Lusby Turpin

A Patriot of the American Revolution for VIRGINIA. DAR Ancestor #: A117374 The spelling of Lusby's name is mangled throughout his documented life. The most common variations are Luzby and Lisby. However, he appears to carry his mother's Lusby surname, so that is the preferred spelling. His year of birth is based on his earliest legal record and assuming he was at least 21 years old at that time. He may have been younger--possibly 18 instead. He inherited property from his father and enlarged it so that by the time of his death, he owned about 800 acres on the New Market Road about 5-6 miles east of Richmond. There were three family homes on the property at his passing. One would be known as Turpin's Tavern and may have operated during the Revolution. Before the war, in addition to running his own plantation, Lusby served as a tobacco inspector at the Warwick warehouse--a spot currently undergoing an archeological exploration. In the early days of the Revolution, Lusby was at the least in his late 40s, but even though war is thought to be a younger man's work, he enlisted in the 5th Virginia Regiment of Foot--the infantry--on February 6, 1776. He was elected a Corporal and served his two full years without injury or illness, never missing a day. The 5th Virginia was with General Washington in New York where Lusby heard the Declaration of Independence read for the first time. In December of 1776, Lusby crossed the Delaware with Washington at the Battle of Trenton. And in December of 1777, he marched cold and hungry into Valley Forge. Since his two year enlistment was up, on February 6, 1778, Lusby was discharged to go home to Virginia--an estimate 15 day journey. In the late summer of 1780, Lusby was on a privateer in the Chesapeake when he was captured by the British. He was held for 10 months on the prison ship, the Jersey. By the time he made it back to Varina in the summer of 1781, the British, French, and Americans were gathering for the great battle at Yorktown. The troop movements were all around his home beginning with traitor Benedict Arnold's invasion of Virginia. At least two sons would be in the battle with the Henrico Militia. After the war, Lusby appears to have recovered his strength from his POW ordeal and served as a Henrico County tax commissioner in 1783. He live for about 10 years after his return from the Jersey. His will was proved on 7 March 1791.* Reference: Find A Grave Memorial - SmartCopy: Dec 6 2020, 16:32:00 UTC