Memorial to our veterans who served in the Continental Army and colonial militias during the American Revolution

The Battle of Cowpens, painted by William Ranney in 1845. The scene depicts an unnamed African American soldier (left) firing his pistol and saving the life of Colonel William Washington (on white horse in center). The name of the battle derived from the fact it was fought in a cow pasture near Camden, South Carolina, January 19, 1781.

If you know of veterans of the American Revolution related to the families featured on this site and would like them listed here please contact me with the details. The names of many veterans of the American Revolution have been lost to history. Official records were sparse and most were kept at the state level. Many of these records are still not available on-line. I am certain that the list of family members below is not complete.

The American Revolutionary War (1775–1783), also known as the American War of Independence, was a war between the Kingdom of Great Britain and the thirteen "United Colonies". It was the culmination of the political American Revolution, whereby the colonists overthrew British rule. In 1775, Revolutionaries seized control of each of the thirteen colonial governments, set up the Second Continental Congress, and formed a Continental Army. The following year, they formally declared their independence as a new nation, the United States of America. From 1778 onward, other European powers would fight on the American side in the war. Meanwhile, Native Americans and African Americans served on both sides.

Throughout the war, the British were able to use their naval superiority to capture and occupy coastal cities, but control of the countryside (where 90% of the population lived) largely eluded them. In early 1778, shortly after an American victory at Saratoga, France entered the war against Britain; Spain and the Netherlands joined as allies of France over the next two years. French involvement proved decisive, with a French naval victory in the Chesapeake leading to the surrender of a British army at Yorktown in 1781. The Treaty of Paris in 1783 ended the war and recognized the sovereignty of the United States over the territory bounded by what is now Canada to the North, Florida to the South, and the Mississippi River to the west. Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia

WILLIAM BREWER

Willaim Brewer was born about 1752 in Brunswick County, Virginia and died in Maryville, Blount County, Tennessee on March 14, 1835. His family, including his father Howell and brothers John, Howell Jr., Ambrose and Henry, were living in Orange County, North Carolina when the American Revolution came to the south. William enlisted in March 1780 under Captain William Gholeson and served three tours of duty under other officers for a period on nine months. Ancestor of Florence Elnore (Brewer) Allen and her daughter Bonnie DeLois Allen Whitsett-Miller. Source: Dr. Warren H. Brewer, History of Brewer Family of North Carolina, Tennessee, Indiana and Illinois, (Pub. in 1930's). "A Brief Sketch of the Life of William Brewer", Ancestry.com, David McReynolds family Tree, Sept. 23, 2013.

THOMAS FREDERICK

Thomas joined the Pennsylvania Militia Frontier Rangers during the American Revolution. After the war he and his family lived in Northumberland County. He was born in 1751 in Pennsylvania and died in 1808 in Lisbon, Ohio. His father Noah was killed by Shawnee Indians at the beginning of the French and Indian War. Thomas was taken by Indians and lived among them during the period of the French and Indian War, until he was about twelve years old. During the American Revolution he served with the Pennsylvania Militia Frontier Rangers. After the war he lived in Laurelton, Union County, Pennsylvania until he moved his family to Lisbon, Columbiana County, Ohio. Thomas was the grandfather of Sophia Frederick who married Reason Wall in 1829 in Wayne County, Ohio. Source: The biographical sketch in The Compendium of American Genealogy, Vol. VII

BERNHARD KUDER

Bernhard served as a wagon master in the Revolutionary War, and according to unconfirmed family lore was wounded either in the Battle of Brandywine, 11 Sep 1777, or in the Battle of Germantown which occurred less than a month later on 4 Oct 1777. He died, supposedly as a result of these injuries, on an unreported date which could not have been until 1781/82 or later in view of the birth date (24 Mar 1782) of his last child. At the age of 19 Bernhard set out from Germany for America, arriving in Philadelphia 16 Sep 1748 on the ship Patience from Rotterdam via Cowes, England. He is the ancestor of my great-grandmother Abigail Kuder Wall.

CAPT. ALEXANDER MCGREW

Westmoreland Co. Militia , Pennsylvania, March 5th, 1778 inactive duty as 1st Lt. with 3rd Battalion, 2nd Company, Capt. Baird; probably a descendant of the Quakers McGrew's who settled in what is now Adams County in the 1730's-40's including Finley, James, John and Archibald McGrew; Source: Pa. Archives Series 3, Vol. XXII, pg. 495; Revolutionary War Card Files, "Military Papers: Militia," Records of the Secretary to the Supreme Executive Council, or Secretary of the Commonwealth, at D.P.R. [Dept. of Public Records]. His relationship to our Scotish ancestor Patrick McGrew is not known for certain, but he was part of the same family, probably a cousin.

PVT. ANDREW MCGREW

Pennsylvania, Philadelphia County, 1st Company, 1st Battalion, Philadelphia Volunteers, enlisted June 13, 1780 through January 15, 1781; inactive duty, militia 1st Battalion, 3rd Company, 2nd Class, Capt. Andrew Van Buskirk, 22 September 1781; also listed in Col. McVeagh, 2nd Battalion, "A List of Seven Months that serv'd in the Continental Army, 1780 Appeared and Produced their discharges, Col. Coats List - Lieutenant of Philadelphia County. Andrew was probably a descendant of the Quakers McGrew's who first settled in Chester County in the 1720's. Source: Pa. Archives, Series 5, Vol. IV, pg. 765; Revolutionary War Card Files, Active Duty Line, Attested June 25, 1780 "A List of Names, Pa. Volunteers, Attested at Philadelphia, "Military Accounts," Records of the Comptroller General, at D.P.R.

MOSES MCGREW

(Pennsylvania), Cumberland County, Active Duty Militia, First Call, Eighth Battalion, July 28, 1777; "Roll of persons in actual service, chiefly as substitutes during three several calls or times in the year 1778." Source: Pa. Archives, Series 5, Vol. VI, pg. 606; Revolutionary War Card Files, "Military Accounts" Records of the Comptroller General.

PVT. PATRICK MCGREW

Pennsylvania, Cumberland County Militia, Col. Samuel Erwin, Third Battalion, 6th Company, 5th Class commanded by Capt. Jas. McCurdy, Aug. 22, 1780; this is undoubtedly our ancestor Patrick McGrew, father of Col. James McGrew of Preston County, (West) Virginia; family tradition based on the memory of James Clark McGrew of Kingwood, W. Va. says Patrick McGrew served in the American Revolution. Source: Pa. Archives, Series 5, Vol. VI, pg. 223, 226; Revolutionary War Card Files, "Military Accounts Militia," Records of the Comptroller General.

THOMAS MCGREW

Pennsylvania, Westmoreland County Militia, received pay for service, certificate No. 16242 issued 15 June 1789 for service sometime between 1 April 1784 through 30 March 1785. Source: Pa. Archives, Series 5, Vol. VI, Revolutionary War Card Files, "Public Debt," Records of the Comptroller General at D.P.R.

WILLIAM MCGREW

Pennsylvania, Cumberland County Militia, Oath of Allegiance to the State of Pennsylvania and the United States, January 27, 1778; the oath was required of those volunteering for service with American militias. Source: Pa. Archives, Series 2, Vol. XIV, pg. 462

There were several Trowbridge men who served during the Revolution. My list here are those I came across while researching my family line. It is not a complete list of documented Trowbridge soldiers.

PVT. ABSALOM TROWBRIDGE

Absalom Trowbridge, son of David Trowbridge and Lydia Holmes, was a soldier in the Revolution. He enlisted at Little Nine Partners, N. Y., May 5, 1778, in the Fifth Company, Lieutenant Livingston, 2d Regiment, New York Line, Col. Philip Van Cortland, and was discharged February 10, 1779. ["New York in the Revolution," pg. 38; U. S. Pension Office Records.] He was honorably present and assisted in storming the fort on Valentine's Hill, near Kingsbridge, on New York Island, and also was in several skirmishes on the White Plains." He is supposed to be the Absalom Trowbridge who was a Private in Capt. Amariah Babbitt's company, Colonel Symonds' 3rd Massachusetts Regiment, and whose name appears on the roll endorsed for service in an alarm in October, 1780. ["Massachusetts Revolutionary Rolls."] He was a member of Capt. Joseph Halsey's Morristown Militia company in 1791. Absalom was born May 25, 1750 in Morristown, N. J. and died September 10, 1824 in Randolph, N. J.; he married Phebe Hedges, who died March 25, 1833, in Randolph, age 70. Absalom engaged in farming after the Revolution in Randolph Township, Morris county, N. J. and raised a large family. He was a Revolutionary pensioner." Source: Francis Bacon Trowbridge, THE TROWBRIDGE GENEALOGY, (1908), pg. 147-148; "140. ABSALOM TROWBRIDGE".

SGT. DANIEL TROWBRIDGE

Connecticut Militia--11th Regiment, Capt Ingals's Company in Col. [Ebenezer] Williams's [11th] Regiment Nov., 1776; this Daniel was not the son of David and Lydia (Holmes) Trowbridge. Sgt. Daniel Trowbridge is listed on the muster rolls as having taken sick and died is September 1776 Source: Muster and Pay Rolls of the War of the Revolution, 1775-1783, Ancestry.Com; Provo, UT, USA: The Generations Network, Inc., 2002., Originally published as Volumes XLVII and XLVIII of Collections of the New-York Historical Society for the years 1914 and 1915 (New York: 1916).

PVT. SHUBAEL TROWBRIDGE

Shubael was the son of David Trowbridge and Lydia Holmes of Morristown, Morris County, New Jersey. Shubael was born September 3, 1739 and died March 12, 1782 in Morristown. He was the brother of SAMUEL TROWBRIDGE who removed from New Jersey to Frederick County, Virginia some time before the Revolution. Source: "Officers and Men of New Jersey in the Revolution", his regiment is not given.

PVT. WILLIAM TROWBRIDGE

Connecticut Militia--11th Regiment, Capt. Ingals' Company in Col. Ebenezer Williams' 11th Regiment Nov., 1776. Regiment rolls show him as sick in camp and returned to duty on Oct. 24th. I have no more information Pvt. William Trowbridge, I believe he is a younger relative of Daniel. Source: "Officers and Men of New Jersey in the Revolution," his regiment is not given.

TROWBRIDGE REVOLUTIONARY SOLDIERS PENSION LIST OF 1820

PVT. AARON TROWBRIDGE, Private, Massachusetts
PVT. ABSOLEM TROWBRIDGE, Private, New Jersey (may be the son of David and Lydia (Holmes) Trowbridge.
PVT. BENJAMIN TROWBRIDGE, Private, Connecticut
PVT. EBENEZER TROWBRIDGE, Private, Connecticut
LT. ELIHU TROWBRIDGE, Lieutenant, Connecticut
PVT. ISAAC TROWBRIDGE, Private, Massachusetts
ENS. JAMES TROWBRIDGE, Ensign, Massachusetts
SGT. JOHN TROWBRIDGE, Sergeant, Connecticut
PVT. JOSEPH TROWBRIDGE, Private, New Jersey
SGT. STEPHEN TROWBRIDGE, Sergeant, Connecticut

Source: Persons on the Pension Roll Under the Act of the 18th of March, 1818. Ancestry.com [database on-line], Provo, UT, USA: The Generations Network, Inc., 1997.

TROWBRIDGE OFFICERS OF THE AMERICAN ARMY

Source: Ancestry.com. Revolutionary War Officers [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: The Generations Network, Inc., 1997. Original data: Heitman, Francis B. . Historical Register of Officers of the Continental Army During the War of the Revolution. Washington, D.C.: The Rare Book Shop Pub. Co., 1914.

CAPT. CALEB TROWBRIDGE, Captain 1st Connecticut, 1st May to 10th December, 1775; Captain 17th Continental Infantry, 1st January, 1776; wounded and taken prisoner at Long Island, 27th August, 1776, and died of wounds, 29th August, 1776.

LT. ELIHU TROWBRIDGE, 2nd Lieutenant 2nd Connecticut, 1st January, 1777; resigned 4th December, 1777. (Died 23d March, 1826.

LT. JOHN TROWBRIDGE, 2nd Lieutenant, 6th Connecticut, 1st January, 1777; 1st Lieutenant, 29th April, 1779; transferred to 4th Connecticut, 1st January, 1781; transferred to 3rd Connecticut, 1st January, 1783, and served to June, 1783.

LT. JOHN TROWBRIDGE, 1st Lieutenant 7th Connecticut, 6th July, to 21st December, 1775; 1st Lieutenant of Swift's Connecticut State Regiment, July to November, 1776.

COLONEL JOHN TROWBRIDGE, Major Lieutenant-Colonel and Colonel Massachusetts Militia in 1778-1780. (Died 1807.)

LT. LUTHER TROWBRIDGE, 2d Lieutenant 7th Massachusetts, 1st January, 1777; 1st Lieutenant, 5th July, 1779; 1780 to 1783; served to June, 1783. Regimental Adjutant, (Died 19th February, 1802.) 1778 took the oath of allegiance required by Congress at Albany, N. Y., under Colonel Icabod Alden.
Source: Colonial Ancestors, American Revolution, Oaths, http://colonialancestors.com/revolutionary/oath10.htm

TYLER'S OF NEW ENGLAND

Sources: National Archives Publication Number: M246 Publication Title: Revolutionary War Rolls, 1775-1783 Publisher: NARA State: Massachusetts Military Org: 3d Regiment of Militia Date Range: 1779 Folder: 38.
Willard I. Brigham's, THE TYLER GENEALOGY: The Descendants of Job Tyler, of Andover, Massachusetts, 1619-1700, (Cornelius B. Tyler, Publisher, Plainfield, N. J., (1912).

CAPTAIN ABRAHAM TYLER, Poor's Company of Militia; 8th Company, Massachusetts Continental Regiment.

ANDREW TYLER, Massachusetts, 12th Regiment.

EBENEZER TYLER, (Massachusetts), Carpenter's Regiment of Militia (1776-78).

JACOB TYLER, (Connecticut)

JEPTHA TYLER, (New Hampshire)

JEREMIAH TYLER, (Massachusetts), 15th Regiment

JOHN TYLER, Poor's Company of Militia; Massachusetts 1st Regiment; Massachusetts 6th Regiment

JOHN STEEL TYLER, (Massachusetts), 15th and 16th Regiment

JOSEPH TYLER, (Vermont); Tyler's Company

JOSHUA TYLER, (New Hampshire); Baldwin's Regiment

JOSIAH TYLER, (Connecticut)

MOSES TYLER, New Hampshire 3d Regiment, 1776-80

COLONEL NATHAN TYLER, (Massachusetts), Commander 3rd Worcester Company Regiment, Danvers, Mass. Nathan Tyler appears on the 1790 census in Uxbridge, Massachusetts. He is listed in Willard I. Brigham's, THE TYLER GENEALOGY: The Descendants of Job Tyler, of Andover, Massachusetts, 1619-1700, (Cornelius B. Tyler, Publisher, Plainfield, N. J., 1912). I believe him to be a great grandson of Job and Mary Tyler.

PVT. SOLOMON TYLER, (Massachusetts), Capt. Thaddeus Reads Co., Col. Nathan Tyler's 3rd Worcester Company Regiment. Born 23 Sept. 1757, Uxbridge, Massachusetts, died 01 Nov. 1810, Uxbridge; great grandson of Job and Mary Tyler, grandson of John and Hannah Parker Tyler; son of Joseph and Mary Draper Tyler. Great great grandfather of Winifred Peal Tyler Wall.

STEPHEN TYLER, Massachusetts 3rd Regiment of Militia; born 1758, Lowell, Middlesex County, Mass., died Nov. 23, 1812, Boxford, Essex Co., Mass; buried Mt. Vernon Cemetery, Boxford, Mass.

Ronald N. Wall

Modified: 23 January 2023