He documented his service when he applied for pension. The Daughters of the American Revolution honored his service by designating him a DAR Ancestor. (Reference DAR GRS @dar.org. Membership not required to access the GRS.)
[p 13]
Commonwealth of Kentucky
Calloway County Sct
On this 24th day of September in the year 1832 personally appeared in open Court before John Irvan, Asaph Jetton, William Craddock & William Jones Esquire Judges of the County Court now sitting Jesse Henson Senior a resident of said County and Commonwealth aforesaid aged about seventy-three years, 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 June 7th 1832.
That he entered the service of the United States under the following named officers and served as herein stated in manner and according to the circumstances following – to wit That at the commencement of the Revolution he lived on the Holston River in the frontier of Virginia close by the line of said state. In the month of September 1776 he entered the service as a Volunteer for three months under Captain Cocke and Lieutenant George Hart. He states that his rendezvous took place at the Three Springs at which place they all fell under the command of Colonel Christie [William Christian] who marched his force against the Indians on the head of the Tennessee River where they laid waste the Indian Country, burnt up their villages and destroyed their corn. This was the Cherokee nation of Indians.
He states that after he served through the campaign he returned with the Army about Christmas having served out his time and was discharged but got no written discharge. He states that he immediately volunteered for the term of one year and entered the service with the commencement of the year '77 under Captain Evens Shelby [Evan Shelby] and Lieutenant George Hart by whom he was stationed at the Fort at the Long Islands of Holston River with other companies of militia all under the command of Colonel Shelby [Isaac Shelby] father of his Captain and Major Anthony Blutcher.1
He states that this was the chief fort or station then established for the security of the frontier against the Indians. He stated that he stayed at the Fort about half his time being engaged the other half in scouting tours in traversing the Country and watching and checking the Indian movements and as a spy and so forth. He states that he was [indecipherable word]2 engaged during the whole of this year under the officers aforesaid and in the service aforesaid and at the expiration thereof was discharged and went home but does not recollect of receiving any written discharge.
He states that he volunteered under Captain Campbell and Captain King in the beginning of September 1780 for the term of three months, he marched under said officers over the Yellow Mountain into North Carolina, Thence over the Catawba River and on towards Kings Mountain for the purpose of opposing Major Ferguson [Patrick Ferguson] a British officer. He states that near the Kings Mountain he so badly sprained his ankle and foot in jumping over a fence that he could not march with the troops by which means he had the mortification of not being in the battle of Kings Mountain [October 7, 1780]. He served all his term of three months and returned home.
He immediately upon his return home volunteered for a three month tour to go against the Cherokee Indians under Colonel Sevier [John Sevier] and Captain Yancy [?Yancey, could be Laney]3 of the frontier of North Carolina. He states that he marched under said officers down Holston River crossed the French Broad and attacked the Indian towns near the mouth of Holston River. He states that he was in several skirmishes with the Indians – that a great many of them were killed and that their towns and villages were destroyed. He served out his term of three months and returned home.
In the fall of the year '81 (he believes but cannot exactly recollect), he volunteered for three months under Colonel Millar Major Gray and Captain McDaniel. He states that these forces were raised by order of General McDowell [Charles McDowell] of North Carolina to go against the Indians. He states that he marched under said officers over the Blue Ridge and attacked the towns of that part of the nation which resided or stayed in North Carolina over the Ridge from Holston but all were on the waters of the Tennessee River. He stated that he was here in what was called Millar's engagement – which was a severe Indian battle. He states that one of their captains (Lewis Musick) was here killed. The Indians were defeated. Their villages destroyed with their corn etc. he served out his time and returned home.
He next volunteered as an Indian spy for the time of three months under Colonel Vance Major Singleton and Captain Smith. He marched under said officers and was placed at one of the stations on New pond Creek from which place he went to and fro through the country in scouting parties who acted as spies on the Indians still returning for orders and provisions to the stations he served out his time of three months and returned home which was his last tour of service and he believes all his service with the exception of one month he served at Ashley station on the frontier of Virginia between the white settlements and Indians. He served under Captain Ashley. The time was previous to his engagement with Colonel Millar in the year '81.
He states that he has no written discharges nor is he certain that he ever received any. Nor has he any documentary evidence of his services nor does he know of any evidence better than he here gives as the last witness to him that he could have procured has lately died. He does not know exactly how old he is but believes he was 16 or 17 when he first went against the Indians in '76. He states that he moved to Kentucky about 36 years ago where he has resided ever since.
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 whatever.
S/ Jesse Henson
He documented his service when he applied for pension. The Daughters of the American Revolution honored his service by designating him a DAR Ancestor. (Reference DAR GRS @dar.org. Membership not required to access the GRS.)
[p 13]
Commonwealth of Kentucky
Calloway County Sct
On this 24th day of September in the year 1832 personally appeared in open Court before John Irvan, Asaph Jetton, William Craddock & William Jones Esquire Judges of the County Court now sitting Jesse Henson Senior a resident of said County and Commonwealth aforesaid aged about seventy-three years, 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 June 7th 1832.
That he entered the service of the United States under the following named officers and served as herein stated in manner and according to the circumstances following – to wit That at the commencement of the Revolution he lived on the Holston River in the frontier of Virginia close by the line of said state. In the month of September 1776 he entered the service as a Volunteer for three months under Captain Cocke and Lieutenant George Hart. He states that his rendezvous took place at the Three Springs at which place they all fell under the command of Colonel Christie [William Christian] who marched his force against the Indians on the head of the Tennessee River where they laid waste the Indian Country, burnt up their villages and destroyed their corn. This was the Cherokee nation of Indians.
He states that after he served through the campaign he returned with the Army about Christmas having served out his time and was discharged but got no written discharge. He states that he immediately volunteered for the term of one year and entered the service with the commencement of the year '77 under Captain Evens Shelby [Evan Shelby] and Lieutenant George Hart by whom he was stationed at the Fort at the Long Islands of Holston River with other companies of militia all under the command of Colonel Shelby [Isaac Shelby] father of his Captain and Major Anthony Blutcher.1
He states that this was the chief fort or station then established for the security of the frontier against the Indians. He stated that he stayed at the Fort about half his time being engaged the other half in scouting tours in traversing the Country and watching and checking the Indian movements and as a spy and so forth. He states that he was [indecipherable word]2 engaged during the whole of this year under the officers aforesaid and in the service aforesaid and at the expiration thereof was discharged and went home but does not recollect of receiving any written discharge.
He states that he volunteered under Captain Campbell and Captain King in the beginning of September 1780 for the term of three months, he marched under said officers over the Yellow Mountain into North Carolina, Thence over the Catawba River and on towards Kings Mountain for the purpose of opposing Major Ferguson [Patrick Ferguson] a British officer. He states that near the Kings Mountain he so badly sprained his ankle and foot in jumping over a fence that he could not march with the troops by which means he had the mortification of not being in the battle of Kings Mountain [October 7, 1780]. He served all his term of three months and returned home.
He immediately upon his return home volunteered for a three month tour to go against the Cherokee Indians under Colonel Sevier [John Sevier] and Captain Yancy [?Yancey, could be Laney]3 of the frontier of North Carolina. He states that he marched under said officers down Holston River crossed the French Broad and attacked the Indian towns near the mouth of Holston River. He states that he was in several skirmishes with the Indians – that a great many of them were killed and that their towns and villages were destroyed. He served out his term of three months and returned home.
In the fall of the year '81 (he believes but cannot exactly recollect), he volunteered for three months under Colonel Millar Major Gray and Captain McDaniel. He states that these forces were raised by order of General McDowell [Charles McDowell] of North Carolina to go against the Indians. He states that he marched under said officers over the Blue Ridge and attacked the towns of that part of the nation which resided or stayed in North Carolina over the Ridge from Holston but all were on the waters of the Tennessee River. He stated that he was here in what was called Millar's engagement – which was a severe Indian battle. He states that one of their captains (Lewis Musick) was here killed. The Indians were defeated. Their villages destroyed with their corn etc. he served out his time and returned home.
He next volunteered as an Indian spy for the time of three months under Colonel Vance Major Singleton and Captain Smith. He marched under said officers and was placed at one of the stations on New pond Creek from which place he went to and fro through the country in scouting parties who acted as spies on the Indians still returning for orders and provisions to the stations he served out his time of three months and returned home which was his last tour of service and he believes all his service with the exception of one month he served at Ashley station on the frontier of Virginia between the white settlements and Indians. He served under Captain Ashley. The time was previous to his engagement with Colonel Millar in the year '81.
He states that he has no written discharges nor is he certain that he ever received any. Nor has he any documentary evidence of his services nor does he know of any evidence better than he here gives as the last witness to him that he could have procured has lately died. He does not know exactly how old he is but believes he was 16 or 17 when he first went against the Indians in '76. He states that he moved to Kentucky about 36 years ago where he has resided ever since.
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 whatever.
S/ Jesse Henson
Inscription
Pvt Virginia Continental Line
Gravesite Details
Revolutionary War Soldier, Husband of Mary (Polly) Goodbread. Mary is buried beside Jesse.
