Tag: Militia

January 23, 2018 Dennis Ayers

During the 1700s the American colonies grew from a population of about 250 thousand to 2.5 million. Much of that growth in the Mid-Atlantic and southern colonies came from successful farming of cash crops with the attendant need to import more and more labor. The most favorable crop quickly became tobacco. The Tidewater region of eastern Virginia, part of the Atlantic coastal plain, is comprised of low and flat land which was ideal for growing tobacco. The area also allowed easy access to ports along the major rivers to ship large barrels of tobacco.

 

As mentioned previously, William Jackson became a successful planter near the James River. His descendants  followed after him as planters in Sussex county. With good management, a planter could use his profits to continue to grow his land holdings, acquire more workers, and accumulate considerable wealth. It appears that William’s oldest son, John Ellis Jackson born 1680, was able to do just that. He obtained a number of land patents during his lifetime, including one in 1736 for 1,704 acres located in Prince George and Amelia counties. This land was later divided and gifted to his sons in 1746.

 

John Ellis Jackson married Mary Ward around 1704, but she died in 1746 after bearing at least 9 children. John died in 1770 and in his will he bequeathed 6 slaves by name to various sons and daughters. Slaves were valued much more than land. Strangely, two sons James and Robert Jackson received only a 1 shilling each (perhaps about $5.00 in current money).

 

Not much is known about Robert Jackson, our direct ancestor, as his records are scarce. However, one might consider Robert a valuable resource in American history as he fathered 4 sons who played roles in the Revolutionary War with England. Two sons from his first wife, Amy Wyche, were Rueben and Ephraim, who married sisters, Hannah and Lucretia Tucker. Reuben enlisted for 3 years and served as a private first with the 6th Virginia Regiment, and then with the 2nd Virginia Regiment. He fought with George Washington’s army in New Jersey, and later fought in the Battle of Cowpens in the Carolinas. Rueben received a pension in 1818 of $8 per month. The older brother, Ephraim, was a planter in Brunswick County, Virginia who was a certified supplier providing material aid to the forces of the Revolution.

 

Two other sons from Robert’s second marriage to Jane Gilliam were Francis and William. Francis served as a private for several 3 month tours with the Virginia line that totaled more than 18 months, and thus received a pension of $5 per month. He fought in the famous Guilford Courthouse Battle in North Carolina. William, our direct ancestor, served as a Sargent with the 2nd Virginia Regiment, but unfortunately, there was apparently no pension application to describe his activities in the war.

 

January 4, 2012 Dennis Ayers No comments exist

RW HeroAbout the time the Derryberrys were obtaining land grants in North Carolina, the Revolutionary War (1775 – 1783) was being fought in the colonies and eventually it affected their area.  From available records, it seems that the only Derryberry to have actually fought as a Patriot in North Carolina was Andrew Derryberry, who was likely the second youngest son of Hans Michael, born around 1765. Perhaps the others were too old to take up arms, or didn’t speak English well enough, or perhaps they remained neutral or loyal to the English crown. The actual reasons are unknown.

 

It is known that some of the Terryberrys and relations back in New Jersey remained loyal to England, and eventually migrated to Canada through New York by the early 1800s. On the other hand, there was a John Terryberry who applied for a pension from New York state who said he fought for the colonies in New Jersey.  So it was a mixed story for the descendants of Peter Dürrenberger, as it was for all the colonists. Historians have estimated that approximately 40 to 45 percent of the colonists supported the rebellion, while 15 to 20 percent remained loyal to the British Crown. The rest attempted to remain neutral and kept a low profile.

 

According to Andrew Derryberry’s pension application filed in 1832 from Tennessee, he first volunteered his services to the Burke County, NC militia at the age of 16 in the winter of 1781. He spent several months guarding forts in the area, and occasionally fighting Indians, before returning home. Then in August of 1782 he joined the Continental Army. This time he was sent to Charleston, but never saw any major action and was finally discharged in July 1783.  Subsequently, much later when living in Tennessee, Andrew received a pension of $39.27 per year for his services, and after his death his wife, Sarah, also received a widow’s pension.

 

April 9, 2011 Dennis Ayers No comments exist

Bailey Ayers was born in North Carolina and moved to Kentucky around 1800 with his family.  At the age of 19, Bailey became one of many Kentucky volunteers in the War of 1812.

Tecumseh

 

As a result of the treaty after the Revolutionary War, the U.S. gained control of the land between Kentucky and the Canadian border, called the Old Northwest Territory.  However, despite the treaty, the British still kept forts in the territory, and continued to supply the Indians with arms.  The renowned Indian chief, Tecumseh, formed a Confederation of numerous tribes, and the Confederation’s brutal raids hindered American expansion into potentially valuable farmlands in the territory.  Americans on the western frontier greatly resented this interference, and this aggravation was just one of numerous insults by the British that led up to the U.S. declaring war.

 

Some of the major battles of the ensuing War of 1812 were in the Old Northwest Territory, along the Canadian border, and fought in large part by Kentucky militiamen.   After a British victory and subsequent massacre of a large number of Kentuckians in the area that is now Michigan, the governor of Kentucky asked for 2,000 more reinforcements.  Instead 4,000 enthusiastic Kentucky volunteers were formed in August 1813 in Newport, KY,  (near present day Cincinnati)  and sent to aid.  Bailey Ayers was one of those brave individuals, and he joined the Kentucky Mounted Volunteer Militia commanded by Colonel Taul.

 

After the Americans recaptured Detroit, they continued to pursue the retreating British and their Indian allies across the Canadian border.  They caught up with them about 50 miles away in Ontario where the key Battle of the Thames River took place.  When American scouts reported that the British lines were spread extremely thin, General Harrison decided on a daring strategy: a cavalry assault by the Kentucky mounted troops directly on the British lines. The British were not prepared for this type of assault and when the first wave of horseman quickly rode through the British lines, and then turned on the British from the rear, British troops quickly surrendered. The American forces then went on to defeat the Indian allies, killing most of them including their leader, Tecumseh, who had refused to flee. This victory for the Americans was the final battle in the Northwest and most of the Indian tribes abandoned their association with the British.  The Americans had defeated the British and the Indians in the territory once and for all.

War of 1812 in Northwest

 

As a member of the Mounted Militia, Bailey Ayers was no doubt one of the horsemen involved in the victory.  He later returned home to the mountains of Wayne County, KY where he married Mary Guffy and they eventually raised a family of four sons and three daughters. Sometime before 1820 the family moved slightly east to Whitley County, Kentucky, and then before 1840 moved across the Tennesee border into Campbell county, Tennessee.  He died there after 1860.

 

April 3, 2011 Dennis Ayers No comments exist

Folks, this is a little longer post than normal, but it contains a lot of historically important information to help put our ancestors lives in perspective. Sorry, but you gotta learn some history.

 

The Revolutionary War started in Massachusetts in 1775.  However, by 1779, the British had been slowly driven from most of the North, and in frustration shifted their hopes to military campaigns in the South.  They were hoping to take advantage of much loyalism in the Southern back-country.  In 1780, after first taking South Carolina, the British Army, commanded in the South by Lord Cornwallis, was ordered to reclaim North Carolina from the rebels and push on into Virginia.  Refer to the map at the end of this post for battle locations.

 

As mentioned earlier, Thomas Ayers had several sons in his family.  While residing in Surry County, NC, they were drawn into the war.  Although much of the time they were involved in informal, but violent, battles between loyalists and rebels, one of them also participated in two major battles with regular British troops which turned the tide of the war in the South.

 

It is not known if Thomas’ family, like his father’s, were also Quakers who were against violence. However, it is known that some Quakers, out of necessity, temporarily suspended their memberships during the war and then rejoined afterwards.

 

The extreme delay of providing pensions to veterans after the war was a sad, drawn out affair, and not until a Special Act of Congress in 1832 were pensions made available to the majority of surviving veterans. Fortunately, due to these detailed pensions applications in which they had to explain when and where they fought, we are able to get a glimpse into the lives of our Ayers ancestors during the war.  I’ll try to capture some of the significant highlights below.

 

In 1780, Thomas Ayers Sr., was about 46 years old, his son Nathaniel about 25 years old, son Elihu about 19 and son Thomas Jr. about 9.  While it would be unthinkable today, Thomas Jr., when still only a young lad, saw much violence and fighting action as he later stated in an affirmation for another pension applicant:

“I was too young to be put on a list of soldiers but I prefomed a voluntary servitude as hard as any soldier that is against Tories.  I had to run many a time when over powered by them to save myself.  I fought in my Father’s place he being old. Old and young had to fight it was a time of trouble in this country as I before stated the Tories was so bad.”

 

Elihu Ayers saw the most service.  He first entered as a volunteer private in the militia in January 1778.  He served a little over 12 months during which he only participated in skirmishes against the Tories (loyalists) and not against the foreigners.  He traveled the area around Surry and Wilkes counties defending Whigs (rebels) and their property from the ravages of the Tories.  During this term of service, he was present and assisted in “half hanging” William Combs whom they let off on promise of better behavior, and in hanging two other men condemned by a Court Martial.  He obtained a discharge from this term of service which was some years afterwards burned in his Father’s House.

 

Elihu entered his next tour of duty in April 1780.  Initially, he again was employed in the surrounding country to keep down the Tories and retaking and restoring property to the Whigs taken by the Tories.  Then in the Fall of 1780, he was marched to South Carolina where he participated in the famous Battle of King’s Mountain. The British, under Colonel Ferguson, fought in their traditional close-packed European fashion. The frontiersmen, however, played by different rules, moving from tree to tree picking off Ferguson’s men with their long and much more accurate frontier rifles. Many British were killed with few prisoners taken, and Elihu Ayers personally witnessed the death of Colonel Ferguson. King’s Mountain was a stunning defeat for Lord Cornwallis. After that General Washington sent one of his most experienced officers, Nathaniel Greene, to the South to drive the British out.

 

Elihu returned to North Carolina for a short furlough, but in the Spring of 1781, he was marched to the very important battle of Guilford Courthouse in Guilford County, NC, which was only 50 miles from his home in Surry County. There, he was part of the militia who panicked and ran from the scene of action. It was a terribly bloody battle from which the Americans, led by General Greene finally retreated, but it left both sides grieviously wounded. The battle was significant, however, in that Cornwallis began to fully realize that he could no longer count on the Loyalists for help, and that victories in the Carolina territory would always elude him.  Frustrated he turned his attention back to Virginia where he was also unsuccessful and the war finally ended with an American victory at Yorktown later in 1781.

 

In 1786 Elihu married Lydia Owen and they later moved to Patrick County, VA.  He finally received a pension beginning in 1834 until he died in 1844.  You can read a complete transcription of Elihu Ayers’ pension application in his own words here (R335).

 

Meanwhile, Thomas Ayers’ oldest son, Nathaniel, who is our direct ancestor, was also called into service as a militia man in August of 1780.  He too was marched to South Carolina to the Battle of King’s Mountain.  However, he did not participate in the battle, as he had been sent to a powder maker, for powder.  As it turned out, the Tories had already taken the powder maker, and his powder and the main battle was over before Nathaniel returned.  He met the victorious soldiers with the prisoners and marched with them and was held in service until some time in November or December and was discharged.

 

In February, Nathaniel was again called into service with the same militia company.  The object was to join General Greene’s forces, but they kept missing them as Greene, endeavoring to avoid an early engagement with Cornwallis kept changing his positions.  As a result, they never did join with Greene before the Battle of Guilford Courthouse. On the other hand, they frequently fell in with parties of the enemy and had little skirmishes. He was then discharged in May 1781.

 

Since Nathaniel Ayers did not complete at least six months service, he was deemed not eligible for a pension.  You can read a complete transcription of his pension application in his own words here (R336).

 

I wonder if the Ayers clan in North Carolina, was aware that some of their cousins back in New England and New Jersey also fought and helped win the Revolutionary War.

 

I heartily recommend viewing “The Patriot” movie released in 2000 starring Mel Gibson, which does a very creditable job in depicting the horrific conditions and events in the Carolinas during the Rev War.

Revolutionary War in the South
April 3, 2011 Dennis 1 comment

Folks, this is a little longer post than normal, but it contains a lot of historically important information to help put our ancestors lives in perspective. Sorry, but you gotta learn some history.

 

The Revolutionary War started in Massachusetts in 1775.  However, by 1779, the British had been slowly driven from most of the North, and in frustration shifted their hopes to military campaigns in the South.  They were hoping to take advantage of much loyalism in the Southern back-country.  In 1780, after first taking South Carolina, the British Army, commanded in the South by Lord Cornwallis, was ordered to reclaim North Carolina from the rebels and push on into Virginia.  Refer to the map at the end of this post for battle locations.

 

As mentioned earlier, Thomas Ayers had several sons in his family.  While residing in Surry County, NC, they were drawn into the war.  Although much of the time they were involved in informal, but violent, battles between loyalists and rebels, one of them also participated in two major battles with regular British troops which turned the tide of the war in the South.

 

It is not known if Thomas’ family, like his father’s, were also Quakers who were against violence. However, it is known that some Quakers, out of necessity, temporarily suspended their memberships during the war and then rejoined afterwards.

 

The extreme delay of providing pensions to veterans after the war was a sad, drawn out affair, and not until a Special Act of Congress in 1832 were pensions made available to the majority of surviving veterans. Fortunately, due to these detailed pensions applications in which they had to explain when and where they fought, we are able to get a glimpse into the lives of our Ayers ancestors during the war.  I’ll try to capture some of the significant highlights below.

 

In 1780, Thomas Ayers Sr., was about 46 years old, his son Nathaniel about 25 years old, son Elihu about 19 and son Thomas Jr. about 9.  While it would be unthinkable today, Thomas Jr., when still only a young lad, saw much violence and fighting action as he later stated in an affirmation for another pension applicant:

“I was too young to be put on a list of soldiers but I prefomed a voluntary servitude as hard as any soldier that is against Tories.  I had to run many a time when over powered by them to save myself.  I fought in my Father’s place he being old. Old and young had to fight it was a time of trouble in this country as I before stated the Tories was so bad.”

Elihu Ayers saw the most service.  He first entered as a volunteer private in the militia in January 1778.  He served a little over 12 months during which he only participated in skirmishes against the Tories (loyalists) and not against the foreigners.  He traveled the area around Surry and Wilkes counties defending Whigs (rebels) and their property from the ravages of the Tories.  During this term of service, he was present and assisted in “half hanging” William Combs whom they let off on promise of better behavior, and in hanging two other men condemned by a Court Martial.  He obtained a discharge from this term of service which was some years afterwards burned in his Father’s House.

 

Elihu entered his next tour of duty in April 1780.  Initially, he again was employed in the surrounding country to keep down the Tories and retaking and restoring property to the Whigs taken by the Tories.  Then in the Fall of 1780, he was marched to South Carolina where he participated in the famous Battle of King’s Mountain. The British, under Colonel Ferguson, fought in their traditional close-packed European fashion. The frontiersmen, however, played by different rules, moving from tree to tree picking off Ferguson’s men with their long and much more accurate frontier rifles. Many British were killed with few prisoners taken, and Elihu Ayers personally witnessed the death of Colonel Ferguson. King’s Mountain was a stunning defeat for Lord Cornwallis. After that General Washington sent one of his most experienced officers, Nathaniel Greene, to the South to drive the British out.

 

Elihu returned to North Carolina for a short furlough, but in the Spring of 1781, he was marched to the very important battle of Guilford Courthouse in Guilford County, NC, which was only 50 miles from his home in Surry County. There, he was part of the militia who panicked and ran from the scene of action. It was a terribly bloody battle from which the Americans, led by General Greene finally retreated, but it left both sides grieviously wounded. The battle was significant, however, in that Cornwallis began to fully realize that he could no longer count on the Loyalists for help, and that victories in the Carolina territory would always elude him.  Frustrated he turned his attention back to Virginia where he was also unsuccessful and the war finally ended with an American victory at Yorktown later in 1781.

 

In 1786 Elihu married Lydia Owen and they later moved to Patrick County, VA.  He finally received a pension beginning in 1834 until he died in 1844.  You can read a complete transcription of Elihu Ayers’ pension application in his own words here (R335).

 

Meanwhile, Thomas Ayers’ oldest son, Nathaniel, who is our direct ancestor, was also called into service as a militia man in August of 1780.  He too was marched to South Carolina to the Battle of King’s Mountain.  However, he did not participate in the battle, as he had been sent to a powder maker, for powder.  As it turned out, the Tories had already taken the powder maker, and his powder and the main battle was over before Nathaniel returned.  He met the victorious soldiers with the prisoners and marched with them and was held in service until some time in November or December and was discharged.

 

In February, Nathaniel was again called into service with the same militia company.  The object was to join General Greene’s forces, but they kept missing them as Greene, endeavoring to avoid an early engagement with Cornwallis kept changing his positions.  As a result, they never did join with Greene before the Battle of Guilford Courthouse. On the other hand, they frequently fell in with parties of the enemy and had little skirmishes. He was then discharged in May 1781.

 

Since Nathaniel Ayers did not complete at least six months service, he was deemed not eligible for a pension.  You can read a complete transcription of his pension application in his own words here (R336).

 

I wonder if the Ayers clan in North Carolina, was aware that some of their cousins back in New England and New Jersey also fought and helped win the Revolutionary War.

 

I heartily recommend viewing “The Patriot” movie released in 2000 starring Mel Gibson, which does a very creditable job in depicting the horrific conditions and events in the Carolinas during the Rev War.

Rev War in the South