Capt. Robert Yancey, Sr.

Notes: "■PHILADELPHIA JONES MARRIED (1ST) - FRANCIS GRIFFIN (DIED 1765). DEED REC: 1780 - MECKLENBURG CO., VA - GRANTED 400 ACRES TAX REC: 1782 - LIVING IN MECKLENBURG CO., VA <15 WHITE 3 BLACK> TAX REC: 1787 - LIVING IN MECKLENBURG CO., VA <> CENSUS: 1790 (DESTROYED) - BUT PROBABLY LIVING IN MECKLENBURG CO., VA TAX REC: 1800 - LIVING IN MECKLENBURG CO., VA <> CENSUS: 1800 (DESTROYED) - BUT PROBABLY LIVING IN MECKLENBURG CO., VA TAX REC: 1810 - LIVING IN MECKLENBURG CO., VA <> CENSUS: 1810 (DESTROYED) - BUT PROBABLY LIVING IN MECKLENBURG CO., VA WILL REC: 1819 - MECKLENBURG CO., VA < WB-8P444;9P12,15;11P225> SOURCES: COAG|JAOA-59-63|RBJL-833|RDIY|RMIJ|RTBY-3,70|CTRM-364|RJHW-96|ESMV|JOYA|RFRT|RLCF|RRFI|RJMS" Source: "Pedigree Resource File," database, FamilySearch (http://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.2.1/93J2-R67 : accessed 26 July 2012), entry for Robert Yancey.

PARENTS: Richard and Mary (Bolling??) Yancey of Louisa and later Mecklenburg County, Virginia BN: about 1744 in Louisa County, Virginia DD: 1818 in Mecklenburg County, Virginia WIFE: PHILADELPHIA JONES married 1765-1768 in Virginia

CHILDREN:

1) RICHARD YANCEY BN: about 1770 in Mecklenburg County, Virginia DD: 1861 in Mecklenburg County, Virginia WIFE: MARY WALTON married in 1797 in Virginia

2) ANN YANCEY BN: 23 OCT 1773 in Mecklenburg County, Virginia DD: 13 JUN 1859 in Mecklenburg County, Virginia HUSBAND: Peter OVERBY married in 1795 in Richmond Co., VA

3) JOHN YANCEY BN: about 1775 in Mecklenburg County, Virginia DD: 1840 in Mecklenburg County, Virginia WIFE: MARY HAMBLIN married in 1799 in Mecklenburg County, VA

4) MARY YANCEY BN: 1775 in Mecklenburg County, Virginia HUSBAND: ROBERT WILLIAMSON married 1793 in Mecklenburg Co., VA

5) ROBERT YANCEY BN: about 1777 in Mecklenburg County, Virginia DD: 1853 in Mecklenburg County, Virginia MD: AGNES WILKINSON married in 1796 in Mecklenburg Co., VA

6) PHILADELPHIA YANCEY BN: about 1781 in Mecklenburg County, Virginia HUSBAND: JOHN TILLOTSON married in 1801 in Mecklenburg Co., VA

7) HEZEKIAH YANCEY BN: 12 FEB 1782 in Mecklenburg County, Virginia DD: 1860 in Mecklenburg County, Virginia WIFE: SALLY WORSHAM married 1808 in Mecklenburg Co., VA

8) ELIZABETH YANCEY BN: about 1783 in Mecklenburg County, Virginia HUSBAND: JOHN GRIFFIN married 1794 in Mecklenburg Co., VA

9) SUSANNAH YANCEY BN: about 1785 in Mecklenburg County, Virginia HUSBAND: JOHN WILLIAMSON married 1802 in Mecklenburg Co., VA

10) MILLY YANCEY BN: about 1787 in Mecklenburg County, Virginia HUSBAND: Mr. GRIFFIN

11) LUCY YANCEY BN: about 1789 in Mecklenburg County, Virginia HUSBAND: STARK DANIEL married 1818 in Mecklenburg Co., VA

NOTE: There exists no evidence of this Robert Yancey ever being in either Culpeper County, Virginia nor in the state of Kentucky. This Robert Yancey died and was buried (a marker still exists) in Mecklenburg County. It is evident that this was not Captain Yancey as Captain Yancey died in 1824 in Kentucky.

CAPTAIN ROBERT YANCEY OF VIRGINIA

Military records of the Revolutionary War era record one Robert Yancey of Virginia playing an active role in the militia of Virginia during the period. He first entered the military in 1776 and by 1779 had been commissioned to the office of Captain. He became an original member in the Society of the Cincinnati. This patriotic society was established in 1778 by various officers of the Continental Line. It's first president was General George Washington. Membership in this society was passed on from original member to oldest son and so on down to present generations. Various persons have also gained membership in the such patriotic organizations as the D.A.R. and S.A.R. by claiming descent from this Captain Robert Yancey. The identity of this Robert Yancey, however, has been a point confusion and uncertainty for many researchers over the years and various researchers at different times have confused this Robert with at least four distinct and different Robert Yanceys found living in early America. I have written this report to clear up as much as possible the confusion surrounding this subject and once and for all establish the true identity of Captain Robert Yancey.

I will first list below the personal information that can be extracted from the military files of Captain Robert Yancey and can be used in ascertaining his true identity. Military records provide the following information concerning Captain Robert Yancey.

1) He was from the County of Culpeper in Virginia being born about the year 1750.

2) He first entered the service in 1776. He served as cornet, quartermaster, and lieutenant in the Continental Dragoons. In 1779 he was commissioned as Captain. In May of 1781 he was taken prisoner by the British and remained so until the end of the war.

3) He had a nephew name Philemon Yancey Jr., son of Philemon Yancey Sr., who also served during the war.

4) He was an original member of the Society of Cincinnati.

5) He moved to Kentucky at an early date and in 1818 was living in Woodford County where he applied for his Revolutionary War Pension.

6) He lived as a widower for some time before his death and lived for a period with a widowed daughter and her children.

7) He died 17 November, 1824 in Franklin County, Kentucky.

8) He had a son named Robert Yancey Jr. residing in Franklin County Kentucky at the time of his death who became the administrator of his estate.

Four different and distinct Robert Yanceys' have, at different times and by different people, been asserted to be the same Captain Robert Yancey who served in the militia during the Revolutionary War. Information concerning these four different Robert Yanceys follows and includes personal data and information concerning their families. This has been included in an attempt to compare this information with what is known from the military files of Captain Yancey and thus ascertain which, if any of the four candidates is the true Captain Robert Yancey..

The four Robert Yanceys are as follows:

1) Col. Robert Leighton Yancey - son of Capt. Charles & Mary (Crawford) Yancey of Louisa County

2) Robert Yancey - the son of Jeremiah and Margaret (Mullins) Yancey of Albemarle County

3) Robert Yancey - the son of Richard and Mary (Bolling??) Yancey of Mecklenburg County.

4) Robert Yancey - the son of Lewis Davis and Winifred (Kavanaugh) Yancey of Culpeper County.