The Shadow
ALLEGHANY HIGHLANDS, VA (VR) – Major Thomas Massie was a prominent Army officer and Virginia planter. He served continuously in the Continental Army from 1775 until the surrender at Yorktown, fighting in major campaigns and ultimately serving as an aide-de-camp to General Thomas Nelson, Jr. at the Siege of Yorktown.
When the American Revolution broke out, Massie raised his own company from New Kent County and served with the Elizabeth City District Battalion of Virginia Minutemen in September 1775 before entering service with the Continental Army. Massie was commissioned as a Captain in the 6th Virginia Regiment in 1775. He saw action throughout the war and was present at the surrender of Lord Cornwallis at Yorktown in 1781.
In February 1778, Massie was promoted to Major and transferred to the 11th Virginia Regiment, where he commanded troop elements in the Battle of Monmouth, Massie was again transferred in September 1778 to the Virginia Regiment and returned to the Virginia colony in 1779 when the unit was ordered back south. In June of 1779, following years of service in combat throughout the war, Massie began a bout with rheumatism and resigned his commission after correspondence with General George Washington.
George Washington wrote to Massie: “I have received your letter of the 11th, and I am extremely sorry to hear that you have so much afflicted with the rheumatism. Your situation will not permit me to refuse your request to retire from service; and I have only to regret the circumstances which deprives the States of an Officer of your merit”.
Thomas Massie’s family owned land in the Covington area called “The Oaks”. The Oaks on Route 220 in the Falling Spring Valley was built in 1824 by Massie’s son, Henry, on land which was comprised of three land grants. The first grant was given by Thomas Jefferson (125 acres). The second grant was given by Governor Benjamin Harrison (3,329 acres) and the third grant was given by King George III of Great Britain (82 acres). This section of Virginia was known as Botetourt County when these grants were made. The county boundaries changed several times before Alleghany County was formed in 1822.
Major Thomas Massie was a member of the Society of Cincinnati formed in 1783. The purpose of this group is to preserve the memory of the American Revolution, maintain fraternal bonds among officers of the Continental Army and their descendants and promote the ideals of American independence.
Major Thomas Massie lived at Level Green on the Massie estate until his death in 1834 at the age of 86. On the day he died, Massie was the wealthiest man in Virginia. In his will he freed 155 slaves, leaving them with land and a job. This happened on July 4, 1834.
Thomas Massie’s ancestor, Joe Massie, shared a couple of stories with me that I would like to share to help put a personal touch on this special man:
According to Thomas’ affidavit for his pension for his service, he was at Valley Forge in 1776 and crossed the Delaware River with Washington Christmas Eve and fought in the battle of Trenton, after which Washington gave Thomas 100 men to hold off the British who were coming south on what is now U.S. Route one. He held off the Brits long enough for Washington to cross the Delaware with the cannon, food and other supplies back to Valley Forge. Massie only lost two men.
Later during the battle of Monmouth Court House, Massie was sent with orders from Washington for Light Horse Hairy Lee, which Lee disobeyed. Washington sent Massie back with Henry Knox to arrest Lee for treason. They brought Lee back and Washington was so mad at Lee that he almost hung him, but Massie and Knox talked him out of it.
One has to remember these men were all kin in some way to each other by blood or marriage. Lee was Massie’s cousin. Massie’s wife was Washington’s wife’s first cousin and most were in some way kin to the British crown, and if they lost, they would have likely been hanged.
Thank you to the Massie family for helping with this article to help pay tribute to their American Revolutionary War veteran.
This story closes with a quote from ancestor, Joe Massie: “Thank you for including my great great great grandfather in your articles. Thomas was pretty progressive and protective of his children. He wrote letters to his sons in the 18 teens and twenties about how he wanted to free all his slaves. He built a church on each farm for them and built a school for the slaves and their children. Thomas paid a wage to each family (8 dollars a month). Some of the slave cabinets were 4 miles away from his house. Then he did not free them until they could not be enslaved. This Virginia took effect on July 1, 1834. Each family got 40 acres, a mule or a horse and a job. Most stayed.
If anyone would like to see their ancestor honored for the contribution to America’s freedom, please reach out to Marian Paxton at 843-653-6098 or marianpaxton@gmail.com.
We honor all veterans from the Revolutionary War for the sacrifice they all made to help America be the land of the free because of the brave. 250 years later we still honor all veterans who gave so much for the United States of America. All gave some. Some gave all.
