Robert Bailey (1759 or 1761-1852). There is some confusion about Robert Bailey's place and date of birth. Some sources list June 27, 1759, in Jackson County Georgia, and others list July 10, 1761, in Rowan County, North Carolina. There is no confusion or question, however, regarding his service record.

Bailey enlisted in June 1779 while a resident of Rowan County, North Carolina, and served various times as a private and wagoner in the North Carolina militia under Captains Reed and Bell, and Colonels Wolford and McDowell.

Bailey moved to Greene County, Georgia, and served various times, in the Georgia militia under Captains Robert Rains, William Rutledge and Jeremiah Brantley and Colonels Lamar and Landers before he was mustered out in September 1783. The length of his entire service was sixteen months. For this service, in 1831, Bailey received an annual pension of $38.33.

In 1811, at age 52, according to the Monroe (WI) Times, Bailey moved from Georgia to Logan County, Kentucky. By 1814, Bailey became convinced that slavery was wrong and gave his slaves their freedom. At the same time he moved his family to Illinois, then Indiana, again Illinois and finally, in 1838, prior to statehood, Bailey "retired" to Green County, Wisconsin, to live with his son, William.

Patriot Robert Bailey died April 17, 1852, at the age of 92 years, 9 months and 22 days. He is buried on the western slope of the Shook's Prairie Cemetery, also known as the Fairview Cemetery. The cemetery is eight miles west of Monticello, Town of Adams, Section 20, on Green County Highway 'C'. He is buried beside his wife, Elizabeth Dickson, who died in 1841. Their original headstones still stand today, along with a red granite stone tribute erected in 1928 by a local DAR Chapter.

GPS coordinates -- N42.72011°; W089.38207°

(Portions reprinted from Solders of the American Revolution Buried in Wisconsin by Robert G. Carroon, who was Curator of Research Collections for the Milwaukee Country Historical Society in 1975.)