JAMES ORR PUZZLE
Mecklenburg Co., NC; Caldwell/Trigg Co., KY; Bedford/Hardin Co., TN


Rev. Dr. Doug Showalter -- dougshow@meganet.net

Generation 7
I am seeking information on JAMES ORR and wife JENCY [JANE] YOUNG [b: abt 1805, VA] who were married 8 Feb 1828 in Caldwell Co., KY. This couple appears to have had the following children:

Generation 6
--JULIA ANN ORR [b: abt 1830; d: 8 Jun 1855, Smithland, Livingston Co., KY]--m: Wilbern Nickell on 12 Jan 1844 in Trigg Co., KY. Permission for Julia Ann's marriage was provided by her mother, Jane Orr. Julia was buried at Newby Cemetery in Lyon Co., KY. Wilbern died is said to have died in 1849.
--GEORGE WASHINGTON ORR [b: 1833; d: 1879; bur: Newby Cem., Lyon Co., KY]--m: Elizabeth Bridges Bloodworth [b: 1834 MO] on 22 Jan 1860 in Lyon Co., KY. His tombstone indicates he served in CO C4 KY Cav. An LDS Ancestral file indicates they had the following children:
--George Washington Orr, Jr. [b: 14 Oct 1855, Lyon Co., KY; d: 15 July 1938]
--Jennie Orr [b: 1857]
--Eliza Ellen Orr [b: 11 Mar 1861/66, Lyon Co., KY; d: 17 Jun 1947]
--BARNEY ORINGTON [K.?] ORR [b: Feb 1833, TN; d: 1 Dec 1902, Trigg Co., KY]--m: Mary A. Dennison [b: Apr 1849, Paducah, KY] on 30 Oct 1867 in Eddyville, Lyon Co., KY. This couple moved to Pope Co., AR. They are said to have had the following children [plus two stillborn sons]:
--Alwilda Orr
--James E. Orr
--William J. Orr
--John W. Orr
--Clara B. Orr
--Isaac Newton Orr--m: Molly Ella Smith on 31 Dec 1902 in Pope Co., AR.
--Lulu Orr
--Julia Orr
--Liza Orr

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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.

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HERE'S THE THINKING of another researcher regarding the above issue:
"I believe that the James Rev. War soldier was a relative of Samuel Orr, Rev. War soldier, maybe even a brother since they were near the same age. Samuel Orr was given a land Grant in Christian Co. Kentucky on Little River for services in the Revolutionary War. I have contacted the DAR and his wife's name was Charlotte and he was born in Virginia in 1759. Watch the names here , they are important. Samuel Orr (spelled Oare) can be found 1810 Christian Co. Kentucky on the Little River with 6 children, 3 boys, 3 girls.

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.

This next is purely speculation. I believe that Samuel and Charlotte, wife, not the daughter, died in the late 1820's and there being no will, James removed himself and Jane and the 2 children to the neighborhood near his (uncle maybe) to live.

Back to Fact. Barney Orington Orr was born in Tennessee. He is my Grgrandfather. Then his father, James got killed or died in Tennessee and Jane came back to her family in Kentucky. My Barney moved from Kentucky about 1870 to Arkansas where he raised a large family. "

Submitted by Lynda Sumners

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----Time Line----

==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
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
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

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.
--Appears on an account of the province of North Carolina with Captain Charles Polk's Company of Militia Foot Soliders.
Account dated July 1776. Days: 25. Swain, copyist.
--Appears on an account of the North Carolina with Captain Charles Polk's Company of Militia Foot Soldiers.
Account Dated: (no date). Days: 25. Swain, copiest.
--James Orr, Private, appears on an account of the State of North Carolina with Captain Charles Polk's Company to Cross Creeks.
Account dated Halifax, January 15, 1779. Clark, copiest.

Sketches of Western North Carolina, Historical and Biographical
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
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:

Rev. Dr. Douglas K. Showalter


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