William Nathan Terry

• Sources - MI Military Records 1775-1836 and the History of Oakland County
• Collaborating trees on Ancestry.com (Bechtel) (Allen Heath Gibbs Montague Terry)
  • *(Copied from Bechtel Tree)

From History of Oakland County (Michigan) Nov 10, 1828 , Pontiac, Oakland County, Michigan

Chapt er VI - Revolutionary Soldiers and "Daughters"

W illliam N. Terry made his declaration November 10, 1828, at which time he was 68 years old. He enlisted for the war in March 1774; was at the battle of Bunker Hill in June 1775 as a member of Captain Ranson's company of Pennsylvania Troops in Colonel Butler's regiment. He served till October 1782. While on a furlough he fought as a volunteer at the battle of Wyoming and afterwards, returned to his corps and was engaged in the battle of Princeton. He came to Michigan in 1824, leaving property at Tioga County, New York out of which he was partially swindeled and was too poor to prosecute his rights for its recovery. Subsequently his sons obtained possession of his real estate in Michigan, their father being seriously ill, and on his recovery refused to re-convey it to him or pay him for it, and poverty again prevented him from forcing his children to restore to him his rights. His family consisted of his wife and four children, on of whom was crippled and the others useless for help for the want of a farm on which to work. The declaration closed with the following most toughing and pitiful plaint: "And now I am old, poor and infirm and can work but little; I cannot feeed and clothe myself and family in a decent and comfortable manner by my own labor, and without some assistance from some quarter"

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"Nathan Terry, a Revolutionary soldier, father of Mrs. Isaac Voorheis, came in 1824, and settled in Pontiac, on the Saginaw turnpike, two miles northwest of the twon. He lived to be about eighty years old, and died in the winter of 1838.

Unknown page copy sent by Ellen Hardenburg

He died january 20, 1840 and is buried on the Charles Terry lot in Oak Hill Cemetery. His wife, Eleanor Lewis, died August 25, 1849, aged seventy three years.

Children (I) Charles d July 3, 1854, age 52 years; cemetery record

(II) Sarah Lee, b October 27, 1806) d June 13, 1899; m July 5, 1827, Isaac Voorheis, b March 11, 1806, d July 12, 1892

(III) Ellen, m Sept 14, 1833 Mathew Stanley

(IV) William, m Hannah Lusk

(V) Jacob

(VI) Joshua m Lucy Tining

(VII) Merritt, m EMily Lewis

(IX) Caleb b October 11, 1816, Palmyra, Wayne County, NY; d April 26, 18990 Lansing, Michigan; m 1840 Loraine Cole, b Feb 1, 1821, d September 13, 1908, Port Huron, dau of John and Elizabeth (Skinner) COle

(X) Polly, m Elijah Kirkham

(XI) Barney

• Source: WILLIAM NATHAN TERRY

Terry, William Nathan Born 1760

Died Jan. 20, 1840, buried, Charles Tery lot. Oak Hill cemetery.

Pontiac; grave marked, Oct 1, 1909, by General Richardson chapter, Pontiac, Mich.

Married Eleanor Lewis, who was born about 1776 and died Aug 25, 1849Children - Charles, b 1802, d July 3, 1854;

Sara Lee, b Oct. 27, 1806, d June 13, 1890;

Ellen; William; Jacob; Joshua; John; Merritt; Caleb; Polly; Barney

Revolutionary Service; - Enlisted Mar., 1774; was in the battle of Bunker Hill,

1775 in Capt. Ranson's company, Pa troops, under Col. Butler; served until Oct., 1782

Came to Michigan 1824; located on Saginaw turnpike, two miles north of Pontaic, Mich.

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