Leonard Kelch, Senior

 

b. November 12, 1767 in Salem, Salem County, New Jersey

d. July 18, 1848 in Sisterville, Virginia

 

Leonard, Senior, married a Christina and had several children to include Leonard, Junior who married a Mary/Elizabeth Davis.  Their children included

 

    1.  Hiram S. Kelch, b. Virginia d. January 10, 1893 Monroe Township, Clermont County, OH

    2.  Rachel Kelch

    3.  Levi Kelch

    4.  Philip Kelch,      b. 1795, d. 1850 Meigs County, OH

    5.  John G. Kelch,   b. 1799 PA

    6.  Samuel Kelch,   b. about 1800, d. October 6, 1867, Union Township, Champaign County, OH

    7.  Leonard Kelch,  b. January 31, 1803, PA, d. November 5, 1876, Tyler County, WV

    8.  Ruel Kelch         b. 1805, VA

    9.  Alice Kelch

  10.  Christeena Kelch, b. May 1808 in VA, d. December 29, 1887, Mendocino, Mendocino, CA

 

Pension application of Leonard Kelch (Kealch) R5823 fn16NC/Va.
Transcribed by Will Graves rev'd 8/11/09
State of Virginia, Tyler County

On this 11th day of January in the year of Christ 1834 personally Appeared before me W. Underwood Justice of the peace in and for said County of Tyler Leonard Kelch a highly respectable Citizen of the County & State aforesaid aged 70 years the 13th day of November last past who being first duly sworn according to law doth on his Oath make the following Declaration in Order to obtain the benefit of the Act of Congress of 7th June 1832.

 

That he entered the Service of the United States and Served under the following named officers as herein stated. That in the County of Hampshire and State of Virginia he thinks on 25th day of December in the year 1781 he was Drafted for a tour of three months under Captain Edward McCarty Lieutenant James Carathers Ensign Nixon Orderly Sergeant Nixon Christian names not recollected in the Virginia militia declarant states he was marched from Hampshire County aforesaid to Winchester in the County of Frederick and State aforesaid in obedience to the orders of his said Captain Edward McCarty and was Engaged during his whole tour in guarding and defending the Barracks near Winchester aforesaid and keeping a strict watch on the British prisoners of war taken at the surrender of Lord Cornwallis October previous and which were kept at the Barracks aforesaid declarant States his tour of three months having Expired for which he was drafted that he was discharged by his said Captain Edward McCarty about 25th or 26th day of March of the year 1782 at Winchester Barracks - aforesaid after having served three months a private soldier in Captain Edward McCartry's [sic] Company of Virginia Militia declarant does not recollect the No. of the Regiment but he thinks Colonel Neril [?1 ] was Commander of the Regiment.  Declarant does not recollect of seeing any General Officer at the barracks aforesaid although there may have been a General there affiant then returned to his home in Hampshire County Virginia where he remained till May 1782. He then went to Big Pigeon Rises in Greene County then in the State of North Carolina and on or about the first day of June of the year 1782 he volunteered his services for a tour of three months to march against the Cherokee towns situated on the Cowee River under Captain John Tipton Lieutenant Thomas Tipton Ensign Nicholas Boning [could be Borring] Sergeant's name not recollected in a Regiment of North Carolina troop No. of Regiment he has forgotten he recollects that General Savare or Severer [sic, John Sevier?] or some such name Commanded the Expedition against the Cherokee towns declarant states the troops were generally mounted men who Equipped themselves at their own Expense affiant furnished his own horse Sword and pistols affiant further states that he never got his pay for this tour which Governor and the officers promised the volunteers he states that the mounted men of which he was one rendezvoused at the house of a man named Waddle on Holston River from thence he was marched through a wilderness Country to the Cherokee towns on the Cowee River and participated in Burning the Cowee towns destroying their Cattle and Corn and taking all the Indians' horses 32 or 3 in number applicant says the troop shot some horses that they could not catch two Indian warriors and two squaws were killed and two children taken prisoners - after the destruction of the Indian towns affiant states the Army then retraced their steps and returned to North Carolina again his tour of three months having Expired he was discharged by his said Captain John Tipton.

Sworn to and subscribed the day and year aforesaid.
S/ Leonard Kelch

Peter Keltch, a descendant of this veteran offered the following observation about who the veteran might have been referring to in referring to a Col. Neril. Peter writes:

 "I thought to myself "What if he was referring to someone named Neville?" Sure enough I found a prominent family named Neville. General John Neville and his son, brevet Brigadier General Presley Neville, a son-in-law of Gen. Daniel Morgan. They were from the area of NW VA and SW PA. Presley was an aide to Lafayette for 3 years. Presley was a colonel when he was captured at Charleston. He was exchanged in May 1781 in time to be the man in question. It sounds like the sort of job such a man would be given. In later years he is referred to as General Neville, although I am not sure when he was given that rank. It might be interesting for me to check that out more thoroughly." Holston River then in the State of North Carolina in the County of Greene at the house of a man named Waddle after having served three months as a volunteer private soldier in Captain John Tipton's company of North Carolina troops of mounted men on or about 7th day of September in the year 1782 he served with Virginia militia and North Carolina troops and with no other kind of troops to the Best of his knowledge and belief he knew and was well acquainted with General Savare or Savaree [sic, Sevier ?] who commanded the Expedition against the Cherokee towns he knew but few officers Except those under whom he served he has stated all his services in the war of the revolution to the best of his recollection he is too old and infirm to attend at the Court house of the said County of Tyler from which he lives 14 miles he does not know of any Person living that can testify to his Services he has lost all his discharges many years ago he has no documentary Evidence of his service putting all his Services together he was six months in the Service of the United States within the period of the revolutionary war he further states that he was a standing volunteer in Captain Tipton's Company - from June 1782 till the first day of December 1783 a period of 14 or 15 months that he held himself in readiness to march at a moment's warning but was not called out Except the three months tour to the Cherokee towns before named he hereby relinquishes Every claim whatever to a pension or annuity - Except the present and he declares that his name is not on the pension roll of the agency of any State declarant thinks proper here to state that when a very old man during the Late war he substituted in the place of a man named William Burkett who was Drafted in the Virginia militia from our County and further that the officers conferred on declarant the office of Corporal as a reward for his devotion to his Country's cause and further that he marched as far as Kingwood in the County of Preston on his March to Norfolk when the news of peace arrived he wishes not to be understood to claim a right to this service he only thinks proper to have it mentioned in his Declaration.
S/ Leonard Kelch

 

To the Several Interrogatories prescribed By the War department and propounded to the Applicant is answered as follows

1.  I was born in the year 1763 in Salem County and State of New Jersey.  [This is contradicted by Baptismal record citing 1767 so his service was either at age 14 or 18.]
2.  I have a copy of my age taken from my mother's Bible.
3.  I was living when I entered the service in Hampshire County & State of Virginia since the war I have lived in the states of North Carolina, New Jersey, Pennsylvania & Virginia where I now reside in our County
4.  My first tour I was drafted my second I was a volunteer all the time a private Soldier and I served as such.
5.  I knew in the Service General Savare or Saveree [sic, Sevier ?], Col. Neril I do not know whether they were regular officers or not I do you But few officers Except those under whom I served I served with Virginia militia and North Carolina troops I have detailed the general circumstances of my Service as well as I can recollect in my Declaration.
6.  I have lost or mislaid my discharges many years ago.
7. I am known to George B. Hopkins as clergyman and Robert P. Mackkie [sic] citizens of Tyler County & State of Virginia who can testify as to my character for veracity - and their belief of my having been a soldier of the revolution.

Sworn to and And subscribed the day & year aforesaid.
S/ Leonard Kelch
[George B. Hopkins, a clergyman and Robert P. Mackie gave the standard supporting affidavit.]