Elisha Battle (1723 - 1799)

Born 9 Jan 1723 in Suffolk, Nansemond, Virginia

Ancestors

Husband of Elizabeth Ruth (Sumner) Battle — married 1742 in Nansemond County, Virginia

Descendants

Died 6 Mar 1799 at age 76 in Edgecombe, North Carolina, United States

Problems/Questions Profile manager: Walter Liebkemann [send private message]

Biography

Major Elisha Battle performed Patriotic Service in North Carolina in the American Revolution.

Elisha Battle is a DAR Patriot Ancestor, A007558.

The Battle family was one of great distinction. There is an Elisha Battle graveyard on Coolspring Plantation.

Major ELISHA BATTLE was born 9 Jan 1723 in Nansemond Co., Virginia. He died 6 Mar 1799 in Edgecomb Co., North Carolina and was buried in "Cool Spring Plantation, " Edgecombe Co., NC.

He was a second Major in the Revolutionary Army ^[1]; Field Officer 1770-1787; member of the General Assembly 1771 which he continued to hold for 20 years; married Elizabeth Sumner born____________, died 1794, daughter of John Sumner, a brother of General Jethro Sumner of Washington's staff. They were married in Nansemond County, Virginia.

In 1747 Elisha Battle (1723-1799) came into North Carolina from Virginia, bringing his wife, two children, and about six slaves with him. He obtained land grants along the Tar River. The plantation was called Cool Spring, getting its name from a spring on the river bank about 400 yards from the house. The kitchen building stands today; the big fireplace (now minus its stone hearth) still has a hook handing from its chimney. An adjoining room was a loom room in the early days, an ironing room later.

Elisha’s son Jacob Battle (1754-1814) lived in a house on the plantation about one mile from his father’s; this house became known as Old Town.

The Battle Book published in 1930 says that Elisha Battle bought the first 400 acres in 1747 from a Samuel Holloman. Presumably there was a house on the property which Elisha and his family would have initially inhabited. Further the Battle Book says that before his death in 1799, Elisha built another house at the bend in the river which is presumably at the site of what is called Cool Spring. It is said that in the late 1840’s when James Smith Battle, Elisha’s grandson, began construction on his Greek Revival style house which is pictured in the Battle Book that James Smith Battle’s house was built in front of the old house which has not survived or been documented with archaeology. There had been a fire in 1896 causing damage, but the Greek Revival house was totally destroyed by fire in 1898.^[2]

Timeline

1747: removed 1747 to Tar River, Edgecombe County; lands bought on north side of river where home was built are now Cool Spring Plantation, still owned by members of the family;

1756-95; Justice of Peace,Edgecombe County;

1759: Justice County Court of Edgecombe (afterwards Inferior Court of Pleas and Quarter Sessions);

1760: one of five commissioners to found and lay out town of Tarboro;

1764: joined Falls of Tar River Church (deacon 28 years);

1765: assisted in organizing Kehukee Association (moderator many years); patriot American Revolution;

1771: member General Assembly serving 20 years;

April 4, 1776: member Provincial Congress, Halifax;

November 12, 1776: member Congress, Halifax, forming State Constitution;

1777-81, 1783, 1785-87:State Senator; member Committee of Safety, Edgecombe County;

1788: delegate Constitutional Convention, serving as ChairmanCommittee of Whole; Baptist;

1742: married Nansemond County, VA, , Elizabeth Sumner (died Edgecombe County, NC, ^[3]January 19, 1794; daughter of John Sumner whose brother, Jethro Sumner, was the father of Brig. Gen. Jethro Sumner of the Continental Army, the first President of the Society of the Cincinnati)."

Marriage

Elisha Battle married Elizabeth, daughter of John Sumner, first cousin to General Jethro Sumner, of Washington's staff; and a granddaughter of William Sumner, of Sumner Manor, Isle of Wight County, Virginia. Of this marriage there were the following children: Sara, Jethro, Elizabeth, Elisha, John, William, Dempsey, and Jacob.

Husband: Elisha Battle

Wife: Elizabeth Sumner Battle (1727 - 1794)

Married: 1742 in Nansemond Co, VA

Children

1. Sarah Battle b: 1743
2. John Battle b: 1745 in Nonsemond Co, VA
3. Elisha Battle II b: ABT. 1749 in NC
4. Elizabeth Ruth Battle b: ABT. 1749
5. William B. Battle b: 8 NOV 1751 in Edgecombe Co, NC
6. Jacob Battle

Death

The cemetery long known as the Elisha Battle cemetery is in Taylor Field on the north side of Highway 97 East/Cool Spring Road (in the middle of the field across from Cool Spring house) where Cool Spring Road takes a 90 degree turn to Battleboro and is no longer Highway 97 East. The cemetery has a slab and fence built in the 1930’s by George Gordon Battle of New York City. The slab commemorates the site where Elisha Battle is buried

• Stone erected 1935 by George Gordon Battle, New York, the only stone found in this old graveyard.

Born – Nansemond County, Virginia, January 9, 1723

Settled on this plantation 1747.

Judge of Edgecombe County Court

Member of Commission to lay out Town of Tarboro

Member, Clerk, for many years Moderator of

Kehukee Baptist Association

Member for twenty years Provincial General Assembly

Member State Senate and Constitutional Convention

Edgecombe’s Member Committee of Safety during Revolution

Died nearby March 6, 1799

Successful planter – sturdy patriot – sincere Christian

The patriarch of the Battle clan, his name is revered by a

host of descendants.

Sources

• The Battle Book, A Genealogy of the Battle Family in America, with Chapters Illustrating Certain Phases of Its History," page 199

• Our Southern Cousins Battles

• The Sons of the American Revolution: New York State Society, 1893-94 By Edward Hagaman Hall. Republic Press, 1894. 268 pages.

Footnotes

1. ↑ Revolutionary War (DAR# 49383)
2. ↑ "The Battle Book, A Genealogy of the Battle Family in America, with Chapters Illustrating Certain Phases of Its History," page 199
3. ↑ 9 July 2009 John Battle "Immigrant In 1654" of Pasquotank & Descendants Page 11

Acknowledgements

• Walter Liebkemann, firsthand knowledge. See the Changes page for the details of edits by Walter and others.