REVOLUTIONARY WAR SERVICE
Civil. According to Henry Peden’s work on Patriots of Frederick County (p. 398), he was appointed to the Committee of Correspondence, solicted on behalf of that committee for subscriptions to purchase arms and ammunition, and was an Associator, all in 1775; he took the Oath of Allegience, 1778.
Military. According to Henry Peden’s work on Patriots of Baltimore County (p. 295ff), he was First Lieutenant, Linganore Battalion, with Captain David Moore’s Company, 1777. According to Henry Peden’s work on Patriots of Frederick County (p. 398), he was Captain, Linganore Battalion, 17 JAN 1777-12 DEC 1781.
Horvath lists two separate persons of this name, the second, listed as William Winchester, Jr., is listed there as the Associator in 1775, but does not give birth or death dates for either, and only lists the elder Winchester as buried in Westminster.
BIOGRAPHY
William Winchester was born 22 DEC 1710 in London, England. As a young man he
sailed to the New World, arriving in Maryland in 1729. He married Lydia Richards 22 JUL 17xx.
In the 1760s he laid out the plan for the town of Westminster, originally called Winchester, on the border between Frederick and Baltimore counties (the town is now the county seat of Carroll County). He was prominent in local politics, and on the eve of Revolution took up the cause, serving in a variety of civil positions.
William and Lydia had the following children:
William Winchester, Jr.
Katherine Winchester m. William Welling
GRAVE LOCATION
39° 34.142' N, 76° 59.235' W
GRAVE SITE
Westminster Cemetery, Westminster, MD
ORIGINAL TOMBSTONE INSCRIPTION
In Memory of
WILLIAM WINCHESTER
Who was born in London on the
Of December 1710 Arrived in Maryland
on the 6th March 1729. Intermarried with
LYDIA RICHARDS on the 22nd July 17
and departed this life
on the 2nd September 1790
in the 80th Year of his age.
ADDITIONAL TOMBSTONE INSCRIPTION
(DAR Marker)
REVOLUTIONARY PATRIOT
WILLIAM WINCHESTER
1711 1790
Placed by William Winchester Chapter
DAR
DESCENDANTS IN MARYLAND STATE SOCIETY, SONS OF THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION
William Henry Forsythe, Jr.
