At the age of 89 years and a few days, Robert Houston Brank drew his last breath at his home in Garrard County, Kentucky.  Born in Burke County, North Carolina, he was the son of Robert Brank, Sr., and Shirley Jean Houston.  After his service in the Revolutionary War, Robert married Margaret McLean, daughter of Captain Ephraim McLean, Sr., and Elizabeth Davidson.  Robert and Margaret lived their first years of marriage in North Carolina.  In the 1800 tax roll of Kentucky, we find Robert and his family in Garrard County, Kentucky. 

Children of Robert Houston Brank and Margaret McLean:

1. Alney McLean Brank, June 10, 1779 – December 30, 1841.
2. Jane Brank, February 25, 1781 – July 26, 1841, married Dr. John Mebane Woods.
3. Elizabeth Brank, May 22, 1786 – January 21, 1857, married James Garland Woods, brother to the above John.
4. Mary Brank, December 25, 1789 – December 25, 1864, married Ephraim Edward Davidson.
5. Ephraim McLean Brank, August 1, 1791 – August 5, 1875, married Mary B. Campbell.
6. Sophronia Brank, August 30, 1792 – January 14, 1879, never married.
7. Margaret Brank, April 18, 1794 – April 18, 1871, married William Henderson.
8. Robert Houston Brank, III, March 26, 1799 – March 23, 1827, married Ruth Tennessee Davidson.  Robert was killed in a duel.
9. William Garland Brank, August 15, 1803 – May 22, 1842.
10. Andrew Newton Brank, January 26, 1806 – September 11, 1838.

Robert H. Brank, at the age of 75 and a few months, he made oath that he volunteered for three months with Col. Christopher Bateman and Capt. Leroy Taylor, when he resided in the County of Burke in North Carolina.  After the three months he volunteered for the same time again and marched in the lower parts of North Carolina and was engaged in frequent skirmishes with the Tories during this period.  He was again discharged and received papers, but all discharges were long since lost.  For six months he was under Captain Joseph McDowell and was commanded by General Charles McDowell, both of whom lived in Burke County.  He was in many skirmishes, but no great battles.  He does not remember the particular dates of service, but it was in the early part of 1775.  Thomas Kennedy, of Garrard County, said that he had been ‘intimately acquainted since we were boys – that they have never been longer absent from each other at any one time that three months, since their early acquaintance.’  Thomas certified that he was an active, brave soldier.

On another page of the pension papers, two of Robert H. Brank’s daughters, Elizabeth Brank Woods and Sophronia Brank, stated that their father received a pension from the United States at the rate of $63.33 per annum.  Their father died the 10^th day of April 1846, leaving no widow who survived him.  The two daughters asked that all claim or claims to arrears of pay or pension money be paid them, dated 1853.

Thomas Kennedy was born September 11, 1757, in North Carolina, and died June 19, 1836, in Garrard County, Kentucky.  Thomas was the son of John Kennedy, Sr., and Elizabeth King.  He first married Agnes Ross, 1756 – August 21, 1807, daughter of Hugh Ross and Sarah Stockton.  Thomas and Agnes had one daughter, Mary Kennedy. 

After Agnes’ death he married Edna Withers, 1780-August 3, 1821.  Thomas and Edna had the following children – Nancy, Thomas, Jr., John and Elizabeth.  I found the date of Edna Withers Kennedy’s death on Find A Grave.  I believe there must be a mistake since the marriage of Thomas Kennedy and Elizabeth Miller Kavanaugh occurred in April of 1821.

After Edna’s death, Thomas married Elizabeth Miller, March 20, 1782 – August 22, 1833, daughter of Col. John Miller and Jane Delaney.  Elizabeth was a widow, having married a Mr. Kavanaugh.  Thomas Kennedy and Elizabeth Kavanaugh were married April 10, 1821, in Garrard County.  Joseph Miller was bondsman. 

Mary (Polly) Kennedy married Maj. John Faulkner.  Nancy Kennedy married Judge James H. Letcher December 6, 1827.  Thomas Kennedy, Jr., married Mary Susan Bohannon(?). 

Thomas Kennedy was also in the Revolutionary War in the service of Burke County, North Carolina, in the early years of 1775, as a volunteer, and was Captain of the mounted men and was attached to Col. Christopher Bateman’s Regiment.  He served three months, again volunteered for the same period of time, in the same regiment, was engaged in skirmishes with the Tories in the state of North Carolina.  He again volunteered for three months under General Rutherford and immediately marched against Wilmington.  He was a Captain of Dragoons, and was the first officer who entered the town.  Upon their return home, he and most of his men were taken prisoners by Col. Fannan and Col. Elrod of the British army, that he was robbed of what little money he had and his watch and his commission of Captaincy, and then paroled.  He was exchanged in the spring of the year and again engaged in the service of mountain men under Gen. Charles McDowell for six months.  He was also in South Carolina and a part of Georgia during this time.  He was in the Battle at Ramsover’s Mills in North Carolina.  He had seventeen men killed or wounded and was wounded himself in the leg by a rifle ball.  Robert Brank was Thomas’ certification, said he had been ‘acquainted with Thomas Kennedy since he was a boy, that we went to school together, and were raised together in Burke County, NC, served together in the war, and have lived near by since we left North Carolina to the state of Kentucky, 50 years, have gone over incidents during the war many times.  He will further add that the applicant was a valuable persevering patriotic man of great energy and a brave soldier and rendered distinguished service to the cause of his country in the revolutionary struggle.’