146. William Milligan [SC]
~1710, William born in ?. [Scottish naming conventions provided that the 1st born son be named after the paternal grandfather, the 2nd son after the maternal grandfather. John26 named his 1st son John and 2nd William. This would indicate Martha’s father’s name was William. Note that the father of this John72 was likely named John.]
Family notes:
• There are 17 “Milligan” familes listed in the 1790 Charleston Dir. There is significant evidence supporting Martha being a relative of Jacob Milligan, a SC Rev. War Hero. According to Eva Raymond Frazer Hughes, gd/o CPF, Captain Jacob Milligan [of the galley Revenge] is probably the brother of Martha Milligan. Also note that John M Frazer named his first son John Jacob Frazer.
Children of William and ?:
i. John Jacob Milligan, born 1730 in SC.
3/29/1774, Jacob married Margaret Bennett, born 9/16/1759.
12/16/1775, Jacob reported to the “Council of Safety” that he saw huts being built for crews of British warships on Sullivan’s island. He had seen the huts after his ship – the Hetty – was captured by the ship Scorpion. (S) Nothing but Blood and Slaughter – the Revolutionary War in the Carolinas, V1, 1771–1779; P68.
6/29/1776, Jacob served as 3rd Lt. of the ship Prosper. The British ship Acteon had run aground. “The garrison fired several shot at the Acteon, which she returned. But soon after, her crew set her on fire and abandoned her, leaving her colours flying, guns loaded, with all her ammunition, provisions, and stores on board. They had not been long gone before several boats from the Island went to her. Lieutenant Jacob Milligan, with some others, went on board, and brought off her jack, bell, some sails, and stores. While the flames were burning out on all sides, he fired three of her guns at the Commodore. In less than half an hour after they quitted her, she blew up.”
4/8/1779, Lt. Alexander Fraser, U.S. Army – and under arrest, sent a letter to Captain Jacob Milligan. (S) Benjamin Lincoln Papers 1635-1964, MA Hist. Soc.
1780, “Captain Jacob Milligan testified at the Court of Inquiry on Lieutenant [Alexander] Fraser”. (S) S. C. Historical Mag., 1904, P213.
5/1782–3/1783, Jacob, Captain of the galley Revenge.
10/27/1782, Jacob sent a letter from Georgetown to General Marion about a British vessel with papers to pass issued by the Governor of SC. (S) Documentary History of the American Revolution, Publ. 1857, P240.
3/15/1784, Jacob granted a 1-year gratuity by Commodore Gillon.
10/15/1784, Jacob Milligan, Captain of S.C., awarded 450 acres of Revolutionary War Bounty land on Big Beaverdam Creek of Tugalo River, 96th Dist.
1/6/1796, House Claims Committee reviewed Jacob’s petition for Revolutionary War compensation. (S) U. S. House of Representatives Private Claims, V2, P403.
1797, Jacob died in Charleston, SC.
1820, Margaret died in Charleston.
Children:
Amy Caroling Milligan, born ~1775 in SC.
5/23/1793, she married Isaac Jacobs.
William Milligan, born ~1776 in SC.
4/13/1806, he married Catherine McKenzie, born 1789 in Scotland.
1839, he died.
ii. William Milligan, born ~1735 in SC.
6/23/1777, John Frazer72 and W Milligan of Beale’s Wharf mentioned in the South Carolina Gazette. [This W Milligan would likely be oldest male brother of Martha.]
iii. John Milligan, born ~1740 in SC.
5/1782–3/1783, Jacob, Lt. of the galley Revenge serving under his brother Jacob.
iv. Martha Milligan ( 73), born ~1750 in SC.
