Revolutionary War VESS Records

A Pre-Revolutionary War “VESS” Record

/ J. V.

Loudoun County, Virginia 1770

The earliest “Vess” record I have discovered thus far is dated 1770 from the Loudoun county, Virginia Lists of Tithables, 1758-1799, available on familysearch.org. William and James Vess are not listed on any earlier or later lists for Loudoun County, VA.

James Vess is new…I haven’t come across any early Vess records for a James. However, I have come across early Vess records for William, Samuel, and Peter; but they were associated with Dunmore County, Virginia (Now Shenandoah County) – which isn’t too far from Loudoun county, VA.




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].







Cold Gloomy Day: Researching Vest Families

/ J. V.

It’s a cold gloomy day and my free-trial with Fold3 is about to expire, so I am browsing through as many records as I can and the following are just thoughts…

Nathan Vest

I know there is an earlier Nathan Vest in Virginia, but records of his existence outside military records is pretty scarce. Nathan Vest is rarely listed on VEST family tree’s, so perhaps he is a VICE.

His military record is interesting. The 8th Virginia Regiment recruited men from the same area as Samuel Vest (Kentucky, West Virginia, Pennsylvania area), but this regiment did not go west; instead, Nathan Vest went south to Charleston, South Carolina. However, according to his military records, he died May 24, 1778.

John Vest

The VEST name is much more extensive than I thought. Here, I stumbled up on a 1779 record for a John Vest in Bucks County, Pennsylvania. This Vest family can be found in Hilltown, Bucks County, PA, with records from 1779-1833 (possibly more). Although records are consistent in separating him from a John West family, he could still be a WEST. I don’t know.

Now, I am just browsing…but Bucks County is greatly associated with William Penn, the founder of Pennsylvania, who according to the Daughters of the American Revolution, is distant cousins with Colonial Abraham Penn (Henry County, VA).

Interesting history, but not enough information to make any conclusions about any families; however, I will admit that the discovery of a VEST family in Pennsylvania is intriguing.




Samuel Vess Revolutionary War Records

/ J. V. / 2 Comments

The earliest record of the VESS name in America appears on Revolutionary War records for Samuel, Peter, and William Vess. A vast number of records with the VESS name are for Samuel Vess dated 1777-1779 under the command of Captain Machen Boswell of the 2nd Virginia State Regiment.

We also have an earlier Revolutionary War record for Samuel and William Vess dated 1775 for Dunmore County, VA under the command of Captain Joseph Bowman.

Further research strongly suggests that the Samuel Vess named in all these records are likely the same person.

A Look At Dunmore County, VA records: Samuel and William Vess

The records above are dated 1775. Samuel and William Vess are teenagers and are listed as privates living in the lower district of Dunmore County, VA (modern Warren County, VA area) serving under Captain Joseph Bowman’s command.

Captain Joseph Bowman’s militia was called to serve during Dunmore’s War (likely the Battle of Point Pleasant) in 1774 which took place in West Virginia regarding conflict in an area which included parts of Kentucky, West Virginia, and Pennsylvania (Ohio River territory).

Looking At the LONG LIST of Revolutionary War Records: Samuel Vess

All these records for Samuel Vess (1777-1779) are under the command of Captain Machen Boswell of the 2nd Virginia State Regiment.

According to Familysearch.org, the 2nd Virginia State Regiment replaced the 13th Virginia Regiment. The 13th Virginia Regiment was formed in 1777 from Fort Pitt, which is located in Pennsylvania and recruited men who were living in the area which was affected by Dunmore’s War.

Trying To Work Out A Timeline

In 1774, Captain Jospeh Bowman’s militia (Dunmore County) fought in Dunmore’s War.

In 1775, census was taken and Samuel and William Vess appear to be teenagers and listed as Privates for the Revolutionary War. This would have been the start of the Revolutionary War.

In 1776, Captain Joseph Bowman and “other colonists” ventured west. Samuel Vess could have been one of them, because…

In 1777, we have Samuel Vess serving under Captain Machen Boswell’s command (who replaced Captain John Lewis) who took over the 13th Regiment and recruited men from the West Virginia, Kentucky, and Pennsylvannia area.

SO, the question remains…is this Samuel Vess of Henry County, Virginia in 1782?? Did he try following the Great Wagon Road south, but just ended up settling on the North Mayo River??

Note: Abraham Penn of Patrick County, VA is said to have been born in Carolina County, VA and raised in Amherst County, VA. He served in Dunmore’s War (Battle of Point Pleasant) 1774. He owned Popular Grove Plantation in Patrick County, VA. Samuel Vess was given 13 acres of his land (1,000 acres 1783). Is there a connection?

Evidence This Is Not Samuel Vest, Son of William Tunwell Vest

One known Samuel Vess/Vest who had a brother named William Vess/Vest and served in the Revolutionary War, is the son of William Tunwell Vest. His pension records state he entered service in Bedford County, VA in 1779 and was under the command of Captain James Adams. The records continue listing other officers he served under and places he had served; none of them reference Dunmore County, County or Machen Boswell. So, this is certainly not the same Samuel Vess/Vest in the above Revolutionary War records.

Frederick County, Virginia – Vice Family

Maybe Samuel and William Vess of Dunmore County are part of the VICE family?? Dunmore County was created from Frederick County, VA in 1772. It is said that the VICE family (Kentucky and South Carolina) can be traced back to Frederick County, VA via John Vessey; unfortunately, I have not found any records of him yet. However, I did find a 1791 tax record for Frederick County, VA with Nathaniel, Robert, and William VICE – so we did have a VICE family in Frederick County, VA, but not sure how long they were there prior to 1790.

Corporal Peter Vess Revolutionary War Record

This is an interesting record. Bauman’s company was authorized on 28 October 1775 and recruited in New York (2nd Continental Artillery Regiment), later becoming known as Lamb’s Continental Artillery Regiment. I wonder if this supposed to be Peter VAN NESS, rather than Peter VESS??

Samuel, William, and Peter Vess of Patrick County, VA: Still A Mystery

In short, Samuel, William, and Peter Vess of Henry/Patrick County, VA still remain a mystery. I have yet to find any evidence to suggest where they came from prior to 1782. Although the VEST family is nearby in Bedford County, VA, there is no evidence to suggest a connection with them either.

The VESS family of Patrick County, VA appear out of nowhere like Peter, Willis, and Nathaniel Vess!