Pvt. John Hale

FAMILY TREE

John was born in 1853 or 1854 in Bedford, Virginia. He states in his pension application that he is unsure of which year and has no documentation. His discharge papers were lost in a fire in Blount Co. in 1803.

Revolutionary War Service:

From Some Tennessee Heroes of the Revolution by Zella Amstrong:
"He enlisted in Bedford Co., Va. in 1776. He Volunteered in Capt. Harry Bluford's Co., Lieut. John Frields, and ensign Abram Sharp. They marched to the Cherokee Country and were in the battle of Long Island. He was discharged and returned home. He went to school and re-enlisted in the fall of 1777 for three months under Colonel Quarter and Capt. Watkins, followed by six months under Col. Crocket. He then served under Col. Campbell and Capt. Morgan for a total of eleven month in 1780. He had 24 months service in all. His discharge was burned in Blount Co. in 1803."

John's location over the years is described in his pension application. After the war he moved to Wythe, Virginia, but was there only a few months. He moved to Green County, Tennessee for about two years, and then to Washington County for nearly ten years, then to Blount County, Tennessee for about ten years, and finally to Bledsoe County where he states he has lived over twenty years. The pension application was made in 1833, so he must have been in Bledsoe before 1813. Tax records confirm his presence Blount county in 1800 and 1805. An 1815 census substitute confirms his presence in Bledsoe in 1815.

John is said to have married Mary Willis giving their birthdates as 1750. Three children are generally named for John and Mary:

John Hale, 1786-1870
Thomas Hale, 1790-1880
Isham Hale, 1800-1870

Other children are attributed to John, and the gaps between the births of these three make it seem likely. The three named above, plus the following two have all been confirmed through DNA matches.

Hanna Hale, 1776-1855
Rhoda Hale, 1782-1830

John passed away about 1843 in Bledsoe County, but his death is usually given as March 4, 1838. Though his actual burial site is not known, there is a veteran's memorial marker, with the 1838 date, that was placed in the Pendergrass Cemetery in Bledsoe County.

However, the 1838 date is apparently in error. John appears in the 1840 Federal Census for Bledsoe County, as well as the 1840 census of Revoltionary pensioners - his age given as 86. A Revolutionary war pensioners ledger for East Tennessee shows John Hale's payments continuing through 1842. Also, a Bledsoe County court record index lists probate and inventory of the estate of John Hale in April of 1843 with his son, Isham Hale as administrator. So the date of John's death appears to be 1842-1843.