John Falls Sr (abt. 1743 - 1830)

Born about 1743 in Pennsylvania [uncertain]

Descendants

Died 15 Jan 1830 at about age 87 in Greene, Tennessee, United States

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Biography

John Falls was born in 1743, probably in Pennsylvania.^[1] Who his parents were is not certain at this time.

When the Revolutionary War had begun, John was living in Virginia then moved up to Pennsylvania to enlist with the Continental Army under George Washington's volunteers. His enlistment date is recorded as 30 Jan 1777 in Captain Joseph Potts Company of the 5th Pennsylvania Regiment.^[2][3] John's records show that during the winter of 1777/1778 at Valley Forge he was on command duty to forage supplies, recruit soldiers and standing guard. He fought in the battle of Germantown, White Plaines, Monomuth, Peola, Stony Point and Brandywine. During one of these battles, John was wounded in the leg. He was discharged from his service on 15 Jan 1781. On 28 April 1818 John Falls applied for a pension from his Revolutionary War service. His pension claim number is W-924.^[4][5]

After John's service in the Revolutionary War, he met and married Sarah Shower in 1781. In the Revolutionary War Pension Records for John Falls and Sarah Shower, it states in several sworn statements that they were married in Chester County, PA before the end of the war.^[6] They lived in Chester County, PA before moving to Washington County, State of Franklin, which existed from 1784-1786 in an attempt to become the fourteenth state. This area later became part of North Carolina then later became part of eastern Tennessee.^[7]

John and Sarah had seven known children. The oldest two, James and Thomas, were born in Pennsylvania. The others were born in Tennessee.

• James Falls (1783-?)
• Thomas Falls (1786-?)
• Margaret Falls (1789-?)
• John Falls, II (1793-1874)
• William Falls (1797-?)
• Melinda Falls (1800-?)
• Delilah Falls (1804-?)

John Falls passed away in 1830 at age of 87 in Washington or Greene County, TN^[8] and is buried at Ebenezer Methodist Church Cemetery in Chucky, Greene County, TN.^[9]

Sources

1. ↑ Find A Grave memorial # 8188342 : https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/8188342/john-falls
2. ↑ "United States Rosters of Revolutionary War Soldiers and Sailors, 1775-1783," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-CSHS-PSP1-P?cc=2546162&wc=WD6Q-R99%3A1590063755), Pennsylvania, vol 10, Pennsylvania in the War of the Revolution, batallions and line, 1775-1783 > image 567 of 819; citing various published state rosters.
3. ↑ Revolutionary War Pension Record, available through The U.S. National Archives and Records Administration
4. ↑ "United States Revolutionary War Pension Payment Ledgers, 1818-1872," database with images, FamilySearch(https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:Q24Q-VLDD), John Falls, 28 Apr 1818; citing Tennessee, United States, NARA microfilm publication T718 (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 1962), roll 1; FHL microfilm 1,319,381.
5. ↑ "United States Rosters of Revolutionary War Soldiers and Sailors, 1775-1783," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-CSHS-PSP1-P?cc=2546162&wc=WD6Q-R99%3A1590063755), Pennsylvania, vol 10, Pennsylvania in the War of the Revolution, batallions and line, 1775-1783 > image 567 of 819; citing various published state rosters.
6. ↑ Revolutionary War Pension Record, available through The U.S. National Archives and Records Administration
7. ↑ http://northcarolinahistory.org/encyclopedia/state-of-franklin/
8. ↑ A "United States Rosters of Revolutionary War Soldiers and Sailors, 1775-1783," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-CSHS-PSP1-P?cc=2546162&wc=WD6Q-R99%3A1590063755), Pennsylvania, vol 10, Pennsylvania in the War of the Revolution, batallions and line, 1775-1783 > image 567 of 819; citing various published state rosters.
9. ↑ Find A Grave memorial # 8188342 : https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/8188342/john-falls