Monday, July 13, 2015

Military Service: William S Kelly, Revolutionary War


My 5th great grandfather was one of many soldiers who helped to secure our independence from the British Empire.



William Stark Kelly, 1739 – 1826
Private, 1st Regiment Bute Co., 
NC Militia



Served under Capt. William Brinkley & Capt. John Pitts; both under Col Samuel Jarvis.[1]

"Served as a private in Capt. Bown'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."[2], [3]

In trying to discover about William Kelly’s service information was brief so I looked for information about his Regiment.


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 1st 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.[4]
Outline Descendant Report for William S. Kelly

1 William S. Kelly b: 1739 in Ireland, d: 1826 TN
... + Mary Durham m: 1776 NC
......2 Margaret Kelly b: 1772 in Wake, North Carolina, USA, d: Louisiana, USA
...... + John Brumfield b: c. 1768, m: 23 Oct 1788  Wake, NC, d: 1834 LA
.........3 William Brumfield b: 1790 York, SC, d: 1868 Washington Parish, LA
......... + Harriet Statham
.........3 Lucy Brumfield b: 1792 York, SC, d: 1815
......... + Barksdale Statham m: 1815 LA
.........3 Willis Brumfield b: 1794 York, SC, d: 16 Oct 1833
......... + Nancy Virginia Holmes b: 1797 GA, m: 25 Jan 1818 Pike, MS
.........3 Davis Brumfield b: 1795 York, SC, d: 23 Apr 1863 in Pike, MS
......... + Cynthia Holmes b: 12 Dec 1804 GA, m: 23 Nov 1823 MS, d: 10 Jul 1884 MS
.........3 Charles Brumfield b: 01 Jan 1796 in York, SC, d: 07 Aug 1870 MS
......... + Harriet Knight b: 22 Aug 1804 GA, m: 22 Aug 1820 Marion, MS, d: 18 Mar 1870 MS
.........3 Ridley Brumfield b: 1798 York, SC
......... + Susanna Statham m: 1816
.........3 Isaac Brumfield b: 09 Mar 1801 York, SC, d: 14 Feb 1862 MS
......... + Elizabeth Holmes b: 11 Feb 1808 GA, m: 31 Jan 1827, d: 24 Jun 1890 Tylertown, Walthall, MS
.........3 James Brumfield b: 1803 York, SC, d: 15 Mar 1883 Tangipoha Parish, LA
......... + Leah James
.........3 Elijah Brumfield b: 1805 York, SC, d: Aft. 1860
......... + Charlotte Temple Ott b: 1815 LA, d: 1895
.........3 Jesse Kelly Brumfield b: 1 Mar 1807 York, SC, d: 25 Jul 1884 Amite, MS
......... + Hannah Youngblood b: c. 1807 GA, m: 11 Jun 1830
.........3 Alexander C. Brumfield b: 1811 York, SC, d: Unknown
......... + Anna Tate
.........3 Nathaniel Brumfield b: 1813 Washington Parish, LA, d: 8 Feb 1852 LA
......... + Charlotte Temple Ott b: 1815 LA, m: 1835, d: 1895
.........3 John Wilson Brumfield b: 30 Jun 1811 Washington, LA, d: 19 Jun 1889
......... + Cindyrella Lanier b: c. 1817 Washington Parish, LA, m: 14 Feb 1839, d: 30 Dec 1884
......2 Sarah Kelly b: NC
...... + Joseph Cowling
.........3 John Durham Cowling b: c. 1814 Franklin, TN
......... + Frances Camp




[1] DAR website
[2] US Sons of the American Revolution Membership Applications, 1889 - 1970, Louisville, Kentucky; National Society of the Sons of the American Revolution, microfilms.
[3] ‘Revolutionary War Soldiers from North and South Carolina’ Website
[4] Wikipedia

1 comment:

  1. Colleen, I had a 5th Great Grandfather Frederick F. Rivers that was captured at the Siege of Charleston on 12 May 1780. One of the sourecs in his record is: Gen. Benjamin Lincoln Papers in Thomas Addis Emmet Collection, New York Public Library, including petitions from the country militia at Charleston in May 1780 urging the surrender of the city." I have never had a chance to look at these papers.

    ReplyDelete

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