My Ancestors in the American Revolutionary War: ALBERT CAMPBELL, 2nd New York Militia, of Clarkstown, Rockland County, New York

ALBERT CAMPBELL was born about 1748 in Clarkstown, Orange County, New York, the son of WILLIAM CAMPBELL II and GEERTJE STEPHENSEN.  WILLIAM was the son of an immigrant from the Isle of Man; both men married wives who were descended from  early Dutch settlers in the colony of New York. Orange County would later be known as Rockland County by 1798.  Because the family lived in an area with many Dutch settlers, their  surname was often phonetically spelled "CAMMEL" in records.  

ALBERT married, in about 1772, CATHARINA VAN HOUTEN.  The births & baptisms of their five children can be found in the records of the Tappan and also Clarkstown Dutch Reformed churches. 

During the Revolutionary War, ALBERT CAMPBELL/CAMMEL served as a Private in the 2nd Orange County Militia, in GILBERT COOPER's Regiment, under Captain ONDERDONK, and also in HAYS Regiment under Captain JOHANNES BELL.  The 2nd Militia was actively involved in defending the Hudson River against British incursions  with frequent skirmishes at Haverstraw, Nyak and Piermont.  ALBERT's  three brothers, WILLIAM (III), STEPHEN & LUKAS CAMPBELL/CAMMEL also served in the same regiment(s).  ALBERT's last recorded paydate for the Militia was 23 February 1786. 

By the 1790 census, ALBERT CAMPBELL/CAMMEL was living in Haverstraw, Orange County, New York, near his three brothers, and his father.

On the 12 August 1794 his father WILLIAM CAMPBELL/CAMMEL II wrote his will; he lists his children as WILLIAM, STEPHEN, ALBERT, LUKAS and MARY KEMPE.  ALBERT CAMPBELL was listed in the will as his executor.  The will was brought to court 4 January 1799.

That is the last known record found for ALBERT CAMPBELL/CAMMEL.  He was not listed in the 1800 census.  His brother WILLIAM  CAMPBELL (III) is listed in the 1831 Revolutionary War Pension roll for Clarkstown, Rockland County, New York, 4 March 1831.  

ALBERT CAMPBELL/ CAMMEL likely died before 1800 in Orange County, New York. 

ALBERT CAMPBELL/CAMMELL is in the lineage of my maternal grandfather RB MARTINE.

 **ALBERT CAMPBELL of Clarkstown is NOT the same person as " ALBERT OLIVER CAMPBELL", a Loyalist, who emigrated to Nova Scotia Canada in 1783 from NYC, lived Shelburne, Nova Scotia  on May 2, 1784, and migrated to Kingston, Ontario, Canada in 1796. See my blogpost here for documentation. **

Sources:

-New York in the Revolution by Berthold Fernow p 338

-History of Rockland County, New York by Rev David Cole p 64

-Abstracts of Wills of Rockland County by Minnie Cowen p 13

-1790 Census of Haverstraw, Orange New York

Have a great day!

Betty

© Betty Tartas 2026

My Ancestors in the American Revolutionary War: 1st Lieutenant THOMAS MILLER, of Goochland County Virginia

LaVallee Plantation, Goochland County, Virginia

THOMAS MILLER  was born 20 March 1754 in Goochland County, Virginia.  He was the son of WILLIAM MILLER and MARY HEATH, who were wed 16 January 1741 in Northumberland County, Virginia, at her parents' home, and settled in Goochland County.  WILLIAM MILLER was appointed sheriff of Goochland in 1741.

THOMAS would follow in his father's footsteps; he also became deputy sheriff, then sheriff of Goochland County. Eventually he became an attorney, and also was a member of the Virginia House of Delegates. He was a very wealthy and well-educated man. By the end of his life he owned numerous plantations in Goochland, Spotsylvania, and King William County.  The Library of Virginia holds a large collection of THOMAS MILLER's papers.

During the Revolutionary War, at age 23, THOMAS MILLER served in the 1st Division of the Virginia Militia, Goochland County,  from 1777 until 1781, with the rank of 1st Lieutenant. I was unable to find out whether he ever saw battle. 

After the war-- and likely after receiving his education--THOMAS MILLER married CONSTANCE MASSIE on 28 December 1786 in Goochland. She was the daughter of Captain NATHANIEL MASSIE and ELIZABETH "BETSEY" WATKINS (see previous post). THOMAS and CONSTANCE settled on a plantation in Goochland and called it "LaVallee".   He was frequently referred to as "Mr THOMAS MILLER" or "THOMAS MILLER, gentleman" in records.  By the end of his life he owned numerous plantations besides LaVallee, according to his estate inventory: Woodville,  Slab City (?) and Byrd, all in Goochland; Wormley House and Manskin Lodge in King William County, and Prospect Hill in Spotsylvania County. 

In 2010, when I finally found a way to enlarge all the pages of his estate inventory so that I could read them, I was shocked to find that at the end of his life, THOMAS MILLER owned 159 slaves, all listed by name in the inventory, along with the plantations that they lived upon--which  I transcribed  in  a blog post. You can read their names here. 

THOMAS MILLER wrote his will on the 23 of April 1819.  In it, he states that all of his plantations should be sold, with the exception of Woodville and LaVallee. No slaves were mentioned in the will, but were named in the estate inventory.

THOMAS MILLER, gentleman, died 7 May 1819, at LaVallee Plantation, and was buried there. His wife CONSTANCE was alive and enumerated in the 1820 census.  While I do not have her exact death date, she likely is buried at LaVallee.

1st Lieutenant THOMAS MILLER is in the lineage of my maternal grandfather RB MARTINE.

Sources:

-DAR Patriot Index + website

-The Douglas Register

-Virginia Militia in the Revolutionary War by Joseph Thomas McAllister

-Library of Virginia

Have a great day!

Betty

© Betty Tartas 2026