Joseph was born in 1758 in Germantown, Cumberland County, Pennsylvania, and was the first named son in his father's Will. He enlisted as a Private in the Army Of The American Revolution in Woodstock, Virginia in the Fall of 1776 for a term of one year. He later re-enlisted for the duration of the War. During this period, records on file in the National Archives in Washington, D. C. show that he was assigned at various times to the Third, Fourth, and Eighth Virginia Regiments, and saw action in battles of Brandywine, Germantown and Monmouth. He served until 1779.
In gratitude for services rendered by the members of the armed forces of Country during the War of The American Revolution, The Commonwealth Of Virginia had set aside certain tracts of land in Kentucky and Ohio, and made land bounties available for veterans who applied. Joseph made application, and his award was made 7 March 1786. However, there is no record that he claimed his 400 acre bounty in either state.
In the course of his movement with the Army, Joseph met Mary Huslander (also spelled Hulslander) in the State of New York. Mary's name has been confirmed by the book INDEX OF REVOLUTIONARY WAR PENSION APPLICATIONS published by the National Geographic Society, Washington, D.C. 1966. They married in 1784 in New York, probably in Orange County. Exactly how many children derived from this marriage the author is not certain. Joseph died intestate, and his application for pension named only two children, his oldest son Jacob (named after his father) and daughter. No Family Bible has been found, Joseph and Mary first lived in Northumberland County, Pennsylvania and the 1790 U.S. Census lists one male over 16 years of age, two males under 16, and two females in the Household. The 1810 U.S. Census for Shenandoah County, Virginia shows Joseph is listed with one male under 10, one male between 10/16, two males between 16/26, one male over 45, two females between 16/26, and one female over 45. Joseph was a Blacksmith by trade, but by the early 1810's was in ill health, and moved in with daughter Susannah and her husband, Henry Lichliter. He applied for Military Pension, and it was granted in 1819. He died about 1826, after living a lifespan of approximately 68 years. Mary was awarded a Widow's pension on 5 June 1843. These moves caused the breakup of Joseph's household, and undoubtedly the youngest sons went to live with other families. In the absence of specific records, the author has considered the chronology of events, and the locality in which they occurred to arrive at the identify of these youngest sons.
A Deed of record in Shenandoah County indicates that Joseph took possession of a tract of land in Powell's Fort Valley at an auction conducted by the Executors of father Jacob's estate on 11 May 1801. This property was conveyed in the same Deed to Joseph's oldest son Jacob on 7 October 1807, and still later sold to Jacob, his uncle and brother to his father Joseph. As best can be determined, Joseph and Mary lived in the Stoney Creek area of Shenandoah County, where he practiced his trade. Mary died in the 1840's after living a lifespan of 90 years, 4 months and 13 days. Walter D Golladay