I just spent most of Monday (Veterans Day) at a Tribute to Veterans where my DAR chapter set-up flags that were named by donors to honor veterans. I had two flags there - one for my grandfather who fought in World War II (Edward Maertz, Tech Signal Corps, US Army), and one for my Revolutionary War Patriot through whom I joined DAR (Private John Lincoln, Connecticut). As to how many other ancestors or distant relatives have served, I couldn’t have told you until a few years ago. My father was in the Navy, but I often forget that, although he was never in a war, that makes him a veteran.
One thing I did when writing My Lineage from the Roots Up was to pull out the names of all of the noted veterans and list them by war/conflict at the end. It’s helpful to see the actual history of the family’s service to various branches and causes. But this is still only the list of those whose service is currently known. Most of them had a military burial, their dependents made claims for pensions that I happened across, or have biographical material out there that states it. So it’s not all of them.
Nonetheless, here are the U.S. veterans from my family tree listed by conflict. Some of them may be in yours, too.
French and Indian War
Thomas Sprigg Prather – earned Colonel
Thomas Clagett Prather – Lieutenant
James Prather (son of Thomas Sprigg Prather) – taken prisoner, father paid his ransom
American Revolution
Dr. Solomon Drowne (son of Mercy Tillinghast) – Continental Army surgeon (NSDAR #A033823), Rhode Island
William Drowne (son of Mercy Tillinghast) – Battle of Bunker Hill (no NSDAR documentation), Captain, Rhode Island (captured by the British in 1781, held on the Jersey prison ship, released in 1783).
John Lincoln (NSDAR #A070431), Private, Connecticut
David Paine (son of Reverend Solomon) – Lexington Alarm (NSDAR #A085961), Private, Connecticut
Jabez Webb (son of John) – Lexington Alarm (NSDAR #A123787), Private, Connecticut
Nathaniel Webb (brother of John) – Siege of Boston, Valley Forge (NSDAR #A123881), Captain, Connecticut
Benjamin Adams – 7th regiment of the Virginia Continental Line under Captain Joseph Spencer and Colonel McClenachan (NSDAR Ancestor #A002465)
Jacob Adams (brother of Benjamin)
William Addington – commissary officer for George Washington (questioned, NSDAR Ancestor #A000799)
Absalom Caudill (brother of Henrietta and Nancy Ann)
John Clagett (brother of Elizabeth)
Josiah Fugate (NSDAR Ancestor #A201889) - also in Russell Co, Virginia militia post-war, Captain
Randolph Fugate (brother of Elizabeth)
James Fugate (brother of Josiah) – wagoner for the Army of Virginia
Robert Kilgore (NSDAR Ancestor #A203788)
Charles Kilgore (son of Robert)
Michael Krieger, Sr (NSDAR Ancestor #A027718) - also in Montgomery Co., Virginia militia post-war with son Michael Krieger, Jr.
Archibald Prater (brother of Jonathan, whose own participation is speculative) - also in Chesterfield, Virginia militia post-war
Thomas Sprigg Prather (NSDAR Ancestor #A092430) - also listed above for French & Indian War and was in Frederick Co., Virginia militia post-war
Basil Prather (son of Thomas Sprigg Prather)
Charles Prather (son of Thomas Sprigg Prather)
James Prather (son of Thomas Sprigg Prather) – Captain
Cuthbert “Cuddy” Stone (NSDAR Ancestor #A109905) - also in South Carolina militia (1782)
William Ward (NSDAR Ancestor #A210852)
William Ward (brother of Stephen)
James Webb – North Carolina line
Moses Webb (uncle of James) – drummer from Pennsylvania, later South Carolina cavalry
Colonial militia
Gov. William Stone – Captain, Battle of the Severn (1655)
Thomas McKay Prather – Frederick Co., Virginia, Colonel
Thomas Clagett – Calvert Co., Maryland, Captain
Col. Thomas Sprigg – Calvert Co., Maryland, Captain (former British service)
Thomas and Jonathan (IV) Prather (sons of Jonathan III) – Bedford, Virginia
Benjamin Caudill (speculation, Regulator, Battle of Alamance)
Thomas Clagett – Calvert Co., Maryland, Captain (1680s)
Thomas Lovelace (brother of Anne) – Captain of the Foot Company of Staten Island (1672), commissioner to strengthen Fort James
Dudley Lovelace (brother of Anne) – lieutenant of the Troop of Horse of New York City
War of 1812
Stowell Lincoln (son of Jonah) - Connecticut
Yelberton Carpenter (brother of Felix) – East Tennessee Militia
Felix Carpenter – Bunch’s Regiment, East Tennessee Militia
James William Prater (brother of William Musick)
Spencer Adams (brother of John Hobbs, Jr) – Captain of militia, Floyd Co., Kentucky
Peter Crager (brother of Michael) – Virginia militia
Valentine Yates – Private, Virginia
Civil War
Union soldiers
Sanford Elisha Lincoln (brother of Edward Henry) - Iowa
Peter Frederick Marker (brother of Claretta) - Kansas
William C Marker (brother of Claretta) - Ohio, casualty of war
Daniel Marker (brother of Claretta) - Ohio
James B Marker (half-brother of Claretta) - Indiana
Elijah O’Neil (brother of Phoebe) - Iowa
Elisha O’Neil (brother of Phoebe) - Ohio
Newman Prater (brother of Elias) – 39th Kentucky Infantry
Wiley Adams (brother of Zilpha) – 14th Kentucky Infantry
James Nelson Hale (brother of Jacob) – 14th Kentucky Infantry
Jesse Collins (brother of Nancy) – 14th Kentucky Cavalry
Fielding Collins (brother of Nancy) – 14th Kentucky Cavalry, Corporal
Berdine Collins (brother of Nancy) – Three Forks Infantry Battalion
Thomas Collins, Jr. (brother of Bryant) – 14th Kentucky Cavalry
Wilson Carpenter (brother of Franky) – 4th Kentucky Volunteer Infantry
Confederate soldiers
Charles James Lincoln (brother of Edward Henry) - Arkansas
Hugh Collins (brother of Nancy) – Kentucky Mounted Infantry
Samuel Carpenter (brother of Franky) – Kentucky 13th Regiment, 2nd Corporal
John Prater (brother of Elias) - “Caudill’s Army”
Richard England (brother of Enoch) - “Caudill’s Army”
Samuel Miller, Jr. (brother of Polly) - “Caudill’s Army”
Carter W. Collins (brother of Nancy) – “Caudill’s Army”, deserted to the Union, Sergeant 10th Kentucky Cavalry
Enoch England – “Caudill’s Army”, prisoner of war in 1862, upon release enlisted in Union 14th Kentucky Cavalry
James Wilson Miller (brother of Polly) – 5th Kentucky Infantry CSA, 1863 re-enlisted into “Caudill’s Army”
World War I
Shirley Hackett (brother of Ruth Irene) - US Navy, Leviathon (Hoboken, NJ)
Malone England (brother of William “Bill”) – U.S. Army, 1913-1918 (Kentucky 8th Cavalry)
World War II
Edward Maertz - United States Army, Tech Corps
What a wonderful list and reminder of the sacrifices that have been made across generations. You’ve inspired me to do something similar. Thanks.
Wow, Alicia, saying their names honors their service and sacrifices. A grateful nation thanks your family. 🙂↕️