Edward Pedigo (Pediford)

Edward Pedigo (or Pediford) is my sixth great-grandfather. He was married to Hannah Elkins and they gave birth to a son Levi. Levi married Mary Newland and their daughter Elizabeth was married to William Pedigo Tanner, who is the grandfather of my Grandma Wescott (my great-grandmother). Ned Pedigo, as he was known, was born 24 December 1732 in Baltimore, Maryland. He died 26 April 1834 in Barren, Kentucky.

According to an application for membership to the National Society of the Sons of the American Revolution, filed by Norman Fine Lincoln of New Mexico, Ned served in the Revolution for three years. He had enlisted "for the war" and was granted a land warrant by the state of Virginia in recognition of his services.

According to the transcribed roll of "The U.S. Revolutionary War Rolls, 1775-1783", Ned was a private his entire time in the war. He served first in the 7th Virginia Regiment, commanded by Capt. Charles Fleming; then he served in the 3rd and 7th Virginia Regiment, as well as the 5th and 11th regiments, under Capt. Henry Young. Since Norman Lincoln's application says that Ned served for three years, I assume that he left the Virginia Regiment about 1780. There is no record of the battles he participated in and that's a matter for further research.

The application also states that Ned had served in the French and Indian War. He was with Washington at the march on Fort Duquesne and was present at Braddock's defeat. He was one of only 30 Virginians who left that battlefield alive.

The French and Indian War was fought between 1754-1763, which would make Ned about 22 when the war began and about 31 when the war ended. Braddock's defeat occurred at the Monongahela River on 9 July 1755. There is no record of Ned's service and therefore no account of why he was serving with the British. He may have been some sort of scout; he may have served in a larger unit of Virginia militia.

According to the membership application, he lived in Patrick County, Virginia during the Revolutionary War. Patrick County is in the southeastern corner of the state of Virginia, almost in Kentucky. Ned must have migrated south from Baltimore which might put him near the Potomac River area where George Washington lived and this may explain why he was a member of the Virginians fighting the French and Indians.

You may note that Ned was 101 years old when he died. He is buried in the Pedigo-Neville-Genie Glass Cemetery, Randolph, Metcalfe County, Kentucky. This is near the town of Barren where records list that Ned died.