Franklin County Veterans Hall of Honor: The Revolutionary War

The Louisiana Territory nor Franklin County had been established at the time of the Revolutionary War. At this time this area was known as the extreme frontier. Skirmishes between Indians and settlers were common.

One of the veterans, John Ridenhour, was killed in 1803 in an Indian attack at Point Labadie near current day Gray Summit. Revolutionary War veterans moved to Franklin County as settlers as early as the late 1790s.

Records have been located identifying Silvester Labadie as being in the First Spanish Colonial Company in 1780 and later receiving a large Spanish Land Grant in Franklin County. Mr. Labadie cannot be found listed in the U.S. military or militia so he will not be included on our roster. Veterans from this time period were trappers and farmers and several were instrumental in the creation of Franklin County and its administration.

Most of the names we have identified as serving in this conflict were found in the "Centennial Biographical Directory of Franklin County Missouri" by H.G. Kiel published in 1925.

After extensive research, we have listed 17 names of people who may have served in the Revolutionary War. Ten of those names have been verified. We are working hard trying to identify exact service dates on all these Veterans.

Complete:

Apperson, John

Farrar, Leonard

Hinkle, Isaac

Hunt, Littlebeury

Johns, John

Miller George

Ridenhour, John

Sappington, Hartley

Twitty, Russell

Whittlesey, Charles H.

Incomplete:

Breeding Jr., John

Chapman, Simeom

Long, John

Maupin, Mosias Cyrus

Mitchell, William

Richardson, Daniel

Roark, James

The Veterans Hall of Honor Committee was created to honor the Veterans who were associated with Franklin County. Criteria for inclusion in the Hall of Honor include: be a veteran having an honorable discharge, born or raised in Franklin County or lived in Franklin County for at least ten years (which is difficult to define in the earlier periods) or buried in Franklin County.

Anyone willing to donate pictures, military histories, military uniforms or insignias that you would like to have included and displayed in the Hall of Honor or if any one has service information or family history on the above names or veterans that were inadvertently not on the list please contact us.

The County's Internet site is www.Franklinmo.org. Go to Veterans Hall of Honor and complete the information sheet found there. Other contact information is towilson@franklinmo.net

Phone numbers to call are 636-583-6360 (office) or 636-239-0317 (home). The mailing address is: Terry O. Wilson, 400 East Main Street, Room 206, Union, MO 63084.