John George Burkhardt

    

 John George Burkhardt was born on 21 August 1753 in Canton Basel, Switzerland to German born parents Johann Samuel Burkhardt and Sabrina Naegeli. He and his parents came to the colonies when he was very young and was raised in Berks, Pennsylania.  He died on 2 January 1847 at the age of 93 in Gibsonburg, OH. He was buried in Providence Cemetery, Hessville, Sandusky, Ohio. John was a Farmer. Second generation in army and fought in the Revolutionary War. He served as a bodyguard to George Washington as member of Von Heer's Light Dragoons.

According to a descendent's application for membership in the Sons of the Revolution:
"He was a member of Von Heers Light Dragoons and was attached to Washington's headquarters during the war. He was at Valley Forge. The troop was [called] 'Troop of Marechaussee.' He enlisted November 1, 1778, and stated to myself in person and to our family that he served through the whole war. He resided at Reading, PA. He is buried near Hessville, Sandusky County, Ohio. The tombstone was erected by his son-in-law, Jacob Newcomer, with whom he resided at the time of his death (in 1848). The inscription is as follows, 'John Burkhardt Sr, died Jan 2, 1847. Aged 93 yrs 4 mos and 12 days. A soldier of the Revolution and a member of Washington's Life Guard.'
"John Burkhardt, the Revolutionary soldier, often spoke of how cold it was at Valley Forge and that his feet would stick to the snow and ice and that he served through the war and was on Washington's Life Guard, as he called it."

According to the website, "The Continental Line,"

    The tree chart above shows the pedegree line starting with Sarah Lanning, Oscar Nichols's mother (John George Burkhardt in red).  The line goes back farther but this is just an illustration to show where Burkhardt fits into the family history.   

Burkardt's Grave at Providence Cemetery