John Marrs (abt. 1760 - abt. 1834)

Born about 1760 in Virginia

Ancestors

Died about 1834 at about age 74 in Lincoln, Tennessee, United States

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BIOGRAPHY

Private John Marrs served with Botetourt County Militia, Virginia Militia during the American Revolution.

Family

Son of William Erskine Marrs (1710-1790) and Pulsoholo Munday Folsom (1700-1779).

Surname of John and his children often given as Marr.

John Marrs married Sarah LNU (?-?) on ? in ? They had at least two children: John M. (?-?) and Eliza (?-?).

Military Service

John Marrs was a veteran of the Revolutionary War. He served in Capt. John Murray's company of volunteers from Botetourt Co, VA, in 1774 (at age 14!).

On 7 Nov 1787, the Montgomery Co, VA, court decided that a single militia company should be formed from the companies of Capt. Alexander Marrs and Capt. Patton. John Marrs was to be Lieutenant of that company. On 3 Apr 1793 the Montgomery Co court recommended John Marrs for 7th Lieutenant, and on 6 Aug of the same year, the court recommended that he be Lieutenant of the 3d Company of the 75th Regiment of militia under his brother, Capt. Alexander Marrs. A month later, on 4 Sep, the court recommended him to be Lieutenant in the 3d Company of the 1st Battalion of the 75th Regiment of militia, again under his brother, Capt. Alexander Marrs. And on 1 Jul 1794 the Montgomery Co court recommended John Marrs to be Lieutenant in a company of the 2d Battalion of the 75th Regiment of militia commanded by Capt. Alexander Marrs.

NB: A John Marrs also served as a private in Capt. Randolph's company, Maj. Lewis' command, VA militia ca. 1794, but he was probably not our John Marrs.

Locations, Land Ownership, and Taxes

John Marrs purchased from William Thompson, executor for the estate of James Patton, 257 acres of land on Back Creek, a branch of the New River, for the sum of £120. (Montgomery Co, VA, Brief of Deeds, 7 Apr 1778).

Will of John Marrs

The will and last testament of John Marrs was made in Lincoln Co, TN, on 27 Jul 1834, and was recorded on 8 Dec 1834 (indicating he died sometime between 27 Jul and 8 Dec 1834). His wife, Sarah (maiden name unknown) was listed as the sole executrix and his children, John M. Marr and Eliza Marr, at least one of whom was then a minor, are mentioned in the will. The will also indicates that he owned some 260 acres of land on Cane Creek as well as considerable other property probably amounting to several thousands of dollars. He also owned at least one slave, a young boy named Jim, and made provision in his will that $3,000 should be reserved to purchase two slaves between 15 and 20 years of age.

SOURCES

• Ancestry.com entry for "John Marrs" (3).

• Godfrey Memorial Library, American Genealogical-Biographical Index (AGBI) (database on-line), Provo, UT, Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 1999.

• United States Bureau of the Census, Heads of Families at the first U.S. census (Washington, 1908), Vol. 110, page 155 (living in Lincoln Co, TN).

• Lewis Preston Summers, Annals of Southwest Virginia, 1769-1800 (2 vols.; Abingdon, VA: published by the author, 1929).

• Ancestry.com, United States, Compiled Service Records, Post-Revolutionary War Volunteer Soldiers, 1784-1811 (database on-line), Provo, UT, Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2011. (NARA M905, Roll 19).

• Ancestry.com, Tennessee, Wills and Probate Records, 1779-2008 (database on-line), Provo, UT, Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2015. (Lincoln Co, TN, Will Books, 1810-1850).