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John McLemore, Revolutionary Soldier

Male Abt 1762 - 1844  (~ 82 years)


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  • Name John McLemore  [1, 2
    Suffix Revolutionary Soldier 
    Birth Abt 1762  Brunswick County, Virginia Find all individuals with events at this location  [2
    Gender Male 
    Death 30 Jun 1844  Knox County, Tennessee Find all individuals with events at this location  [2
    Burial Union Cemetery, Knox County, Tennessee Find all individuals with events at this location  [2
    Notes 
    • James L. McLemore, III wrote that John McLemore enlisted "in Aug. or Sept., 1779....in the co. of Capt. Micajah Bullock of Granville Co, NC, and apparently saw some action....on Dec 20 of the following year, he married Sarah.... there in Granville Co, James Claxton (Clanton) was security on their bond. In May, 1784 he bought part of the estate of Benjamin Wade, and was shown living there in Granville Co census of 1786. Apparently he continued to reside there in Granville until about 1796....He thereafter moved to Burke Co, N.C....then to Knox Co, TN about 1813, where he continued to reside until his death on June 30, 1844. At least one son (Archibald, born 11 Mar 1787) is known to have survived him." (James L. McLemore, III, pp. 75-76)

      Eddie Maynard has also has posted a transcription from the State Records of Granville County, NC of a list of persons who took the oath of allegiance to the State in the Dutch District. Included on this list was James McLemoore, Senior, James McLemoore, and John Maclemoore.

      http://mymonroecountytngenealogy.blogspot.com/2011/06/john-mclemore-revolutionary-war.html

      In an application for membership in the DAR files by Eudora Mitchell Harvey, she cites his Pension Certificate as being No. 3509, East Tennessee Agency, Issued December 26, 1832, commenced March 4, 1831, Act of June 7, 1832, with a rate of $25.

      Eddie Maynard also has copies of John McLemores revolutionary pension application, and a transcription of the same:

      American Revolution Pension Statements
      State of Tennessee Knox County: Circuit Court for said County at August Sessions 1832

      Transcribed by Will Graves 4/3/09
      On this 18th day of August 1832 personally appeared in open court before the Honorable Circuit Court of Knox County now sitting John Maclemore a resident of said County and State aged 69 years and near 8 months, who being first duly sworn according to law, doth on his oath make the following declaration, in order to obtain the benefit of the Act of Congress passed June 7th 1832 -- That sometime in the month of August or September in the year 1779, as well as he now recollects, he entered the Army of the United States as a private in a volunteer company, which was raised and rendezvoused at Granville Court house, North Carolina, for 3 months service -- that his company was commanded by Micajah C. Bulloch of Granville County as Capt., and Ralph Williams of Orange County NC as Lieut.. Applicant states that the company in which he was enrolled together with 2 others as well as he now recollects, rendezvoused at Granville Court house and marched under the command of Major Richard Cook to the mouth of Cross Creek on the Cape Fear River where they were stationed 2 or 3 weeks. From the mouth of Cross Creek they recrossed the Cape Fear River and marched to Chatham Count house and see where they were stationed several weeks -- they then marched to Hillsboro where they were stationed but a few days, when they marched to Back Creek and remained there until the 3 months for which applicant had volunteered, had expired, when he was honorably discharged and returned home. Applicant states that the Main object of this expedition was to keep the Tories in awe -- Applicant states that about 9 months after his last mentioned discharge he hired a man by the name of William Westbrook to perform a tour of 3 months service for him, in a company of horse -- he states that he furnished the said Westbrook with a horse saddle and bridle, gave 100 acres of land and 2 cows and calves -- Applicant states that the reason why he did not performed this tour of duty himself was that at that time he was engaged to be married to the lady with whom he afterwards intermarried, and from her strong and earnest remonstrances, and his great reluctance at leaving her, he was induced to hire a substitute and remained at home -- Applicant states that afterwards sometime in the latter part of the year 1780 or first of the year 1781, he rather thinks the latter, he entered the service of the United States, as an orderly Sgt. in a company of volunteer horse, which rendezvoused at Granville Court house NC under the command of Capt. Nathaniel Waller, who was commanded by Major Harris of the Continental Army, and who was afterwards deprived of his commission for plundering a blanket -- also under the command of Col. John Hary [? Hay?] who had the supreme command. From Granville the Army marched to the mouth of Cross Creek on the Cape Fear River, where Major Richard Cook and General Butler took command. Here the horsemen were all dismounted and their horses sent home and applicant and his company were put with the infantry. From the mouth of Cross Creek the Army under the command of the said General Butler marched to Rockfish a small River, where it met General Rutherford with a large force, who took the supreme command of the whole Army, and crossing Rockfish marched on to the North East River on the opposite bank of which there was a large force of British and Tories. Here the Army remained until the British left their position on the opposite side of the River, and then the American Army marched some distance up the River where they crossed and marched directly to Wilmington. The American Army remained within 2 miles of Wilmington until the British took shipping and left that part of the country, when the 3 months for which applicant had entered the service having expired he was honorably discharged and returned home. Applicant is under the impression that this last campaign was commenced before the battle of Guilford, and that the British Army which he left Wilmington was a part of the troops which had been engaged in that battle. Applicant states that altogether he has served 6 months in the revolutionary army himself and 3 months by his substitute is a campaign of 3 months as a private volunteer, and 3 months as an orderly Sgt., as before mentioned. Applicant states that he was born in Brunswick County, Virginia in the year 1762 -- that his father had recorded the age of applicant and all his children in a family Bible which applicant well recollects to have seen, and which was last in the possession of his father -- that he lived in Granville County NC at the time he entered the service of the United States, and continued to live there during the whole war and to the year 1796 at which time he moved to Montgomery County N. C. where he lived about 8 years, and then moved to Burke County NC where lived about 80 years, and then moved to Knox County Tennessee to the neighborhood where he has lived ever since and is now living. Applicant states that it is his impression that he received a written discharge at the termination of one or both of the above mentioned campaigns, but he does not know what has become of them, or how they were lost -- he states positively that he has not at this time either of said discharges nor any documentary evidence whatever of his service -- he further states that he knows of no person whose testimony he can procure who can testify to his services -- Applicant hereby relinquishes every claim whatever to a pension or annuity except the present and declares that his name is not on the pension roll of the Agency of any State.

      Sworn to and subscribed in open Court this 18th day of August 1832
      S/ Wm Swan, Clk S/ John Maclemore

      [Peter Waggoner, a clergyman, & Aaron Armstrong gave the standard supporting affidavit. Pension application of John Maclemore S4202 fn27NC
    • (Research):

      Census Information:

      As transcribed by Eddie Maynard

      "The pension papers also state that John McLemore lived in Granville County, North Carolina during the war until 1796 until he moved to Montgomery County, North Carolina for eight years (1796-1804). He is listed on the 1800 Montgomery County, North Carolina Census (Morganton township) with:

      3 males under the age of 10
      1 male age 26-44
      1 female 16-25

      Jim White indicates, however, that the only McLemore in Montgomery county in 1800 was Clem McLemore - the John McLemore who married Sarah Carnes was enumerated in Burke County in 1800, not Montgomery.

      The pension papers show that John McLemore then moved to Burke County, North Carolina for 8 years (1804-1812). He is recorded in the 1810 Burke County, North Carolina census with:
      2 males under the age of 10
      1 male age 10-15
      1 male over the age of 45
      1 female age 10-15
      2 females ages 16-25
      1 female over the age of 45

      1820 Census
      not located

      John McLemore states in his Revolutionary War pension papers that he then moved to Knox County, Tennessee (around 1812). He is first recorded in the Knox County, Tennessee Census records in 1830 with:
      1 male age 10-15
      1 male age 60-70
      1 female age 20-30
      Since John McLemore's wife Sarah Carnes is not recorded in the 1830 census, we assume that she died between 1820-1830."


      See Eddie Maynard's blogspot,

      http://mymonroecountytngenealogy.blogspot.com/2011/06/john-mclemore-sarah-carnes.html

      to view the actual images.
    • (Medical):It had long been assumed that the Revolutionary War Soldier John McLemore, who lived for a time in North Carolina and died in Tennessee, was a son of Burwell MacLemore and Amy Gilliam. However, current DNA evidence indicates this could not be correct. This is because two descendants of Archibald McLemore of Knox County, TN, a son John McLemore the Revolutionary Soldier, are both part of the larger R1b1a2 cluster. They do NOT match the DNA of Burwell's other descendants in the E1b1 cluster. Therefore, it is evident that the John McLemore who moved to Tennessee and was the father of Archibald McLemore CAN NOT be the same John McLemore who was a son of Burwell McLemore.

      It is not currently known who the father of John McLemore, born 1762 in Brunswick, VA is.

      Tom Heseltine speculates that due to the fact he named his eldest son Young, and that the name Young continues to as a first or middle name for many of his grandchildren, he might be descended from Young McLemore, the son of Abraham Macklemore the immigrant. Young married Lucy Nicholson. Susannah "Sukey" McLemore, born 1765 married Sgt. James GRAY as was the only child named in the will of Young McLemore. She also named her first born son Young Atkins Gray. Two confirmed descendants of Abraham Macklemore are also in the R1b1a2 cluster, and high resolutions yDNA matches to two descendants of Archibald McLemore of Knox County, a son of John McLemore. He is less likely to be a son of Abraham's son Atkins as John was not named in Atkins will and also due to the fact that Atkins had a son Nathaniel born in Granville County, NC in 1762...which makes it very unlikely he would have a son John born in same year in Brunswick County, VA.

      Alternatively, John may be a son of James McLemore, Sr., who along with John McLemore and James McLemore Jr, took the oath of allegiance to the State (of North Carolina) in the Dutch District of Granville County. James L. McLemore, III, stated that Rudy Leverett, while researching the ancestry of Maj. Amos McLemore of Jones county, Mississippi, showed that Wright McLemore had a son named James McLemore, born circa 1738 in Virgina. He would have been the correct age to be a father of John. Wright is thought to be a son of William McLemore, thought to be eldest son of James Macklemore, the immigrant. William descendants settled in North Carolina, and the name Archibald was also used amount his descendants in Sampson County, North Carolina. James McLemore, III is not certain that a James, the son of Wright, even existed, however.
    Person ID i24720  Strong Family Tree
    Last Modified 5 Sep 2020 

    Family John McLemore, Revolutionary Soldier,   b. Abt 1762, Brunswick County, Virginia Find all individuals with events at this locationd. 30 Jun 1844, Knox County, Tennessee Find all individuals with events at this location (Age ~ 82 years) 
    Marriage 30 Dec 1780  Granville County, North Carolina Find all individuals with events at this location  [3
    • Eddie Maynard, on October 13, 2011, forwarded a transcription of their marriage information. They were shown on a list of GRANVILLE MARRIAGES 1753-1868 as follows: McLemore, John & Sarah CARNES, 30 Dec 1780; James Claxton, bm; William Merryman, wit. (page 215). This book was compiled by Brent H. Holcomb.

      Eddie Maynard has also located and provided a copy of a document he copied from the Knox County, Tennessee County Court Minute Book, Vol. 17, Page 320 dated December 2, 1844

      The portion of the document naming John's children reads "Personally appeared in open court Elijah Perry and Thomas J. White, who first being duly sworn ??? and say that they were personally acquainted with John McLemore and attest he was a pensioner of the United States and was a resident of the County of Knox, in the State of Tennessee, and died in the county and State aforesaid in the year 1844, on the 30 day of June, he left no widow, but the following children whose names are: Archibald, Richard, Young, Green, James, William, Nancy, Patsey and Ally McLemore, all of whom are now living. Court adjourned 'till tomorrow morning 12 o'clock. Signed by J. Anderson, John Roberts, A. W. Armstrong."




    Children 
     1. Young McLemore,   b. 9 May 1783, North Carolina Find all individuals with events at this locationd. 20 Feb 1841, Sherman, Sangamon County, Illinois Find all individuals with events at this location (Age 57 years)
     2. Richard McLemore,   b. Abt 1784, North Carolina Find all individuals with events at this locationd. Aft 1850 (Age ~ 67 years)
     3. Nancy McLemore,   b. Between 1787 and 1793, North Carolina Find all individuals with events at this locationd. Bef 1860, Knox County, Tennessee Find all individuals with events at this location (Age ~ 72 years)
     4. Archibald McLemore,   b. 11 Mar 1787, North Carolina Find all individuals with events at this locationd. Between 1830 and 1835, Monroe County, Tennessee Find all individuals with events at this location (Age 42 years)
     5. Green McLemore,   b. Abt 1798, North Carolina Find all individuals with events at this locationd. Aft 1860 (Age ~ 63 years)
     6. William McLemore,   b. Between 1800 and 1801, North Carolina Find all individuals with events at this locationd. Yes, date unknown
     7. Patsy McLemore,   b. Bef 1802, North Carolina Find all individuals with events at this locationd. Yes, date unknown
     8. James McLemore,   b. Abt 1805, North Carolina Find all individuals with events at this locationd. Yes, date unknown
     9. Mary "Polly" McLemore,   b. Abt 1810, North Carolina Find all individuals with events at this locationd. Yes, date unknown
    Documents
    McLemore, John to Sarah Carnes
    McLemore, John to Sarah Carnes
    GRANVILLE MARRIAGES 1753-1868 as follows: McLemore, John & Sarah CARNES, 30 Dec 1780; James Claxton, bm; William Merryman, wit. (page 215). This book was compiled by Brent H. Holcomb, and the xerox is courtesy of Eddie Maynard.
    Family ID F8239  Group Sheet  |  Family Chart
    Last Modified 19 Nov 2011 

  • Event Map
    Link to Google MapsBirth - Abt 1762 - Brunswick County, Virginia Link to Google Earth
    Link to Google MapsMarriage - 30 Dec 1780 - Granville County, North Carolina Link to Google Earth
    Link to Google MapsDeath - 30 Jun 1844 - Knox County, Tennessee Link to Google Earth
     = Link to Google Earth 

  • Documents
    McLemore, John, Affidavit from Knox County, Tennessee County Court Minute Book, Vol. 17, Page 320 dated December 2, 1844; Courtesy of Eddie Maynard
    McLemore, John, Affidavit from Knox County, Tennessee County Court Minute Book, Vol. 17, Page 320 dated December 2, 1844; Courtesy of Eddie Maynard
    Full page of minute book, with a affidavit regarding the heirs of John McLemore
    McLemore DNA Study Results NOVEMBER 2011  (see spreadsheet PDF at bottom of this page)
    McLemore DNA Study Results NOVEMBER 2011 (see spreadsheet PDF at bottom of this page)
    The main purpose of this study was to prove that the immigrant founders of this family in America, James Macklemore and Abraham Macklemore, were brothers. If brothers, then the y-DNA of the direct male descendants of both men would match. However, instead of confirming this, it appears that we have AT LEAST two distinct yDNA groups, with three additional potential lines. The first cluster of matching yDNA has ten members, who are part of the R1b1a2 haplogroup (highlighted on the spreadsheet in salmon). The R1b DNA haplogroup, is the most common in Western Europe. Two of the ten participants can trace their lines back to the immigrant Abraham Macklemore, the husband of Mary Young. Another member (m268) can trace himself back to Moses McLemore b. ca. 1738 who is thought to be a son of Wright McLemore, grandson of William Macklemore, and great-grandson of the immigrant James Macklemore. If both these members are correct in their paper trails, AND if Amos can be proven to be a great-grandson of James Macklemore, then the assumption that James and Abraham have a common paternal ancestor is correct as descendants of both men share the same yDNA. The other seven members of this first cluster all have the McLemore surname, and all can trace their lineages back to McLemore men who predate the Civil War, but have not conclusively linked themselves back to either James or Abraham.

    The second cluster in the study have three members to date (this group is highlighted on the spreadsheet in green). They are all in the E1b1 Haplogroup, which is rare in Western Europe. All of them match each other, but do not match any other McLemores yet tested. All three of these members can trace their ancestry to John Macklemore of Virginia, the husband of Faith. Two of them descend from his son Burwell, and the third from his son Joel. But, as discussed above, IF we have also proven that the immigrants Abraham and James Macklemore are brothers, then it follows that John Macklemore could not be the biological son of the immigrant James, as the yDNA of these two clusters is very different.

    Our current thinking is that John was likely a son of Fortune?s and a stepson of James Macklemore, who raised him as his own. Alternatively, it may still be proven that James and Abraham were not brothers. They may share the same surname, but not the same paternal ancestry. More proven descendants of James and Fortune Macklemore will need to be tested to confirm or refute either theory.

    As an interesting side note, it had long been assumed that the Revolutionary War Soldier John McLemore, who lived for a time in North Carolina and died in Tennessee, was a son of Burwell MacLemore and Amy Gilliam. However, current DNA evidence indicates this could not be correct. This is because two descendants of Archibald McLemore of Knox County, TN, a son John McLemore the Revolutionary Soldier, are both part of the larger R1b1a2 cluster (highlighted in salmon). They do NOT match the DNA of Burwell?s other descendants in the E1b1 cluster. Therefore, it is evident that the John McLemore who moved to Tennessee and was the father of Archibald McLemore CAN NOT be the same John McLemore who was a son of Burwell McLemore.

    In addition to the two groups discussed above, there are three McLemore DNA volunteers who don?t match any of the McLemores in either of the first two groups, OR match each other. One of these men (highlighted in purple on the spreadsheet) is a descendant of Hiram McLemore of Lee County, VA and later Breathitt County, KY. Hiram has been speculated to be a son of John McLemore and Ruth Steelman, a grandson of Ephraim McLemore, and great grandson of the immigrant James. However, if James and Abraham Macklemore are brothers, then Hiram could not be a biological descendant of James. He would have to match the group of ten McLemore?s in the first group. Although Hiram McLemore's descendant is also part of the R1b1 Haplogroup, he is more than 10 markers removed (based on 25 markers tested) from being a match to any of the other R1b1 McLemore?s, and therefore could not share a common ancestor in a genealogically significant time period.

    The second unmatched volunteer (highlighted in blue) is a direct descendant of the McLemore family that moved from North Carolina to Jones County, GA and then onto Montgomery County, AL. He is part of the R1a haplogroup, common in many parts of Eurasia and Scandinavia. He can trace his line back through four generations of James McLemore?s to James Macklemore Jr, thought to be the son of James and Fortune. But again, if James and Abraham are brothers, then he could not be a biological descendant of James Macklemore, the immigrant.

    The third unmatched volunteer (highlighted in brown) descends from James Madison McLemore born 1861 in Louisiana and died & buried 1918 in Van Zandt County, Texas. He is thought to be a son of William Kearney McLemore b. 1825 and d. 1889, also buried in Van Zandt County, Texas. He is in the I1 haplogroup, which is the most common group in Scandinavia.

    It is currently not known why these McLemores do not yet match any other study members. It is possible that there were several founding McLemore lines, instead of just one as has been long assumed. Or another possibility could be that undisclosed adoptions have occurred through the generations of descendants of both James and/or Abraham.

    Please help us to continue to unravel these DNA mysteries by volunteering to take part in this study. Email me for more details (stxstrong@gmail.com), or you can enroll directly at this websites listed below.

    http://www.geneticousins.com/morrison/

    or here

    http://www.familytreedna.com/project-join-request.aspx?group=Morrison

    Also, if you have had your yDNA tested outside of the Morrison group, please let us know. We would be glad to add your results to the spreadsheet.

    If you have trouble viewing this spreadsheet, email me at stxstrong@gmail.com and I can send you an excel spreadsheet or PDF.


  • Sources 
    1. [S206] McLemore, James L. III ("The Early History of the McLemore Family of Virginia and the Carolinas").

    2. [S1121] Maynard, Eddie "My Monroe County, Tennessee Genealogy" (Genealogy Blog), (http://mymonroecountytngenealogy.blogspot.com/), photo of tombstone (Reliability: 3).

    3. [S1121] Maynard, Eddie "My Monroe County, Tennessee Genealogy" (Genealogy Blog), (http://mymonroecountytngenealogy.blogspot.com/).