs. They had 5 children and were married for 30 years. They are my great grandparents. 

24 March 1929. Fleet Rankin Cutrer (1902 – 1978) married Mildred Maeola Bauds. 

27 March 1943. Columbia, Mississippi. Julius Robert Fornea (1922 – 1992) married Donis Bernelda Ball (1925 – 2015). Julius was the son of Robert Hilton Fornea & Julia Allen Wilkes. Donis was the daughter of James Alton Ball & Mildred Olga Brown. They were the parents of 10 children. They were married 49 years. 

30 March 1893. Pennsylvania. John T. Ritter married Margaret Evans. John was the son of Samuel Ritter & Hannah E. Koch. 

31 March 1939. Charles Edgar Brumfield married Virginia Rawls. Charles was the son of Charles Edgar Brumfield & Katie Leona Freeman. They had 2 children. 

 

Learn more about my family's branches by reading my books.