Although I enjoy watching all of the episodes of Who Do You Think You Are?, I felt a special connection to the life of Bill Paxton's ancestor, Benjamin Sharp. Let's just say when he read about Black's Fort on a document, it was a memorable moment for both of us.
Part of his (Paxton's) research included a trip to the DAR, where Sharp's Revolutionary War pension application was reviewed. One aspect of Benjamin Sharp's war service found him under Captain Andrew Colville's command at Black's Fort. The pension papers also mentioned Sharp's service under Captain James Dysart and *Lieutenant Samuel Newell.
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| Source (Fold3) Of Benjamin Sharp's Revolutionary War Pension Application |
Here is an excerpt from my August 2014 post about Black's Fort:
At the farm of Captain Joseph Black, where Abingdon now stands, between four and five hundred people collected together to build a fort. The erection of Black's Fort was begun on the 20th day of July 1776, the same day that the battle of Long Island Flats was fought and the news of the victory of the settlers in that battle was received the next day.
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| Source: Black's Fort Messenger, The Official Newsletter Of Abingdon, VA |
(See "Source" link above for the whole map and newsletter)
Captain Joseph Black, of Black's Fort was the brother of my ancestress, Christian (Black) Acklin, wife of Christopher Acklin. Joseph and Christian's parents were John Black and Elizabeth Colville. Elizabeth (Colville) Black married 2nd, Samuel Newell*.
Benjamin Sharp also volunteered under Captain James Fulkerson. Was he Sharp's father-in-law? Probably.
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