The following information was assembled from numerous sources and cannot be used directly as proof of Qualifying Service or Lineage.
It is considered a research aid and is intended to assist in locating sources that can be used as proof.
State of Service: VA
Qualifying Service: Patriotic Service
Author: David Kenly Ashbrook
Levi Ashbrook, Patriot, Planter, and Preacher, was born in 1738. He was 5 years old when his family moved from New Jersey to West Virginia. He and his family remained in Hampshire County, West Virginia all of his life. Levi married twice, first to Mary Pentecost having 4 children, then to Mary Chenoweth having 12 more, for a total of 16 children. Patriot Levi was in the Hampshire County militia and helped put down a Tory Insurrection in May and June of 1781. This was called the Claypool Rebellion. There was a tax revolt by residents of the South Branch of the Potomac River. Several were arrested and the militia quickly quelled the conspirators. In May, 1782 Levi was paid 4 shillings, 8 pence for forage for cattle and drivers and later was paid 11 shillings, 2 pence for forage and provision. They were Virginia Public Claims. Levi was mentioned in Thomas Ashbrook's Pension Application. Thomas was a member of Captain Elisha Bell's Company of the Virginia Militia. Levi Ashbrook was also with the company. They guarded the prisoners from Yorktown at the Barracks near Winchester, Virginia. Planter Levi Ashbrook farmed land in Hampshire county all of his life. He was involved in several land transfers in Hampshire County, West Virginia. Hampshire County performed its first Census in 1782. Levi Ashbrook, Gentleman, was an enumerator. At the time, there were 13 whites in his household. Preacher Levi Ashbrook, in 1770, was a witness on the Deeds for the Mill Creek Baptist Church, Berkley County, West Virginia. This was a one-acre tract of land for a meeting house and a burying place. Rent was one ear of Indian corn in and upon the fest of Christmas. Recorded 6 November 1770. The Baptist History Homepage tells that a number of people were baptized at the North River Church. One of them was Levi Ashbrook, a magistrate of the county, a man of great zeal in religion and afterwards became a reputable preacher.
In 1787, the Primitive Baptist Church was established at North River. Levi was the preacher from 1790-1793. He was referred to as Elder Levi. Levi died in 1794 at the age of 56. His will was probated October 15, 1794. Levi’s children moved in many directions: Ohio, Kentucky, Tennessee, Missouri and Illinois. Some of them continued to spread the work of God. America was a land of religious freedom.
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Patriot biographies must be the original work of the author, and work submitted must not belong to another person or group, in observance with copyright law. Patriot biographies are to be written in complete sentences, follow the established rules of grammar, syntax and punctuation, be free of typographical errors, and follow a narrative format. The narrative should unfold in a logical manner (e.g. the narrative does not jump from time period to time period) or have repeated digressions, or tell the history of the patriot's line from the patriot ancestor to the author. The thinking here is that this is a patriot biography, not a lineage report or a kinship determination project or other report published in a genealogy journal. The biography should discuss the qualifying service (military, patriotic, civil) of the patriot ancestor, where the service was rendered, whether this was a specific state or Continental service, as well as significant events (as determined by the author) of the patriot's life. This is the entire purpose of a patriot's biography.
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