Individual Details

John served in the Revolution. I have examined his pension file, 131 pages, on Fold3.com, and the following excerpts are from the file.

Virginia Soldiers of 1776, Vol. 1

Note. The following letter from the General Land Office, Washington, D.C. is concerning the claim of certain heirs of Thomas Watlington of Halifax Co. To S. H. Parker, Reg. Va. L. Off. I enclose all the powers of Atty. on file in this office from the heirs at law of John Watlington, a Capt. in the Va. State line. Signed, John Wilson, Commissioner.
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To his Excellency, David Campbell, Gov. of Virginia. The undersigned, one of the heirs of John Watlington, decd, late of Halifax Co. who enlisted in the army early in the war. He was appointed Lieut. in the Va. Regt. of State Artillery under Col. Marshall until Feb. or March, 1780, when he was made Capt. under Col. Edmonds. In the summer of 1780 he marched to S. C. He was in the battle in which Gen. Gates was defeated in Sept., 1780. He became a Supernumerary and returned to his home in Halifax Co. in the Fall of 1780, where he remained until Feb., 1781. He then volunteered his services to Gen. Greene--was accepted, served under him in the Battle of Guilford, N. C. and at close of the war was a Supernumerary Captain. He died Jan., 1813, intestate and left seven children, who are the only heirs at law of the said John Watlington. This petition has sundry depositions and other proofs in support of the Petitioners claim. That he believes himself and others, heirs at law, and that they are entitled to said bounty for the service of Capt. John Watlington. Signed, Ambrose Bennett. Pittsylvania Co., Va. Ambrose Bennett a resident of Cas-well Co., N. C. testified before Stockley Turner, J. of P. that he married Frances D. Watlington, a daughter of Capt. John Watlington, decd. and made oath upon the above statements. 13 Oct., 1837.

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Captain James Thompson deposed that before the Rev. he lived in Halifax Co. and was a close neighbor to the father of John Watlington--that he was well acquainted with the whole family. That said John Watlington joined the army in 1777--that he read a number of the letters John wrote his father, Colonel Armistead Watlington; The deponent further stated that he had in the Revolutionary Army a brother, Captain William Thompson, who was a Capt. of Artillery under Col. Marshall. That after Gates defeat in August, 1780, his brother William Thompson, Captain John Williams, and John Watlington returned home. That Capt. William Thompson died in 1798 and that his heirs have recently received half pay due them. That the heirs of Capt. Williams have also received his half pay. Certified, Thomas
Easley, J. of P.

James Bates, Ensign, in the Contl. Army, a resident of Halifax Co. deposed that:--Deposition the same as above, but he further states that John Watlington left several children:--John A., Armistead etc. Sworn to before Richard Thornton, J. of P. Halifax Co. 21st May, 1835.

Captain Paul Watlington this day, 5 Nov., 1833 deposed that he was commissioned as a Captain in
the Southern Army. That his brother, John entered the service as a Lieut. etc. His deposition the same as the others above. Sworn to before, Matt Rowlett, J. P. Halifax Co.
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Captain John Watlington.
King and Queen Co. court, Mar. 8, 1841. The court appointed George R. Finch guardian to Nathl. Finch. Elias Watlington, security. Ordered recorded. Copy teste, Samuel F. Harwood, clerk. Richmond, Va. Mar. 13, 1841. Recd. of Register, warrants 8934-36 assigned to George R. Finch, Guardian, as portion due one of the heirs of the late Capt. John Watling-ton, of the Va. Artillery of the State line. Signed, George R. Finch, teste, R. B. Bagby.

Halifax county Court, 26 Aug., 1833. Ordered that it be certified that John Watlington, an officer in the Rev. war died 1813, intestate. That
Susanna (Watlington) Haskins,
Julius Armistead Watlington,
Thomas Jeffries and Kezia (Watlington) Jeffries his wife,
Joel Boulton and Elizabeth (Watlington) Boulton his wife,
John Hooper and Mildred (Watlington) Hooper his wife,
Ambrose Bennett and Frances (Watlington) Bennett his wife,
and Hiram Watlington
are the only heirs at law of Capt John Watlington, decd.
Certified as true copy from records, Saml. Williams, Clerk, Halifax Court, 17 Sept., 1833.

Larkin Foster, Soldier. of Amelia county, a soldier in the Rev. Army deposed that he was with Capt. John Watlington at Hillsborough, N. C. in the year 1780 and marched to Camden, South Carolina, etc. Deposition same as above.

Monroe Co., Miss. F.W. Williams, Clerk of the Probate court of said Co. certified that John Watlington, Mary K. Watlington, Olivia C., Cornelia Susan, Hirametta, and Emma M., children of Hiram S. Watlington, decd. and Cyrus A. Wilkins and Mary E. Wilkins, his grandchildren, and Mary Watlington, his widow are the only heirs at law of said Hiram S. Watlington, decd., and that said John and Mary K. and said widow are over twenty-one years of age. Signed F. W. Williams, Clerk, 15 Dec., 1852.

Richmond, Va. Nathl. Howard, Clerk of the General Court, certified that that on the 24th Feb., 1812, John K. Linn was [p.15] granted administration of John Watlingtons estate, with John Light, Thomas
Donahoe, James Eastham and William Terry securities, by Halifax Co. Court.

Halifax Court, 27 June, 1848. Elisha Barksdale, Jr., with J. B. Stovall his security, obtained letters of administration de bonis non of the estate of John Watlington, decd. Teste, William Holt, Clerk. Attest by
Capt. James Thompson, who also declared that his brother, William Thompson married the sister of Capt. John Watlington. James E. Heath, Auditor of Public Accounts, certified that the Commissioners book for Halifax Co. shows that John Watlington, Sr., was charged in 1811 with one Tytheable, eleven slaves and three horses, and that John, Jr., with one tytheable, one slave.

Pension Office, Mar. 13, 1849. Certified that the administrator of John Watlington, (who was a Lieut. and Capt. in the Va. state Artillery, and served until the 15th Mar., 1781), should be allowed at the rate of two hundred dollars per annum from the 15 Mar. to 1st Jan., 1812 in which month he died. Signed, I. L. Edwards, Commissioner of Pensions. Approved by T. Ewing, Sect. of Interior.


One letter in the file, not notated above, from Thomas Williams, Attorney, states ...a copy of all the evidence that had been filed proving the services of John Watlington as an officer in the War of the Revolution, from which evidence an allowance of 4000 acres of land has been given to his Heirs...


There was a previous wife - at least two of the children were by the first wife.

Marriage	6 Sep 1792	Caswell County, North Carolina - Elizabeth Donoho
Death	6 Feb 1812	Halifax County, Virginia
Marriage		[Watlington]

Spouse	Elizabeth Donoho (1775 - 1849)
Child	Keziah Saunders Watlington (1792 - )
Child	Elizabeth A. Watlington (1790 - )
Child	Frances Donoho Watlington (1802 - 1881)
Child	Mildred Watlington (1802 - )
Child	Hiram S. Watlington (1806 - 1852)
Child	Thomas Watlington ( - 1833)

Spouse	[Watlington] ( - )
Child	Susanna Coleman Watlington ( - )
Child	Julius Armistead Watlington (1780 - )

Father	Armistead Watlington (1730 - 1807)
Mother	Susannah Coleman (1735 - 1818)
Sibling	Paul Watlington (1757 - 1836)
Sibling	Thomas A. Watlington ( - )
Sibling	Elizabeth "Betsy" Watlington (1763 - )
Sibling	Mary "Polly" Watlington (1767 - )
Sibling	Frances "Fanny" Watlington ( - )