John McLemore - Revolutionary War

According to the Revolutionary War pension papers for John McLemore, he was born in 1762 at Brunswick County, Virginia.  John McLemore is listed on the pension rolls as McLEMORE; but, he signed the pension papers as MacLEMORE.  He enlisted in the war while living in Granville County, North Carolina in August or September of 1779 at only 17 years of age for three months as a private for Captain Micajah Bullock's Company for the North Carolina Troops.  He was then discharged and only nine months later hired William Westbrook to substitute for him in the war.  John furnished Mr. Westbrook a horse saddle and briddle along with 100 acres of land and two cows and calves.  The reason John McLemore hired William Westbrook was because he was engaged and was reluctant to leave her; therefore, he was induced a hire a substitute.  In early 1781, John McLemore again enlisted in the war for three months for Captain Nathaniel Waller's Company as an orderly sergeant. 

There are some Westbrook and McLemore families that marry...there is a good possibility that John McLemore is related to them. 



Below are some of the pension papers for John McLemore:

Southern Campaign American Revolution Pension Statements
State of Tennessee Knox County: Circuit Court for said County at August Sessions 1832

Transcribed by Will Graves 4/3/09
On this 18th day of August 1832 personally appeared in open court before the Honorable Circuit Court of Knox County now sitting John Maclemore a resident of said County and State aged 69 years and near 8 months, 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 passed June 7th 1832 -- That sometime in the month of August or September in the year 1779, as well as he now recollects, he entered the Army of the United States as a private in a volunteer company, which was raised and rendezvoused at Granville Court house, North Carolina, for 3 months service -- that his company was commanded by Micajah C. Bulloch of Granville County as Capt., and Ralph Williams of Orange County NC as Lieut.. Applicant states that the company in which he was enrolled together with 2 others as well as he now recollects, rendezvoused at Granville Court house and marched under the command of Major Richard Cook to the mouth of Cross Creek on the Cape Fear River where they were stationed 2 or 3 weeks. From the mouth of Cross Creek they recrossed the Cape Fear River and marched to Chatham Count house and see where they were stationed several weeks -- they then marched to Hillsboro where they were stationed but a few days, when they marched to Back Creek and remained there until the 3 months for which applicant had volunteered, had expired, when he was honorably discharged and returned home. Applicant states that the Main object of this expedition was to keep the Tories in awe -- Applicant states that about 9 months after his last mentioned discharge he hired a man by the name of William Westbrook to perform a tour of 3 months service for him, in a company of horse -- he states that he furnished the said Westbrook with a horse saddle and bridle, gave 100 acres of land and 2 cows and calves -- Applicant states that the reason why he did not performed this tour of duty himself was that at that time he was engaged to be married to the lady with whom he afterwards intermarried, and from her strong and earnest remonstrances, and his great reluctance at leaving her, he was induced to hire a substitute and remained at home -- Applicant states that afterwards sometime in the latter part of the year 1780 or first of the year 1781, he rather thinks the latter, he entered the service of the United States, as an orderly Sgt. in a company of volunteer horse, which rendezvoused at Granville Court house NC under the command of Capt. Nathaniel Waller, who was commanded by Major Harris of the Continental Army, and who was afterwards deprived of his commission for plundering a blanket -- also under the command of Col. John Hary [? Hay?] who had the supreme command. From Granville the Army marched to the mouth of Cross Creek on the Cape Fear River, where Major Richard Cook and General Butler took command. Here the horsemen were all dismounted and their horses sent home and applicant and his company were put with the infantry. From the mouth of Cross Creek the Army under the command of the said General Butler marched to Rockfish a small River, where it met General Rutherford with a large force, who took the supreme command of the whole Army, and crossing Rockfish marched on to the North East
River on the opposite bank of which there was a large force of British and Tories. Here the Army remained until the British left their position on the opposite side of the River, and then the American Army marched some distance up the River where they crossed and marched directly to Wilmington. The American Army remained within 2 miles of Wilmington until the British took shipping and left that part of the country, when the 3 months for which applicant had entered the service having expired he was honorably discharged and returned home. Applicant is under the impression that this last campaign was commenced before the battle of Guilford, and that the British Army which he left Wilmington was a part of the troops which had been engaged in that battle. Applicant states that altogether he has served 6 months in the revolutionary army himself and 3 months by his substitute is a campaign of 3 months as a private volunteer, and 3 months as an orderly Sgt., as before mentioned. Applicant states that he was born in Brunswick County, Virginia in the year 1762 -- that his father had recorded the age of applicant and all his children in a family Bible which applicant well recollects to have seen, and which was last in the possession of his father -- that he lived in Granville County NC at the time he entered the service of the United States, and continued to live there during the whole war and to the year 1796 at which time he moved to Montgomery County N. C. where he lived about 8 years, and then moved to Burke County NC where lived about 80 years, and then moved to Knox County Tennessee to the neighborhood where he has lived ever since and is now living. Applicant states that it is his impression that he received a written discharge at the termination of one or both of the above mentioned campaigns, but he does not know what has become of them, or how they were lost -- he states positively that he has not at this time either of said discharges nor any documentary evidence whatever of his service -- he further states that he knows of no person whose testimony he can procure who can testify to his services -- Applicant hereby relinquishes every claim whatever to a pension or annuity except the present and declares that his name is not on the pension roll of the Agency of any State.

Sworn to and subscribed in open Court this 18th day of August 1832
S/ Wm Swan, Clk S/ John Maclemore

[Peter Waggoner, a clergyman, & Aaron Armstrong gave the standard supporting affidavit.  Pension application of John Maclemore S4202 fn27NC

Below is a record of John Maclemoore who took the Oath of Allegiance in the Dutch District of Granville County, North Carolina: