Military Marker: William Ely, Sr. PVT VA LINE; Revolutionary War Soldier; 25 Mar 1753-11 Sept 1850.

Sources: 1. Early Settlers of Lee Co., VA: Descendants of Thomas Ely, excerpts by Hattie Muncy Bales, ed. William C.Reed; 2. http://bow1.tripod.comely/Ely_Family.pdf.

William was the second son of Thomas Ely (b. abt 1730, England, d. abt 1782, Bedford Co., Va) and his wife Jane Smith (b. abt. 1730 in Dublin, Dublin Co., Ireland, and died probably Lee Co., VA aft 1798).

William was living with his parents and siblings in Bedford Co., VA when the Revolutionary War broke out. He along with his father Thomas Ely, Sr., and brothers Thomas Ely, Jr. and John Ely all fought in this war. His father was wounded at Buford's Defeat (1780) and died about two years after being wounded. His brother Thomas Ely, Jr. was killed during the war. On 29 May 1780, in battle at Hanging Rock, South Carolina, (Buford was defeated) William was also severely wounded in the head and shoulder by a sabre. He became a British Prisoner of War but was paroled in a few days due to the wound and returned home. He was pensioned for 2 years service and is said that he had a silver plate in his head. William served under Captains Hughes Woodson and Lawson, and Colonel Abraham Buford.

William's mother Jane, with her large family, left Bedford County and settled in Montgomery County, VA, collected land grants and lived several years before selling their property and moving to Sugar Run, Lee County, VA about 1796-1798.

The children of Thomas, Sr. and Jane (William & siblings) were:

1. Thomas, Jr. 1750 PA-abt 1778;

2. William, 1753 PA-1850 Lee Co., VA;

3. John, abt 1755 Stafford Co., VA-Feb 1839, Sugar Run, Lee Co. VA;

4. Isaac,1757 Stafford Co., VA-abt 1849, Lee Co., VA;

5. Rachel, 1760 Stafford co., VA-abt 1854 Montgomery Co., VA, m. Edward Napier, Montgomery Co., VA;

6. Jane, 1763 Stafford Co., VA-abt 1857 Montgomery Co., VA, m. Rene Napier, Montgomery Co., VA;

7. David, 1767 Stafford Co., VA-abt 1858, Lee Co., VA;

8. Robert, 9 Mar 1773 Bedford Co., VA-27 Aug 1843 Lee Co., VA;

9. Joseph, 12 Nov 1775 Bedford Co., VA-2 Nov 1827 Lee Co., VA (Bailey Cem., Lee Co.);

10. George, Sr. 1777 Bedford Co., VA-19 Apr 1855 Lee Co., VA;

11. Sarah, 1779 Bedford Co., VA-?, m. John Webb on 1 Aug 1793 Montgomery Co., VA;

12. Margaret, 1781 Bedford Co., VA-?, m. Alexander Suiter 27 Sept 1798 Montgomery Co., VA.

Nearly 6 months after being severely wounded & returning home, William married on 23 Oct 1780, Bedford Co., VA to Mary Rallings (Rawlings, Rollings), daughter of Anthony & Mary Rawlings. They moved with the Ely family to Montgomery County, VA, where William purchased land adjoining to his mother's, lying on the mouth of Bear Springs, a branch of New River. Later, he sold this & moved with the family to Sugar Run, Lee Co., VA. He, along with others, owned several thousand acres of frontier in this area, & at one time resided on property in then Knox Co., KY, later Harlan Co. When he returned to Lee County, the family became members of Thompson Settlement Baptist Church.

William & Mary had seven children: William Ely, Jr.; Anthony Ely, m. Elizabeth, Anthony died in 1844; John M. Ely, moved to Gilmore Co., GA; Catherine Ely, m. William Harris; Joseph Ely, whose wife might be named Rebecca; Mary Ely; & one other (unknown). William is said to be buried near Hagan, in the "Russell" cemetery.

Contributed by "Vonnie":

Southern Campaign American Revolution Pension Statements & Rosters

Pension Application of William Ely S39493 Transcribed and annotated by C. Leon Harris State of Virginia towit: On this thirty first day of March in the year 1819, before me the subscriber, one of the Judges of the General Court of Virginia allotted by law to the 13 circuit, which comprehends the County of Lee, personally appeared William Ely, aged sixty six years, resident in the County of Lee aforesaid in the State aforesaid, who, being by me first duly sworn according to law, doth, on his oath, make the following declaration in order to obtain the provision made by the act of Congress entitled, "An act to provide for certain persons engaged in the land and naval services of the United States in the revolutionary war." that he the said William Ely enlisted, in the county of Bedford, in the State of Virginia, with Captain Thomas Helms, then a recruiting officers for the continental service; that he repaired immediately to New London, in the said county of Bedford [now in Campbell County], the place of rendezvous for recruits, and was placed under the command of Captain Hugh Woodson [sic: Hughes Woodson], with whom he marched to Petersburg [sic: Petersburg], in Virginia, and joined the regiment commanded by Colonel Abraham Buford, of the Virginia line, on continental establishment – he enlisted on the fifteenth day of February, in the year 1779, and after remaining at Petersburg the succeeding winter, he marched, with the regiment to join the Southern Army commanded by General Lincoln [Benjamin Lincoln, then under siege at Charleston SC]. Colonel Buford did not effect the object [having learned of the surrender of Charleston on 12 May], and marched no farther than Lanew's ferry [Leneud's Ferry] on the Santee river, from which place he retreated northwardly, and was attacked, on the 29 of May in the year 1780, by Colo. Tarlton at a place called the Hanging Rock th [sic: Lt. Col. Banastre Tarleton near Waxhaws SC, 12 mi N of Hanging Rock], where the applicant was severely wounded by a sabre, on the head and shoulder, the scars of which wounds now remain. That this is the only battle at which he was ever present, and was then taken prisoner by the enemy – that he did not recover from his wounds untill after the term of his service had expired and was permitted by the enemy to go home, on his parole [promise not to return to service until exchanged], nor does he know that he ever was exchanged – he is certain that he was not afterwards required to join his regiment, altho' his officers knew where he was, nor did he ever apply for nor did he receive a discharge. The said applicant also proved by a credible witness, who gave evidence before me on oath, That he the said witness, whose name is John Ely, now recollects the enlistment of the said applicant with Captain Thomas Helms, for eighteen months, or two years – that he accompanied him a part of the way, when he marched from New London, and that after an absence of more than one year , he returned home, severely wounded on the head and shoulders, and possessed of a paper which the witness understood to be a parole from the British Colonel Tarlton. The said applicant also declared before me, on oath as aforesaid, that from his reduced circumstances he stands in need of the assistance of his country for his support. Sworn to and declared before me, on the day and year first above written. Peter Johnston

Virginia Lee County to wit, On this 27 day of June 1820 personally appeared in open Court, being a Court of record & quarter Sessions established for said County by an Act of the General Assembly of Virginia, William Ely aged sixty seven years the 25 day of March last, resident in said County, who being the first duly sworn according to Law, doth, on his Oath, declare that he served in the revolutionary war a follows, to wit. That he enlisted as a private soldier in the Continental Army under Captain Thomas Helms and was put under Captain Hughes Woodson at New London in Virginia who commanded a Company in the regiment commanded by Colonel Abraham Bluford. That he was stationed in Petersburg Virginia for several months & then marched to the south under Captain Hughes Woodson, and then fell into the company commanded by Captain [Claiborne W.] Lawson, Captain Woodson having been promoted to a Major. That his term of enlistment was for two

years and served about eighteen months when, at Buford's defeat in the south, he was wounded with a sword on the Head & Shoulder, and taken prisoner by the British. That being badly wounded, he was in a few days paroled by the British Commander, and permitted to return home till exchanged; And was never exchanged, or called upon untill the close of the War, which took place not long after [sic]. That in consequence of being taken prisoner & paroled, he never procured a discharge. – That for the said services he made his declaration before the Honorable Peter Johnston Esquire, Judge of the 13 Judicial Circuit of Virginia, on the 31st day of March 1819 to entitle him to the provisions of the law of the United States of the 18 March 1818, and obtained from the Secretary of War, a pension Certificate dated the 3 day of July 1819 rd Numbered 12,561. And I do solemnly swear, that I was a resident Citizen of the United States on the 18 day of March 1818, and that I have not since that time by gift, sale, or in any manner, they disposed of my property, or any part thereof, with intent thereby so to diminish it, as to bring myself within the provisions of an Act of Congress entitled, "An act to provide for certain persons engaged in the Land & Naval service of the United States in the Revolutionary War," passed on the 18 day of March 1818. And that I have not, nor has any person in trust for me, any property or securities, contracts or debts, due to me; nor have I any income, other than what is contained in the Schedule hereto annexed and by me subscribed; to wit. Two Cows & three yearlings, one little mare, about twenty small hogs & mostly[?] pigs. One tract of land about seventy acres, & very thin & broken, & without water, with a small improvement of about fifteen acres of cleared land. One old shovel plough. Two old weeding hoes, one pair of gears. Two axes, one old flax wheel, one pot, one oven & one skillet, one sett knives & forks, two pewter dishes & six pewter plates. One old smoothing Iron. One ginseng hoe, One Iron wedge, one old trough, & two bottles. William his X mark Ely The said William Ely also upon his oath declared that he has no occupation but that of a farmer. And that from age & infirmities he is unable to do any work on a farm of any consequence. That he has entirely lost the use of his left hand, probably from the wound he received in the shoulder in the war, having his shoulder blade split entirely open with a sword. That his wife is about eighty years of age. And that he has no other family but one son with him, who is about eighteen years of age, whose name is John. That he purchased his little farm since he obtained his pension Certificate, in order to have a house of his own in his old age, and expected to pay for it out of the savings of his pension. That he owes for it at this time about seventy two dollars – besides other debts which he owes of about $85.00 and which he will be unable to pay if his Country withholds from him, her support. And that he is in such reduced circumstances in life, as to stand in need of the assistance of his Country for his support. Sworn to and declared on the 27 day of June 1820 before the Court of Lee County

∼Wife died a few days after him.

Revolutionary War Soldier

The Sabre-Scarred Patriot: The Life of William Ely Sr. (1753–1850)

William Ely Sr. was born on March 25, 1753, in the colonial wilderness of Stafford County, Virginia. Growing up in the "Tidewater" era of the Old Dominion, he was a young man of twenty-two when the fires of the American Revolution were lit.

In 1777, William answered the call to defend the emerging nation. He enlisted as a Private in the Virginia Continental Line, serving under Captain Thomas Helms and Colonel Abraham Buford. For nearly two years, he marched across the rugged terrains of Virginia and the Carolinas, a common laborer turned Continental soldier.

IThe Horror at Waxhaws (Buford's Massacre: The defining moment of William's life occurred on May 29, 1780, at the Battle of Waxhaws (also known as "Buford's Massacre"). His unit was overtaken by the British Legion under the notorious Colonel Banastre "Bloody Ban" Tarleton.

As the British cavalry charged, the engagement turned into a slaughter. William refused to yield. In the heat of the melee, he was severely wounded by a British sabre, receiving deep slashes to his head and shoulder. Left for dead on the battlefield, he was eventually taken prisoner. However, his wounds were so grievous that the British paroled him, believing he would not survive. William carried those physical scars—and the memory of "Tarleton's Quarter"—for the next seventy years.

After the war, the "Old Soldier" returned to Virginia to heal and build a legacy. He married Mary Rawlings on October 23, 1780, in Bedford County, VA. Together they began a westward migration that mirrored the growth of the country.

They eventually settled on Wallens Creek in Lee County, Virginia. Living in the shadow of the Cumberland Gap, William became a fixture of the community. In 1820, facing "indigent circumstances" due to his war-time disabilities, he applied for a federal pension. His Schedule of Property filed with the court revealed the humble life of a frontier hero: his entire world consisted of one cow, twelve pigs, six pewter plates, and a few old farming tools, valued at just $38.00.

The "Aged Couple" and the Final Act of Mercy

William Ely survived long enough to become a living legend. By the time of the 1850 Census, he was 96 years old, still head of his household in Lee County, living with his wife Mary and their son Robert.

In September 1850, the story that captivated the local press reached its conclusion. After seventy-five years of marriage, the couple passed away within days of each other. The Abingdon Virginian reported their deaths as an "act of special mercy," noting that William was 105 years old and Mary was 107 at the time of their passing.

Genealogical Summary

* Name: William Ely Sr. (DAR Patriot #A038291)

* Birth: March 25, 1753 (Stafford Co., VA)

* Death: September 11, 1850 (Lee Co., VA)

* Spouse: Mary Rawlings

* Military Rank: Private, Virginia Continental Line

* Battles: The Battle of Waxhaws (Wounded & Taken Prisoner)

* Documented Scars: Sabre wounds to the Head and Shoulder

* Primary Residence: Wallens Creek, Lee County, VA

* Pension File: S39493 (Virginia Agency)

The Lineage to Kentucky

* William Ely Sr. (The Veteran): 1753–1850 (Lee Co., VA)

* William Ely Jr.: c. 1775–1850s (Married Rebecca Saylor; moved to Harlan Co., KY)

* Sarah "Sally" Ely Pace: 1810–1881 (Married John P. Pace; moved to Magoffin Co., KY)

Children (Associated via family records): William Jr., Anthony, Catherine, Thomas, Joseph, Mary, Robert, and John M. Ely

Historical Proofs

* 1820 Court Record: Verified his property as 1 cow, 12 pigs, and 6 pewter plates.

* 1832 Pension Act: Formally recognized his service and wounds.

* 1850 U.S. Census: Captured the 96-year-old veteran and his 80-year-old wife months before death.

* 1851 Tax List: Recorded his estate under his son, Robert Ely, as Administrator.