The 1781 Muster Roll for Daniel Trigg's Militia

On 31 March 1781 a muster roll was created for Daniel Trigg's militia in Montgomery County, Virginia.  This muster roll has been transcribed twice by independent researchers: 1) Combs researchers Barbara Stacy Mathews & Carole Hammett and 2) researcher George Baumbach from "Montgomery County, Virginia, The First Hundred Years," C. W. Crush & F. T. Ingelmire, Iberian Publishing Company, Athens, Georgia.  I provided both muster roll transcriptions to Grok and asked for transcription followed by analysis of the Skaggs entries in the context of the Skaggs information we have previously collected.

Below is the transcription from the Combs researchers:

DANIEL TRIGG'S MILITIA 31 Mar 1781

31st March 1781

• Daniel Trigg, Capt.
• Israel Lorton, Lieut.
• Samuel McGehee, Lieut.
• Albert Bright, Insn:
• John Elswick, Sergt. [CI: Eliwick]
• Archibald Thompson, Sergt.
• William Lawson, Sergt not fit [CI: Sanren]
• Faulkner Elliot, Sergt. [CI: Falkner]

Privates

1. Blackburn Akers not fit
2. Thomas Alley
3. Henry Stafford above 50
4. Jonathan Elswick [CI: Eswick]
5. Richd. Hawkins not fit [CI: Hawkens]
6. Samuel Arthur
7. Francis Charlton
8. Peter Benner 50 not fit
9. Archibald Elkins
10. Hezekiah Whitt [CI: Herckekiah]
11. Henry Bishop
12. Samuel Canterberry not fit
13. John Stevens not fit
14. John Howerton [CI: John Hornton]
15. Reuben Collingsworth [CI: Collinsworth]
16. Jacob Blackburn
17. Richd. Whitt
18. Thomas Pate
19. William Drikten?
20. Anthony Pate, Junr.
21. William Howerton
22. Barnet Presgrove not fit
23. John Duncan
24. Robert Bell
25. Thomas Evans
26. Barnet Farmer under 18
27. Adam Pate under 18
28. William Ratliff above 50
29. Nathan Ratliff
30. Richd. Ratliff
31. Daniel Dobbins
32. Michael Mattocks about moving
33. James Collinsworth
34. Edmund Collinsworth
35. John Collinsworth
36. Abram Hilton
37. Henry Bingaman not fit
38. John Bingaman
39. William Hawkins (Hankins?)
40. Thomas Kirk
41. Thomas Pate, Junr. under 18
42. Jacob Pate
43. John Charlton
44. Henry Skeggs not fit
45. Will: Hall
46. Wm. Jones
47. John Arthur
48. John Beth, Junr. under 18
49. John Dispain
50. Moses Skeggs
51. John Wilys
52. John Harrison not fit
53. Matthias Peterson not fit
54. Sayton Romine under 18
55. William Bradley
56. John Beard under 18
57. Abram Hankins under 18
58. Cary? Alley under 18
59. Ely Peterson under 18
60. Edmund Vancil
61. Richd. Henderson
62. John Higgins
63. Henry Skaggs, Junr.
64. Benjamin Staycie
65. John Staycie
66. [possibly missing name]
67. [possibly missing name]
68. Simon Staycie
69. Wm. Combs
70. Mayson Combs
71. Bradley Meridith, Junr.
72. Thos. Israel
73. Benjamin Dispain
74. Jos. Compton
75. Thompson Farmer not fit
76. William Davis
77. Jeremiah Barnet not fit
78. Christopher Horn
79. John Pate
80. Jacob Skeggs under 18
81. William Becknal

(Note: "CI" indicates corrected or alternative interpretations from the original text. Some names are uncertain due to handwriting or transcription issues, e.g., "Drikten?" and "Cary?". The list may be incomplete, with two potential missing names around entries 66–67 due to a possible cut-off in copying.)

Below is the second transcription from George Baumbach:

Transcription of Daniel Trigg's Militia Muster Roll (31 March 1781) by George Baumbach

Source: "Montgomery County, Virginia, The First Hundred Years," C. W. Crush & F. T. Ingelmire, Iberian Publishing Company, Athens, GA Provided by: Researcher George Baumbach A List of Daniel Triggs Company - 31st March 1781

• Daniel Trigg, Captain.
• John Eliwick [CS: Elswick]
• Israel Lorton, Lieut.
• Archibald Thompson
• Samuel McGehee, Lieut.
• William Sanren [CS: Lawson]
• Albert Bright, Insign
• Falkner Elliott [CS: Faulkner]

Privates

1. Blackburn Akers
2. Thomas Alley
3. Henry Stafford
4. Francis Charlton
5. Archibald Elkins
6. Henry Bishop
7. John Stevens
8. Reuben Collinsworth [CS: Collingsworth]
9. Richd. White
10. William Drikten
11. William Hornton
12. John Duncan
13. Thomas Evans
14. Adam Pate
15. Nathan Ratliff
16. Daniel Dobbins
17. James Collinsworth
18. John Collinsworth
19. Henry Benjamin
20. William Hawkins
21. Thomas Pate Junr.
22. Jonathan Eswick [Elwick per CS]
23. Richd. Hawkens
24. Samuel Arthur
25. Peter Benner
26. Herckiah White [CS: Hezekiah]
27. Samuel Cantenberry
28. John Howerton
29. Jacob Blackburn
30. Thomas Pate
31. Anthony Pace, Junr.
32. Barnet Prisgrove
33. Robert Bell
34. Barnel Farmer
35. William Ratliff
36. Richd. Ratliff
37. Michael Mattocks
38. Edmund Collinsworth
39. Abram Hilton
40. John Bingaman
41. Thomas Kirk
42. John Carlton
43. Henry Skeggs
44. Wm. Jones
45. John Beth, Junr.
46. Moses Skeggs
47. John Harrison
48. Sayton Romine
49. John Bears
50. Cary Allen
51. Edmund Vancil
52. Wm. Coadey
53. John Higgans
54. Benjamin Staycie
55. Simon Staycie
56. Wm. Combs
57. Bradley Meredith, Junr.
58. Benjamin Dispain
59. Thomas Farmer
60. Jeremiah Barnet
61. John Pate
62. Wm. Becknal
63. Wm. Hall
64. John Arthur
65. John Dispain
66. John Wilys
67. Matthus Peterson
68. William Pradley
69. Abram Hankins
70. Ely Peterson
71. Richd. Henderson
72. Henry Keggs, Junr.
73. William Coadesk
74. John Staycie
75. Mayson Combs
76. Thoms Isreal
77. Jos. Crompton
78. Michl. Tarter
79. William Davis
80. Christopher Horn
81. Jacob Skeggs

Note: "50 for duty" is listed at the end, possibly indicating the number of fit privates, though the total listed is 81. [CS] indicates corrected spellings from the original transcription by Crush and Ingelmire, as provided by Baumbach.

Skaggs Information from the Muster Roll

• Henry Skeggs/Keggs (Entry 43/44): "Not fit" in CS, no notation in CI but implied exempt (per "50 for duty"). Likely 18–50, disqualified non-age related. [Bill: This is very interesting since it calls into question the presumed 1724 birth date for Henry.  He was likely born after 1731.]
• Moses Skeggs (Entry 46/50): Fit in both, 18–50 eligible.
• Henry Skaggs/Keggs, Junr. (Entry 72/63): Fit in both, 18–50 eligible.
• Jacob Skeggs (Entry 81/80): "Under 18" in CS, no age in CI but exempt per context.  [Bill: This is also very interesting since it calls into question presumed birth dates for Jacob earlier than 1763.]

I then asked Grok to use the Skaggs information from these two transcriptions to supplement the information we collected from deeds, wills, etc. for the "Long Hunter" Skaggs family and update the summary:

Overview of the Skaggs Family

The Skaggs family, as documented in the analyzed sources—the 1769 land deeds from Augusta County, Virginia; the 1783/1784 land survey for Rachel Skaggs in Montgomery County, Virginia; the Archibald Thompson Journal (with family birth registers, marriages, travels, and ledger entries from the 1750s to the 1790s); the Moses Skaggs estate papers (Green County, Kentucky, filed around 1836); Henry Skaggs' will dated April 5, 1809, and probated December 24, 1810; Charles Skaggs' will dated February 9, 1815, and probated January 22, 1816; Richard Skaggs' will dated December 10, 1818, and probated May 21, 1821; and the March 31, 1781, militia muster roll from Montgomery County, Virginia (transcribed by Barbara Stacy Mathews, Carole Hammett, and George Baumbach)—depicts a settler family originating in colonial Virginia and migrating to Kentucky. The family is associated with the "Long Hunter" tradition of frontier exploration. The sources emphasize land transactions, family relationships, militia service, and inheritance, with the journal providing genealogical details, and the wills and estate papers detailing asset distributions.

Patriarchal Generation

• James Skaggs Sr. and Rachel Skaggs: James Sr. and Rachel held a 440-acre tract on the Middle River of the Shenandoah in Augusta County, Virginia. On August 17, 1769, they deeded 200 acres each to sons Henry and James Jr. James Sr. died prior to September 14, 1781, as Rachel claimed 150 acres on the New River in Montgomery County as a widow on that date (surveyed March 8, 1783, and assigned to Henry on May 1, 1784), indicating her death occurred between March 8, 1783, and May 1, 1784.

Children and Immediate Descendants

The Moses Skaggs estate papers list the siblings, supplemented by birth registers in the journal, Henry’s will, Charles’ will, Richard’s will, and the muster roll:

• Henry Skaggs (b. aft. 1730 d. ca. 1810): Son of James Sr. and Rachel; received 200 acres on August 17, 1769. Married Mary Skaggs, who received a life estate in his will dated April 5, 1809. His will, probated December 24, 1810, bequeathed land to grandson John Skaggs (son of James Skaggs), enslaved people to son David Skaggs (Tob), daughter Sarah Skaggs (Rachel), and grandson James Skaggs (the rest, including Jenny), with $1 to Stephen Skaggs and the residue to his children (excluding Rachel and her issue). Henry's children, per the journal, include John Thompson Skaggs (born December 4/5, 1760), Lucy Skaggs (born December 5, 1762; married John Stasey on May 9, 1782), Solomon Skaggs (born January 30, 1766), David Skaggs (born April 28, 1767), Silvanus Skaggs (born February 18, 1769), and Mary Skaggs (born December 19, 1771). Listed as "not fit" on the March 31, 1781, muster roll.
• James Skaggs Jr.: Son of James Sr. and Rachel; received 200 acres on August 17, 1769. Father of grandsons John and James (per Henry's will). Named executor in Henry's will.
• Charles Skaggs (d. ca. 1815): Son of James Sr. and Rachel; married Lucinda "Lucy" Thompson. The journal records their children's births: Archibald Skaggs (born January 3, 1759), Rachel Skaggs (born last day of August 1761), Nancy Skaggs (born April 22, 1763), Frederick Skaggs (born December 11, 1764), Mary Skaggs (born September 16, 1767), Thomas Skaggs (born December 16, 1769), Sarah Skaggs (born December 27, 1771), and Moses Skaggs (born January 27, 1774). His will, dated February 9, 1815, and probated January 22, 1816, granted Lucy a life estate or widowhood interest in all property.
• Moses Skaggs (b. aft. 1730): Son of James Sr. and Rachel; died intestate without children or surviving spouse prior to the 1836 estate suit, which divided his property among siblings' heirs. Listed as fit on the March 31, 1781, muster roll.
• Richard Skaggs (d. ca. 1821): Son of James Sr. and Rachel; married Elizabeth Skaggs. His will, dated December 10, 1818, and probated May 21, 1821, granted Elizabeth a life estate in all property, then divided the home tract equally among sons John and Charles and daughter Mary; residual estate to John, Charles, Elizabeth, Mary, and heirs of daughter Rachel; enslaved people Isaac and Judah sold after Elizabeth’s death with proceeds distributed similarly. Executors were sons John and Charles.
• Jacob Skaggs (b. ca. 1763): Son of James Sr. and Rachel; listed in Moses' estate papers. Listed as "under 18" on the March 31, 1781, muster roll.
• John Skaggs: Son of James Sr. and Rachel; witnessed both 1769 deeds.
• Sisters: Susanah (married Richard Whitt), Lydia (married Mathias Harman), Elizabeth (married John Hankins), and Nancy (married William Meredith), per Moses' estate papers.

Extended and Collateral Relatives

• James Skaggs (married to Susannah): Likely a cousin or nephew of James Sr.; witnessed both 1769 deeds.
• Thompson Family Ties: The journal connects the Skaggs to the Thompsons through Lucinda Thompson (married Charles Skaggs) and possibly Mary Thompson (married Henry Skaggs). Archibald Thompson’s diary notes travels (e.g., November 13, 1796, to March 27, 1797, staying at Solomon Skaggs' house on Pitman Creek) and ledger entries involving Skaggs family members (e.g., David Skaggs owing for sows and corn). Listed as sergeant on the March 31, 1781, muster roll.

Key Milestones and Dates

• Pre-1769: James Sr. and Rachel acquired the 440-acre Augusta County tract.
• August 17, 1769: Deeds to Henry and James Jr. executed and witnessed.
• March 31, 1781: Muster roll documented militia service in Montgomery County.
• September 14, 1781: Commissioners' certificate issued for Rachel's 150-acre claim in Montgomery County.
• March 8, 1783: Survey conducted for Rachel's land.
• May 1, 1784: Rachel's land assigned to Henry.
• 1778–1781: Archibald Thompson resided on Henry's plantation.
• May 9, 1782: Lucy Skaggs (daughter of Henry) married John Stasey.
• 1796–1797: Archibald Thompson’s journey from Little River to Green River, noting stays with Solomon Skaggs.
• Prior to 1836: Moses Skaggs died intestate; estate suit filed around 1836 in Green County.
• April 5, 1809: Henry Skaggs executed his will.
• December 24, 1810: Henry's will probated in Green County.
• February 9, 1815: Charles Skaggs executed his will.
• January 22, 1816: Charles' will probated in Green County.
• December 10, 1818: Richard Skaggs executed his will.
• May 21, 1821: Richard's will probated in Barren County.

Enslaved Persons

• From Henry Skaggs' will (dated April 5, 1809): Tob (enslaved man, to son David), Lucy (enslaved woman, to Sibbina/Sylvania), Rachel (enslaved girl, to daughter Sarah), Jenny (enslaved person, part of remainder to grandson James).
• From Charles Skaggs' will (dated February 9, 1815): SuSanna, Bob and Sepio bequeathed to sons Archibald, Thomas and Moses respectively.
• From Richard Skaggs' will (dated December 10, 1818): Isaac and Judah (enslaved people, to be sold after Elizabeth’s death).

This overview is based solely on the dates and relationships from the documents, focusing on verified evidence while omitting unsupported approximations. The Skaggs family's history illustrates patterns of land acquisition, militia service, migration, and inheritance in the American frontier.