The son of Robert & Margaret (Morton) Mavity of Ireland, William was born in Kinawley Parish, County Cavan, Ireland. In 1765 the family immigrated to America, first settling near Greenbrier Co VA.
William served in the Revolutionary War as a Sergeant Major in the 2nd Battalion, Virginia 4th Regiment, under commander Colonel Walker. SAR Memberships: 81870 & 92772
About 1775, in Franklin Co VA, William married Mary Jones, daughter of Reverend Robert Jr & Martha "Patsy" (Riley) Jones.
Children with Mary:
1) Reverend John Mavity (1776-1826); m. Dorothea Real (1776-1840).
2) Reverend William Mavity Jr (1780-1834); wife name unkn.
3) Mary Mavity (1782-1836); m. Richard Beckett (1774-1813).
4) Martha Mavity (b. 1784); m. Matthew L Moore (b. 1791).
5) Margaret Mavity (1786-1832); never married.
6) Jesse Mavity (b. 1791); m. Susannah Riggs (1802-1870).
7) James Mavity (1794-1845); m. Margaret Watts (b. 1807).
8) David Jones Mavity (1798-1872); m. Lurana Blackman Davis (1810-1898).
9) Morton Mavity (1800-1850); m1. Charity Watts (1809-1834); m2: Mary Lloyd (b. 1813).
10) Wesley Mavity (1803-1835); m. Eleanor Whitaker (b. 1806).
Ripley Co Indiana Original Land Purchases:
"Name, Page# in Tract Book, Tract Book#, Date Purchased-
MAVITY, William Sr., 28, 3, 15 Aug 1825"
Possibly using the land purchase as a guide, some sources state William migrated to IN in 1825. However, he would have been about 77 yrs old, so it is probable he moved there much earlier; still researching.
Genealogy Trails, excerpts from a Bio of William's grandson, Dr James Sampson Mavity-
"In a lonely graveyard a few miles east of the town of New Marion, Ripley county, Indiana, is the grave of William Mavity, a sergeant major of the Second Battalion in the Fourth Regiment, commanded by Colonel Waller [sic] of the Virginia troops of the Revolutionary war. He lived in Virginia, and moved to Indiana in 1824, and died about 1832. As a sergeant major it was his duty to make daily reports, which he entered in a pocket diary, that has been preserved by his descendants and is now owned by John Mavity, of St. Helena, California. This diary is absolutely unique and very curious. It was made of coarse paper covered with leather tanned by the owner; and the leather is covered by cloth that was made from cotton raised, carded and spun on his own farm. The writing was done with a goose quill and sometimes a wooden pen. This little diary of twenty two pages is extremely valuable. It contains the names of officers and privates as entered on the returns from twenty one captains of one hundred and eighty five rank and file. The sergeant major drew a map of the siege of Yorktown in his diary, showing the positions of the New York troops, Lincoln's and Steven's regiments, also Colonel Dabney's and General Washington's headquarters, the British redout and the French troops. What scenes this old weather-beaten, even blood-stained little book, has passed through! The edges are ragged, torn and discolored, and on many pages the writing is illegible...
"...The great-great-grandfather of Dr. Mavity (note: this is Williams' Grandfather) was a soldier in the army of William, Prince of Orange, and when England was conquered he settled in Ireland, where the grandfather of Dr. Mavity was born, and where the great-grandfather was about to be assassinated by reason of his political views and activity in public affairs, but was liberated by friends or rather saved and immediately came to America."
William and Mary are buried in the Mavity family graveyard located on land that was once their family farm, off Old Michigan Rd near Rexville in Ripley Co IN.
The following is an excerpt from "The Mavity Family," by Norman Bloss Mavity, Publisher Edwards Brothers Inc, Ann Arbor MI, 1951:
"A bronze tablet placed by the Ripley Co Historical Society in the corridor of the courthouse at Versailles carries the names of Revolutionary soldiers who are buried in Ripley Co IN. Among them is the name of William Mavity, but his grave had not been located. Records at the courthouse gave the location of his land on the Michigan Road south of Versailles, near Rexville. Here an elderly man was plowing in a field; he proved to be Mr. Hugh Black, owner of a part of the original William Mavity farm. Upon inquiry as to a burial ground on the farm, Mr. Black pointed to a knoll about fifty feet from the east side of the road and said: "My father always said that was the Mavity family graveyard. It has never been disturbed." 38.9571304321289 -85.3322982788086 (approximate coordinates)
"The little group of graves had only rough stone markers without inscriptions, evidently brought from a shallow creek bed nearby. They stood in a tangle of grass, surrounded by a wire fence in disrepair. Later investigation showed that those buried there, in addition to William Mavity and wife, were their son John and wife; Charity (Watts) Mavity and her mother, Deborah (Riker) Watts; Mary (Mavity) Beckett and her daughter, Martha (Beckett) Miles; and Margaret Mavity daughter of William."
"Soldiers and Patriots of the American Revolution Buried in Indiana", Pg 248:
"MAVITY, WILLIAM, Ripley County
Born - About 1750, Ireland
Service - Sergeant-Major of 2nd Battalion, 4th Regt., Vir. Troops, under Col. Walker. It was his duty to make daily reports. These he set down in a pocket diary. This was in possession of a great-great grand daughter, Mrs. Carrie Mavity Riggins of St. Helens, Cal., in 1922. This diary contains a description of siege of Yorktown and the surrender of Cornwallis.
Died - 1832. Buried near New Marion, Ripley Co., Ind.
Married - Mary Jones. Ch. John; William; Jesse; James; David Jones; Morton; Wesley.
Collected by Mrs. N. B. Mavity, 223 Summit Circle, French Lick. Indiana."
William served in the Revolutionary War as a Sergeant Major in the 2nd Battalion, Virginia 4th Regiment, under commander Colonel Walker. SAR Memberships: 81870 & 92772
About 1775, in Franklin Co VA, William married Mary Jones, daughter of Reverend Robert Jr & Martha "Patsy" (Riley) Jones.
Children with Mary:
1) Reverend John Mavity (1776-1826); m. Dorothea Real (1776-1840).
2) Reverend William Mavity Jr (1780-1834); wife name unkn.
3) Mary Mavity (1782-1836); m. Richard Beckett (1774-1813).
4) Martha Mavity (b. 1784); m. Matthew L Moore (b. 1791).
5) Margaret Mavity (1786-1832); never married.
6) Jesse Mavity (b. 1791); m. Susannah Riggs (1802-1870).
7) James Mavity (1794-1845); m. Margaret Watts (b. 1807).
8) David Jones Mavity (1798-1872); m. Lurana Blackman Davis (1810-1898).
9) Morton Mavity (1800-1850); m1. Charity Watts (1809-1834); m2: Mary Lloyd (b. 1813).
10) Wesley Mavity (1803-1835); m. Eleanor Whitaker (b. 1806).
Ripley Co Indiana Original Land Purchases:
"Name, Page# in Tract Book, Tract Book#, Date Purchased-
MAVITY, William Sr., 28, 3, 15 Aug 1825"
Possibly using the land purchase as a guide, some sources state William migrated to IN in 1825. However, he would have been about 77 yrs old, so it is probable he moved there much earlier; still researching.
Genealogy Trails, excerpts from a Bio of William's grandson, Dr James Sampson Mavity-
"In a lonely graveyard a few miles east of the town of New Marion, Ripley county, Indiana, is the grave of William Mavity, a sergeant major of the Second Battalion in the Fourth Regiment, commanded by Colonel Waller [sic] of the Virginia troops of the Revolutionary war. He lived in Virginia, and moved to Indiana in 1824, and died about 1832. As a sergeant major it was his duty to make daily reports, which he entered in a pocket diary, that has been preserved by his descendants and is now owned by John Mavity, of St. Helena, California. This diary is absolutely unique and very curious. It was made of coarse paper covered with leather tanned by the owner; and the leather is covered by cloth that was made from cotton raised, carded and spun on his own farm. The writing was done with a goose quill and sometimes a wooden pen. This little diary of twenty two pages is extremely valuable. It contains the names of officers and privates as entered on the returns from twenty one captains of one hundred and eighty five rank and file. The sergeant major drew a map of the siege of Yorktown in his diary, showing the positions of the New York troops, Lincoln's and Steven's regiments, also Colonel Dabney's and General Washington's headquarters, the British redout and the French troops. What scenes this old weather-beaten, even blood-stained little book, has passed through! The edges are ragged, torn and discolored, and on many pages the writing is illegible...
"...The great-great-grandfather of Dr. Mavity (note: this is Williams' Grandfather) was a soldier in the army of William, Prince of Orange, and when England was conquered he settled in Ireland, where the grandfather of Dr. Mavity was born, and where the great-grandfather was about to be assassinated by reason of his political views and activity in public affairs, but was liberated by friends or rather saved and immediately came to America."
William and Mary are buried in the Mavity family graveyard located on land that was once their family farm, off Old Michigan Rd near Rexville in Ripley Co IN.
The following is an excerpt from "The Mavity Family," by Norman Bloss Mavity, Publisher Edwards Brothers Inc, Ann Arbor MI, 1951:
"A bronze tablet placed by the Ripley Co Historical Society in the corridor of the courthouse at Versailles carries the names of Revolutionary soldiers who are buried in Ripley Co IN. Among them is the name of William Mavity, but his grave had not been located. Records at the courthouse gave the location of his land on the Michigan Road south of Versailles, near Rexville. Here an elderly man was plowing in a field; he proved to be Mr. Hugh Black, owner of a part of the original William Mavity farm. Upon inquiry as to a burial ground on the farm, Mr. Black pointed to a knoll about fifty feet from the east side of the road and said: "My father always said that was the Mavity family graveyard. It has never been disturbed." 38.9571304321289 -85.3322982788086 (approximate coordinates)
"The little group of graves had only rough stone markers without inscriptions, evidently brought from a shallow creek bed nearby. They stood in a tangle of grass, surrounded by a wire fence in disrepair. Later investigation showed that those buried there, in addition to William Mavity and wife, were their son John and wife; Charity (Watts) Mavity and her mother, Deborah (Riker) Watts; Mary (Mavity) Beckett and her daughter, Martha (Beckett) Miles; and Margaret Mavity daughter of William."
"Soldiers and Patriots of the American Revolution Buried in Indiana", Pg 248:
"MAVITY, WILLIAM, Ripley County
Born - About 1750, Ireland
Service - Sergeant-Major of 2nd Battalion, 4th Regt., Vir. Troops, under Col. Walker. It was his duty to make daily reports. These he set down in a pocket diary. This was in possession of a great-great grand daughter, Mrs. Carrie Mavity Riggins of St. Helens, Cal., in 1922. This diary contains a description of siege of Yorktown and the surrender of Cornwallis.
Died - 1832. Buried near New Marion, Ripley Co., Ind.
Married - Mary Jones. Ch. John; William; Jesse; James; David Jones; Morton; Wesley.
Collected by Mrs. N. B. Mavity, 223 Summit Circle, French Lick. Indiana."
The son of Robert & Margaret (Morton) Mavity of Ireland, William was born in Kinawley Parish, County Cavan, Ireland. In 1765 the family immigrated to America, first settling near Greenbrier Co VA.
William served in the Revolutionary War as a Sergeant Major in the 2nd Battalion, Virginia 4th Regiment, under commander Colonel Walker. SAR Memberships: 81870 & 92772
About 1775, in Franklin Co VA, William married Mary Jones, daughter of Reverend Robert Jr & Martha "Patsy" (Riley) Jones.
Children with Mary:
1) Reverend John Mavity (1776-1826); m. Dorothea Real (1776-1840).
2) Reverend William Mavity Jr (1780-1834); wife name unkn.
3) Mary Mavity (1782-1836); m. Richard Beckett (1774-1813).
4) Martha Mavity (b. 1784); m. Matthew L Moore (b. 1791).
5) Margaret Mavity (1786-1832); never married.
6) Jesse Mavity (b. 1791); m. Susannah Riggs (1802-1870).
7) James Mavity (1794-1845); m. Margaret Watts (b. 1807).
8) David Jones Mavity (1798-1872); m. Lurana Blackman Davis (1810-1898).
9) Morton Mavity (1800-1850); m1. Charity Watts (1809-1834); m2: Mary Lloyd (b. 1813).
10) Wesley Mavity (1803-1835); m. Eleanor Whitaker (b. 1806).
Ripley Co Indiana Original Land Purchases:
"Name, Page# in Tract Book, Tract Book#, Date Purchased-
MAVITY, William Sr., 28, 3, 15 Aug 1825"
Possibly using the land purchase as a guide, some sources state William migrated to IN in 1825. However, he would have been about 77 yrs old, so it is probable he moved there much earlier; still researching.
Genealogy Trails, excerpts from a Bio of William's grandson, Dr James Sampson Mavity-
"In a lonely graveyard a few miles east of the town of New Marion, Ripley county, Indiana, is the grave of William Mavity, a sergeant major of the Second Battalion in the Fourth Regiment, commanded by Colonel Waller [sic] of the Virginia troops of the Revolutionary war. He lived in Virginia, and moved to Indiana in 1824, and died about 1832. As a sergeant major it was his duty to make daily reports, which he entered in a pocket diary, that has been preserved by his descendants and is now owned by John Mavity, of St. Helena, California. This diary is absolutely unique and very curious. It was made of coarse paper covered with leather tanned by the owner; and the leather is covered by cloth that was made from cotton raised, carded and spun on his own farm. The writing was done with a goose quill and sometimes a wooden pen. This little diary of twenty two pages is extremely valuable. It contains the names of officers and privates as entered on the returns from twenty one captains of one hundred and eighty five rank and file. The sergeant major drew a map of the siege of Yorktown in his diary, showing the positions of the New York troops, Lincoln's and Steven's regiments, also Colonel Dabney's and General Washington's headquarters, the British redout and the French troops. What scenes this old weather-beaten, even blood-stained little book, has passed through! The edges are ragged, torn and discolored, and on many pages the writing is illegible...
"...The great-great-grandfather of Dr. Mavity (note: this is Williams' Grandfather) was a soldier in the army of William, Prince of Orange, and when England was conquered he settled in Ireland, where the grandfather of Dr. Mavity was born, and where the great-grandfather was about to be assassinated by reason of his political views and activity in public affairs, but was liberated by friends or rather saved and immediately came to America."
William and Mary are buried in the Mavity family graveyard located on land that was once their family farm, off Old Michigan Rd near Rexville in Ripley Co IN.
The following is an excerpt from "The Mavity Family," by Norman Bloss Mavity, Publisher Edwards Brothers Inc, Ann Arbor MI, 1951:
"A bronze tablet placed by the Ripley Co Historical Society in the corridor of the courthouse at Versailles carries the names of Revolutionary soldiers who are buried in Ripley Co IN. Among them is the name of William Mavity, but his grave had not been located. Records at the courthouse gave the location of his land on the Michigan Road south of Versailles, near Rexville. Here an elderly man was plowing in a field; he proved to be Mr. Hugh Black, owner of a part of the original William Mavity farm. Upon inquiry as to a burial ground on the farm, Mr. Black pointed to a knoll about fifty feet from the east side of the road and said: "My father always said that was the Mavity family graveyard. It has never been disturbed." 38.9571304321289 -85.3322982788086 (approximate coordinates)
"The little group of graves had only rough stone markers without inscriptions, evidently brought from a shallow creek bed nearby. They stood in a tangle of grass, surrounded by a wire fence in disrepair. Later investigation showed that those buried there, in addition to William Mavity and wife, were their son John and wife; Charity (Watts) Mavity and her mother, Deborah (Riker) Watts; Mary (Mavity) Beckett and her daughter, Martha (Beckett) Miles; and Margaret Mavity daughter of William."
"Soldiers and Patriots of the American Revolution Buried in Indiana", Pg 248:
"MAVITY, WILLIAM, Ripley County
Born - About 1750, Ireland
Service - Sergeant-Major of 2nd Battalion, 4th Regt., Vir. Troops, under Col. Walker. It was his duty to make daily reports. These he set down in a pocket diary. This was in possession of a great-great grand daughter, Mrs. Carrie Mavity Riggins of St. Helens, Cal., in 1922. This diary contains a description of siege of Yorktown and the surrender of Cornwallis.
Died - 1832. Buried near New Marion, Ripley Co., Ind.
Married - Mary Jones. Ch. John; William; Jesse; James; David Jones; Morton; Wesley.
Collected by Mrs. N. B. Mavity, 223 Summit Circle, French Lick. Indiana."
William served in the Revolutionary War as a Sergeant Major in the 2nd Battalion, Virginia 4th Regiment, under commander Colonel Walker. SAR Memberships: 81870 & 92772
About 1775, in Franklin Co VA, William married Mary Jones, daughter of Reverend Robert Jr & Martha "Patsy" (Riley) Jones.
Children with Mary:
1) Reverend John Mavity (1776-1826); m. Dorothea Real (1776-1840).
2) Reverend William Mavity Jr (1780-1834); wife name unkn.
3) Mary Mavity (1782-1836); m. Richard Beckett (1774-1813).
4) Martha Mavity (b. 1784); m. Matthew L Moore (b. 1791).
5) Margaret Mavity (1786-1832); never married.
6) Jesse Mavity (b. 1791); m. Susannah Riggs (1802-1870).
7) James Mavity (1794-1845); m. Margaret Watts (b. 1807).
8) David Jones Mavity (1798-1872); m. Lurana Blackman Davis (1810-1898).
9) Morton Mavity (1800-1850); m1. Charity Watts (1809-1834); m2: Mary Lloyd (b. 1813).
10) Wesley Mavity (1803-1835); m. Eleanor Whitaker (b. 1806).
Ripley Co Indiana Original Land Purchases:
"Name, Page# in Tract Book, Tract Book#, Date Purchased-
MAVITY, William Sr., 28, 3, 15 Aug 1825"
Possibly using the land purchase as a guide, some sources state William migrated to IN in 1825. However, he would have been about 77 yrs old, so it is probable he moved there much earlier; still researching.
Genealogy Trails, excerpts from a Bio of William's grandson, Dr James Sampson Mavity-
"In a lonely graveyard a few miles east of the town of New Marion, Ripley county, Indiana, is the grave of William Mavity, a sergeant major of the Second Battalion in the Fourth Regiment, commanded by Colonel Waller [sic] of the Virginia troops of the Revolutionary war. He lived in Virginia, and moved to Indiana in 1824, and died about 1832. As a sergeant major it was his duty to make daily reports, which he entered in a pocket diary, that has been preserved by his descendants and is now owned by John Mavity, of St. Helena, California. This diary is absolutely unique and very curious. It was made of coarse paper covered with leather tanned by the owner; and the leather is covered by cloth that was made from cotton raised, carded and spun on his own farm. The writing was done with a goose quill and sometimes a wooden pen. This little diary of twenty two pages is extremely valuable. It contains the names of officers and privates as entered on the returns from twenty one captains of one hundred and eighty five rank and file. The sergeant major drew a map of the siege of Yorktown in his diary, showing the positions of the New York troops, Lincoln's and Steven's regiments, also Colonel Dabney's and General Washington's headquarters, the British redout and the French troops. What scenes this old weather-beaten, even blood-stained little book, has passed through! The edges are ragged, torn and discolored, and on many pages the writing is illegible...
"...The great-great-grandfather of Dr. Mavity (note: this is Williams' Grandfather) was a soldier in the army of William, Prince of Orange, and when England was conquered he settled in Ireland, where the grandfather of Dr. Mavity was born, and where the great-grandfather was about to be assassinated by reason of his political views and activity in public affairs, but was liberated by friends or rather saved and immediately came to America."
William and Mary are buried in the Mavity family graveyard located on land that was once their family farm, off Old Michigan Rd near Rexville in Ripley Co IN.
The following is an excerpt from "The Mavity Family," by Norman Bloss Mavity, Publisher Edwards Brothers Inc, Ann Arbor MI, 1951:
"A bronze tablet placed by the Ripley Co Historical Society in the corridor of the courthouse at Versailles carries the names of Revolutionary soldiers who are buried in Ripley Co IN. Among them is the name of William Mavity, but his grave had not been located. Records at the courthouse gave the location of his land on the Michigan Road south of Versailles, near Rexville. Here an elderly man was plowing in a field; he proved to be Mr. Hugh Black, owner of a part of the original William Mavity farm. Upon inquiry as to a burial ground on the farm, Mr. Black pointed to a knoll about fifty feet from the east side of the road and said: "My father always said that was the Mavity family graveyard. It has never been disturbed." 38.9571304321289 -85.3322982788086 (approximate coordinates)
"The little group of graves had only rough stone markers without inscriptions, evidently brought from a shallow creek bed nearby. They stood in a tangle of grass, surrounded by a wire fence in disrepair. Later investigation showed that those buried there, in addition to William Mavity and wife, were their son John and wife; Charity (Watts) Mavity and her mother, Deborah (Riker) Watts; Mary (Mavity) Beckett and her daughter, Martha (Beckett) Miles; and Margaret Mavity daughter of William."
"Soldiers and Patriots of the American Revolution Buried in Indiana", Pg 248:
"MAVITY, WILLIAM, Ripley County
Born - About 1750, Ireland
Service - Sergeant-Major of 2nd Battalion, 4th Regt., Vir. Troops, under Col. Walker. It was his duty to make daily reports. These he set down in a pocket diary. This was in possession of a great-great grand daughter, Mrs. Carrie Mavity Riggins of St. Helens, Cal., in 1922. This diary contains a description of siege of Yorktown and the surrender of Cornwallis.
Died - 1832. Buried near New Marion, Ripley Co., Ind.
Married - Mary Jones. Ch. John; William; Jesse; James; David Jones; Morton; Wesley.
Collected by Mrs. N. B. Mavity, 223 Summit Circle, French Lick. Indiana."
Family Members
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