Maj. John Light

John Light, FindaGrave John Light, husband of Catherine (Britzius) Light, was the father of Sarah Light Atlee. After serving as a Minute Man/Major from New Jersey during the Revolutionary War, he came to Lancaster where he kept a public house. In 1800 he was nominated to serve in the PA Assembly.

Light, Major John: served throughout the American Revolution; chief burgess of Lancaster; member of St. James'. [The History of St. James' Church, H.M.J. Klein & William F. Diller, 1944 - p. 323.] '

LIGHT, JOHN Ancestor #: A070302 Service: NEW JERSEY Rank: CAPTAIN Birth: 12-25-1754 BEDFORD WESTCHESTER CO NEW YORK Death: 8-2-1834 LANCASTER LANCASTER CO PENNSYLVANIA Pension Number: S*W5322 Service Source: S*W5322 Service Description: 1) FORAGE MASTER,CAPTS POLHEMUS,PLUNKETT 2) COLS Wm ALEXANDER,STEPHEN MOLAN

• Military service: Mar 4 1831 - Pennsylvania, United States
  • Reference: FamilySearch Family Tree - SmartCopy: Oct 14 2021, 15:45:12 UTC

Major John Light After the war he returned to Lancaster and married his girl friend Catherine Brizius (Bridges?). They had a daughter, Sarah, who had a son Dr. John Light Atlee who became renowned for developing surgical procedures to treat female disorders. Major John bought the tavern "The Sign of the Ship" but when he sold it in 1803 it was called "The Anchor". He was active in democratic politics in Lancaster and for 26 years (1798-1824) was clerk of the Sun Engine and Hose Company. He passed the sword he carried in the war to his grandson and established the family tradition of passing it from grandson to grandson. It was an object of discussion on Antiques Roadshow.

Frank Light

A Biographical History of Lancaster Co. Being a History of Early Settlers and Eminent Men of the County

by Alex. Harris, 1827
Lancaster, Pa.: Elias Barr & Co., 1872

Pg. 368, MAJOR JOHN LIGHT was a native of the State of New York. but the greater portion of his life was spent in Lancaster (pg. 369).He early entered the American service as a minute man for the Jerseys, in 1775, and participated in the expedition that was made against the Tories on Long Island.He was in the division that invaded Canada, and participated in the battle of Three Rivers.He was a sharer in the privations at the river Sorel, and on the retreat from Canada to Ticonderoga.In the battle of Lake Champlain he was present, and was among those who defended Ticonderoga and other places, until the retirement of the British army to winter quarters.Upon his return home he immediately reenlisted, and was with Washington in his retreat through New Jersey, and fought in the battle of Princeton.He acted as guide to Gen. Washington, and to several of the officers who commanded scouting parties detached from Gen. Putnam’s command, when the British possessed Brunswick; and he was among the first of those who entered that place after its evacuation by the enemy.He was a participant in the battle of Somerset Court House, and several other skirmishes about this time.He was in the battle of Monmouth Court House, and also at Germantown.He was one of the light dragoons who guarded Burgoyne’s prisoners from New Jersey to the Potomac.Inone service and another he acted with the American army, and was present when Lord Cornwallis surrendered his forces at Yorktown.After the revolution he kept tavern in East King St. for some years, ceasing this business in 1803.He was inspector of the 1st brigade of Lancaster Co. militia in 1800.In 1806 he was appointed a justice of the peace.He was a leading Democratic politician of his day, and a man of great influence.In 1818 he was appointed clerk of the orphans’ court, of the quarter sessions, and of the oyer and terminer.He was appointed in the room of John Hoff, deceased.He returned again to New York State, where he died about the year 1834.

John Light, husband of Catherine (Britzius) Light, was the father of Sarah Light Atlee. After serving as a Minute Man/Major from New Jersey during the Revolutionary War, he came to Lancaster where he kept a public house. In 1800 he was nominated to serve in the PA Assembly.

Light, Major John: served throughout the American Revolution; chief burgess of Lancaster; member of St. James'.
[The History of St. James' Church, H.M.J. Klein & William F. Diller, 1944 - p. 323.]

Revolutionary War Sword & Letter

Transcript of Antiques Roadshow appraisal

GUEST: Well, this is a sword which dates to pre American Revolutionary days and was owned by a gentleman in Philadelphia by the name of John Light, an ancestor of mine, and he was an adjutant in Washington's adjutant corps, or General Washington, and served in the Revolutionary War. Later in life, he passed this on to his grandson, who was John Light, too, and was a physician, and the tradition has continued that the sword be passed from grandfather to grandson, with the father in between being the custodian. But I'm actually the owner, 'cause my father was the custodian.

APPRAISER: But let me give you a little information about what you do have here. You're right, it's a sword that's pre-revolutionary period. It's more than likely circa 1750. It's a silver-hilted sword, being that the entire hilt is cast from silver and then hand-tooled, hand-finished, very elaborate. It's got a three-sided blade. It's called a colichemarde blade. Very typical of the blade of that time. It's flat-sided on three areas and then it terminates down into a smaller section of the blade and then runs down through the very tip. This type of sword is referred to as a small sword or a hanger. The blade is engraved as we'll typically see on swords of that time. Another thing about the sword that's really unusual is that it still has its complete scabbard, the full length. You know, you're talking about a sword that's about 250 years old, and for it to have the entire leather scabbard with the fittings is very unusual, and it's in beautiful, supple condition. Now, the thing that really excited me the most when you brought this in was this letter. Now, this is a letter from John Light himself, correct?

GUEST: Yeah, right.

APPRAISER: And this is bequeathing the sword to his grandson. The letter's dated 1832.

GUEST: And this letter hung with two other letters with the sword.

APPRAISER: Okay. And it's also saying that he carried the sword in the war the Revolutionary War.

GUEST: Yes.

APPRAISER: I've done a little research. I called a very, very knowledgeable source on Revolutionary War items who has all the records of officers that served. We don't find him listed in the Continental Army. So it's possible that he was a Pennsylvania militiaman, maybe attached with Washington, something to that effect.

GUEST: Right.

APPRAISER: The sword as it is, without any touch marks, any maker's mark, just as a Revolutionary War period with this wonderful provenance and history...

GUEST: Right.

APPRAISER: At a retail level by a dealer, it would have a value of approximately $8,000-$12,000. If it could be nailed down to be made from a particular American maker, you could double that. $20,000, $25,000.

GUEST: Wow.

APPRAISER: And this letter is priceless. That's what makes everything, ties the history together, and gives it this wonderful edge-- not to pun a word about a sword. But we really thank you for bringing it in. It's a... brilliant piece.

GUEST: Thank you very much.

• Reference: https://www.ancestry.com/family-tree/person/tree/23356233/person/11...
• Reference: Find A Grave Memorial - SmartCopy: Nov 11 2021, 16:29:18 UTC
• Reference: https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/roadshow/appraisals/revolutionary-war-swor...