By Jessica Hoehn, Local History and Genealogy Specialist
This February, let’s look at George Valentine/Vallentine. Most likely born on January 2, 1758 in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, George was the son of Heinrich (Henry) and Anna Maria Valentine. Heinrich was an immigrant from what is now Germany, and came to this country on September 23, 1752 aboard the Ann Galley.
George grew up in the community of Schaefferstown, Pennsylvania, one of seven or eight children in his family. He attended church at the Trinity Evangelical Lutheran in New Holland, and was according to records confirmed on April 17, 1774 at the age of 16.
Aerial view from Fort Frederick State Park, Maryland. https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/fort-frederick
When war broke out, and colonists were called to arms, George was drafted into service. He ended up re-enlisting multiple times after his first service was over, all of which are listed below:
Drafted in 1775 or 1776 into the Pennsylvania Line for two months into the regiment led by Colonel Clotz.
Commanders Include: Captain Isaac Adams
Enlisted at the end of his first service into the Pennsylvania Flying Camp for six months (regiment unknown)
Commanders Include: Captain Henry Hambright
Battles and Skirmishes:
A skirmish on Staten Island
Retreat from Fort Lee
Battle of Trenton
Enlisted in March of 1777 for 6 months as a Teamster in Lebanon, Pennsylvania
Commanders Include: Captain William Stuart
Drafted in the middle of fall in 1777 for two months into the regiment led by Colonel Speaker
Commanders Include: Captain Henry Weaver
Battles and Skirmishes:
Skirmish on Bunker Hill
Enlisted five or six months after his prior service for six months as a Teamster (location unknown)
Commanders Include: Captain Stout
Substituted shortly after his prior service for an unnamed man in Hagerstown, Maryland for two months
Commanders Unknown
Forts: Guarded prisoners in Fort Frederick for several weeks
Substituted sometime after prior service for an unnamed man in Hagerstown, Maryland for six months (regiment unknown) until Cornwallis’ surrender.
Commanders Include: Sargent Lewis and Captain Ott
George Caleb Bingham (1811-1879), Washington Crossing the Delaware, 1856-71. Oil on canvas.
Of George’s many enlistments seen above, one saw him become involved with a notable moment in this country’s history. In his second enlistment in the Flying Camp, George was involved in the battle of Trenton. Before the battle was to start, he recounted in his pension file how he made the historic crossing of the Delaware river.
“…we were taken over the river to Staten Island to attack the Hessians which we did at a little place called (illegible). We took the wounded and some of them the rest went aboard the shipping and escaped.”
George was one of the roughly 2,500 men to make the crossing with George Washington on Christmas night of 1776.
George Valentine’s grave. Woodlawn Cemetery, Bloomville, OH.
After the war, George moved to the area of Hagerstown, Maryland, and married Mary Grove on May 15, 1786. According to family legend, they had first met during the war while George was serving as a Teamster. While on duty, he had called upon her family’s farm house. He asked them to spare any provisions for the troops, as the army had scarce funds to exchange for supplies. Apparently smitten with the young lady of the house, he did his best to stay near her over the years, and returned to her after the war, intent on marrying her. There may be some truth to this legend, considering that after his work as a Teamster around 1778, George only reenlisted for the war in Maryland, not his native Pennsylvania.
The two remained in the Washington County area of Maryland for six or seven years before they moved over to Montgomery County. There they stayed until George was granted a land warrant in 1803. By 1806, the couple and their children had moved to Thorn Township in Fairfield County (now a part of Perry County). There George and Mary lived for around 30 years on a large farm they had cleared, and
received George’s soldier’s pension on November 1, 1832. Not long after, they sold their land and decided to move to our own Seneca County! Here, they moved in with their son John in Bloom township and lived out the rest of their days.
The couple’s children are also of note. George and Mary had two sons, John and Henry. Both sons ended up moving with their parents to Ohio before settling in Seneca County. Out of the two, John was the only one to stay in our area, with Henry eventually moving to Morrow County to live out the remainder of his life. According to records, both of George’s sons took up the call to serve the country during the War of 1812. Many of his grandsons likewise served during the Civil War, as did numerous other descendants of his and Mary in the wars thereafter.
George died on either November 27, 1838 or 1839, with his wife following in 1840. Both them and many of their descendants are buried in Woodlawn Cemetery. It seems a mistake was made with his military service marker, as he has a Civil War marker next to his grave instead of a Revolutionary one.
