12-Dec-2025
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David Robert Railsback

David Robert Railsback

Male 1768 - 1857  (88 years)


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  • Name David Robert Railsback  [1] 
    Birth 12 Dec 1768  Rowan, North Carolina, United States Find all individuals with events at this location  [2, 3, 4] 
    Gender Male 
    Military Service From 1780 to 1783  [5, 6, 7, 8] 
    American Revolution, Continental Army 
    • David seems to have joined up in 1780, when he was just 12 years old.

      From an early DAR application:
      Entered the Army and drove a team for his older brother, Edward Railsback, who was a Wagon Master in Gates Army. He was at Gates defeat (Horatio Gates led his continental forces and militia south to fight with General Charles Cornwallis at the Battle of Camden on Aug 16th, 1780, where he was overwhelmingly defeated) ; drove his team off the main road and hid in a thicket until the British army following Gates had passed. He then drove the team all the way into N.C. and reached his father's home in safety. In the spring of 1781 he enlisted with Nathaniel Green's Minute Men and served unto the close of the American Revolution.

      NOTE:
      Both DAR and SAR will require any future applicants to prove service. David would have been quite young and was not on any official payrolls. His brother Edward was found on a payroll, lending credence to the family legend of David being a wagon boy.
    Residence 1807  Wayne, Indiana, United States Find all individuals with events at this location  [2, 9, 10] 
    • They settled on the White Water river, locating in the woods, and at that time Indians were numerous in the locality.
      Witness Role: Spouse: [I802] Sarah STEVENS
      Witness Role: Child: [I109] Caleb RAILSBACK
      Witness Role: Child: [I870] Edward RAILSBACK
      Witness Role: Child: [I869] Enoch RAILSBACK
      Witness Role: Child: [I877] Judia RAILSBACK
      Witness Role: Child: [I26] Mary Polly RAILSBACK
      Witness Role: Child: [I120] Matthew RAILSBACK
      Witness Role: Child: [I2413] Nancy RAILSBACK
      Witness Role: Child: [I871] William RAILSBACK
    Census 1 Jun 1850  Abington, Wayne, Indiana, United States Find all individuals with events at this location  [11] 
    • Witness Role: head of household: [I2376] David Robert RAILSBACK
      Witness Role: wife: [I802] Sarah STEVENS
      Witness Role: resident: Name: Margarett Nilson
      Witness Role: 18 year old female, born in Indiana. Perhaps a servant.
    DAR ID A093496 
    Family Search ID LZLB-V3P 
    SAR ID P-275017 
    Residence 1856  Marion, Indiana, United States Find all individuals with events at this location  [2] 
    • David and Sarah Railsback moved from the woods of Wayne County to Marion County some time prior to their deaths.
      Witness Role: Spouse: [I802] Sarah STEVENS
    _UID 6CD4D4ED7185444A881BB2C5E55E233E4346 
    Death 17 Oct 1857  Marion, Indiana, United States Find all individuals with events at this location  [2, 4] 
    Burial Elkhorn Cemetery, Richmond, Wayne, Indiana, United States Find all individuals with events at this location 
    gravestones\RAILSBACK David    		 gravestones\RAILSBACK David
    Person ID I2376  My Genealogy
    Last Modified 27 Apr 2025 

    Father Johann Heinrich "Henry" Railsback,   b. 27 Mar 1736, Eisern, Nordrhein-Westfalen, Germany Find all individuals with events at this locationd. 14 Sep 1815, Rowan, North Carolina, United States Find all individuals with events at this location (Age 79 years) 
    Mother Ann Maria "Margaret" Euteneuer,   b. 22 Feb 1739, Evangelical Church, Roetgen, Aachen, North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany Find all individuals with events at this locationd. 4 Oct 1786, Rowan, North Carolina, United States Find all individuals with events at this location (Age 47 years) 
    Marriage 13 Sep 1757  Eisern Chapel, Eisern, Nordrhein-Westfalen, Germany Find all individuals with events at this location  [2] 
    Family ID F297  Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

    Wife 1 Elizabeth Ellis,   b. Est 1768   d. Bef 1794 (Age < 25 years) 
    Marriage 13 Oct 1791 
    Family ID F617  Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

    Wife 2 Sarah Stevens,   b. 10 Dec 1773, Loudoun, Virginia, United States Find all individuals with events at this locationd. 5 Oct 1858, Marion, Indiana, United States Find all individuals with events at this location (Age 84 years) 
    Marriage 16 Oct 1794  [2, 4] 
    Children 
    +1. Mary Polly Railsback,   b. 6 Nov 1795, Rowan, North Carolina, United States Find all individuals with events at this locationd. Yes, date unknown
     2. Nancy Railsback,   b. 15 Apr 1797, Rowan, North Carolina, United States Find all individuals with events at this locationd. Yes, date unknown
     3. Enoch Railsback,   b. 26 May 1798, Rowan, North Carolina, United States Find all individuals with events at this locationd. Yes, date unknown
     4. Judia Railsback,   b. 6 Mar 1800, Rowan, North Carolina, United States Find all individuals with events at this locationd. Yes, date unknown
     5. Edward Railsback,   b. 8 Feb 1802, Rowan, North Carolina, United States Find all individuals with events at this locationd. Yes, date unknown
     6. William Railsback,   b. 10 Nov 1803, Rowan, North Carolina, United States Find all individuals with events at this locationd. Yes, date unknown
    +7. Caleb Railsback,   b. 7 Jul 1805, Rowan, North Carolina, United States Find all individuals with events at this locationd. 9 Jul 1895, Argos, Marshall, Indiana, United States Find all individuals with events at this location (Age 90 years)
    +8. Matthew Railsback,   b. 7 Jul 1805, Rowan, North Carolina, United States Find all individuals with events at this locationd. 6 Feb 1844 (Age 38 years)
     9. Joel Railsback,   b. 29 Jan 1808, Wayne, Indiana, United States Find all individuals with events at this locationd. Yes, date unknown
     10. David Railsback,   b. 2 Nov 1809, Wayne, Indiana, United States Find all individuals with events at this locationd. Yes, date unknown
    +11. Nathan Railsback,   b. 25 Feb 1812, Wayne, Indiana, United States Find all individuals with events at this locationd. 20 Feb 1863 (Age 50 years)
    +12. John Railsback,   b. 12 Apr 1815, Wayne, Indiana, United States Find all individuals with events at this locationd. 10 Apr 1860, Wayne, Indiana, United States Find all individuals with events at this location (Age 44 years)
     13. Sallie Railsback,   b. 14 Dec 1816, Wayne, Indiana, United States Find all individuals with events at this locationd. Yes, date unknown
    Family ID F31  Group Sheet  |  Family Chart
    Last Modified 4 Sep 2022 

  • Event Map
     = Link to Google Earth 

  • Photos
    gravestones\RAILSBACK David    		gravestones\RAILSBACK David

  • Notes 
    • DAR papers claim birthplace Loudon County, VA. DAR papers also state that Sarah Stevens was the first wife [4]

  • Sources 
    1. [S1418] FSFT - General.

    2. [S74] Bio - Railsbacks in Argos IN.

    3. [S1336] Book - IN Wayne County History, David Railsback, p.150.
      David Railsback was born in Loudon county, Va., December 12, 1769, and was married to Sarah Stevens. He removed to North Carolina; thence, in 1806, to Whitewater, and settled a half mile east of where Abington now is, in March, 1807. He afterward removed to a farm now owned by Merriman Brumfield. He died October 17, 1856. He had twelve children, five of whom were born in this county. All lived to be married, and to raise large families; none having less than
      six, and one as many as seventeen.

      His children were:
      1. Mary, wife of Wm. Lewis; they live in Iowa.
      2. Enoch, who married Nancy Fouts.
      3. Judith, wife of Thomas Cobb; removed to Lawrence county, Ind.
      4. Edward, who married Frances, daughter of James Hunt, and died in Iowa, in 1859.
      5. William, who married Mary Rhodes; resides at Kankakee, 111.
      6, 7. Caleb and Matthew, twins, who married Nancy and Sarah Barnhill. Matthew died in 1844; Caleb lives in Warren county.
      8. Joel, who married Elizabeth Fouts, and lives in Wayne township.
      9. David, who married Mary Smith, in Wayne township.
      10. Nathan, who married Sina, daughter of Smith Hunt, and died in 1863.
      11. John, who married Pamelia, daughter of Jesse Davenport, and died in 1860.
      12. Sarah, wife of Larkin Garr, died in 1857

    4. [S1405] DAR - Steiner, Etta Railsback to David Railsback.

    5. [S833] SAR - Heberer, Jack Batchelder to David Railsback.



    6. [S1336] Book - IN Wayne County History, Enoch Railsback, pp.354-355.
      Enoch Railsback, son of David, was born in North Carolina, May 26, 1798, and removed with his father's family to this county in 1807. He married Nancy Fouts, daughter of Jacob Fouts. After a temporary residence in several places, he settled permanently, where he now resides, on Wayne township west line, a part of his farm having been the site of Salisbury.

      He had six children :
      • Sarah, wife of Andrew Eliason.
      • Elizabeth, wife of John Sellars, Mound City, Kansas.
      • Elvonia, wife of John Pugh, and died at Centerville, Jan. 1, 1851.
      • Jehiel, unmarried, attorney at law, at Richmond.
      • Mary B., who married Fabius Fleming, Richmond.
      • Lycurgus, who married Lizzy Binford, of 111., and lives in Marshall, Iowa.

      The Railsback family have an honorable connection with the war of the Revolution. The Colonel relates the following reminiscences : His father, David Railsback, was assistant wagon-boy for his brother Edward, who drove a fourhorse baggage-wagon for the Colonial army. At Gen. Gates' defeat in South Carolina, while the American forces were giving way, he drove his team hastily into a thicket, and soon saw the British light-horse pursuing our forces, who met with great slaughter. Late at night he left the place of his concealment, and returned safely with his team to North Carolina. Henry Railsback, an older brother, was a company officer in Gen. Gates' army, and was captured by the British. On reaching their lines he saw many of his Tory neighbors who had joined the British army, he was taken sick, and never got home.

    7. [S1389] DAR Ancestor, David Railsback #A093496.



    8. [S1516] SAR Ancestor, David Railsback #P-275017.



    9. [S828] Bio - Railsback William b1830.

    10. [S1336] Book - IN Wayne County History, Enoch Railsback, pp.354-355.

    11. [S1466] Cens1850 - IN Wayne Abington p214.