Person:Joseph Knox (12)

State of Tennessee, Rutherford County - County Court August Term 1832
On this day personally appeared in open Court before Henry Trott, James C Mitchell and
Varner D. Cowen Esquires presiding members of the Court of Quorum for Said County of
Rutherford; Joseph Knox a resident of said County of Rutherford and State of Tennessee aged
eighty five years who being first duly sworn according to law, doth, on his Oath making the
following declaration, in order to obtain the benefit of the Act of Congress passed 7th June 1832-
--
That he entered the service of the United States as a private soldier in the Militia
company commanded by Capt James Crawford; and as one of the drafted militia, James
[Hebits?] was the Lieut. and served more than twelve months; and he served two full Tours of
three months each under Capt Crawford. Independent of the Service above stated he was
engaged sometime, more than Two Months in the foraging party procuring Beef Cattle for the
Army. The part on this duty was headed or commanded by Capt William McAdoo, having with
him besides the declarator, William Wallace, William Gracy ______Ellison and others not now
recollected. He cannot recollect the month or year that he entered the service; having lost his
discharge, he has no record or document in his possession to aid his memory on this point.
During the time that he was in service, he recollects, that Capt George Davidson, John
Armstrong, and William Knox, (who were of the regular Army) was on duty at the same time
and place with him. He was a Citizen of Rowan County State of North Carolina at the time he
entered the service; and the Troops were Commanded by Genl Rutherford [Griffith Rutherford],
Hugh Brevard was the Col Commandant; and Col Mathew or Frank Locke [Francis Locke], had
a command -- but which is not recollected. He was in no battle; but was in less than a mile of the
battle at Cowens Ford [Cowan's Ford, February one, 1781] on the Catawba, where Genl
Davidson [William Lee Davidson] was killed. He was drawn up, on one or more occasions,
when under the command of Capt James Hall to engage the Tories -- The Tories were headed by
one Breant or Brianz [probably Samuel Bryan]. He was with Capt James Crawford on duty in
the County of Lincoln North Carolina a few days before the battle of Ramsours Mill [Ramseur's
Mill or Ramsour's Mill, June 20, 1780].

[Note in right margin:] * He served under Capt Falls [Gilbreath Falls], who was killed at
Ramsours Mill, six or eight months in Rowan and Lincoln County in pursuit of the Tories which
was before the battle of Ramsours Mill.

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.
Sworn to and subscribed this 22nd day of August in open Court 1832
Joseph (his X mark) Knox

[depositions of Samuel Fleming S1952, Henry Trott, John Witherspoon follow]

Interrogatories propounded by the Court to the applicant Joseph Knox

Question 1: Where and in what year were you born?
Answer: He was born at Lancaster County, Pennsylvania -- he is eighty five or eighty six years
of age -- but what year he was born he knows not

Question 2: Have you any record of your age; and if so where is it?
Answer: I have no record of my age --

Question 3: Where were you living when called into service; where have you lived since the
Revolutionary war; and where do you now live?
Answer: Rowan County North Carolina and I lived in Iredell County some years afterwards, and
then moved to Tennessee Rutherford County where I now live

Question 4: How were you called into service; were you drafted, did you volunteer, or were you
a substitute? And if a substitute, for whom?
Answer: Drafted

Question 5: State the names of some of the regular troops and officers with them when you
served, such continental and Militia regiments as you can recollect, and the general
circumstances of your service?
Answer: Genl Davidson, Capt George Davidson, William Knox, John Armstrong -- I do not
recollect any continental or Militia Regiments on duty while I was in service. I was drafted and
placed in the company of Capt James Crawford and served eight months under Capt Falls -- in
pursuit of the Tories in Rowan & Lincoln County North Carolina.

Question 6: Did you ever receive a discharge from the service; and if so by whom was it given,
and what has become of it?
Answer: I think I received a discharge but have lost them

Question 7: State the names of persons to whom you are known to your present neighbourhood;
and who can testify to your character, your veracity, and their belief of your service as a soldier
in the revolution?
Answer: William Doran, Quent [possibly, Jacob?]Wright, David McKnight, James McKnight,
Alexander McKnight, Martin McKnight, William McKnight, Enos McKnight, Charles Reedy
Syr,[Sr?] , Jesse Alexander

And the said Court do hereby declare their opinions, after the investigation of the matter,
and after putting the interrogatories prescribed by the war department, that the above applicant
was a revolutionary war soldier, and served as he states. And the Court further certifies, that the
said Jesse Alexander who has signed the foregoing certificate, is a clergyman resident in the
neighbourhood of said Knox and that John Witherspoon who has also signed the same is a
Justice of the Peace in the same neighbourhood in the County of Rutherford and that both are
credible persons, and that their statesments are entitled to credit -- And we further certify that
Samuel Fleming, whose statement upon oath and subscribed by him, whether is a man of truth
and full credit should be given him.

Given under our hands, setters as a Court this day and year aforesaid
Jesse Alexander has informed us that he is sick and cannot attend in Court to day
S/ H. Trott
S/J. C. Mitchell
S/ V. D. Cowan
State of Tennessee

Personally appeared before me, the undersigned, a Justice of the Peace for the County
and State aforesaid Joseph Knox, who being duly sworn, deposeth and saith, that, by reason of
old age, and the consequent loss of memory, he cannot swear positively as to the present length
of his service, but according to the best of his recollection he served not less than the periods
mentioned below and in the following grades -- Under Captain James Crawford Two Tours of
three months each as a private soldier -- He served Two Months under Capt William McAdoo on
a Foreaging party as a priviate soldier -- For six months under Capt Falls in pursuit of Tories in
Rowan and Lincoln County North Carolina as a private -- In this service he was on constant duty
-- making Fourteen Months, that he was on duty, and for such Service I claim a Pension
S/Joseph Knox

Subscribed and sworn to before
me this 12th day of April 1834
S/John Witherspoon Justice of the Peace

-----

July 8, 1931
Mrs. Olive P. Harris Rev. & 1812 Wars Section
53 Prospect Street EEL
Stamford, Connecticut

Dear Madam:
You are advised that it appears from the papers in the Revolutionary War pension claim,
S.4480, that Joseph Knox was born in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania. The date of his birth and
the names of his parents are not given.
While living in Rowan County, North Carolina, he enlisted, date not given, and served at
various times on short tours, about fourteen months in all, as a private under Captains James
Crawford, William McAdoo, James Hall and Falls and Colonel Hugh Brevard, in the North
Carolina Troops. He stated that he was in no battle but was within less than a mile of Cowan's
Ford on the Catawba River when General Davidson was killed.
After the Revolution, he resided in Iredell County, North Carolina, and then moved to
Rutherford County Tennessee.
He was allowed pension on his application executed August 22, 1832, at which time he
was aged about eighty-five years and resided in Rutherford County, Tennessee.
He died August 31, 1836.
There are no data as to his family.
Very truly yours
A. D. Hiller
Assistant to Administrator.


[This is a listing of the original loose wills found at the County Archives.]

Knox, Joseph
Date Written: Mar. 9, 1834
Date Filed: Aug. term 1835

Report from the Secretary of War in obedience to resolutions of the Senate of the 5th and 30th of June, 1834 and the 3rd of March, 1835 in relation to the pension establishment of the United States

Joseph Knox
Rutherford County
Private
North Carolina line
$46.66 annual allowance
$139.98 amount received
April 6, 1834 pension started
Age 86

JOSEPH KNOX, son of John Knox, emigrant, and wife, Jean Gracy Knox, was born in Rowan county, N. C. [Lancaster, PA, by his pension deposition] ; married a Miss Allison. His name is mentioned in his mother's will, which is copied near the beginning of this sketch. One of his grandsons, Mr. Benjamin F. Knox, of Milton, Tenn., informs us that this Joseph Knox, his grandfather, was in the Revolutionary War. About the year 1806 he and family, with others of the Knox connection, moved from North Carolina to Middle Tennessee. He settled in Wilson county ; others of same party located in Rutherford county. According to the record gotten up by Rev. James Knox, over fifty-five years ago, Joseph Knox had five sons and two daughters, namely,
1 John,
2 Thomas,
3 Delia,
4 Mary,
5 Squire,
6 Joseph, and
7 Benjamin.

Have not yet found the descendants of any but John and Benjamin. We learn from the descendants of Benjamin that there was a half brother, Samuel, whose name will be mentioned later.

We had not been able to obtain any information regarding this Joseph branch, or to add a single name to the seven children given above, until the summer of 1897, when the six Knox brothers, sons of Dr. Absalom Knox, on the John branch, saw a copy of the Knox Tree we had on exhibition at the Nashville Exposition; found that they too belonged on it, and soon sent in a number of names to be added, also ordered copies of the family Tree.
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