1. Lt. William MCGUIRE1 served in the military 1780 to 7/1783.1,2
William McGuire served as an ensign in the Third Virginia Regiment in the Revolutionary
Army. His commission dated 1780. Also as Lieutenant in the First Artillery Regiment
of the Continental Army 1782. He was captured and a prisoner at the close of
the war. The War Dept. record shows that he was in the service until July 1783.
He was born on 12 Mar 1748 in Augusta, Augusta County, Virginia.1,3,4,5 He died in
1834 in Wartrace, Bedford County, Tennessee.1
He was buried after 1834 in - Horse Mountain Cemetery, Wartrace, Bedford County,
Tennessee.1,6 He lived in , , Virginia.1 He lived in , , Kentucky.1 He lived in , , Tennessee.1 He lived in , , , Canada.1
It is reported that William was of Irish descent.
There is a family tradition that William's wife, Mary Ann , was one of the courageous
women who helped mould bullets and joined in a fight at Saratoga, New York. She
and her husband, Lt. William McGuire, were captured and carried to Canada. While
being held there their second son Thomas was born. William and Mary Ann escaped
from the English prison in Quebec, Canada. They had "Bennie" who was
2 years old and the infant Thomas with them. That night in November of 1781 it
was biting cold. They had stopped to hide in a cemetery and were forced to lie
between graves to avoid being seen. Mary Ann placed the infant inside her clothing
and buttoned her coat over it to keep from freezing. "Bennie" froze
to death during the night and the parents scooped out a shallow grave, and with
broken hearts, left his little body there..
Note: William McGuire served as an ensign in the Third Virginia Regiment,Revolutionary
War receiving his commission October 1780. He also served as a lieutenant in
the First Artillery Regiment, Continental Troops Revolutionary War. He was captured
and held prisoner until May1783. The records indicate that he was in service
to July 1783. This is verified by the War Department Adjutant General's Office
in Washington, D.C. and also by the Historical Register of Officers of the Continental
Army during the Revolutionary War compiled by T. B.Heitman, of the War Department,
page 278.
Lt. William MCGUIRE and Mary Ann (Polly) SHIRLEY were married on 23 Feb 1778
in Richmond, Richmond County, Virginia.1,7
It is believed that William is the brother of John McGuire and Sarah McGuire
although no valid corroborating evidence exists at this time other than the three
weddings performed by Rev. John Alderson, Jr. published in the Willam and Mary
Quarterly.
Herb Clark
Mary Ann (Polly) SHIRLEY (daughter of Michael SHIRLEY
and Catherine/Katherine (Katie) FRANTZ) was born on 17 Feb 1762 in , Bedford
County, Tennessee.1 She died
in 1845 in , Bedford County, Tennessee.1
She was buried in - Horse Mountain Cemetery, Wartrace, Bedford County, Tennessee.1 She lived in , , Virginia.1 She lived in , , Kentucky.1 She lived in , , Tennessee.1 She lived in , , , Canada.1
It is reported that Mary Shirley was of German descent.
Mary was one of eight children.
Lt. William MCGUIRE and Mary Ann (Polly) SHIRLEY had the following children:
2 | i. | Michael (Bennie) MCGUIRE was born in 1779 in , , Virginia. He died in Nov 1781.1 He was buried near Lake Champlain.1 |
+3 | ii. | Thomas MCGUIRE. |
+4 | iii. | Mary (Polly) MCGUIRE. |
+5 | iv. | Sarah (Sally/Sallie) MCGUIRE. |
+6 | v. | Catherine "Katie" MCGUIRE. |
+7 | vi. | William MCGUIRE. |
+8 | vii. | Cornelius (Neely) MCGUIRE. |
+9 | viii. | Dr. John MCGUYRE. |
+10 | ix. | Elizabeth (Bettie) MCGUIRE. |