Fourth of July More than Fireworks and Food

      I remember past fourth of Julys at my mother and dads home . We would gather early evening for a meal and visit with family members.  As the clock ticked away the excitement grew for the evening delight of fireworks. My parents had bought a house on the skyline in Duluth Minnesota. It overlooked Lake Superior harbor.  They had a beautiful view watching the big ships and sailboats on the lake and coming through the harbor.  The ariel bridge would go up for the ships to pass through. I know live on Park point and cross that bridge at least twice a day. I still get excited at seeing the big ships and the sail boats. 

     As the sky darkened we grew even more excited since soon the city would begin to set off the  fireworks over the harbor. Lots of yahs, oohs and wows were  said.  I have wonder memories with my family who now have passed on. Parents , uncle and aunts and a cousin. My children are grown and their children are grown. My husband has now passed on the glory of the universe. 

    I still get excited at seeing the fireworks but the fourth of July means so much more to me. Tonight I will gather down by the bay with residents in my apartment building to watch the fireworks. I am making friends and will not be alone. My view from the bay will be better than the view at my parents home but will be bittersweet because I am not with my family,

     Little did I know all those years ago that the fourth means so much more to me than the fireworks and a meal. Since starting my family research I have enjoyed tracing our history back the revolution and further.  I have now become a proud member of the Daughters of the American Revolution and have four direct ancestors plus uncles or sons who fought along side of my grandfathers.  

     My main patriot is James Woodmansee born August 1732 New Jersey to Thomas Woodmansee and Mary Ware daughter of Thomas Ware. He married the 5th of October 1758 to Hannah Worden in New Jersey. They had nine children. 

     James resided at Cedar Creek , Monmouth, New Jersey. He assisted in establishing American Independence while acting in the capacity of Lieutenant for the state of New Jersey. He served under  Captain John Stout, 2nd Reg, Monmouth Co Militia. I am .busy reading about that time and the 2nd New Jersey Regiment. 

     After the war James and his wife moved to Liberty Township, Butler County , Ohio.  He died the 29th of January 1818 and wife hannah passed away 18th of April 1824. They are buried in their Butler County farm cemetery

     My other three patriots are Joseph Cheuvront paid Supply tax 1783 Virginia, Moses Ellsworth Furnished supplies Rockingham Co Virginia and Ebenezer Coleman who has just now been approved. I am waiting on his certificates. 

     I know I have more patriots to find and prove. Have a wonderful fourth of July and say a thank you to our past and present patriots. 

SENTIMENTAL SUNDAY Researching My Revolutionary War Patriot James Woodmansee

July 5th 2019 I was accepted into the Daughters of the American Revolutionary and will become apart of the Duluth chapter August 13th 2019.  I look forward to honoring my ancestor.
This next few weeks I will be working on the Woodmansee family line and researching the area my ancestor lived and fought in New Jersey Monmouth County.

Tonight I found a great timeline of the Revolutionary War era in Monmouth County.  This will help me get to know a little more hopefully about my ancestor. From the application to SAR by Leon William Chumley I learnt that James was a Lieutenant in the Monmouth County New Jersey Militia under Capt John Stouts Company, Col David Brearley's Second Regiment.

I will continue to prove other patriots in the next year.

James Woodmansee was born the 15th of August 1732 Cedar Creek, Monmouth County, New Jersey to Thomas Woodmansee and Mary Ware.
He married Hannah Worden daughter of Samuel Worden 111 and Abigail Mott.
Further research will tell me if there were 8 or 9 children.

James passed away 29th of January 1818 in Hamilton , Butler , Ohio where he and his wife were living with son Daniel.

Source is from Sons of American Revolutionary application by Leon William Chumley.

James Woodmansee Revolutionary War Soldier My Daughters of the Revolution Patriot

James Woodmansee Revolutionary War Soldier  my DAR patriot


The American Revolution was an event of sweeping worldwide importance. A costly war that lasted from 1775 to 1783, it secured American independence and gave revolutionary reforms of government and society the chance to continue. At its core, the war pitted colonists who wanted independence and the creation of a republic against the power of the British crown, which wanted to keep its empire whole. At certain times and in certain places, Americans fought other Americans in what became a civil war. From the family whose farm was raided, through the merchant who could not trade, to the slave who entered British lines on the promise of freedom, everyone had a stake in the outcome. https://www.legendsofamerica.com/ah-revolutioncapsulehistory/

James Woodmansee 

1732 New Jersey  - 1818 Ohio

son of Thomas Woodmansee Sr and Mary ( Ware ) Woodmansee

My 6 times great grandfather

I am sharing it today to celebrate Independence day by telling the tale of one patriot who fought for our freedoms. This is the beginning of my story of one of my patriots.

James Woodmansee Revolutionary War soldier was born the 15th or 26th of August 1732 to Thomas Woodmansee and his wife Mary Ware, daughter of Thomas Ware. 

He married on the 5th of Oct 1758 in Monmouth County, Hannah Worden born the 18 Jan 1738 in New Jersey,  daughter of Samuel Worden the 3rd and and his wife Abigail Mott, and sister of Penelope and Silence Worden, who were married to James' brothers David and Gabriel. The three brothers and their families owned land and homes in Cedar Creek area in what is now Ocean County, New Jersey, and it is there where that James and Hannah's children were born.

Their children were James, b 31 Dec 1759, Asa b 5th Oct 1761, Phebe b 22 Feb 1764, James b 8th Aug 1766, Samuel b 4 Feb 1769, Job b 11 May 1771, Joseph b 2 Dec 1773 , Thomas b 13 Apr 1775, Daniel b 22 Sept 1777

David, Gabriel and James Woodmansee served in various offices in Dover Township following the Revolutionary Ware, which they also served.  James was commissioned Lieutenant, serving in the Second Regiment, Monmouth County, New Jersey Militia.

James and Hannah sold their New Jersey properties in 1789, and the family then made their home in Union Township, Fayette County, Pennsylvania.  Twenty years later in 1809 James and Hannah sold the Union Township land and accompanied their son David and his family to Cincinnati, Hamilton County, Ohio, traveling via flatboat down the Monongahela and Ohio Rivers.  When they reached Cincinnati they were able to exchange hollow ware ( cast iron kettle, cooking utensils, etc) previously purchased, for necessities then needed in building a home in Liberty Township, Butler County, Ohio.
Within a few years their sons James, Samuel and Thomas came with their families to Ohio, as did their daughter Hannah, with her husband James Gray and their children. The Grays settled in Preble County, James Jr in Clermont County, Samuel in Darke County, and Thomas in Clinton County, Ohio.

James Woodmansee died 29th January 1818 at Liberty Township, Butler County Ohio  home.  Hanah died 16 April 1824.  They are buried in their Butler County farm cemetery that saw at least thirty burials of family and neighbors during the ensuing years.

This is the beginning of my Woodmansee family story.