Isapur

The founder of the Isapur branch of Randhawas was Dasaunda Singh. Having become a Sikh in 1730 he entered the service of Adina Beg, with whom he remained till 1758.

He then joined the Bhangi Confederacy, and through the influence of Chaudhry Raman Singh, a Randhawa Jat and a distant relative, he obtained a jagir worth about Rs. 20,000, including the village of Isapur, which has ever since remained in the family, and from which Dasaunda Singh took his family name. His son Bhagat Singh preserved the old estate and acquired new jagirs ; and Sardar Ram Singh,-about the year 1804, joined Maharaja Ranjit Singh of Punjab who confirmed to him the villages of Isapur, Bolah, Suran, and others in the Amritsar district. He did good service on several occasions ; and in 1818 received the grant of jagirs to the value of five lakhs of rupees, subject to the service of seven hundred horsemen and two thousand infantry. This was a special grant for the Kashmir Campaign, and was resumed in 1821 after the fall of Mankera.

In 1822 Ram Singh was placed under the orders of Prince Kharak Singh, with whom he remained till 1824, when he was transferred to Raja Suchet Singh’s division. He served in Kulu, Kangra and in most of the Maharaja’s numerous campaigns, and died in 1836. His son Sahib Singh had been for some time in Grovernment employ at the time of his father’s death, at which time he was serving with Raja Suchet Singh on a salary o£ Rs. 2,000 per annum. This was raised to Rs. 7,923, including Isapur and some other villages of the original estate. Sahib Singh was present at the second siege of Multan in 1818, and in Kashmir in the following year. He also served under Prince Kharak Singh, and Eaja Suchet Singh at Mankera, Bannu, Yusufzai, Saiduki and the Derajat. After the Satlaj Campaign his estate was cut down to Es. 6,231, subject to the service of ten sowars, and also charged with pensions to his father’s widows.

In 1847 he was sent in command of one hundred horsemen to the Manjha to assist Lala Mangalsen, brother of Diwan Ratan Chand in the collection of the revenue, and afterwards he proceeded* to Hazara under Captain Abbott. He remained faithful to Government during the disturbances of 1848-49, and has been spoken of in the highest terms by many English officers. In 1861 a portion of his jagirs, consisting of Isapur, Bolah, Sagal and Suran, worth Rs. 2,697, exclusive of some subordinate rent-free holdings in the name of other members of his family, was confirmed to him for life. The villages of Isapur, Sagal, and Suran, worth Rs. 1,386, descend to his legitimate male heirs in perpetuity. Sardar Sahib Singh resided at Isapur in the Amritsar district up to the time of his death, which occurred in 1878. His only son, Akwak Singh, was first employed under the English Government as a Jamadar of PoHce. In 1867 he was made rasaldar and sent to Bannu. He behaved very well during the disturbances, and received an extra Bahadari allowance for his gallant conduct. Sardar Akwak Singh retired, after, a service of twenty- four years, in 1874. At the time of his retirement he was Risaldar of the 6th Panjab Cavalry.