NOTE:  Not "my" Jacob (son of "Henry"), although the Samuel Pence Bible should be checked out.

 

From: Richard A. Pence<richardpence@pipeline.com > 
Subject: war of 1812 - Battle of Brownstown 
Date: Thu, 28 Jan 1999 07:05:54 -0800


I have several question regarding a War of 1812 problem I have been
wrestling with.

The family Bible of Samuel Pence (sometimes Pentz) in Clark County,
Ohio, has an entry which reads: "Uncle Jacob Pence killed in the
battle of Brownstown Aug. the 5, 1812."

Jacob Pence married Rebecca Davis 13 Aug. 1810 in Champaign County,
Ohio; several court records in that county say his only heir was
their daughter, Ruth Pence.

Also in Champaign County there is a court record (Chancery Court Book
16, Page 460, filed 22 April 1840) in which John West, the
administrator for Sampson Kelley brought suit against "Jacob Baker, et
al.) Jacob was the husband of Ruth, Jacob Pence's daughter.

Summary of the pleading: Sampson Kelly married Rebecca Pence, widow of
Lieutenant Pence of the late war. By an act of Congress, 1 June 1813,
the widow became entitled to a portion of Jacob Pence's pay which was
collected by one Henry Northup, one half pay for five years service.
The judgment against Northup, $713.43, was obtained by Kelley in his
lifetime. An agreement dated between the heirs of Sampson Kelley,
dated 31 October 1831, stated that Rebecca would receive the widow's
portion, Sampson Kelley's heirs were to receive $10 each, except Sarah
Jane & Rebecca Ann Kelley who would receive two equal 1/9 parts each,
and the balance was to be paid to Ruth Pence, heir of said widow.
After the payments were made West settled the probate of Kelley, but
since then a further sum of $422 has come to the estate. John West
made a partial distribution of the second amount according to the
agreement, however, a problem has arisen which he wants the court to
settle. There is $388 of the $422 left for distribution.

Contents of an answer filed 12 Oct 1840 by Jacob and Ruth Baker. Jacob
Pence, father of Ruth, was believed killed at the Battle of Browns
town in the service of the United States in August 1813 [apparently
incorrect] and Rebecca married Kelley circa 1 Sept 1818. Ruth had
received $244.25 for "half pay," but she was not sure that she had
received the total amount that she should.

After the above matter was settled, an acounting was filed showing
that the amounts received as a result of Jacob Pence's service (and
death?) was $953.43 (October 1832) and $422.53 (April, 1839), for a
total of $1,375.96.

My questions are several:

1. When was the Battle of Brownstown? My search for information on
this battle reveals only that Brownstown was apparently in Michigan. I
have found a reference to the battle, but no dates were given. Are
there lists of casualties? Where?

2. What was the Act of Congress of June 1, 1813? Was it a benefit paid
to survivors of those killed in the War? What would account for the
delay until 1832 before any funds were collected? Or am I looking at a
transposition and the act actually was the Act of June 1, 1831?

3. What was the pay rate for enlisted men and officers during the War
of 1812? Is it possible to tell from the amounts above if Jacob Pence
was indeed a lieutenant? (He is not mentioned as an officer in a Clark
County history.)

4. Are there separate record groups at NARA for War of 1812 volunteers
and those in the regular army? The muster roll of the militia for the
Champaign-Clark area does not list a Jacob Pence. It gives Jacob's
brother Peter as a sergeant and also several other Pences, all of whom
were his father's first cousins. This, and the above document, lead me
to surmise that Jacob Pence may have been in the regular army and not
a volunteer.

Any thoughts greatly appreciated.

Regards,
Richard A. Pence <richardpence@pipeline.com>
Pence Family History <http://www.pipeline.com/~richardpence/index.htm&g

This thread:

 

From: Richard A. Pence<richardpence@pipeline.com > 
Subject: Re: war of 1812 - Battle of Brownstown 
Date: Fri, 29 Jan 1999 10:27:29 -0800


rjyanco@lsa.umich.edu (Richard Yanco) wrote:

>The National Park Service web site has a list of battles in the War of 1812.
>One is "Maguaga (Maguago, Brownstown), MI 8/9/1812." From context, that's
>August 9.

>I also found this:

>> On the breaking out of the war in 1812, he raised a regiment of 
>> riflemen, for the campaign under Harrison in the north-west. Part of 
>> this regiment was in the battle of Brownstown, on the 18th of January, 
>> 1813. In the fatal battle of the river Raisin, Col. Allen's regiment 
>> formed the left wing of the American force.

>Myself, I'd tend to believe the NPS.

Rick: Don't know what to think. Look at this:

Jill Pence sent me these two references:

>TITLE: A narrative of the Battle of Brownstone, which was fought on the
>9th of August, 1812, during the campaign of the North Western Army,
>under the command of Brigadier General Hull

and

>SUBJECT: Brownstown, Mich., Battle of, Aug. 5, 1812. Monguagon,
>Mich., Battle of, Aug. 9, 1812. [NOTE the two different dates.]

And Scott Mace sent me this:

>It must be your lucky day. I'm currently reading a biography of
>Tecumseh, "Tecumseh: A Life", by John Sugden, 1997, published
>Henry Holt & Company, NY, to which I will refer you for a fairly complete
>account of the battle, at least from the Indian/British viewpoint:

>"The Battle of Brownstown (a Wyandot Indian town south of Detroit)
>was on 5 August 1812."

The Bible entry for Jacob Pence says he was killed at the Battle of
Brownstown on 5 August 1812.

No wonder the genealogist's battle cry is: "Trust nothing." <G>

Thanks.

Richard A. Pence <richardpence@pipeline.com>
Pence Family History <http://www.pipeline.com/~richardpence/index.htm&g

This thread:

 

From: Robert Heiling <rheil@pacific.net> 
Subject: Re: war of 1812 - Battle of Brownstown 
Date: Sat, 30 Jan 1999 11:05:57 -0800


Richard A. Pence wrote:

> >> On the breaking out of the war in 1812, he raised a regiment of
> >> riflemen, for the campaign under Harrison in the north-west. Part of
> >> this regiment was in the battle of Brownstown, on the 18th of January,
> >> 1813. In the fatal battle of the river Raisin, Col. Allen's regiment
> >> formed the left wing of the American force.
>
> >TITLE: A narrative of the Battle of Brownstone, which was fought on the
> >9th of August, 1812, during the campaign of the North Western Army,
> >under the command of Brigadier General Hull
>
> >SUBJECT: Brownstown, Mich., Battle of, Aug. 5, 1812. Monguagon,
> >Mich., Battle of, Aug. 9, 1812. [NOTE the two different dates.]
>
> >"The Battle of Brownstown (a Wyandot Indian town south of Detroit)
> >was on 5 August 1812."
>
> The Bible entry for Jacob Pence says he was killed at the Battle of
> Brownstown on 5 August 1812.
>
> No wonder the genealogist's battle cry is: "Trust nothing." <G>

But none of that is inconsistent with a battle or siege that might have lasted,
or have been on & off, for a protracted period. Some of those references may only
indicate when particular units joined in.

Bob

Robert Heiling <rheil@pacific.net>

This thread:

 

 

FROM: http://www.starbase21.com/kybiog/shelby/allen.j.txt  Via the Way Back Machine

HISTORY OF KENTUCKY, by Lewis Collins, and J.A. & U.P. James, 
published 1847.  Reprinted by Henry Clay Press, Lexington, Ky., 1968, p. 
168 [Shelby county].

This county [Allen] received its name from Col JOHN ALLEN, who fell in 
the disastrous battle of the river Raisin.  He was born in Rockbridge 
county, Virginia, the 30th of December, 1772.  His father, James Allen, 
emigrated to Kentucky in the fall of the year 1780, and settled at 
Dougherty's station, on Clarke run, about one and a half miles below the 
present town of Danville.  Here he formed an acquaintance with Joseph 
Daviess, the father of Col. Joseph Hamilton Daviess.  Becoming impatient 
at the close confinement of the station, these fearless and ardent men 
removed farther down the creek, and erecting a small station, lived 
there for three years.  At the expiration of this period, Mr. Daviess 
purchased a tract of land three or four miles west of Danville, and 
removed to it.
	In 1784, the father of John Allen removed to Nelson county, and 
settled on Simpson's creek, seven and a half miles from Bardstown.  In 
1786, the subject of this notice attended a school in Bardstown, kept by 
a Mr. Shackleford, where he acquired a slight knowledge of the classics.  
This school was succeeded by one under the charge of Dr. James Priestly, 
with whom young Allen finished his education.  At this school, Joseph H. 
Daviess, John Rowan, Felix Grundy, Archibald Cameron, John Pope, and 
John Allen, all distinguished in after life, formed one class.
	In the year 1791, John Allen commenced the study of the law in the 
office of Col. Archibald Stewart, of Stanton, VA.  He pursued his legal 
studies with great assiduity for about four years, and in 1795, he 
returned to Kentucky and settled in Shelbyville, where he continued to 
practice law till 1812.  As a lawyer, he ranked with the first men of his 
profession.
	On the breaking out of the war in 1812, he raised a regiment of 
riflemen, for the campaign under Harrison in the north-west.  Part of 
this regiment was in the battle of Brownstown, on the 18th of January, 
1813.  In the fatal battle of the river Raisin, Col. Allen's regiment 
formed the left wing of the American force.  The termination of this 
affair is too well known to require recapitulation here; and among the 
many noble and chivalrous Kentuckians who there found a bloody grave, 
there was none whose loss was more sensibly felt or deeply deplored than 
Col. Allen.  Infexibily just, benevolent in all his feelings, and of 
undaunted courage, he was a fine specimen of the Kentucky gentleman of 
that day, and his name will not soon pass away from the memory of his 
countrymen.

Allen Dougherty Clarke Daviess Shackleford Priestly Rowan Grundy Cameron 
Pope Stewart Harrison
=
Rockbridge-VA Danville-Boyle-KY Bardstown-Nelson-KY Allen-KY