Matthew Vandiver (1752 - 1855)

Born 8 Mar 1752 in Delaware

Ancestors

Died 11 Jul 1855 at age 103 in Iredell County, North Carolina, United States

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Biography

Matthew was born on Mar 8, 1752. He is the son of Hollingworth Vandiver. He died on Jun 11, 1855 in Iredell County, North Carolina.^[1]

Matthew Vandiver served with 2nd North Carolina Regiment, Continental Army during the American Revolution.

Revolutionary Service

North Carolina, Iredell County On this 22nd day of February 1833 personally appeared in open Court, being a Court of Record, and opened and held as such this day for the County and State aforesaid, Matthew Vandiver of said County and State, aged 80 years since the 7th day of March last, 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 on the 7th June 1832; that he the said Matthew Vandiver entered the service of the United States as a volunteer militia soldier for the period of five months in the winter and spring of the year 1776; in the company commanded by Captain William Knox, of the then County of Rowan, now County of Iredell, North Carolina; That they marched from home to the Town of Salisbury in said County of Rowan; from thence across the Yadkin River under the command of General Rutherford [Griffith Rutherford] whom they had joined at Salisbury. The troops remained at the Yadkin River for some time, and then took up the line of March for Fayetteville in North Carolina, but did not arrive at that place till after the Scotch were defeated by General Caswell in the battle at Moore's Creek Bridge; The company in which he was under Captain Knox were then ordered to remain at Fayetteville for the purpose of guarding the Scotch prisoners and continued in this service till the expiration of this tour: that he obtained a written discharge from his Captain but it has been lost or mislaid so that he has not been able to recover it. The said Matthew Vandiver further states that he again entered the public service in the company commanded by Hugh Hall for the term of three months, in the County and State aforesaid in the Spring of the year 1780; That they marched from home to the Town of Salisbury, from thence they marched to join General Rutherford on the Road to Charlotte in North Carolina; from Charlotte they crossed the Catawba River and proceeded on to the place called Ramsour's where the battle was fought the morning of their arrival, but the Troops under General Rutherford did not come up in time to be engaged in the battle; after remaining at Ramsour's a few days he the said Vandiver hired a substitute who performed the residue of the service, he having been engaged in it six weeks. The said Matthew Vandiver further states that he again entered the public service for three months in the year he thinks, of 1780, in the winter of that year as a drafted militia soldier; in the company commanded by Captain Hugh Hall; that they marched from home on towards Hillsboro in North Carolina; in the County of Guilford they joined other troops under the command of Colonel Paisley of that County; they proceeded on towards Hillsboro where the British Army was stationed under the command of Lord Cornwallis; Before they reached Hillsboro the enemy's cavalry under Tarleton [Banastre Tarleton] had command of that place; The American Troops being composed of the militia, Lee's Horse and the Catawba Indians went in pursuit of Tarleton's horses; They were engaged in this pursuit when they met a band of Tories at a place called the Race paths under the command of Colonel Piles [sic, Col. John Pyle, M. D.]. These were attacked by the forces under Colonel Lee and cut to pieces. Tarleton's corps at the time of this affair were stationed at O'Neal's about 3 miles from the Race Paths, and on hearing of Pyle's defeat, they pushed off to join Cornwallis in Hillsborough – The Troops under Lee pursued as far as they thought prudent and finding they could not overtake the enemy, were ordered to stop the pursuit about eight or 10 miles from Hillsboro. The American Troops were stationed in the neighborhood of the enemy for about three weeks, and then Captain Hall's company was discharged, having been engaged in this service about six weeks from the time they had entered it. This discharge from this service at the end of six weeks when he had been called out for three months, the said Vandiver believes was owing to the fact that he had furnished his own horses. He obtained a written discharge which has been lost or mislaid. The said Matthew Vandiver further states that he again entered the service of the United States as a drafted militia soldier for the period of three months under Captain James Stevenson of the County of Iredell aforesaid; in the fall of the year 1781; that they marched to Salisbury; from thence to Randolph County, where they joined Colonel Isaacs; after the Junction with Colonel Isaacs they proceeded in different directions through the Country and were engaged in pursuing the noted Tory Leader Fannin [sic, David Fanning] or Fanning – they were unable to take this Tory Chief, but did capture many of the Tories, with 27 of whom he and others of Captain Stevenson's company, were ordered to guard to the Town of Salisbury and to lodge them in Jail. At the time when he the said Vandiver was ordered away to guard the Tories as aforesaid, he obtained a written discharge from Captain Stevenson, but not more than two months of his term had probably then expired. This discharge was also lost or mislaid. And the said Matthew Vandiver further states that he again entered the service for the period of two weeks under Hugh Hall acting as the Captain or Lieutenant. In this service they were engaged in the pursuit of a Leading Tory called Aldridge, and the party confederated with him. Also a further term of 10 days under the command of Captain David Caldwell when the British had taken Charleston and it was reported that they were about to march through North Carolina. In this service they marched 40 or 50 miles, on towards South Carolina and the report of the approach of the enemy not being confirmed, Captain Caldwell and his company returned home. From these to last periods of service he does not now remember that he obtained any discharges. And the said Matthew Vandiver further says that he was resident in the County of Iredell (formerly Rowan) ever since he was about 20 years [of] age; that he thinks he can prove the facts set forth in this declaration by sundry persons of his acquaintance; that the depositions of these persons when obtained will be hereto annexed. He 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 the year and day aforesaid. S/ Mathew Vandiver William Woodside certifies that he is acquainted with Matthew Vandiver, and Served in the Revolutionary War with him a tour of duty on Deep River after Col. Fannon [sic, Fanning] & the Tories. Vandiver was at that time under Captain James Stevenson. Sworn & subscribed February 22, 1832 [sic, 1833] S/ Wm Woodside2 We, William Stevenson and Henry Steel residing in the County of Iredell State of North Carolina do hereby certify that we are well acquainted with Matthew Vandiver who has Subscribed and Sworn to the above declaration that we believe him to be about 80 years of Age that he is reputed and believed in the neighborhood where he resides to have been a Soldier of the Revolution and that we concur in this opinion. S/ Henry Steel William Stevenson3 further says that he served one tour of duty of three months or thereabouts with the Said Matthew Vandiver in a Company Commanded by Captain Hugh Hall and he thinks it was in the winter or Spring of 1780 [could be 1781]. And has reason to believe that he was at other times in the Service of his Country but was not personally in Camp with him except the one tour. S/ William Stevenson, X his mark [fn p. 13: On April 9th, 1855 in Iredell County North Carolina, Matthew Vandiver, 103, filed a claim for his bounty land entitlement as a soldier of the revolution. This document he signed with his mark.] [Veteran was pensioned at the rate of $35.33 per annum commencing March 4th, 1831, for 10 months & 18 days service as a private in the North Carolina militia.] 3I did not find a veteran by this name who claimed a federal pension for service in the NC militia or Line. This MAY be the only record of this veteran's service.

Sources

1. ↑ #FG, #C1840

• Find A Grave: Memorial #68621729 Retrieved Sep 16, 2017., Bethany Presbyterian Church Cemetery, Statesville, Iredell, North Carolina
• "United States Census, 1840," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:XHTV-949 : 20 August 2017), Mathew Vandiver, Iredell, North Carolina, United States; citing p. 174, NARA microfilm publication M704, (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.), roll 363; FHL microfilm 18,094.
• "United States Census, 1810," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:XHL9-QT3 : accessed 17 September 2017), Matthew Vandiver, Iredell, North Carolina, United States; citing p. 153, NARA microfilm publication M252 (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.), roll 40; FHL microfilm 337,913.
• "United States Census, 1820," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:VJ1N-MDT : accessed 17 September 2017), Matthew Vandiver, Iredell, North Carolina, United States; citing p. 245, NARA microfilm publication M33, (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.), roll 80; FHL microfilm .
• "United States Census, 1830," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:XHG5-TVS : 29 July 2017), Matthew Vandiver, Iredell, North Carolina, United States; citing 38, NARA microfilm publication M19, (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.), roll 122; FHL microfilm 18,088.
• "United States Census, 1850," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:M4BZ-Y9D : 12 April 2016), Mathew Vandiver, Iredell county, Iredell, North Carolina, United States; citing family 116, NARA microfilm publication M432 (Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.).
• Possibly "United States Census, 1790," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:XH2M-S7M : accessed 17 September 2017), Mathew Vandever, Montgomery, North Carolina, United States; citing p. 402, NARA microfilm publication M637, (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.), roll 7; FHL microfilm 568,147.
• "United States Headstone Applications for U.S. Military Veterans, 1925-1949", database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:VHZF-RJ2 : 17 May 2016), Matthew Vandiver, .
• "United States Revolutionary War Pension Payment Ledgers, 1818-1872," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:Q24Q-LTKM : accessed 17 September 2017), Matthew Vandiver, 04 Mar 1831; citing North Carolina, United States, NARA microfilm publication T718 (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 1962), roll 8; FHL microfilm 1,319,388.
• Revolutionary War Pension Application for S9500 Mathew (Matthew) Vandiver
• Daughters of the American Revolution, DAR Genealogical Research Databases, database online, (http://www.dar.org/ : accessed Dec 1, 2017), "Record of Matthew Van der Veer", Ancestor # A203194.
• The Heritage of Iredell County, NC Vol II - 2000, published by the Genealogical Society of Iredell County, PO Box 946, Statesville, North Carolina 29866, LC # 00-110956, 574 pages with index, See also Space:The Heritage of Iredell County
• See also Space:Iredell County Revolutionary Soldiers for a comprehensive list of Iredell Revolutionary War Veterans.

• Revolutionary War Soldiers for NC and SC, Data provided by the website Carolana. (accessed 27 Nov 2022)

Acknowledgements

• Information provided by Alan Jeffreys and Wynell Hunter Craig Salmond, Vandiver family genealogists