Source: "Early Settlers of Lee County, Virginia" Descendants of Thomas Ely, Excerpts by Hattie Muncy Bales, edited by William C. Reed.
Emigrant Jane Smith formerly of Dublin, Ireland, met emigrant Thomas Ely aboard a ship headed for the American Colonies in the middle of the eighteen century. Thomas was a young man of about 24 years when he left England. They married either on board ship or when they reached the mainland.
Thomas and Jane remained in Pennsylvania for a few years and their first two sons were born there: Thomas, abt 1750; and William abt 1753.
Jane's husband Thomas was a soldier in the war between Great Britain and France. For his military service, he received 50 acres in a Land Office Warrant, any county within the Commonwealth. His land was probably in Stafford County. He was under the command of Colonel Byrd. In 1772, Thomas Ely of Bedford Co., VA purchased land there (Deed book D-4, p. 415 Bedford Co., VA).
Jane and Thomas, Sr. had a total of nine children--In addition to Thomas, Jr. and William, born in PA, the following children were born in Stafford County, VA: John Ely who married Barbara Jane Fry; and Isaac Ely who married Catherine Fry; Rachel Ely who married Edward Napier; Jane Ely who married Rene Napier; David Ely who married Sarah Claypool; Robert Ely; and Joseph Ely who married Francis Hix (Hicks).
Thomas Ely, Sr., and three sons: Thomas, Jr., William, and John fought in the American Revolutionary War. Thomas Jr. lost his life fighting. Thomas, Sr. was severely wounded but returned home and died about two years later. Tradition : "Wounded at Bufords Defeat, Thomas Feigned death...a British soldier said, "This old man is not dead" and ran a bayonet through him...asked, "Why are you fighting against the King?" Thomas replied, "I married here, my family is here, my home is here and I think I have a right to fight for my country."
Son William was also severely wounded on his head and shoulder by a saber at Bufords Defeat, Hanging Rock, South Carolina. He was taken prisoner but released a few days later to go home. It is said that his head wound was so severe that a silver plate was put in his head and remained there.
Sometime after Jane's husband Thomas, Sr. passed away, the family left Bedford County and settled in Montgomery County VA. They received small land grants and lived for several years in Montgomery County. Son John went scouting on the western frontier of Virginia, came back with his report, and sons William and John bought land and presumably moved Jane with her large family to Sugar Run, Lee County, Virginia. Her sons, with other investors, owned thousands of acres, including land in what was to be Knox County, KY, later known as Harlan Co., KY. Jane's name has not been found on any Lee County land records.
It was here on Sugar Run, where Jane is thought to be buried, near the graves of her son and daughter-in-law, John and Barbara Jane (Fry) Ely. Her actual death date is unknown. Field stones were originally used as grave markers.
[Some researchers are using the year of her death as 1798].
Emigrant Jane Smith formerly of Dublin, Ireland, met emigrant Thomas Ely aboard a ship headed for the American Colonies in the middle of the eighteen century. Thomas was a young man of about 24 years when he left England. They married either on board ship or when they reached the mainland.
Thomas and Jane remained in Pennsylvania for a few years and their first two sons were born there: Thomas, abt 1750; and William abt 1753.
Jane's husband Thomas was a soldier in the war between Great Britain and France. For his military service, he received 50 acres in a Land Office Warrant, any county within the Commonwealth. His land was probably in Stafford County. He was under the command of Colonel Byrd. In 1772, Thomas Ely of Bedford Co., VA purchased land there (Deed book D-4, p. 415 Bedford Co., VA).
Jane and Thomas, Sr. had a total of nine children--In addition to Thomas, Jr. and William, born in PA, the following children were born in Stafford County, VA: John Ely who married Barbara Jane Fry; and Isaac Ely who married Catherine Fry; Rachel Ely who married Edward Napier; Jane Ely who married Rene Napier; David Ely who married Sarah Claypool; Robert Ely; and Joseph Ely who married Francis Hix (Hicks).
Thomas Ely, Sr., and three sons: Thomas, Jr., William, and John fought in the American Revolutionary War. Thomas Jr. lost his life fighting. Thomas, Sr. was severely wounded but returned home and died about two years later. Tradition : "Wounded at Bufords Defeat, Thomas Feigned death...a British soldier said, "This old man is not dead" and ran a bayonet through him...asked, "Why are you fighting against the King?" Thomas replied, "I married here, my family is here, my home is here and I think I have a right to fight for my country."
Son William was also severely wounded on his head and shoulder by a saber at Bufords Defeat, Hanging Rock, South Carolina. He was taken prisoner but released a few days later to go home. It is said that his head wound was so severe that a silver plate was put in his head and remained there.
Sometime after Jane's husband Thomas, Sr. passed away, the family left Bedford County and settled in Montgomery County VA. They received small land grants and lived for several years in Montgomery County. Son John went scouting on the western frontier of Virginia, came back with his report, and sons William and John bought land and presumably moved Jane with her large family to Sugar Run, Lee County, Virginia. Her sons, with other investors, owned thousands of acres, including land in what was to be Knox County, KY, later known as Harlan Co., KY. Jane's name has not been found on any Lee County land records.
It was here on Sugar Run, where Jane is thought to be buried, near the graves of her son and daughter-in-law, John and Barbara Jane (Fry) Ely. Her actual death date is unknown. Field stones were originally used as grave markers.
[Some researchers are using the year of her death as 1798].
Source: "Early Settlers of Lee County, Virginia" Descendants of Thomas Ely, Excerpts by Hattie Muncy Bales, edited by William C. Reed.
Emigrant Jane Smith formerly of Dublin, Ireland, met emigrant Thomas Ely aboard a ship headed for the American Colonies in the middle of the eighteen century. Thomas was a young man of about 24 years when he left England. They married either on board ship or when they reached the mainland.
Thomas and Jane remained in Pennsylvania for a few years and their first two sons were born there: Thomas, abt 1750; and William abt 1753.
Jane's husband Thomas was a soldier in the war between Great Britain and France. For his military service, he received 50 acres in a Land Office Warrant, any county within the Commonwealth. His land was probably in Stafford County. He was under the command of Colonel Byrd. In 1772, Thomas Ely of Bedford Co., VA purchased land there (Deed book D-4, p. 415 Bedford Co., VA).
Jane and Thomas, Sr. had a total of nine children--In addition to Thomas, Jr. and William, born in PA, the following children were born in Stafford County, VA: John Ely who married Barbara Jane Fry; and Isaac Ely who married Catherine Fry; Rachel Ely who married Edward Napier; Jane Ely who married Rene Napier; David Ely who married Sarah Claypool; Robert Ely; and Joseph Ely who married Francis Hix (Hicks).
Thomas Ely, Sr., and three sons: Thomas, Jr., William, and John fought in the American Revolutionary War. Thomas Jr. lost his life fighting. Thomas, Sr. was severely wounded but returned home and died about two years later. Tradition : "Wounded at Bufords Defeat, Thomas Feigned death...a British soldier said, "This old man is not dead" and ran a bayonet through him...asked, "Why are you fighting against the King?" Thomas replied, "I married here, my family is here, my home is here and I think I have a right to fight for my country."
Son William was also severely wounded on his head and shoulder by a saber at Bufords Defeat, Hanging Rock, South Carolina. He was taken prisoner but released a few days later to go home. It is said that his head wound was so severe that a silver plate was put in his head and remained there.
Sometime after Jane's husband Thomas, Sr. passed away, the family left Bedford County and settled in Montgomery County VA. They received small land grants and lived for several years in Montgomery County. Son John went scouting on the western frontier of Virginia, came back with his report, and sons William and John bought land and presumably moved Jane with her large family to Sugar Run, Lee County, Virginia. Her sons, with other investors, owned thousands of acres, including land in what was to be Knox County, KY, later known as Harlan Co., KY. Jane's name has not been found on any Lee County land records.
It was here on Sugar Run, where Jane is thought to be buried, near the graves of her son and daughter-in-law, John and Barbara Jane (Fry) Ely. Her actual death date is unknown. Field stones were originally used as grave markers.
[Some researchers are using the year of her death as 1798].
Emigrant Jane Smith formerly of Dublin, Ireland, met emigrant Thomas Ely aboard a ship headed for the American Colonies in the middle of the eighteen century. Thomas was a young man of about 24 years when he left England. They married either on board ship or when they reached the mainland.
Thomas and Jane remained in Pennsylvania for a few years and their first two sons were born there: Thomas, abt 1750; and William abt 1753.
Jane's husband Thomas was a soldier in the war between Great Britain and France. For his military service, he received 50 acres in a Land Office Warrant, any county within the Commonwealth. His land was probably in Stafford County. He was under the command of Colonel Byrd. In 1772, Thomas Ely of Bedford Co., VA purchased land there (Deed book D-4, p. 415 Bedford Co., VA).
Jane and Thomas, Sr. had a total of nine children--In addition to Thomas, Jr. and William, born in PA, the following children were born in Stafford County, VA: John Ely who married Barbara Jane Fry; and Isaac Ely who married Catherine Fry; Rachel Ely who married Edward Napier; Jane Ely who married Rene Napier; David Ely who married Sarah Claypool; Robert Ely; and Joseph Ely who married Francis Hix (Hicks).
Thomas Ely, Sr., and three sons: Thomas, Jr., William, and John fought in the American Revolutionary War. Thomas Jr. lost his life fighting. Thomas, Sr. was severely wounded but returned home and died about two years later. Tradition : "Wounded at Bufords Defeat, Thomas Feigned death...a British soldier said, "This old man is not dead" and ran a bayonet through him...asked, "Why are you fighting against the King?" Thomas replied, "I married here, my family is here, my home is here and I think I have a right to fight for my country."
Son William was also severely wounded on his head and shoulder by a saber at Bufords Defeat, Hanging Rock, South Carolina. He was taken prisoner but released a few days later to go home. It is said that his head wound was so severe that a silver plate was put in his head and remained there.
Sometime after Jane's husband Thomas, Sr. passed away, the family left Bedford County and settled in Montgomery County VA. They received small land grants and lived for several years in Montgomery County. Son John went scouting on the western frontier of Virginia, came back with his report, and sons William and John bought land and presumably moved Jane with her large family to Sugar Run, Lee County, Virginia. Her sons, with other investors, owned thousands of acres, including land in what was to be Knox County, KY, later known as Harlan Co., KY. Jane's name has not been found on any Lee County land records.
It was here on Sugar Run, where Jane is thought to be buried, near the graves of her son and daughter-in-law, John and Barbara Jane (Fry) Ely. Her actual death date is unknown. Field stones were originally used as grave markers.
[Some researchers are using the year of her death as 1798].
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