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Note: - ID: I854 Name: Ralph Stewart NPFX: Captain Given Name: Ralph Surname: Stewart Sex: M _UID: 638E8E016789614586FB9E7143540A2F7682 Note: BIOGRAPHY: Ralph Stewart, at the age of 21, was commissioned Captain of Indian Rangers by Lord Dunmore, Governor of VA in 1773 According to his Revolutionary pension papers, he fought under General Andrew Lewis at the battle of Point Pleasant 10-11-1774. Governor Patrick Henry renewed his commission in 1778, and ordered hisCompany to South Carolina to join General Green where he was attached to the Regiment under Col. Robert McCleary and Major Smith. He fought at Guilford Courthouse, Hot Water, Ground Squirrel Ridge,Charlottesville, and Yorktown. In later years, he was on the Invalid Roll of Virginia. because in one engagement he received a sabercut on the right arm from "Butcher Tarleton" himself. He was one of the men detailed to guard Lord Cornwallis after he was taken prisoner at Yorktown. According to various historical sources, Ralph and his brothers hated Indians and fought them at every opportunity. He and others were famous for attacking 96 Indians and rescuing 6 white prisoners, although they were greatly outnumbered. After peace with the Indians was declared, Ralph and his brother James were on a hunting trip when Ralph, alone in camp, was surprised by a band of indians. They plundered the camp, abusing and threatening him continually. When James returned, they captured him,and continued to abuse both brothers. They finally left, after stealing their furs and other belongings. The following night, Ralph and James tracked the Indians to their camp and killed 5 of them. This made the brothers liable for prosecution, since the peace treaty had been declared. To avoid prosecution, they left and hid in the woods for over a year. Later, Ralph told a hunting friend about the incident. This revelation proved to be a mistake when he and his friend became rivals for affections of a young lady, probably Mary Elliot. Ralph's former friend swore out a warrant for Ralph's arrest. Ralph and James had to disappear again. This time they spent 1 1/2 years in the uninhabited New River area. They saw only 2 other white men during the entire time. The Governor of Virginia, perhaps as a result of their Revolutionary War service, finally pardoned the Stewart brothers. Meanwhile, Ralph married Mary Elliot and moved to Kentucky,where she bore him 8 children before her death in 1787. The ages of her children are rather interesting as the first one is born in 1869. Then she has one a year for seven years, making those children ages 19, 18, 17, 16, 15, 14, and 13. Then after many years without any other children, being born, she has her last child who is three at the time of her death. Shortly after becoming a widower in 1787, Captain Ralph returned to the New River country. There he courted and married Mary Clay, who was younger than several of his children by his first marriage. She was the daughter of Mitchell Clay, and the sister of Mitchell Jr., who had been a Revolutionary War soldier with Captain Ralph before he was killed at Point Pleasant. Mary's father Mitchell, Sr., was the first settler in what is now Mercer County. Mary was 16 years old when she and Ralph were married on June 25, 1788, and returned with him to Kentucky to care for his family. In 1800, Captain Ralph, Mary, and his growing family, moved to what is now Wyoming County, where he became the second settler in the county, John Cooke having been the first. Mary bore Captain Ralph 11 more children, the first, Catherine, being born in 1789 and the last, George P., born in 1822. Captain Ralph died in 1835 and is buried in the Keatley Cemetery on Clearfork in Wyoming County. A Revolutionary War headstone marks his grave. Birth: 17 DEC 1752 in Cow Pasture River, Augusta Co. VA Death: 18 NOV 1835 in What is now Wyoming County, WV Burial: 1835 Keatley Cemetery on Clearfork, (now Wyoming Co) Father: James Stewart b: ABT 1720 in Ulster, Ireland Mother: Mary Anne Lafferty b: ABT 1722 in Ireland Marriage 1 Mary O. Clay b: 1772 in New River, VA, (what is now Mercer Co.) Married: 25 JUN 1788 in VA Children Catherine STEWART b: 1789 Henry C. Stewart b: 1790 in VA Phoebe (Clay) Stewart b: 1791 Ora Stewart b: 1792 Robert Stewart b: 1793 Sallie Sarah Stewart b: 1795 in VA Mitchell Stewart b: 1797 William R. Stewart b: 24 MAR 1800 Margaret Stewart b: 1803 Amy Stewart b: 1805 in Giles County, VA John H. Stewart b: 1807 in VA Charles Stewart b: 8 MAY 1808 George P. Stewart b: 8 JUN 1810 in VA Marriage 2 Mary Elliot b: in VA Married: ABT 1769 in Augusta County, VA 1 Children Absalom Stewart b: 1770 Ralph, Jr. Stewart b: 1772 in VA Mary Ann Stewart b: 1773 in VA James Elliott Stewart b: 1774 in VA Richard Stewart b: 1775 in VA Rebecca Stewart b: 1787 in VA Sources: Abbrev: #53 Title: family data base compiled by Waitman Barbe Cook Author: Waitman Barbe Cook Ancestry website Garland Steele -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
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