Author: Eric Alford
Enoch Furr was born around between 1752 and 1756 in Fauquier County, Virginia, but lived most of his life in Loudoun County, Virginia. In Enoch’s revolutionary war pension application is a sworn statement dated the 9th of May 1836 in open Court before the County Court of Loudoun County, Virginia. In his sworn statement, he recounts the highlights of his service.

In November 1775, Enoch volunteered for a company of minutemen under Capt. George Johnson of Loudoun County. In his year of service with that company they marched from Little River to Williamsburg, then to Suffolk and on to Great Bridge. He was at the Battle of Great Bridge in December 1775. His company was attached to the brigade of Brigadier General William Woodford while their Colonel was Alexander Spotswood.

Following the Battle of Great Bridge the company marched to Norfolk and was present for the Burning of Norfolk by Lord Dunmore in January 1776. The company subsequently marched back to Williamsburg. Enoch served out the remainder of his year in that area doing duty locally.

Upon completing his initial term of service Enoch journeyed into Western Virginia returning home after the Paoli Massacre in September 1777. Enoch’s brother was drafted for service but Enoch served in his married brother’s stead for the three month enlistment beginning in about the middle of September 1777. In his second term of service, Enoch served under an officer by the name of McMisken or McMichin. He also remembered a Captain Hancock and a Captain or Major Read/Reed.

At the bottom of the statement is his Mark or “X” and the signature of the clerk who recorded it. This document shows that Enoch, like many folks of his age, was not literate. He is also not certain when he was born but thinks he was about 25 when Lord Cornwallis was captured, which puts him as at least 80 years old at the time of this statement.

Enoch was subsequently appointed as a Lieutenant in the Loudoun County Militia in June 1781. Enoch continued to serve in the militia during the war of 1812 but did not serve a sufficient number of days to qualify for a pension as a veteran of that war.

In the written record, Enoch shows up in the papers of George Washington. There was a tenant named Enoch Furr in Loudoun County, Virginia in the early 1780’s. Enoch, in the words of George Washington to his lease agent Battaile Muse, “…must be made to comply with the Covenants of the lease.” He was also a party to many court actions as both petitioner and respondent. Some cases were against members of his family.

When Enoch died in 1845 his estate was valued at nearly $25,000. His will was immediately contested as he had cut his wife out of his will. She sued for and won her dower rights. Upon her death, his children fought over his estate in court until 1870.