Hi... My g-g-g-g-grandfather served in the Rev. War - Virginia Militia - Captain Throgmorton's Company (under Colonel Page) and later in Dixon's Light Horse Troops. On his pension application, he stated that he served in place of his father - at the age of 18 or 19. I don't know why he served in his father's place; he didn't state that on his application. Neither did he state his father's name. I'm wondering why an 18-year-old would serve in place of his father. Though I haven't found any information to lead me to a conclusion, I have thought of several possible reasons: 1)his father might have been ill or injured and couldn't serve. If so, I've wondered if his father was in the military, received an injury that prevented him from serving but felt so strongly about the war that he sent his son (who was probably not his oldest son - from some other records I have found). 2) his father might have been too old to serve. 3) his father might have needed to stay home either to support his family or keep a business going. 4) his father could have been against the war but was expected to serve so he sent a replacement. Do these sound like valid reasons, and does anyone have any other ideas as to why he might have replaced his father in the military? I'm not sure that knowing why would help me discover his father's name, but it might help narrow it down. Thanks! Caroline