At Stampers Creek Primitive Baptist Church

Given by Gerene O. (Osborn) Pluris

Captain John Dougherty

“A Brave Man”

In these vexatious times we are burdened with responsibilities, anxious for the economic contributions of our land, and anxious for the destiny of all the nations of the world.

But when we pause for a day like this, when we pay honor to whom honor is due, and when we pay tribute to one of our distinguished forefathers Captain John Dougherty, we remember frightened initiations into the past when others had big tasks to do and they had to exercise patience and bravery to perform those tasks.

I have studied genealogy a great deal and have never found a person with a lineage to equal that of Captain Dougherty.

In the book of the holy prophet of Israel, Isaiah 23:2 “Be still ye inhabitants of the Isle.  Thou whom the merchants of Zion that passed over the sea have replenished”.  We could easily apply that text to this ancient family and we could apply that text to Ireland, “The Emerald Isle”.

The first known forefathers of Captain Dougherty had their castle in Ireland.  The exact location is at Innisowen, Lock Swilley, Donegal county, Ireland.  Their castle still stands, and family gatherings are still being held there, in that ancient stone battle scarred building.  Let us imagine we are children and let’s take an imaginary trip there now.  First we go over the oldest trail that crosses Lock Swilley.  Rest awhile beneath that tree, then climb the bank to the main entrance, massive isn’t it?  Massive and beautiful!  These heavy, heavy stones have been placed here by manpower, more than likely it was peasant labor.  Now, let us move on and into the main room, we see the large fireplace, really an old-time hewn stone fireplace and engraved in the stone above it are these blessed words:  “Accepted Christianity 652 A.D.”.

Our own English Bible was not assembled until in the four-teenth century, but great groups of Christian people had been colonizing in many places.  The Phoenicians and Greeks had established a Christian colony in Ireland about 450 A.D..  St. Patrick had once been a slave but went to Rome and studied and became a great patron saint.  He returned to Ireland in the 5^th century A.D. and established a Christian movement.  He had many preachers who went about the islands and on the mainland of Europe, and did much good.  We do not know which branch of Christianity they accepted, anyway it is wonderful to know that they fell in line with God’s people.  And looking further, we find one corner of the castle is partly blasted away during an attack of an enemy.  This last statement concludes our imaginative trip.

Mr. M.P.J. Dougherty, a late attorney of Mesa Arizona, visited this old castle during World War I.  He had a large picture 6 foot square, it was really a mural painted of this grand old building.  The painting is still in the home of his widow, who still lives in Mesa.  A likeness of that picture is engraved on the monument, which we are dedicating today. 

If there should be more cousins to visit the “Emerald Isle”, go to the northernmost province of Ulster and to county Donegal and visit this ancient Dougherty home, where the whole clan once lived, moved, and had their beings.

This large group of people had a military unit or force all their own.  They were often called upon to help secure the peace, one special time was when Lord Cromwell’s trouble arose in England.

Another interesting achievement in the history of this family was their “Coat of Arms”.  There is a replica of this picture engraved on the monument.  The “Coat of Arms” was worn by the lords of Innisowen.  The motto, when translated means “For my hereditary right”.  Our pedigree is traced from Sir Cahir O’Dogherty, our first known ancestor in this line.

All those who could prove their identity in the Dougherty clan could obtain a commission in the English Army or Navy.  This action was based on their services and upon their bravery, which they had exercised during the Roman invasion of the British Isles.  That right still holds good.  This lawyer, M.J.P. Dougherty had a cousin there who had obtained one of these commissions during World War I.  These two distant cousins went together and visited the old castle.

Following that Roman Invasion many of the Dougherty Military Forces were returning north to Ireland, when part of them were shipwrecked on Galway Bay, where they stayed.  They established homes there and prospered for some time.  Later they began to send out colonies over the world, and it was some of their descendants of the shipwrecked crew that sailed to North America, our forefathers.

One group landed in New Castle, Delaware in 1727.  New Castle is a city in the northern part of that state, and is by the Delaware Bay.  They later moved to Chester County, Pennsylvania, where in our direct line was Michael Dougherty I.  He owned and operated a store in New London Derry, Chester County, in 1737 to 1738.

We let Michael Dougherty rest a minute or two now.  He may have been closely related to Thomas Dougherty who arrived in Delaware, 12-10-1727.  He, too, was from Ireland.  He moved on to Cub Creek Settlement in Virginia and helped to establish a Presbyterian Church there.  Other families with Thomas Dougherty were Caldwells, Moores, Dudgeons, and Ritchies.  This Thomas Dougherty lived close to our Michael I when he lived in Delaware and when he lived in Virginia.

Back to Michael Dougherty I, born in 1702 near Galway Bay, Ireland.  He and a Cornelius Dougherty settled down near the forks of the James River in what is now Rockbridge County, Virginia, in 1742, at least they bought land then, they may have been there a few years earlier.

(Much of the above statement and much more of this study is from letter I have received from William G. Stewart, one of the editors of the Los Angeles Times, of California, the rest of these facts are from Mrs. Ethel Russell of Mesa Arizona.  They are both our distant cousins). (These comments are the speechwriter’s notes).

This Michael I, who settled on the James River, had a son who was named Michael and we call him Michael II.

Michael I died there in 1763, aged 61 years.  Michael II, whose wife was named Sarah, (clan genealogy has her listed as Mary Clarke), moved down to what is now Wythe County, Virginia about 1769 and he died there in 1787.  He had sons Henry, John, Joseph, Michael III, William and Robert, there were also two daughters.  Henry and John the two oldest sons, made a settlement in 1773 in what is now Tazewell County, Virginia.    Joseph remained on Reed Creek with his father Michael II and his brother Michael III.

The above John is our own Captain John Dougherty, and what were they all doing moving around Virginia?  They were taking up land grants and proving on their claims.  They had to build a certain size house, they had to clear so many acres and stay a certain length of time, and watch the indians all the time.  One of their sons, named Charles was killed by the Corn-Stalk braves. (Charles Dougherty, son of Michael I was killed in 1763 by the Corn-Stalk braves.  Captain John’s son-in-law William Charles, married to his daughter Mary, was ambushed by indians in 1813).

Our John had married Isabel Patton and had a family of three children when he made a scouting trip to Kentucky in 1775.  (Collins’s History of Kentucky).  He and a man named John Wilson spent a part of that winter back in Virginia.  Then they made a trip west to Jefferson County, Kentucky, where Louisville is now, in January, 1776 and finally settled near Danville, which is about 65 miles southeast of Louisville.  There John Dougherty acquired 1500 acres of land.  There was a Dougherty Station, and a Dougherty Creek and a Caldwell Church, probably named for the Caldwell Presbyterian family of Old Virginia.  Captain John’s home must have been at a little place called Knob Lick, for their daughter Sarah was born there August 5, 1776.  She became my great-great-grandmother, and her grave is down here north of Ames Chapel on the Lawrence Love Farm.  But Captain John moved up to Jefferson County, where Louisville is, in 1793, and that daughter Sarah became the wife of Michael Miller, son of J. Miller, 4-2-1807.  Her brother Henry was on their bond (or witness).  They were married by a man named John Hite.

Other than bringing up a large family of eleven children, Captain John was a surveyor, farmer, and able soldier, and he was a brave man.

Following the signing of the Declaration of Independence in 1776, the English and the French infused a challenge in the Indians to fight the settlers, who had gone west.  Many, many lives were lost.  George Rogers Clark made great plans to gain and hold much territory west of the original thirteen colonies.  Daniel Boone and Colonel Benjamin F. Logan also worked with Clark.

John Dougherty worked with, and for, these brave and cunning leaders and did a great work in protecting the settlers in Kentucky.

He was appointed a Captain in the Militia.  He organized the first militia in Kentucky, and became the captain of it, having been appointed by the governor of Virginia, Benjamin Harrison.  This militia was in Lincoln County Kentucky.  This all happened in 1782.  General George Rogers Clark paid him for his services.  He was a captain in the main finishing of the American Revolution.

Through the courtesy of William G. Stewart of Los Angeles, California, I have this record of a part of the military service of Captain John Dougherty:

Burnes, Lincoln County Pensions, page 41.

- Robert Givens, living in Lincoln county KY, 1841 appeared September 24, 1832, said he was drafted as militiaman 1776-1777 – came to Kentucky 1782 – entered as a substitute for George Givens in Captain John Dougherty’s company to guard Mc Afee Fort – to July, two months – called out in Captain John Martin’s company – met man returning from Blue Licks after defeat – helped bury dead.  Fall of 1782 tour of duty in Clark’s campaign under John Dougherty.  We went from Clark’s run to Lexington to Bryant’s station – remained until met Col. Logan to Ohio River – General Clark, then to Pickaway Towne, took, some prisoners – returned home – discharged.

There is a record where General George Rogers Clark paid John Dougherty for his services as captain.

The first known scouting appearance of this Dougherty family in Indiana Territory were news stories in the “Western Sun” of 10-21-1809 published at Vincennes, contains the name of John Dougherty and his son John, and later his son George, who was listed as delivering two stray horses to Dennis Pennington, Justice of the Peace on 3-30-1810.

This son John was the one who married Mary Hollowell, daughter of John Hollowell, the North Carolina Quaker, who with his family settled in the cave at Valeene, Indiana, in 1807.

The George who brought the stray horses to the Justice of the Peace was the one who is resting over in the field, and his name appears on our monument.