John Rainey - Recorded History

Notes for John Rainey:
DAR reference code RBTZZPK
John Rainey::Rev. War Record Roll Box 103.. PVT1775-1783National Archives.
Christine Walters DAR national # 812019 email chrisw1940@hotmail.com
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Laurens Co SC when he entered the service
To Bedford Co TN in 1808
BOOK HH Page 365 15 Oct 1837
Eve and Jesse BURROW, Exec. to John W RANEY. Deed of 60 Acres. Eve BURROW, Exec and Jesse BURROW Exec of estate and will of Ephraim BURROW deceased, one part and John W RANEY other part, all of Bedford Co TN on waters of Big Flat Creek. Bounded by Joseph PARKER, Spring of Wm BURROW, top of ridge near Amelia BRUTONS Line. Including the cabins whereon Raney now lives. Wit: Peter RANEY and Henry HART. Reg: 9 Mar 1839
A Captain in the Revolutionary War.John Rainey, father of Nancy migrated to Bedford TN in 1808 with his family. Henry and Nancy (Rainey) Hart either went with them or joined them soon after..Enlistment Nov 1 1778commissioned a captain in charge of a volunter company.This company built a garrison in the Cherokee Nation just over the SC line and he and 60 men held it for about 9 months.Upon his return home he must have been discharged, as he again enlisted as a Captain in Aug 1779 and reported that he served as a recruiter, kept down the Torries, guarded the frontier, was taken prisoner by the British and escaped. He fought in SC, NC and VA.While on a march to join General Pickens in NC he met his wife andchildren who had been driven from their home in SC by the Tories.They were exhausted and hungry.John turned his command over to one Major Moore and they went on and he conveyed his wife and children off a distance of about 30 miles and procured a house for them and from thence went home to SC and was not in the service afterwards. Abt 1781. John gave his residence before and after the war as Laurens SC.Per John he states that he left Laurens SC for Bedford TN in 1808.There he received two land grants from the state of TN - one for 20 Acres on May 22 1814 and the other 16 acres on Apr 19 1815, both located on the headwaters of Big Flat Creek, a south branch of Duck River. This is the same area in which Henry Hart settled and received three land grants in 1823, 1826.
John Rainey evidently acquired more property as the 1820 Bedford Census records that in addition to his wife and 3 children he had 8 slaves. (* I read the 1820 Census as 100101-00100 which is a wife and 2 sons)This number of slaves could work a much larger farm than the 36 acres he received in 1814/15.16 Aug 1832 John Rainey age 82, appeared in open court in Bedford Co before 3 Justices and made his declaration on oath, his application for his pension for service in the Rev. War.He died approx Mar 1841 as there are not further records.He and his wife are probably buried in the old part of the Mt Hermon Church Cem and the graves poorly marked, as there is no evidence they were buried in any other local cemetery.
Most of the information is contained in the application made by John Rainey for a pension for his service in the Rev. War.John Rainey was over 82 years of age at the time and although he served as a captain beginning Nov 1 1778 for an aggregate period of approx. 3 years, due to old age and loss of memory when he applied for his pension, he could not remember enough details to prove he was a captain. He accepted the pension pay of a private at $80 per year.He was still drawing his pension in 1841 at age 91.Pension Application # S4035 is the most important document found on John.It furnishes the birth date/place, locations of battles he was in and the year he left SC for Bedford TN, where he was when he made application.Also shows that John was the son of Thomas Rainey.
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REVOLUTIONARY WAR RECORDS:
JOHN RAINEY father of Nancy Rainey Hart
From: Soldiers of the Revolution Bedford Co TN by Helen C Marsh
John Rainey: Pvt SC b 20May 1750 in Caroline Co VA died prior to 3rd May 1842 in Bedford Co TN. Possibly buried at Mt Hermon Cem. or Pleasant Gardens Cem in an unmarked grave.
GSA: John RAINEYS.4035 South Carolina.Claim No. 13.872: West Tennessee, John RAINEY of Bedford County in the State of Tennessee, who was a Private in the Company commanded by Captain __ for the Regiment commanded by Colonel Thomas in the South Carolina Line for 2 years.
Inscribed on the Roll of West Tennessee at the rate of 80 dollars __ cents per annum, to commence on the 4th day of March, 1831.
Certificate of Pension issued the 3 day of July 1833 and sent to Hon. J K POLK, Columbia.
Arrears to the 4th of March 1833$160.00
Semi-Anl Allowance ending 4 Sep40.00
Total$200.00
Recorded by William ALLISON ClerkRevolutionary Claim
Book E Vol 7 Page 95Act June7 1832
Paid at the Treasury under the Act of April 6th 1838 from Sept 4th 1840 to March 4th 1844.Agt. Notified 3 May 1842
Declaration in order to obtain the benefit of the Act of Congress passed June 7th 1832.
State of Tennessee Bedford County.
On this sixtenth day of August, appeared in open Court before Samuel phillips, John B Armstrong and John L Neill, Justices of the Court of Pleas and Quarter Sessions of the County of Bedford in the State of Tennessee aforesaid. John Rainey, a resident of said County, aged eighty two years, two months and seven days, 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 passes 7th June 1832.
That he entered the service of the United States under the following named Officers and served asherein stated.He does not know owning to the failing of his memory what time he entered the service but that it was during the time the American Army lay at Slim Oak, a place between Charleston and Savannah in South Carolina.
That in Laurens County, South Carolina, he was commissioned by one Colonel Thomas to hold a garrison at the place where Colonel H ight was killed, which was in the Cherokee Nation, just over the South Carolina line, and then remained himself with about sixty men, he had under his command nine months during which time they kept possession of the garrison, and after the nine months service, he had his company returned home.There was but one little engagement, which was about half a mile from the garrison in which engagement there was no white men killed and but one Indian.
This applicant further states that shortly after he returned home from his service in the garrison, he raised a Company of Volunteers, say about twenty and went in pursuit of the Tories, who were then going through the country and trailed them about fifty miles when he got information that Colonel Clark and General Pickens were before him and nearer the Tories than he was. He then, on information, thought proper to return backhome, and immediately himself and Colonel Rowebuck and Major Smith turns out and raised more volunteers to keepdown the Tories in that part of the country and guard the frountiers, and whilst he was scouting about down below Camden, he was taken prisoner by the British andone Colonel Ferguson and the Commander of the British at the time he was taken by them, and whilst on their way with him from Camden to King's Mountain about eighteen miles from Camden, between sunset and daylight down, he made his escape from the British, he then without delay, made back home being about forty miles distant, to hear, if he could, anything of Rowebuck, Smith or General Green.But his wife could give no account of them (and allin that neighborhood with a very few exception, were Tories).So he had no chance to make further inquiries but he immediately went on to a place in South Carolina then called Ninety-Six and near Camden, and stayed there some two or three days, being a Whig neighborhood generally speaking but could not still hear anything of the above mentioned men.He then returned home again and by this time, his wife had got information in what direction Morgan's Army was.He then immediately without staying onesingle night at home, went in pursuit of Morgan's Army to join him which I done.When I found Rowebuck and Smith and their Companies and my own Company.Morgan's Army then lay about eighty miles from his house, and the morning after I joined them, the battle was fought between Morgan and Tailor (Taylor) and in which battle, Taylor and his Army was defeated and Taylor himself wounded.We pursued them on to where Colonel Wallis' Army was laying and in the pursuit together with what we took on the field of battle.We captured some hundred of the British and we kept on to Halifax Court House in the State of Virginia and then we lay about six weeks.But before we got to said Court House, General Morgan gave up his commany and understood went home, and General Greene took command of the whole.He further states that they marched from H alifax Court House to Hillsborough North Carolina, and directly after they got there, they very nearly had some small engagements and some are killed, and when the army got up to High Rock, North Carolina, General Greene commissioned him to recruit men to join General pickens at Ramsour's Mills, and he is accordingly recruited some when he thinks about thirty.He was in hearing of artillery when the Battle of Guilford was fought and the second day after the Battle of Guilford, him and his men were on march to join General pickens, when to his great estonishment, he met his wife and all his children with her, five in number, drove out of their native State by the Tories nearly exhausted by fatigue and might add with hunger and this situation, he gave uphiscommand to one Major Stone and they went on and he conveyed his wife all a distant of about thirty miles and procured a house for them and from thence home to South Carolina and was not in the service afterwards.
This declarent further represents that he has documentary evidence to asssist his recollection, he having received no discharge from General Greene or any other person, andhalf a century having now lapsed since the time of his service, he presumes many things have escaped his recollection which might be necessarily stated in his declaration.He is not certain that he recollects all the skirmishes he may have been engaged in.Many of the Oficers together with their names with whom he was then familiar, hehas entirely forgotten.He isunable to state precisely at the remote period the length of time, he was engaged in the service of the United States as a Revolutionary Soldier, according to the best of his recollection, it was upwards of three years how much over that time he cannot say.He hereby relinguishes every claim whatever to a pension of annuity, except the present and declares that his name is not on the Pension Roll of any agency of any State.Sworn to in open Court 16 August 1832. Jas. McKisick , Clk.John (X) Rainey
We, Malchesadic Brame, a Clergyman, residing in the County of Bedford and William Hazlett residing in said County, hereby certify that we are well acquainted with John Rainey, who has subscribed and sworn to the above declaration, that we believe him to be eighty two years of age, that he is reputed and believed in the neighborhood where he resides to have been a Soldier of the Revolution and we concur in that opinion.Sworn to and subscribed the day and year aforesaid in open Court.Jas. McKisick, Clrk.Melch.Brame and Wm. Hazlett
Interrogatories by the Court:
Q. Where and in what year were you born?
A. I was born in Caroline County Virginia on the 20th day of May 1850 (misprint s/b 1750)
Q. Have you any record of your age and if so where is it:?
A. My age is registered in a Family Bible belonging to my father in Virginia and I have not seen it since the close of the war.
Q. Where were you living when called into service? Where have you lived since the Revolutionary Warand where do you live now?
A. I was living in South Carolina, Laurens County when I entered the service, after the war was over I livedin the same County and State and I removed from there to Bedford County, State of Tennessee in theyear 1808, where I now live and have lived since the year 1808.
Q. How wereyou called into service? Were you drafted? Did you volunteer or were you a substitute andif a substitute, for whom?
A. In the first place, I was commissioned as a Captain to build the garrison as stated in the declaration andwhen I entered the service the second time, I volunteered and I was never a substitute.
Q. State the names of the Regular Officers and were with the troops where you served, such Continental and Militia Regiments, as you can recollect and the general circumstances of your service.
A. Colonel Thomas (his Christian name I do not recollect) was the man that commissioned me to build thegarrison, spoken of in this declaration and he was the Colonel of Laurens County. General Morgan, his Christian name I aslo forgot, I donot know the names of any of the Field Officers under him. I was then under General Greene, his given name I also forgot, and I knew Major Lawson who was under General Greene.The general circumstances in relation to my service are related as correctly as I can now recollect them in my declaration...
Q. Did you ever receive a discharge from the service and if so, by whome was it given and what has become of it?
A. I never received a discharge from anyone
Q. State the names of persons to whom you are known in your present neighborhood and who can testify as to your character for veracity and their belief of your services as a Revolutionary Soldier.
A. I have been acquainted with Solomon Campbell, Thomas Dean, and William Hazlett, the latter two are Justices of the County of Bedford and many other persons in Bedford County, having lived in said county upwards of twenty two years past.
Sworn to in open Court 16 Aug 1832. Jas. McKisick Clrk.John (X) Rainey
Personally appeared in open Court, Solomon Campbell, a citizen of the said County of Bedford, who makes the following statement on oath in relation to the services rendered by John Rainey, the before mentioned applicant.That he was not personally acquainted with said John Rainey as he now relates in this copy, but does believe from having repeated conversations together about the Revolutionary War and said Rainey speaking of certain events happening during the campaign in North Carolina, that he was certainly in the Revolutionary War and a true Whig and that the opinion of the neighborhood and served as he states and the Court further certifies that it appears to them that Melchesadic Brame who has signed the preceeding certificate, a Clergyman, resident in the said County of Bedford and that William Hazlett and Solomon Campbell who have respectively signed the forgoing certificate, are creditable persons and that their respected statements are entitled to credit.Jno. L Neill Samuel PhillipsJohn B Armstrong
I, James McKisick, Clerk of the Court of Pleas and Quarter Sessions of the County of Bedford in the State of aforesaid, do herby testify that the foregoing contains the original proceedings of said Court int he matter of the applicant of John Rainey for a pension.In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand and seal of Office ofShelbyville, the 16th day of August 1832. Jas. McKisick, Clrk.
1835, age 84 years, Private in South Carolina Militia
John Rainey had a daughter Nancy, born November 11 1784, died October 17 1871, married Henry Hart. Nancy is buried in the Hart-Gossage Cemetery, near Oak, Pol, Co IL. Her tombstone reads: "Nancy, wife of Henry Hart and daughter of Capt. John Rainey of the Revolution, born Nov 11 1784 died Oct 17 1871. Aged 86 years 11 mos & 6 days. member of the Baptist Church for 70 years.
John Rainey lived in the extreme southern part of Bedford County, Northwest of New Hermon, in the area of Possum Trot Road.
in the 1820's and 1830's, other Raineys living near John Rainey were: Peter, John W, A.R., and Henry K Rainey
John Rainey was living on Rainey Branch on waters of Flat Creek in 1814.
Ref:GSA Report, Washington DCDAR No. 655757Tennessee Land Grants by Marsh
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1820 Bedford TN Page10010100100 Must be a widower?
John+45 bef 1775
Male 18-25 1795-1802
Female16-25 1795-1804
Male 00-10 1810-1820
More About John Rainey:
Military service 1: Captain in the Revolutionary War.
Military service 2: January 11, 1778, Enlisted in military.
Children of John Rainey and Catherine are:i.+Nancy Rainey, b. November 11, 1784, Laurens county, SC3630, 3631, 3632, d. October 17, 1871, Oak, Pope County, Illinois3633, 3634.