Captain Samuel Van Leer (January 7, 1747 – October 15, 1825) was a military officer from
Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania (; ( Pennsylvania Dutch: )), officially the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, is a state spanning the Mid-Atlantic, Northeastern, Appalachian, and Great Lakes regions of the United States. It borders Delaware to its southeast, ...
who served as a captain in the
Continental Army
The Continental Army was the army of the United Colonies (the Thirteen Colonies) in the Revolutionary-era United States. It was formed by the Second Continental Congress after the outbreak of the American Revolutionary War, and was establis ...
during the
American Revolutionary War
The American Revolutionary War (April 19, 1775 – September 3, 1783), also known as the Revolutionary War or American War of Independence, was a major war of the American Revolution. Widely considered as the war that secured the independence of t ...
and as lieutenant in the Chester County Light Horse Volunteers from 1781 to 1785. After his retirement from the military, he owned the
Reading Furnace ironworks.
He was a member of the influential
Van Leer family The Van Leer family, originally spelled Von Lohr, is an influential German-American family that emigrated to the Province of Pennsylvania in the 17th century from the Electorate of Hesse near Isenberg, Germany. The family made their fortune in the U ...
. His father
Bernardhus Van Leer
Bernardhus Van Leer (1687–January 26, 1790) was a German-American early settler of the Province of Pennsylvania. He worked as a physician and was father of American Revolutionary War Captain Samuel Van Leer.
He built the Barnardus Van Leer Hous ...
was an early settler of the
Province of Pennsylvania
The Province of Pennsylvania, also known as the Pennsylvania Colony, was a British North American colony founded by William Penn after receiving a land grant from Charles II of England in 1681. The name Pennsylvania ("Penn's Woods") refers to W ...
. He married the sister of American Revolutionary War General
Anthony Wayne
Anthony Wayne (January 1, 1745 – December 15, 1796) was an American soldier, officer, statesman, and one of the Founding Fathers of the United States. He adopted a military career at the outset of the American Revolutionary War, where his mil ...
. His son
Isaac Van Leer
Isaac Van Leer (January 7, 1772 – August 10, 1821) was a Pennsylvania ironmaster and owned the Hibernia Furnace, Springton Forge and historic Hibernia House in West Caln Township, Pennsylvania. He was a member of the influential Van Leer famil ...
was a U.S. Congressman.
Early life
Van Leer was born in 1747 in
Marple Township,
Province of Pennsylvania
The Province of Pennsylvania, also known as the Pennsylvania Colony, was a British North American colony founded by William Penn after receiving a land grant from Charles II of England in 1681. The name Pennsylvania ("Penn's Woods") refers to W ...
,
British America
British America comprised the colonial territories of the English Empire, which became the British Empire after the 1707 union of the Kingdom of England with the Kingdom of Scotland to form the Kingdom of Great Britain, in the Americas from 16 ...
to Mary (Branson) and
Bernardhus Van Leer
Bernardhus Van Leer (1687–January 26, 1790) was a German-American early settler of the Province of Pennsylvania. He worked as a physician and was father of American Revolutionary War Captain Samuel Van Leer.
He built the Barnardus Van Leer Hous ...
.
His maternal grandfather is William Branson who was an ironworks pioneer and owned the historical home
Warrenpoint
Warrenpoint ( ga, An Pointe) is a small port town and civil parish in County Down, Northern Ireland. It sits at the head of Carlingford Lough, south of Newry, and is separated from the Republic of Ireland by a narrow strait. The town is beside t ...
.
In 1770, Samuel married Hannah Wayne, daughter to
Isaac Wayne
Isaac Wayne (1772October 25, 1852) was an American politician from Pennsylvania who served as a Federalist Party member of the U.S. House of Representatives for Pennsylvania's 4th congressional district from 1823 to 1825. He served as a member ...
and sister to
Anthony Wayne
Anthony Wayne (January 1, 1745 – December 15, 1796) was an American soldier, officer, statesman, and one of the Founding Fathers of the United States. He adopted a military career at the outset of the American Revolutionary War, where his mil ...
.
American Revolutionary War
Van Leer was commissioned captain of the
Seventh Company, Fifth Battalion of the Chester County Militia on May 17, 1777.
He fought with Anthony Wayne during the
Battle of Paoli
The Battle of Paoli (also known as the Battle of Paoli Tavern or the Paoli Massacre) was a battle in the Philadelphia campaign of the American Revolutionary War fought on September 20, 1777, in the area surrounding present-day Malvern, Pennsylvan ...
, the
Battle of Brandywine
The Battle of Brandywine, also known as the Battle of Brandywine Creek, was fought between the American Continental Army of General George Washington and the British Army of General Sir William Howe on September 11, 1777, as part of the Ame ...
and the
Battle of Germantown
The Battle of Germantown was a major engagement in the Philadelphia campaign of the American Revolutionary War. It was fought on October 4, 1777, at Germantown, Pennsylvania, between the British Army led by Sir William Howe, and the American Con ...
.
[ All of his brothers were military officers during the war.]
He served as lieutenant of the Chester County Light Horse Volunteers from 1780 to 1781.
Later life and death
After his retirement from the military, Captain Samuel went on to grow his Iron business in Reading Furnace, formerly owned by his grandfather William Branson. He lived in the historical mansion on site with his wife Hannah.
He inherited two plantations in East Nantmeal, Pennsylvania from his brother, Dr. Branson Van Leer, and died there in October, 1825.
Family
Van Leer and his family owned several historic properties including the Van Leer Cabin
Van Leer Cabin, is a historic cabin and one of the last historical dwellings in Tredyffrin Township, Chester County, Pennsylvania. It still stands on the grounds of Conestoga High School.
History
The original structure belonged to several home ...
in Tredyffin Township, Pennsylvania and the Van Leer Pleasant Hill Plantation
Pleasant Hill Plantation, also known as Van Leer Place, is a historic stone farmhouse located near Glen Moore in West Nantmeal Township, Chester County, Pennsylvania.
Home
The original structure of two stories and three bays was built by Matt ...
in West Nantmeal, Pennsylvania.[ ''Note:'' This includes ]
Samuel had eight children with his wife Hannah. On 10 July 1786, Hannah gave birth to twin girls and died due to birth complications. After her death, Anthony Wayne offered to have Van Leer's children stay with his family. Van Leer declined the offer and kept his children at his home and never remarried.[
]
See also
* Barnardus Van Leer House
The Barnardus Van Leer House, is an historic house in the colonial style. Built for Dr. Bernardhus Van Leer, it is one of the last historical dwellings in Marple Township, Delaware County, Pennsylvania.
History
The original structure belonged to ...
References
External links
*
The medical Van Leer family of Pennsylvania and New Jersey
{{DEFAULTSORT:Van Leer, Samuel
1747 births
1825 deaths
American Episcopalians
American ironmasters
American people of German descent
Burials in Pennsylvania
Continental Army officers from Pennsylvania
History of Pennsylvania
People from Chester County, Pennsylvania
People from Marple Township, Pennsylvania
People from Reading, Pennsylvania
People of colonial Pennsylvania
People of Pennsylvania in the American Revolution
People of the American Revolution
Underground Railroad people
Van Leer family