Vachel Lovelace

Vachel Lovelace was an extraordinary man born in extraordinary times. He was the son of John Baptist Lovelace and Eleanor Archibald. His father was a man with substantial holdings: he acquired a tract of land known as Job's Comfort in Charles County, Maryland. He was very successful and eventually owned a plantation called "The Hermatage." John Baptist died in 1765 and his widow, Eleanor, married the widower Thomas Robey. They moved with their combined families to Fifth Creek, Iredell County, NC. Two of Vachel Lovelace's brothers married two of his stepsisters: Charles Lovelace married Sarah Robey and brother Elias Lovelace married Nancy Ann Robey. The date of Thomas Roby's marriage to Eleanor Lovelace was unknown, so which weddings occurred first were unknown.

According to "Revolutionary Patriots of Frederick County, Maryland, 1775-1783" by Henry C. Peden, Charles Lovelace enrolled to serve in the militia of Maryland on July 10, 1776. The military career of Elias Lovelace, DAR Ancestor Number A071885, was documented in his application for pension, S*W9143. Vachel Lovelace's participation in the American Revolution was documented in W9144, the pension application submitted by his widow, Margaret Lovelace. The application was transcribed by Will Graves.

(Parenthetically, historians, genealogists, and descendants owe thanks to Will Graves for his hours spent transcribing the pension applications of American Revolution veterans. These papers were fragile and difficult to read, so this was a most difficult task, but so many people benefit from his efforts. Thank you, Will Graves.)

• ********************************************************* Southern Campaign American Revolution Pension Statements & Rosters Pension application of Vachel Lovelace (Lovlace) W9144 Margaret fn28NC Transcribed by Will Graves 4/23/10 [Methodology: Spelling, punctuation and/or grammar have been corrected in some instances for ease of reading and to facilitate searches of the database. Also, the handwriting of the original scribes often lends itself to varying interpretations. Users of this database are urged to view the original and to make their own decision as to how to decipher what the original scribe actually wrote. Blanks appearing in the transcripts reflect blanks in the original. Folks are free to make non-commercial use this transcript in any manner they may see fit, but please extend the courtesy of acknowledging the transcriber—besides, if it turns out the transcript contains mistakes, the resulting embarrassment will fall on the transcriber. I use speech recognition software to make all my transcriptions. Such software misinterprets my southern accent with unfortunate regularity and my poor proofreading fails to catch all misinterpretations. I welcome and encourage folks to call those errors to my attention.] [fn p. 7]

State of Kentucky Graves County

On this 16th day of May 1833 personally appeared in open Court before William Armstrong, James Cochran & Daniel Cargill Justices of the Graves County Court now sitting Vachel Lovelace a resident of said County of Graves and Commonwealth aforesaid aged seventy-five years who being first duly sworn according to law doth on his oath make the following declaration in order to obtain the benefit of the act of Congress passed June 7th 1832. That he entered the service of the United States under the following named officers and served as herein stated to wit. He states that he was born in Frederick County State of Maryland on the 12th day of June 1758 as appears from the record of his age now in his possession which was many years since from his father's record of his children's ages. That he was raised in said County of Frederick till he was about 16 years of age when he moved to Rowan County North Carolina where he continued to reside till he entered the service for a tour of six months on the first day of April 1777 as an Indian spy under Captain David Caldwell Lieutenant Richard McGuire Ensign John Knox all of a Regiment commanded by Colonel Locke who was under General Rutherford [Griffith Rutherford]. He states however that in actual service he had no superior Officer to his Captain in his much has no other than a single company of spies was put out from Rowan. He states that he met with his company at Shells Ford on the Catawby [Catawba] River and from thence marched to Davidson's Fort at the foot of the Blue Ridge on the head of the Catawba River at which place he remained for the purpose of ranging the Country round and protecting the frontiers till the expiration of his term of six months when he received a discharge signed by his Captain David Caldwell which discharge has long since been lost by this applicant. He states that he entered the above service as a volunteer in said company of spies. After being discharged he returned home where he remained till he again entered the service as a volunteer on the first of September 1780 under Captain Robeson Colonel Waid Hampton [sic, Wade Hampton] and General Sumpter [sic, Thomas Sumter]. He states that he rendezvoused at Mecklenburg Court house from which place he was sent to range and watch the Country round Winnsborough to which place Cornwallis had retreated after Ferguson's defeat.1

                                                1 Patrick Ferguson was defeated at the Battle of Kings Mountain on October 7, 1780.  He states that a considerable part of this tours service consisted of watching ferries [&?] Mills  and in cutting off foraging parties of the British. He states that he was in a sharp engagement with a party of British at a place called the Fish Dam on Broad River and that his party were defeated. He states that in a few days after he was in another severe engagement under General Sumter at Blackstock's plantation on Tyger River. Sumter had near a thousand men but was nevertheless defeated and badly wounded. From this place he was marched to Buffenton's Iron works on Pacolet [River] where he remained but a few days from which place he was marched with the Army to Colonel Watson's plantation where the troops remained some time, when he was marched to Mecklenburg Court house having served out his tour of three months at which place he received his discharge signed by General Horatio Gates in bearing date the 3rd day of December 1780. This was his last term of service. He shortly afterwards moved to the State of Kentucky (from Rowan County) in which state he continued to reside ever since. He has no documentary evidence of his services nor has he any better evidence than he here addresses including the certificate of his brother Elias Lovelace but his neighbors to wit Peter Mahan, Samuel Mahan, Lewis Good, Benjamin Kimmel, James Ashley and others who are well acquainted with him will bear ample testimony as to his character for veracity and to his being reputed a soldier of the Revolution. He hereby relinquishes every claim whatever to a pension or annuity except the present and declares that his name is not on the Pension Roll of the agency of any State whatever.       S/ Vachel Lovlace 

Subscribed and sworn to in open court the day & year aforesaid S/ John Anderson, CG [Lewis Goode, a clergyman, and Walter W. Adams gave the standard supporting affidavit.]

Personally appeared before the undersigned an acting justice of the peace in and for McCracken County State of Kentucky Elias Lovelace2 S/ Elias Lovlace a resident of McCracken County aged 78 years who being by reason of his great age & bodily infirmity wholly unable to attend Court doth upon his oath make and certify that he is an elder brother to Vachel Lovelace who has signed the above declaration, that he resided in Rowan County North Carolina during the Revolutionary War, That he knows that his said brother Vachel Lovelace served as an Indian spy in the year 1777 under Captain David Caldwell and that he believes the same was a 6 months tour. He also states that said Vachel was in the service against the British in the year 1780. That he knows from circumstances that all his statements contained in the foregoing declaration are true although he does not know positively that they are. [fn p. 11: On June 2, 1848 Graves County Kentucky, Margaret Lovelace, 82, filed for a widow's pension under the 1836 act stating that she is the widow of Vachel Lovelace; that she married him in the month of July or August 1778; that her husband died in Graves County Kentucky January 16, 1837; that she remains his widow.]

                                                2 FPA W9143  [fn p. 16: On June 2, 1840 and McCracken County Kentucky, Anne Lovelace, widow of Elias Lovelace, testified that she was present at the marriage of Vachel Lovelace and Margaret his wife in Rowan County North Carolina some time in late July or first of August in the year 1778.]   [fn p. 4 family record] The Vachel Lovlace [sic]3 Vachel Lovelace was born June the 12 day of in the year 1759  and Margret his wife Marget Lovelace was born in Marched the 14th day 1757 and they was Married July 28th 1778 Vachel Lovelace departed this life January the 15th 1837 George Adams Lovelace was Born March 13th 1780 William Lovlace was Born March the 10 Day 1783  William H. Hill Elizabeth Lovelace was born June 25 day 1785 Elias Lovelace was Born April 6 Day 1788 [illegible] Lovelace was born February the 19 Day 1793 John Lovelace was Born January the 12th day 1794 Walter William Morris Lovelace was born July [illegible] Day 1797 

[Veteran was pensioned at the rate of $30 per annum commencing March 4th, 1831, for 9 months service in the revolution

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Although his burial site was not marked, it was documented by U.S. Veterans Gravesites, ca.1775-2006 as located in this cemetery. May this memorial serve as an expression of the gratitude we owe Vachel Lovelace for risking his life and braving the unknown to help build a new country: our America.* Reference: Find A Grave Memorial - SmartCopy: Mar 27 2019, 14:38:30 UTC

• Reference: MyHeritage Family Trees - SmartCopy: Oct 5 2016, 2:43:03 UTC