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Facts and Events
John Night was one of the Early Settlers of Augusta County, Virginia
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About John Night
John Night was born 1763 in the area of Augusta County, Virginia that became Greenbrier County in 1777. According to his Revolutionary War Pension Application file, he was raised by Moses Man of Botetourt County, Virginia, likely indicating that John's father likely died in the area, perhaps as a result of the Indian unrest during that time period of the French & Indian War. Additional research is necessary to determine his parentage.
It is possible that John Night MAY have been related [possible siblings?] to Bailey Knight and James Knight, both contemporaries that had records in Botetourt and Greenbrier Counties.
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. 4, compiled by Patrick G. Wardell, Lt. Col. U.S. Army Ret. :
Night, John - entered service 1780 in Greenbrier County, Virginia, as indian spy, where [he was] born in 1763*; resided after Revolutionary War in Nicholas County, Virginia, where he applied for Pension in 1833; affidavit then there made by John Frame & Israel Brown; Samuel Price then was County Court Clerk there & John Brown County Justice of the Peace; affidavit in 1835 by Spencer Hill Nicholas said he knew soldier since infant, soldier raised by Moses Man of Botetourt County, Virginia, & soldier was not over age 55 in 1835; affidavit then there by Benjamin Lemasters, Joseph McNut & Benjamin Rader - soldier too young to have had Revolutionary War service; soldier's Pension Application was rejected. F-R7672, R1821.
- Note: Greenbrier County, Virginia was formed in 1777 from part of Montgomery County, which was formed from part of Botetourt County in 1776, which was formed from part of Augusta County in 1769. As such, John Night being born in 1763 would have been born in the portion of Augusta County that later became Greenbrier County, [West] Virginia.
References
- Graves, William T. Southern Campaign Revolutionary War Pension Statements & Rosters.
Pension application of John Night R7672 f13VA
Transcribed by Will Graves 1/18/13
State of Virginia Nicholas County: SS
On this 7 day of October 1833 personally appeared before me the Subscriber a Justice of the Peace in and for the said County of Nicholas and State of Virginia John Night a resident of the County aforesaid aged 70 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 that in the year 1780 in the month of March declarant thinks about 2nd day he volunteered his services for nine months as an Indian Spye [spy] in the County of Greenbrier and State of Virginia and was placed under the command of Captain Moses Mann Ensign James Van Bebben and was marched to the Great kanhawa [Kanawha] River thence to the mouth of the said River thence up the Ohio River to Bellville Station where declarant was stationed.
Declarant was engaged in spying the frontiers of Virginia bordering on the Ohio River from Bellville up to the mouth of Little kanhawa a distance of about 18 miles by land and much further by water and from Bellville near the mouth of Lee Creek a small branch of the Ohio River on the Virginia side of said River to the mouth of the great kanhawa River where Point Pleasant now stands declarant was engaged in guarding said Station and spying until the expiration of the time for which he had volunteered declarant was then discharged by his Captain Moses Mann at Bellville Station aforesaid having served 9 months a private soldier and Indian Spy – declarant then returned to his home in Greenbrier County Virginia – declarant states that he has no documentary evidence of his services he hereby relinquishes every claim 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.
Subscribed and sworn to the day and year aforesaid
S/ John Night, X his mark
To the several interrogatories prescribed by the war Department declarant answers as follows:
1. I was born in the County of Greenbrier State of Virginia in the year 1763.
2. He has no record of his age he has the recollection of his parents who told him the year he was born.
3. When called into service I was living in the County of Greenbrier State of Virginia since the revolutionary war I have lived in the County of Nicholas where I now reside.
4. I volunteered my services and served as such for 9 months.
5. In consequence of the [indecipherable word] range of my service I saw and became
acquainted with but very few officers and regiments but I saw and became acquainted [with] Colonel Donley of Greenbrier County Virginia Major Grimes of the same place and Major Hamilton – if I was attached to any Regiment I do not now recollect.
6. I was discharged by the officer under whom I served but all my discharges are all lost or mislaid.
7. I am known to John Fraim and Israel Brown who can testify to my age my character and as to their belief of my having been a soldier of the revolution.
Sworn to and subscribed the day and year aforesaid
S/ John Night, [His X Mark]
[John Frame and Israel Brown gave the standard supporting affidavit.]
[f p. 9]
Winchester June 18, 1841
Dear Sir
In looking over my papers today I came across the accompanying declaration of Jacob
Chapman & John Night – as no proceedings were had in these cases, I think proper that they should be returned to the Pension Office.
Very respectfully
Yr hmbl sr
W. G. Singleton
[f p. 13]
John Night – Applicant
Spencer Heleg Nicholas aged 73 says he has known John Night from Infant – that Night
was raised by Moses Man of Botetourt County – and that he is not exceeding 55 years old – Mrs. Hill, Joseph McNut, Benjamin Rader [?], & Benj. Lemasters all concur in saying that Night does not exceed 55 years old – also a they have known him for many years – there Statements may be relied upon.
A copy
W. G. Singleton
Jany 13, 1835
[Note: For an excellent analysis of the fraud investigation carried on by W. G. Singleton, see Leon Harris' transcript S6111 David W. Sleeth in this database.]
http://revwarapps.org/r7672.pdf
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