John Hamon / Hammonds

[Revolutionary War Patriot Series, Part 2 of 12]

Born:  circa 1750, probably in Virginia
Died:  ante 13 April 1816 in Russell County, Virginia

Service:  Sergeant;  Patriotic Service

• Sergeant under Capt. Clement Hall & Col. John Patten, 1778
• Took oath of allegiance, 1779
• Furnished sundries to the militia, 1782

Parents:  Ambrose & Ann Hamon

Wife:  purportedly married twice;  by 1793, wife was Mary

Children:

• Elizabeth, wife of John Grizzle
• Ambrose
• Jean, wife of Thomas Francis
• John
• Rebecca, wife of William Grizzle
• Robert
• Nancy, wife of Joel Fields
• Sarah, wife of James Chaffin

Timeline:

 

circa 1750
John Hamon was born c1750, likely in Virginia.  His father Ambrose moved the family to North Carolina sometime in the 1770s, settling in Surry and Wilkes Counties.

 

6 February 1778
Sergeant John Hammon appeared on a muster roll for Captain Clement Hall and Colonel John Patten, 2nd North Carolina Regiment.  The roll shows that he had enlisted for 2 and a half years, and notes him as “sick, present.”   It was signed by William Bradford, who was the Deputy Muster Master General for the Continental Army at Valley Forge.  John appeared on another muster roll for this company dated 9 September 1778 at White Plains, New York.

 

19 February 1779
Wilkes County, North Carolina
John Hammon entered a claim for vacant land for 100 acres near the Middle Fork of Roaring River.  A land warrant was issued on 25 July 1782, and the land was surveyed on 7 August 1782.  The land was granted on 9 November 1784 by Governor Alexander Martin.

 

25 May 1780
Surry County, North Carolina
John Hammond entered a claim for vacant land for 100 acres on both sides of Johnson’s Creek, adjoining the Virginia line.  A land warrant was issued on 9 March 1782, and the land was surveyed on 29 August 1782 for 96 acres.  The land was granted on 3 November 1784 by Governor Alexander Martin.

 

1782
Wilkes County, North Carolina
John Hammons appears on the tax list for Capt. John Morgan’s District for 100 acres of land, 3 negros, and 1 horse/mule.

 

6 September 1782
Salisbury District, North Carolina
John Hammons was allowed £13 9s for a public claim.  The double holepunch in this voucher indicates that it was redeemed.  Another claim for £13 10s was allowed on 25 September 1784.  A note on the back of this second voucher seems to indicate that it was rejected.

1784
Wilkes County, North Carolina
John Hammons appears on the tax list for Morgan’s District for 2 poles and 150 acres of land.

 

27 July 1787
Wilkes County, North Carolina, USA
John Hamon’s household was enumerated in Johnson’s District as having 1 male between 21-60 years of age, 3 males under 21, 6 females, and 2 negros.

 

1790
Wilkes County, North Carolina
John Hammon’s household in the 1790 U.S. Federal Census included 1 male over the age of 16, 3 males under the age of 16, and 8 females.

 

20 October 1791
Surry County, North Carolina
John Hamon sold 140 acres of land on the south side of the Yadkin River to Samuel Haggard for £60.

 

10 May 1793
Surry County, North Carolina
John and Mary Hammonds sold 96 acres of land on each side of Johnson’s Creek to Joel Appling for £50.

Summer 1794
Wilkes County, North Carolina
John’s father Ambrose died.

 

6 February 1796
Wilkes County, North Carolina
John and Mary Hamon applied for and were granted a dismission from the Roaring River Baptist Church.

 

1798
Russell County, Virginia
John Hamon moved his family from North Carolina up to Russell County, Virginia by 1798, when he first began appearing on tax lists there.  He last appeared on a tax list in 1815.

 

27 January 1800
Russell County, Virginia
John Hammons purchased 106 acres of land on both sides of Dumps Creek from Thomas & Susannah Johnson for $350.

 

24 May 1803
Russell County, Virginia
John’s son John Hammons Jr. was recommended as a Lieutenant in the 2nd battalion, 72nd militia regiment.  On 26 March 1805, John Jr. was promoted to Captain, and his younger brother Robert was recommended as an Ensign.  During the War of 1812, John Jr. continued to serve as Captain in the 5th regiment.  His signature appears on discharge certificates found in several pension files from the War of 1812.

4 February 1806
Russell County, Virginia
John Hamon Sr. was exempted from paying county taxes “on account of his infirmities.”

4 March 1806
Russell County, Virginia
John Hammon purchased 10 and a half acres of land on Dumps Creek from Richard Smith for $10.50.

 

10 December 1813
Russell County, Virginia
John Sr. and Mary Hamon sold 30 acres of land on both sides of the lefthand fork of Dumps Creek to John Hamon Jr. for $105.

 

13 April 1816
Russell County, Virginia
John Hamon Sr. died sometime prior to 13 April 1816, when his heirs sold their shares of his property to John Hamon Jr. for $24.70, including 76 acres on both sides of Dumps Creek, and an adjacent tract of 10 and a half acres on the east side of Dumps Creek.

 

This modern map shows the approximate location of Dumps Creek in Russell County, Virginia.

 

Sources:

• Revolutionary War Rolls, 1775-1783, Fold3.com
• NC Land Grant Files, 1693-1960, Ancestry.com
• NC Land Grant Images, NCLandGrants.com
• NC Digital Collections, Digital.NCdcr.gov
• NC Revolutionary Pay Vouchers, 1779-1782, FamilySearch.org
• 1787 NC State Census, FamilySearch.org
• 1790 U.S. Federal Census
• Surry Co NC Deed Book E, p 173;  Deed Book F, p 11;  Surry Co NC RoD
• NC Wills and Probate Records, 1665-1998, Ancestry.com
• Minutes of The South Fork of Old Roaring River Baptist Church
• Russell Co VA Tax Lists, FamilySearch.org
• Russell Co VA Deed Book 3, pp 112-113, 723; Deed Book 5, pp 13, 468-470;  FamilySearch.org
• Russell Co VA Court Order Book 3, pp 249, 378, 482-483, 513, FamilySearch.org
• War of 1812 Pension Files, Fold3.com
• GoogleMaps
  

 

Ambrose Hamon / Hammonds

[Revolutionary War Patriot Series, Part 1 of 12]

Born:  circa 1725, possibly in Virginia
Died:  1794 in Wilkes County, North Carolina

Service:  Patriotic Service & Civil Service

• Took oath of allegiance, 1779
  
• Juror, 1781
• Furnished sundries to the militia, 1782

Wife:  Ann

Children:

• John
• Mary, wife of Samuel Johnson
• Elizabeth, wife of John Amburgey
• Robert

Timeline:

 

circa 1725
Ambrose Hamon was born c1725, possibly in Virginia.

 

1747-1748
Virginia
Ambrose Hamon and his wife Ann appear in 3 deeds in Southam Parish, Goochland County, Virginia.  All of the deeds state that Ambrose was from Saint Margaret Parish, Caroline County, Virginia.  On 20 July 1747, Ambrose Hammon purchased 400 acres of land on the north side of the Appomattox River from Stephen Stone for £30.  On 25 January 1748, Ambrose and Anne sold 100 acres of this land to John Nelson for £20, and on 13 August 1748, they sold another 150 acres to Matthew Nelson for £20.  Both deeds of sale were recorded on 16 August 1748.

1760s
Virginia
Both of Ambrose and Ann’s daughters, Mary and Elizabeth, later applied for pensions based on their husbands’ service during the Revolutionary War.  On 24 January 1839, Mary stated that she was 78 years old (born circa 1760).  On 27 January 1853, Elizabeth stated that she was born in 1769.  Per the 1850 U.S. Federal Census, both Mary and Elizabeth were born in Virginia.

 

1770s
Sometime during the 1770s, Ambrose moved his family from Virginia to North Carolina.

[Note:  Wilkes County, North Carolina was formed 15 February 1778 from Surry County.  Ambrose appears in records for both counties.  Wilkes County and Surry County were part of Salisbury District until 10 May 1782, when Wilkes County became part of the newly-formed Morgan District.]

14 March 1778
Wilkes County, North Carolina
Ambros Hammon entered a claim for vacant land for 200 acres at the Great Falls on the Middle Fork of Roaring River.  A land warrant was issued on 16 December 1778, and the land was surveyed on 18 February 1779.  The land was granted on 24 September 1779 by Governor Richard Caswell.  The grant was presented in Wilkes County Court on 7 June 1780, and registered on 20 September 1780.

 

11 August 1778
Surry County, North Carolina
Ambrose Hamon entered a claim for vacant land for 100 acres on Bean Shole Creek.  This entry was transferred to J.T. Longino sometime prior to 10 October 1786.

31 December 1778
Surry County, North Carolina
Ambrose Hammon entered a claim for vacant land for 200 acres on Deep Creek.  A land warrant was issued on 12 February 1779, which was transferred to Richard Gentry on 10 October 1781.

19 February 1779
Wilkes County, North Carolina
Ambrous Hammon entered a claim for vacant land for 100 acres on a ridge near Mades Knob.  A land warrant was issued on 25 July 1782, which was transferred to Nathan Cox sometime prior to 19 March 1785.

6 September 1781
Wilkes County, North Carolina
Ambros Hammon was among those ordered to attend court on the first Monday in December as jurors.

1782
Wilkes County, North Carolina
Ambro. Hammons appears on the tax list for Capt. John Morgan’s District for 400 acres of land, 5 negros, 2 horses/mules, and 8 cattle.

11 January 1782
Salisbury District, North Carolina
Ambrose Hammonds was allowed £920 for sundries furnished to the militia.  The double holepunch in the voucher indicates that it was redeemed.

 

1784
Wilkes County, North Carolina
Ambros Hammons appears on the tax list for Morgan’s District for 3 poles and 206 acres of land.

1785
Wilkes County, North Carolina
Ambrose was a member of the Roaring River Baptist Church, appearing in the church minutes by 1785.  In February of 1789, he applied for and was granted a dismission for himself and his wife.  On 12 May 1791, Ambrose and Ann re-joined the church by letter.  On 11 June 1791, it was decided that Ambrose should be received in his former position as an Elder of the church.  Ambrose last appears in the minutes on 9 November 1793.

 

25 July 1785
Wilkes County, North Carolina
Ambros Hammon was among those ordered to attend the next court as jurors.

26 October 1785
Wilkes County, North Carolina
Ambros Hammons was “looked upon as suitable” to be appointed as justice of the peace.  He qualified as justice of the peace on 24 January 1786, taking the oath of allegiance & office, and would hold this position for at least 2 years.

27 July 1787
Wilkes County, North Carolina
Ambrose Hamon was the census enumerator for 2 districts, Capt. Nall’s and Capt. Johnson’s.  Ambrose’s household was counted in Johnson’s District as having 1 male over the age of 60, 1 female, and 5 negros.

1790
Surry County, North Carolina
Ambrose Hammons’ household in the 1790 U.S. Federal Census included 1 male under the age of 16, 1 male over the age of 16, and 6 females.

29 June 1794
Wilkes County, North Carolina
Ambrose Hamon wrote his will on 29 June 1794, and it was proved in court on 6 August 1794, indicating he died sometime during this summer.

In the name of God Amen I Ambrose Hamon of North Carolina and Wilkes County being much afflicted in body but of perfect mind and memory thanks be given unto God calling unto mind the mortality of my body and knowing that it is appointed for all men once to die doe make and ordane this my last will and testament that is to say

 

Principally and first of all I give and recommend my soul into the hand of Almighty God that gave it and my body I recommend to the earth to be buried in deserved Christian burial at the discretion of my executors nothing doubting but at the general Resurrection I shall receive the same again by the mighty power of God and as touching such worldly estate where with it has pleased God to bless me in this life, I give devise and dispose of the same in the follow manner and form

 

Item first I lend to my beloved wife Ann Hamon my hole estate both real and personal during her natural life and widowhood to soport her and after her decease my hol estate to be equally divided between my four beloved children to wit my son John Hamon and my son Robert Hamon, my daughter Mary Johnson & my daughter Elizabeth Amburgey.

 

There is at present eight negroes to wit Old Lusey, Gemima, George, Jean, Bill, Little Luse, Sam or Samson, Simon.  I leave it to the discretion of my beloved wife to let them out to the use of the children in her lifetime as she sees fit to leave, and after her decease the hole to be divided between the above mentioned children and them that gets the sorriest choice of negroes let it be made up equal out of the stock and housel stuff, and if they can’t agree between themselves about dividing the estate my desire is that Col. Richard Allen & Benjamin Martain should assist in dividing of it.

 

In witness here of I have set my hand and affixed my seal this 29th of June 1794

Ambrose Hamon

 

Fun fact:  Ambrose Hamon is my 7th-great-grandfather three times over.  I can trace descent from him through his daughter Elizabeth, and twice through son John.

 

Sources:

• Goochland Co VA Deed Book 5, pp 298-299, 455-458
• Pension W5012 for Mary Johnson, Catalog.Archives.gov 
• Pension R174 for Elizabeth Amburgey, Catalog.Archives.gov
• 1850 U.S. Federal Census
• NC Land Grant Files, 1693-1960, Ancestry.com
• NC Land Grant Images, NCLandGrants.com
• Wilkes Co NC Deed Book A1, p 85, WilkesNCrod.org
• Absher, Wilkes Co NC Court Minute Abstracts, FamilySearch.org 
• Wilkes Co NC Court Minutes, 1778-1785, FamilySearch.org
• NC Digital Collections, Digital.NCdcr.gov
• NC Revolutionary Pay Vouchers, 1779-1782, FamilySearch.org
• Minutes of The South Fork of Old Roaring River Baptist Church
• 1787 NC State Census, FamilySearch.org 
• 1790 U.S. Federal Census 
• NC Wills and Probate Records, 1665-1998, Ancestry.com
  
  

Exploring Southwest Virginia

Bhuail uaigneas m'intinn		Loneliness strikes my spirit
'S mé ag amharc ar an reilig		As I look at the cemetery
'S mé ag meadhradh ar dhaoine		And I'm thinking about the people
Istigh ann ina luí		In there sleeping
Fir a's mná óga		Men and young women
Seandaoine 's páistí		Old people and children
Muintir mo mhuintir		People of my people
'S cairde mo chroí		And friends of my heart
--"Thíos Chois Na Trá Domh" (Traditional)

It seems I can't take a vacation without researching the family tree somehow.  This year, we made the long drive down to southwest Virginia, where my grandfather's family hails from.

Day 1:

A day spent mostly in the car, a l-o-n-g drive finally arriving in Coeburn, Virginia.

Our first stop was the Edwards Family Cemetery in Herald, on the border of Wise and Dickenson Counties.  Buried here are the two grandfathers of my great-grandmother, Savannah Edwards Ramey.  Both served on the Confederate side of the Civil War.  First we found her maternal grandfather, John Wesley Hamon.  He has a new Confederate marker that uses the spelling Hammonds.  Then we found John Friel Edwards, her paternal grandfather.

Pvt John Wesley Hammonds Co C E 25 VA Inf CSA 1844 - 1919	John Wesley Hamon
John Friel Edwards Pvt Co A 51 VA Inf 1844 - 1913	John Friel Edwards

Day 2:

This was our only full day in the area.  With some help, we located the Dotson Cemetery on the top of a mountain in Pound in Wise County.  It's located off a private driveway up to a house, where other descendants of the Dotsons still live today.  Here we found my great-great-grandfather Nathan Alexander "Alec" Dotson, and his parents, William and Celia Dotson.  As a side note, the date of birth on Alec's stone is incorrect; the birth register for Russell County shows that he was born on December 13th, not November 13th.

Up the steep road	Made it to the top!
N. A. Dotson Born Nov. 13, 1854 Died Feb. 27, 1921 Resting in the hope of a glorious resurrection	William Dotson Born Aug. 6, 1803 Died Sept. 26, 1893 Age 90Y.1M.20D. Celia, wife of William Dotson Born Jan. 6, 1821 Died Mar. 19, 1888 Age 67Y.2M.13D.

Next stop:  the Hibbitts Cemetery in Dickenson County, up another steep drive.  I knew from death certificates that my great-grandfather Walter Dotson and his mother (Alec's wife) Lucy Jane Dotson were buried here, but I wasn't sure if they had markers or not.  Happily, it turns out that they do, located fairly close together in the cemetery's northwest corner.  Walter's stone is also incorrect;  per his death certificate from Kentucky, he died on February 11th, not November 25th.

 

(Note the sloping ground beyond the cemetery gates)

Walter Dotson Born Nov. 4, 1896 Died Nov. 25, 1939 The gift of God is eternal life

Jane Dotson Nov. 29, 1857 Dec. 17, 1949 Faithful to her trust even unto death

Continuing north through Dickenson County, we visited a few small cemeteries where Swindall relatives are buried.  Our last cemetery to visit was the Swindall Cemetery, very close to the Kentucky border, where my 3rd-great-grandparents, John Wesley & Mary "Polly" Swindall rest.  They're the parents of Jane Dotson.  (Confused yet?)  I wrote a blog post about John for Memorial Day last year, as he served in the Union Army during the Civil War, hence his military stone.

John W Swindal Serg Co K 39 KY Mtd Inf Jun 13 1826 Sep 17 1900	Polly Swindall Sep 15 1834 May 12 1907 Asleep in Jesus blessed sleep From which none ever wake to weep

John & Polly Swindall

Afterward, we took a side trip over to Jenkins, Kentucky, where my great-grandfather Walter Dotson died from his injuries after being struck by a car.  One of my goals is to find some account of the accident.  The library there was small and had few historical records for the area, so we journeyed back into Virginia to visit the Wise County library.  I went through a few rolls of microfilmed newspapers, but wasn't able to find anything, not even any obituaries for other ancestors.

Day 3:

After mostly nice weather on Monday, Tuesday was pouring rain all day long.  Venturing back into Dickenson County, we visited their library.  Newspapers were limited here, so nothing about Walter, but I was able to find an obituary for Lucy Jane Dotson in The Dickensonian from December 23, 1949:

"Aunt Jane" Dotson Mrs. Jane Dotson, widow of the late Alec Dotson, of this county, died at the home of her daughter, Mrs. Mary Hibbitts, at Jenkins on Saturday of last week.  She was one of the oldest women in this section of the state, having reached the age of 94 at her passing.  Her death was attributed to pneumonia. She is survived by the following children:  J. B. Dotson, member of the Board of Supervisors now residing at Coeburn;  Mrs. Mary Hibbitts, Jenkins;  Mrs. Fronie Buchanan, Jenkins;  Mrs. Bessie Buchanan, Darwin;  Noah Dotson, Darwin;  and William Dotson of Pound. Funeral services were held at the home of Noah Dotson at Darwin on last Sunday, with the Rev. Mr. Adair of West Virginia in charge.  Burial was in the family cemetery at Hibbitts' Gap.

Our last stop was the Wise County courthouse and historical society, but we were running out of time, and couldn't dig too far into the records.  I did buy a copy of Between Brothers at the historical society, as it includes John Friel Edwards, John Wesley Hamon, and John Wesley Swindall in it.

There are so many more stories to tell, but everyone in southwest Virginia was friendly and welcoming.  From talking to folks we met (either by getting lost and needing directions, or by visiting the local Mountain Rose Vineyards), it seemed all the people we spoke to were distant relatives or knew of people in the family tree.  We were even told of an upcoming Dotson family reunion! If only Wise County were closer...

For some of the more entertaining tales of our trip (and we have some good ones!), you'll have to talk to Dad.  He tells them better than I do.