| I found something interesting. This is going to be a long post, but it will be very interesting (I think so anyway). Always interesting to see what the ancestors did. One of my aunts is really into our family's genealogy, so she has the papers to prove all of this.
The first of [my] ancestors to reach America was [Ellen Junkin's] great great grandfather, Joseph Junkin who came to Deleware in 1742 from Ulster, Ireland, whither his ancestors, who were in Huguenote, had gone from Scotland in 1737 during the presecution under the House of Stuart, to which country they had previously been driven in 1688 by the Huguenots in France. After reaching this country, he removed to Pennsylvania, married Elizabeth Wallace, and lived at Harris Ferry, a frontier crossing, the site of the present city of Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. Here he took up 500 acres of land, including the site of the present town of New Kingston, and upon it built a stone house in 1748 which is still standing. In this house his son [ellen's] great grandfather Joseph (the second) was born in 1750. (this is where it gets exciting)
This son Joseph volunteered in the Revolutionary army on July 28, 1776. He was first lieutenant of the third company of first batallion of Bedford Co. Penn., militia, serving in Penn, and New York. He commanded a company in the battle of Brandywine, Sept 11, 1777, a few days after which, in a skirmish, he received a musket ball through his right arm, shattering the bone. From pain and loss of blood he lay unconscious on the battlefield while the enemy passed over the ground.
A shower of rain falling upon him in the evening revived him. He sought shelter, crossing fields and woods to get outside of the British lines unperceived. Providence directed his steps to the kitchen door of the residence of a quaker named George Smith, who met him and gently pushing him back, said, "Friend, thee is in great danger. My house is full of British officers, there in my meadow is encamped a squadron of British horse, but I will try to save thee."
He took the wounded Junkin into his hay loft, but in a short time returned, saying that the British officers demanded hay, and that the soldiers would be there presently to take it. So he took him to a loft over the spring house where a bed was made of some bundles of flax. Mrs. Smith soon after supplied him with a supper of scalded bread and milk, and with some linen cloths to dress his wounds. Before daylight, his host came and led him out past the sentries of the British encampment, and giving him a hunting shirt to cover his Continental uniform, pointed the way of Washington's retreat.
Soon after sunrise he was captured by two dragoons in English uniform who compelled him to march forward between the heads of their horses. Their questions as to who he was and to which brigade he belonged, he answered truthfully. They marched him along for about a mile, he in the meantime determining to attempt escape when they reached a piece of woods in advance. When within a short distance of the thicket at which place he contemplated making the attempt, his captors said, while pointing the way "You will find your regiment encamped in a field just beyond this wood. We are Americans in disguise!". The enfeebled man sank to the ground from the revulsion of feeling caused by this declaration, but wiht the assistance of the perpetrators of this rough jest, he was soon enabled to rejoin his company.
Yeah, one of my ancestors did that. Another one (A child of Joseph Junkin [John Junkin, who had a brother [George Junkin D.D.L.L.D. (he is the guy)]) founded LaFayette College at Easton, PA., which now rivals all the other great schools of the country (at the time this was written). I wonder if that would be a good reason to be accepted to that college, seeing as how one of my ancestors founded it.
George also had two daughters, whom married professors in the military institute of Washinton and Lee University at Lexington VA. Margaret Junkin was an authoress under the name Margaret Junkin Preston, when she married Colonel William Preston who went on to become a General. George's other daughter, Elinor married Major I. J. Jackson a.k.a. Stonewall Jackson!! Yes, I have proof that I am related to Stonewall Jackson.
There is more to the stories, but the rest is boring. I just kept the cool stuff. I hope I didnt just waste a good while of your life with this. |
