Robert Wilson (1717 - 1793)

Born 12 Dec 1717 in Newville, Cumberland, Pennsylvania

Husband of Eleanor (Carothers) Wilson — married about 1747 in Pennsylvania

Descendants

Died 14 Dec 1793 at age 76 in Steel Creek, Mecklenburg, North Carolina, United States

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Biography

Robert Wilson is an NSSAR Patriot Ancestor.
NSSAR Ancestor #: 322210
Rank: Patriotic Service

Robert Wilson performed Patriotic Service in North Carolina in the American Revolution.

Robert Wilson is a DAR Patriot Ancestor, A127794.

WILSON, ROBERT SR Ancestor #: A127794
Service: NORTH CAROLINA
Rank(s): PATRIOTIC SERVICE
Birth: CIRCA 1720
Death: POST 12-14-1793 MECKLENBURG CO NORTH CAROLINA
Service Source: PENSION OF ROBERT WILSON JR, *W216;
NC REV WAR PAY VOUCHERS, #59, ROLL #S.115.135
Service Description: 1) FURNISHED SUPPLIES^[1]
2) PRISONER OF WAR
SPOUSE 1) ELEANOR X ^[2]

Research Notes

Pension application of Jane Wilson, widow of Robert Wilson W216 Transcribed by Paulette Haynes Jane Wilson Declaration & Exhibits Act 7 June 1838 State of Tennessee Williamson County.

Robert Wilson Senior was not less than fifty or fifty five years of age at the beginning of the Revolution and although he was a bold and ardent supporter & advocate of the Revolution he was too much advanced in years & too feeble in body to endure the fatigues of a campaign if he had been subject to military duty which he was not.

Although he was a prisoner in the hands of the British in 1780 taken at or near Sumters Camp in August of that year and confined in Camden jail together with one of his sons, named John Wilson and several of his nearest neighbors and others he was not taken as a soldier but as aged and influential citizen, who had several sons fighting under Sumter & other Republican leaders against the British King and who was when taken engaged in furnishing and conveying provisions to Genl Thomas Sumters camp.Carolina, Raleigh

This declarant states that Robert Wilson Senior, the father of her husband Robert Wilson Junior, was not, at any period of the war, subject to military duty and never did receive pay as a private soldier, or as an officer for any service performed by him during the Revolutionary War.^[3]Eileen Bradley

Timeline for Revolutionary War Service

12 May 1780 Americans surrender Charleston, SC; Robert Wilson Jr. and Joseph Wilson are taken prisoner; released on parole.

20 June 1780 Battle of Ramsour's Mill, Lincoln County, NC; Patriots and Tories meet in bloody combat and patriots claim victory.

07 Aug 1780 Battle of Hanging Rock, SC; Joseph Wilson kills a Tory.

16 Aug 1780 Gates and his American army are defeated at Camden, SC;Cornwallis moves his army north towards Charlotte in Mecklenburg County,NC.

19 Aug 1780 Robert Wilson & his son John are captured while en route delivering supplies to the Americans near Fishing Creek in South Carolina. They are held at Camden jail.

Sep 1780 Cornwallis occupies Charlotte, NC for about six weeks.

07 Oct 1780 The British are defeated at King's Mountain, Lincoln County,NC

14 Oct 1780 General Cornwallis stops at the Wilson plantation on Steele Creek in Mecklenburg County.

15 Oct 1780 Zacheus Wilson is captured in the neighbor of his home by General Cornwallis

Nov 1780 Robert Wilson & his son John escape near Fort Watson while being sent to Charleston as prisoners.

17 Jan 1781 Americans are victorious at the Battle of the Cowpens; Cornwallis advances to Lincoln County.

01 Feb 1781 At dawn, Cornwallis and his army cross the Catawba River at Cowan's Ford in Mecklenburg County.

15 Mar 1781 Americans are defeated at Guilford Court House; Cornwallis' army moves into Virginia.

19 Oct 1781 British Army is trapped at Yorktown and surrenders.

WILL OF ROBERT WILSON

Mecklenburg Co., North Carolina^[4]

From sickness of body admonished on my "approaching dispotation" I will to my wife Eleanor, during her lifetime, my negro Abby, and if the sd Abby survive my wife I will a a third of her value to my son Zaccheus at the demise of my wife, and he is to distribute equally two-thirds of her value among my sons John, James, Robert, and Josiah; if the sd sons cannot agree as to her value the matter is to be decided by three or four men. I will the plantation on which I now live to my sons Aaron, Zaccheus, Moses and Thomas which is to be divided as follows: Zaccheus220 A including the improvements, to Aaron 30 A, and Moses and Thomas are to divide the balance. The division on my plantation is to be made by the following: my friends Col. Robert Erwin, my cousin Zaccheus Wilson,James Spratt, Sr., Joseph Swann, and John McDowell. My wife is to be permitted to remain in my old house on the portion willed to Zaccheus who is also to be responsible for her maintenance. Furthermore, my sons Zaccheus, Moses, and Thomas are to pay 50 lbs to each of their brothers Robert, James, and Josiah, a third in cash and two thirds in property.

I will to my son John my body clothing, a bed and bedclothes to my wife,to son Aaron a black walnut chest, and the remainder of my household furniture is to remain the joint property of my wife and son Zaccheus.From the collection of debts owned to me the house in which I live is to be put in good repair and a room added for my wife; my son Joseph is to have the bay filly, and my wife the bay mare. All the remainder of my property is to be appraised by James Spratt, Sr. John McDowell, and James Taylor and equally divided among my sons. Aaron, Zaccheus, Moses,and Thomas. Exrs: John McDowell, David Vance and and Aaron Wilson.Wit: James McRee, Jurat, John Taylor and William Lees.

Return of the Estate

Mecklenburg Co. Court, January Session, 1795

A return of the estate of ROBERT WILSON, decd, divided between Aaron, Zaccheus, Moses & Thomas Wilson by Will and Mutual agreement. Household Furniture jointly between ELEANOR & ZACHEUS Wilson, no sums annexed. Delivered to Zacheus Wilson articles to amount of 25.13.6 and his part of the Land laid off is 220 acres. Articles delivered to Aaron Wilson to Amount of 22.18.6 and his part of the Land - 30 acres. Articles delivered to Thomas Wilson to amt. of 21.10.0 & one Mare delvd. agreeaable to Will and his part of the land 160 acres. Articles delivered to Moses Wilson to amt. of 19.15.6 and his part of the land 160 acres. The waggon & some small articles not yet divided continued by joint consent for some time the fourth part of which is to Thomas as will appear from the Will. done & returned by the Executors, Aaron Wilson, John McDowell, & David Vance.

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The history of the Steel Creek Presbyterian Church can be found at:

http://www.cmhpf.org/S&RR/SteeleCreek.html

The church cemetery has some of the oldest graves in Mecklenburg County.Among them are to be found the names of many pioneering families of that part of the county: Allen, Bigham, Davis, Grier, Hart, Herron, McDowell,Neely, Porter, Sloan, Tagart, and Vance. Thirteen veterans of the Revolutionary War are buried there, and a number of families who buried members as far back as 1763 still attended in the 1970s, and thus span seven generations: Berryhill, Bigham, Cathey, Clark, Freeman, Grier, Herron, Knot, Mitchell, McDowell, Neel, Neely, Porter, Price, Sloan, Spratt, Stilwell, Whiteside and Wilson. The cemetery has four sections:the eastern quarter was the original burying ground; the western quarter was used after 1840; the middle between the two was opened in 1884; and the north side was added in 1884.

The Steele Creek Presbyterian Church is an excellent example of the founding Presbyterian churches of the early Scotch-Irish settlers in the county and the role it played as the center of that rural community.

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Application for Pension by Widow

In the matter of the application of Jane Wilson, of Williamson Co. Tenn, widow of Robert Wilson jr., decd for the benefit of the Act of 7th June 1838, & other acts for the benefit of widows of Revolutionary Soldiers.

The Deposition of Josiah Wilson

State of Tennessee

Marshall County

On this 14th day of May 1849 at his own house, before me L.L. Fox, a Justice of the Peace of said County personally appeared Josiah Wilson aged about 81 years, who having been duly sworn declared that he is the same Josiah Wilson who was examined in this case before Esq. May on the21st day of October 1848 and he now makes this additional statement in relation to the Revolutionary services of Robert Wilson Jr.

Robert Wilson Senior, of Steele Creek, Mecklenburgh, North Carolina, in1775, was the father of Robert Wilson Jr. as well as witness. The elder Robert Wilson had six sons who were subject to military duty and did perform military duty during the war of the Revolution between the years1775 and 1783, under Genl. Rutherford, Col. Sumpter, Col. Irwin, Genl Lincoln, Genl Greene and other American Generals.

Witness was present at the marriage. The marriage was by publication of banns and took place at the house of William McDowell. Moses Wilson, a brother of witness, & Phebe Reid both of Marshall County, State of Tennessee are the only persons now living known to witness who were present at this marriage, besides himself.

About the year 1785 or 1786 Robert Wilson moved with his family to Lincoln County in the State of Georgia, where he lived until 1795. He then moved to Cumberland Valley in 1795 and was the first man who brought a wagon across the Cumberland Mountains. He first lived in Sumner County near Cumberland River, but in the year 1800 he settled near Harpeth Lick in Williamson County, State of Tennessee, where he continued to live until the year 1819; when he died, leaving his wife Jane Wilson surviving---, who has continued to live a widow; & to reside in said County of Williamson until the present time. Witness came to Tennessee in 1795 or1796, and has always since lived within from three to fourteen miles of the residence of his brother Robert Wilson, and since his death, of his widow Jane Wilson. First while witness lived in Williamson Co. Tennessee but for near a dozen years last, in Marshall County Tennessee distance often or twelve miles.

Witness remembers some of the events of the Revolutionary War especially those connected with his own family and neighborhood. He knows seven of his older brothers were soldiers at different and various times during the Revolutionary War to wit, Joseph, Aaron, John, James, Robert, Samuel& Zaccheus. He also knows that his own father Robert Wilson was a prisoner in the hands of the British in fall of 1780 and that his Uncle Zaccheus Wilson, Sr. was a signer of the Mecklenburgh Declaration of Independence, yet he does not think that he can at this late period inhis life recollect all and each campaign in which his brothers may have served in the war.

He knows that Joseph & Robert Wilson were out in the North Carolina Militia under Genl Lincoln before and during the siege of Charleston bu the cannot now name even the general officer, who commanded the North Carolina Troops, nor the Colonels or Captains, who commanded the particular Regiment or Company in which Robert Wilson & Joseph Wilson served. Witness remembers the names of Genls Ashe, Rutherford, Sumpter, Davidson & Caswell, who at different times commanded the North Carolina Troops, & he also knows that his brothers served under these men at various times but he cannot now state whether either or which one of these men commanded at Charleston. He remembers distinctly that both Robert & Joseph Wilson were at the siege of Charleston under Genl Lincoln and they were both surrendered prisoners of war at the surrender of Charleston, laid down their arms, and were paroled and returned to their fathers house at Steele Creek about the 1st of June 1780 being about two or three weeks after the surrender.

Witness cannot say how long his brothers were out before the siege of Charleston but he knows they were out before the British Army besieged Charleston, for he remembers distinctly that Joseph Wilson often spoke of his return from the army, of having applied to Col. Washington, before the British Army --- down before the City of Charleston to be admitted into his corps of mounted men or dragoons and that Col. Washington objected on account of his being too large. This took pace before the siege, the dispersion of Col. Washington's Corps, with others by the British, during the siege, near Monks Corner, fixed this circumstance in their minds.

Witness believes that service of his brothers were under the command of Thos. Sumpter, --- but afterwards a Brigadier General, after the fall of Charleston. He remembers that his father Robert Wilson and his brother John Wilson were both taken prisoner near Genl Sumpters camp about five miles from Steele Creek while engaged in hauling provisions or supplies to the Republic troops under Sumpter & that they were dragged to Camden and confined with other of the Whig inhabitants of Mecklenburg in the Camden jail for about five weeks and that his father & brother John with ten others were started to Charleston under an escort of twelve soldiers and that on their way the prisoners were ---their guard - overpowered them, took their guns, locked them all up in a house in which they were quartered and all of them made their way, some to Marion County and some back to Mecklenburg & that his father & brother came back after near three months captivity. James Hart and John Bacste? were of the number of the prisoners who were most active in the rescue. The British guard was put on parole, when overpowered.

He believes that Aaron, James, Robert & Joseph Wilson were with Genl Sumpter in the summer of 1780 but he cannot state whether they were at the battle of Rocky Mount & Hanging Rock although he believes they were with Sumpter at that time in what was called the Wilmington Campaign which --- in 1780, and in ---North Carolina Troops, were --- under the command of Genl Rutherford. Witness can state that Robert Wilson was a private of Militia ---- Mecklenburg. Witness believes that his tour ---was for three or four months.

He cannot now state or specify any other campaigns, marches or tours of duty in which his brother Robert Wilson served but he knows that in nearly every campaign from 1775 (the "snow campaign") until 1780 or the end of the war, which occurred in North or South Carolina, either against the British, Tories or Indians, one or more of the brothers of witness were engaged.

None of these seven brothers ever applied for or received as witness believes, any pension whatever, except James Wilson who died in 1845. The others all departed this life either before the passage of a pension law or soon after, and none of them, so far as witness remembers, has now living any widow except Robert Wilson's widow. She was about 17 years old when married & is now over eighty.

Witness would further state that so far as he remembers his brother was a private at the time he was under Lincoln at Charleston, belonging to the North Carolina Militia & likewise a private of North Carolina Militia on all other occasions. He does not think he ever belonged to the Regular or Continental Lines or to the State Line. He was always an infantry soldier. He was quite a young man during the war of Independence but in the Indian War in Georgia in 1790 or 1791, or about that time Robert Wilson was a Captain & served as such in the Indian War under the authority of the State of Georgia. He was also engaged in the Indian struggles in the Cumberland Valley in 1795 & 96 after he came to the State of Tennessee.

This witness is not either directly or indirectly interested in the application of Jane Wilson for a pension for her husbands services in the War of Independence.

Josiah Wilson (seal)

Notes

WOMEN OF THE REVOLUTION, written Elizabeth Ellet, has a biographical sketch of Eleanor Wilson, based on family information provided by Colonel Milton Andrews Haynes. He mentions the eleven sons, seven who served in Rev. War, and ten who moved to Tennessee: Joseph, John, James, Aaron, Robert, Samuel, Zaccheus, Josiah, Moses and Thomas. All were deceased except Josiah and Moses. (Josiah, Moses and Thomas were too young to be in the war; Zaccheus, age 15 was the youngest to serve)

Rev. War pension of Jane Wilson (daughter-in law of Robert and Eleanor Wilson) mentions the Wilson brothers who served in the Revolution; birth dates given. She also stated the father, Robert Wilson was too old to serve but had been taken prisoner along with his son John while they were attempting to deliver supplies to the local militia.

I do not believe the Zaccheus Wilson (and wife Frances) who died in Oglethorpe County, GA in 1796 was the father of Robert Wilson of Steele Creek. These two families were related but I think the relationship was Zaccheus Wilson was an uncle of Robert Wilson.

Who was the "cousin" mentioned in Robert's will.

Not his brother Zaccheus the "signer"

Not his claimed father Zaacheus,

So perhaps he was the son of Zaccheus and Frances Wilson of Oglethorpe who also had a son named Zaccheus and I think he was the "cousin" who Robert chose to divide his estate. This would be the Zaccheus of Oglethorpe Co. GA was an uncle, and not the father of Robert Wilson.Later on several of the children of Zaccheus and Frances Wilson turn up in Williamson County, TN. A brother of Robert Wilson was also named Zaccheus, and he was the surveyor and "signer" of the Mecklenburg County Declaration of Independence. This Zaccheus Wilson moved to Sumner County, Tennessee and apparently died there in 1824. There are many different versions of the ancestry of this Wilson Family and it is difficult to pinpoint the supporting documentation.

It is believed Robert Wilson was born around 1725 (or between 1717 &1730)in Newville, Cumberland County, Pennsylvania depending on which genealogy you read. Frequently 12 Dec 1717 is given as his birth date, but this makes much older than his brothers Zaccheus & David Wilson. Robert's Will was written 14 Dec 1793 and probated in Mecklenburg Court 27 January 1794, so he apparently died sometime in that space. Eleanor Wilsons' estate was presented 26 April 1802 by her son Zaccheus Wilson. A memorial monument has been placed in the Steele Creek Presbyterian Church Cemetery where it is believed both were buried. Many family genealogies state there were eleven sons in the Wilson family, but only ten have been identified. Seven of these sons are known to have participated in the Revolutionary War, and ten are known to have moved to middle Tennessee in the area of southeast Williamson County near Harpeth River. The ten sons who came to Tennessee did not come at the same time but arrived during various years beginning around 1800.

Possibilities for the missing child are a young man named Alfred or David who came to TN earlier and was killed by Indians, or more likely David Wilson who died early at age 22 in North Carolina and was buried in Steele Creek Cemetery, 27 Aug 1771. Some genealogies mention a daughter or two, but : Note: It is believed Robert Wilson was born around 1725 (or between 1717 &1730)in Newville, Cumberland County, Pennsylvania depending on which genealogy you read. Frequently 12 Dec 1717 is given as his birth date, but this makes much older than his brothers Zaccheus & David Wilson. Robert's Will was written 14 Dec 1793 and probated in Mecklenburg Court 27 January 1794, so he apparently died sometime in that space. Eleanor Wilsons' estate was presented 26 April 1802 by her son Zaccheus Wilson. A memorial monument has been placed in the Steele Creek Presbyterian Church Cemetery where it is believed both were buried. Many family genealogies state there were eleven sons in the Wilson family, but only ten have been identified. Seven of these sons are known to have participated in the Revolutionary War, and ten are known to have moved to middle Tennessee in the area of southeast Williamson County near Harpeth River. The ten sons who came to Tennessee did not come at the same time but arrived during various years beginning around 1800.

Possibilities for the missing child are a young man named Alfred or David who came to TN earlier and was killed by Indians, or more likely David Wilson who died early at age 22 in North Carolina and was buried in Steele Creek Cemetery, 27 Aug 1771. Some genealogies mention a daughter or two, but there are no names or dates supporting the claim.

Ancestral File Number

Ancestral File Number: KSTW-RH

Robert Wilson Sr. became a prisoner of war, during the American Revolutionary War. PENSION OF ROBERT WILSON JR, *W216; NC REV WAR PAY VOUCHERS, #59, ROLL #S.115.135. He furnished supplies in support of the Continental Army, and he is honored for his Patriotic Service by the Society of the Daughters of the American Revolution, as Ancestor #A127794.^[5][6]

Robert Wilson was born on Dec 12, 1717 in Cumberland County, Pennsylvania. He died on Dec 14, 1793 at the age of 76 in Mecklenburg County, North Carolina and is buried at the Steele Creek Presbyterian Church Cemetery. There is a photograph of his headstone on his Find A Grave memorial here: ^[7]

Spouse: Eleanor Carothers Wilson (1724-1802)

Children:

1. John Wilson (?-1806), married Susan (?nee)
2. Anne Wilson Bedwell (1749-1807)
3. James Wilson (1757-1843) married Sarah Ogilvie
4. Robert Wilson (1760-1819), married Jane McDowell
5. Samuel W. Wilson born circa 1762, died between 1804 and 1812, in Williamson county, Tennessee, married Martha Clark
6. Zacheus Wilson (1765-1842)
7. Joseph Wilson, married 1) Nancy Furguson and 2) Ann Mitchell
8. Josiah Wilson, married Mary (?nee)
9. Margaret Wilson, married Thomas Wilson, in 1805

Burial

Steele Creek Presbyterian Church ,Charlotte, Mecklenburg County, North Carolina, USA^[8]

Sources

1. ↑ "North Carolina Revolutionary Pay Vouchers, 1779-1782," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QS7-99WG-X78G?cc=1498361&wc=QDRZ-1JG%3A1589672425 : 7 October 2016), Wilson, David to Withrow, James > image 501 of 916; citing State Archives of North Carolina, Raleigh
2. ↑ Daughters of the American Revolution, DAR Genealogical Research Databases, database online, (http://www.dar.org/ : accessed November 9, 2019), "Record of Robert Wilson", Ancestor # A127794.
3. ↑ Southern Campaigns Revolutionary War Pension Statements & Rosters. Pension application of Jane Wilson, widow of Robert Wilson W216. Transcribed by Paulette Haynes. http://revwarapps.org/w216.pdf. Page 1&2.
4. ↑ Mecklenburg Co. Bk. F-225, 14 Dec 1793, prbt. Oct 1794
5. ↑ Daughters of the American Revolution, DAR Genealogical Research Databases, database online, (http://www.dar.org/ : accessed November 27, 2019), "Record of Robert Wilson", Ancestor # A127794.
6. ↑ Southern Campaigns Revolutionary War Pension Statements & Rosters. Pension application of Jane Wilson, widow of Robert Wilson W216. Transcribed by Paulette Haynes Jane Wilson Declaration & Exhibits Act 7 June 1838. State of Tennessee Williamson County.http://revwarapps.org/w216.pdf
7. ↑ Find A Grave: Memorial #43583299
8. ↑ [[1]]

• S69 Title: Ancestry Family Trees - Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com. Original data: Family Tree files submitted by Ancestry members.

• Find A Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/43583299/robert-wilson: accessed 27 November 2019), memorial page for Robert Wilson (12 Dec 1717–14 Dec 1793), Find A Grave Memorial no. 43583299, citing Steele Creek Presbyterian Church Cemetery, Charlotte, Mecklenburg County, North Carolina, USA ; Maintained by Jane M. Howard (contributor 46805219) .

• https://www.ancestry.com/family-tree/tree/24910179/family

Acknowledgments

• WikiTree profile Wilson-7537 created through the import of Perry Family Tree.ged on Dec 19, 2011 by Glen Perry