Margaret Gallahue Peyton - Possible DAR Patriot

I have found two extant records which prove that Mrs. Margaret Gallahue PEYTON provided Patriotic Service in Prince William County, Virginia, during the Revolutionary War. 

 #1: Margaret PEYTON was enumerated on the 1783 Personal Property Tax List of Prince William County, Virginia, which verifies payment of a tax which provided funding for the war. 

 #2: Mrs. Margaret PEYTON entered a Public Service Claim in Prince William County during the American Revolution (Commissioner’s book: IV, page 204, Court Booklet: page 12.)

Margaret GALLAHUE was the second wife of Colonel Henry PEYTON who appears on pages 55 thru 61 of my genealogy book, PEYTONs Along the Aquia.

Colonel Henry PEYTON was an important patriot of the American Revolution. In "Writings of Washington" by Ford is "Colonel PEYTON's valuable aid was recognized by General WASHINGTON." 

His third and last son old enough for military duty, Valentine PEYTON, was killed by a cannon ball from the British fleet during the siege of Charleston, South Carolina. He fell into the arms of General Porterfield of Augusta who communicated the sad news to the soldier's father. Colonel PEYTON, when he heard of it, was struck dumb with grief, but in a moment recovering his equilibrium and self-control, exclaimed, "Would to God I had another to put in his place." Just one year after the loss of his two sons at Charleston, Colonel Henry himself was dead. 

Henry PEYTON is DAR Ancestor #089984, having performed Patriotic service in Prince William County, Virginia during the American Revolution. Now we know that his wife Margaret also qualifies for DAR Patriot status.

Timothy PEYTON of Bourbon County, Kentucky

Today at a wonderful website was published the Will and Marriages of Timothy PEYTON who appears on pages 57, 106, 107 of my genealogy book, PEYTONs Along the Aquia, including a will transcript and many images of the will and the marriages of his children in Bourbon County, Kentucky.

I have also verified the name of Timothy's wife as Sarah "Sary" MATSON, a sister of James MATSON, who appears on pages 59, 60 where he married a sister of Timothy PEYTON. Apparently Timothy took his entire family to Kentucky, as it is there in Bourbon County that we find the marriages of his children, along with Timothy's will.

This transcript of the Will of Timothy Peyton (Bourbon County, Kentucky Will Book A, Pages 16-20) is from PHYLLIS BROWN of Kentucky Kindred Genealogical Research, 8 August 2020:

In the name of God, amen.  I, Timothy Peyton, of Prince William County do constitute and appoint this to be my last will and testament.  First it is my will and desire that all my just debts and funeral expenses be first be paid.  I give and bequeath to my beloved wife, Sarah, all my estate both real and personal and when my Children Sitha Ann, Ann Thornton, Frances Elizabeth, Valentine Smallwood, and the child my wife is now pregnant with arrive at the age of eighteen years or marries, then it is my desire my personal estate shall be equally divided between my beloved wife and children.  I give unto my wife my preemption in Lafayette County during her natural life, after her decease to be equally divided among my children.  I leave to my son Valentine Smallwood four thousand acres of land which I hold as heir to my brother, Valentine Peyton.  All my lands not yet mentioned I leave to be equally divided between my several children already named.  Should any of my aforesaid children die before they come of full age, and without heirs lawfully begotten their proportion of any estate shall be equally divided among the survivors.  Should all my children die without heirs lawfully begotten of their body, I leave my whole estate real and personal to my beloved wife during her natural life, after her decease I leave my said estate, both real and personal, to be equally divided between my brother-in-law James Matson’s children.  I constitute and appoint my beloved wife, James Matson and John McMillion, executors to this my last will and testament.

Timo. Peyton, September 5th 1782

Signed in presence of Jesse Davis, John Davis, George Jackson, Thomas Calvert

Commission for examination of John Davis, George Jackson and Thomas Calvert.

The Commonwealth of Virginia to Jesse Ewell, James Ewell and Bernard Ewell, of Prince William County, gentlemen, know ye that we are trusting to your fidelity and provident circumspection in diligently examining John Davis, George Jackson and Thomas Calvert, witnesses in and upon certain interrogation respecting the last will and testament of Timothy Peyton, deceased, in Bourbon County.  We therefore command you or any two of you that a certain day which you shall appoint you call and cause to come by you, the said witnesses, and then diligently examine, being first duly sworn as the law directs, touching the premises and there in you abide until have completed the same and their examination into the county court of Bourbon, distinctly and openly, without delay, you send and certify enclosed returning also to us this writ.  Witness John Edwards, Clerk of said Court of Bourbon County at the courthouse the sixteenth day of January, one thousand seven hundred and eighty-eight.

Test. John Edwards, CL. B.C.

Prince William County

By virtue of the within commission to us directed, we have examined George Jackson, Thomas Calvert and John Davis concerning the premises within mentioned who being duly sworn on the holy Evangelists of Almighty God, depose that they saw Timothy Peyton sign and publish the writing hereunto annexed as his last will and testament and that they believed him to be in his proper senses at the time.  Also given under our hands and seals this seventeenth of October one thousand seven hundred and eighty-eight.

Jesse Ewell, James Ewell

Commission for Examination of Jesse Davis

The Commonwealth of Virginia to Charles Polk and Joshua Ferguson, Gentlemen, of Nelson County, know ye that trusting to your fidelity and provident circumspection in diligently examining Jesse Davis, gentleman, a subscribing witness to the last will of Timothy Peyton, deceased, upon certain interrogations respecting the same we therefore command you or any two of you that at a certain day which you shall appoint you call and cause to come before you the said witness and him, diligently examined being first duly sworn and there in the execution of the premises you abide until you have completed the same and his examination into the county court of Bourbon distinctly and openly without delay you send and certify enclosed returning also to us this writ, witness John Edwards, Clerk of our said Court at the courthouse the twenty-ninth day of November one thousand seven hundred and eighty-seven.

John Edwards

December the 7th 1787

This day came before us the subscribed Justices of Peace for the said county Jesse Davis, of the said county, and being duly sworn confesseth that the said Timothy Peyton, deceased, was in perfect health and senses, acknowledged a certain will dated September the fifth, one thousand seven hundred and eighty-two to be his last will and testament and that the said witness knows of no other will.  Given under our hands the day above written.

Joshua Ferguson, Charles Polk

Bourbon County, December Court 1788

The last will and testament of Timothy Peyton, deceased, was proved by the oaths of Jesse Davis, Thomas Calvert, George Jackson and John Davis.

Who were examined by deputies issued from this court and ordered to be and upon the petition of Sarah Peyton and James Matron, named executors in said will who acknowledged bond with Edward Waller and John ?, Gentlemen, their securities in the penalty of two thousand pounds and made oath as the law directs, a certificate is granted them for obtaining probate thereof in due form.

Test. John Edwards, CL

===========================

The images of the will and the marriage records of the PEYTON children can be seen at the above linked website. Timothy PEYTON's father was an important patriot of the American Revolution, which I covered in my book PEYTONs Along the Aquia on pages 55, 56, 57, however, he was not the one who gave his life at Charleston, South Carolina on May 12th, 1780. That was one of his other sons.

Elizabeth, Wife of Henry Lindsey Peyton

On page 141, of my genealogy book, PEYTONs Along the Aquia there is a conflict with the maiden name of the wife of Henry Lindsey PEYTON. We cannot be sure whether she was Elizabeth PAIN or Elizabeth BURDEN. In William Montgomery Sweeny's Marriage Bonds and Other Marriage Records of Amherst County, Virginia 1763-1800, 1937,  page 59, her name was given as PAIN: "Peyton, Henry, and Elizabeth Pain, married by the Rev. Benjamin Coleman." However, I recently encountered a death record for her in West Virginia, Deaths Index, 1853-1973, where she was recorded as the daughter of A. and L. BURDEN of Amherst County, Virginia. Perhaps the original marriage record in Amherst County, Virginia may shed some light on her true family name.

William DOWNING(s) of mid-1600 Virginia

I continue to receive inquiries about the PHILIP PEYTON in my book on pages 22, 23, a descendant of the PEYTONs Along the Aquia who lived in Westmoreland and Stafford Counties, Virginia. People are confusing him with another PHILIP PEYTON, a documented indentured servant from Bristol, England, who lived in Northumberland County, Virginia. I have already written about Philip Peyton of Northumberland.

NOTE: Northumberland and Westmoreland Counties separated in 1653, and Stafford County was formed from Westmoreland in 1664. 

The latest query on PHILIP PEYTON indentured servant from Bristol, involves this record that I found in Northumberland County, 1667:

"Records of Indentured Servants and of Certificates for Land Northumberland County Virginia 1650-1795," W. Preston Haynie, 1996, pages 87, 88: "421, 20 Oct. 1667 -- Wheras by ye Complynt of Philip Peyton & ye Testamony of some of ye neighbors. It appeares ye Phil: Peyton & Nath: Garner, servts to Rich: Nelmes, have grivous sores on his legges & are very much neglected by their sd Master who taketh nor care to see ye sd sores Cured, It is ordered yt ye sd Nelmes forth endeavour to get ye sd Servts Cured & if ye next Vestry held for this parish Mr Wm Wildey & Mr Wm Downing (who are by ye Court desired to inquire into ye sd business) shall then give their report yt ye sd Nelmes hath been remiss in ye effectual performance of what here ordered yt then ye Court to be further ... therein. OB 1666-78, 12." 

Because the Northumberland Vestry of 1667, charged a "MR WM DOWNING" to give a report on the health conditions of "PHIL: PEYTON & NATH: GARNER, servts" a reader of this blog gives as proof that PHILIP PEYTON of Northumberland County is the same PHILIP PEYTON of Westmoreland and Stafford Counties who had a  number of intimate land dealings from 1700 to 1714, with a "CAPTAIN WILLIAM DOWNING" who owned land next to PHILIP PEYTON in Stafford County.

I judge the two WILLIAM DOWNINGS to be separate people, considering the time span of 33 plus years between 1667 and 1700, 1714, the different counties of residence, and their different titles. WILLIAM DOWNING of Northumberland was referred to by the title of "Mr." WILLIAM DOWNING of Westmoreland and Stafford was referred to as CAPTAIN WILLIAM DOWNING. I find no evidence of a wife for the MR. WILLIAM DOWNING, however, the wife of CAPTAIN WILLIAM DOWNING appears in land records as Diana.

In addition, during the same time span I find in the Parish Records of Christ Church, that there were two WILLIAM DOWNINGS in Middlesex County, Virginia. WILLIAM DOWNING and his wife ELIZABETH had a son named WILLIAM DOWNING, born there in 1665.

Angelina Eberly was Angelina Belle Peyton

She became the heroine of Austin, Texas for preserving the city as the permanent Capitol of Texas.

Angelina Eberley fires off the cannon at the agents attempting to move the archives from her hometown of Austin. (Texas State Library and Archives Commission)

https://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/fascinating-story-texas-archives-war-1842-180970470/#XW74437yDqeQbkVv.99

Angelina Belle PEYTON (1798-1860) married her first cousin, Jonathan PEYTON. Their fathers were twin brothers. After Jonathan’s death, and the burning of San Felipe during the Texas Revolution, she moved to Columbia. There, in 1836, she married Colonel Jacob EBERLY, a widower.

I came upon this interesting article featuring Angelina Eberly and her historical connections to Texas while reading the October 2018 Smithsonian Magazine. 

You may catch up on Angelina's connections to the Peytons of Virginia in my genealogy book PEYTONs Along the Aquia. On pages 136, 262 and 163 you will find Angelina Belle PEYTON along with her parents, her first husband Jonathan PEYTON and their documented descent from the original Peytons of Aquia Creek, Virginia back to England.

Updates to Major Daniel PEYTON

On page 94, of my genealogy book, PEYTONs Along the Aquia, Major Daniel PEYTON died "5-5-1826 JACKSON CO ALABAMA" according to updated DAR records.

Anne McGUFFEY / Ann GUFFEY (c1723 - 1785)

On page 97, of my genealogy book, PEYTONs Along the Aquia, I have updated the vital statistics of ANNE MCGUFFEY. Latest research reveals that she was born about 1723, and died about 1785, in Amherst County, Virginia. She married ROBERT PEYTON in 1754.

She also appears on page 498, of Reverend Hayden's "PEYTON, of England and Virginia" where she is named as ANN GUFFEY.