FRANKLIN COUNTY, GA - BIOS  Stephen Westbrook 1756-1820
 
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Stephen Westbrook of Wilkes County
and
His Revolutionary War Service
 

By William A. Bell

 

INTRODUCTION
This account traces the life and military service in the
Revolutionary War of Stephen Westbrook, an officer in the
militia in Wilkes County, GA. He came with his parents and
younger brothers to the Ceded Lands of Georgia in 1773 on
Coody's Creek, which fed into Broad River just upstream from
the Savannah River. At the intersection of the Savannah and
Broad Rivers was a delta of land, which held Fort James. It was
in and around this backcountry that Stephen lived during the
Revolution. 

Based on his bounty grants given for service in the
Revolutionary War, Stephen served as Lieutenant and Captain in
the militia and Captain in the Georgia Line. Being a resident
of Wilkes County and serving in the militia, he fought with
Col. John Dooly and Lt. Col. Elijah Clarke at Kettle Creek.
With the defeat of the patriots at Augusta and Brier Creek, he
probably fled the area with Col. Clarke to become an over
mountain man. Based on the record of the militia of Wilkes
County, Stephen would have served under Clarke in South
Carolina and North Carolina. As a result of this service, he
probably fought at King's Mountain, Blackstock's Farm, Cowpens,
Musgrove Mill, and Beattie's Farm, before participating in the
siege and recapture of Augusta. During the later stages of the
war and after, Stephen continued in the militia to defend from
the Indians his community, his family, and the land that he won
as bounty for his service in the War.

The objective of this biosketch is to document the service of
Stephen Westbrook from available information pertaining to him
and the region before, during, and after the Revolutionary War.
In particular, this report shows, beyond a reasonable doubt,
that he served a Kettle Creek.

EVIDENCE 

As noted historians of the American Revolution in the South
point out, Of Georgia's back-country war there are few written
records, but it gave rise to a treasure trove of legends.[1]
The goal here is to take limited information from various
sources and fit these pieces together in the most likely way to
create an overall picture. This approach is similar to solving
a puzzle. Each piece may not contain a lot of information
individually, but when assembled each makes a significant
contribution to the whole. Formally, this approach is known as
evidential reasoning, where individual pieces of evidence
combine to create the overall picture. 

Another approach commonly used relies on recorded documents of
military service, such as a first hand account, pension
application, or will. When this documentation exists, this
approach is the most reliable. But with limited information
this approach leads to problems. For example, a proven list of
participants at Kettle Creek demands either direct records or
compelling second hand accounts. However, this information was
unavailable for practically all militia, especially in the
backcountry of Wilkes County, where Stephen Westbrook called
home. Less than 50 troops have been proven to be in the
battle through direct or secondary accounts. Only 30 have first
hand accounts. Of the 400 Whig combatants, this technique
includes only 12% of the participants, at most. Insights into
the services of the other 88% are completely ignored. This
approach excludes most of the participants from the recognition
due them for taking part in this important battle. 

Again using Kettle Creek as an example, evidential reasoning
takes the existing evidence and measures the probability of a
given soldier's presence at the battle. There were 100 to 140
men serving in the militia from Wilkes County reported to be at
Kettle Creek from various histories of the war. In a list
prepared for British Col. Cruger, the British identified 140
men with the Wilkes County militia under Elijah Clarke. The
best estimates favor 100 taking part in Kettle Creek. Thus,
there is a 71% chance (100 out of 140) that any soldier in
Wilkes County militia was at the battle. Rather than being
listed as unknown, evidential reasoning can give an estimated
probability that a militia member served in the battle with no
other documentation. 

Although this method lacks the formal rigor of the first hand
documentation demanded by historians, evidential reasoning
better supports the goals of the DAR and SAR, which is to
preserve our heritage through recognition of service in the
Revolutionary War. When used with additional pieces of
information, evidential reasoning shows beyond a reasonable
doubt that Stephen Westbrook served at Kettle Creek, in the
sieges of Augusta, and in engagements with Tories and Indians.

SCOPE

The scope of this work consists of three parts. The first shows
that Stephen Westbrook was a resident of Wilkes County, through
deeds and land grants. It also documents family ties, friends,
and neighbors, which will later support evidence of his role in
the Revolution. The second section establishes his service
under Cols. John Dooly and Elijah Clarke, which provides
insight into the action that he saw during his service. This
section also studies his bounty claims to verify his service
through the amount of land awarded, promotions, and the
witnesses to his claims. The final section uses social and
marital ties along with public records to track his activities
after the Revolution.  

EARLY YEARS AND MOVE TO WILKES COUNTY

Stephen Westbrook was born in Virginia on October 18, 1756,[2]
the first born son of John Westbrook, Sr. and Barbara
Richardson. The Bristol Parish Register in Virginia lists a
John Westbrook as the son of William and Sarah Westbrook, who
was born on 4th of May 1733 and baptized on July 15th. Over the
period from 1718 to 1739, John's father, William Westbrook,
received several land patents for over two thousand acres in
Prince George[3], Amelia[4] and Mecklenburg[5] County,
Virginia. By 1764 a John Westbrook appeared on the list of
tithables for St. James Parish in Virginia. He, John Oliver,
and George Tureman were overseers of the Estate of Mr.
Armistead Burwell.[6] John Westbrook was assessed 15 tithes for
his share of the 3003-acre estate. 

On March 15, 1765, John witnessed a deed which conveyed 407
acres on both sides of Butler's Creek in Mecklenburg County,
Virginia from Joseph Freeman of Mecklenburg County to Holman
Freeman of Amelia County for 200 pounds. The land was part of a
larger tract granted to Joseph by patent. Joseph and Holman
Freeman would remain neighbors with the Westbrooks for the next
20 years. 

In the winter of 1773, the Creek and Cherokee Indians in
northeast Georgia incurred a large debt to the local traders in
the area, far exceeding $100,000. In a congress held in
Augusta in May 1773, the Indian nations formally ceded over two
million acres of land to the Crown for $200,000. The Crown paid
the debt owed to the traders by the Creek and Cherokee nations.
Known as the Ceded Lands, tracts were opened for settlement. In
1777, the Ceded Lands were formally designated as Wilkes County
by the state constitution. The town of Dartmouth arose near the
intersection of the Broad and Savannah Rivers, which later
became the town of Petersburg.[7] For protection, a fort known
as Fort James was erected. The land court at Dartmouth assisted
in selling tracts to settlers from September 1773 through June
1775.[8]

On October 12, 1773, John Westbrook received 100 acres within
the Ceded Lands on Coody's Creek for 5 pounds in cash. On
September 27, 1773, Holman Freeman obtained 400 acres for 5
pounds 15 shillings along Chickasaw Creek, and Joseph Freeman
went into debt for 4 pounds to acquire 200 acres. Two other
recipients of land who would have a profound impact on the
Westbrooks were Elijah Clarke, who received 150 acres, and John
Dooly, who paid 13 pounds for 500 acres.[9] Clarke and Dooly
would go onto to become Revolutionary War leaders and heroes of
the Wilkes County militia. 

According to the early records of Georgia, John Westbrook
arrived from Mecklenburg County, Virginia with his wife, three
sons, and four daughters from 2 to 20 years old. Their 100
acres was about two miles above Joseph Freeman on Coody's
Creek, which fed into the Broad River not far from where the
Broad meets the Savannah River.[10] The land of Holman Freeman,
Sr. on Chickasaw Creek joined the Broad River further upstream
from Coody's Creek and the Westbrook property. 

While the Indians signed treaties giving up the land, many
continued to use the ancient hunting grounds. Historians write,
In addition to the hazards imposed by nature, the earliest
settlers faced the constant danger of the loss of lives and
chattels at the hands of marauding Indian tribes. In their
isolated log cabins, remote from their nearest neighbor and
often miles distant from a fort or blockhouse, the hardy
settlers were constantly at risk. For many years the early
Protestant missionary evangelists called the area the
Distressed Territories.[11]

REVOLUTIONARY WAR

On the frontiers of Georgia, the backwoodsmen formed a militia
for protection from the Indians. There were also the natural
dangers of exposure, starvation, venomous snakes, and
panthers.9 The frontiersmen relied on the accuracy of their
rifles for hunting game, which was an important food source for
their families. This accuracy served as a lethal deterrent
against hostile Indians and, later, British regulars. 

At the outbreak of the Revolutionary War Wilkes County was far
removed from the battles in the southern theater, which took
place near the coast. The British concentrated most of their
efforts in the northern colonies. On July 22, 1776, Holman
Freeman, Sr. was one of the appraisers of the value of
cornfields surrounding Ft. James.[12] The appraisal listed Col.
Coleman, Wesbrook and Colson, and Evan Raglens among those
either receiving corn for the militia stationed there. Stephen
Westbrook and his family lived near Fort James, which in the
spring of 1776 was manned by 50 well-mounted and equipped
rangers. The accoutrements of each ranger consisted of a rifle,
two pistols, a hangar, powder horn, a shot pouch, and a
tomahawk. This foursquare stockade stood at what is now known
as The Point, where the Broad and Savannah Rivers unite
forming a neck of land roughly resembling an arrow point.[13] 

United States Army records indicate that South Carolina and
Georgia each raised mounted ranger units in 1775-1776, but when
they became part of the Continental Army during the summer of
1776 they transformed into mounted infantry.[14] Major George
Hangar, second in command to the British General Banastre
Tarleton reported, The crackers and militia in those parts of
America were all mounted on horse-back, which renders it
totally impossible to force them to an engagement with infantry
only. When they choose to fight, they dismount, and fasten
their horses to the fences and rails, but if not very confident
in the superiority of their numbers, they remain on horse-back,
give their fire, and retreat, which renders it useless to
attack them without cavalry: for though you repulse them, and
drive them from the field, you never can improve the
advantage.[15] 

The Wesbrook on the appraisal for Fort James was Stephen
Westbrook. One of his neighbors who served in the Revolutionary
War was Jesse Hooper, who lived in Wilkes County Georgia on
Broad river about one mile above the mouth. Hooper enlisted in
March 1776 for one year in the Georgia Line under Colonel
Habersham and General L. MacIntosh in Captain Jacob Colson's
Company.[16] Since Colson and Westbrook were listed together on
the appraisal, both were probably captains at that time in the
Georgia Line, which is consistent with Stephen Westbrook's
bounty land claim. Jesse Hooper reenlisted for one year
starting in 1777 under Colonel John Coleman, who is also on the
appraisal and who had moved to the Ceded Lands from Virginia
with his wife, four sons, and two daughters in 1773 on 1000
acres along the Broad River near the Westbrooks.29 Hooper
reported that sixteen days before his year was out, Colonel
Coleman took sick and died.16 

Stephen Westbrook served in the Wilkes County militia and
Georgia Line, according to his land bounty grants that he
received for his service after the war. Holman Freeman, Jr.
signed for Stephen and listed him as a Lieutenant.[17] The
amount of land in the bounty totaled 500 acres, which was
increased by 15% to 575 acres later by the Georgia legislature.
This acreage indicated a rank of Captain in the militia.[18]
The State government in executive session raised Stephen's
bounty still further to 690 acres, which was the amount awarded
a Captain of the Georgia Line.[19] The difference between
militia and line service was in time served, with line being
reserved for long-term service.[20] Therefore, based on his
land allotment for service during the American Revolution,
Stephen was an officer in the Georgia militia and line,
starting out as lieutenant and rising to the status as captain
during the war. His brother and father, John Westbrook Jr. and
Sr., also received land for their service, 287.5 acres, which
indicated a rank of private or patriotic service during the
war.[21] 

Frontier life in the early days of the war in the Ceded Lands,
before the British invasion of Savannah in 1778, involved
Indian raids, clashes between citizens loyal to the Crown and
those opposed, and occasional raids by the Florida rangers. The
Crown obtained Florida from Spain in 1763, and the colony was a
haven for loyalists, renegades, and escaped slaves. The British
assumed that the plantation owners in the south would be loyal
because of lucrative trade with the British Commonwealth.
However, the frontiersmen in the Ceded Lands were necessarily
independent and less likely to embrace the edicts of the Crown.
Those loyal to the Crown, called Loyalists or Tories, often had
open conflict with those who favored a separate nation, the
Whigs. All accounts of the Revolutionary War in Georgia mention
high tension and outright hostility between the Tories and the
Whigs. Some historians claim that no other colony had higher
internal strife than Georgia did, with fathers against sons and
brother against brother.[22] 

THE HORNET'S NEST

Wilkes County remained a stronghold of Whigs and their
supporters throughout the war. Recognizing the combined
opposition of Whig sympathizers and the militia under Col.
Elijah Clarke and John Dooly, the British and Tories referred
to Wilkes County as the Hornet's Nest. Within the familiar
forests and streams of their homes in the backcountry, these
frontiersmen were magnificent.22 The exploits of residents
such as Nancy Hart, Elijah and Hannah Clarke, John Dooly, and
Holman Freeman and his sons made them local folk heroes during
and after the American Revolution. 

The service records of Stephen Westbrook in the militia or line
have not been found, if they ever existed at all. Being a
resident of Wilkes County, his local militia fell under the
leadership of Col. John Dooly and Col. Elijah Clarke by
1778.[23] Another leader often mentioned was John Twiggs, who
headed the militia in Richmond County. Being single and in his
early twenties during the war, Stephen was a prime candidate
for service. As an officer in the militia, Stephen would have
led troops under Dooly and Clarke, and so his activities in the
war would mirror those of the Wilkes County militia.

Before the British return to the southern colonies in December
1778, Georgia troops were part of invasions into Florida. Since
Florida was under British rule and its residents were
Loyalists, Florida rangers raided the western frontier of
Georgia as far north as northern Wilkes County. Two expeditions
into Florida by Georgia troops under MacIntosh in 1776 and
Houstoun in 1777 failed to quell the raids of the Florida
rangers. 

In 1778, Elijah Clarke and the Wilkes County militia united
with Georgia troops under Governor John Houstoun in an
expedition against Florida. They teamed with Georgia and South
Carolina continentals under the overall command of General Howe
and traveled toward St. Augustine.23 According to one of the
pension files,[24] after crossing the St. Mary's River, The
march continued some further, and we had several skirmishes in
one of which Col. Clark was wounded in the leg.  The action of
the Wilkes County militia appears on a historic marker near
Alligator Creek in Florida. [On] June 30, 1778, a force of 300
American Cavalry commanded by Colonel Elijah Clarke,
participating in General Robert Howe's invasion of Florida,
attacked a column of British at this place (Alligator Creek
Bridge), but were unable to penetrate the nearby entrenchments
of 450 British Regulars and South Carolina Royalists under the
command of Major James Marc Prevost. In this skirmish, Colonel
Clarke was wounded and the Americans withdrew. The next day,
the British retired in the direction of the St. Johns River.
The skirmish resulted in 13 American and 9 British casualties.
The engagement took place on the north side of what is now
Callahan, FL where U.S. Highway 301 joins with U.S. Highway
1.[25] The troops under Houstoun withdrew to Savannah. Houstoun
later signed Stephen Westbrook's claim for 690 acres as bounty
for war service.[26] 

The British sailed from New York under Gen. Clinton and arrived
off of Tybee Island near Savannah on December 23, 1778. Their
plan was to again bring Georgia and the Carolinas under British
rule. With the southern colonies within the fold, they would
surround the unruly northern colonies along their northern and
southern borders. The Tories and regulars gathered from the
southern colonies would attack from the south and troops from
New England and Canada would press the northern border.[27] On
December 29, 1778 the British troops marched unopposed into
Savannah. On January 14, 1779, the British invited Georgians to
take an oath of loyalty to the King and receive pardon for any
past disloyalty. However, by mid-February it was obvious that
Wilkes County and the Georgia backcountry would not submit. To
crush these frontiersmen, the British moved toward Augusta and
the backcountry, enlisting Tories and Indians for the planned
attacks on the rebel militia.[28] 

KETTLE CREEK

With a major thrust by the British to capture Augusta, every
able-bodied member of the militia in Wilkes County was called
into active service, based on the pension records of veterans
from that area. Available evidence indicates that Steve
Westbrook took part in the Battle of Kettle Creek. Based on the
best existing information, there was at least 70 percent
probability that Stephen was there by virtue of being a member
of the Wilkes County militia. Given that he was single and
early twenties, the probability increases to 80 percent. The
fact that he was an officer denied him the opportunity to
return home whenever he desired. Thus, there is only evidence
to support his participation at Kettle Creek, and none to
refute it. 

Although the proof of military service through bounty grants
has been questioned,18 in Stephen's case the overwhelming
evidence shows that he indeed served. Holman Freeman, Jr.
signed for him and Elijah Clarke approved Stephen's bounty.
Freeman's father was an ardent Whig who knew Stephen's father
since their business dealings in Amelia County, Virginia over a
decade before. When Holman Sr. was imprisoned by the Tories for
his stance against the British, upon his release one of his
sons rode to the farm of one of the Tories who instigated the
capture and shot him dead in front of the Tory's son.[29] Given
the patriotic fervor of the Freeman family during the
Revolution, Holman would have signed only if the claim of
service was valid.  

Later, Stephen Westbrook applied for and received an increase
to 690 acres, which was approved by Gov. Houstoun, one of the
original Liberty Boys. Since Houstoun was a leader of the
Georgia militia in the 1778 Florida campaign, he could have
known Stephen from that affair, which included militia under
Col. Clarke from Wilkes County. The bounty certificate was also
signed by William Freeman, another son of Holman, Sr.26 These
two authorities give further, independent proof of Stephen's
Revolutionary War service and showed that he attained the rank
of captain in the Georgia Line. 

During the early stages of the war, Stephen was probably a
lieutenant, as Holman Freeman, Jr. attested to on the initial
application for land bounty after the war. As an officer in the
militia, Stephen would have been responsible for recruiting,
assembling, and leading troops comprised of local citizens.
Being a resident of Wilkes County, he served under Col. Dooly
and Col. Clarke. Stephen's promotion to captain probably
occurred later on in the war. By analogy, Stephen's future
father-in-law, Cuthbert Hudson, remained a captain in the
militia for over a decade before his wartime promotion to major
in 1778.[30] Maj. Hudson was among the North Carolina troops
under Gen. Ashe that had amassed across the Savannah River from
Augusta to face the British in February 1779.[31] 

Coleman23 cites a list given to British commander Cornwallis in
a letter from Colonel Cruger. The list shows 723 males from the
Ceded Lands of which 49 were notorious rebels hiding from the
British and 140 were under Elijah Clarke. This number agrees
with population estimates of the time. In 1773, the population
of Georgia included 18,000 whites. Partitioning the population
based on area, Wilkes County would have 1/5 of the population.
Adjusting for the fact that the county was not as populated as
the other more established counties in Georgia, Wilkes County
had about 3000 white settlers. Of these, assume approximately
half were women, leaving 1500 males. Assuming half of the males
were adults of fighting age, then that would leave 750 able-
bodied men, which agrees with the 723 on the list given to
Cornwallis. Of the 750, assume half were Tories, which leaves
375. On other lists, only about half were in the military
service, so this leaves 188 in the militia or actively opposing
British rule. This number supports the 189 that the British
listed as active rebels. Since 140 were with Clarke and since
Stephen Westbrook was in the militia, he must have been among
the 140 who served under Clarke and Dooly during this time. 

The best estimates for the number of men serving under Col.
Dooly and Lt. Col. Clarke at Kettle Creek is 100.[32] Since
there were 140 in the Wilkes County militia under Clarke, there
is at least a 70% chance that Stephen was with the militia at
Kettle Creek. Assuming that 10%, say 15, were left behind to
man the forts and guard the families, this would leave 125
available for service at Augusta. Since Stephen was a single
male in his early twenties, it is highly unlikely that he would
have been left behind to guard married women and their
children. He had two brothers and four sisters who could help
with his own family, so he wasn't required there. Note also
that John Westbrook Sr. and Jr. received land grants, probably
for patriotic service during war. John, Jr. was too young[33]
and Sr. too old for fighting, so they likely stayed at home to
help against Indians and Tories. Given the temper of the times,
this civil service could have been more dangerous than the
militia duty.

Assuming about 20% attrition in the troops between Wilkes
County and Kettle Creek, this would account for the 100 troops
available for battle. The 20% attrition is based on the fact
that of the 10 pension records from veterans listed in 1901 by
the Wilkes County DAR as serving at Kettle Creek, 2 definitely
did not take part in the affair, which is a 20% absence rate.
The reasons ranged from returning home after expiration of
service[34] to being recruited after the battle.[35] However,
those pensioners who did not participate were privates. Stephen
was at least a lieutenant, and, as an officer, would have been
expected to be with his troops at Kettle Creek. Also, Jesse
Hooper and Charles Gent, two pensioners who lived near Stephen,
were there attesting that the said battle was warmly
contested.16

Again, based on pension statements, it is virtually certain
that his unit was in the area of Augusta, along with almost all
other units of the militias from North Carolina, South
Carolina, and Georgia. Pensioners for Wilkes County militia all
list being activated during the British march to Augusta. So,
Stephen was at least in the area or on his way. 

Though Stephen was a resident of Wilkes County, he could have
crossed the Savannah River and joined the South Carolina
troops. Even so, he would have served under Pickens, which
again would have placed him at Kettle Creek. However, the land
grants indicate Georgia service for Stephen. If he had served
out of state, his bounty would have been considerably less. For
example, Stephen's father-in-law, Major Cuthbert Hudson,
received 250 acres for his North Carolina service,[36] which
was nowhere near Stephen's allocation as a captain in the
Georgia Line. 

The probable reason that Stephen does not appear on any of the
lists of Kettle Creek participants is that the DAR list was
based primarily on family tradition and second hand
information from occupants of Elbert and Wilkes County after
the war. Since Stephen moved to Franklin County, he was
unavailable to make a claim one way or another. Thus, he was
not listed, but should have been, according to the foregoing
data gathered from several independent sources. 

The backwoodsmen challenged the British Army in Georgia.
Colonel James(?) Boyd gathered 700 loyalists and marched toward
Wilkes County to quash the militia there and suppress the
rebels. On February 11,1779, 100 Patriots, in spite of being
outnumbered, attacked while the British crossed Van(n)'s
Creek.32 The skirmish alerted Colonels John Dooly and Andrew
Pickens to the Loyalists' presence in Wilkes County. On
February 14, 1779, the British set up camp along Kettle Creek.
As was the custom, the Loyalists sent scavengers for food. That
morning about 150 men were out searching for food when Pickens
attacked.[37] 

With a combined total of 340 to 400 men, the Patriots struck in
three columns, Col. Dooly on the right, Pickens in the middle
and Lt. Col. Elijah Clarke, Dooly's second in command on the
left. A small advance guard was sent in front of the columns to
scout the enemy. Col. Pickens' scouts were surprised by Boyd's
Loyalist sentries and opened fire. Alerted to the attack by the
sound of gunfire, Boyd rallied his men and advanced with a
small group to the top of a nearby hill, where they waited
behind rocks and fallen trees for the Patriots. To the left and
right the men under command of Dooly and Clarke were slowed by
the cane breaks and the high water of the creek and nearby
swamps.

Pickens continued his advance to the fence on top of a hill
where Boyd's men awaited the Americans and opened fire. The
ambush killed or wounded several of Pickens' troops, and the
battle seemed to turn in favor of the Loyalists. Clarke and
Dooly, unable to advance quickly through the cane swamp, were
helpless. After the successful ambush, Boyd ordered his men to
retreat to the camp by Kettle Creek. Three of Pickens' men were
separated from the rest of the Americans when they found
themselves near Boyd's Loyalists. All three fired on Boyd, and,
as he lay mortally wounded, his troops panicked and an orderly
withdrawal became a nightmare for the 700 men under his
command. 

Pickens rallied and advanced his men towards the Loyalist camp.
At the same time Dooly's men emerged from the swamp. Surrounded
on three fronts, with the creek to their back, about 450 Tories
followed Boyd's second in command, Major Spurgen, across Kettle
Creek. While crossing the creek, Lt. Col. Elijah Clarke emerged
on the other side and charged with 50 men. The Loyalists fled,
with losses totaling 40 to 70 dead and 70 captured, compared
with the patriots' 9 dead and 23 wounded. Of the 700 Loyalists
under Boyd, only 270 reached British forces between Savannah
and Augusta. In addition, the patriots gained 600 horses and
considerable baggage from the battle at Kettle Creek. Pickens,
who became famous for his many battles in the Revolution, would
later write that Kettle Creek was the "severest chastisement"
for the Loyalists in South Carolina and Georgia.32,37 

With the victory at Kettle Creek, North Carolina troops under
the command of General John Ashe pursued loyalists under
Campbell. Unknown to Ashe, Campbell was reinforced with men
from Savannah under the command of General Augustine Prevost.
Together the British forces totaled 2,300 men. Camping at the
confluence of Brier Creek and the Savannah River, Ashe's
patriots were surprised by hundreds of British soldiers and
loyalist militia on March 3, 1779. Ashe and his men from North
Carolina fled the scene of the battle. Only Colonel Samuel
Elbert and his Georgia militia remained. Outnumbered and
overpowered, the men defended their camp until almost all were
dead. The late afternoon action ended at sunset, with the rebel
forces suffering a humiliating defeat. Almost 400 Americans
died or were captured, while the British lost only 5 men.
Elbert, who was eventually elected governor of Georgia, was
captured and served time in a British prison until his release
in 1781.37

THE STRUGGLE AT HOME

Led by Elijah Clarke, John Dooly and others, Wilkes County
soldiers fought all over the Southern theater of operations
during the rest of the war, from King's Mountain and Cowpens to
the sieges of Augusta. British-led loyalist activity was
particularly heavy in the backcountry of Georgia and violence
was commonplace, sometimes within communities and even
families.[38]

From the battle of Kettle Creek to the fall of Augusta in May
of 1780, the Wilkes County militia served on several fronts,
primarily against Tories and Indians and assisting with the
siege of Savannah. For example, one Wilkes County minuteman
fought in an engagement with said Indians. Killed nine of
them, rescued considerable plunder they were taking off from
the whites. That about the 1st of April 1779 he again entered
the service of the U. States as a militia man, in the
Settlement of Long Cane in the state of South Carolina (whither
he and others had fled for refuge from the hostile Indians)
under Captain John Cowen (Major not recollected) and Col.
Andrew Pickens, and served four months to about the first week
in August, during which tour he was at the Battle of Stono
under the command of General Lincoln. That about the first of
September of the same year he again entered the service of the
United States against Great Britain in the said Settlement of
Long Cane in the State of South Carolina under the said Captain
Cowen who led his company immediately into Georgia, joined the
Georgia troops, commanded by Colonel Dooly aforesaid & marched
to the Siege of Savannah under his command where they joined
the American army under General Lincoln, who was aided by &
associated with General Pulaski who was killed at said Siege;
the Count d'Estaing was also there & was wounded, perhaps in
the arm. After the expiration of said siege the company to
which he was attached returned to South Carolina & were
discharged from the service about the 25th of December
1779.[39] After the failed siege by the combined French and
American forces, one veteran continued to serve in various
small affairs against the Tories until he marched in the
expedition against the Cherokee Nation commanded by Genls.
Pickens, Clark & Anderson.  In this expedition we burned
several Indian Towns and had various skirmishes in one which he
was shot through the wrist of his left arm.[40] Based on the
limited number of pension files consulted, Stephen and his
comrades in the Wilkes County militia definitely fought the
Indians or Tories at home and probably took part in the siege
of Savannah under Dooly. 

General Prevost, in charge of the British troops, expanded
control of Georgia to Augusta and Sunbury, and with Cherokee
support in northwest Georgia he effectively controlled all of
the state. Tory troops under Colonels Thomas Notorious Brown
and James Grierson took possession of Augusta in May of 1780.
Now completely under British control the radical patriots were
forced to hide. Many left for areas that were still controlled
by patriots. Georgia was the only colony to fall completely
under the control of the British government. It was in the
backcountry of Georgia that men like Elijah Clark and John
Dooly waged guerrilla warfare for the first time. The British
retaliated against Dooly by sending six regulars to brutally
murder the hero of Kettle Creek in front of his family during
the summer of 1780. By July 1780 the British reported that most
of the upcountry had submitted to British rule except for 800
to 900 Wilkes County frontiersmen.28 Since Stephen lived on the
frontier, he was probably among this number. One of Stephen's
neighbors, John Freeman, was among those with Clarke.41

During July of 1780, Col. Clarke and his band of militia left
Georgia for North Carolina and joined forces with Col. Isaac
Shelby. There they fought six or seven hundred British at Cedar
Spring, where they took a number of prisoners and inflicted
considerable losses. The appearance of British Colonel Ferguson
with a large body of troops forced the patriots to hastily
retreat.[41] On August 18, 1780 Clarke and Shelby again met the
British at the Battle of Musgrove Mill. The Historic marker
there notes the location of a Revolutionary War battle fought
in August 1780. Although they were outnumbered two to one,
Patriots surprised and routed a group of Tories and British,
inflicting heavy losses during the two-day fight.[42] If
Stephen was with Clarke, who was now the only commander of the
Wilkes County militia, he participated in these battles. 

Based on limited pension records and his service under Clarke,
Stephen Westbrook took part in the next major move against the
British, the siege of Augusta. With the murder of Col. Dooly,
Elijah Clarke had assumed command of the Wilkes County militia.
In September 1780, he mustered a group of 300 to attempt to
retake Augusta. Almost all pension files reviewed for Wilkes
County troops mentioned service at the first siege of Augusta.
Before Thomas Brown and his Tories were forced to surrender,
Colonel Cruger arrived with British reinforcements from Ninety
Six in South Carolina, and Clarke's men had to quickly
withdraw, leaving behind their wounded. The Notorious Brown had
twelve or thirteen of them hung from a stairway banister so
that he could watch their death throes from his bed as he
recovered from wounds received at the siege.28 

THE OVERMOUNTAIN JOURNEY AND BACK

After the siege of Augusta, Clarke and a band of settlers from
Wilkes County fled with their families towards the safety of
settlements along the Nolachucky and Watauga Rivers, known as
the overmountain region, in what is now Tennessee.41 Major
Patrick Ferguson and his British forces lay at James Steps
with an expectation of intercepting Col. Clarke on his return
to the mountains: but he was prudent enough to take another
route.27 Clarke was informed that Ferguson had positioned
himself atop King's Mountain in South Carolina after he failed
to intercept his band of Wilkes County families. Men from
Clarke's militia joined the local militia forces amassing to
attack Ferguson. The Battle of King's Mountain on October 7,
1780 resulted in Ferguson's death and the loss to the British
of one-third of their army. The likelihood of Stephen
Westbrook's participation in this battle is better than 50%,
since he would have been among the troops at Augusta under
Clarke. He had little choice but to travel with his family to
the relative safety of the overmountain settlements. 

On November 20, 1780, the militia under Clarke engaged in
another significant revolutionary war battle.27 Banastre
Tarleton, pursuing the [troops under] Thomas Sumter [retreating
from Fishdam Ford on the Broad River], pushed forward with his
cavalry and mounted infantry, leaving his slower infantry and
artillery to follow at their best speed. Sumter meanwhile had
determined to make a stand at the farm of William Blackstock
overlooking the Tyger River. Tarleton with an inferior force
[270] frontally attacked [900-1,000] strongly posted Americans
and was beaten back with heavy casualties [92 killed, 100
wounded]. The Americans lost only 3 killed and 4 wounded but
among the latter was Thomas Sumter. Colonel John Twiggs of
Georgia assumed command of the Americans and retreated that
night with his little army across the Tyger leaving the field
to Tarleton, who claimed victory. The battle of Cowpens, where
Tarleton was to experience his greatest defeat, occurred less
than two months later on 17 January 1781. The importance of the
battle of Blackstock's lay in the fact that the dreaded Bloody
Ban Tarleton had been fought and checked by American militia,
a fact that was to influence markedly the future course of the
war in the South. Thomas Sumter survived his serious wound and
took the field again in a few months.[43]

Colonel Clarke and Lt.-Col. McCall went to Long Cane near
Ninety Six in South Carolina for recruits. On Sunday, December
10, 1780, the British commander at Ninety Six, Colonel Cruger,
dispatched 200 regular troops, 200 Loyalists, and 50 dragoons
under Lt. Colonel Allen. The patriots under Clarke, McCall, and
Major Lindsay were ordered to start and sustain the action
until the main body of troops under Colonel Benjamin Few
arrived. Although the action started, no help came from Few.
Badly outnumbered, the militia was forced to retreat after all
of their commanders received severe wounds. The Americans lost
14 killed. Elijah Clarke escaped to recover from a near-fatal
wound in the shoulder.[44] 

Although unable to participate in the Battle of Cowpens, Clarke
sent three companies of his Wilkes County militia under the
command of Major Cunningham and Captains Richard Heard, George
Walton, and Joshua Inman. They were part of the skirmish line
that began the Battle of Cowpens on January 17, 1781. Under the
direction of General Daniel Morgan, the militia units from
Georgia and the Carolinas gave the British troops under
Banastre Tarleton a devil of a whipping.20,27

After Cowpens, according to a member of the Wilkes County
militia, General Morgan called on Col. Clark for assistance to
take charge of his prisoners which he had taken at the Battle
of the Cowpens. Maj. Saml Taylor of So. Carolina & Maj. John
Cunningham of Georgia & Captain George Walton of Georgia & his
Company were deputed to take charge of & march the prisoners
through the upper part of North Carolina. Crossing the Catawby
River high up & marched down on the East Side to the place here
General Morgan appointed to meet & take charge again. This was
about the last of January 1781. We then turned back to the
command of Col. Clark & scouted through North and So. Carolina
until about the first of April 1781. Shortly after this we
attacked Maj. Dunlap on Little River in So. Carolina. Took him
& about 30 prisoners & marched them on to Gilford Town in North
Carolina and delivered them to command stationed there. We then
recruited there a few days & marched & scouted through the
upper part of So. Carolina back to Wilkes County Georgia.[45]
The attack on March 21, 1781 against Major Dunlap was known as
the Battle of Beattie's Mill. Pickens detached Clarke and
McCall to attack the British. They surprised Maj. Dunlap and
his troops, killing 34 and taking 42 prisoners, including Maj.
Dunlap, who was wounded in the battle.44

Loyalist and British continued to condemn captured patriots to
death. For example, the Battle of Wiggin's Hill on January
12th-13th, 1781, lasted less than half an hour when Rebel
Commander Harden retreated from Loyalist Colonel Brown who
commanded a superior force of 170 men and 500 Indians. Colonel
Harden only had 76 rangers. During the battle seven of the
rangers were killed, eleven were wounded, and five men were
captured. Brown put the prisoners in a pen, where they were
condemned as traitors to the Royal Crown and were sentenced to
the gallows. The mother of one of the prisoners came to the
camp and begged Colonel Brown to spare her son, but to no
avail. The five prisoners were hanged until nearly dead, then
their bodies were cut down and delivered over to the Indians in
Brown's group, who scalped the bodies and otherwise mutilated
them in their accustomed manner. Brown then turned his fury on
Granville District of South Carolina burning homes, stealing
livestock, food, and horses.[46]

In April 1781 Colonel Clarke and his militia joined with
General Pickens and kept watch over Augusta to prevent
reinforcement of the Loyalists there under command of the
notorious Colonel Brown. On the 20th of May, Colonel Henry Lee
joined Clarke and Pickens and proceeded to invest the fort at
Augusta. Fort Galphin, twelve miles below Augusta, fell on the
21st of May, and then an officer was sent to demand the
surrender of the main fort, Fort Cornwallis in the center of
town. Colonel Brown, one of the cruelest of the Tories of that
region, refused to surrender, so a regular siege began. Colonel
Lee built a tower 30 feet high so his troops could effectively
shell the Loyalists within the main fort. Brown failed to
destroy the tower. The patriots were about to make a general
assault on the 4th of June, when Brown proposed terms of
surrender, negotiating only with Lee and Pickens, since he knew
Clarke's men would exact vengeance for past tortures and
killings. In the siege the Americans lost fifty-one killed and
wounded, the British suffered fifty-two casualties, and over
three hundred were taken prisoner. After the devastating loss
of Augusta, the distraught Royal Governor of Georgia at
Savannah reported that the British and Loyalists in the state
were now in a Most wretched situation.22

By August 1781 a State Assembly met in Augusta and elected
Nathan Brownson as governor. He immediately took steps to
neutralize the Cherokee and Creek Indians who were instrumental
in helping the British conquer and control the state.22
According to one Wilkes County minuteman, after the recapture
of Augusta we scouted the frontier of Georgia again under the
command of Lieutenant George Barber until May 1782. During
which time we had a Battle with the Creek Indians on the
frontier of Wilkes County. [H]e remained in the service of his
country scouting against the British and Tories until the war
finally closed.45 A fellow member of the militia from Wilkes
County also declared that he continued until the close of the
war to do duty in various scouting and ranging parties against
Tories and Indians.40 In January 1782, when General Mad
Anthony Wayne arrived in Georgia to retake Savannah, as late as
February 6 no Georgia militia had joined Wayne because of the
campaign of Elijah Clarke against the Cherokees.23 Stephen
Westbrook claimed that in 1783 the Creek Indians stole a horse
from him and that as of October 23, 1802 he had yet to receive
compensation for the stolen animal. With the help of his
attorney Clement Wilkins and an affidavit from his brother
John, Stephen sought payment for the loss of the steed, which
was valued at $75.00.[47] 

SUMMARY OF WAR SERVICE OF THE WILKES COUNTY MILITIA

The Wilkes County militia played an active role in several
crucial battles of the American Revolution. Both as a resident
of Wilkes County and a member of the militia, Stephen Westbrook
fought the British, Tories, and Indians from 1776 to 1783.
Based on the record of engagements of this militia, Stephen
began his service around 1776 in support of the troops at Fort
James. From 1776 to 1778, along the frontier he would have
helped defend his community against raids from the Florida
Rangers, Creek and Cherokee Indians, and militant Loyalists.
Upon the British capture of Savannah and their march to Augusta
in 1779, Stephen, along with every other able-bodied member of
the Wilkes County militia, was called to serve. As an unmarried
officer, available evidence supports his participation in the
Battle of Kettle Creek. Until the fall of Augusta in May 1780,
the Georgians under Clarke scouted and engaged Loyalists and
Indians and assisted at the siege of Savannah. Following Clarke
and his neighbors, Stephen was at the first siege of Augusta
and went with them in their subsequent flight, which brought on
the Battle of King's Mountain. The Wilkes County militia under
Clarke inflicted heavy losses to the dragoons of Banastre
Tarleton at Blackstock's Farm and withdrew against overwhelming
odds at Long Cane. General Morgan at Cowpens brilliantly
combined Continental troops with the Georgia, North and South
Carolina militia to give Tarleton and the British a stunning
defeat. Clarke and his militia then fought at Beattie's Mill
and captured the British Major Dunlap. After retaking Augusta,
the Wilkes County militia subdued the hostilities of the
Cherokee and Creek Indians and the Loyalists until the war's
end.

In the darkest days of the Revolution, when the Continental
army in the South suffered a series of defeats, these rough
frontiersmen from Wilkes County and throughout the south held
the last flicker of the light of liberty. Outmanned and
outgunned, they stood with the regulars against the mightiest
nation of their time, and prevailed.

RAISING A FAMILY ON THE FRONTIER

In 1783[48] Stephen Westbrook married Anphiladay Hudson,[49]
the daughter of Major Cuthbert Hudson[50] of the North Carolina
militia. Although there are many spellings for her name,
Anphiladay appears in her fathers will and that spelling will
be used here. Since she was brought up on the frontier in a
military setting, she had developed the skills to work with
Stephen and forge a home for their family out of the
wilderness. Sometime around this time they acquired 136 acres
on Beaver Dam Creek in what is now Elbert County. 

On August 30, 1784, their firstborn John Thomas arrived. He was
followed by William L. on February 05, 1786, Elizabeth Allen on
April 02, 1787, Hudson on July 28, 1788, Joshua on July 10,
1790, Mary on March 26, 1792, Thomas B. on February 11, 1793,
Martha on January 20, 1797, Bathsheba on August 06, 1799, Rhoda
on August 22, 1800, and Stephen Bartley on September 13, 1801.
Shortly after her last child Anphiladay died.2  

For his service in the Revolution, Stephen received a headright
grant and bounty grant for 690 acres in Franklin County on
September 30, 1784, one month after the birth of his first
child. It was adjacent to land north westwardly of John
Tureman.26,[51] Stephen's father had shared duties as overseer
in Virginia with a George Tureman, so Stephen had something to
talk about with his neighbor. Stephen's land was bordered on
the southeast by Joseph Nail's land, who gave his name to
Nail's Creek, which is still a well-known landmark in Franklin
County.

According to an article in the Lavonia Times in 1907 by Rev.
Groves Cartledge, Soon after the organization of Franklin
County, three Revolutionary soldiers set out together on
horseback from North Carolina to select land and locate their
soldier's bounty warrants in the new county. They were Henry
Parks, father of the late Rev. Wm. J. Parks, Stephen Westbrook,
father of our worthy fellow citizen Bartley Westbrook, and a
Mr. [Cuthbert] Hudson, father of the late Col. Joshua Hudson.
There were no roads, and few settlers in the middle and western
parts of the county, but following the Indian trails and deer
paths, they reached a creek about a mile below the spot upon
which Carnesville now stands. There was no ford and the banks
were very steep and slippery and as the horse of Stephen
Westbrook went down the steep banks, the animal slipped and
fell and plunged his rider head and ears into the creek. From
this mishap they called the stream Stephen's Creek, and it
bears the name to this day. Stephen Westbrook lived and died on
Crocketts Creek. Henry Parks settled and died on Hudson and so
did Mr. Hudson, and gave his name to the stream Ebenezer
church in Franklin at first bore the name of Westbrooks Chapel.
In the early days of Franklin County nearly every settlement or
neighborhood had its stockade fort and cabin for the family
inside the fort. When there was any alarm of Indians the
several families would leave their homes, and flee for safety
to their fort. He who first saw the danger, was found to give
the alarm to others and they to others still, until the whole
settlement had been duly apprised of the danger.[52]

However, clearing a plantation out of the wilderness of the
frontier took time. In the interim, Stephen owned 287 acres in
Wilkes County so that Anphiladay could keep house for their
growing family.[53] Tragedy struck toward the end of 1790 when
Stephen's father died, and Stephen assumed the role of executor
of his estate.53 His friend Holman Freeman, Jr. signed the
appraisal for his father's property on November 16, 1790, which
gave Stephen's stepmother, Barbara Richardson Westbrook one
third of the some 650 acres of property.[54] After remarrying
her neighbor and becoming Barbara Moss, she sold her share of
the estate, 150 acres, for 100 pounds.[55] 

The tax roles of Wilkes County listed Stephen Westbrook for the
years 1785 through 1790. Although he didn't have time to be an
officer with family duties and land affairs, he and brother
John served as privates in the Wilkes County militia during the
Frontier Wars from July 25 to August 13, 1793.[56] They were in
a detachment headed by Lieutenant Samuel Wilkerson of the
Second Battalion of the First Regiment commanded by Colonel
William Triplett. On January 28 1794, Stephen and brothers John
and Thomas sold 450 acres of their father's land in Wilkes
County to Denis McClendon for 100 pounds.[57]

Stephen bought an additional 100 acres of land for 10 pounds on
November 10, 1789 from Lewis Davis and Sarah, his wife.[58] In
1791, Elbert County was created from part of Wilkes County and
so Stephen's property fell within its borders from that time
on. When Lewis died in 1791, Stephen was an appraiser for his
estate.[59] On September 5, 1791, he acquired 114 acres from
the Land Court, which existed for the better strengthening of
this State.59 

In Franklin County, Stephen and Anphiladay sold 50 of their 690
acres of land to Moses Tremble.[60] When the plantation in
Franklin County finally was ready for their growing family,
they sold 136 acres of their Elbert County property on
September 10, 1796 for 100 pounds, being part of a tract
Stephen Wesbrook formerly lived on. Stephen's father-in-law,
Cuthbert Hudson and his son Joakin witnessed the deed.[61]
Other land deals included the sale of 11 acres of his original
690 to William Gober on December 25, 1797 and 23 acres to
Esaias Harbour for 85 dollars on December 26, 1797.[62] Civic
affairs for Stephen included serving on the Grand Jury during
the April term of 1800.[63] Stephen served as an appraiser for
the estate of Conmack Haggins on August 25, 1801 and for
Shardick Chandler on July 31, 1812.[64] 

After the death of Anphiladay, Stephen remarried Mary Polly
Haygood (Hagwood) around 1808.[65] His children from this
marriage were Reuben W. born on November 15, 1809, Milton born
October 29, 1813, Wiley F. born March 29, 1816, and Thompson
September 25, 1818. Stephen died at 3:00 p.m. on March 3, 1820,
and he left a will dated November 24, 1819.2 He left an estate
valued at over $4434.[66]

In the rolling hills of what was once the Ceded Lands, Stephen
and his wives Anphiladay Hudson and Mary Haygood raised a total
of 15 children. Their legacy lives on through their many
descendants throughout the United States.



---------------------------------------------------------------
-----------------RESOURCES AND REFERENCES:

[1] Ronald G. Killion and Charles T. Waller, Georgia and the
Revolution, Cherokee Publishing, 1975, page 76.

[2] Bible records of Haygood family, copy of Beth Sauceman,
LaFayette, Georgia. Jeff Westbrook,
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/WestbrookGenealogy/files/
SouthernLines/stephenwest.txt.doc

[3] Benjamin B. Weisiger III, Prince George County Wills and
Deeds 1713-1728, 1973.

[4] Cavaliers and Pioneers, Volume IV, 1732-1741, Patent Book
17 page 307 and 18 page 618.

[5] Katherine B. Elliott, Early Settlers of Mecklenburg County
Virginia, Volume I, 1964, Patent Book 17, page 285.

[6] Landon C. Bell, Sunlight on the Southside, List of Tithes,
Lunenburg County, Virguinia, 1748-1783, 1931, George S.
Ferguson Co., Philadelphia, page 261.

[7] Ellis Merton Coulter, Old Petersburg and the Broad River
Valley of Georgia, University of Georgia Press, 1965. See first
Chapter for origins of the towns of Dartmouth and Petersburg.

[8] Eliza A. Bowen, The Story of Wilkes County Georgia,
Continental Book Co., 1950, pages 10-12

[9] Robert Scott Davis, The Wilkes County Papers 1773-1833,
pages 7, 8, 10. Locations of Coodys Creek and Chickasaw Creek,
see 1818 Sturgess Map of Georgia, Atlanta Public Library has a
copy.

[10] Grace Davidson, Early Records of Georgia, Wilkes County,
June 1967, page 12. 

[11] Eliza A. Bowen, The Story of Wilkes County Georgia,
Continental Book Co., 1950

[12] Robert S. Davis, Georgia Citizens and Soldiers of the
American Revolution, Southern Historical Press, 1979, pages 29-
30

[13] Eliza A. Bowen, The Story of Wilkes County Georgia,
Continental Book Co., 1950, page 11

[14] http://www.army.mil/cmh-pg/documents/revwar/revra.htm

[15] Lawrence E. Babits, A Devil of a Whipping, The Battle of
Cowpens, University of North Carolina Press, 1998, page 19

[16] Jesse Hooper, S1913, Revolutionary War Pension
Application.

[17] Ruth Blair, Revolutionary Soldiers' Receipts for Georgia
Bounty Grants, Foote and Davies, 1928, Nos. 797 and 976

[18] Alex M. Hitz, Georgia Bounty Land Grants, Georgia
Historical Quarterly, Volume 38, Number 4, reprinted at
http://www.sos.state.ga.us/archives/rs/gblg.htm

[19] Allen D. Candler, The Revolutionary Records of the State
of Georgia, Volume II, Franklin-Turner, 1908, page 717.

[20] Lawrence E. Babits, A Devil of a Whipping, The Battle of
Cowpens, University of North Carolina Press, 1998, page 29.
According to Babits information, Stephen probably volunteered.

[21] Nicole M. O'Kelley and Mary Bondurant Warren, Georgia
Revolutionary Bounty Land Records, Heritage Papers, 1992, pages
36, 42, 75, 123, 186, 208.

[22] Ronald G. Killion and Charles T. Waller, Georgia and the
Revolution, Cherokee Publishing, 1975, Part I.

[23] Kenneth Coleman, The American Revolution in Georgia,
University of Georgia Press, 1958, Chapters 7 and 8. 

[24] Britton Willis, Revolutionary War Pension File S1270.

[25] http://www.flssar.org/flarevol.htm

[26] Georgia State Archives, Records of the Surveyor General,
Franklin County, 30 September, 1784, Land Bounty Certificate
for Stephen Westbrook.

[27] John Buchanan, The Road to Guilford Courthouse, John
Wiley, 1997. 

[28] Kenneth Coleman, A History of Georgia, 2nd Edition,
University of Georgia Press, 1991, Chapter VII.

[29] Grace Gillam Davidson, Early Records of Georgia, Wilkes
County, Southern Historical Press, 1932

[30] Thomas McAdory Owen, History and Genealogies of Old
Granville County, North Carolina, 1746-1800, Southern
Historical Press, 1993, pages 156-158.

[31] Pension application of Pleasant Henderson, Colonial
Records of North Carolina, Volume 22, pages 128-131.

[32] Robert S. Davis and Kenneth H. Thomas, Jr., Kettle Creek:
The Battle of the Cane Breaks, State of Georgia Department of
Natural Resources, 1975.

[33] Wilkes County Tax List, 1785.

[34] Jacob Mercer, Revolutionary War Pension File S31862.

[35] George Darden, Revolutionary War Pension File S16757.

[36] Ruth Blair, Revolutionary Soldiers' Receipts for Georgia
Bounty Grants, Foote and Davies, 1928, No. 945.

[37] http://ngeorgia.com/revolution/amrev11.html

[38] http://www.rootsweb.com/~gawilkes/localhst.htm

[39] George Darden, S16757, Revolutionary War Pension File

[40] Britton Willis, S1270, Revolutionary War Pension File

[41] Lyman C. Draper, King's Mountain and Its Heroes, 1881,
Reprinted by Overmountain Press 1996, pages 79-122.

[42] http://www.laurenscounty.org/history/mmill.html

[43] Lumpkin, H., 1981, From Savannah to Yorktown: The American
revolution in the South, New York: Paragon House Publishers,
page 115.

[44] Rev. J. D. Bailey, Some Heroes of the American Revolution,
Reprint of 1924 edition, Southern Historical Press, 1976, pages
180-182.

[45] Ezekiel Cloud, W6920, Revolutionary War Pension File

[46] Faye L. Dyess, Bonaventure Plantation,
http://www.geocities.com/Heartland/Village/5369/history.html

[47] Donna B. Thaxton, Georgia Indian Depredation Claims, The
Thaxton Company, Americus Georgia, pages 87, 88, 745.

[48] Marriage date estimated from birth of first born child.

[49] Martha Walters Acker, Index to Deeds of Franklin County,
1784-1860, Self-Published, 1979, page 304.

[50] Mrs. Howard H. McCall, Roster of the Revolutionary
Soldiers in Georgia, Genealogical Publishing, 1966, page 94.

[51] Drawer 51, Box 22, Book N, page 158, No. 287, Georgia
Surveyor General Plats, Georgia State Archives, Microfilm

[52] Franklin County Historical Society, History of Franklin
County, Georgia., 1986, WH Wolfe, Appendix I

[53] Frank Parker Hudson, Wilkes County, Georgia Tax Records,
1785-1805, Volume One, see index for Stephen Westbrook and go
to listings.

[54] Wilkes County Ordinary Court, Loose Estate Records,
Georgia State Archives, Drawer 242, Box 17, Record 1951. Wilkes
County Will Book DD, Folio 204. 

[55] Deed Book UU, Wilkes County, Georgia, 12 April 1800, page
286.

[56] Murtie June Clark, American Militia in the Frontier Wars
1790-1796, Genealogical Publishing, page 228.

[57] Deed Book RR, Wilkes County, Georgia, 28 January 1794,
page 218. 

[58] Deed Book A, Elbert County, Georgia, 10 November 1789,
page 31.

[59] Grace Gillam Davidson, Historical Collections of the
Georgia Chapters, Daughters of the American Revolution, Volume
III, Stein Printing, 1939, pages 57, 216.

[60] Deed Book K, Franklin County, Georgia, 19 April 1792, page
48.

[61] Deed Book G, Elbert County, Georgia, 10 September 1796,
page 68.

[62] Deed Book M, Franklin County, Georgia, 25 and 26 December
1797, pages 8-10.

[63] The Augusta Chronicle and Gazette of the State, Franklin
County, 1800.

[64] Historical Collections of the Georgia Chapters, Daughters
of the American Revolution, Atlanta, 1926, page 337.

[65] Estimated from birth date of first born.

[66] Stephen Westbrook, Will 24 November 1891 and Appraisement
26 February 1820, Franklin County, Georgia, Available on
microfilm at the Georgia State Archives, Franklin County Loose
Papers.