Samuel, Alexander, John and William Gaulding in the Revolutionary War

The Gaulding family’s Revolutionary War legacy is preserved through the meticulous records of the National Society Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR)—an organization renowned for its rigorous documentation standards and commitment to historical accuracy. Each of the four Gaulding men recognized by DAR—William T. Gaulding, Samuel Gaulding, Alexander Gaulden, and John Gaulden—has been verified through primary sources and proven service records that meet DAR’s high standards of genealogical proof. Their combined contributions—military, patriotic, guard, and civil—illustrate how one family’s devotion to liberty took many forms, each documented with precision and preserved as part of America’s enduring story of independence.

The Military Record of Samuel Gaulding

The DAR listing for Samuel Gaulding recognizes him as a Revolutionary War Patriot, not because he served as a soldier, but because he provided Patriotic Service by furnishing supplies to the American cause. In Virginia, thousands of citizens supported the Revolution by giving food, livestock, forage, or other goods to the militia or Continental forces. These contributions were recorded in county court books and later compiled into statewide lists known as the Virginia Public Service Claims.

Samuel appears in these records as a man who furnished supplies, and this is the basis for his DAR recognition. His service is documented in the published transcription Virginia Revolutionary Public Claims by Abercrombie and Slatten, and an original Bedford County, Virginia court record, which DAR holds internally as a photocopy.  The DAR listing also provides approximate life dates. Samuel was born around 1732, and his death occurred before 6 October 1785, the date his estate was probated in Campbell County, Virginia. This probate date is what DAR uses to establish his “ante” death date.

The listing further shows that DAR has approved at least one descendant line through Samuel’s son William T. Gaulding, who married Peggy (Margaret) X. This does not mean DAR has evaluated all of Samuel’s children—only that one lineage has been proven and accepted for membership.

It is important to understand that DAR does not provide the full text of Samuel’s claim in their public listing. They only cite the sources that prove his service. The Bedford County court record, in particular, is not published online; it exists as a copy in DAR’s internal files and must be accessed through a DAR chapter registrar or by visiting the DAR Library. (2)  In short, the DAR listing confirms that Samuel Gaulding of Bedford/Campbell County, Virginia is a documented Revolutionary War Patriot who supported the cause by supplying goods.

Unfortunately Abercrombie & Slatten is not available online and there is no full digital version posted by the Library of Virginia, HathiTrust, Google Books, or Internet Archive. It is a copyrighted, privately published transcription, and access is generally limited to physical libraries, genealogical societies, the DAR Library in Washington, DC, paid genealogical collections and interlibrary loan.  As been previously said, the original Bedford County Court record is only available through the DAR Library.

DAR “Patriotic Service”

Within the standards of the National Society Daughters of the American Revolution (NSDAR), the term “Patriotic Service” has a very specific meaning. It refers to individuals who supported the American Revolution in non‑military but officially recognized ways. These were men and women who did not serve as soldiers or sailors, yet whose contributions materially aided the Revolutionary cause and were recorded in contemporary public records.

Patriotic Service includes a wide range of documented activities: signing oaths of allegiance, serving in civil offices under Revolutionary authority, participating on committees of safety or correspondence, paying special taxes levied to support the war, or providing goods and supplies to the militia or Continental forces. In Virginia, one of the most common forms of such service was furnishing supplies, because the state maintained detailed records of reimbursements and claims submitted by citizens who provided food, livestock, forage, equipment, or other necessities to the war effort.

This is the category under which Samuel Gaulding of Bedford and later Campbell County, Virginia, is recognized. According to the DAR, Samuel “furnished supplies,” and this contribution is documented in the Virginia Public Service Claims and in a Bedford County court record. These records demonstrate that he materially supported the Revolution, even though he did not serve as a soldier. His service qualifies him as a Revolutionary War Patriot under DAR rules.

The DAR listing also provides approximate life dates—born around 1732 and deceased before 6 October 1785, the probate date of his estate in Campbell County. The listing further indicates that DAR has approved at least one descendant line through his son William T. Gaulding, though this does not imply that all of Samuel’s children or descendants have been evaluated.

To understand Samuel’s service in full detail it is necessary to consult the original sources DAR used. The published transcription by Abercrombie and Slatten will show the entry for Samuel’s public service claim, while the Bedford County court record—held internally by DAR—contains the primary documentation of his contribution. These sources together form the evidentiary basis for Samuel’s recognition as a Patriot who provided Patriotic Service during the American Revolution.

His family connection: Samuel Gaulding was the son of John “of New Kent” Gaulding and his wife Ann.  At an early age he moved, probably with his father, to Goochland County where he was apprentice to Thomas Edwards to learn the craft of Carpentry.  He married Elizabeth Turner after he completed his apprenticeship and they had a number of children.  At the outbreak of the Revolutionary War Samuel was too old to carry arms against the British, but he served the cause of American freedom through his patriotic service. 

Narrative Summary of DAR Patriot: Alexander Gaulden (A134004)

The National Society Daughters of the American Revolution (NSDAR) (3) recognizes Alexander Gaulden, (1) born circa 1746, as a Revolutionary War Patriot from Virginia. His service is classified under the DAR category of “Guard”, which refers to men who served in local or county guard units—typically short‑term militia detachments responsible for protecting supplies, escorting prisoners, guarding public stores, or performing other home‑front defensive duties. This was not Continental Line service, but it was an officially recognized form of military support within Virginia.

The DAR listing further notes that Alexander was “paid for services rendered.” This phrase indicates that his Revolutionary War contribution appears in Virginia Public Service Claims or related county records documenting payments made to citizens for military or militia service. These payments were often recorded in county court order books or in state‑level reimbursement lists. In Alexander’s case, the DAR has verified that he performed guard duty for which he received compensation, and this documentation meets their standards for Revolutionary War service.

Alexander’s life dates are approximate. He was born around 1746, and his death occurred before 17 May 1819, the date when his estate or related legal action was recorded in Prince Edward County, Virginia. This probate‑related date is what DAR uses to establish his “ante” death date.

The DAR listing does not provide a full biography, list of children, or details of his family relationships. Instead, it confirms only that he lived in Virginia during the Revolutionary period, that he performed guard service and was paid for that service.  His service is documented in primary sources accepted by DAR.  He died before 17 May 1819 in Prince Edward County. (3)  To understand the exact nature of his service—such as the specific dates, duties, or payment amounts—you would need to consult the original sources DAR used. These include the Virginia Public Service Claims and the Prince Edward County court records, (3) which contain the primary documentation of his Revolutionary War contribution.

His family connection: This is Alexander Gaulding, the son of Matthew "John II" Gaulding and his wife Sarah Elizabeth (Geers?).  He married twice, the first time (1) to Lucy Barnett, the daughter of Richard Barnett, Sr. (1740-1805) and Mary Bailey (1737-1792). Their children were Alexander, Jesse, Polly and Barnett Gaulding.  His second wife was (2) to Elizabeth Willard.  They had a son William C. Gaulding who was born 9 May 1818 in Prince Edward County, Virginia and died 25 November 1899 in Mississippi.

Narrative Summary of DAR Patriot: John Gaulden (A127234)

The National Society Daughters of the American Revolution (NSDAR) recognizes John Gaulden, born circa 1742 in Amelia County, Virginia, as a Revolutionary War Patriot based on his Civil Service in South Carolina. According to the DAR, John did not serve as a soldier; instead, his contribution to the American cause came through his participation in the civil government of the Camden District during the Revolution.[i]

The DAR’s service description states that John served on a Petit Jury in the Camden District of South Carolina during 1778–1779. Jury service during the Revolutionary period is considered Patriotic Service because jurors were required to swear allegiance to the new American government. Serving on a jury under Revolutionary authority demonstrated loyalty to the Patriot cause at a time when South Carolina was deeply divided between Patriots and Loyalists. The DAR therefore recognizes this civil duty as qualifying Revolutionary War service.

The source DAR cites for this service is Hendrix and Lindsey’s Jury Lists of South Carolina, 1778–1779, (5) which includes John Gaulden’s name on page 48. This publication transcribes the original jury lists compiled during the war, documenting the men who served in official civic roles in the newly formed state government.

The DAR listing (6) also provides approximate life dates. John was born around 1742 in Amelia County, Virginia, and died before 18 April 1782 in the Camden District of South Carolina. (7) The “ante” death date reflects the probate or administrative date of his estate, which is how DAR establishes the latest possible date of death.

The DAR listing does not provide a full biography, list of children, or genealogical connections. It simply confirms that:

John Gaulden lived in the Camden District during the Revolution

He served on a Petit Jury in 1778–1779

This service qualifies as Civil Service under DAR rules

His service is documented in a recognized primary-source transcription

He died before 18 April 1782

This recognition places him among the many men who supported the Revolution not through military action, but through the functioning of local government during a turbulent and dangerous period in South Carolina’s history.

His family connection: He is of course John Gaulden, born about 1735 in Prince Edward County, Virginia and died 1782 in Camden, Kershaw, South Carolina.  He married Susannah Brumfield (1740-1810) the daughter of John Watson Brumfield and Elizabeth Patton.  Their children were James, William, Martha "Patsy", Dempsey, Zachariah, Elizabeth, Jonathan and Sarah.  John Gaulden (A127234) and Alexander Gaulden (A134004) were brothers, both the sons of Matthew “John II” Gaulding.

Narrative Summary of the Military Service of William T. Gaulding (A043644)

The National Society Daughters of the American Revolution (NSDAR) recognizes William T. Gaulding, (8) born in 1752 in King William County, Virginia, as a Revolutionary War soldier who served as a Private in the Virginia militia. He is identified by DAR as the son of Patriot Samuel Gaulden/Gaulding, and he appears in both his own DAR file and in Samuel’s file as the same man who married Peggy (Margaret) X.

William’s Revolutionary War service is documented through his pension application, filed under the number SW7509*, which DAR cites as its primary source. This pension file contains his sworn testimony describing his military service, the officers under whom he served, and the campaigns in which he participated. According to DAR’s summary, William served under several Virginia militia officers, including Captains James Adams, Gideon Booker, and Dickson, and under Colonels Lynch, Leigh, Washington, Morgan, and Williams—a list that reflects the shifting structure of Virginia militia units during the war.

His service likely included periods of short‑term militia duty, common among Virginia soldiers, who were called out for rotating tours of defense, scouting, escorting prisoners, and supporting Continental operations. The presence of officers such as Colonel Charles Lynch and Colonel William Washington suggests that William may have participated in militia actions in central and southern Virginia, possibly including operations connected to the defense of the Piedmont and the Dan River region. (9)

DAR lists William’s death as occurring before September 1841 in Pittsylvania County, Virginia, based on probate (10) or pension‑related documentation. His pension file, (9) which DAR uses as its authoritative source, contains the details of his service, his residence, and his family relationships, including his marriage to Peggy.

The DAR listing also includes a note: “DATA IN THE CORRECTION FILE.” This indicates that DAR has received corrections or clarifications regarding his record—often relating to lineage, spouse identification, or service details—and that these corrections have been reviewed and incorporated into his official file. This is common for Patriots whose names appear with variant spellings (Gaulden, Gaulding, Goulden, etc.) or who lived in counties with overlapping records.

In summary, DAR recognizes William T. Gaulding, the son of Samuel Gaulding as a documented Revolutionary War soldier whose service is verified through his pension file.  His military service will be presented in greater detail in your forthcoming post on Gaulding Origins, but the DAR record establishes him as a Virginia Private who served under multiple militia officers and lived long enough to apply for a pension in the early 19th century.

His family connection: William T. Gaulding was the son of Samuel Gaulding.  His birth date comes from his pension application.  He stated he was born in 1752 in King William County, Virginia and he died on 9 September 1841 at his home in Pittsylvania County, Virginia.  He married twice, the first time to Margaret Lane, whom he undoubtedly married in Bedford County.  Margaret had an illigitimate daughter named Nancy Jonathan Davidson, another resident of Bedford County who lived in close proximity to Samuel Gaulding and his family.  Margaret's name and the identity of Nancy's father were revealed in a Chancery Suit, dated 1853, Gaulding vs Woodall.  The children of William and Margaret were Andrew Jackson "Andy" Gaulding, Thomas D., William T. Jr., Moses, Samuel B. and Elizabeth.  Before his death William T. Gauldin married a women who was much younger than he was.  Her name was Malissa "Dicy" Burnett.  They had two children, Mary Ann born 1835 and Jabez Sidney Gauldin, born about 1837.  Jabez was evidently recognized by the court as the legitimate son of William T. Gaulding because he is listed as a beneficiary in the estate settlement.

Comparison Chart: Revolutionary War Service of Gaulding/Gaulden Men

Patriot	Type of Service	Rank	Service Details	Sources Used by DAR	Birth / Death
William T. Gaulding (Son of Samuel)	Military Service	Private	Served under Captains James Adams, Gideon Booker, Dickson; and under Colonels Lynch, Leigh, Washington, Morgan, Williams. His service is documented in his pension file, which includes sworn testimony of his tours.	Pension File SW7509*; DAR Ancestor #A043644	Born 1752, King William Co., VA; died before Sept 1841, Pittsylvania Co., VA
Samuel Gaulding (Son of John of New Kent)	Patriotic Service	—	Furnished supplies to the Revolutionary cause. Appears in Virginia Public Service Claims and Bedford County court records. No military service recorded.	Abercrombie & Slatten, Virginia Revolutionary Publick Claims, Vol. 1, p. 176; Bedford Co. Court Record; DAR Ancestor #A204851	Born ca. 1732; died before 6 Oct 1785, Campbell Co., VA
Alexander Gaulden (Son of Matthew “John II”)	Guard Duty (Local Militia)	Guard	Performed local defense/guard service, likely guarding stores, escorting prisoners, or protecting supply depots. Received payment for services rendered, documented in Virginia public claims.	Virginia Public Service Claims; Prince Edward Co. Court Records; DAR Ancestor #A134004	Born ca. 1746; died before 17 May 1819, Prince Edward Co., VA
John Gaulden (Son of Matthew “John II”)	Civil Service	—	Served on a Petit Jury in the Camden District, SC (1778–1779). Jury service required an oath of allegiance and is recognized as Patriotic Service under DAR rules.	Hendrix & Lindsey, Jury Lists of South Carolina 1778–1779, p. 48; DAR Ancestor #A127234	Born 1735 in Prince Edward County, Virginia

Ages of Gaulding/Gaulden Men at the Start of the Revolutionary War (1775)

When the Revolutionary War began in April 1775, the four Gaulding/Gaulden men recognized by the DAR were at very different stages of life, which shaped the type of service each provided.

William T. Gaulding, born in 1752, was only 23 years old when the war began—prime age for militia service. His youth and physical capability align with his DAR‑recognized role as a Private in the Virginia militia, serving under multiple captains and colonels and later filing a pension describing his tours.

His father, Samuel Gaulding, born around 1732, was about 43 years old in 1775. At that age, especially in rural Virginia, men often supported the war effort through Patriotic Service rather than active combat. Samuel’s contribution—furnishing supplies—fits perfectly with the responsibilities of a middle‑aged landowner or farmer supporting the militia.

Alexander Gaulden, born around 1746, was approximately 29 years old at the outbreak of the war. His age places him between William and Samuel, and his DAR‑recognized role as a Guard reflects a form of militia service that was physically active but typically local—guarding stores, escorting prisoners, or protecting supply depots.

John Gaulden, born around 1742, was about 33 years old in 1775. Living in the Camden District of South Carolina, he served in a different capacity: Civil Service. His role as a Petit Juror in 1778–1779 required an oath of allegiance to the Patriot government, which DAR recognizes as Revolutionary service. His age and location made him well‑suited for civic duty during a turbulent period in South Carolina.

Together, these ages show a clear pattern:

The youngest man (William) served as a soldier.

The middle‑aged men (Alexander and John) served in guard and civil roles.

The oldest man (Samuel) provided supplies and logistical support.

This distribution reflects the typical wartime responsibilities of men in different age brackets during the American Revolution.

The average age of the soldiers of the American Revolution

When the American Revolutionary War began in April 1775, the typical soldier who stepped forward to fight was a young man in his early twenties. Muster rolls, pension applications, and demographic studies conducted by military historians all point to the same conclusion: the average Continental or militia soldier was about 23–24 years old at the outbreak of the war. (11)

This age pattern was not accidental. Eighteenth‑century warfare demanded physical endurance—long marches, exposure to weather, carrying heavy muskets and equipment, and the constant threat of disease. Young men were simply better suited to withstand these hardships. Colonial militia laws technically required service from able‑bodied white males between 16 and 50, but in practice, the men most frequently called into active duty were those between 18 and 25. They were strong, unmarried, and less tied to farms, businesses, or dependents.

Economic and social realities reinforced this trend. Older men—especially landowners, heads of households, and established farmers—were more likely to support the war through Patriotic Service, such as furnishing supplies, serving in civil offices, or performing local guard duty. Younger men, by contrast, had fewer obligations and were more mobile. They could leave home for extended periods, making them the natural backbone of the Continental Army and state militias.

The strongest evidence for this age distribution comes from the thousands of pension applications filed decades after the war. These records consistently show that the men who served in the early years of the Revolution were overwhelmingly born between 1750 and 1760, placing them squarely in their late teens or early twenties in 1775. Historians who have analyzed these files—along with muster rolls and demographic data—have repeatedly confirmed that the average soldier was a young man of about 23–24 years old.

This historical reality aligns perfectly with the age of William T. Gaulding, who was 23 when the war began—exactly the age most common among Virginia militia privates. His father, Samuel Gaulding, at about 43, fits the profile of older men who supported the war through supply provision rather than military service. The Gaulding men, in other words, reflect the broader demographic patterns of Revolutionary America: the young fought, the middle‑aged supported, and the elderly governed.

Works Cited

1. Abercrombie, Janice L., and Richard Slatten. Virginia Revolutionary “Publick” Claims. Vol. 1. Athens, GA. [Online] Iberian Publishing Company, 1992. Page 176, Contains transcriptions of Virginia Public Service Claims, including Samuel Gaulding. [Cited: ] https://www.worldcat.org/title/26857572.

2. Bedford County, Virginia. Court Records relating to Revolutionary Public Service Claims. [Online] Original manuscript record; DAR holds a photocopy in its internal files, To access, contact the DAR Library or a DAR chapter registrar. [Cited: ] https://www.dar.org/library.

3. National Society Daughters of the American Revolution (NSDAR). DAR Genealogical Research System (GRS). [Online] Ancestor Record for Alexander Gaulden, Ancestor #A134004. https://services.dar.org/public/dar_research/search/?Tab_ID=1.

4. Prince Edward County, Virginia. Court Order Books and Public Service Claim Records, Revolutionary War Era. [Online] Original manuscript records held at the Prince Edward County Courthouse, Library of Virginia catalog: https://lva.virginia.gov microfilm copies available at the Library of Virginia.

5. Hendrix, Leon, and Robert L. Lindsey. Jury Lists of South Carolina, 1778–1779. [Online] Columbia, South Carolina: South Carolina Archives Department, 1975. Page 48. [Cited: ] https://www.worldcat.org/title/2520502.

6. National Society Daughters of the American Revolution (NSDAR). DAR Genealogical Research System (GRS). [Online] Ancestor Record for John Gaulden, Ancestor #A127234. https://services.dar.org/public/dar_research/search/?Tab_ID=1.

7. Camden District, South Carolina. Probate and Court Records, 1782. [Online] Original manuscripts held at the South Carolina Department of Archives and History. [Cited: ] https://scdah.sc.gov.

8. National Society Daughters of the American Revolution (NSDAR). DAR Genealogical Research System (GRS). [Online] Ancestor Record for William T. Gaulding, Ancestor #A043644. https://services.dar.org/public/dar_research/search/?Tab_ID=1.

9. United States. National Archives and Records Administration. Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty‑Land Warrant Application Files. [Online] Pension File SW7509*, William T. Gaulding (Gaulden/Gauldin), Also available on microfilm: NARA Microfilm Publication M804 Available via Fold3 (subscription): https://www.fold3.com .

10. Pittsylvania County, Virginia. Probate and Court Records, 1841. [Online] Original manuscripts held at the Pittsylvania County Courthouse; microfilm available at the Library of Virginia, Library of Virginia catalog: https://lva.virginia.gov.

11. Royster, Charles. A Revolutionary People at War: The Continental Army and American Character, 1775–1783. Chapel Hill : University of North Carolina Press, 1979. Provides demographic analysis showing most Continental soldiers were in their early twenties.

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Endnotes

[i] The Camden District During the American Revolution

During the American Revolution, the Camden District of South Carolina was one of the most volatile, strategically important, and violently contested regions in the entire South. Created in 1769 as one of South Carolina’s seven judicial districts, Camden stretched across a vast interior territory—covering what would later become Kershaw, Fairfield, Lancaster, Chester, York, and parts of Richland and Sumter Counties. Its administrative center was the town of Camden, a frontier settlement positioned along the Great Wagon Road, the major migration artery linking Virginia to the Carolina backcountry.

By 1775, the Camden District had become a fault line between Patriot and Loyalist populations. The backcountry was ethnically diverse—Scots-Irish, English, German, Welsh—and politically divided. Many settlers resented the lowcountry elite who dominated colonial government, while others remained loyal to the Crown. As a result, the Revolution in Camden was not simply a war against Britain; it was a civil war among neighbors, marked by shifting allegiances, local feuds, and brutal partisan fighting.

The district’s importance grew as British strategy shifted southward in 1778–1780. The British believed the South contained a large Loyalist population ready to rise in support of the Crown. When British forces captured Charleston in May 1780, they established a chain of inland posts—Camden chief among them—to control the interior and suppress Patriot resistance. Camden became the headquarters of Lord Charles Cornwallis and the center of British military operations in the southern theater.

This occupation turned the district into a battleground. The Battle of Camden (16 August 1780), one of the worst Patriot defeats of the war, took place just north of the town. Later, the region saw the rise of Patriot partisans such as Thomas Sumter, Francis Marion, and Andrew Pickens, who waged guerrilla warfare against British and Loyalist forces. Skirmishes, raids, and retaliatory attacks became a daily reality for the people of the district.

Amid this turmoil, the functioning of civil government took on heightened significance. Serving on a Petit Jury, as John Gaulden did in 1778–1779, was not a routine civic duty. Jury service required an oath of allegiance to the new American government, and in a region where loyalties were sharply divided, taking such an oath was a public declaration of Patriot commitment. The DAR recognizes this as Civil Service, a form of Revolutionary War support equivalent to other non‑military patriotic acts.

By the end of the war, the Camden District had endured occupation, rebellion, civil conflict, and economic devastation. Yet it also produced some of the most determined Patriot resistance in the South. The men who served in its courts, militias, and partisan bands helped shape the outcome of the Revolution in a region where the struggle for independence was fought not only against British regulars but also among families, neighbors, and communities divided by allegiance.