Five Revolutionary War soldiers with Conecuh County ties identified

Citizens across the nation will be celebrating Independence Day today – July 4 – with barbecues, fireworks, parades and other events as our country marks 243 years since the signing of the Declaration of Independence. This famous document was signed during what we now call the American Revolutionary War, which ended with the signing of the Treaty of Paris in 1783.

An estimated 200,000 men served in the American army and militias during the Revolutionary War, and more than a few of these men have ties to Conecuh County. Using research made available by the Alabama Society of Soldiers of the American Revolution, I was able to find at least five Revolutionary War soldiers with Conecuh County connections, but there were no doubt others who have been lost in the mists of time.

Conecuh County Revolutionary War soldier James Cosey is said to have died in Conecuh County, but his burial location is unknown, but it’s believed to have been somewhere near Evergreen. Cosey’s exact date of birth and death are also unknown as well as where he was born.

Cosey is remarkable because sources say that what is now Evergreen was founded in 1819 when Cosey and several other men settled in the area of what is now South Main Street. In fact, for many years, before people began using the name “Evergreen,” that area was known as “Cosey’s Old Field.”

Stephen Pipkin was born on Aug. 2, 1757 in North Carolina and served as a soldier in North Carolina during the war. He later moved to Conecuh County, where he died some time after 1835. His burial location is also currently unknown.

James Salter was born in 1760 in North Carolina and served as a soldier in what was known as the North Carolina Commissary Troops. He died on May 22, 1835 in Conecuh County (some sources say Monroe County). Some sources say that his exact gravesite is unknown while other sources say he is buried in the Bethany Baptist Church Cemetery in Monroe County.

In 1972, the Conecuh County Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution erected a memorial to James Salter on the Conecuh County side of County Road 5 near Burnt Corn. This large stone monument says he served in the state legislature from 1823 to 1828. Descendants of James Salter have told me that he had 23 children, including 19 sons.

John Salter was born in 1760 and served as a musician in the North Carolina Militia during the war. He later moved to Conecuh County, where he died on Oct. 10, 1834. His exact burial location is currently unknown.

Last, but not least, we have William Witherington, who was born on Feb. 10, 1741 in South Carolina, where he is listed as having served as a “Patriot.” He eventually moved to Conecuh County and died on Sept. 22, 1819. Witherington is buried in the Ward-Witherington Cemetery in Conecuh County. In fact, his grave is the oldest grave in that cemetery and a new stone marker was placed on his grave on Nov. 5, 2005.

In the end, if anyone in the reading audience has any more information about the Revolutionary War soldiers listed above, please let me hear from you. It would be nice to fill in some of the blanks regarding these men.