This biography has been written by a team of Revolutionary War researchers, genealogists, and local historians. For more information about Patriot Legacies exhibits, contact the Blount County Historical Museum at blountcountyhistoricalmuseum1@gmail.com

Peter Brakebill (Breakbill, Brechbiel) was born on 16 April 1760 in Lebanon County, Pennsylvania, the son of Hans Nicholas and Maria Juliana (Thaler) Breckbiel. 

When he was 16 years old, in 1776, he served in the Pennsylvania militia as a Private and as a substitute for his brother Phillip for three months. In November of that same year, he served again, this time for his uncle, also named Peter Breakbill, in Captain Peter Hedrick’s Regiment. It was during this service that he says in his pension that he was in the Battle of Trenton in New Jersey.

The Battle of Trenton is remembered as a turning point in the war. Washington led 2,400 of his dwindling army to the banks of the Delaware River. He planned to cross the river and attack the enemy held town of Trenton, New Jersey. By now, Washington was convinced that only a standing army could meet and defeat trained British forces. An army he said that "Would look the enemy in the face." "It is fearfully cold and raw and a snowstorm setting in. The wind is northeast and beats in the faces of the men. It will be a terrible night for the soldiers who have no shoes. Some of them have tied old rags around their feet, others are barefoot, but I have not heard a man complain." Colonel John Fitzgerald, Christmas 1776. Washington’s rag-tag Army defeated the hung-over Hessians in the first victory of the beleaguered army and a much-needed victory for an exhausted group. 

In 1977 he served another three months in Captain Casely’s Company, Colonel John Green’s Regiment, and in 1778 as a wagoner. Shortly after, he moved to Washington County, Maryland. 

He served again in 1781 or 1782 for two months toward the end of the war in Captain Amos Davis’s Maryland Company and remembered in this service that he was involved in capturing many Tories.

After the Revolutionary War was over in 1784 in Washington County, Maryland, Brakebill married Katherine Rorex, the daughter of James Samuel and Elizabeth (Bailey) Rorex. They had three children while residing there. Peter and Catherine moved to Berkley County, West Virginia, for a short time, then back again to Washington County, Maryland, where another child was born. From there, they moved on to Sullivan County, Tennessee, where they had four more children. 

Peter was 46 when he and his family moved to Blount County about 1806. There, they resided on a large farm in the Nail’s Creek community, part of a land grant he received for his Revolutionary War service. By then, several of his children were young adults.

The Brakebill’s were originally Mennonites but likely attended the early Presbyterian churches in the area. 

Peter's name appears again on the muster roll of Captain David McCamey’s Company, where he served as a 3rd Sergeant from September 1814 until September 1815. He would have been about 55 years old during this service. His son William’s name also appears on the muster rolls of the War of 1812.

Peter and Catherine had a large family, and today, many are descended from them. Their children include: 

• Elizabeth was born on 3 March 1788 and married Jefferson Neiman.
• Anna Marie was born on 7 Nov 1789 and married William T. Neiman.
• Peter was born on 20 September 1790 and married June Thompson
• Gertrude [Peter’s twin] was born on 20 September 1790 and appears to have been unmarried
• William was born in 1792 and married Mary Keller
• Henry was born on 10 April 1793 and married Rachel Brown.
• Catherine was born on 28 February 1796 and married Joseph Brown
• John was born on 17 April 1798 and married Anne Thomas.
• Nancy was born on 23 January 1800 and married Henry Brown
• Sarah was born on 16 October 1806 and married William Donaldson, Jr.
• Susan [Sarah’s twin] was born on 16 October 1806 and married Joseph Walker and James Maize.

The Peter and Katherin Rorex Brakebill family Bible is in the National Archives in Washington, D.C., and lists the descendants.
Some accounts of the Brakebill men say they were very large men, weighing over 300 pounds, with very large hands, and capable of doing hard work. 

In about 1823, at the age of 63, Peter Brakebill moved to Monroe County. Land had opened up there, and one of his sons, Henry, also moved there and remained, having many descendants there.  

Eventually, he moved back to Blount County, where he and Katherine lived with his son John and daughter-in-law Ann on a farm in Nail’s Creek. 

The Patriot died on 22 January 1823 at the age of 83 and was buried in a family graveyard. Katherine Rorex Brakebill died on 14 February 1850 at the age of 89 and is said to be buried next to Peter in the family cemetery. Her grave is unmarked.