Author: James Edward Mitchell

Lewis Davis Yancey, (1^st) Virginia State Regt., Minute Battalion (Bn.), raised for Culpeper County, (Co.) integrated during 1776 into the Virginia (1^st) Bgde., Continental Line;

SAR Patriot #: P-325750

Lewis Davis Yancey was born (b.) 1761-2 at Culpeper County (Co.) Virginia (VA), a son of Lewis Davis Yancey, Sr., and wife (wf.) Mildred Kavanaugh. Lewis was age 15, in the beginning of 1776, when he enlisted with an older brother, Robert.

A neighbor Peter Triplett signed an affidavit (Culpeper Co.) regarding our subject’s 15 Apr 1822, RevWar, VA, Bounty Land Record (BW) relating to Lewis Yancey, maintained at Library of VA, Richmond. It was stated for record, that Lewis Yancey enlisted in 1776 with brothers, Robert and later, Richard H. Yancey. An older brother, *Robert Yancey b. 1750, who married Elizabeth Holloway, identical with SAR Patriot #: P-325757 was recorded to enlist within this Culpeper Minute company, VA State Militia Regt., commanded by Capt. George Slaughter.  By 1777 the VA State Regt., that included several Yancey brothers, was attached to the (1st) VA Regt., of Light Dragoons. This unit was integrated with the (1^st) VA Bgde., Continental Line commanded by BrigGen’l *Peter Muhlenberg, during the Philadelphia Campaign (1777) at New Jersey (NJ) and later, commanded by LieutCol. Bland and [John Jameson, Maj. (1^st Apr 1777 to Jan 1780)]; sources: Southern Campaigns Revolutionary War Pension Statements & Rosters (online) John Jameson R.15404, *Robert Yancey S.35752, Lewis Yancey S.2070, see: http://revwarapps.org/  and Philadelphia Campaign 1777 Taking the capital / Orders of Battle -publ., at Great Britain in 2007 by Osprey Publ., Ltd., Midland House, Botley, Oxford, UK.

Lewis Davis Yancey, Jr.,  and the Yancey family parents, Lewis Davis Yancey, Sr., (1689-1784) and Mildred Kavanaugh were neighbors at (1784) St. Marks Parish, Culpeper with Rev. Philip Slaughter D.D., a son of Susan Clayton and Col. James Slaughter, who commanded a (1^st) VA Regt., of Foot (Infantry) at the battle of Great Bridge, VA, fought 8 Dec 1775, early in the Revolutionary War; sources, Raleigh Travers Green’s 1900 publ., Genealogical  and Historical Notes on Culpeper County, Virginia: St. Marks Parish, Part I, pg. 87 -The (James) Slaughter Family, and Part II, pg. 81-2, The Yancey Family. Lewis Yancey, Jr., our subject as well as his siblings were recorded in their father -Lewis Davis Yancey, Sr’s. will dated 17 Apr 1778 and, probated on 22 Apr 1788 at Culpeper Co., VA Courthouse; source, Culpeper County Virginia: Will Books B and C, etc., published 1965 by Dorothy Ford Wulfeck, see pgs 69-70.  

A search of records for the Historical Register of Virginians in the Revolution: Soldiers Sailors and Marines 1775-1783 by John H. Gwathmey publ., at Baltimore by the Genealogical Publ. Co., Inc. 1979, pg 852 revealed  Lewis (Davis) Yancey’s bounty warrant [(BW) see: Lewis Yancey S.2070, above] and Revolutionary service for his brothers -Richard Yancey, commissioned Capt., paid for his militia company raised [Culpeper Minute Bttn.,] on 23 Jan 1776; John Yancey, commissioned Ensign, and Regimental Quartermaster (QM) for (10^th) VA Regt., Continental Line promoted to Capt. Militia 1779-80; James Yancey, Corporal., War Dept. Record; and, *Robert Yancey, Cornet (10^th ) VA Continental Regt., of Light Dragoons, also Regimental QM, Lieut., in 1778, also made Capt. on 13 Jun 1779, *taken prisoner 12 May 1780 at Charleston and paroled at end of the war!

Lewis Yancey’s (1st) Regt. of Light Dragoons, (R. L. D.) Continental –(4^th) Troop of Horse commanded by LieutCol. Theodorick Bland, Maj. John Jameson and Capt. Lewis Yancey was ordered to march to the Carolinas into battle at Guilford fought on 15 Mar 1781; source, Southern Campaigns…Pension Statements (online) *Lewis (Davis) Yancey W.2508.

Robert was Lewis (Davis) Yancey’s family mentor. Robert was taken as prisoner during the, treasonous Benedict Arnold’s (Apr., 1781) raid at the community of Blandford near Petersburg, VA, that was defended by Continental Army and Militia forces led by Maj Gen’l. Baron von Steuben and Peter Muhlenberg. Robert remained in British Army and Navy captivity until the close of the Revolution. Following his release and discharge by the British, Lewis’ brother, Robert removed after a period in residence at St. Mark’s Parish, Culpeper Co., to Kentucky (KY) for the purpose of resettlement to Woodford Co., KY; source, Ibid., Pension Statements (online) *Robert Yancey S.35752.

Lewis Yancey, above, stated while he remained in American, Revolutionary War service for three (3) years in his regt., that his (R. L. D.) Continental –(4^th) Troop of Horse engaged in battles at (2^nd) battle of Savannah, Georgia (GA) held between 16 Sep and 18 Oct 1779; Guilford, North Carolina (NC) and (Charleston) South Carolina (SC); source, Ibid., Pension Statements (online) * Lewis (Davis) Yancey W.2508.

On 7 Jan 1833, Lewis Davis Yancey advised in Court held at Jasper Co., GA, he was age 71. Lewis further stated that he enlisted within the Continental Army with (brother) Robert Yancey (aka Yancy). After completion of Lewis Yancey’s three (3) year service term, he was discharged and, he resettled to Jasper Co., GA, where he married several occasions, before taking Phoebe (aka Febby) Pate as his wf.; sources, Georgia, Compiled Marriages, 1754-1850 for Lewis D. (Davis) Yancey and Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR) Ancestor #: A055540 Lewis Davis Yancey -marriage records for Mary (Polly), [Last Name Unknown (LNU)]; Rachel Hall; and, Phoebe Pate, with whom he parented two (2) daughters -Elizabeth and Delphia.  A separate, written ‘thumbnail’ sketch of our subject, published within the Patriot Research System (PRS) of the National Society of the Sons of the American Revolution (SAR) by Seth Rayman documented Lewis Davis Yancey’s resettlement approximately, during 1808 to Jasper Co., GA and his death in 1851-2. Also, a reader might visit source, Find A Grave Memorial #53670658 and view a color photograph taken of a cenotaph (Latin: No Bones) utilized for preserving the memory of his burial at a private, Yancey Family burial ground mapped near Shady Dale, Jasper Co., GA off Henderson Mill Road intersection with County Line Road, i.e., Hwy 11. GPS Coordinates have not been set for the site, unfortunately.

 

 

Author: Seth Rayman
Lewis Davis Yancey was born around 1762 in Culpeper County, Virginia. His parents are believed to be Philemon & Unity Yancey. His pension file shows that he enlisted in 1778 and served for three years. At the time he enlisted, he lived in Culpeper County, Virginia. He served three years with the Continental Line under Capt. Robert Yancey in Col. Bland's 1st Regt. of Light Dragoons and was engaged in the Battle of Guilford Court House (Greensboro, North Carolina) March 15, 1781 under General Nathanael Greene against Lord Charles Cornwallis. After Guilford, Cornwallis and the British Army abandoned the Carolinas and began their move into Virginia which ended in surrender to

General George Washington at Yorktown, VA in October 1781.

After the Revolutionary War, Lewis Davis Yancey moved to South Carolina in about 1786 and lived in the Laurens District. About 1808, he moved to Georgia and lived in Jasper County until his death in 1852. He was married more than once. His marriages were to Polly Powell (Foster), Rachel Hall, and Phoebe Pate. In his will, dated 1843, he mentions a wife (Phoebe) and 21 other persons who appear to be either children or "step-children." He is buried at the family cemetery at Shady Dale in Jasper County, Georgia.

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