David Alston

The following biograhy appears in ["Morris's Memorial History of Staten Island, New York, Vol 1., 1898, p. 331: "ALSTON, DAVID. He resided near Rahway, NJ, prior to the Revolution. When Skinner's Brigade was organized he was commissioned a captain in the Third Battalion. His company was recruited mainly in the vicinity of Rahway. He resigned the same year of his appointment, and was re-appointed captain, this time in Lieutenant-Colonel Christopher Billopp's Battalion of Staten Island Militia, in which he continued to serve until the close of the war. He purchased the property in Northfield, now familiarly known as the Samuel Decker estate. The large stone house in which he resided and died is quite familiar to many people living on Staten Island today. It was demolished about twenty-five years ago. Captain Alston died between the 6th and 14th of May 1805, and his grave, marked by a small brown stone, is located near the main entrance to St. Andrew's Church, in Richmond. He continued to draw half-pay from the British Government as long as he lived." The following biography appears in [J.J. Clute, "Families of Staten Island", Gen pub co., 2009, p. 3]: "ALSTON. Originally this was a Scottish family; one of its most noted members was Charles Alston, a celebrated Scotch physician, and author. He died in 1790. Joseph Alston, the son-in-law of Aaron Burr, and a former Governor of South Carolina, was also of this family. The first of the name on Staten Island was David Alston, who came here from New Jersey, somewhere about the beginning of the Revolution. He was commissioned a Captain in the British army, his company was composed of provincial loyalists, or tories; he owned the property recently belonging to the estate of Samuel Decker, deceased, in Northfield. The large stone house in which he lived and died, was demolished a few years ago. He died between the 6th and 14th of May, 1805, for these are the dates of his will and its probate. He speaks, in that document, of his sons Warren, Japhet and David. It is said that he continued to draw his half-pay from the British Government as long as he lived. His son Japhet, at the time of his death, which occurred July 31, 1842, at the Four Corners, Castleton, was the father of Moses Alston, Esq., late twice sheriff of the county, and of his brothers David, Japhet, Adam, George and William. A copy of Captain Alston's Commission is given below, as an interesting and curious old document. L.S. By His Excellency Sir William Howe, Knight of the most Honorable Order of the Bath, General and Commander-in-Chief of all His Majesty's Forces within the Colonies lying on the Atlantic Ocean from Nova Scotia to West Florida inclusive, &c, &c., &c. To David Alston, Esq.: By virtue of the Power and Authority in Me vested, I DO hereby constitute and appoint You to be a Captain of a Company in the Third Battalion of New Jersey Volunteers, Commanded by Lieut. Colonel Edward V. Dongan. You are therefore to take the said Company into Your Care and Charge, and duly to exercise the Officers as Soldiers thereof in Arms, and to use Your best Endeavours to keep them in good Order and Discipline from Time to Time, as you shall receive from the General or Commander-in-Chief of His Majesty's Forces in North America, now and for the Time being Your Lieut.-Colonel Commandant or any other Your Superior officer, according to the Rules and Discipline of War in Pursuance of the Trust hereby reposed in You. Given under my Hand and Seal at Head Quarters in New York, the Fifteenth day of July, One Thousand Seven Hundred and Seventy-Six, in the Sixteenth Year of the Reign of our Sovereign Lord George the Third, by the Grace of God of Great Britian, France and Ireland king, Defender of the Faith, and so forth. By his Excellency's Command, W. Howe. Robert Mackenzie." ------- A British officer in the Revolution. From http://www.royalprovincial.com/military/rhist/njv/njvcall4.htm: A Call Roll of Captain David Alston's Company 3rd Battalion NJ Volunteers, Staten Island 20 Nov 1777: Officers: Capt. David Alston Sergeants: Daniel James Corporals: John Priestly Drummers: John Atkin (Sick) Privates: William Oliver, John Forbes, Benjn Stone, Moses Wright, James Burwell, Joseph Oliver, John Ennis, George Robinson, James Linsey.