NYCHAPS has created a list of patriots from Northern York County that served in the Revolutionary War.  The list was expanded to include, where available, the soldier’s township, military unit, service description, cemetery, and other details. To view the spreadsheet, click the link here:  Northern York County Patriots

Soldiers served with the Pennsylvania militia and Washington’s Continental Army.  Soldiers that were part of Washington’s Continental Army saw the majority of the fighting and are listed in bold on the spreadsheet.  The apparent duplication/variation of names on the spreadsheet likely exists due to spelling variations that occurred when soldier rosters were transcribed at various times.  

While today, Northern York County consists not only of Warrington and Monaghan Townships, but also Carroll, Franklin, and Washington, as well as the associated boroughs of Dillsburg, Franklintown and Wellsville, at the time of the American Revolution, Northern York County consisted of only 2 townships – Monaghan and Warrington.  As a result, only these two townships are listed on the spreadsheet.

The list of Revolutionary War Patriots from Northern York County was developed as explained below:

1. Starting in 1777, all men between the ages of 18 and 53, with some exceptions, were required to join the militia.  In the mid-20th century, Henry James Young compiled lists of militia soldiers from the townships in York County, including Warrington and Monaghan, the only 2 townships in existence in Norther York County at the time of the American Revolution.  His “Red Series” is a set of compiled military and land records from York County created for the Historical Society of York County.  The “Red Series” specifically contains muster rolls, pension records, and bounty land records for York County during the American Revolution. His lists were the basis for inclusion of the militia soldiers.  
2. The Pennsylvania State Archives provided online access to Revolutionary War militia records through its Research Online portal at York County Revolutionary War Militia | Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and was used to identify York County militia leadership in 1777 and 1780 after passage of the Militia Act in 1777 formalized and strengthened militia requirements.
3. Soldiers were identified from the following cemeteries in Northern York County and added based on their tombstones indicating that they served in the American Revolution:
   1. Dillsburg Cemetery – Carroll Township
   2. Monaghan Presbyterian Church Cemetery – Dillsburg
   3. Friend’s (Warrington) Meeting House – Warrington Township
   4. Barren’s Salem-Union – Washington Township
   5. Dierdorff Cemetery – Washington Township
   6. East Camping Area Rd Salem Evangelical
   7. Filey’s Cemetery – Monaghan Township
   8. Franklin St John’s Lutheran - Franklin Township
   9. Groff Burial Ground – Washington Township
   10. Lerew Family Cemetery – Franklin Township
   11. St. John’s Reformed and Luthern – Warrington Township
   12. Markey Farm Cemetery – Washington Township
   13. Pleasant View Dunkard Cemetery – Carroll Township
   14. Red Mount Cemetery – Washington Township
4. Soldiers were added that were part of the Continental Army or earlier volunteer units and linked to either Warrington or Monaghan Township through other sources such as tax records, land records or census data.  In particular, Philip J. Schlegel’s book, entitled “Recruits to Continentals: A History of the York County Rifle Company, June 1775 - January 1777” first published in 1979 by the Historical Society of York County was used as a source for Continental soldiers.
5. Other patriots belonging to either the Sons of the American Revolution, the Daughters of the American Revolution or other organizations that were linked to either Warrington or Monaghan Township were included.
6. Pennsylvania has published volumes of information from the colonial time period, including the Revolution, in its “Pennsylvania Archives” series.  These volumes contain information on both militia and Continental soldiers from throughout Pennsylvania and were also used as a source of additional information, and referenced as “PA Archives, [Series Number, Volume Number].”
7. After the end of the American Revolution, soldiers sometimes applied for government pensions.  These pensions are available through the National Archives and when identified, were also used as a source of additional information.
8. Family histories were sometimes used to confirm details and add information.

Additional information likely exists in other locations, especially if not yet digitized.  NYCHAPS welcomes input from individuals to further develop the history of the patriots from Northern York County.