Month: July 2023

Samuel, William, and Peter Vess: Revolutionary War Records of Dunmore Co. Virginia

/ J. V.


I’ve found the VESS name in records dating back to 1777 in Dunmore County, Virginia.

According to Revolutionary War records (below), Samuel, William, and Peter “Vess” served under Captain Joseph Bowman of Dunmore County, Virginia.

The record for Peter Vess is dated 1777 (Artillery). Samuel and William Vess come later, in 1778, with Samuel Vess serving the longest 1778-1779.

Dunmore County, Virginia

Dunmore County (1772-1778) was a temporary county in Virginia, which was formed from parts of Frederick County, now known as Shenandoah County.

Samuel Vess of Dunmore County, VA

Samuel Vess has numerous Revolutionary War records between 1778-1779 under the name “Vess” and “Vest” for the Continental Army, 2nd Virginia State Regiment (suggesting same person).

There is also a VASS record, which I believe belongs to Samuel “Vess.” The “VASS” record (pictured above), is for Samuel “Vass” of Frederick County, Virginia whose wife is Ann, and states they have 2 children.

There is also a 1775 census record for Dunmore County, Virginia for Samuel and William “Vess.”

Samuel Vess/Vass can also be found in books pertaining to the Scot-Irish communities in Augusta, Frederick, and Dunmore county. When it comes to county boundaries, Dunmore county used to be part of Frederick county that was once Augusta county; which is probably why Samuel VESS is indexed under different counties during the same time period, even though he probably resided in an area located in Dunmore County (or possibly on a county border).

This is not Samuel Vess and Ann McPherson of Rockbridge County, Virginia, as records indicate they were married much later (1833). This also doesn’t seem to be Samuel Vess in Patrick County, Virginia, whose wife is Catherine (1790). Nor is it Samuel Vest, the son of William Tunwell Vest in North Carolina. Therefore, this could be an older generation of VESS.

Not Samuel Vest, son of William Tunwell Vest

Samuel Vest, the son of William Tunwell Vest and Lucy Alford (Stokes Co., NC), filed a Revolutionary War pension application in 1833, in Washington County, Indiana.

Many family trees on Ancestry.com have linked the Revolutionary War records of “Samuel Vest of the 2nd Virginia State Regiment,” to him, which actually belongs to Samuel “Vess” of Dunmore County, VA.

Samuel Vest, the son of William Tunwell Vest (Vest family of Chesterfield, VA) was enlisted in Bedford Co. Virginia in 1779 and served under Capt. James Adams, whereas Samuel Vess of the 2nd Virginia State Regiment from Dunmore County, served under Jospeh Bowman and later Machen Boswell (who later commanded the 2nd Virginia State Regiment).

Rockbridge and Patrick County Vess Families: Could They Be Related?

The Vess family from Rockbridge County, Virginia has not completed any Y-DNA testing, so at this time, we do not know if they are VESS, WEST (per oral tradition), BESS, or VEST.

But, if the Rockbridge County Vess family is related to the North Carolina and Alabama Vess family, this older Samuel and Ann Vess generation, could be the connection, with their children splitting in different directions, one settling in Rockbridge County and the other settling in Patrick County (once Henry Co.).

It is important to note that the Great Wagon Road intercepted through both Rockbridge County and Henry County. It would also explain why the two VESS families do not appear as Autosomal DNA matches, (if related), as this shared ancestor (if true) would be too distant to detect, making both Vess families very distant cousins. Only Y-DNA testing can provide further insight into this theory.

Samuel Vess Henry/ Patrick County, Virginia

According to Fold3 , Certificate of compensation for Samuel Vess was signed off by Samuel Staples.

Samuel Staples was a clerk in Henry County, Virginia per a 1787 poll record shared on the Combs & families of Henry County genweb website regarding Abraham Penn, with familiar families like Penn, Duncan, Pigg, Dodson, Hairston, etc.

Is this evidence that the family of Samuel Vess of Dunmore Co. Virginia made their way to Henry County, Virginia? Is Samuel Vess, husband of Catherine Vess, a son of Samuel Vess of Dunmore Co. Virginia?

Further research is needed…

Resources:

  • Ancestry.com
  • Fold3
  • Revolutionary War Rolls, 1775-1783; Microfilm Publication M246, 138 rolls; NAID: 602384; War Department Collection of Revolutionary War Records, Record Group 93; The National Archives in Washington, D.C.
  • “Colonial and Revolutionary Soldiers_page 153.” CONTENTdm, John Walter Wayland Papers, cdm17303.contentdm.oclc.org/digital/collection/p17303coll5/id/2100. Accessed 17 July 2023. 
  • “Shenandoah County Virginia GenWeb Project: Dunmore County Revolutionary War Soldiers
    Captain Joseph Bowman’s list of men living in the lower district of Dunmore County and under his command    .” 9 Nov 1999. Jackie and Warren.  Www.vagenweb.org, http://www.vagenweb.org/shenandoah/wars/rwbowmanlist.html. Accessed 17 July 2023.
  • Roster of Soldiers and Patriots of the American Revolution Buried in Indiana[database on-line].