Individual Details
John McCanless
(June 10, 1754 - January 19, 1840)
"According to Craig McCanless in 1997: The oldest was John McCanless born 6/10/1754 in Chester County. He moved with his parents to North Carolina in 1767 and after the War he married Susanna Farmer 10/14/1782 in Orange County, North Carolina. Her father was Samuel Farmer of Orange County, North Carolina. John served in the North Carolina Militia along with two brothers and his father during the War. He was an Ordinance Sgt and received a pension later in life.
"John and Susanna moved to Williamson County, Tennessee after his mothers death in 1805. He first bought 1000 acres on the Duck River but lost it to taxes after a couple of years and then moved to Giles County, Tennessee. They had 11 children and 10 moved with them. Only one son, Samuel M. McCanless stayed behind in Orange Coounty, North Carolina." (Some information on the McCanless family from Roy C. Leggitt, Royc@cts.com>, a retired Major, United States Air Force, who was in February 1998, a full time RVer, spending the winter on the Colorado River across from Parker, Arizona.)
(Marriage information from Marriage Index, Orange County, NC.)
"John McCanless, Revolutionary Soldier pension, State of Tennessee at November Court held at Pulaski for said County in Giles County in the year 1832.
"On this 17th day of Nov., A. D., 1832, personally appeared in Open Court before the Justices of said Court, now sitting, and holding Court, John McCanless, aged 78 yrs. since the 10th day of June, last, who being duly sworn according to the law, doth on this Oath make the following declaration in order to obtain the benefit of the Act of Congress passed June 7th, 1832.
"That he entered the services of the United States under the following named officers and served herein stated : "When he first entered the service in the Revolutionary War, he resided in Orange County, North Carolina, where he continued to reside during the whole war except as was absent in defence of his country. He first volunteered in the service in Capt. William Norris (or Morris) Company of Mounted troops - in General Butler's Brigade. Said General Butler resided in the said County of Orange. This term of service only lasted three months, ... performed in the said State of North Carolina - during which they did but little except to take in number of Scotch Tories, who resided in different parts of said State of North Carolina. He went into service as a volunteer next in the Cavalry under Capt. James Adkison. He was marched through various parts of North Carolina, having entered said last service in the said County of Orange. He was then stationed at Cross Creek, where he and his associate troops, remained during the rest of this term of service, which was in all six months. The object of this expedition was to guard Campbell Tower by intercepting the Highland Scotch tories so as to prevent them from crossing Cape Fear River at the said Campbell Tower for the purpose of joining the British forces. He next volunteered as a light horseman, for another six months' tour, & went into service under Capt. George Hodge. He was ordered back again to guard Campbell Tower, where they performed the same service which he had in the former expedition under Capt. Adkison. He was principally at the Fery on Cape Fear River near Campbell Town. General Butler was again their superintending officer from whom they received general orders. Gen'l. Butler had then his headquarters in Wake County, N. C. He was then discharged and again joined the service of this county in Capt. James German's company of light horse - in which he served for the term of three months - and was engaged in quelling the Tories. They then returned to General Butler's headquarters where they were discharged. He next went into service under the command of Capt. Cobb in his company of cavalry in General Armstrong's Brigade for the tgerm of three months - as a volunteer - in said troops. During this term they marched through North Carolina into South Carolina - On near to Camden, where the British forces were lying. He was under the command of Col. Kenyon. We were in no important battles during any of the above service but they had many skirmishes and took a number of Tory prisoners.
"The next and last expeidition in which, applicant served during said war, he was under the command of Capt. William Williams. He was marched during this term principally through North Carolina. The object of this expedition was to intercept the Tories and prevent them from stealing and carrying off horses in the British. During this expedition upon this march from Dan River to Hillsborough in North Carolina at Harris Tavern applicant was taken prisoner by the British, and was kept some time as a prisoner in Hillsboro whither he was conveyed after he was taken during the term that he was with the British as a prisoner, he was in hearing of the battle of Guilford - At this time he and other American prisoners were put up in high pens and guarded. Still at the places where the British would successfully stop as they marched through the county.
"He received several parols or discharges which he remembers - but has lost or misplaced them all. He got in his possession the Oath of Allegiance which he took in the United States in 1778, which is marked A. and herewith transmitted by the War Department.
"He resided after the war in the same county of Orange, N. C., thence he moved to Madison County, Tennessee, where he lived for four years. He thence removed to Giles County, Tennessee, where he has lived for the last 20 years or upwards, and where he now resides. Applicant further states that he was an orderly sergeant every tour of the above service. He hereby relinquishes every claim to a pension or annuity, except the present & declares that his name is not on the pension roll of the agency of any State, and that he has no documentary evidence that he can prove the above facts. (Signed) Jon McCanless. Sworn and subscribed, The day & yr. Aforesaid. (Signed) German Lester, Clerk.
"1. When and what year was you born? I was born in the year 1754, June 10th, in New London County, in the State of Pennsylvania.
"2. Have you any record of your age and if so where is it? I had a record of my age in my family bible, but my grandchildren sometime since tore it out and it has since been lost. ...
"7. State the names of the persons in your present neighborhood who can testify as to your character for veracity and their belief of your service as a soldier of the Revolution. Maj. Nathan Farmar, Robert Cordon, Thomas K. Gordon, Richard Briggs, Harrington L. Field, John Wilson, and many others. (Signed) John (X) McCanless. Sworn to and subscribed. This day and year aforesaid. (Signed) German Lester, Clerk.
"We, John Wilson, a Clergyman, and Nathan Farmer, residing in the same county & State hereby certify, - That we are acquainted well with John McCanless who has subscribed & sworn to the above declaration. That we believe him to be seventy-eight years of age, that he is reputed in the neighborhood where he resides, to have been a Soldier of the Revolution, & that we concur in that opinion." (Signed) John Wilson. Nathan Farmer. Sworn to and subscribed this Day and year aforesaid. (Signed) German Lester, Clk.
"And the sd. Court do hereby declare their opinion after the investigation of the matter & after putting the interrogations prescribed by the War Department, that the above name applicant was a Revolutionary soldier and served as he states. And the court further confesses that it appears to them that John Wilson, who has signed the preceeding certificate is a clergyman resident in said County of Giles and State, and the said Nathan Farmer who has also signed is a resident of Giles and is a credible person & that his statement is entitled to credit. (Signed) Thos. S. Webb, one of the Justices of Giles County; A. M. M. Upshaw, one of the Justices of Giles County; Jacob Jones, on of the Justices of Giles County Court." (Information from Petition to receive Revolutionary War Pension, State of Tennessee, Giles County, November 1832. Revolutionary Soldier #S1695.)
"John and Susanna moved to Williamson County, Tennessee after his mothers death in 1805. He first bought 1000 acres on the Duck River but lost it to taxes after a couple of years and then moved to Giles County, Tennessee. They had 11 children and 10 moved with them. Only one son, Samuel M. McCanless stayed behind in Orange Coounty, North Carolina." (Some information on the McCanless family from Roy C. Leggitt, Royc@cts.com>, a retired Major, United States Air Force, who was in February 1998, a full time RVer, spending the winter on the Colorado River across from Parker, Arizona.)
(Marriage information from Marriage Index, Orange County, NC.)
"John McCanless, Revolutionary Soldier pension, State of Tennessee at November Court held at Pulaski for said County in Giles County in the year 1832.
"On this 17th day of Nov., A. D., 1832, personally appeared in Open Court before the Justices of said Court, now sitting, and holding Court, John McCanless, aged 78 yrs. since the 10th day of June, last, who being duly sworn according to the law, doth on this Oath make the following declaration in order to obtain the benefit of the Act of Congress passed June 7th, 1832.
"That he entered the services of the United States under the following named officers and served herein stated : "When he first entered the service in the Revolutionary War, he resided in Orange County, North Carolina, where he continued to reside during the whole war except as was absent in defence of his country. He first volunteered in the service in Capt. William Norris (or Morris) Company of Mounted troops - in General Butler's Brigade. Said General Butler resided in the said County of Orange. This term of service only lasted three months, ... performed in the said State of North Carolina - during which they did but little except to take in number of Scotch Tories, who resided in different parts of said State of North Carolina. He went into service as a volunteer next in the Cavalry under Capt. James Adkison. He was marched through various parts of North Carolina, having entered said last service in the said County of Orange. He was then stationed at Cross Creek, where he and his associate troops, remained during the rest of this term of service, which was in all six months. The object of this expedition was to guard Campbell Tower by intercepting the Highland Scotch tories so as to prevent them from crossing Cape Fear River at the said Campbell Tower for the purpose of joining the British forces. He next volunteered as a light horseman, for another six months' tour, & went into service under Capt. George Hodge. He was ordered back again to guard Campbell Tower, where they performed the same service which he had in the former expedition under Capt. Adkison. He was principally at the Fery on Cape Fear River near Campbell Town. General Butler was again their superintending officer from whom they received general orders. Gen'l. Butler had then his headquarters in Wake County, N. C. He was then discharged and again joined the service of this county in Capt. James German's company of light horse - in which he served for the term of three months - and was engaged in quelling the Tories. They then returned to General Butler's headquarters where they were discharged. He next went into service under the command of Capt. Cobb in his company of cavalry in General Armstrong's Brigade for the tgerm of three months - as a volunteer - in said troops. During this term they marched through North Carolina into South Carolina - On near to Camden, where the British forces were lying. He was under the command of Col. Kenyon. We were in no important battles during any of the above service but they had many skirmishes and took a number of Tory prisoners.
"The next and last expeidition in which, applicant served during said war, he was under the command of Capt. William Williams. He was marched during this term principally through North Carolina. The object of this expedition was to intercept the Tories and prevent them from stealing and carrying off horses in the British. During this expedition upon this march from Dan River to Hillsborough in North Carolina at Harris Tavern applicant was taken prisoner by the British, and was kept some time as a prisoner in Hillsboro whither he was conveyed after he was taken during the term that he was with the British as a prisoner, he was in hearing of the battle of Guilford - At this time he and other American prisoners were put up in high pens and guarded. Still at the places where the British would successfully stop as they marched through the county.
"He received several parols or discharges which he remembers - but has lost or misplaced them all. He got in his possession the Oath of Allegiance which he took in the United States in 1778, which is marked A. and herewith transmitted by the War Department.
"He resided after the war in the same county of Orange, N. C., thence he moved to Madison County, Tennessee, where he lived for four years. He thence removed to Giles County, Tennessee, where he has lived for the last 20 years or upwards, and where he now resides. Applicant further states that he was an orderly sergeant every tour of the above service. He hereby relinquishes every claim to a pension or annuity, except the present & declares that his name is not on the pension roll of the agency of any State, and that he has no documentary evidence that he can prove the above facts. (Signed) Jon McCanless. Sworn and subscribed, The day & yr. Aforesaid. (Signed) German Lester, Clerk.
"1. When and what year was you born? I was born in the year 1754, June 10th, in New London County, in the State of Pennsylvania.
"2. Have you any record of your age and if so where is it? I had a record of my age in my family bible, but my grandchildren sometime since tore it out and it has since been lost. ...
"7. State the names of the persons in your present neighborhood who can testify as to your character for veracity and their belief of your service as a soldier of the Revolution. Maj. Nathan Farmar, Robert Cordon, Thomas K. Gordon, Richard Briggs, Harrington L. Field, John Wilson, and many others. (Signed) John (X) McCanless. Sworn to and subscribed. This day and year aforesaid. (Signed) German Lester, Clerk.
"We, John Wilson, a Clergyman, and Nathan Farmer, residing in the same county & State hereby certify, - That we are acquainted well with John McCanless who has subscribed & sworn to the above declaration. That we believe him to be seventy-eight years of age, that he is reputed in the neighborhood where he resides, to have been a Soldier of the Revolution, & that we concur in that opinion." (Signed) John Wilson. Nathan Farmer. Sworn to and subscribed this Day and year aforesaid. (Signed) German Lester, Clk.
"And the sd. Court do hereby declare their opinion after the investigation of the matter & after putting the interrogations prescribed by the War Department, that the above name applicant was a Revolutionary soldier and served as he states. And the court further confesses that it appears to them that John Wilson, who has signed the preceeding certificate is a clergyman resident in said County of Giles and State, and the said Nathan Farmer who has also signed is a resident of Giles and is a credible person & that his statement is entitled to credit. (Signed) Thos. S. Webb, one of the Justices of Giles County; A. M. M. Upshaw, one of the Justices of Giles County; Jacob Jones, on of the Justices of Giles County Court." (Information from Petition to receive Revolutionary War Pension, State of Tennessee, Giles County, November 1832. Revolutionary Soldier #S1695.)
Events
| Birth | June 10, 1754 | New London, Clearfield County, Pennsylvania | |||
| Marriage | October 14, 1782 | Orange County, North Carolina - Susannah "Susaner" Farmer | |||
| Death | January 19, 1840 | Giles County, Tennessee |
Families
| Spouse | Susannah "Susaner" Farmer (1755 - ) |
| Child | James Farmer McCanless (1783 - 1862) |
| Child | John B. McCanless (1784 - 1837) |
| Child | Samuel M. McCanless (1786 - 1829) |
| Child | Virginia McCanless (1788 - ) |
| Child | David P. McCanless (1791 - 1876) |
| Child | Suckey McCanless (1793 - ) |
| Child | Thomas McCanless (1795 - 1879) |
| Child | Nancy A. McCanless (1797 - 1899) |
| Child | Ellen McCanless (1799 - ) |
| Child | Elizabeth Bettie McCanless (1812 - 1892) |
| Father | James A. McCanlis (1734 - 1783) |
| Mother | Jane McDowell (1734 - 1805) |
| Sibling | James A. McCanless Jr. (1755 - ) |
| Sibling | Nancy McCanless (1757 - ) |
| Sibling | Margaret McCanless (1758 - ) |
| Sibling | David Monroe McCanless (1760 - 1835) |
| Sibling | William McCanless (1769 - 1851) |
| Sibling | Elizabeth McCanless (1771 - ) |