Written by Ann Robertson McConnell
Editor’s Note: The Enterprise is pleased to partner with the Colonel Abram Penn Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution to present My Patriot Ancestor, an ongoing series highlighting Revolutionary War patriots through the stories of local DAR members and their families.
The Battle of Kings Mountain took place on October 7, 1780, and is often referred to as the turning point of the American Revolution. Indeed, Thomas Jefferson later reflected that the Patriot victory “turned the tide” of the war in favor of the United States.
The defeat of the British Army raised the Patriot morale and inspired the Americans to continue the struggle against the British. The fighting lasted only an hour but forced General Charles Cornwallis, the British commander in charge of the Southern Campaign of the war, to retreat and hold a defensive position.
This allowed Patriot forces to reorganize and develop a new offensive, leading to a decisive win at the Battle of Cowpens in 1781, and eventually, the final triumph of General George Washington’s forces over Cornwallis at Yorktown in October of that year.
The American soldiers fighting that battle came to be known as Overmountain Men, rugged American frontiersmen from west of the Blue Ridge Mountains. They lived on the western frontier— “over” the mountains – in the areas that are now parts of Tennessee, Kentucky, southwest Virginia, and western North Carolina. They were self-reliant, skilled hunters and farmers rather than a formally trained military force.
John Brammer III was an Overmountain Man and the patriot ancestor of DAR member Elva Haden.
John Brammer III was born in 1720 in Buckingham, Virginia. His family was among the very first settlers to move into the frontier region of southwestern Virginia that would eventually become Patrick County.
Brammer married Mary Elizabeth Burgess in 1757 in Virginia. They had at least three sons and three daughters.
During the peak of the Revolutionary War, a push went out to enlist frontiersmen to oppose British Major Patrick Ferguson. Brammer enlisted and served under Commander Owen Ruble alongside a small detachment of Virginia militia volunteers.
By 1783, official accounts show that Brammer’s role had shifted from active combat duty to civic support rather than carrying a rifle on active campaign. Following his time in the militia, Brammer settled back into his frontier lifestyle, ultimately remaining in the region when his corner of Henry County split off to become Patrick County, where he resided until his death in late 1813.
The Brammer family became prominent early settlers of Virginia’s frontier, particularly in Patrick County.
The information for this article is from Kings Mountain National Park, Wikipedia, FamilySearch and the Daughters of the American Revolution Library.
Everyone has a story. Let us help you tell yours. Any woman 18 years or older, regardless of race, religion or ethnic background, who can prove lineal descent from a patriot of the American Revolution is eligible for membership. NSDAR is a non-profit, non-political women’s service organization. Help researching and proving your lineage can be provided by the Colonel Abram Penn Chapter by contacting Ann Robertson McConnell at [email protected].
