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Facts and Events
Christopher Horn was one of the Early Settlers of Augusta County, Virginia
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Advisory
Some researchers have stated that Christopher Horn was born in Augusta County, Virginia in 1752, but this is in error as his family had clearly migrated from Maryland to Virginia after the birth of Christopher's younger brother William Horn, who was born in Maryland in 1765. The family had migrated to Washington County, Virginia by 1778, as stated by Christopher's brother Aaron Horn in his Revolutionary War Service Declaration. Christopher's brother Mathias Horn also stated that he entered military service in 1778 while living on the Holston River in Virginia. It should also be noted that there are no records whatsoever in Chalkley's transcriptions of Augusta County, Virginia of this family acquiring land or listed in any court or land records, indicating that the family had more likely migrated to neighboring Washington County, Virginia on the Holston River.
Christopher Horn acquired land on Smiths Creek in 1780, an area that had become Rockingham County, Virginia in 1778 [formed from part of Augusta County]. Within a few years, he had migrated to Kentucky with the rest of his family, as proven by their records.
Early Land Acquisition in Virginia
Land Grant Surveys in Virginia:
- Page 0-10: Christopher Horn, 280 acres, Dry Fork of Smiths Creek. Adjoining Townsend Meadows, Reuben Harrison. [prob. 25 April 1780*] [Abstract of Land Grant Surveys, 1761-1791, Augusta & Rockingham Counties, Virginia, by Peter Cline Kaylor, pg. 99-100]. [* - Note: this Land Grant is not dated, but the adjoining records are both dated April 25, 1780].
- Page 0-10: Christopher Horn, 400 acres, Dry Fork of Smiths Creek. Adjoining Woolfs. April 14, 1780. [Abstract of Land Grant Surveys, 1761-1791, Augusta & Rockingham Counties, Virginia, by Peter Cline Kaylor, pg. 100].
Military Service
- American Revolutionary War Veteran
Revolutionary War Pension Information
Information from “Virginia/West Virginia Genealogical Data from Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty Land Warrant Records”, Vol. 2, compiled by Patrick G. Wardell, Lt. Col. U.S. Army Ret. :
Horn, Christopher - entered service 1775 in Staunton, [Augusta County], Virginia; granted Pension 1823 in Knox County, Kentucky at age 71; died 3/9/1837; married 1817 to Elizabeth _______, Knox County, Kentucky; widow granted Pension 1853 in Barbourvile, Kentucky; [widow] born 4/12/1781; several children mentioned but not named; granted Bounty Land Warrant #34931 in Knox County, Kentucky, 1855; query letter in file in 1922 from descendant Mrs. W.H. Lycan, Charleston, Illinois, states soldier's nickname was "Kitt". F-W664, R1327.
Will Abstract
- Will of Christopher Horn
- Named his wife "Betsy" sole executor and all of his estate was left to her for her support and the support of their three children, Isaac Stewart, Thomas and Abraham.
References
- ↑ .
- Parman, David. Settlements to communities by Ancestors in 18th and 19th Century America Parmans, Brocks, Chadwell's and Gregorys.
1802 - Lawsuit in Madison County, Kentucky:
The law suit was filed against Christopher Horn, Sr. by his mother Elizabeth. She filed the suit against him in the Madison County, Kentucky, court on August 26, 1802. Parman noted, "There had been quite a family up[heaval] because Christopher's siblings accused him of intimidating his mother into deeding most of his late father's land to him". Elizabeth claimed in her suit the her son, Christopher Horn, Sr. threatened to sue her if she did not give him half the acreage (200 of 400 acres). By that time Christopher had sold the land to Jesse Noland so he was also named a defendant. Christopher Horn's defense was that he was the oldest and under the European custom of primogeniture, the first born was to inherit a double-portion. David Parman comments in his book, "Around the time that he pressured his mother to deed land to him, he may have been frustrated because he was not given any land for his service under George Rogers Clark." The case lasted from September 1802 until February 1803. There were several depositions given by friends, neighbors and Christopher's brothers, Matthew and William. By June 7, 1803, the case was settled and Elizabeth Horn won her case. The current owner of the 200 acres, Benjamin Estill, had to return the land to Mrs. Horn and Christopher Horn had to pay her court costs in the suit.
- Graves, William T. Southern Campaign Revolutionary War Pension Statements & Rosters.
Pension application of Christopher Horn1 W664 Elizabeth Horn f42VA
Transcribed by Will Graves 4/25/14
[p 14]
State of Kentucky Sct.
Knox County Court, December Term 1823
On this 8th day of December 1823, personally appeared in Open Court (being) a Court of record by the Laws of Kentucky, having power to fine and imprison being the County Court of Knox, Christopher Horn, resident in said County aged seventy-one years, who being first duly sworn according to law, doth on his oath make the following Declaration in order to obtain the provision made by the acts of Congress of the 18th March 1818, the 1st May 1820 and the 1st March 1823. That he the said Christopher Horn, enlisted in Staunton in Virginia in 1775 for two years in Captain John Hays Company in the ninth Virginia Regiment commanded by Colonel George Mathews, that he served nearly two years in said Regiment was at the Battle of German Town [Germantown, October 4, 1777] they were all cut to pieces and scattered, when he again enlisted at the Valley Forge, for three years in the first Regiment of Light Dragoons commanded by Captain Spotswood Dandridge of the third troop in the First Regiment commanded by Colonel Frederick Bland [Theodorick Bland], that he served in said Regiment until 1780 in January, he was discharged in Halifax Town in North Carolina, that he was at the Battles of Savannah [probably the Siege of Savannah, September 16-October 18, 1779], Bryar Creek [Briar Creek, March 3, 1779], Charles Town [probably a reference to the actions in defense of Charleston from the attempted invasion by forces under the command of Augustine Prevost in 1779] and many other small engagements not now recollected, that during all his service aforesaid he belonged to the line of the state of Virginia on the Continental establishment, that he lost his discharge. And I do solemnly swear that I was a resident Citizen of the United States on the 18th day of March 1818 and that I have not since that time by gift, sale or in any manner whatever disposed of my property or any part thereof with intent thereby so to diminish it as to bring myself within the provision of an act of Congress entitled “an act to provide for certain persons engaged in the land and naval service of the United States in the revolutionary war” passed on the 18th day of March 1818, and that I have not nor has any person in trust for me any property, or securities, contracts or debts due to me nor have I any income other than what is contained in the schedule hereto annexed to wit
1 Sorrell Mare worth $25.00
1 Small Sow Shoat worth 1.24
100 acres of land very poor and in dispute at 165.00
$191.25
S/ Christopher Horn
My Family consists of a wife and 3 children, my children are young. I am by pursuit a Farmer and I owe more money than my property would sell for in cash, and I stand in need of the assistance of my property [sic] for support.
S/ Christopher Horn
[pp 25-27: certificate signed by a large number of alleged residents of Knox County Kentucky attesting to the character and reputation of the veteran as a revolutionary war soldier.]
[p 5: On May 23, 1853 in Knox County Kentucky, Elizabeth Horn, 72, made application for a widow's pension under the 1853 act stating that she is the widow of Christopher Horn, I revolutionary war pensioner; that her husband died in Knox County Kentucky March 9, 1837; that she was married to him in Knox County Kentucky in the month of December 1817 by the Reverend Blackgrove Hopper; that she remains a widow.]
(Signed) Elizabeth Horn
[p 10: On April 28, 1855, in Knox County Kentucky, the widow, giving her age as 74, applied for her bounty land entitlement. This document she signed using her mark.]
[Veteran was pensioned at the rate of $8 per month commencing December 8th, 1823, for service as a private for 3 years in the Virginia Continental line. His widow was pensioned at the rate of $96 per annum commencing February 3rd, 1853.]
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1 BLWt34931-160-55
http://revwarapps.org/w664.pdf
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