In the Culpeper Classes, I have been struck by how often the substitute for the draft choice was a relative, marriage included. There are several examples, but I will cite the only two that I know with some degree of certainty.
In class 76, which has a very strong German flavor to the men in it, John Blankenbeker was the draft. The substitute was Lewis Nunnimaker. Before thinking that this was a substitution based on money, which it might have been, it should be noted that Lewis was the brother-in-law of John, as Lewis married John's sister, Barbara. Though I state this as a positive fact, it should be noted there were two John Blankenbekers and two Lewis Nunnimakers. If Lewis were a married man, it is a good question to ask why he should volunteer to go to war. But still, my money is on the fact that the two men were brothers-in-law.
I leave it to others to tell us the relationship between Jesse Wilhoit, who was the draft selection in class 89, and his substitute, Lewis Wilhoit. The most likely Jesse is the son of Tobias. Some people believe that Tobias was also the father of a Lewis. Most likely, the substitute was a brother of the draft. Lewis was younger than Jesse, and perhaps not married in 1781.
In class 93, the draft was Samuel Blankenbaker, and John Yeager was a substitute for Samuel. According to the way that I read the charts, John was a first cousin of Amy Yeager, who married Samuel. Amy did have a brother, John, who would be more logical than a first cousin, but my notes say her brother, John, wasn't born until 1775, which would prevent him from being a substitute. If his birth year is wrong, then he could be a brother-in-law to Samuel, a more plausible relationship than a first cousin. Perhaps we could have some comments on this question.
In class 35, John Young was the draft, and the substitute was Samuel Young. I have little idea as to the relationship, though the names suggest there was perhaps one.
There seems to be a potential pattern going here. When we read that, in class 34, Frederick Coons was the draft, and Thomas Blackwell was the substitute, we wonder if there was a relationship. Any comments?
Going back to class 76, the names are Broyle (x4), Carpenter (x4), Milbank, Blankenbeker, Bledsoe (x2), and Wayland. Noting that John Milbank married Mary Barlow, and so he was a "German" by inheritance, the question I ask is, "What was the nationality of the Bledsoes?"
We gratefully acknowledge the work of John Blankenbaker who published over 2,500 Germanna History Notes via the Germanna-L@rootsweb.com email list from 1997 to 2008. We are equally thankful to George Durman (Sgt. George) for hosting the list and republishing the notes via rootsweb.com.