Daniel, Jr.

Daniel, Jr., married Nancy Gray, daughter of George Gray (deGrau), Sr., and Eva Margareta Egmont DePeyster.  They had three children:  Rebecca (30 Sep 1790-22 Feb 1855), Daniel III (13 Aug 1791-6 Nov 1853), and David (11 Sep 1794-28 Oct 1834).

Daniel, Jr., was a Loyalist during the Revolutionary War.  He was listed on Col. John Purvis’ list of Tory Militia in 1783, and family traditions speak of him as an officer loyal to England during the war.  He served as an army paymaster during the early part of the war and received the rank of Lieutenant in 1779.  After the Revolution Daniel, Jr., was evacuated from Charleston with the British Army and went first to East Florida and stayed until it was ceded to Spaiin.  From there he went to Jamaica and then to England, arriving there in 1788 and staying for about two years.

There are some stories that Daniel, Jr., spent some time in Honduras before moving to England.  Wherever he went, it is understandable that he fled.  There were reprisals against Tories duirng and after the war, and many fled to Canada, the Bahamas, and to England.  It is also understandable that some of the immigrants who had been given land and citizenship for coming to the US felt a loyalty to the county that had provided the refuge, transportation, citizenship, and land for them.  That country was England.  It is interesting to note that in general the Germans and Swiss who had been here longest were the most likely to be part of the Revolution.  Those who had arrived fairly recently felt the stronger ties to England.  Untypical of this trend, Daniel, Jr., had been here all his life.  Perhaps he felt he still owed England for what the country had given to his family.  (Dr. Frank O. Clark in his essay, “Why Were Some of Our Ancestors Tories?” discusses reasons that various groups and regions supported England rather than the “rebel” colonists.  (See sources below).  In the 1790 census over 130 men in the Newberry area, including Daniel DeWalt, are indicated to have been Loyalists during the Revolution.  This number is about a tenth of all men listed for the area.

Exile in England

Within a week after arriving in England, Daniell, Jr., petitioned a Parliamentary Commission for compensation for his losses during the war.  He claimed losses of 350 acres of land which he had inherited from his father, his plantation house, a mill, 5 slaves (2 male, 1 female, and 2 children), 7 horses, 9 head of cattle, a number of hogs, tools, household furniture, plantation tools, a wagon, gears, and 9 sheep for a total loss of ₤1117.4 sterling (the equivalent of $105,728.40 in 2006 using the retail price index).  He had no proof of ownership since he had had to leave all documents with his wife when the British army fled, and she had been forced to leave them when she fled.  He had two letters of recommendation accompanying his petition, and he was apparently of good enough standing to be awarded ₤400 pounds sterling by the Parliamentary commission (the equivalent of $38, 052.33 in 2006 using the retail price index).  (Note.  The photocopy of Daniel, Sr.’s will used in this research is handwritten and difficult to read.  At one point he wills 250 acres to Daniel, Jr., and in another section following a blank or illegible section he mentions 100 additional acres, but it is unclear to whom this land is given.  Added together, these are probably the 350 acres Daniel mentioned to the commission.  Daniel, Jr., also stated that none of his other siblings inherited land from their father.)

Death of Daniel, Sr.

Daniel DeWalt, Sr., wrote his will in Newberry, SC in 1776, and it was proven 2 Sep 1788.  He probably wrote his will the date he did because of the war, but he also states in the will that he was in poor health (“Very sick and weak in Body but of Perfect mind and memory.”)  He died sometime between 1776 and 1788.  He was probably between 41-53 years old.  In the will he named his wife Susannah and the six children listed above.  Shortly after Daniel, Sr.’s, willl was proven, his son Peter also wrote a will (21 Feb 1789), and it was proven in the spring of the same year, so Peter must have died as a fairly young man.  Peter’s will mentioned his mother, but not her name, his four sisters, and his brother-in-law George Gray, husband of Catherine.  He did not mention his brother, Daniel, Jr., possibly because Daniel was still in England.

If Daniel, Jr.’s father died near 1788 and his brother in 1789, these events might have provided the reasons that bought Daniel home in 1790.  On the other hand, Daniel gave 1776 as the date of his father’s death in his application to the British Parliamentary commission after the Revolution.  Whenever Daniel, Sr., died, brother Peter was  the only DeWalt male family member left in the colonies;  the father’s death would have placed more weight on Daniel, Jr.’s, shoulders in regard to returning to help the rest of his family.

(An interesting note:  Daniel, Jr.’s, daughter Rebecca was born at sea, 30 Sep 1790, when Daniel and his family were traveling back from Enland.  Family tradition says that the family was traveling on the ship Rebecca, hence the child’s name.  Unfortunately, I have been unable to locate a ship named Rebecca that sailed to the colonies in 1790.)

Back in Newberry

Daniel DeWalt, Jr., was back in SC in time for the 1790 census.  He is listed with his wife and two other females in the family.  Since his father had died sometime between 1776-1788, one of those females could have been his mother, Susannah.  (Susannah outlived her husband and remarried to a man named Wheedle, Whiddle, Windel, or Wendel.  She wrote her will in 1805, and it was proven in 1808).  The other female mentioned in the census could have been his daughter, Rebecca.  Daniel, Jr., died in the Newberry area in 1806 and was buried there in the DeWalt-Gray cemetery.  He was about 51 years old.  His wife Nancy lived with his daughter Rebecca DeWalt Smyly and her husand John Smyly (6 Jul 1783-7 Sep 1849 in Pleasant Hill, AL, until her death in 1834.  Nancy lived to be 80 years old.  She was buried in Pleasant Hill Presbyterian Church Cemetery in Dallas Co., AL as was her daughter, Rebecca, some years later.

Unanswered Questions

Daniel, Sr.’s life was as filled with mysteries as many of our other ancestors.  First, we don’t know when he arrived in American nor with whom nor on what ship.  Secondly, the dates don’t always ad up.  Daniel, Jr., was born in PA before 1755, but his father reportedly arrived in Newberry, SC in 1752.  Third, how did the Lisbon hurricane fit into Daniel, Sr.’s, life?  Fourth, what can be made of the mysterious Baron LeGrau?  How did he become such a compatriot of the DeWalts?  Fifth, why did the DeWalts move to MD and stay such a short time?  Hopefully some of our McCarter “cousins” will be intrigued enough to ferret out more clues and information on these puzzles and the many other mysteries of our ancestors that we’ve uncovered.  The truth is out there.  We just need to find it.

Daniel’s Legacy

Daniel’s descendants were staunch in fighting for what they believed. One fought in the Revolutionary War; at least one fought in the War of 1812; at least one in the Mexican War, and at least one died fighting in the Civil War.  His descendants helped to people this country and to open new lands for those of us who would come later.  Add him to our list of those of whom we can be proud.

An Afternote: 

(One of Daniel DeWalt’s grandsons, David DeWalt, (11 Sep 1794-28 Oct   1834), began building a large home in Newberry, SC in 1832.  Unfortunately, he died in 1834 before the house was completed.  The house was passed down to his daughter Caroline Nancy DeWalt (1829-1861).  Caroline married and became the second wife of Dr. O. B. Mayer, Sr., (1818-1891).  Five generations of DeWalt descendants lived there, but the house passed down through Catherine DeWalt Mayer and her husband rather than through one of the DeWalt sons.  The house was renovated in 1906 by Dr. Orlando Benedict Mayer, II, the then owner and grandson of the original builder.  The house has an interesting history, having been severely damaged by a storm and by having been physically lifted and resituated during a renovation.  It still stands today at 1217 Walnut St., Newberry, SC 29108, serving as The DeWalt House Bread and Breakfast.)

Update:  Some of Daniel Sr.,’s children moved to an area near Houston, TX that came to be called DeWalt, TX.  Over the years the community was absorbed by Houston, but the Dewalt plantation is still there.  (See photo in photo album.)

Daniel DeWalt Sr., is Papaw McCarter’s great, great, great, grandfather.  If you are Eli McCarter’s great  great grandchild, Daniel DeWalt, Sr., is your 7-great grandfather.

Line of Descent from Daniel DeWalt, Sr., to Rev. Eli McCarter

Daniel DeWalt, Sr. (175-1776) + Susannah Krebil (1735-1805)

Mary Magdalena DeWalt (1760-1844) + Nicholas Koone (1753-1831)

Mary Jane Koone (1793-1881) + John Ownby (1791-1857)

Mary Ownby (1814-1886) + Thomas McCarter (1811-1888)

Thomas Hill McCarter (1846-1923) + Marriah Reagan (1842-1923)

Rev. Eli McCarter (1888-1955) + Mary Elizabeth Hatcher (1889-1969)

Acknowledgement:

Many thanks to Amelia Debusman who provided copies of several vital documents.

Sources

Clark, Murtie June.  Loyalists in the Southern Campaign of the Revolutionay War.  Vol 1  Baltimore:  Genealogical Publishing Co., Inc. 1981, p. 48

Debusman, Amelia.  “Index of DeWalt-Gray Documents.”

Dull, Keith A.  Early German Settlers of York County PA.  pp. 203, 301.

Lambert, Robert Stansbury.  South Carolina Loyalists in the American Revolution, pp. 284, 201

Loyalist Transcripts LVI.  Columbia, SC:  SC Archives, pp. 311-317.

McCarter pedigree charts

McCrary, Clara Johnstone, and Fanny A. Johnstone.  The DeWalt Family Connections and Traditions, 1746-1920.  Washington, DC:  L. C. Photoduplication Service, 1986.  (originally written 1912-21)

Reagan, Donald B.  Smoky Mountain Clans, Vol. 2, p. 67.

Will of Daniel DeWalt, Sr.”  Box 355. Package 3.  Estate 47.  Film 45.  Newberry Co., Courthouse

Online sources

Campbell, Jennifer.  “My Family Past and Present.”

http://wc.rootsweb.com/cgi-bin/igm.cgi?op=AHN&db=jkt1&id=134&printer_friendly

Clark, Frank O.  “Why Were Some of Our Ancestors Tories?”

http:/sciway3.net/clark/revolutionarywar/loyalists.html

“Daniel DeWalt Family.”  http://dutchforkchapter.org/html/dewalt.html

DeBusman.Amelia.  email correspondence.  (12/18/06, 12/19/06, 1/15/07, 1/30/07 (3), 2/06/07, 2/114/07, and 2/23/06)  amelia@iglou.com

DeWalt Genforum.  http://genforum.genealogy.com/dewaltmessages/64.html

Family Search.com

Garman, Gene.  “The Poor Palatines.”

www/sunnetworks.net/~ggarman/palatine.html

 “GRAYBILL Line, The.”

http://aqua.dev.uga.edu/~lebo/graybill_geno.html

“House of Hanoverians, The.”  http://www.woodlands-junior.kent.sch.uk/customs/questions/kings.htm#6

Meyer, Rachel.  “Who Were the Palatines?”

www.rootsweb.com/~nyherkim/history/pala.html

Officer, Lawrence H.  “Exchange rate between the United States dollar and the British pound.  1791-2005.”  Economic Hisstory Services. EH.Neet, 2006.URL:

http://net/hmit/exchangerates/pound.php.

Officer, Lawrence H.  “Purchasing Power of British Pounds from 1264 to 2006.”  MeasuringWorth.com.2007.

Pennsylvania German Pioneers Passenger Lists

http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.com/~lebo/graybill.geno.html

“Randy Wirth’s Genealogy Pages”  http://www.users.fast.net/~rwert/nti00486.htm.