JAMES ORR PUZZLE Mecklenburg Co., NC; Caldwell/Trigg Co., KY; Bedford/Hardin Co., TN |
Rev. Dr. Doug Showalter -- dougshow@meganet.net |
Generation 7
Generation 6
BIG QUESTION: Who was this James Orr? One researcher believes that this James Orr and the Revolutionary War veteran who filed a pension application in Caldwell Co., KY in 1818 were one and the same person--that he actually had two wives simultaneously: Catherine Snell in Bedford Co., TN and Jane Young in Trigg Co., KY. Another researcher has suggested that possibly this James Orr is a son of the Revolutionary War Veteran. But, thus far, there is no proof. HERE'S THE THINKING of another researcher regarding the above issue:
By 1820 when Trigg Co. was formed by Samuel and friends, one boy, Samuel P. Orr has married Elizabeth Barry and is living on his own. 2 girls, Elizabeth and Charlotte have married and are living on thier own. The girls married William Murray and David Cooper. These 3 were all married in Christian Co. before 1820. All can be found in 1820 Census from Trigg Co. (We keep getting the data that James Orr was born 1804 in Trigg Co. There was no Trigg Co. at that time. He was born in Christian Co. The only Orr's in Christian Co. at the time of James birth, 1804, were Samuel and Charlotte. Then in 1820 Trigg County was formed from that area.) Juliet marries Silas Alexander and James marries Jane Young before 1830 census in Trigg Co. 1830 Census shows the girls' families and Samuel P. Orr jr's family but Samuel Sr. and Charlotte, James and George are not found. I have followed the girls families into the 1850's and George married Nancy Linn (lynn) in 1836 and died in Mexico during the Mexican War in the 1850's. He left 2 boys, John and George Orr.
Now, I believe that our James was named after Samuel's relative, James Orr, the Rev. war soldier who came to visit him in Kentucky during the 1820's when his money from being a veteran was mailed there for him to get. Then he moved on to Tennessee where he lived out his last years.
==1828 [8 Feb] James Orr and Jency Young were married in Trigg Co., KY. ==1835 Bedford Co., TN Pension Roll shows: James Orr; Rank: Private; Annual Allowance: $96; Sums Received: $986.66; N.C. cont'l line; Placed on Pension Roll: June 30, 1818; Commencement of pension: May 25, 1818; Age: 84; Transferred from Caldwell county, Ky., from March 4, 1820. ==1840 Jane Orr appears as head of a household in the Trigg Co., KY census--Females: 1 (under 40), 1 (10-15); Males: 1 (10-15), 1 (under 5). ==1860 Jency Orr [age 56: b: VA] appears as head of a household in the Lyon Co., KY census with the children of her deceased daughter Julia Ann and deceased son-in-law Wilbern: Alfred Nickell, Emeline Nickell, and Michael Nickell. ==1870 Jane Orr appears in the Trigg Co., KY census [age 65, b: VA] living with the family of Clabourn Barnett [age 33], Marcilla J. Barnett [age 27]. |
REVOLUTIONARY WAR PENSION APPLICATION for JAMES ORR |
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Pension Claim S. 38976 |
1818 in Caldwell Co., KY -- 1822 transferred to Bedford, Co., TN |
Pension said to have been transferred finally to Hardin Co., TN |
[ ? ] = words hard to decipher--Some punctuation added for clarity |
James Orr, an indigent Revolutionary soldier personally appeared in order to be heard respecting his claim to the benefit of the law of March 18th 1818, entitled an act to provide for certain [personages?] in the Revolutionary War, and being duly sworn testifies [ ?] that some time in 1776 he enlisted in Mecklenburg County, North Carolina as Continental soldier to proceed to White Plains in orders to join the 11th Regiment of North Carolina Continental Troops for nine months, that he was made a Sergeant and marched for his destination with the detachment, that at Moon's Creek in North Carolina the orders for marching to the North was countermanded and the Detachment ordered to the Southward, that at Black Swamp in South Carolina he joined the Continental Regiment commanded by Col. Armstrong, continued in that service nine months in that Regiment, after which he took a Continental Soldier's place in another Regiment and continued in the Army until the War was over, that he received his discharge from General Lincoln in Charlestown, which he has lost--He further swears that from his reduced circumstances he needs the assistance of his country for support. |
INFORMATION from DAR APPLICATION for JAMES ORR |
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National Number 491385 |
Submitted by: Daisy Crowell Stewart, Opelika, Alabama--1962 |
"He served seven years. Two years as a Private & Sgt. and five years as Major in the Continental line of North Carolina." "James Orr...was born in North Carolina...1750 and died in Unionville, TN...1834. His place of residence during the Revolution was Mecklenburg Co., NC." James Orr's second wife, whom he married in 1800 in Unionville, Bedford Co., TN, was SARAH CATHERINE SNELL [b: 1781, Mecklenburg, NC; d: 1882, Unionville, Bedford Co., TN]. James and Catherine had a son, WILLIAM NEWTON ORR [b: 4 Aug 1814, Unionville, Bedford Co., TN; d: 15 Nov, 1905 Unionville, Bedford Co., TN]. William's first wife was Annie Christiane Thompson, whom he married 24 Dec, 1834. She died 4 May 1853 in Unionville. DAR PATRIOT'S LIST [p. 506]: James Orr, b: 1750, d: 1834; m: Sarah Catherine Snell, Maj, NC. |
Soldiers of the Revolution in Bedford Co., TN |
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JAMES ORR, Rank: PVT; State: NC. Born about 1734, died after 1834 (In 1834 Pension List of Bedford County); married Catherine Snell. GSA: Military Record. James Orr, Polk's Company, North Carolina Militia.
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Sketches of Western North Carolina, Historical and Biographical |
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By C. L. Hunter, 1877, Raleigh, NC
Reprinted 1990, Genealogical Publishing Company, Baltimore, MD |
James ORR was born in Pennsylvania in 1750. He early espoused the cause of freedom, and first entered the service in a compny of riflemen, commanded by Capt. Robert MEBANE; marched to Cross Creek (now Fayetteville), and thence to Wilmington, to the assistance of Generals ASHE and MOORE. In 1776, he volunteered under Capt. Thomas POLK, in Col. CHARLES' corps of cavalry, Gen. RUTHERFORD commanding, and marched against a body of Tories assumbled at Cross Creek, but they were dispersed before the expedition reached that place. Again, in 1776, he volunteered under Capt. MEBANE, and marched from Charlotte to the Quaker Meadows, at the head of the Catawba River, against the Cherokee Indians, committing murders and depredations on the frontier settlements. In 1777 he served under Capt. ELABY, Col. HICK's regiment, in South Carolina. In 1780 he served under Capt. Wm. Alexander, in Col. William DAVIDSON's batallion, Gen. RUTHERFORD commanding, and marched against the Tories assembled at Ramsour's Mill, in Lincoln County; but the battle had been fought, and the Tories subdued and routed, before the expedition reached that place. This was his last important service. |
Roster of Soldiers & Patriots of the American Revolution Buried in Tennessee |
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Published 1974 |
ORR, JAMES (b 1750/d p. 1834) NC Line; age 84 -- 1818 pen. list - Bedfored Co., TN. Transferred from Caldwell Co., KY. 1834 P.L.W. m SARAH CATHERINE SNELL. Ref.: A 1; P.I., Maj., NC Pen. |
With special thanks to Co-Researchers of this ORR family: |
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