Revolutionary War Soldiers Series: Remembering Azor Bagley
Editor's note: Next year, the United States of America will celebrate its semiquincentennial, its 250th anniversary. The semiquincentennial marks the first nationwide celebration of America's birth since the bicentennial in 1976. Of course, America's independence cannot be celebrated without also honoring the efforts of the Revolutionary War soldiers that led to independence. The Waw-wil-a-way Chapter of the National Society of the Daughters of the American Revolution, along with the Southern Ohio Genealogical Society will be presenting a series of articles featuring Revolutionary War soldiers who lived and died within the borders of Highland County.
By Betty F. Crum and Pat Young
Waw-wil-a-way Chapter Daughters
of the American Revolution, 250 Project
Azor Bagley, aka Azor Badgley, was born in 1757 in New York and died July 2, 1838 in Highland County, Ohio. It is not known where he is buried.
His name is on the plaque at the Highland County Courthouse, placed in 1930 by DAR.
There is no ancestor number for him on the DAR website.
Azor Bagley enlisted for the term of three years or during the Revolutionary War in the month of September 1778 in Fishkill on the River Hudson in the state of New York in the The Line, Artillery, Second Regiment company commanded by Capt. William Stevens in the New York Regiment of Artillery commanded by Col. John Lamb in the service of the United States on Continental establishment.
He continued to service in the Corps in the service of the United States until the month of September 1781, when he was discharged from the West Point. The company to which he belonged had been discharged some weeks before but Col. Hull had been sent to Quebec on public service and took Azor Bagley with him and did not return till the month of September when Azor Bagler was honorably discharged.
When he left the state of New York, he left his discharge with his father and therefore cannot produce the discharge as proof of his service. His rank was private in the New York Continental Line.
Highland Pioneer Sketches & Family Genealogies" by Elsie Johnson Ayres on Page 548 reads: The Badgley family, veterans of the Revolution, located their rough wilderness cabin on the west bank of a small stream northeast of the present site of Mowrystown. They came into the area as early as 1800.
Their land grand was located on Wallace Survey No. 9, 571. A family plot on the original grant became the burial ground for early members of the family. It is thought to be the final resting place of the veterans, Capt. Andrew and Azor Badgley, although their tombstones were not found by the author.
Tombstones found included those of William Badgley, 1802-59, and Andrew Badgley II, 1823-58. These two Badgleys were victims of the cholera epidemic in the 1850s.
"Common Pleas Court Records of Highland County, Ohio" 1805-60 by David N. McBride, Page 21 states: The court is satisfied from the testimony of Moses West and Elijah Overman examined in open court that Martha Bagley is the widow of Azer Bagley and the identical person she represents herself to be that the said Azar departed this life on the second day of July 1838, having in his possession the pension certificate which has this day been examined in open court numbered 7910 bearing date at the war office on the 20th day of March 1819 and signed by J. C. Calhoun Secretary of War. That the said Azer was the identical person named in said pension certificate and that the said Azer died in said County of Highland and the said Court are also satisfied that since Martha is unable to appear at court by reason of old age and bodily infirmity. Order Book No. 7, 1837 - page 108, July 26, 1838.
Note: No documented family tree or lineage has been found on Azor Bagley or any descendants. However, it has been stated that he was actually born July 20, 1757, the son of Cornelius and Elsey (Townley) Bagley. This has been based on the assumption that Azor and Capt. Andrew were brothers, and these were Andrew’s parents, that they would more than likely be the parents of Azor as well. If this were in fact true, Azor’s nativity would more than likely be the state of New Jersey rather than New York as that was both the state of birth and death for his father.
There is no burial record for the widow of Martha Bagley, widow of Azor. It is inferred she is also buried in the county as she was cared for in her aging years by the heirs of Caleb Hiatt who lived in Rainsboro, Highland County, Ohio. Per Highland County court records, Martha was living on Feb. 12, 1847.