I recently discovered via DNA testing that I am related to Daniel Dunagan, a Revolutionary War soldier whose story is copied below. Daniel was born in Ireland in 1752, migrated first to Virginia and then Tennessee after the war. His descendents moved further west to Missouri, Oklahoma and elsewhere. The story was discovered on Ancestry.

DANIEL DUNAGAN
The Founding Father

Daniel Dunagan, ancestor of the family, was born in Ireland in 1752, His birthplace is uncertain.and his childhood is unknown, but his departure from, County Cork to America in the late 1700s started our family tree in the New World. lt is also reported that other brothers of his came at the same time. He married first a lady by the name of West,
(some sources indicate her first name may have been Frances) in 1786 in Virginia who bore him two children. The first wife having died, he soon married Mary Duncan Wright (in January 13, 1802). By this time, Daniel had moved to Greene County, Tennessee.

Daniel Was a soldier in the American Revolution, enlisting in the Sixth Regiment of the Virginia on December 7, 1777 in Amherst County, He served as a private in Captain Cabell's Company,Colonel Buckner's Sixth Regiment for two years until after the expedition at Greeners lsland when he requested a transfer to Colonel McLanachan's Seventh Virginia Regiment of August County, later commanded by Captain Joseph Grockett. He remained with the Seventh Regiment and
was at the Battle of Freeman's Farm when the British General Burgoyne was captured, at the Battle of Monmouth, and in various other engagements. He participated in Sullivan's campaign to Niagara after which period the Virginia Line was divided into three regiments. Daniel was then attached to Colonel Russell's First Regiment of the Virginia company (also commanded by Lt. Colonel Ball) in a company headed by Captain William White. He marched in this regiment to the south and remained in it until the siege and surrender of Charleston when he was captured on May 12, 1780 and held as prisoner until March 4, 1781 when he was exchanged.

Although he was given a honorable discharge, having fulfilled his enlistment, he again served for another two years in the Militia. He received his final discharge under Captain William Mosly. After his first discharge he was entitled to a bounty of i00 acres of land from the State of Virginia. He was also entitled to a pension but it was
not allowed him until he petitioned for it on September 6, 1819, at which time he had reached the age of sixty-seven and resided in Greene County, Tennessee. For his service to the new nation he received a certificate of pension on the 15th of November 1822 along with the sum of $335.73 back pension due. Subsequently, his veieran benefits were eight dollars ($8.00) a month.

One glimpse we have of the personality of our forefather is obtained from the court records of Greene County. On January 24, 1814, Daniel was fined six cents (60) for assault on Patsey Thompson. No other comment is given.

Daniel Dunagan died in late 1837 or early 1838. His estate was admitted to probaie on April 2, 1838, in Greene County, Tennessee, and was settled on July 2, 1838. His will was probated by Nicholas Dunagan, his eldest son. The effects of his intestate (were) "one cutting knife, one flax hackle, 1 sickle,,one clevis, and one razor hone."
Daniel Dunagan also owned land in Greene County. The 100 acres of land was on the north side of Lick Creek, deed made the 23rd of July 1799 from George Gordon of' Knoxville, Tennessee. Daniel subsequently acquired an additional fifty acres of land near by but there is no record of the deed . More than ten years before Daniel died, on the lst of October, 1828, he deeded to Nicholas Dunagan "my oldest son for the love and affection I have for him"--and also value received, fifty acres on Lick creek. Nicholas also purchased for $50.00, 100 acres of land on the north side of Lick creek, beginning at the Buffalo Ford, near the present-day town of Mohawk, Tennessee.

Daniel had seventeen children. On a pension statement dated October 23, 1820 he verifies that of the seventeen children, eight were living with him. However, only seven children survived - two by his first wife, Nicholas and Elizabeth; and five by his second wife - Daniel Jr., James, Andrew, John F. and Joseph. Most of his children came west, settling in Platte, clay and Newton counties in Missouri.