Individual Details

William Furnish apparently was never married because at the time of his death in 1786 his heirs did not include a wife or children. He probably entered the Army in late 1779, because 20 August 1779 of that year a warrant for a gun was issued to him in Virginia. It is known that he served in the 7th Regiment of the Virginia Continental Line. He was not a signatory of the petition from Orange County Militiamen addresses to the Virginia House of Delegates on 27 February 1781, although his brothers, Jacob, Thomas, Samuel and James were. He was perhaps serving at that time in the Continental Line and it is not unlikely that he lost his life in combat. Carolyn Jennett cites source that he was in the Revolutionary War: Gwathamy,John H. "Register of Virginians in the Revolutionary War" (Richmond, 1938, page 293).

Colonial Wars & Revolutionary War Pensioners from Orange County VA Minute Books
Page 367 ñ 27 Jun 1786
James Furnish Orphan of John Furnish Deced Proved that he is heir at Law to his Uncle William Furnish Deced who died a soldier in the Continental Service in the Seventh Virginia Regmt. To be sent to James Duncan [?] and at the time of the Death of the sd Wm his Mother Jane & Samuel, Jacob, Thos & James his Brothers Mary, & Eliza his sisters were & still are Living

Death

Bef 27 Jul 1786

Father	John Furnish (1718 - 1777)
Mother	Mary Jane Green (1723 - 1786)
Sibling	Mary Furnish (1746 - 1786)
Sibling	John Furnish Jr. (1748 - 1780)
Sibling	Elizabeth Furnish (1751 - )
Sibling	Frances Furnish (1753 - )
Sibling	Samuel Furnish (1757 - 1796)
Sibling	Jacob Furnish (1757 - 1796)
Sibling	Sally Furnish (1758 - 1834)
Sibling	Thomas Furnish (1760 - 1834)
Sibling	James Furnish (1763 - 1851)