The History of Union County, Ohio, containing a history of the county; its townships, towns military record;, Part 114

Author: Durant, Pliny A. [from old catalog]; Beers, W. H., & co., Chicago, pub. [from old catalog]
Publication date: 1883
Publisher: Chicago, W. H. Beers & co.
Number of Pages: 1254

USA > Ohio > Union County > The History of Union County, Ohio, containing a history of the county; its townships, towns military record; > Part 114

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29.5

JEROME TOWNSHIP.

relatives for Virginia ; one of the brothers went, however, to Pennsylvania, and one, from which the famous Methodist divine, Rev. Dr. Curry, is deseended, settled in New York. But it is only with James Curry's family that this sketch is eoneerned. Going to the neighborhood of Staun- ton, in Augusta County, Va., the emigrant, James Curry, with his Warwick wife and one son, James, then ten years of age, settled down to a planter's life. This removal to Augusta County is supposed to have been made very soon after landing at Philadelphia. It may have been later, however, and if so, where the family lived meanwhile is unknown. The land records at Rich- mond, Va , contain the name of James Curry as a patentee for a large body of land " on both sides of the North River of Shenandoah," dated April 6, 1769. If this patent was issued to James Curry, the emigrant, its date may fix the time of his settlement in Virginia, though of course he could have lived there for several years prior thereto. And then, again, it may have issued to his son, James Curry (of whom we write), who was at the time seventeen years of age.

Of James Curry, Sr., we only know further, that, after settling in Virginia, there were born to him four children-Susan, Rebecea, Polly and John. That after the close of the Revolutionary war, he removed to the neighborhood of Paris, Ky., where, at an advanced age, he died and was buried.

Some of his children, certainly John, accompanied him into Kentucky, others among them. James, the subject of this sketch remained in Virginia. Of the sisters and the brother of Col. Curry, it may be briefly stated that Susan married Rev. William Erwin, and removed to what is now the State of Indiana, where her descendants now live; and Rebeeea married John Erwin, whose descendants now reside in the southern part of Union County ; Polly, married Wallace Harmonson, whose descendants live in Iowa and Texas; John, married Ann MeConnell, and both he and his wife lived and died in Kentucky.

Some time after, a daughter, who had married a Mr. Thornton, becoming widowed, removed to Hanover, Ind., having in charge a much younger sister, Anna R. (whom she had indeed raised), to- gether with several children of her own. These children, girls, were married, one to a Rev. Mr. Rice, one to a Mr. James Gardner, one to a Mr. Andrews, and Anna R., to a Rev. Mr. Mills. They all, except Anna R. and her husband, now live in California.

Returning to Col. James Curry-whose name and memory this article is intended to perpetu- ate-it is known that, having lived and worked on a farm with his father for several years after landing at Philadelphia, he at the age of fourteen began teaching a school in the neighborhood, showing that the foundation for his intended ministerial life had been pretty well laid in the old country, since there could have been few opportunities for study opened to him after reach- ing America. Thus employed-summers working the farm, and winters teaching-the lad grew into manhood, strong of limb and vigorous of intellect, when a call having been made by Lord Dunmore, then Governor of Virginia, for volunteers to suppress the Indians who were massaere- ing the white settlers of the Ohio River frontier, at the age of twenty-two, he took his first step as a soldier, enlisting as a private at Staunton. His company was finally assigned to one of the regiments which made up the foree of 1,500 men, with which Gen. Andrew Lewis made a toil- some journey aeross the mountains and rendezvoused, under orders to await a junction with Lord Dunmore at Point Pleasant, where the Kanawha enters the Ohio River. Here occurred the famous battle of Point Pleasant, where the whites, though at heavy loss, were victorious-a battle which put an end to the confliet known in history as Cresap's War, and which led some weeks after to the noted council with the Indians near Chillicothe, in which the Mingoe chief, Logan, arraigned the whites in a burst of scathing eloquenee. Of this battle Col. Curry's recollections were most vivid. The morning of October 10, 1774, as the little army lay in camp, on the point of land made by the junction of the Ohio and Kanawha Rivers, awaiting the coming of Lord Dunmore, an immense body of Indians under command of the chief, Cornstalk, erept upon it, and by daylight a bloody conflict was in progress. The historic account of this fight is of course familiar to all, and need not be repeated. Suffice to say that Col. Curry's often-told story of the battle, agreed in the main with the published accounts. The whites themselves adopted the Indian's tactics and took to the trees for shelter, thus reducing the battle as it were, to a sort of duel between individuals, the combatants fighting each other to the death of one, and then turn- ing to engage another. In this manner the desperate struggle continued from daylight to sunset, until the Indians finally, under the impression that the white were being re-enforced, fled to the north bank of the Ohio. Young Curry was closely engaged throughout the greater part of the day, using now one tree, now another for cover, and doubtless sent many a daring brave to his long home. Toward evening, however, becoming too ventursome, he was himself shot through the right elbow by an unseen foe, while in the act of leveling his gun at his immediate antagonist. Falling down amongst the roots of the large elm tree, behind which he had been fighting, he lay concealed till the close of the battle. One of his stories of the day, told in after years with much glee, was that when the surgeon came to dress his wound, he asked if it would be hurtful to drink a glass of wine? To which it was replied, "Not if he drank it with the surgeon!" This wound of course ended his fighting for the time, and threw him amongst the invalids, and to the rear and homeward, when Gen. Lewis afterward crossed the Ohio in pursuit of the Indians.

Reaching home, the young soldier went again to work upon his father's farm, having sufficiently recovered from his wound, though he could never after lift a cup of water or eoffee to his lips ¿ ith that right arm.

296

HISTORY OF UNION COUNTY.

But stirring times were impending. The colonists, restive and maddened under British op- pression, had already in their legislative bodies inaugurated the Revolution. These Irish immi- grants had no more love for England then than have the same class of men to day, and it may be well supposed that the Currys espoused the cause of the colonists, and not alone from motives of patriotism. It is remembered that the elder Curry was an untiring and powerful advocate of the patriot's cause, and when at length the blow was struck, his son James required no urging to take part in the conflict. He was then a young man of twenty-four, strong and active, and not unused to the duties of a soldier. His campaign to the Indian country, and experience at Point Pleasant two years before, had been good schooling for him, and we find that very soon after being enrolled, he was named a Lieutenant in the Eighth Virginia Regiment, Continential Establishment. It is not known exactly what time the young soldier began service, however, though we do know the date of his Lieutenant's commission. A statement of his account with the United States Government up to December 31, 1781 (hereafter shown in the fac simile), fixes the beginning of his Lieutenancy at June 24, 1777, yet he must have been for some months be- fore a private, or non-commissioned officer ; however, has served as a Lieutenant in the Eighth Virginia, until September 23, 1779, when he was commissioned as a Captain in the Fourth Vir- ginia, and so served doubtless until the close of the war. During the greater part of this service, he was on staff duty, most of the time at the headquarters of Col. Nathaniel Gist. Winters he was usually detailed as a recruiting officer at Staunton, summers always in the field with his chief.

With the scanty authority at command (and it may be stated that a great public library has been assiduously, but vainly searched), it is impossible to fix accurately the part taken by the Eighth and Fourth Virginia Regiments in the war. It is known, however, that Col. Curry him- self was at the battle of Brandywine, on the 11th of September, 1777, the first general engage- ment between the American forces under Gen. Washington's immediate command and the British. He was indeed with the army under Washington through the whole of the disastrous fall campaign of 1777. He participated in the famous battle of Germantown October 4, 1777, and was often heard to recite the stirring incidents of that engagement. A memorandum in the hand writing of the late Otway Curry, his son, describing evidently in Col. Curry's own words the part taken by himself in the battle, may be of interest.

" After Brandywine, the two armies came in close contact at the White House, but our forces crossed the river higher up and encamped at the Eighteen Mile Stone. During our stay at this place, we distinctly heard the cannonading at Mud Fort, and heard also the explosion of the Augusta. The Commanding General having determined to attack the British forces at German- town, issued a general order for the encouragement of the troops, wherein was displayed, in glowing colors, the recent success of the Northern army under Gates, at Saratoga. About dusk the whole force was in motion, moving directly on Germantown, which was situated on the main road to Philadelphia. Unavoidable delays, occasioned by the ammunition wagons and artillery, together with the fatigues of a night march, so far overcame the watchfulness of the troops that many of the files were actually dozing, and would have halted and slept upon their feet, had it not been for the impulse given them by other files immediately succeeding them. Still farther inconvenience was experienced on account of the road being in many places obstructed by shal- low pools of water. The advancing platoons filed off to right and left for the purpose of pass- ing with dry feet, a movement which could not be accomplished without considerable delay. On being acquainted with this circumstance. Gen. Washington rode hastily forward and ad- dressed the officers personally, .Gentlemen, Officers, I call upon you to exert yourselves. If you keep filing around every mud-puddle in this manner, when shall we reach the enemy? ' The effect of this laconic address was very salutary. Officers and privates went forward by common consent with a quicker and firmer step. There was no more going around the puddles, obstacles were unheeded, and there seemed to be no feeling but to reach the British quarters in the quickest time possible.

" About daybreak the advance came upon the picket guard of the enemy at Chestnut Hill, which retreated precipitately, after discharging a field piece to give the alarm to the main body. After a short but rapid pursuit, we found ourselves suddenly confronted by the British lines at Germantown, and in a few moments the random firing, which had been previously kept up, was succeeded by an almost unremitted crash of small arms and artillery, along the whole extent of the contending armies. The morning was darkened by a heavy fog, which blended with the smoke of the firing, had became so thick that we were unable to distinguish the British uniform at twenty paces, and were only assured of their locality by the streams of fire emitted from their pieces, which were leveled toward us. The enemy very soon gave way, and were unable to make a decided stand until nearly noon, when they were re-enforced by a strong detachment from Philadelphia, under the command of Lord Cornwallis. Our troops being imperfectly dis- ciplined and flushed with success, were unfortunately in disorder at this critical juncture, and were in consequence, though not until after a hard struggle, forced literally to retreat from vic- tory. We were pursued by the enemy a distance of two or three miles, until we attained a favorable position on some rising ground, from whence we were enabled to check their progress by a few discharges of artillery. The retreat was then continued some distance beyond the former encampment."

297

JEROME TOWNSHIP.

It is a matter of history that Washington was forced to make this battle, which ended in defeat, by public clamor, and against his better judgment.

The army of Washington engaged in no more battles that fall, and as winter approached went into camp at Valley Forge. The sufferings of this camp were often alluded to by Col. Curry, the historical descriptions of which are familiar to all.

The evacuation of Philadelphia by the British, under Sir Henry Clinton, June 18, 1778, opened the campaign of that year. Washington put his army in motion, and following the re- treating British, attacked them at Monmouth, N. J., June 28. It was a drawn battle, as history tells, nevertheless the British, fearing to risk a second day's engagement, stole away in the night, and by daybreak were beyoud pursuit. It was here that Gen. Washington so severely arraigned Gen. Lee for the disorderly retreat of his troops. Col. Curry was within hearing, and distinctly remembering, was often heard to repeat the stinging words of the great commander. Riding up to Lee, he said: "Sir, what means this disorderly retreat ?" "Sir, your raw militia cannot. cope with the British regulars," replied Lee. "You have not tried them," said Washington, and wheeling his horse rallied the flying columns. Then turning to Lee, he asked, " Will you command ? " "Yes," exclaimed the discomfited officer, " and I will not be the first to leave the field." Neither was he, but for the rest of the day carried his troops valiantly through the hottest of the fight.

Col. Curry remained with the army in the field until the winter following, when he was de- tailed for the recruiting service, and stationed at Staunton. In the spring he returned to the army and was on active staff duty, following the fortunes of the army of Washington throughout the year. The winter of 1779 found him again at Staunton as a recruiting officer. Again in the spring of 1780 we find him in the field,and as active operations were this year transferred to the Car- olinas, his experiences were uneventful. The following winter he was again at Staunton, recruit- ing men, but he seems to have returned early to the army, for he was one of the 700 veteran Virginians detached and ordered to the relief of Gen. Lincoln, who was defending Charleston, S. C. Col. Curry's story of the march to the succor of that beleaguered city is remembered as of thrilling interest. The column started from Philadelphia in February, 1781. The snow was the deepest that had ever been known, and was badly drifted. It was crusted over, however, as to uphold horses and wagons, and was so deep that artillery even could be hauled over the tops of the fences. But in low places and along the streams wagons and artillery were constantly breaking through, entailing the hardest work to get them again onto solid snow. Reaching the neighborhood of Charleston. they were taken into small boats in an endeavor to enter the city by water at night ; they had a sorry time, however, drifting about in the harbor, frequently losing sight of the city's lights, and were finally compelled to board a French vessel, and remain till morning. Col. Curry was never weary telling of that night's adventures in Charleston Har- bor. Among other things, he used to repeat the gord French Captain's words of encourage- ment, " The English can no possible take Charleston." But they did take it, nevertheless ; the next morning, April 7, 1781, they rowed into the city, entering it just two days before the British blockading squadron closed the harbor. Two days more and they would have been spared the consequences of Gen. Lincoln's surrender, for they could not have passed the cordon of British troops which forbade a land approach. For more than a month the beleag- uered Americans defended themselves, with heroic fortitude, soldiers and citizens combated every British approach, but were finally on the 12th of May compelled to succumb. The capit- ulation put the American troops on parole as prisoners of war, and for some months Col. Curry was compelled to a life of inactivity. During the siege, the Colonel was severely wounded in the hand by the bursting of a shell. After the surrender, the American officers were treated with much distinction by their British captors. An incident, often related by Col. Curry, exhib- its the wonderful agility of the man at this time, and the dexterity to which he had arrived in the use of the sword.

Out walking one day in the environs of the city, accompanied by a party of British officers, a rabbit was espied. Drawing his sword he made a plunge, and spitting the unfortunate animal, turned, and with a polite bow, extended it to the principal officer of the party.

While lying at Charlestown, he figured, too, in an affair of honor, no less than a duel, be- tween his chief, Gen. Nathaniel Gist (for whom he was a second), and Gen. Wade Hampton, an- cestor of the celebrated South Carolinian, now bearing that name. But one shot was fired and the matter was settled without bloodshed.

His account of the duel, as well as of another in which he was one time during the war a second, is well remembered. In the other affair, he supported a Capt. Kirkpatrick, a fiery Irish officer, who engaged a Capt. McCook.

In this encounter Capt. McCook was severely wounded, and so hot was the coutest that a tragedy was barely avoided. Duels in those days were, however, of frequent occurrence amongst officers, and Col. Curry seemed never to attach much importance to the part he had playel in the two referred to.

From the surrender of Charleston, even the principal points in the military career of Col. Curry are involved in doubt. The length of time he was on parole as a prisoner of war is un- certain, but it is a family tradition that it was for fourteen months, during which time he " was

298

HISTORY OF UNION COUNTY.

not to cross any river, bay, or arm of the sea, nor to go farther than five miles into the country." On the other hand, it is claimed that the young officer was early exchanged and was in the fall following at the siege of Yorktown, October 19, 1781. Certainly Gen. Lincoln was there, as was most of the army which had been humiliated the May before in South Carolina. But whether at Yorktown or not, he was in the service until the close of the war, and is thought to have been with Washington when the great leader made his triumphant entry into New York City, November 25, 1783. The term of Col. Curry's service is furthermore fixed beyond dis- pute by the wording of an old land patent, dated March 16, 1816, and signed by James Madi- son, President.

This patent recites that " in consideration of military service performed by James Curry, a captain (sie) for six months more than six years, to the United States in the Virginia line, on Continental establishment * * * * * * there is granted by the United States unto the said James Curry, etc."

The fall and winter of 1783 wound up the war of the Revolution, the British evacuating New York and quitting the country the day of Washington's entry. The 4th of December following, the commander-in-chief took farewell of his officers and went to Annapolis, where Congress was in session, where December 23, he resigned his commission.

About this time, Col. Curry's commission must have expired, or he had been mustered out of the service, as it is known that he was in Staunton a good part of the winter of 1783-84. He had served his country valiantly and well through the long and bloody struggle for independ- ence, and at the close we find him returned to the avocations of peace, among the foremost of his countrymen shaping and administering the laws of the newly unfranchised country.

Concluding our necessarily imperfect and meager history of Col. Curry's military career, we are happily able to present a fac simile of a statement of his account with the United States during a portion of his service. It is on a great sheet of old-time paper, yellow with age (it must have been written in 1782), and strikingly exhibits in its careful ruling, its regular columus, and beautifully shaped characters, the methodic habits of the man, and the expertness with which he could, when required, handle the pen. It will be noticed that his calculations were in pounds, shillings and pence, and. as indication of the worthless condition to which the currency of the colonies was then reduced, it should be observed that his second column of figures on each page is a showing of the true values of the moneys handled, being but two per cent of the whole. Unlike most accounting officers these times, it will be noticed, too, that Col. Curry was a creditor of the Government he had been serving, having a balance in his favor of some hun- dreds of pounds.

At Staunton, he filled several important civil offices, amongst others, Clerk of the Court of Augusta County. He was then thirty-one years of age, in the prime of intellectual and physica vigor, and, having rendered conspicuous military services, was entitled to and received the un- bounded confidence of the people of that county.

The 20th day of November, 1784, he was married near Staunton to the daughter of a Capt. Robert Burns (then deceased), who had been an honorel officer in the Pennsylvania line throughout the war. His home had been at Charlottesville, N. C., where this daughter was born 10th October, 1768. She was a beautiful young girl when married to Col. Curry, scarcely more than half her husband's age, but well educated and of unusual strength of character; and she was simple Mary Burns when married, but the name did not please her husband and it was agreed that it should be changed to Maria. But this did not fully satisfy the ardent man, and his young wife was finally persu aded to answer to the name of Maria Magdalene, by which she was ever after known. The child had been, during the war, a great deal with her father, who, it seems, was an officer of one of the departments of supplies, stationed at many different points. She had thus, though but a mere child, been an eye witness of many of the stirring scenes of the Revolution, and, in after years, recounted with an unfailing memory the numerous thrilling incidents of her army experience. She was a great reader, especially of poetry, and, among all her favorites in the latter years of her life, none stood so high as Robert Burns, with whose family her own was understood to be connected. She was tall of person, and finely formed, her hair luxuriant and dark brown, and her eyes a beautiful blue. She had a tuneful voice of winning sweetness, and must have been withal a charming, handsome woman indeed. She had, too, an extraordinary memory, and could repeat, as she often did to her children, her favorite poets by the hour. Then she was ever telling her children old stories and fairy tales, and the venerable Mrs. Martha, Boal Taylor, of Columbus, who lived in her childhood on an ad- joining farm, remembers that it was her supreme delight to get an evening at Mrs. Curry's fire- side, and listen to her wonderful accounts of the land of elfs. The late Otway Curry was never weary talking of this mother of his, whose poetic heart liad instilled into his own such a love of the beautiful and true. She it was who first turned his eyes to the glory of the starry heav- ens, and taught him the names of the constellations, and she it was who guided his early lisp- ing tongue to put sweet thoughts and beautiful words into rhythm and rhyme.

Her transition from the life of ease and comfort to which she had been accustomed in Vir- ginia to the wilderness of Ohio must have been a sad trial, but it is in evidence that she accept- ed her lot, and shared with her husband and children the discomforts of a pioneer cibin cour-

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JEROME TOWNSHIP.

ageously and uncomplainingly. She died January 10, 1826, on the farm in Jerome Township which her husband had settled in 1811.

But to resume in connected form a narrative of the life of Col. Curry. We find that after marriage he lived for a year in Staunton, and here the first child of the happy couple was born, a boy, whom they named Robert Burns, in honor of the young mother's dead father. This child was born November 2, 1785, dying when grown to manhood, December 7, 1805, at his father's home, in the new State of Ohio. The year 1785 Col. Curry moved to Rockingham C. H., afterward called Harrisonburg, county seat of the newly made county of Rockingham. He engaged in merchandising in this new home, and held the while several offices of trust, both civil and military. He was, amongst other things, Brigade Inspector of the Seventh Brigade, a salaried position of much importance. It was his duty to attend each place of muster, and "superintend the exercise" of the troops. In this connection, a very interesting paper, in the hands of W. L Curry, signed by Brig. Gen. Isaac Zane, exists, directing " Major" James Curry to attend for the purpose of "superintending the exercises" of the regiments, the several mus- tering places named, Woodstock, Cunningham's Mill, Harrisonburg and Staunton. It is dated September 26, 1794.

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The History of Union County, Ohio, containing a history of the county; its townships, towns military record;, Part 114

Author: Durant, Pliny A. [from old catalog]; Beers, W. H., & co., Chicago, pub. [from old catalog] Publication date: 1883 Publisher: Chicago, W. H. Beers & co. Number of Pages: 1254

Author: Durant, Pliny A. [from old catalog]; Beers, W. H., & co., Chicago, pub. [from old catalog]
Publication date: 1883
Publisher: Chicago, W. H. Beers & co.
Number of Pages: 1254