John Gale (abt. 1752 - 1813)

Born about 15 Sep 1752 in Stepney Parish, Somerset, Maryland

Ancestors

Husband of Amelia (Williams) Gale — married about 1793 in Somerset County, Maryland

Descendants

Died 25 Jan 1813 at about age 60 in Somerset, Maryland, United States

Problems/Questions Profile manager: Gurney Thompson [send private message]

Biography

The following was copied from the Find A Grave biography.

Gen. John Gale's father, George, was a son of Col. John Gale (b. 1710, d.1744) and Milcah Hill (b. 1712, d. 1765). Grandfather Col. John Gale was a son of Col. George Gale (b. 1671, d. 1712) and Elizabeth Denwood (b. 1674, d. 1736). Gen. John Gale, therefore was a great-grandson of Col. George Gale who helped found the towns of Whitehaven, MD and Princess Anne, MD; and, who's first wife, Mildred Warner Washington was President George Washington's grandmother, widow of George Washington's grandfather, Lawrence Washington.

In "Thirty-four Families of Old Somerset County", by Woodrow T. Wilson of Maryland, states, "In a farm graveyard on Gale's Creek near Kingston, Maryland on the old Ned Long farm now owned by Thomas Whittington (1977) is a gravestone with the following inscription: "Sacred to the memory of General John Gale who served from the commencement to the happy conclusion of our Revolutionary War and was promoted from a Lieutenancy to a Majority for his good conduct in his country's service. He lived beloved and respected and died sincerely lamented January 25th AD 1813 in the sixtieth year of his age."

After the Maryland Convention of 1775 authorized a standing army of 19 militia companies on 1/14/1776, John enlisted on 12/10/1776. He was immediately given the position of 2nd Lieutenant in the 2nd Maryland Regiment. On 1/15/1777 he made 1st Lieutenant in Capt.John Eccleston's Company of the 2nd Maryland Regiment commanded by Col. Thomas Price. On 8/22/1777 John was taken prisoner at the Battle of Staten Island, New York, largely due to its mismanaged affairs by General John Sullivan, Commander of the Continental forces there. On 10/12/1778 he was among a large number of distinguished American officers (General Charles Lee and Col. Ethan Allen to name a few) that were exchanged POW's, which was the direct result of the capture of the British General Burgoyne and his army during the Battles of Saratoga, culminating on his surrender on 10/17/1777. On 1/1/1781 John was transfered to the 5th Maryland Regiment with the rank of Captain. On 12/22/1782 he was made Aid-de-Camp to Brigadeer General Mortecai Gist until the close of the war. On 9/30/1783 he achieved the rank of Brevet Major General, and discharged on 11/15/1783. I wish I could expound more on John Gale's military achievements, which must have been just short of phenominal since it only took him seven years to go from 2nd Lietenant to a Brevet Major General.

General John Gale descended from the successful tobacco, rum, and sugar merchant family of Gales of Whitehaven, England, whom his 2nd great grandfather, John Gale (b. ABT 1641, d. 1716, m. Mary Carlisle) serving as Sir John Lowther's colliery steward for 25 year helped enlarge the Port of Whitehaven to be the second largest in England next to the Port of London. John's 3rd great grandfather, John Gale (b. ABT 1620, d. 1680, m. Elizabeth Ghiver) participated in the 1655 capture of Jamaica from Spain by transporting British troops in his coal ships to Jamaica, helping clear the way for his Gale relations in transforming the old Spanish cotton and tobacco plantations into sugar plantations there.

Sources

• Chapter 18 - George Gale (1671 - 1712) Of Whitehaven, Cumberland, England, & Somerset County, Maryland, http://gale-gaylefamilies.com/george-gale-of-maryland.html
• Memorial: Find a Grave (has image)
  Find A Grave: Memorial #77700814 (accessed 27 April 2023)
  Memorial page for Gen John Gale (15 Sep 1752-25 Jan 1813), citing Gale Family Cemetery, Marion Station, Somerset County, Maryland, USA.