Author: Charles Arnold McGee
James Magee was reportedly born in Ireland about 1733 or 1734. He died in Deerfield Township, Warren County, Pennsylvania, in November 1822, and is buried in Tidioute Cemetery, also in Warren County. James was married at a Presbyterian church in Cumberland County, Pennsylvania, in May of 1781 to Margaret McCracken. She was born in 1763, possibly in Scotland, and died on 3 November 1844, likely in Deerfield. Margaret and James share a tombstone, which appears too new to be the original. Part of the inscription on the marker reads “Grandparents,” and “James Magee, Revolutionary Soldier.” (An image of the stone can be seen at Find A Grave website, memorial number 70893003.)
A large portion of James’ service in the Revolutionary War is documented in his pension file, which can be found on the website fold3 (“Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty-Land Warrant Application Files,” James McGee, pension file no. W2954), or at the National Archives in Washington, D.C. (Microfilm publication M804, roll 1683). According to his own account in several affidavits, James enlisted in Delaware early in 1776 and served under Captains Jonathan Rumford and Latimer in the troops called the Wilmington Greens. Always on the move, James said he marched to Perth Amboy and joined up with General Washington, and upon arrival was sent to Staten Island where, he noted, “we took nine Hessians.” By the end of that year James’ enlistment was nearing its end, but before his term was over he stated that “by the desire of General Washington I went with the troops up to Trenton and on Christmas Eve took a regiment of Hessian soldiers.” He was certainly speaking of the now fabled Battle of Trenton—one of Washington’s most important victories.
After the battle, James was dismissed and went to Wilmington, Delaware. Then on 24 April 1777 James enlisted again. He served in Captains Nathaniel Mitchell’s and Young’s Companies, in Colonels Grayson’s and Gist’s Continental Regiments, respectively, and part of the time held the rank of Acting Sergeant Major. He was in the battles of Brandywine, Paoli, Germantown, Monmouth, Stony Point, Paulus Hook, Monk’s Corner, and in a number of small skirmishes. On 24 April 1780, James was discharged after four years of service.
Afterward, James lived in Derry Township, Cumberland County, Pennsylvania, where he met his wife Margaret. He also continued his military duty there, serving in the 8th Battalion Cumberland County Militia from 1780 to 1782. In the summer of 1804 he and his family moved to Warren County, where he remained until his death. James was allowed a Revolutionary War pension on his application, which was executed 25 November 1818, while a resident of Brokenstraw Township in Warren County.
James and Margaret had ten children, whose names, from oldest to youngest, were Samuel, James, John T., Thomas, Mehitabel, Daniel, William, Henry, Rebecca, and Alexander Grier. Most remained in Pennsylvania, while Henry and Thomas, with their families, migrated to Wisconsin and settled there.