American 250 is the Semiquincentennial celebration of the signing of the Declaration of Independence. The entire country will be hosting events and commemorations to recognize this important milestone.
Sullivan County
The land which became Sullivan County was originally purchased from the Iroquois by the Province of Pennsylvania in 1768, as part of the first Treaty of Fort Stanwix. It was then part of Northumberland County, then became part of Lycoming County when it was formed in 1795. Sullivan County itself was formed from the northeastern part of Lycoming County on March 15, 1847. It was the thirteenth and last county formed at least partly from Lycoming County (and the fifth entirely formed from it)[1]
Although Sullivan County was not formed until 1847, interred within its borders are several soliders who gallantly served in the American Revolution. The following biographies of these men was gathered from many sources such as Ancestry.com, FamilySearch.org, and online searches. There maybe some discrepancies in information which will be noted. Please contact the library for changes, additions, or corrections.
Bibliiography
1. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sullivan_County,_Pennsylvania
Veterans
THEOPHILUS LITTLE
Theophilus Little was born on February 15, 1744 in Shrewsbury, Monmouth, New Jersey. He first served a lieutenant in General Heard’s Brigade in New Jersey state troops, later as Captain in Monmouth County First Regiment. He died on February 19, 1825 and is interred in Eagles Mere in a plot that was part of an estate he purchased in 1799.
For more information:
https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/31248422/theophilus-little
https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Little-7801
https://sites.rootsweb.com/~pasulliv/settlers/settlers25/100_a.html
JOHN WILCOX
John Wilcox was born on October 4, 1756 in Dover, Dutchess County, New York. He enlised in June 1776, fall 1777, and in May 1778 he enlisted with Captain Benjamin Peltons 2nd New York Regiment. He was discharged on October 17, 1777. In 1779, he married Marjorie Deborah Day in New York, New York. He died in 1860 and is interred in the Old Porter Cemetery in Shunk, PA
For more information:
https://sites.rootsweb.com/~pasulliv/settlers/settlers41/settlers41.htm
https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Wilcox-5714
https://pagenweb.org/~sullivan/settlers/settlers41/settlers41.htm
JOHN KEELER
John Keeler was born on December 11, 1764, in Goshen, Orange County, New York. On April 1, 1782 he enlisted as a private with Captain Hornbook of the New York Levies commanded by Col. Wessenfel. He mustered out on December 27, 1782. On December 20, 1786 he marries Elizabeth Smith.In 1800, they were living in Fishing Creek, Northumberland, PA. By 1820, they had moved to Sugarload, Columbia, PA. Elizabeth died on February 21, 1826. In 1833, he married Eleanor Wilcox and lived in Penn, Lycoming, PA. By 1840, he had moved back to Sugarloaf. He passed away on November 22, 1849 and is interred in Cherry Grove Cemetery, Nordmont, Sullivan County.
For more information:
https://www.facebook.com/story.php/?story_fbid=975184874409171&id=100057530016062&_rdr
https://freepages.rootsweb.com/~djweaver/genealogy/Website%20MAIN/keelerjohnpension.html
Liberty Tree
The Liberty Tree (1646–1775) was a famous elm tree that stood in Boston, Massachusetts near Boston Common in the years before the American Revolution. In 1765, Patriots in Boston staged the first act of defiance against the British government at the tree. The tree became a rallying point for the growing resistance to the rule of Britain over the American colonies, and the ground surrounding it became known as Liberty Hall. The Liberty Tree was felled in August 1775 by Loyalists led by Nathaniel Coffin Jr. or by Job Williams. [1]
See the Liberty Tree gone, the colonists planted 13 additional trees. On September 13, 2025 at 11:00 a.m. in the park across from the Courthouse, Sullivan County will celebrate the history of the Liberty Tree by planting a descendant of one of the original 13 trees. To learn more about the original trees, read this article https://www.wvia.org/news/pennsylvania-news/2024-09-27/liberty-tree-descendant-from-revolutionary-war-planted-in-warren-for-americas-250th-anniversary
1.https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Liberty_Tree#:~:text=The%20Liberty%20Tree%20(1646%E2%80%931775,British%20government%20at%20the%20tree.