Captain James Estill

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Captain James Estill

Birthdate:
Birthplace: Augusta County, Virginia, United States
Death: March 22, 1782 (31)
Mount Sterling, Montgomery County, Kentucky, United States
Place of Burial: Mount Sterling, Montgomery County, Kentucky, United States
Immediate Family:

Son of Capt. Wallace Estill and Mary Ann Estill
Husband of Rachel Proctor
Father of Ben Estill; Wallace Estill; James Estill, Jr.; Jonathan Estill and Sally Estill
Brother of Col. Samuel Estill; Abigail Woods; Rutha Booton; Wallace Estill; William Estill and 1 other
Half brother of Mary Ann Thompson; Benjamin Estill; John M. Estill; Susannah McCreery; Boude Walliss Estill and 1 other

Managed by: Cecilie Nygård
Last Updated:

About Captain James Estill

James Estill

  • DAR Ancestor #: A037302
  • Service:  VIRGINIA    Rank: CAPTAIN
  • Birth:  11-9-1750    AUGUSTA CO VIRGINIA
  • Death:  3-23-1782     FAYETTE CO KY DIST VIRGINIA
  • Service Source:  HARDING, GEORGE ROGERS CLARK & HIS MEN, PP 113-114
  • Service Description:  1) MILITIA, COL BENJAMIN LOGAN
  • RESIDENCE 1) County: LINCOLN CO - District: KY DIST - State: VIRGINIA
  • SPOUSE 1) RACHAEL WRIGHT  

From Find A Grave Memorial# 71165829

James Estill, was born in Augusta County, Virginia,to Wallace and Mary Ann (Campbell) Estill. His father was the High Sheriff of Augusta County, Virginia, and by the year 1872, James was a Captain of the Militia in Kentucky County. His home was known as Estill Station, or Fort, and following a raid on his settlement by a band of Wyandot Indians, he organized a group of Militia and went in search of the marauders.

On the night of March 22, 1782, Estill and his militiamen encountered the Wyandot raiding party a mile and a half south of Little Mountain. Even though the Wyandot leader, Sourehoowah, was reportedly shot by the first volley, he urged his men to continue the fight, and so they did for over two hours. One of Estill's men, Lieutenant William Miller was ordered to flank the Indians, but after having his musket shot from his hands, Miller turned tail and ran. This betrayal combined with the fact that James Estill was still nursing a broken arm from the previous year, eventually led to Estill's Defeat. After his bad arm gave out in hand to hand combat with a 200 pound Wyandot, he was stabbed in the heart by a large hunting knife. Estill fell to the ground never knowing what happened. The Wyandot brave was shot and killed by by James's comrade, Joseph Procter.

The traditional site of Estill's death, where he was killed in hand-to-hand combat, was marked by a millstone marker pointing to an old sycamore tree on Hinkston Creek.

Please visit the Cenotaph, or Memorial Site for James Estill, also featured on Find a Grave.com. This monument was erected near the entrance to the Richmond Cemetery, by the people of Richmond in honor of Capt. James Estill. 


  • Battle of Little Mountain
  • Genealogies of Kentucky  FAMILIES From The Register of the Kentucky Historical Society
    • Captain Wallace Estill died in 1792, leaving a very large estate. His will, recorded in Lewisburg, West Virginia, was written in 1789. He named in his will his wife, Mary Ann; his sons, Boude, Benjamin, John, Wallace, Samuel,and Isaac; and his daughters, Rebecca, wife of Col. Thomas Hughart; Susanna,wife of Col. John McCreary; Abigail and Ruth. Capt. Wallace’s records have been accepted by the ColonialDames of America, the Daughters of the American Revolution, and the Huguenot Society.

James Estill, was born in Augusta County, Virginia,to Wallace and Mary Ann (Campbell) Estill. His father was the High Sheriff of Augusta County, Virginia, and by the year 1872, James was a Captain of the Militia in Kentucky County. His home was known as Estill Station, or Fort, and following a raid on his settlement by a band of Wyandot Indians, he organized a group of Militia and went in search of the marauders.

On the night of March 22, 1782, Estill and his militiamen encountered the Wyandot raiding party a mile and a half south of Little Mountain. Even though the Wyandot leader, Sourehoowah, was reportedly shot by the first volley, he urged his men to continue the fight, and so they did for over two hours. One of Estill's men, Lieutenant William Miller was ordered to flank the Indians, but after having his musket shot from his hands, Miller turned tail and ran. This betrayal combined with the fact that James Estill was still nursing a broken arm from the previous year, eventually led to Estill's Defeat. After his bad arm gave out in hand to hand combat with a 200 pound Wyandot, he was stabbed in the heart by a large hunting knife. Estill fell to the ground never knowing what happened. The Wyandot brave was shot and killed by by James's comrade, Joseph Procter.

The traditional site of Estill's death, where he was killed in hand-to-hand combat, was marked by a millstone marker pointing to an old sycamore tree on Hinkston Creek.

Please visit the Cenotaph, or Memorial Site for James Estill, also featured on Find a Grave.com. This monument was erected near the entrance to the Richmond Cemetery, by the people of Richmond in honor of Capt. James Estill.

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Captain James Estill's Timeline

1750
November 9, 1750
Augusta County, Virginia, United States
1773
1773
Augusta County, Virginia, United States
1774
September 10, 1774
Augusta County, Virginia, United States
1776
November 16, 1776
Augusta County, Virginia, United States
1781
1781
Boonesborough, Madison County, Kentucky, United States
1782
March 22, 1782
Age 31
Mount Sterling, Montgomery County, Kentucky, United States
March 22, 1782
Age 31
Estill's Defeat Cemetery, Mount Sterling, Montgomery County, Kentucky, United States
October 10, 1782
Madison County, Kentucky, United States