NSDAR 

IL DAR

Contributed Revolutionary War Data

     When the Military Tract was laid off into counties, most of them were named in honor of military heroes of the nation. This county was christened in honor of the brave statesman-general, Henry Knox. The following is a brief personal sketch of him whose name this county now wears:

        Henry Knox, an American general and statesman, commander of the artillery during the Revolution, and Secreta4ry of War under Washington, was born in Boston, July 25, 1750, and died in Thomaston, Me., October 25, 1806. He was of Scotch and Irish Presbyterian stock, and his father came from St. Eustatius, one of the British West India islands. He received the common school education of his time in Boston, and was remarked as  youth of fine abilities and generous disposition, fond of the heroic examples of former ages, and according to Dr. Eliot, who was nearly his cotemporary, giving constant prestige of future eminence.

     General Knox played a most important in the revolutionary struggle for liberty, and was admired and beloved by Washington, and like him, after a long, active, and eminently successful public career, retired to private life. General Knox was large in person, of a robust and athletic frame, enterprising and resolute in character, of generous, buoyant and social disposition, cordially appreciated and beloved by friends, posing unquestionable integrity, unsurpassed energy, and a mind liberally cultivated by study.

photo of General Henry Knox which hangs in the old Courthouse Knoxville, IL.

Asahel Gilbert

click on his name for further information, Thanks!

Peter Bruner buried in the Bruner Cemetery.

Adam Bruner  buried in the Bruner Cemetery.

Ashael Gilbert. was a native of Connecticut, born in Hebron, December 15, 1760, in Hebron, Connecticut. He married Anna Goodrich, who was born in 1760 and died in 1827. Their son was Charles W. Gilbert. He enlisted May 1, 1778, serving as a trumpeter in Captain Seymour's company, Second Light Brigade, with Colonel Elijah Sheldon & saw action at Bemis Heights & Poundridge..  He was discharged in 1780.  Ashael Gilbert came to Illinois in 1847, and resided in Galesburg, where he died November 23, 1852.  He is buried in the Hope Cemetery, Galesburg, Illinois.  Foxie's Note: two different births dates. tombstone says May 06, 1760 and cemetery records gives the above date.

Rebecca Parke Chapter, DAR, marked the grave about 1906 with a bronze insignia.

Abraham Haptonstall was born April 6, 1761, in Orange County, New York.  He enlisted first under Captain Thomas Moffat for three months in 1775.  In 1776 he served under Captain Seth Marvin for three months; he again served for six months under Captain Francis Smith.  He applied for a pension while residing in Gallia County, Ohio, in 1831; removing to Illinois, he settled in Knox County, where he died February 14, 1858. Abraham is buried in the Russell Cemetery.

John Strange was born in Westchester County, New York. He enlisted in the Westchester County Militia, serving under Colonel Pierre Van Courtland.  After the war closed he came to Illinois to reside, settling in Knox County, where he is buried.  He received a pension for service in the war.  He lived to be a very aged man, past 90 years of age.  He is buried in the Russell Cemetery.
 

David Manley was from Easton, Mass., where he enlisted with Col. Thomas Carpenter, and Capt. Samuel White, in August, 1778, being discharged in September the same year. He is buried in Russell Cemetery.

The photo are the far right and darker than the other two was taken last fall late in the afternoon.  The two other photos were taken on March 11, 2006. David's grave site was also marked by the Rebecca Parke Chapter of DAR; but the top of it is missing as you can see from the photo at the right.

George Sornberger was a native of New York, where he was born in 1759.  He served under Colonel Roswell Hopkins in the Duchess County Militia.  He came to Illinois in 1838, settling in Victoria township, Knox County, where he died September 27, 1841. His wife and several children came with him to Illinois. New York in the Revolution;  Buried in Victoria Cemetery. Had biographies in the old history books of Knox county and relation still lives around Victoria area.

Jesse Witt of the 10th Virginia Reg., Col. William Davies Commanding, 1760 - 1852. Jesse is buried in the Henderson Cemetery.

Correct person is:

 Elder Joseph Latimer & Patriot of the Latimer family of Knox County, Illinois.

Elder Joseph Latimer (deceased).--Revolutionary War Soldier This gentleman has the honor of being the founder of the Latimer Family in Knox County, Illinois. It is almost needless to add that a splendid line of stanch men and good citizens are numbered among the Latimers. Elder Joseph was a native of Connecticut, and was born seven miles from New London, June 08, 1766. Previous to his death he often related his recollection of distinctly seeing the smoke at the burning of that town by the traitor Arnold. There many other events of moments connected with e Revolutionary War, of which this gentleman had a distinct remembrance, among them the casting overboard of tea in Boston Harbor, necessitating the use of Yankee tea. His father was a Colonel in the War of Independence, and his twelve sons in their turn served under their parents command--one of the most remarkable events of family history on record. The gentleman under consideration came with  his father's family to Tennessee in 1790, and took an active part in several of the battles fought by the Indians in the vicinity of Nashville, as well as on the Cumberland River, east of that city. In one of these battles his drinking cup was hot from his shoulder, and in another his younger brother, Nathaniel, was killed by his side.  Not long after the suspension of Indian hostilities, Nov. 10, 1796, he was married to Anna Dobbins, and settled in Robinson County.

In the very memorable revival of that year both he and his wife experienced religion, and when the Cumberland Presbyterian Church was organized they were among its earliest members. He was early ordained an Elder, and became an active supporter of that church. His sympathies there with remained undiminished to the date of his death. In company with his family he emigrated to Sangamon County, Ill., in 1826, and in 1831, with a part of his family, moved to Knox County and settled in Cherry Grove, where the remainder of his children soon followed him. This district was then almost entirely unsettled. The marriage of his daughter Susan to U. D. Coy, in 1833, was the first marriage in Cedar Township, and his son David, who died in 1836, was the second person buried in Cherry Grove Cemetery.