Profiles of Patriots: a Biographical Reference of American Revolutionary War Patriots and Their Descendants: El Palo Alto Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution

By Moira Ann Jacobs

Profiles of Patriots: A Biographical Reference of American Revolutionary War Patriots and their Descendants is a compilation of 39 biographies of American Revolutionary War patriots and includes an introduction and brief history of the El Palo Alto Chapter of the DAR and its founders. This book is a commemorative work celebrating the Chapters 100th Anniversary of its founding. Each patriot biography summarizes the patriots service record in the War of Independence as well as key biographical information. In addition, each author of these biographies is a direct descendant of the patriot and provides a summary of their lineage. This book provides a unique look into the history of these rank and file soldiers, officers and other patriots who contributed to the formation of our country as well as insights into their descendants migrations over many generations.

• Language: English
• Publisher: AuthorHouse
• Release date: Aug 30, 2013
• ISBN: 9781491812815

Moira Ann Jacobs

Moira Jacobs wrote the introduction and edited this collection of patriot biographies and the history of the Williamsburg chapter of the daughters of the American revolution. Moira majored in history at Rutgers College, where she earned her BA, and received her MA in international political economy from Columbia University. Moira has always held a deep passion for history and the period of the American Revolutionary War in particular. Moira published the first in her series of "Profiles of Patriots" in 2013 for the El Palo Alto Chapter of the DAR. Moira is a member of the Williamsburg chapter of the DAR and associate member of the El Palo Alto and Santa Rosa chapters. Through her biographical series, "Profiles of Patriots," Moira is committed to preserving the biographies of patriots and their families for future generations.

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© 2013 Moira Ann Jacobs. All rights reserved.

Introduction by Moira Ann Jacobs

No part of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted by any means without the written permission of the author.

Published by AuthorHouse 05/22/2014

ISBN: 978-1-4918-1283-9 (sc)

ISBN: 978-1-4918-1282-2 (hc)

ISBN: 978-1-4918-1281-5 (e)

Library of Congress Control Number: 2013915234

Any people depicted in stock imagery provided by Thinkstock are models, and such images are being used for illustrative purposes only.

Certain stock imagery © Thinkstock.

Because of the dynamic nature of the Internet, any web addresses or links contained in this book may have changed since publication and may no longer be valid. The views expressed in this work are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the publisher, and the publisher hereby disclaims any responsibility for them.

Contents

Introduction

History of the El Palo Alto Chapter of the Society of the Daughters of the American Revolution by Moira Ann Jacobs

Patriot Biographies

Sias Billingsley by Robin Alice LaCroix Kamradt and Jennifer Robin Kamradt Allen

Ezekiel Billington by Yvonne Russell

Richard Brandon by Lynn Eisberg

Ichabod Brewster II by Caroline Landes

James Brown by Erin Bentham

John Butler, Jr. by Moira Ann Jacobs

Johan Simon Claar by Gayle Quadt, Wendy Goeking and Kelly Waggoner

Daniel Conant by Nancy Ingraham Greenland

Abner Cory by Catherine Baumann and Cynthia Johnson

George Ball Custer by Mary Murphy Shuttinger

Manasseh Cutler by Donna Menche

William Duvall by Shirley Ann Duvall Reseck

Stephen Fuller by Barbara Elizabeth Matson Schwartz

Benjamin Gist by Gloria McPherson Clark

Carter Henry Harrison by Christine Roberts Czarnecki

Benjamin Howard by Vickie Watson Tregner

James Howe by Cynthia Brinkmann

John Kennedy by Catha Hall

Henry Lake by Mary March Robell

William Ledford by Sarah Elizabeth Evans Bryant

Henry Levens by Jane Trowbridge

Henry Lusk by Jonnie Rivas

James McQuiston by Beverley Jones Zimmerman

William Moffett by Diana Moffett Powell

Kendall Parker by Diana Meister Shull

Eliezer Parsons by Karen Jackson

John Pierson by Virginia Stephenson

Benjamin Randall by Karen Johnsen

Abraham Ream, the Miller by Valerie Vivian Shaeffer Hamilton

Robert Ricketts by Carol Driesen

William Ritchie (Ritchey) by Claire Sims Ravi

Uriah Roundy by Shirley Stokes

William Speer by Kathleen Much

Samuel Stanford by Martha Nell (Thomas) Lundquist

Reuben Thayer by Judith Sisk

Silas Wheeler by Kathy Oleary

Job Wilcox by Marsha Davis

Isaac Wiseman by Becky Edwards

Johann Martin Zettelmoyer by Geneva Riggle Knell

Appendix

In recognition of

the 100th Anniversary of

the El Palo Alto Chapter of the DAR

This book is dedicated to our patriots

and to all U.S. veterans

ElPaloAltoTree.jpg

El Palo Alto, circa 1910

August 20, 2013, Palo Alto, California

El Palo Alto Chapter of the DAR

God, Home, and Country

Introduction

By Moira Ann Jacobs

The El Palo Alto DAR celebrated its centennial year in 2012. Our chapter was founded in 1912 and received its Charter from the National Headquarters of the DAR in 1913. We thought it would be a fitting commemoration of our centennial to create a book to honor this occasion and preserve our history for future generations. The result is this book which provides a brief history of our Chapter’s founding in the neighboring communities of Palo Alto and Stanford, California along with a compilation of biographies of our current members’ patriots, marking our centennial year of 2012-13.

A Note about the format

Each patriot’s biography has been contributed by the member, with her individual style and insights kept without editing or checking of any references. These reflect each individual’s personal format, and style, genealogical background and unique family history. There are a few entries with notations added regarding history of the patriot’s regiment or significant events in their area of service which are noted by this author. Most biographies also include a summary of how the member’s line of ancestors extends from their patriot to them, including family history of how their ancestors ended up migrating to the Bay Area.

Acknowledgements

I would like to extend special thanks to the following individuals who have been instrumental in supporting this project. First, I’m most grateful for my loving husband Erich Jacobs’ support and encouragement. I’m also grateful to my parents Delores and James Cusick who have always encouraged and shared my love of history. My sister Maggie Steciuk also provided encouragement throughout and very helpful on-site research and photographs in New York State regarding our own patriot ancestor’s biography which is included in this book (John Butler). I’m very grateful for all of the loving support from my family and friends.

Additionally, I’m grateful for the steadfast support from my many friends from the El Palo Alto Chapter of the DAR which was instrumental in this project growing from just an idea to this book. Special thanks are extended to Catherine Baumann (Regent 2009-2012, current Registrar), Gloria Clark (current Regent), Valerie Hamilton (Regent 1998-2003, current Treasurer), Barbara Matson (Historian, 2011-12), Mary Robell (Recording Secretary), my DAR mentor Beth Bryant and our entire Board of Chapter Officers, all of whom have provided me their time, guidance and encouragement throughout.

Finally, and most importantly, I’m especially grateful to each contributing member who shared their patriot’s biography for this collective project. Through these inspiring biographies of our ancestor patriots we hope to share with all readers of this booklet our deep passion for our country, the importance of keeping the great values of our founding fathers and mothers alive, and the importance of learning from history.

History of the El Palo Alto Chapter of the Society of the Daughters of the American Revolution

by Moira Ann Jacobs

El Palo Alto Chapter History

The history of our chapter started with a group of women with a deep passion for service to their community, especially in support of children’s and veterans’ causes. This is also a history of women with shared values in the tradition of the DAR mission. As stated by the National Society of the Daughters of the American Revolution:

"The DAR, founded in 1890 and headquartered in Washington, D.C., is a non-profit, non-political volunteer women’s service organization dedicated to promoting patriotism, preserving American history, and securing America’s future through better education for children.¹"

According to the National Headquarters, DAR members overall volunteer more than 250,000 hours annually to veteran patients, award thousands of dollars in scholarships and financial aid each year to students, and support schools for underserved children with annual donations exceeding one million dollars.²

Our National headquarters also reports that the DAR is one of the most inclusive genealogical societies in the country, DAR boasts 170,000 members in 3,000 chapters across the United States and internationally. Any woman 18 years or older-regardless of race, religion, or ethnic background-who can prove lineal descent from a patriot of the American Revolution, is eligible for membership.³

Every DAR chapter shares this same mission and focus, yet benefits from the wide diversity of active members from all walks of life and backgrounds which contributes to each chapter’s character and accomplishments. This is a story about the founding of our El Palo Alto Chapter, its charter members and our own very unique history and character.

A Very Special Place

The history of the El Palo Alto DAR chapter is best told within the context of the community within which it was founded. This very special community of Palo Alto, California, located 30 miles south of San Francisco, has a long association with the founding and development of its neighbor, Stanford University. Our chapter’s founding is rooted in this history as well. Our founding regent and many of the founding members were associated with Stanford University. Many of their husbands were some of the first professors and graduate students of Stanford and their wives were also either graduates, worked at Stanford or were active in supporting their husbands’ work. They were pioneering women in many ways. Today their stories continue to offer us inspiration in how powerful it is when individuals come together to create and sustain new community organizations.

Stanford University was founded by Jane and Leland Stanford in 1891 in memory of their only child, Leland Jr., who died of typhoid fever at 15.⁴ Within weeks of their son’s death in 1884, the Stanfords determined that, because they no longer could do anything for their own child, they would use their wealth to do something for other people’s children.⁵

1895StanfordhighresolutionfromHooverLibrary.jpg

Stanford University, circa 1895. Herbert Hoover Presidential Library and Museum Archives

As the university continued to grow and attract students and faculty from around the country, the City of Palo Alto grew as well. Since its founding, Stanford University has had a long and storied history of being a major contributor to the development of technology and industry in Silicon Valley. Palo Alto’s growth and development has been notably influenced by Stanford as well over the decades. By 1912, this community was already laying the groundwork for what would become an exceptional place, considered by many today to be the heart of Silicon Valley. Today many executives from Silicon Valley, venture capitalists, inventors and world renowned educators call Palo Alto home, making it one of the most dynamic and productive communities in the country. Notable residents of Palo Alto have included William Hewlett and David Packard, founders of Hewlett-Packard, the late Steve Jobs, CEO and founder of Apple Computer, Larry Page, CEO and co-founder of Google, and Facebook’s CEO and founder Mark Zuckerberg.

Despite all of the changes and growth over the past 100 years, Palo Alto continues to retain much of its original charm and character of those earlier days if you look in the right places. The El Palo Alto Chapter of the DAR is a good example of a local institution which has been able to consistently maintain its mission and support of the community throughout the decades thanks to the steadfast leadership and support of its chapter officers.

FOUNDING OF CHAPTER AND EARLY YEARS

By the time of the El Palo Alto DAR Chapter’s founding in 1912, the community of Palo Alto had grown to accommodate over two decades of the new university’s growth. In 1900 the population of Palo Alto was 1,658 and would grow to 5,900 by 1920. Many of the early