Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1916-03-19
sf6i1if' 70 1 Miil}RAR|S GIVE
OF PETER FRANCISCO
Descendants OF Revolutionary Hero
Contribute to Fund Ia Honor
His Name.
BURIED IN sHoCKoE CEMETERY
Was Sergeant Arms OF Virginia
Legislature for Many Years.
FUND Collected 10y Ills Great
Granddaughter.

Descendants 90 Peter FraUcisco who
achieved great reputation rs a physi-
cal sian, ard as = warrior III the War
of the Revolution. Will shortly erect a
marble shat; over the spot where the
old warrior lies buried IN Shochoe
Cemetery SimriC ccrCn orioS. 1artlci-
patcd in ONLY Us those through whose
veins runs the blood OF tho ola E"vo-
lutlcnary patriot. Viii mark the event.
Mrs William Armist-ad Porter, y
great -Sra nddaughter Of Francisco. be-
gan the campaign for contributions
several years ago. and through p"rsis-
tent effort has succeeded In COLLECTING:
enough money with which 10 purchAs"
an unpre,cntious slab. scattered in
widci! separated sections Of the conn
try, the descendants Of the OLD sol
der were hard - reach. and il wa
no mean undertaking TO which Mrs
Porter benz her energies
The shaft VIII be sinuie The in
Scription will tell only one story of
his life-;hc fact that he Tough; for
American independence, In full. il will
read; Peter Francisco. died January
l6. 1881, Soldier OF the Revolution
KINSNIEN MAKE MEMORIAL.
ENTIRELY 4 FAMILY AFFAIR
Held In high esteem by his country
men as one Of those patriots o. 80 who
riskcd their all that liberty might be
Won for America. the Daughters cf the
American Revolution were anxious THAI
tho unveilnS 10 made a public event
to he participated in by all tho people
of Virginia. hu, kinsnou OF Francisco
would not huvc IL So AVID il Will be .
quiet. family affair
Peter Francisco was but a little fcl-
low when turned adrift at City Point
by sailors from q foreign vessel His
clothes were Of fine texture but pitt
Il .,1- H.
dark type and foreign appearance. eN
cited both pitt and curiosity He cv!-
IDENTITY had beer caught some English
on Shipboari. as his language was
mixture Of broken English, Spanish or
Portuguese. He could remember but lit
tie Of his home SURROUNDINGS, hut that
little was sufficient for him always 20
think Of Spain as his home country.
Becoming Interested in III" lad, An
thony Winston. an uncle Of Patrick
Henry. took the boy TO his homo AZ
Hunting Towers" Buckingham Coun =
ty, where he lived as one ut the family.
At tho ago OF sixteen. as near as lie
could surrnisc. Francisco ioincd the
War OF the Revolution. loyal pa
>iriot He was a fierce ughIcr and
was in the battles OF Hrandywinc. Ger
mnntown. Monmouth and Stony Point.
The second man To cutcr that fort. Sc
Ncrcly wounded ~ Monmouth after his
Virginia Regiment under Colonel Mayo.
whose life he afterwards saved. Al
iiu!liord Courthouse. y. G.. his daring
deeds were so in evidence that General
WASHINGTON presented him with Il
sword six feet long from hilt 10 point
which Francisco welded with pcrfcc,
case.
In Amelia County he routed ninc Brit
isE draGoous. secured their horses and
dashed {" safety in the very from: of
four hundred Of rarleton's mon. This
episode of his life was made the sub
sect Of n picture by James Worrcli.
and which for wears has hung in In
dependence Hall rhiladelphia inner
the command % his beloved General
Lafayette. his military career closed
with the surrende! Of Lord Cornwailis
al Yorktown
AZ the close %: tile Revolution be,
ing, rs the majority " men without
means no set about 10 maze q con-
petency. and settled az New store,
Buckingham County. Virginia He was
fo' number % yoa.s serreaut-ar-
arms tn Inc Legislature %: virginia.