THOMAS JAMES

Submitted By: Bela James


 

 Name:                Thomas JAMES1,2

Sex:                Male

 

Individual Facts

Birth                1757                England?3

Military                bet 1776-1778 (age 19)                Revolutionary War4

Military                bet 1792-1794 (age 35)                Northwest Campaign of Wayne's Indian Wars 1,5,6

Will                15 Dec 1831 (age 74)                Henry Co., KY7

Death                17 Apr 1836 (age 79)                KY8,9,10

 

 Marriages/Children

1. Sarah CLARK

Marriage                5 Feb 1795 (age 38)                Mercer Co. KY11,12,13,14

Children                 John JAMES (19 Dec 1795 - 3 Mar 1875)

                                Thomas James (abt 1797 - )

                                 William James (abt 1798 - )

                                David James ( - )

                                Joseph James (abt 1805 - abt 1878)

                                Charles James ( - )

                                Jonathan James ( - )

                                Daniel James ( - Apr 1824)

                                Sarah James ( - )

                                Mary James ( - )

 

Notes (Individual)

Death:   The date of his death is not well documented. His will was probated in June 1836, but in affidavits in 1850 Sarah (his wife) said  he died on 17 April 1836 and in 1857 she said 20 April 1837.

General: Thomas James, in his later years, resided in the Six-Mile Creek area, East of Bethlehem, KY. Thomas James was a veteran of the Revolutionary War and the North West Indian Wars of 1792-1794. Not much is known, at this time, about his Revolutionary War service, but there are several documents that chronicle his service in the Indian wars. These documents exist as affidavits that were collected in the attempt to have his pension reinstated and to qualify Sarah (his wife) to receive a pension after his death. The pension was reinstated.

 

Thomas served as a private in Whitaker's Battalion of the Kentucky Militia (or Kentucky Volunteers) during several Indian War campaigns in the Ohio Valley under General Anthony Wayne in the 1790's (also known as Wayne's Wars). Thomas served under Captain Adair, who later became Governor of Kentucky (William Clark, of the Lewis & Clark Expedition, also fought in these campaigns). In a skirmish on 6 Nov 1792 the Indians scalped Thomas;. There is some information that he served through 1794: However , in 1795, Timothy Pickering , Secretary of War, said  he was discharged with a one third disability on 25 July 1793, and  he received a pension of one and two-thirds dollars per month.  On 7 November 1827 he was declared two-thirds disable and his pension was increased to five and one-third dollars per month, and on 3 Nov 1829 increased to $8 per month.  He died on or about 17 April 1836 from an inflammation of his scalp wound.

 

 

Below is part of an affidavit by Rich Taylor, 10 September 1821

 

 "I served with him in the northwestern campaign in 1792. Was present in the action of the 6th of November in that year at Fort St. Clair, where I was myself severely wounded, and where he was knocked down with a war club in personal conflict with the Indians & scalped. I do not hesitate to say that on that occasion he acted bravely - that he was a good soldier - and is a respectable man. Such is the general belief of those who know him, and I can not but be grateful to find him thus spoken of by Gen. Ray and Governor Adair, the both of whom was his commander and whose observing mind could not have been deceived. He also served with me in Gen. Scott's campaign in 1792 and under Gen. Wayne in 1794 and on all occasions found him in the line of duty and at the front of danger."

 

In a newspaper article in THE SHELBY NEWS, Shelbyville, Ky of 7 May 1903, G.W. Demaree wrote the following about "Some Early History of Six-Mile Creek" :

 

"Among the first settlers on Six-Mile Creek were three soldiers of the Revolution, Dan Pierson, Tom Sell, and John James (This and the following should be Thomas James not John James).......... John James, the third old soldier, located on lower Six-Mile in a very early period in the history of the early settlers. He was known as "old" John James - pronounced "Jeems" in those days - because he had a son named John, who was advancing in age. Old John James was more widely known than either Pierson or Bell, on account of the misfortune he had met at the hands of the red skins, having been scalped by them. I remember when a small boy the old soldier was at my father's house, and he removed the cap he wore under his broad brimmed hat, and exhibited his marked scalp. It presented the appearance of a dried raw hide, It used to be said that few people survived many years after being scalped, but John James lived to be an exceedingly old man and was the father of a large family. Giving him due credit, for the times and disadvantages he labored under, he was a successful man."

 

Notes (Family #1)

Marriage: Marriage license dated 5 February 1795. Sarah , in an affidavit for Revolutionary War pension gave wedding date as 14 Feb 1795. The consent for marriage was given by Charles Clark

 

 

Sources

1.  Statement of Rick Taylor made in Frankfort  10 Sept 1821 certifying that he had served with Thomas James In the Indian Wars and was present when Thomas was scalped on 6 Nov 1792. Copy on file with Bela James.

2.  G.W. Demaree.  Some Early History of Six-Mile Creek.  The Shelby News, Shelbyville, KY. May 7, 1903.

3.  Jerretta Followell.  Letter and descendant chart.  235 Les Lee Dr.

Paducah, KY 42001.

4.  National Archives,.  Pension Application File - Thomas James.  Old War Series, File # 21061.

5.  Clark, Murtie June.  Lists significant military events (Attack on Col John Adair's pack Train, 6 Nov 1992 is listed) and roster on the pay roll.  Page 81-83 lists Pvt. Thomas James.  Genealogical Publishing Co., Inc.  Page 81-83.Thomas James on Payroll in 1974.

6.  Perrin, W.H., Battle, J.M., and Kniffin, G.C..  Description of the 6 November 1792 Indian attack on Capt. John Adair and his 100 mounted Kentuckians. Thomas James was scalped in the attack.  F.A. (Field Artillery) Battery and Co. , 1888, Eight Edition.  Describes 6 Nov 1792 Indian Attack.

7.  Thomas James' Will dated 15 Dec 1831 and an affidavit dated 1836 by the will's witnesses stating that Thomas James was dead and the will had been witnessed by them. The will names his wife Sarah and the following children: John, Thomas, William, David, Joseph, Charles, Jonathan, Daniel, Sarah, & Mary. Copy on file with Bela James.  Henry Co Ky Will Book 6, Page 149.

8.  Ibid.  Will probated in  June 1836.

9.  Sarah gave her sworn statement in order to obtain Revolutionary War widow benefits passed by Congress in July 1848. Sarah stated she and Thomas were married in Feb 1794, the first of her fourteen children was born on 19 Dec 1795, and Thomas died 17 April 1836. (Marriage license is dated 1795 not 1794). Copy on file with Bela James.

10.  Sarah (age 79) made a sworn statement to obtain benefits passed by Congress on 3 Feb 1853. John Smith (a Justice of the Peace) swore that Sarah James swore before him that  (1) Thomas was a private under the company Commander Capt John Adair in the Wayne's Wars of 1792-94, (2)  that she was married to Thomas on or about 14 Feb 1795 by Scott, a preacher, (3) Thomas died on 20 April 1837 of a wound received in the war (scalped by Indians or savages) , (4)  he was pensioned at 250 cents per month, (5) he died of inflammation of the scalp. (Because Thomas' will was probated in 1836, the above date of death probably should be 1836 not 1837). Copy of document ion file with Bela James.

11.  Thomas James/ Sarah Clark Marriage Bond, 5 Feb 1795. Copy on File with Bela James.

12.  Mercer Co. KY;  Marriage Bonds 1786-1797.  Thomas James/ Sarah Clark Marriage License,  5 Feb 1995.  License dated 5 Feb 1795.

13.  Sarah (age 79) made a sworn statement to obtain benefits passed by Congress on 3 Feb 1853. John Smith (a Justice of the Peace) swore that Sarah James swore before him that  (1) Thomas was a private under the company Commander Capt John Adair in the Wayne's Wars of 1792-94, (2)  that she was married to Thomas on or about 14 Feb 1795 by Scott, a preacher, (3) Thomas died on 20 April 1837 of a wound received in the war (scalped by Indians or savages) , (4)  he was pensioned at 250 cents per month, (5) he died of inflammation of the scalp. (Because Thomas' will was probated in 1836, the above date of death probably should be 1836 not 1837). Copy of document ion file with Bela James.  Sarah states 14 Feb 1795.

14.  Book 1 page 34  gives Marriage of Thomas James to Sarah Clark and witnessed by Charles Clark.

 5 February 1795.

 

Additional Sources

 

 

I also have three documents that provide some information on his service records

 

  1. Revolutionary War Data, Henry Co Ky, from Frankfort KY Library

 

Order book 8 Henry County KY

Pension Bureau, Washington DC

Ky  pension Roll Sec of War, 1835, page 9----

 

Private---

Kentucky Volunteers, May 19, 1795

Commissioner of Pension from Pennsylvania, July 25, 1795

 

  1. Pension Application files, Miscellaneous Service, Old Wars Series

 

National Archives

File No 21061

Sol. Served in Rev.War

 

 

  1. Kentucky Roll No. 47335