Crawford County, Pennsylvania

MEADVILLE MILITIA 1793–1795
© Thomas L. Yoset

Volume 5 of the Sixth Series of the Pennsylvania Archives (Harrisburg, Pa., 1907) is devoted to “Muster and Pay Rolls, Pennsylvania Militia, 1790-1800.” The section covering Allegheny County Militia includes four pay rolls for a company of militia at Cussewago, the original name for what is now Meadville. These militia rolls provide a partial list of residents prior to the formation of the county and in between the 1790 U.S. Census and the 1798 tax list (published at CCG 5[1982]:100).

Revolutionary War veteran Cornelius VanHorn (1750-1847) led the company as a Sergeant, then Ensign, and finally Captain. His command dates from 1793 when “in October Brig. Gen. John Wilkins, Jr. wrote Van Horne to raise a Sergeant’s command of fifteen men for guard duty, which he did, and continued in service until the close of the year.”¹ The first two pay rolls correspond to the 1793 enlistments.

The first roll is captioned at pages 64-65 of the PA Archives as “a return of names and conditions of the men at present who voluntarily signed my inlisement [sic] the 29th day of Oct‘r last at and for the defence of inhabitants of Coswago against the enemy thereof (to wit the Indians) and have continued in readiness to this date Nov’r. 29th 1793. & me Corn’s Van Horn. Sergeant.“ Gen. Wilkins certified at Pittsburgh 2 December 1793 “that the above Sergeant & 12 Men, as Volunteers, from the Allegheny County Militia, were directed by me to protect the infant Settlement at Cassawago, after the failure of the negotiations for peace by the United States with the Hostile Indians, or otherwise the Settlement would have been deserted.” Id. 6:5:65. Thomas Ray
James Dickson
Rob’t Randolph
Rorah Frazer
John Welch
Rob’t Finnay
John Wintworth
John Beal
John Clemons
Dan’l McCormac
Luke Hill
David Mead
Seven of those volunteers were among the dozen men who served under Sgt. Van Horn from 29 November 1793 until discharged 19 December 1793. This second roll is from page 66 of the PA Archives, captioned “A return of the names of the militia men inrolled in my inlistment since the twenty-ninth of November last to the nineteenth day of December (both days included) 1793 at time discharged”: Thomas Ray
Robt. Fitz Randolph
James Dickson
Rorah Frazer
Luke Hill
James Cambal
Daniel McCormack
David Mead
Tunis Elson
Aron Right
John Beal
Henry Lickers
“In the summer of 1794, Gen. Gibson sent [Van Horn] an Ensign’s commission with instructions to enlist forty or fifty men for frontier duty.”² Fifty-one soldiers were compensated in the third pay roll for service during the latter half of 1794. This roll has been consolidated here from three lists published at pages 78-80, 84-86, and 92-94 of the Archives, with the names of the privates rearranged alphabetically. Pages 84-86 indicate that pay was calculated at the rate of $6 per month for privates, $7 for the corporal, $8 for the sergeant, and $15 for Ens. VanHorn.

Name/(variations)	Signature on Receipt	Period of Service		Pay	Receipt Date
ENSIGN
Cornelius V’n Horn/Vanhorn	Cornl. Vanhorn	4 Aug.	31 Dec.	$73.45	13 Oct. 1795
SERGEANT
James F. Randol/Randolph	James F. Randolph	4 Aug.	31 Dec.	39.18	12 Jan. 1796
CORPORAL
John Brooks	John Brooks	4 Aug.	30 Nov.	27.27	13 Oct.
PRIVATE
John Anson	John Anson	21 Dec.	31 Dec.	2.00	29 Sept. 1795
Christopher Bair	Christ’r Bare	24 Oct.	30 Nov.	7.36	7 April 1796
Frederick/Fredrick Baum	fredric Baum	24 Oct.	31 Dec.	13.36	2 June 1795
John Baum	John Baum	13 Oct.	31 Dec.	15.72	29 Sept. 1796
John Beal	John Beals	4 Aug.	30 Sept.	11.36	3 Oct. 1795
Thomas Black	Tho. Black	4 Aug.	31 Dec.	29.36	[no date]
Thomas Black, Senr.	Thomas Black, senr.	9 Dec.	31 Dec.	4.36	30 Dec.
William Black	William Black	4 Aug.	31 Dec.	29.36	14 Sept. 1795
Thomas Cambal/Campbell	Wm. Power, Atty.	24 Oct.	30 Nov.	7.36	14
William Clemons/Clemmens	loose receipt	24 Nov.	31 Dec.	7.36	[no date]
Matthias Colsher/Colshic/Coleshier	Matt. Colsher	4 Aug.	31 Dec.	29.36	[no date]
William Dick	William Dick	4 Aug.	20 Sept.	9.36	3 Oct. 1795
James Dickson	James Dickson	4 Aug.	31 Dec.	29.36	18 April 1796
Joseph Dickson/Dixkson	Joseph Dickson	21 Dec.	31 Dec.	2.00	11 Nov. 1795
Abner Evans	Abner Evens	4 Aug.	30 Sept.	11.36	23 Nov.
Robert Finney	Roert [sic] Finney	4 Aug.	31 Dec.	29.36	17 Aug. 1795
Edward Fitzrandol/Fitzrandolph	Edward F. Randolph	13 Oct.	31 Dec.	16.72	12 Jan. 1796
Robert Fitzrandol/Fitzrandolph	Robert F. Randolph	4 Aug.	31 Dec.	29.36	12 Jan. 1796
Robert Fitzrandol/Fitzrandolph/Jr.	Robert F. Randolph	4 Aug.	31 Dec.	29.36	12 Jan. 1796
Taylor Fitzrandol/Fitzrandolph	Taylor F. Randolph	4 Aug.	31 Dec.	29.36	12 Jan. 1796
Roarah/Rearah/Rrorah Fraiser	Roderick Fraser	4 Aug.	31 Dec.	29.36	23 Nov. 1795
John Fredinbach/-inbock/-ingbaugh	John Fredbathe	24 Oct.	30 Nov.	7.36	2 May 1796
Solomon Ginnings	solomon Jennings	24 Oct.	31 Dec.	13.36	29 Sept. 1795
Joseph Griffin/Griffen	Joseph Griffin	4 Aug.	31 Dec.	29.36	14 Sept. 1795
Elisha Harris		9 Dec.	31 Dec.	4.36	[no date]
Luke Hill	Luke Hill	13 Oct.	30 Nov.	9.72	14 Sept. 1795
Robert Johnston	Robert Johnston	1 Dec.	31 Dec.	6.00	29 Sept. 1795
William Johnston	William Johnston	1 Dec.	31 Dec.	6.00	29 Sept. 1795
William Jones	William Jones	4 Aug.	31 Dec.	29.36	16 Nov. 1795
Matthew Laughlin/Laughlen	Mathew Laughlen	24 Oct.	30 Nov.	7.36	29 Sept. 1795
Nicholas Lord/Lloyd	Nicholas Loyd	4 Aug.	31 Dec.	29.36	16 Nov. 1795
David Mead/Meed	David Mead	4 Aug.	31 Dec.	29.36	[no date]
John Mead/Meed	John Mead	4 Aug.	31 Dec.	29.36	3 Oct.
William Mead/Meed	William Mead	4 Aug.	31 Dec.	29.36	[no date]
William Mead/Meed	mark of William Mead	4 Aug.	31 Dec.	29.36	18 Sept. 1796
Joseph Parsons	loose receipt	9 Dec.	31 Dec.	4.36	[no date]
Thomas Ray	Thomas Ray	4 Aug.	31 Dec.	29.36	23 Nov.
Hen(e)ry Ricard/Richard/Ruard	Henry Reichard	4 Aug.	31 Dec.	29.36	[no date]
Daniel Ringal/Rinegal/Ringall	danial Ringal	24 Oct.	30 Nov.	7.36	16 Nov. 1799
Hen(e)ry Ringal/Ringall	henrig Ringal	24 Oct.	30 Nov.	7.36	16 Nov. 1799
John Robison/Robinson	mark of John Robinson	4 Aug.	30 Nov.	23.36	10 June 1796
David Rolya/Royla	David Rolyea	24 Oct.	30 Nov.	7.36	29 Sept. 1795
John Shoop	John Shoop	24 Oct.	30 Nov.	7.36	29 Sept. 1795
Matthew Wilson/Willson	Matthew Wilson	4 Aug.	31 Dec.	29.36	14 Sept. 1795
Nathaniel Wilson/Willson	Nathl. Wilson	4 Aug.	31 Dec.	29.36	14 Sept. 1795
John Wilson/Willson, Jur.	Sml. McCord, Atty.	24 Nov.	31 Dec.	7.36	[no date]
John Wilson/Willson, Senr.	John Wilson	24 Nov.	31 Dec.	7.36	13 Oct.
Robert Wilson/Willson	Robert Wilson	4 Aug.	31 Dec.	29.36	14 Sept. 1795
Aron/Aaron Wright	Aron Wright	4 Aug.	30 Sept.	11.36	23 Nov.

Acknowledged by Cornelius Vanhorn (signed Corns. Van Horn) before Jno. Wilkins
The fourth pay roll, at PA Archives 6:5:95-96, consists of a single schedule with information on sixty men arranged under the following headings: name; rank; when received; amount of pay; and witnesses. The name of the witness—John Ferrea (as to Vanhorn and Clemmens), Fredk. Haymaker, or Saml. Lord (as to Haymaker, only)—has been deleted below. The roll is mislabeled as receipts “for the pay due me in the state militia … Cornelius Vanhorn, Ensign, Year 1795,” whereas Van Horn is shown to have obtained the rank of captain. Privates John Beal, Nicholas Lord, Edward FitzRandolph, Robert Johnston, and William Johnston had also been promoted. The period of service in 1795 is not disclosed. The 1885 county history, at page 176, recounts that “in 1795, Gen. Gibson forwarded to [Van Horn] a Captain’s commission with orders to raise a company which was to assist in protecting the surveyors and workmen then engaged in laying out and building a road from Waterford to Erie. This company was on duty in that capacity from June until the close of the year.” Treaties at Greenville, Ohio, 3 August 1795, and at Canandaigua, New York, 9 November 1795, brought peace with the Indians in Pennsylvania, ending the need for a company of militia stationed in the county.³

<page 95>
CAPTAIN
Cornelius Vanhorn	$85.75	11 Dec. 1795
ENSIGN
John Baum	51.45	6 May 1795[6?]
SERGEANT
Robert Muzzy	16.00	23 May 1796
Nicholas Lord	11.42	8 May 1796
James Randolph	27.42	6 May 1796
Edward Randolph	16.00	6 May 1796
John Beal	11.42	7 May 1796
CORPORAL
John Brooks	24.03	2 May 1796
Robert Johnston	24.03	30 June 1796
William Johnston	24.03	21 April 1796
PRIVATE
Robert Finney	20.54	23 May 1796
William Jones	20.54	28 May 1796
Fredrick Baum, Senr.	20.54	6 May 1796
Daniel Miller	8.54	19 July 1796
Joseph Griffen	20.54	27 April 1796
John Willson, Senr.	20.54	27 April 1796
John Willson, Jur.	20.54	27 April 1796
Nathaniel Willson	20.54	27 April 1796
<page 96>
Robert Willson	20.54	[no date]⁴
Matthew Willson	20.54	[no date]⁴
Andrew Smith	20.54	8 May 1796
William Clemmens	20.54	11 Dec. 1795
Robert Randolph, Senr.	20.54	6 May 1796
Robert Randolph, Jur.	20.54	6 May 1796
Taylor Randolph	20.54	6 May 1796
Thomas Vanhorn	20.54	23 June 1796
David Rallay	20.54	28 June 1796
James Dickson	3.72	[no date]⁴
Elisha Harris	6.00	[no date]⁴
William Meed	20.54	[no date]⁴
John Meed	20.54	[no date]⁴
William Dick	20.54	5 Nov. 1796
William Gill	20.54	16 Sept. 1796
Matthias Colshier	20.54	23 June 1796
Fredrick Baum, Jur.	20.54	6 May 1796
<page 97>
Henery Reading	20.54	23 May 1796
John Wintworth	20.54	23 May 1796
James Dickson	20.54	28 May 1796
Robert Dickson	20.54	28 May 1796
Thomas Rea	20.54	30 May 1796
Solomon Jennings	20.54	27 April 1796
Fredrick Haymaker	20.54	27 April
Peter McCartney	18.36	28 June 1796
Rod’k Frazor	18.36	[no date]⁴
Thomas Black	6.00	20 July 1796
Samuel Williams	5.18	[no date]⁴
Luke Hill	11.18	20 May 1796
John Stewart	17.18	12 Oct. 1796
Henery Manley	13.00	23 May 1796
George Letley	12.00	19 April 1796
John Willson	6.54	17 June 1796
Charles Sweney	12.00	28 July 1796
Elesond’r Johnston	12.00	2 July 1796
John Johnston	12.00	28 May 1796
Isaac Conner	6.00	17 June 1796
Daniel McCormack	5.18	17 Jan. 1797
Robert Muzzy	8.54	23 May 1796
Nicholas Lord	12.00	8 May 1796
James Randolph	8.54	8 May 1796
John Beal	10.00	7 May 1796

¹ 1885 Crawford Co. History, p. 176; see also id. p. 18.

² Id., p. 176.

³ See 1885 Crawford Co. History, pp. 169, 190; see generally Paul A.W. Wallace, Indians in Pennsylvania (Harrisburg, 1961).

⁴ A debit entry in the 1797-1799 account book of Meadville merchant Frederick Haymaker (in the manuscript collection of the Crawford County Historical Society), dated at “MeadVille 18^th Septr. 1797,” against the account of Gen. Wilkins for “amt paid militia men 1795,” apparently indicates that at least some of the privates with no date of payment received a credit for goods purchased at Haymaker’s, as follows: Robert Wilson, $28.27; Mathew Wilson, $23.49; John Mead, $18.71; William Mead, $20.54; Rodorick Frazer, $15.36; Saml. Williams, $5.18. Annette L. Lnych, under “Corrections & Additions,” Crawford County Genealogy 21(1998):162.