Revolutionary Pension File of David Truax

Source: Fold3. Pension file of David Truax, page 2.

As I continue along the Truax family trail, I'm looking at the Revolutionary War pension file of David Truax, brother of my 5th-great-grandmother Margaret Truax Smith. David was born in New Jersey, but moved with his parents and siblings to Loudoun County, Virginia. According to an obituary for David, published in the Gallipolis Journal (republished from the Eaton Register) on 8 March 1855, he lived to be almost 100 years old.

Newspapers.com. 8 Mar 1855.

David's pension file mentioned that he served in Captain James Radican's company of the Loudoun County militia, and he was stationed at Alexandria, Virginia building gun batteries. After serving a tour in Alexandria, he volunteered in Captain Radican's company again. The company marched to Pittsburgh under the command of Colonel Gibson. From there, the company marched to Wheeling (present-day West Virginia), and then back to Loudoun County, where they were discharged in March 1778. In July 1781 he was drafted into Captain Hugh Douglas' company in the Loudoun County militia and marched to Williamsburg.

Fold3. Pension file of David Truax, page 6.

David states in his file that he was born in Morris County, New Jersey on 19 February 1756. The obituary notes he moved with his parents to Loudoun County at the age of 14 in 1769. After the war, Truax moved to Washington County, Pennsylvania, then Fayette County, Kentucky and later Adair County, Kentucky. He likely moved to Adair County with the families of his sister Margaret Truax Smith and others. David later moved to Preble County, Ohio.

David's daughter, Lydia Truax, also lived to be nearly 100 years old. Her obituary, published 11 June 1891 in the Miami Helmet of Piqua, Ohio, says she was born in Pennsylvania and taken to Kentucky by her parents when she was three years old (about 1794). The obituary also notes she had lived in Preble County since 1809.

Descendants of David Truax will want to look at the full pension file. My interest in David was more to see if there were possible connections in his Revolutionary War service with James Smith and to learn more about his arrival in Loudoun County from New Jersey.

The research trail now brings us to my 7th-great-grandparents, John Truax and Sytje Van Kirk. There is quite a bit of information on the Truax line and their relation to Philippe Du Trieux, the first of the family to arrive in America, through the Association of Philippe Du Trieux.