TDP Genealogy Blog by Terry D. Prall: Pittsburgh, Western Pennsylvania and Virginia and the Revolutionary War

2002 marked the final leg of the Revolutionary War summer workshops. The Revolution in the South was an extremely interesting trip. Among our stops were Kings Mountain, Cowpens, Guilford Court House, Alamance, Jamestown, Yorktown, Colonial Williamsburg, Monticello and a final stop in Washington D.C. that included Mount Vernon.

I vowed that I would visit some of the sites we missed the following summer. But first....

In March 2003, the Hereditary Order of the Signers of the Bush Declaration held its inaugural meeting in Harford Co., Maryland.

From the HOSBD website: "On March 22, 1775, thirty-four men gathered in a small tavern to sign the historic Bush Declaration. In this short text, these unique individuals pledged their lives and fortune to support freedom." This document was signed three weeks before the war broke out at Lexington and Concord. Among the signers was my collateral ancestor Edward Prall. I felt that "Uncle Ed" deserved to be represented. I joined and attended the banquet and meeting.

With Baltimore nearby, I went to the Marylanad Historical Society and did some serious 1810-1820 work on the Baltimore City directories to try to unravel the mysteries of the Rhodes-Cunningham family. The effort was a major success. I was able to narrow the years of death for Captain Zachariah Rhodes and his wife Harriet Cunningham. I was also able to learn about the occupations of Harriet's brothers-in-law. The entire group was living in the Fell's Point neighborhood on the harbor.

Next I visited the family stomping ground at Fell's Point, where I tracked down the addresses [buildings probably long-since razed and replaced] and toured some of the shops. I got a nice feel for the waterfront.

My final stop was Fort McHenry, birthplace of The Star Spangled Banner. If you get a chance, visit!
The climax to the documentary on the siege is opening the curtains to reveal the flag. Unbelievable!

Also in 2003 I decided to take in my 1st national conference, the NGS Conference in Pittsburgh. It would also give me the opportunity to do a little research and visit the area where my Crousore and Faucett ancestors lived. [Also the Simmons clan, as I would later learn.]

After the conference, I drove to Uniontown to research at the Historical Society there. I was able to find a few tidbits on Nicholas Crousore. Then the sightseeing began. Mount Washington Tavern, Fort Necessity [where the French defeated G. Washington], the site of Braddock's defeat during the French and Idian War, Jumonville [where G.W. defeated the French, igniting hostilities].

After school was out for good [retirement], I packed up and headed for Virginia to visit my Welsh and Swiss roots. Revolutionary War sites missed in '02 would follow.

Winchester, Frederick Co., Virginia was my primary stop. I stopped at the Hopewell MM Cemetery and Meeting House where members of the Rogers family had attended. I met with Col. Sidney Rogers in Gainsboro and he graciously shared copies of his Rogers research with me and directed me to the Back Creek Quaker Graveyard where several members of the Rogers, Rinker and Wolary families are buried.

I conducted research at the Hadley Library in Winchester. I was able to uncover a great deal of information on the Rogers, Rinker, Allemong and Wolary families. The staff was exceptional.

Other sites: Rev War hero Daniel Morgan's gravesite, Washington's HQ and Stonewall Jackson's HQ.

Onward! I visited the Jamestown historic village asnd Revolutionary War Museum at Yorktown, the Ninety-Six Battlefield, Camden, Cowpens and Historic Brattonville. In addition to being the location for the Battle of Huck's Defeat, Brattonville played host to the filming of Mel Gibson's The Patriot.
It was fun seeing buildings and landscapes utilized in the movie.

I wrapped up the trip with a visit to my uncle in Augusta, Georgia.

Pictures: