Whence I Came

Patriot James Nisbet's tombstone is the only source for his birth date, February 27, 1765. His gravesite at the Grapevine Cemetery in Hopkins County, Kentucky includes an obelisk and a grave ledger, both with the same overall engraved message: IN MEMORY OF JAMES NISBET SR  SOLDIER OF THE REVOLUTION  WHO DEPARTED THIS LIFE SEPT 28, 1845  AGED 80 YEARS 7 MONTHS AND 1 DAY Here's an image of the older obelisk with engraved message along with James' and his wife Jane's more recent grave ledgers lying adjacent.  Below are the two grave ledgers, which must have been installed many years after the obelisk, followed by a close up of James' ledger engraving.  The birth year of 1765 is consistent with the 1840 Hopkins County, Kentucky census for James Nisbet showing him as being between the ages of 70 and 79. Meaning, he would have been about 75 years of age when the 1840 census was taken. And we know that his birth took place in South Carolina as his son, also named Jame...

America's 250th anniversary reminds us to slow down and reflect upon the lives of the men and women who dared to sacrifice everything in hopes for the original American dream.   Although their daring and brave struggles required a unity of mind and heart, their stories are all very different. This entry is the first of 52 Patriots, one per week, as we celebrate this amazing anniversary!  Ensign William Elliott 1752 - 1839 Rarely are we fortunate enough to come across an original Oath of Allegiance which many male Patriots took when the Revolution commenced. So, when we do come across a digital copy of an original Oath of Allegiance taken in 1777, we feel as if we have just mined genealogical gold! Imagine the odds of a man keeping in his possession his 1777 Oath (a small piece of paper) presenting it in 1833 when he filed for a pension! Well, that is exactly what Ensign William Elliot did! William Elliott's 1777 Oath of Allegiance, Revolutionary War Pension Application S1...