Robert Ellis, Sr.
A Revolutionary War Hero
©By Kinfolk's Family Files
"the body of Robert Ellis, is removed
from his original grave"
Revolutionary War pension Claim #
S32244
ROBERT ELLIS, Sr.
Following
are the words of our first known Ellis ancestor as he begins his long fight to gain his
pension for having served in the Revolutionary War.
On this 10th day of November 1838, personally appeared before me, Jesse Triplett a justice
of the peace for the County of Morgan aforesaid Robert Ellis a resident citizen of the
County of Morgan, State of Tennessee aged (78) seventy-eight years being born in the state
of Virginia in Buckingham County in the year one thousand seven hundred and sixty, as he
believes from information, having no record of his age but from calculation, he is certain
it must have been in 1759 or 1760 but is most inclined to think it was in 1760, and being
duly sworn for that purpose on this oath makes the following declaration in order to
obtain the benefit of the act of Congress passed the 7th of June 1832.
He states that he volunteered and entered the service of the United States in Abbevill
District in South Carolina under William Conaway with John Prater, William Prater, James
Mucklewell, Thomas Lacy, Andrew Miller as privates and went after the Cherokee Indians,
and marched to many places on the frontiers crossing Little River and going zigzag through
the Nation. Started sometime in the fall of 1780, the days nor month not recollected,
during said tour never stayed long at one place. Maybe a night or two at the home of John
Fox, a faithful soldier from character, and was at many white peoples residence who had
left their homes through fear of the Indians and was finally marched to a little creek
called Generosity, and had there a skirmish with the Indians and there was seven white man
that was hurt, he was connived home to his residence being unable to serve for two or
three months; after the, applicant, served about one month at lease this tour, not being
able to say certain how long but agreeable to his best recollection he served at lease one
month having been wounded in the heel and went home.
He again volunteered for a second time as a private soldier under Captain Joseph Pickens
and Colonel McCall and entered service as well, as now recollected about the first of
January 1781, and joined General Pickens and was marched to the Cowpens and was in the
Battle at Cowpens and marched off from said place under General Pickens and went to a camp
ground in North Carolina Stationed there about one week and thence crossing the Saluda and
Broaiver at different places and thence to Reids Mill about eight miles from home, had a
written discharge from Captain Joseph Pickens for two month's service.
He again volunteered for a third time, out of Captain John Willson's Company and entered
service a short time before the Siege of Ninety Six and served under Captain Joseph
Pickens including during the siege, he said Captain Pickens was shot and killed in the
siege, after the siege he had a written discharge from General Pickens, having served this
tour one month (one of two lines missing) . . . . . . able to his best recollection, and
he returned home.
He volunteered for a fourth time and entered the services in a short time thereafter under
Captain Little he believes his first name was Moses, though he is not certain, and went on
to the Battle of Eutaw Springs under General Green and Pickens and Colonel Malbdee, was
marched off from the battle under Captain Frost went with some of the wounded to Fridays
Ferry on the Congoree, having served nine weeks this tour, had a written discharge from
Captain Little.
He again volunteered for a fifth time a short time after his discharge and was at the
instance of Captain Wilson placed as guard over Colonel Reids Mill in Abbeville District
and served with James C. Wright, John Discon, William Discon, James Hawthorne, John
Prater, Nathaniel Bailey and guarded said Mill nine weeks and received a written discharge
from Captain John Wilson for the same.
He again volunteered for a sixth time serving under Captain Robert Maxwell in the fall of
1781 to serve three months under Colonel Anderson and was marched on to Kettle Creek and
Little Brasstown under General Pickens and was in several skirmishes. Joe Chapman was
wounded and several Indians killed, was in on general engagements. Fired at the Indians
when running on different occasions, discharged by said Captain Maxwell a written
discharge never recorded having served two months.
He again volunteered for a seventh and last time to range the frontiers for 12 months,
entered the service about the first day of March or there about, and in the spring of 1782
under Captain John Norwood, Hugh Reid, Lieutenant and sergeant Hunt, privates, John
Miller, Harbison, James Thompson, Thomas Lacy, John Lindsay, James Hathhorn, Andrew Weeb,
Isaac Thacker, Martin Miller, Andrew Watt, Samuel McMustre, Thomas Watt, John Carson,
William Perry, John Fox Senior, and his son John Fox, William Pratt, Samuel Lindsey, James
Lindsey, Ephraim Lindsey and Nathaniel Bailey. Stationed at John Miller's all the time
except when ranging, would march all through the frontiers on Little River the head of
Longcane, Big Hog Skin, Diamond Hill and the Golden Grove, and would be gone many days and
return to the station and go again the same routes or much so during the whole year,
killed none of the Indians. Killed two Tories to wit: John Mc Masterson, Thomas Niel,
Andrew Neil, John McCarreys life we spared he being young and after serving out 12 months,
had a written discharge from said Captain John Norwood early in the spring of 1783.
The applicant continued to live in Abbeville District South Carolina a little upwards of
one year after the last period of his service aforesaid and moved to the state of Georgia
Elbert County lived at different places in Georgia about thirteen years, thence to Knox
County Tennessee staid there about six years, thence to Campbell County Tennessee, staid
there thirty years, thence to Morgan County Tennessee, staid there five years, thence to
Greene County Indiana, was done by Lawyer Livingston. Returned for amendment his lawyer
neglected. The same applicant wrote to John W. Davis in Congress about the matter, he does
not know the true situation of his case at this time, being only informed by a careless
lawyer. He states he has no record nor documentary evidence of his service and knows no
person by whom he can prove his service except James Blevins of Greene County Indiana by
whom he could prove part of his said service if he could get the matter attended to. He
believes he can prove by many of his intimate acquaintances in his neighborhood both in
Campbell County and in Morgan County in Tennessee with whom he has been acquainted with
between thirty and forty years that he has always been reputed and called a Revolutionary
Soldier by his intimate acquaintances. Generally he will name some of them. Mrs.
Ester Sexton with whom he has been acquainted about fifty-one years or some over, and
Timothy Sexton and John Reid, Ezekiel Newport, Esquire Aaron Whitecotton, Thomas Chambers,
Esquire Allen McDainel, Esquire John Chesney and he really believes his acquaintance,
generally both in Morgan and Campbell Counties Tennessee. He hereby relinquishes every
claim whatsoever to a pensioner or annuity except the present and declares his name is not
the Pension Roll of the Agency of any State. He States his discharge was burned when his
house was burned. He further states that owing to the great length of time since his said
service he cannot state with further certainty that herein stated, as to the precise time
of beginning, and quitting each tour of duty, nor can he state with positive certainty the
length of some of said tours but the served the full length of the time set forth in the
foregoing, at least.
Sign in ink)
Robert Ellis
sworn & subscribed this 10th
day of November 1838 before me
Jesse Triplett
J.P.
We Ester Sexton and Timothy Sexton residing in the County of Morgan State of Tennessee
certify that we have been acquainted with Robert Ellis the foregoing named applicant for a
pension for fifty years or more. That he was reputed believed and understood to be a
Revolutionary Soldier in the State of Georgia and Campbell and Morgan .... (line ends.)
Robert Ellis was 78 years old when the above affidavit was taken in 1838, he lived on and
received a pension. He died on Christmas day of 1849 at the age of almost 90 years old. He
was for the times a very old man, few if any lived to be his age and had his record of
service in the revolutionary war with England in 1776. Old King George would of liked it
he had not been there. It was men such as Robert Ellis that won the war for the young
country of America.
On July 4, 1928 the Federal Government, the of the
United States had the body of Robert Ellis, removed from his original grave in the nearby
Moss Cemetery and Robert was reburied in the Samaria Church Yard Cemetery, in the town of
Linton, Green County Indiana. He was a Master Mason, in 1928 the Federal Government
erected a monument in his honor at his resting place in the Samaria Cemetery, several
hundred members of the Ellis Clan were in attendance for this impressive ceremony. This
monument was dedicated on July 4, 1928 with a impressive ceremony and a reunion of the
Ellis clan.
©Story Research
By: Brenda C. Ellis JONES
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