Revolutionary Soldiers Buried in Madison County, Illinois

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Revolutionary Soldiers Buried in Illinois by Mrs. Harriet J. Walker, Reprinted for the web.

In the preparation of this work, every effort has been made to obtain the records of these soldiers, to verify them, and to ascertain their places of burial. This has been accomplished in various ways, by ascertaining the names of all who were pensioned and where the application was made. This does not always locate the burial place owing to the changing of the boundary lines of the counties of the state, making it necessary to obtain from the U. S. Treasury department the time and place of payment of the last pension.

Revolutionary War Graves of Soldiers Buried in Madison County Illinois:

Illinois cannot claim the length of years in the settlement of towns and cities of some eastern states, yet long before Vermont and Kentucky (the first states admitted to the Union after the close of the Revolutionary War) were heard of, the Illinois country occupied a place on the maps of North America, and were Kaskaskia not submerged by the Mississippi river, Illinois could proudly boast of that early settlement, the capital of the Illinois country for seventy-eight years, and afterward of the state.

The centennial mark of one of the counties was reached on September 14, 1912. Appreciating this honor of one hundred years of organization, the citizens of Madison county united in a grand celebration lasting from September 14 to 21, inclusive.

It was a time for the home-coming of former residents, who vied with each other and with those now living in the county in making the centennial celebration a marked event not only for the county but for Edwardsville, the county seat.

Madison county was created a separate county by proclamation of Governor Ninian Edwards in September, 1812; it was fitting, therefore, that the State Legislature should appropriate $5,000.00 for the erection of a monument in Edwardsville to commemorate a century of progress in the county and in memory of Gov. Edwards and those whose life work was given in aid of the development of Madison county. On September 16, 1912, the monument was dedicated with elaborate and fitting ceremonies.

This historic day closed with the unveiling of a bronze tablet in the circuit court room of the court house at Edwardsville in memory of the Revolutionary soldiers who lie buried in Madison county.

Thus were linked together in history the two wars for independence, as well as the part taken by these pioneer-patriots who aided in laying the foundations for the successful development of Madison county.

The program was in charge of the Ninian Edwards Chapter of the D. A. R., of Alton, who, with descendants of the men, placed the tablet in grateful recognition of service rendered by these soldiers, who with their com-patriots were the most heroic, the most devoted to duty of all men, ancient or modern.

The program opened with an invocation by Rev. J. W. McNeill; Hon. Norman G. Flagg gave an appropriate introductory address; Gov. Charles S. Deneen, whose native city is Edwardsville, brought greetings from the state of Illinois, giving praise to the D. A. R. for their historic-patriotic work, expressing the hope that every county in the state where Revolutionary soldiers are buried would place a marker, either in bronze or stone, to their memory.

Grandmother's Story of Bunker Hill was read by Miss Nina Gaskins, a lineal descendant of William McAdams, whose name is engraved on the tablet. Mrs. L. M. Castle, regent of the Ninian Edwards Chapter of Alton, the youngest chapter in the state, presented the tablet to the county, in eloquent words portraying the life of the soldiers of the Revolution, not forgetting the part taken by the women of that period.

The tablet was unveiled by Master Norman F. Gillham, who has the honor of being descended from Gaius Paddock and John Gillham, two soldiers, who were honored by their names being placed in lasting remembrance, also he can claim ten direct ancestors, in addition to those already mentioned, who rendered service in the Revolutionary War; also by Master William Krome Delicate, a descendant of Thomas Gillham, one of four by the name of Gillham, all brothers, whose names are engraved on bronze.

The acceptance of the tablet was appropriately assigned to Hon. William H. Hall, a direct descendant of William Hall.

ABSALOM BAKER was a native of North Carolina, where he enlisted in May, 1775, under Capt. John Brannon, serving until 1781. He was in the battles of Stono and Bacon's (Biggin's) Bridge; was taken prisoner at the siege of Charleston and held thirty days; was in Buford's defeat, the battle of Ramsour's Mills, Sumter's defeat at Hanging Rock; was wounded in the battle of Gates' defeat near Camden, and was in the battle of King's Mountain, Monk's Corner, Guilford Court House and Eutaw Springs. A remarkable record for one man. He came to Illinois in 1824, settling in Sangamon county, but removed to Madison county, where he died in 1833. He was pensioned.

WILLIAM BIGGS was born in Maryland in 1755. He enlisted with George Rogers Clark for the conquest of Illinois and was made lieutenant of his company. Returning to Virginia, he decided to make Illinois his home, removing there in 1784, settling near Bellefontaine, Monroe county. He was twice elected to represent Illinois territory at Vincennes, 1812-1814. Later he was elected senator. In 1789 he was captured by the Kickapoo Indians, but was released by paying a heavy ransom. He removed to Madison county and died in 1827 at the residence of Major Samuel Judy, and is buried in Madison county, six miles south of Edwardsville, at Peters Station.

GEORGE BRIDGES, a native of North Carolina, born February 12, 1762, near Elizabeth, on Cape Fear river. He enlisted at Salisbury March 10, 1777, under Capts. Griffith McCrea and Christopher Goodwin, serving nineteen months; enlisted again June, 1780, for three months under Capt. James Craig and Col. John Fifer; he again enlisted November, 1780, for three months, again serving for three months when he was taken prisoner by the British; and finally for another term of three months in May, 1781. This record covers five terms of service during the war; for a time he acted as drummer of his company. Coming to Madison county, Illinois, in 1808, he settled near Troy. He applied for a pension in 1832, which was granted.

DANIEL BROWN was born October, 1757, in Bucks county, Pennsylvania. Removing to Virginia, he enlisted in Augusta county August 8, 1776, under Capt. John Gilmore. Cols. William Russell and William Christian, serving three months; enlisted again for six weeks under Capt. Charles Gadliff; again for six weeks under Capt. John Martin; again for one month from May, 1782, was made sergeant under Capt. Robert McBride, Col. Stephen Trigg, and October, 1782, he served for one month under Capt. Samuel Kirkham, Col. Benjamin Logan. Daniel Brown showed his patriotism by re-enlisting after the war in 1786 for a short term of service. His claim for a pension was allowed in 1832, at which time he resided in Madison county, Illinois, where he lies buried in the Wanda cemetery.

JOHN CARNELISON was a native of North Carolina. He enlisted June, 1778, under Capts. John Armstrong and Matthew Ramsey, Cols. Robert Mebane, Archibald Lytle and John McLean; he again enlisted for four years under Capts. Smith, Adolph Hedrick, Francis Cole, John Childs and Jennings. He was in the battle of Stono. His claim for a pension was allowed while a resident of Fayette county, Kentucky. Removing to Illinois, he settled in Greene county, then in Madison county, where he lived with Solomon Pruit in 1840. He was 82 years of age and resided with W. C. Johns.

MICHAEL DECK was born in Rockingham county, Virginia, in 1759, where he married, April 25, 1790, Susanna Monger, who was born April 10, 1759. He died April 13, 1843, and his widow was allowed his pension. Michael Deck enlisted May 5, 1778, under Capt. Robert Craven, and again in 1781 under Capt. Michael Coker. He was in the battle of Yorktown. He early came to Madison county to reside, and is buried in Marine. He left a large family of children, thirteen in number.

THE GILLHAMS. Seldom do we read of so remarkable a family record for enthusiastic patriotic service as the war record of the Gillham family. Thomas Gillham came to America from Ireland in 1730, settling first in Virginia. He removed to South Carolina, Pendleton county. He early espoused the cause of the Colonies, and with his seven sons and two sons-in-law served in the Revolutionary War. Five of these sons came to Madison county to reside, one, William, later removed to Jersey county. Four names are engraved upon the bronze tablet; only two ever applied for pension.

ISAAC GILLHAM was born in Augusta county, Virginia, November 10, 1757; removed to South Carolina in 1763; enlisted in Camden district December, 1777, for fifty days under Capt. Robert Macupfee, Col. Thomas Neel; again March 29, 1778, under Lieut. Thomas Gillham (probably his father), when he was wounded; served again from May, 1780, to August 18, 1780, under Capt. Jacob Barnett and Col. Thomas Neel; again enlisting February 15, 1781, to May 1, 1781; again serving as a scout during the winter and spring of 1781 and 1782, with Capt. Jacob Barnett, Col. William Bratton and Major John Hartshorn. Isaac Gillham was engaged in the battles of Rocky Mount and Fishing Creek. He early came to Madison county, Illinois, where his claim for a pension was allowed.

JAMES GILLHAM, a son of Thomas, also served with his father and brothers in the war, enlisting in South Carolina, serving acceptably always, then joining the family came to Illinois, settling in Madison county, where he lies buried. He married Anne Barnett, sister of Capt. Barnett, under whom he served. "Family History."

THOMAS GILLHAM, the third son of Thomas, served 210 days in Capt. Jacob Barnett's company, William Hill's regiment, and fourteen days in Capt. James Thompson's company, William Bratton's regiment, and forty days in the same company under Lieut. Dervin, and for this service was paid by the state treasurer. Thomas Gillham came to Madison county with his brothers. "South Carolina Records."

JOHN GILLHAM, the fourth son of Thomas, Sr., served in the Sixth South Carolina Regiment as corporal; enlisting March 23, 1776; was discharged June 1, 1777; he was also in the militia under Col. Thomas Brandon. John Gillham married Sarah Clark in South Carolina and with other pioneers they came to Illinois, settling on the west bank of Cahokia creek in 1802, in the month of June. He died March, 1832, and is buried with his three brothers in the Wanda cemetery. "South Carolina Records" and "Family History."

WILLIAM HALL, a native of Pennsylvania, born in 1762, near Lancaster. He removed to South Carolina and did valiant service in the war of the Revolution. Enlisted in April, 1779, at Long Cane, South Carolina, taking the place of his uncle, William; marched to Savannah, Georgia, which was burned, later joining Gen. Benjamin Lincoln at St. Marys; served under Capt. James McCall; was made sergeant in Capt. William Alexander's company, serving four months. After serving a similar period in Capt. Gilbert Falls' company he was transferred to Capt. James Duckworth's company, where he served three months. He aided in the defense of Charleston, then entered Capt. John Pitt's company, was detailed to transfer provisions to Gen. Horatio Gates until the battle of Camden, August, 1780; during his fifth service under Capt. Falls, who was killed in this battle, he was in the battles of Ramsour Mills and Guilford Court House; was also in the battle of Eutaw Springs, where he had charge of seventy-five prisoners captured in that engagement and delivered them to Gen. Francis Locke. William Hall lived in North Carolina and Tennessee, and in 1815 he removed to Madison county, Illinois, settling near Collinsville. He died May 13, 1846. A government marker has been placed on his grave. "South Carolina Records."

ANTHONY A. HARRISON was born March 18, 1763, in Westmoreland county, Virginia. He enlisted in Greenville county, Virginia, February, 1781, serving five months under Capt. John Lucas, re-enlisted for six weeks under Capt. Benjamin Newson; he again enlisted in his brother's company, Capt. Joseph Harrison, Col. Alexander Dick. He was in the battle of Petersburg; he applied for a pension while living in Greenfield township, Madison county. He died in 1842, and is buried in Madison county. He was pensioned.

SAMUEL HUDSON was from Middlesex county, New Jersey, where he enlisted for service. He came to Madison county, Illinois, and there applied for a pension. "New Jersey in the Revolution."

BENJAMIN JOHNSON was a native of Orange county, Virginia, born in 1758. He served in the Revolutionary War from that state and received a pension for his service. While a resident of Virginia he is said to have held eighteen slaves. After the war he removed to Madison county, and was living in 1840, aged 82. The exact place of his burial is not known. He lived with W. L. Harrison.

JOHN LONG, a native of North Carolina, born in 1732 in Granville; died in Madison county February 10, 1839. He enlisted at Granville, serving three months under Capt. James Pearce, March 1, 1781, and three months from August 1, 1781, under Capt. Hargron Searsay, Col. Thomas Taylor. He was in the battle of Guilford Court House. John Long married in Caswell county, North Carolina, Frances Estes; they came to Madison county, Illinois, at an early day and prospered financially, owning large tracts of land, and after the custom of those early days they kept a hotel. He was pensioned.

ELIHU MATHER, as the name indicates, was a resident of Connecticut, from Windsor, where he enlisted in the Third Regiment under Col. Samuel Wyllys, in Capt. Daniel Allin's company; he was a sergeant in the Fourth Regiment under Col. Zebulon Butler January 1, 1781. He came to Illinois at an early day, settling in Madison county, where he died and lies buried, probably in Collinsville. "Connecticut in the Revolution."

WILLIAM McADAMS was born in York county, Pennsylvania, in 1760. He enlisted at Hawsfield, Orange county, North Carolina, in the spring of 1779, for three months, under Capt. John Carrington, Col. Martin Armstrong, enlisting again for two years, from 1780 to 1782, under Capt. William Douglass and Nathaniel Christman, Col. William O'Neale. After he came to Madison county, Illinois, to reside he applied for a pension, which was granted. He is probably buried in Jarvis. He was pensioned.

GAIUS PADDOCK, a native of Massachusetts, enlisted in the conflict; was a member of Capt. Isaac Wood's company, Col. William Larned's regiment. He entered the service January 1, 1776; was afterward with the troops that evacuated New York; was in the battle of Trenton and the skirmish at Frog Neck. He re-enlisted for six weeks and was in the second battle of Trenton and of Princeton; was in several skirmishes, and in 1779 and 1780 he served under Lieut. Joseph Bates, Col. Gamaliel Bradford's regiment, Massachusetts line of troops. Coming west, he located in Madison county, and lies buried in the family burying ground near Moro. "Massachusetts in the Revolution."

GEORGE PRICKETT was a native of Maryland, where he probably served in the war. He removed to one of the Carolinas, and from there to Georgia, then to Kentucky, and in 1808 came to Madison county, Illinois, where he died in 1846. He is buried in Woodlawn cemetery, Edwardsville. "County History."

MARTIN PRUIT was born in Virginia in 1748. He enlisted in the fall of 1778 for two years under Capts. William Campbell and William Edminton with Col. William Campbell, who was made colonel in 1780. He served as sergeant. He was in the battle of King's Mountain. He came to Illinois in 1806 and resided in Madison county, where he died, and lies buried in the family burying ground in Fort Russell. He applied for a pension in 1832 at the age of 84 years. He died in 1844, aged 92 years.

ISHAM RANDLE was a native of Brunswick county, Virginia, born in 1759. He removed to North Carolina, where he enlisted in Montgomery county, but later he re-enlisted in Brunswick county, Virginia. His first service was in 1780, for three months under Capt. Abner Crump, Col. Dowy Leadbetter. The second service was November, 1781, for four months with Capt. Edmund Wilkins. He applied for a pension while a resident of Goshen, Madison county, in 1832. It is not known where he is buried.

RICHARD RANDLE was born in Brunswick county, Virginia, in 1751. He was doubtless a brother of Isham. He enlisted in Brunswick county in 1777 for six weeks with Capt. John Macklin, Col. Charles Harrison, Virginia line of troops; he again enlisted August, 1780, for nine months with Capts. James Allen and West Harris in the North Carolina troops. With his younger brother he came to Madison county, Illinois, to reside, where he died at an advanced age. He and Isham are doubtless buried in Goshen. He was pensioned.

HENRY REVIS was born August 11, 1752, in Northampton county, North Carolina. He enlisted in the fall of 1775 for three months with Capt. Jacob Free; re-enlisted for three months under the same officer; enlisted again under Capt. William Neville, Col. Martin Armstrong. His entire service was for one year. He enlisted at Surry county, North Carolina. He came to Illinois with his brother and resided in Madison county, where he died; is probably buried in Collinsville. Was pensioned in 1832.

WILLIAM RICHARDS served in the Virginia line of troops and he also continued in the service of the United States troops after the war. He came to reside in Madison county, Illinois, where he is doubtless buried. "Virginia Records."

FRANCIS ROACH was born in Fairfax county, Virginia, in 1739. He removed to North Carolina, where he enlisted in Dobbs county April, 1776, in Joseph Session's company, Col. Richard Caswell and Col. John Bryant; enlisted again for three months in 1781 under Capt. John Doughty; re-enlisted in 1782 for two months under Col. George Rogers Clark; he again served his country by enlisting in the militia in 1786 under Capt. John Doughty and Col. Benjamin Logan. He came to Madison county to reside and his claim for a pension was allowed in 1832. Francis Roach located in Hamel, where he died in 1845 at the advanced age of 106 years.

LABAN SMART, a native of North Carolina, born November 9, 1759, in Franklin county. He enlisted early in 1780 for three months under Capt. William Brickle, Cols. Allen, Sessions and Kinyon; re-enlisted in 1781 for three months under Capt. Daniel Jones, Col. William Linton. There is no record of any battles in which he was engaged. He came to Illinois and settled in Pin Oak township, Madison county, where descendants of his still live. He was pensioned in 1832.

HENRY THORNHILL was born in Virginia in 1757. He entered the service in Rockingham county under Capt. Robert Craven, the year he could not remember, and served six months; again enlisted, serving under Capt. Daniel Ragan, Tenth Virginia Regiment, for three months, and was discharged at Yorktown, five days before the surrender of Lord Cornwallis. In 1832 he was allowed a pension while a resident of Goshen, Madison county, where he is doubtless buried.

JABEZ TURNER was a "Revolutionist before the Revolution," since he entered the service in May, 1775, serving six months as private under Capt. Samuel Wilmot in Col. Andrew Ward's regiment, Connecticut line of troops; again for six weeks in 1776 with Capt. Caleb Allen, Col. Jabez Thompson; again in December, 1776, for three weeks under Capt. Peter Johnson; again for ten days in April, 1777, under Capt. Caleb Mix, and the fifth time he enlisted October, 1777, for two weeks with Capt. James Hillhouse. He was engaged in the expedition to St. Johns and Montreal; he was serving when the British threatened New York, and retreated with his regiment from Long Island; was actively engaged when the entrance of the British into New Haven was resisted. Jabez Turner was born in New Haven, Connecticut, January 31, 1756, and died in Godfrey, Madison county, Illinois, December 12, 1846, when past 90 years of age. He removed to Great Barrington, Massachusetts, and later to Columbia county, New York, and a few years later came to Madison county, Illinois, to reside. Several years ago his grave was marked with impressive ceremonies, the teachers and pupils of the public schools were in attendance, thus an object lesson in patriotic study was given at the grave of this hero. "Connecticut in the Revolution."

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