Capt. Robert Vance and Jean White
Husband Capt. Robert Vance 1 2
Born: Abt 1728 - Northumberland Co, VA Christened: Died: 1818 or 1819 1 2 Buried: - Montour Cemetery, Allegheny Co, PA
Father: Col. David Vance ( - ) 1 Mother:
Marriage: 20 Mar 1775 2
Wife Jean White 1 2
Born: Christened: Died: 1834 2 Buried: - Three Springs Cemetery, Hollidays Cove, Hancock Co, WV
Father: James White ( - ) 2 Mother:
Children
1 M David Vance 2 3
Born: Christened: Died: Buried:
2 M Samuel Vance 2 3
Born: Christened: Died: Buried:
3 M Joseph Vance 3
Born: Christened: Died: Buried:
4 M Robert Vance 2 3
Born: 15 Jun 1788 2 Christened: Died: Buried:Spouse: Margaret Moore ( - ) 2
5 M William Vance 2 3
Born: Christened: Died: Buried:
6 F Sarah Vance 2 3
Born: Christened: Died: Buried:Spouse: [Unk] Ferguson ( - ) 3Spouse: John Scott ( - ) 2
7 F Jane "Jennie" Vance 2 3 4 5 6
Born: Christened: Died: 12 Nov 1819 6 Buried:Spouse: James H. McCabe (1782-1850) 4 7 Marr: 20 May 1813 6
8 F Elizabeth Vance 3
Born: Christened: Died: Buried:
9 M Andrew Vance 2 3 8 9
Born: 27 Jul 1793 3 Christened: Died: 19 Nov 1858 3 Buried:Spouse: Nancy Byers ( -Aft 1889) 8 9 10
10 M John Vance 2
Born: Christened: Died: Buried:
11 M Alexander Vance 2
Born: Christened: Died: Buried:
General Notes: Husband - Capt. Robert Vance
He obtained his education in that oldest of southern universities, William and Mary College, and in his later life, following the example of' his soldier father, enlisted in the Colonial army in the Thirteenth Regiment Virginia Cavalry, and fought for seven years in the cause of independence. He also served in the American army during the French and Indian War, and was the lieutenant in charge of the secret burial of General Braddock, after that gallant officer met his death at the hands of his Indian foes. Soon after the capture of Fort Du Quesne he came to Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, and there purchased land, now the location of the city of Coraopolis, being the first white settler in the Ohio Valley, coming there the year following Braddock's defeat. Here he was a farmer, and the danger from marauding and hostile Indians at that time being very great, and his land being the most central to all the adjoining farms, he and his neighbors there erected a fort, known as "Vance's Fort." Although dignified with this military title, it was in reality no more than an enclosure or stockade, composed of long and stout logs set so deeply in the earth as to be able to withstand a rush and so closely to-gether as to be impervious to a storm of arrows. There were small openings in the wall of logs to permit the besieged party to aim their rifles against their attackers. To this haven of refuge the entire neighborhood fled in time of alarm, and by this union of their forces were often able to repel attacks that, were no such asylum at hand, would have undoubtedly been disastrous, both because of the superior numbers of the Indians and the wiles of their warfare. Until his death Robert Vance was the recognized leader of his community in all public and military matters, in the latter because of his wide experience as a soldier, and in the former because in education and aptitude for leadership he was far above his neighbors. He died respected for his many good works, and was buried in the old Montour Cemetery. He assisted in the erection of the old Montour Church and was a member of its first session. In the public records of the day, regarding the various claims as to the honor of being named as the first settler of Beaver County, there is an affidavit of Robert Vance, sworn and subscribed to before John Way, a justice of the peace of Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, dated December 6, 1807, wherein he declares that "he hath for the past fifty years been well acquainted with the tract of land in question, having lived upwards of thirty years of the latter part of that time in the same neighborhood;" and "That the land during that time was in the quiet and peaceable possession of John McDonald, his heirs, or those under whom the said John McDonald claims." The land referred to was opposite Logstown.
Andrew [sic] Vance was the first white settler in Moon township, Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, where afterwards came the Poes, Wetzel and others, forming a bulwark for the whites, who were soon to settle on the south of the Ohio, against the Indians across its water. Vance built on his own land the old block house known as Vance's Fort and early settlers would come nightly with their families, driving their cattle before them, to its protecting gates. The post office there was called Vancefort from this fact, until March 10, 1886, when it was changed to Coraopolis, on account of confusion occasioned by other Vanceforts in the country.
In 1776 Andrew [sic] Vance was appointed an officer in the Virginia Continental Line, becoming Lieutenant Vance in the Thirteenth Virginia, Captain James Sullivan's Company, commanded by Colonel William Russell. He resigned this commission in 1778, and organizing a company of his own, was commissioned its captain, August 19, 1778, and assigned to the Ninth Virginia commanded by Colonel John Gibson. He remained in the service until 1781, when he became supernumerary. In recognition of his services the United States Government granted him four thousand acres of land on the Big Miami river in Ohio. This grant was signed by Andrew Jackson. [WON, 540]
General Notes: Wife - Jean White
She was a woman of exceptional attainments and took her part in all the hardships incident to pioneer life, and stood by her husband through all. She was a famous beauty in her youth, and an accomplished horsewoman.
1 John W. Jordan, LL.D., Genealogical and Personal History of Beaver County, Pennsylvania (New York: Lewis Historical Publishing Co., 1914), Pg 597.
2 Fenwick Y. Hedley, Old and New Westmoreland, Vols. III & IV (New York, NY: The American Historical Society, Inc., 1918), Pg 540.
3 John W. Jordan, LL.D., Genealogical and Personal History of Beaver County, Pennsylvania (New York: Lewis Historical Publishing Co., 1914), Pg 598.
4 —, The History of Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, Part II (Chicago, IL: A. W. Warner & Co., 1889), Pg 706.
5 John W. Jordan, History of Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania, Genealogical Memoirs, Vol. III (Chicago, IL: The Lewis Publishing Company, 1906), Pg 471.
6 John W. Jordan, LL.D., Genealogical and Personal History of Western Pennsylvania (New York: Lewis Historical Publishing Company, 1915), Pg 1576.
7 John W. Jordan, History of Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania, Genealogical Memoirs, Vol. III (Chicago, IL: The Lewis Publishing Company, 1906), Pg 470.
8 —, The History of Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, Part II (Chicago, IL: A. W. Warner & Co., 1889), Pg 476.
9 John W. Jordan, LL.D., Genealogical and Personal History of Western Pennsylvania (New York: Lewis Historical Publishing Company, 1915), Pg 229.
10
John W. Jordan, LL.D., Genealogical and Personal History of Beaver County, Pennsylvania (New York: Lewis Historical Publishing Co., 1914), Pg 599.
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