The further back you go, the more ancestors you have in common with others. Hundreds of thousands of Americans share at least one of President Obama’s 14 ancestors who served in the Revolutionary War. This genealogy means Obama can join Sons of the American Revolution (SAR) and female descendants can join the Daughters of the American Revolution.
Fourteen Revolutionary War Ancestors
Here is brief biographical information on President Obama’s Revolutionary War soldier ancestors.
Phillip Ament (1755-1836) was born in York Co., PA, and died in Bourbon Co., KY. He married Maria Elisabeth Schmidt (ca. 1755-1800) in 1779 in York Co. President Obama descends from their daughter, Catherine (1787-1834), who in 1810 married John Pryor Childers (Childress). The 1850 census lists them as having 16 slaves. Catherine and John lived in Kentucky; his family was from Virginia. Pvt. Ament served in the Revolution from Pennsylvania.
David Bowles (ca. 1730-1806) was born in Henrico Co., VA, and died at Cane Ridge in Bourbon Co., KY. He married 1) Sarah Hughes and 2) Winnie Minerva Rice. Capt. Rice was a Revolutionary War soldier from Virginia. President Obama’s descent is from David and Sarah’s son Jesse, who married Hannah Perkins.
James Browning (ca. 1745-1812) married Susannah Hickman. He was born in Virginia and later settled in KY. He served in the Revolutionary War as a private from Virginia. President Obama’s descent is through their daughter Annie, who married Robert Overall in 1801.
John Miles Duvall (ca. 1745- ca. 1787) married Anne Tarleton and served in the Maryland militia during the Revolutionary War. He signed the Oath of Allegiance in 1778 and is also credited with furnishing supplies. Family legend says he drowned in the Potomac River. His widow and children went to Nelson Co., KY, where she remarried in 1792. President Obama’s descent is through John and Anne’s son Gabriel, who wed Mary Grable in 1814.
Samuel Goodknight (1761-1845) was born in Germantown, PA, and died in Fayette Co., OH. He married Magdalena Berkheimer in 1787. Pvt. Goodknight served in the Revolution from Pennsylvania. President Obama descends from daughter Catherine Goodnight (sic), who, in 1819, married Jacob Dunham of Berkeley Co., VA/WV and Tipton Co., IN.
James Hickman (1724-1824) was born in Culpepper Co., VA, and died in Clark Co., KY. He married Hannah Lewis. There were three James Hickmans who served from Virginia during the Revolutionary War. In addition to the James, above, who was a private, there was his son, James Lewis Hickman (1759-1828), a captain, who married Elizabeth Bryan, and James Hickman (1761-1843), a private. All served from Virginia. President Obama’s descent is through James and Hannah’s daughter Susanna, who married soldier James Browning (see above.)
Elijah Holloway (b. 1754) was a Revolutionary War private from Worcester Co., MD, who later lived in Ross Co., OH. He married Elizabeth Showell. President Obama descends from their son, Armel Showell Holloway (1777-1868) and his wife, the former Anna Maria Godfrey.
Thomas Martin (ca. 1750-ca.1801) served as a Revolutionary War soldier in Virginia. He married Susannah Walker. The lineage of President Obama is through their daughter, Elizabeth Martin, who married David Bowles (1776-1823) in 1797 in Woodford Co., KY. Both were born in Goochland Co., VA. David Bowles was a grandson of Revolutionary War soldier David Bowles (see above)
John Overall (1735-1821) was born in Virginia. He married Frances Whitledge; both died in Bullitt Co., KY. John is believed to have served in a Virginia militia unit during the Revolutionary War. President Obama’s descent is through his son, Robert Overall, who married Annie Browning in 1801. She was the daughter of Pvt. James Browning (see above)
Moses Teague (ca. 1718-ca.1799) was born in Cecil Co., MD, and died in Chatham Co., NC. He married Elizabeth Loftin ca.1738. He has been cited by the D.A.R as offering patriotic service during the Revolutionary War. That including furnishing supplies to the army in North Carolina. President Obama’s line of descent is through daughter Mary Isabel Teague who married James Wellborn (see below) of Maryland in Frederick Co., VA; they settled in Kentucky.
David Toot (1726-1792) and his son George Toot (1759-1815) of Middletown, PA, both served in the Revolutionary War. David was cited for patriotic service and George served as a private. George’s mother was Catherine _(?)_. He had three wives: 1) Mary _(?)_, 2) Catharine Stetler/Shulze and 3) Ann Eve Parthemore. President Obama descends from George’s daughter, Anna Maria Toot, who married Ludwig/Lewis Wolfley in 1805 in York Co., PA; they settled in Ohio.
James Wellborn (1736-1811) was born near Baltimore, MD, and died in Barren Co., KY. He married Mary Isabel Teague, daughter of Patriot Moses Teague (see above). James has been cited for patriot service in both Virginia and South Carolina during the Revolutionary War. The line of descent of President Obama is through their daughter Ruth, who married John Wilson.
John Conrad Wolfley (1728-1794) lived at Middletown, PA, and married Anna Catherine Shockey. He served as a Revolutionary War private and is also cited for patriotic service. President Obama’s descent is through their son Ludwig (Lewis) Wolfley, who was probably born in Switzerland. He married Anna Maria Toot in 1805 in York Co., PA, and they settled in Ohio. She was the daughter of Pvt. George Toot (see above).
Companion articles include a survey of President Obama’s overall ancestry, how he shares ancestry with seven presidents and two kings, and Sarah Palin’s descent from 25 Revolutionary War patriots and soldiers.)
Sources:
DAR Patriot Index, published by National Society of the Daughters of the American Revolution (1966: Washington).
Reitwiesner, William A., “Ancestry of Barack Obama”; retrieved Sept. 18, 2010.
Fowler, Ila Earle, Kentucky Pioneers and Their Descendants, Genealogical Publishing Co. (Baltimore: 1967).
Rosemary E. Bachelor - Rosemary Bachelor, a prize-winning journalist, has had a career as an editor, feature writer, magazine publisher and author. Her latest ...
