“The American Revolution was brought about by many men and women working together in a common cause. History remembers the great and the near great, the Washingtons, the Franklins and the Jeffersons. History also records the stories of those who are made to play the villains, the Hutchinsons, the Arnolds, the Butlers; what history does not often reveal are the stories of the ordinary people who brought, by hard labor and great personal sacrifice, this nation into being. The real hero of the American Revolution is the common soldier; had he not been convinced of the rightness of the cause for which his leaders asked him to fight, the Revolution would never have succeeded.”

R. G. Carroon

As a project during the American Bicentennial, Robert G. Carroon (who was a staff member of the Milwaukee County Historical Society) did the heavy lifting on the initial effort of searching for evidence of Revolutionary War Veterans buried in Wisconsin. His work appeared in a monthly publication of the Society. Additional documents, including an ubiquitous map listing burial sites of many individuals later proved false, have surfaced with other names claimed as veterans buried in Wisconsin. Members of WISSAR, with help of others such as members of the Daughters of the American Revolution and veteran service office staff, set about verifying/debunking the mass of data.

The goal of the Wisconsin Society Graves Project has been to identify, verify and locate grave sites of American Revolutionary Patriots buried in Wisconsin and convert the findings to the production of a two-foot by three-foot enduring bronze casting. The casting includes the name of these veterans, the unit they served in, and location of the grave sites when known. It also leaves room for five additional names should any be certified as Revolutionary Veterans and buried in Wisconsin. The casting has arrived, and we took a couple photos which are shown below.

This plaque was installed in the Wisconsin Memorial Park, Milwaukee, on Patriots' Day following a special ceremony on April 19, 2003. April 19 is officially designated as Patriots' Day in Wisconsin by the Wisconsin Legislator. Special guests, Revolutionary War Reinactors, the WISSAR Color Guard, and many friends joined WISSAR for this special event, which was open to the public.

Photo of Plaque

Resource:  Wisconsin Society - Sons of the American Revolution www.wissar.org

Lot Search is one of three Revolutionary War soldiers buried in Mound Cemetery. The other two are Private Rufus Carver (1755-1840) and Private Elijah (Elisha) Raymond (1761-1842). In all, there are eight Revolutionary War veterans buried in Racine County, more than any other county in Wisconsin.

RUFUS CARVER (1755-1840) was born December 13, 1755, in Montague, Massachusetts. While a resident of Northfield, Massachusetts, Carver belonged to Captain Ebenezer Jones’ company of minutemen and marched with that unit to Cambridge, Massachusetts, following the battle of Lexington in 1775.

While stationed in Cambridge he enlisted as a private in Captain Eliakim Smith’s Company of Colonel (later General) Artemas Ward’s Massachusetts Regiment. Rufus was at the battle of Bunker Hill and retreated with General Israel Putnam to Prospect Hill. Here Carver assisted in constructing the redoubt. He was discharged on January 1, 1776, completing his 8-month enlistment. Carver later responded to the “Bennington Alarm” and served in Captain Wright’s Company which marched to Bennington[1] but arrived one or two days after the battle.

Carver enlisted again in 1777, and served three months as a private in Captain Lyman’s Company, Colonel Bigelow’s Massachusetts Regiment. While in service the regiment marched to Danbury Connecticut, where it was posted on guard duty. Carver was discharged at Danbury at the end of November, 1777. He received a pension.[2]

Rufus Carver later moved to New York, and some time after 1838, accompanied by his wife, Pricilla Cummings,[3] and family, he moved to East Troy, Wisconsin, where he died March 20, 1840. Rufus Carver is buried in Mound Cemetery , Section 17E, Town of Mt. Pleasant, Racine, Racine County, Wisconsin. The Racine Chapter, DAR, marked Carver’s grave on October 9, 1937 [4]

[1]Carroon notes in his pamphlet that three soldiers buried in Wisconsin fought in the American forces at Bennington. They were Carver, Allen and Barlow.

[2]Dar Index, 1990.

[3]Ibid.

[4]Historical Society document of unidentified origin.

Photo of Grave Marker

SALMON CHILD (1765-1856) was born September 19, 1765, in Woodstock, Connecticut. The family moved to New York, then back to Connecticut, and to New York again during1778. Salmon’s father, Captain Increase Child, served as an officer in Colonel Lewis Dubois’ New York Regiment from 1776 to the end of the war, and Salmon served initially as a “waiter” to his father. In 1781 Salmon enlisted as a private in Captains Holtham Dunham’s Company of Colonel Marius Willett’s New York Regiment. From August, 1781 to April 1782 Child served as a “waiter” to Dr. Calvin Delano, a surgeon. Besides his duties as a “waiter,” Child was able to go on several “alarms” against the British.

After the war Salmon Child and his wife, Olive Rose,[1] moved to Greenfield, Saratoga County, New York where he served as First Judge of the County Court for a number of years.

In 1848 he moved to Walworth County , Wisconsin with his son William. Salmon Child died January 28, 1856, and is buried in Honey Creek Cemetery , Section 6, Town of Rochester, Racine County, Wisconsin–Lot 30, Block 5. A government headstone marks the grave.[2] Waukesha Continental Chapter, DAR, marked his grave on May 28, 1932.[3] The cemetery is said to be hard to find. It is small and located in Honey Creek. Take Highway 83 south to Honey Creek Road, then west. Drive to Highway 20 and go south approximately a half mile and pick up Honey Creek Road again (off to the left). Take it to County Highway D. Take D to the left. The cemetery is two blocks down the street on the right. The stone is located on the north part of the cemetery about half way in. The headstone # 23 is on the left, is fairly large, but almost illegible. It should have a new stone (marker).[4]
[1]DAR Index, 1990.

[2]From Historic Society document of unidentified origin.

[3]Ibid.

[4]Directions supplied by Jan VanLysel, John Bell DAR.

(Reprinted from Solders of the American Revolution Buried in Wisconsin by Robert G. Carroon, who was Curator of Research Collections for the Milwaukee Country Historical Society in 1975.)

Photo of Grave Marker

HELMONT KELLOGG (1762-1848) was born March 17, 1762, in New Hartford, Connecticut. He enlisted at Litchfield, Connecticut in 1777 for six weeks in Captain Phelp’s Company of Colonel Andrew Adam’s Regiment. He re-enlisted in Captain Joel Gillett’s Company and fought at the battle of White Plains, New York, October 28, 1776.

Helmont Kellogg arrived in Wisconsin around 1837, and died eleven years later on March 28, 1848. He is buried in Sylvania Cemetery , Kellogg’s Corners, Town 36, Town of Yorkville, Racine County, Wisconsin. The Racine DAR Chapter marked his grave in 1906.[1] He was a pensioner.[2] To locate his grave, take Highway 11 east out of Union Grove to 59th Drive South two blocks to Braun Road, east toward I-94. Go to the four-stop just this side of the interstate and turn right onto the frontage road. The cemetery is about one half mile on the west side of the road. The cemetery is small and in a disgraceful state. His stone is still standing, under a large pine and hidden by a bush. It is about a third of the way into the cemetery on the left (south) side. The stone is readable, if you know what it says. A legible marker should be installed.[3]

[1]Historic document of unidentified origin.

[2]DAR Index, 1990.

[3]Grave visit report.

(Reprinted from Solders of the American Revolution Buried in Wisconsin by Robert G. Carroon, who was Curator of Research Collections for the Milwaukee Country Historical Society in 1975.)

Photo of Grave Marker

ANDREW LYTLE (1762-1855) was born in Ireland in 1762, first settled in Pennsylvania and then moved to Salem, New York. He served as a Major in the New York Militia stationed in Washington County, New York.

Andrew Lytle moved to Wisconsin in 1838, with his son Adam, and died on September 7, 1855. He is buried in the small United Presbyterian Cemetery , Section 32, Town of Yorkville, Racine County , and four miles north of Union Grove, Wisconsin.[1]/[2] According to Jan VanLysel, who visited the grave, the cemetery is small, well kept and near the road. To get there, take Highway 45 north out of Union Grove, go three miles to County A, take A about one mile west to Raynor Avenue. Go north on Raynor about one fourth mile. The cemetery is on the west side. Lytle’s markers lies on the ground near the back center of the cemetery. It is very hard to find. There is no flag; nothing to indicate that he is a Revolutionary veteran. He has been truly neglected, though the cemetery itself is well tended.

He needs a new stone (marker), a flag , and who ever put the flags on the graves should be informed about him.[3]

[1]The cemetery is said to be one mile west of Highway 45, on Racine County Trunk A, Union Grove, Town of Dover, Racine County, Lot #113.

[2]It is said to be marked by the Racine DAR chapter.

[3]Reported on July 11, 2001.

(Reprinted from Solders of the American Revolution Buried in Wisconsin by Robert G. Carroon, who was Curator of Research Collections for the Milwaukee Country Historical Society in 1975.)

Photo of Grave Marker

ELISHA RAYMOND (1761-1842) was born on November 9, 1761, in Gloucester, Rhode Island. He enlisted in the Rhode Island militia in the latter part of February 1776 and served several tours of duty as follows: three months in Captain Burlingame’s Company of Colonel Kimball’s Regiment; one month under Captain Stephen Winsor as a substitute for his brother, Thomas Raymond; two months under Captain Whipple; one month as a substitute for his father, William Raymond. In July 1777 Elisha enlisted and served three months as a private under Captain Caleb Sheldon in Colonel Chad Brown’s Regiment. He enlisted again in 1781 and served one year as a private under Captain Wilmorth; when that tour of duty expired, he enlisted in March 1782 and served nine months in Captain Holden’s Company of Colonel Olney’s Regiment. Raymond received his final discharge in December 1782.

Elisha Raymond resided in Rhode Island and Vermont until around 1835, when he moved to Racine County , Wisconsin. He died June 11, 1842, and is buried in Mound Cemetery , Section 17E, Town of Mt. Pleasant, Racine, Racine County, Wisconsin.[1] The Mound is located on West Boulevard at Washington Avenue, Racine.[2]

[1]The Racine DAR Chapter marked his grave in 1928.

[2]Cemetery Locations in Wisconsin, page 127.

(Reprinted from Solders of the American Revolution Buried in Wisconsin by Robert G. Carroon, who was Curator of Research Collections for the Milwaukee Country Historical Society in 1975.)

Photo of Grave Marker

LOT SEARCH (1762-1851) was born March 8, 1762, at Kingwood, Hunterdon County, New Jersey. He enlisted at Mansfield, New Jersey, and served for various short periods from 1777 to 1779. Among the units in which Search served were Captain Daniel Bray’s Company of Colonel Joseph Beaver’s Second New Jersey Regiment, and he also participated in the battle of Monmouth. Search enlisted again in June of 1779 or 1780, and served as a private in Captain Cornelius Johnson’s New Jersey Company in action against the Indians across the Blue Mountains. Toward the close of the war, while in Southhampton Township, Bucks County, Pennsylvania, Search enlisted for two months but, as peace was declared, served only 20 days as a private in Captain Gordon Adams’ Company. After the war, Lot Search moved from New Jersey to Bucks County, Pennsylvania, and then to New York. In 1843 he moved to Racine, Wisconsin, where he died December 11, 1851. Search is buried in Mound Cemetery , Section 17E, Town of Mt. Pleasant, Racine, Racine County, Wisconsin.[1]

[1]The Racine DAR Chapter marked Lot’s grave, October 9, 1937.

(Reprinted from Solders of the American Revolution Buried in Wisconsin by Robert G. Carroon, who was Curator of Research Collections for the Milwaukee Country Historical Society in 1975.)

Photo of Grave Marker

More About Lot Search

[8]Who marked site in September 1956–not sure.

[9]A marker is said to be in River Park, Burlington.

[10]Reported July 11, 2001.

Information Source: Wisconsin Society - Sons of the American Revolution www.wissar.org