Loveless Family
Loveless Family of Martin's Station
John and Rachel Vanhook Loveless and their children: George, Sarah, John, Joseph, Nathan, and others to a total of nine persons were taken at Martin's Station. Some of these children are from John Loveless' first marriage.
National Archives Revolutionary War Pension Number S4575
On this 15th day of October 1832 personally appeared before the judges of the Court of commission for the county aforesaid (Trumball county, Ohio).
George Loveless, a resident of Newton township in the county of Trumball aforesaid, aged 72 years on the 5th day of September last, who being first duly sworn according to law doth in his oath make the following declaration in order to obtain the benefit of the Act of congress, passed June 7, 1832.
That he entered the service of the United States under the following named officers and served as herein stated.
In the spring of the year 1777 his father, John Loveless, (then residing at a place called Holston and about 12 miles from Wolf Hills Courthouse - then so called in the state of Virginia, was drafted for a six month tour to go to a campaign under Colonel Bowman to Kentucky at which time Kentucky was a part of Virginia. The object of the expedition if he correctly remembers was to protect the inhabitants from Indian deprecations and to reinforce Boons Station then in danger of being beseiged. In which said Detachment, he - the said George Loveless - said service as a substitute for his said father, John Loveless, and joined the detachment at his father's house and was detailed as one of the Packhorse guard while on this march - which was very slow and tedious having to pass through a wilderness of nearly 300 miles distance The station to which we were advancing had previous to our arrival been beseiged nine successive days by a strong Indian force and a few days before and very probably with a knowledge of our advancing raised the seige and marched off. We, during the remainder of the time of service for which we were engaged, did military duty by standing sentry and on scouting parties and hunting to supply the garrison with provisions; he the said George Loveless continued in said service until his time for which the draft was made expired when he said Boons Station by said Colonel Bowman and the discharge last was discharged which was as he now believes some time in last of October or first part of November in the year 1777 aforesaid. After which he the said George Loveless with a able and expert hunter-woodsman took up our march home through the wilderness to Holstein.
In the spring of 1778 he again went to Kentucky with a party to raise corn and in his turn guard the parties at work and in making preparation for the reception of his father's family. But this year they could not remove and he the said George continued through the Winter following and early in the Spring of the year 1779 again planted corn and then joined a party of volunteers (as he believed) under the command of Col. Bowman, Col. Logan, and Captain Harrod and other officers names not remembered. Captain Boon was also of the party perhaps the guide and projector of the expedition as he had been before this a prisoner at the Chilicothe towns. This Detachment rendevouzed on the Ohio River and the boats were brought together with other forces; we took up our line of march for the old Chillecothe towns being about as he verily believes about 300 strong including some mounted men. Col. Bowman commanded the center; Col. Logan the right and Captain Harrod the left wing. After crossing the Ohio River we made forced marches almost night and day until in the latter part of the last day's march we surrounded the Indian town aforesaid and on the 4th day of May 1779 at break fo day commenced the attack on the first five; the Indians fled to their Black House in great trepidation leaving in their __, their ammunition and much of their valuable property. In this battle we had eight men killed and 6 men wounded.
The wounded men we brought with us and also much of their best property and a large number of horses. After we had by a guard and complete defeat of the enemy burnt their town, a retreat was ordered and we were twice in the course of the first day's march attacked by the remaining Indian force but they were soon repulsed with loss and after this continued our return march unmolested in a body until we crossed the Ohio River and then each company dispersed and retired to their former stations. He, the said George Loveless, returned to Riddle Station from the time he was entered a volunteer in said last mentioned expedition until he was dismissed he thinks it must have been about two months as well he can no recollect; he remained at said Riddles Station after this his said return in taking care of his corn at that place and the following Fall went back to Virginia and brought his Father and family from Holstein to Kentucky and on our return to Kentucky about 19 families or perhaps more combined and built on the waters of Licking River a fort called Martin Station.
Here we remained fortified under the command of Captain Duncan; but however by whom commission he the said George does not now know. It is yet fresh in his recollection of several small skirmishes with small parties of Indians while out on scouting excursions but on the 26th day of March 1780 a large party of Indians assailed the station and commenced their attack by surprise; killed some that were out and wounded his father, the said John Loveless, by a shot through the right shoulder and breast but he got into the fort and with the small garrison of about 25 men that had any arms we sustaineth the attack of an Indian force of 500 (as was believed) but the warm reception we gave them induced the enemy to retire. They however soon after made an attempt on Brians Station and there met as warm a reception and so repulsed, divided into small squads, and for a time kept haunting our post and killing some and destroying property and intercepting our reconnoitering parties. Thus situated we held our garrison watchfully until the 26th day of June 1780.
Our station was again beseiged by a still larger force of British Canadians and Indians said to be 700 strog with two 4-pounders pieces of artillery against which with our small force and a garrison constructed only to resist an attack with small arms, who was therefore obliged to accept the terms of capitulation offered us of being prisoners of war to the British Force. This force of the enemy was commanded by Col. bird of the British; Col. McGee, Captain Elliott and Ginter [Girty] with Canadian and Indians.
From our place of capture we were taken and carried prisoners by the British detachment down the Ohio River to the mouth of Big Miami; then up the same to a carrying place to M___; then down to Lake Erie and thence to Detroit suffering the severest fatigue, hunger, and cold and wet having lost all our property, clothing, and papers burnt and destroyed after our surrender. He, the said George, with many other of the prisoners was kept prisoner of war until in the year 1784 , the said George, was released or exchanged and sent to Pittsburgh (as he believes) on some mission to Col. Butler. This George saith that he knows of none of the officers or soldiers that are now living by whom he can prove his services or captivity except a younger brother who resides in Milton township in said county of Trumball, and who being a child at the time of the aforesaid capture and was also taken prisoner together with his said Father and family consisting of nine persons and the said George who at the time of said capture was in the twentieth year of his age. He hereby relinquishes every claim whatsoever to a pension or annuity except the present and declares that his name is not on the pension roll of the agency of any state or territory.
Sworn and subscribed the day and year aforesaid.
We, residing in the township of Milton in the County of Trumball and state of Ohio hereby certify that we are well acquainted with George Loveless who has subscribed and sworn to the above Declaration and we believe him to be 72 years of age, that he reputed and believed in the neighborhood where he lives to have been a soldier of the Revolution and that we concur in that opinion.
Source: From the work of Ruby (Smith) Kapp and Kenneth R. Smith, descendants of the Wyandots.
Sarah Loveless The first wife of Isaac Williams (3) or SOHARASS, (Tall Tree), of the Wyandots. In the Treaty of September 29, 1817, held at the "foot of the Rapids" of the Miami (Maumee) of lake Erie, (now Grand Rapids, Ohio), 160 acres were given to Sarah Williams, and her children. She had been a captive of the Indians. She was born Sarah Loveless, daughter of John Loveless of present day Kentucky. The entire Loveless family of nine persons were taken prisoner on June 26, 1780 at Martin's Station by the British Canadians and their Indian allies. Along with other prisoners, they were taken to Detroit by the British soldiers. They were held there until 1784 and taken to American authorities at Pittsburg after their release. Ruby Kapp had sent for and received the Military Records of one George Loveless who had served in the Revolutionary War on the belief he may be a brother of Sarah. The records prove he was indeed the brother of our Sarah Williams of the Reserve and the first wife of our Isaac. He had served in 1777 at Boone's Station. Later he returned to the area and served at various times at Riddle's Station, Martin's Station, and Brian's Station. All are in vicinity of Boone's Station. The 160 acres were located at the bend of the river north of Fremont in an area called "Negro Point" earlier. This was the "Williams Reserve .