Honor Your Patriot

"DAR Brunswick Town Chapter would like to honor our members patriots on a monthly basis. And, we'll need your help and participation to this carry out this endeavor! Our Revolutionary War patriots, the 1st American soldiers and veterans, should receive individual recognition for their brave service in gaining our country's independence. Of course, we know our patriots names and demographics, but what else do we know? What were patriot war experience like? What kind of life did they return to after war? Did patriots receive the promised rewards of their enlistment contracts? Pensions? Bounty land? While we might not have their photographs, we have photographed grave markers. A lot of these gravestones can be found at www.cemeterycensus.com, www.findagrave.com, and other places on line. Here's what you can do -- Send a brief bio and tombstone photograph of your patriot for Brunswick Town Chapter members to read. Let's individually honor our 1st veterans! Submit your information and JPEG photo via email to Jane Del Rosso-Freach at <qukee@hotmail.com>."

Thank you again and best regards,

Jane Freach

Public Relations and Media Committee

Gravestone Inscriptions: Neil Culbreth B CA 1740 IN SCOTLAND D 1828 IN SAMPSON CO WIFE MARTHA B JAN 10 1753 IN EDGECOMBE CO ..., located in Roseboro, Sampson County, NC.

Neil Culbreth (Colbreath), my 5th great-grandfather and American Revolutionary War soldier, was a private. He served on the NC Continental Line, NC Militia. His wife, Martha (aged 91 years on March 1,1845, the date of her application for the war pension) said her husband died in 1825 (his tombstone indicates 1828). From the best of her recollection, Neil served a total of 9 months in 3 month tours. Martha received 14 pounds from the State of North Carolina. Martha's application number was R2112.

The families of Neil Culbreth and Martha Autry are well documented in the early records of North Carolina. The Culbreths were Scots and the Autrys were French by way of Ireland. The Culberths settled in present day Sampson County and the Autrys settled in Edgecombe County. Neil was born in 1740, in Gigha Island, Kintyre, Scotland. At the age of ten, he and his family immigrated to NC. Martha was born on January 31, 1753, in Edgecombe, NC. Neil and Martha had fourteen children, five of whom died in early childhood. Upon his death, Neil, a farmer, owned 1354 acres of land valued at $1073. This land was located in present day Sampson County, on the Black River, near Roseboro. They are both buried in the Neil Culbreth Cemetery, located on Dunn Road/ #1002, Roseboro, NC.

Respectfully submitted,
Jane Del Rosso-Freach
Public Relations and Media Committee