George Lucas was born in Dublin about 19 Feb 1750. He was convicted of pick-pocketing and shipped to Maryland as an indentured felon in Feb 1769, escaped from servitude, and enlisted in the Pennsylvania Line during the Revolutionary War. He fought in at least six battles and was wounded.
George joined several other sergeants in leading the Pennsylvania Line Mutiny of 1781. The revolt was resolved amicably, and George declined a reward for handing two British spies to American authorities.
He was arrested by federal troops in 1794 for participating in the Whiskey Rebellion and was imprisoned in Philadelphia for at least two months. He obtained bail with the help of his former commanding officer, faced trial for high treason, and was acquitted.
George died in Johnstown, Pa., survived by his only remaining child, David Lucas. He was predeceased by his wife, Lilly Ann (Dobson) Lucas and eight other children. He was buried at the Union Cemetery in Johnstown, which was destroyed by the Great Flood of 1889. His tombstone and remains were washed down the Conemaugh River, and a new marker was placed at Grandview Cemetery.*
Sources:
(1). Revolutionary War pension application, Lucas, George, Pennsylvania (Book E, Vol 5, 11 Feb 1856): “the said George Lucas died in said County of Cambria on 18th day of January AD 1841 and . . . left no widow but one child only whose name is David Lucas, residing in said County.” This pension file was officially closed 18 Jan 1841.
(2). Obituary, Hollidaysburg Register & Huntingdon County Gazette, 27 January 1841 (also printed in the Bedford Gazette): “Died, at the house of his son David LUCAS, in Johnstown Cambria County, on the morning of Monday the 18th January inst. Sergeant George LUCAS of the Revolutionary Army, in the ninety first year of his age. . . . The deceased was born in the city of Dublin in February 1750, and emigrated to America in 1769. . . . In 1776 he enlisted in the army of the Revolution . . . After retiring from the army he settled in Bedford County Penn’a. where he lived honored and respected, until the spring of 1837, when he moved with his son to Johnstown, and resided here until his death. . . .”
(3). Helms of Germany and Pennsylvania (David A. Helm, 1992, Western Pennsylvania Genealogical Society, p. 151): “GEORGE LUCAS . . . was born in Dublin, Ireland on 19 Feb 1750. He came to America in 1769 . . . Lucas stated that he enlisted at Cumberland Co. PA in Feb 1776 under Col. William Irvine, and served as private and sergeant under Captain Smith and Captain John Alexander. He was in the Battle of Three Rivers, as well as the Battles of Brandywine, Monmouth, and Stony Point. He was discharged on 23 Jan 1781, and sometime in the 1780s settled in Bedford Co. Here he was married ca. 1782 to Lilly Ann Dobson (b. ca. 1756), the daughter of George and Jennet Dobson. . . . George Lucas died 18 Jan 1841 at Johnstown, PA and is buried in Union Cemetery there. He . . . had nine children in all, with eight still living in 1820. . . .”
(4). Revolutionary War Graves Register (The National Society of the Sons of the American Revolution, 1993, p. 385): “LUCAS George; 1750-1841; Union Cem, Johnstown, Cambria Co, PA; Soldier, PA.”
(5). DAR Patriot Index (The National Society of the Daughters of the American Revolution, 1966, p. 427): “LUCAS, . . . George: b 2-19-1750 d 1-18-1841 m Lilly Ann Dobson Ordl Sgt.”
(6). Biographical and Portrait Cyclopedia of Cambria County, Pennsylvania (The Union Publishing Co., 1896, p. 88): “JOHN EMMET LUCAS . . . His paternal great-grandfather, Sergeant George Lucas, was a native of Ireland, who came to this country and served through the Revolutionary war in the American army, being promoted to orderly sergeant just before the siege of Yorktown. He died in Johnstown when nearly a hundred years of age” (this is inaccurate, as reflected in other sources; he died at 90).
(*Provided by Find-A-Grave Member C Nelsen (#49218556)).
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George was promoted to Orderly Sergeant, just prior to the siege of Yorktown, during the Revolutionary War. He was present at the surrender of Lord Cornwallis. Originally interred in the old Union Graveyard, he was then finally transferred to the Union Plot at Grandview Cemetery. He died in 1844 at nearly the age of 100.*
(*This was one undocumented source that had George’s dates at 1745-1841.)