When Americans think of the Revolutionary War, they often picture the battles at Lexington and Concord, Trenton, or Yorktown. Yet the struggle for independence reached far beyond those famous battlefields. Long before the City of Milford was officially established in 1787, the communities that would eventually form Milford were deeply involved in the Revolution. Farmers, physicians, soldiers, politicians, artisans, and even those who remained loyal to the British all played roles in one of the nation’s defining conflicts.
Situated between the Mispillion River and Cedar Creek, the Milford area was home to families whose contributions extended from the battlefield to the halls of government. The region also experienced the divisions that characterized the Revolution, reminding us that independence was far from universally supported. The stories of these local residents reveal that the American Revolution was not only fought by famous generals but also by ordinary Delawareans whose lives helped shape both the new nation and the future city of Milford.
Although George Manlove did not gain fame on the battlefield, his contributions to the creation of the United States were significant. A resident of the Williamsville area, Manlove served as one of Delaware’s delegates to the Constitutional Ratification Convention in December 1787. His signature appears on the document that made Delaware the first state to ratify the United States Constitution.
Following the Revolution, Manlove continued his public service as a Justice of the Peace before being appointed Kent County Coroner in 1812. By 1800, he had relocated to Murderkill Hundred and later died in Dover in 1822, leaving behind a legacy tied directly to Delaware’s place as “The First State.”
John Revell represented another generation of Revolutionary leaders who transitioned from military service to government. Holding the rank of First Lieutenant in Richard Dallinor’s company during 1779, Revell later served multiple terms in Delaware’s House of Assembly in 1784, 1785, and 1787.
In a letter to Captain Gordon from Thomas Rodney, Caesar Rodney’s brother, dated August 5, 1776, Revell is mentioned as follows, “Our ticket is finally fixed yesterday a great number of our principal friends present as well as most of the members – C. Rodney, W. Killen, Tho. Rodney, J. Carty, S. Snow, J. Baning, V. Lockerman, Powerell, Cox, Fran, Many, J. Revell. From the present disposition of the Whigs, it appears we shall carry the election.” A footnote reads that on August 27, a conservative, or Tory, ticket was elected.
In 1787, Revell was appointed to Delaware’s Privy Council, the body responsible for advising the state’s chief executive, who at that time was known as the President of Delaware rather than governor. His career reflects how many Revolutionary officers helped establish the institutions of the new republic after the fighting ended.
Few military units have become as closely associated with Delaware as the First Delaware Regiment, better known today as the Blue Hens. Among its members was John Vinyard, a Milford-area resident who served as a fifer and drummer.
Military records place Vinyard in two of the Revolution’s earliest major engagements—the Battle of Long Island and the Battle of White Plains—as General George Washington fought to preserve the Continental Army following the British capture of New York City. After those campaigns, the Delaware Regiment was reassigned to the Southern Theater, where it continued fighting in the Carolinas.
Vinyard later sold his military position to Ferguson Jenkins, a mulatto soldier who subsequently appeared on military rolls under Vinyard’s name, a practice not uncommon during the period.The Vinyard family’s influence continued long after the Revolution. John’s son, Curtis Vinyard Sr., served during the War of 1812, while later generations became prominent citizens of Milford. His grandson, Wilson Marvel Vinyard, established the Vinyard Shipyard on the Mispillion River, a landmark business later owned by Joan and Sudler Lofland.
Not every patriot carried a musket. Sarah Young, daughter of Robert and Christian Peterkin Young of Cedar Creek, contributed to the Revolutionary cause by producing clothing for Delaware soldiers.
Records show she made overalls and uniforms for members of the First Delaware Regiment and received payment of £1 18 shillings and 6 pence in October 1781 for her work. Her family’s contributions extended beyond sewing. Her brothers, Nathaniel Young and Robert Young Jr., were reimbursed for militia expenses, while her father-in-law, Nehemiah Davis, supplied six yards of dressed cloth to the Continental forces.
In total, at least four members of the interconnected Young and Davis families are documented as patriots who actively supported the Revolutionary cause.
Among Delaware’s most celebrated Revolutionary figures was Colonel John Haslet.
Born in Ulster, Ireland, in 1727, Haslet immigrated to America around 1757. Although originally trained as a Presbyterian minister, he became well known throughout Kent County for his medical knowledge before turning to military service.
Haslet’s family owned more than 400 acres near what are now Canterbury Road, Airport Road, and Milford-Harrington Highway, placing him among the prominent landowners of the Milford region.
As commander of the First Delaware Regiment, Haslet fought in both the Battles of Long Island and White Plains. On January 3, 1777, during the Battle of Princeton, he was killed while leading his men into combat.
His death devastated his wife, Jemima Molleston Brinckle Haslet, who reportedly took to her bed after receiving news of his death and died less than a year later, leaving their four children orphaned.
Haslet remains one of Delaware’s greatest Revolutionary heroes.
The Revolution divided communities as much as it united them, and the Milford area was no exception.
Parson Sydenham Thorne came to Milford in 1773 from the Eastern Shore of Virginia to become rector at what was then known as Savannah’s Chapel. The name was given as it was close to a swamp and, in those days, a swamp was known as a “savannah.” After arriving in Milford, Parson Thorne married Betty Polk Manlove Crapper, a wealthy widow who had survived three husbands.
When the revolution came to Milford, like most clergy of the time, Parson Thorne was not in favor of the patriot cause. The parson did not attempt to conceal his loyalty to the king and church. As a result, he faced the Committee of Correspondence at least three times. The parson was in a precarious position as an Anglican clergyman who had a sworn loyalty to the British crown. He was legally required to read prayers for the Royal Family.
On Jun 12, 1775, the Second Continentental Congress declared July 20 a Day of Humiliation, Fasting and Prayer in an effort to unite the rebellious colonies. The holiday was for people to confess their sins and seek devine intervention for the preservation of American liberties as the discontent with Great Britain increased. The congress asked colonists of all denominations to suspend labor on July 20, assemble for public worship and fast as an act of public humiliation.
The primary goal was to petition the king and seek divine intervention without bloodshed, although the country was already preparing for defense and fighting in Massachusetts had already broken out. Since communication was significantly slower then, the unified day would be a way to help bridge regional divisions and could function as the country’s firs tholiday.
Parson Thorne took a controversial stance when he refused to observe July 20 as a day of humiliation and prayer as recommended by the Continental Congress. Instead, he encouraged colonists to submit to what he described as the authority of Parliament and the British ministry. His defiance, which patriot leaders interpreted as supporting the enslavement of America, stemmed from his refusal to allow his pulpit to be used for revolutionary political action.
His public statements brought him before Delaware’s Committee of Correspondence in September, although surviving records do not indicate what punishment, if any, resulted. Records indicate that Parson Thorne was brought before the committee on at least three other occasions.
Perhaps the greatest example of local division came several years after the Declaration of Independence.
By 1780, many Sussex County farmers had grown weary of war, high taxes, and economic hardship. Many cared little whether Britain or the Continental Congress governed them as long as they could return to selling their goods in Philadelphia.
Led by Bartholomew Baynum of Cedar Creek and William Dutton of Broadkill, hundreds of farmers organized what became known as the Cedar Creek or Black Camp Rebellion. Encouraged by the recent British capture of Charleston, South Carolina, they believed the British might ultimately prevail.
The insurgents established a camp near Georgetown and openly declared their intentions in August 1780. General John Dagworthy led Kent County militia forces to suppress the uprising.
The rebellion lasted only three days before more than 200 participants were captured. Thirty-seven men initially received death sentences from an ad hoc tribunal. Because the rebellion resulted in no deaths, however, all were eventually released after paying fines.
Although spared execution, many participants were ostracized by neighbors who had remained loyal to the Patriot cause, illustrating the lasting divisions created by the Revolution.
Although Milford would not officially become a town until four years after the Treaty of Paris ended the Revolutionary War in 1783, its foundations were built by men and women who experienced the conflict firsthand. Soldiers marched from the area to fight in some of the Revolution’s most significant battles. Families produced uniforms and supplies for the Continental Army. Local leaders helped establish Delaware’s government and ratify the United States Constitution. Others questioned the Revolution or openly supported the British Crown, reminding us that independence was never a universally accepted cause.
These stories demonstrate that the American Revolution was not merely a series of famous battles but a deeply personal struggle that shaped every community it touched. The legacy of those early residents continues to be woven into Milford’s identity today, connecting the city’s historic downtown and surrounding countryside to the broader story of America’s founding.
