BIOGRAPHIES
WILLIAM HALSEY
and RACHEL COBB
William Halsey, Jr., born March 23, 1760, at Columbia,
New Jersey. He married Rachel COBB of Schooley, New
Jersey, on November 3, 1780. They were married by
Reverend Joseph Gravies at the Presbyterian Church.
William enlisted in Washington's Continental Army on May
9, 1778, and joined on June 5, 1778, at Mount Holly, New
Jersey. He served under Captain Emily and was
commandeered by General Dayton. His revolutionary service
was considerable, fighting in the battles of Brandywine,
Bunker Hill, Ash Swamp, and Cowpens. He was one of
General Washington's personal guards at Morristown, New
Jersey. He is listed in the DAR Patriot Index.
William and Rachel moved to North Carolina soon after his
service in the American Revolution. Records indicate that
he had land holding problems which many Colonists were
having at that time in Northern New Jersey. It is
believed that his contacts with revolutionary soldiers
from the North Carolina area may have influenced him to
move to North Carolina. Colonial ownership was dependable
in this area of North Carolina. William's brother John
moved from New Jersey to Vermont, perhaps for the same
reason that William moved to Alleghany County, North
Carolina.
William and Rachel had four sons and seven daughters:
Amos married Elizabeth Howell; Sarah married William
Howell; Margaret married Joseph Hash; Rachel married
Isaac Pacely; James married Pattie Peak; Sylvester
married Mary Young; William "Bucky" married
Juda Peak; Mary married first, Nathaniel Vannoy; second
Andrew Robinson; Sally married first, Peter Davis;
second, Pleasant Perky; Olive married David Creep (or
Cress or Crep); and Cliksley (Clisby) -- no record of
marriage. William Halsey died on February 21, 1832, and
Rachel died on November 11, 1847. They are both buried in
the Halsey Cemetery near Piney Creek, North Carolina.
-- Rufus Clinton Halsey
Source: Thomas Halsey and His Descendants
(biographical sketch from The Heritage of Ashe County,
North Carolina).
This page was last updated January
14, 2004.