W377 Tidence Lane Silver
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Southern Campaign American Revolution Pension Statements & Rosters
Pension application of Tidence Lane W377 Mary fn53NC
Transcribed by Will Graves 4/1/10
[Methodology: Spelling, punctuation and/or grammar have been corrected in some instances for
ease of reading and to facilitate searches of the database. Also, the handwriting of the original
scribes often lends itself to varying interpretations. Users of this database are urged to view the
original and to make their own decision as to how to decipher what the original scribe actually
wrote. Blanks appearing in the transcripts reflect blanks in the original. Folks are free to make
non-commercial use this transcript in any manner they may see fit, but please extend the courtesy
of acknowledging the transcriber—besides, if it turns out the transcript contains mistakes, the
resulting embarrassment will fall on the transcriber.]
State of Tennessee Jefferson County
On this 3rd day of September personally appeared before me Robert McFarlane Jr a
justice of the peace for the County of Jefferson Tidence Lane a resident of Jefferson County, and
State of Tennessee, aged seventy 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 passed June 7th,
1832.
That the Declarant Tidence Lane was born in Randolph County, North Carolina on the
waters of Deep River, in the year 1763. At the age of 18 years he removed with his father to the
mouth of Boon's Creek on the Watauga River, in Washington County, then a part of North
Carolina now one of the counties of East Tennessee. In the year of his removal, 1781, in the
winter of said year, early in February, he was drafted, at the house of Captain Elijah Witt, near
the Buffalo Ridge, by Captain Elijah Witt to march in an expedition against the Cherokees on the
Tennessee. Our rendezvous was at an old field on Watauga River. Colonel Sevier took the
command of the men at the old field, where we remained about 2 weeks, when we returned home
and made preparations for the expedition, and in a few days repaired to the place of rendezvous
on Camp Creek, where we remained 2 weeks, waiting for the collection of the man. Colonel
Sevier commanded the expedition. Colonel Robertson and Major Wharton were the regimental
officers. From Camp Creek we marched across the Bald Mountain and encamped the first night
on a little Creek on the other side of the mountain. The three succeeding days we spent in
marching to the River French Broad, which we swam, those of us who crossed, where we first
struck the River -- the balance of the Company marched higher up the River and forded. That
night we encamped on the other side of French Broad; thence we marched on crossing Pigeon
River, to the Tennessee, and in 3 or 4 days reached the middle Settlements of the Cherokee
Nation. When we got within a mile of the Settlements, our men were divided. There were one
hundred forty-four men in the expedition. Colonel Sevier attempted to cross the mountain with
one part of the man, and Colonel Robertson took the road around the mountain with the balance.
When Colonel Sevier, in whose division, Declarant was, reached the top of the mountain, he
found it extremely difficult, on account of its steepness and the rocks, to get down, and therefore
returned and took the road. We soon overtook the other division, and entered the Indian towns
together. The Indians retreated before us, and deserted their towns. A small force 15 or 20 men,
who were on foot, was left at the first town. We marched through all the towns in the middle
settlements and after burning the towns 10 or 12 in number, we returned back to the town, which
we first entered. We there found that the Indians had taken the cattle that we had gathered there
before we left -- and one of the men, Jess Terry, was shot in the thigh by the Indians. When we
got to the town, first entered, the Indians from the surrounding hills fired upon us. We returned
their fire. That night the Indians fired on our encampment. One of our men was slightly wounded
and a horse killed. The next day we started for home. On our return, we divided, some taking a
new route -- the others keeping the old track, by which we had marched down. We got to our
homes and were discharged at Jonesborough late in the month of May -- after a tour of 3 months
-- The Declarant received his discharge from Captain Elijah Witt -- in whose company he was.
Declarant does not recollect the names of the other officers if there were any: -- but believes that
there were none. We were all mounted and declarant believes that we had no lieutenants or
Ensign or sergeants. The Declarant gave his discharge to his Captain who took it to the officer or
committee, appointed by the Legislature of North Carolina to adjust the claims for militia
service, and received from him or them a certificate of his being entitled to pay for a tour of 3
months, which certificate is Declarant sold to one of the merchants of Jonesborough for 4 or $5.
The fall of 1782, in the first of September, the Declarant was again drafted at the house of
Elijah Witt, the muster ground of the Company, by Captain Thomas Hardiman; lieutenants,
Ensign and sergeants, if any, are not recollected. We were mounted men. Our place of
rendezvous was at Evan's ferry on French Broad River. Colonel John Sevier again commanded
us; the other officers are not recollected. There were 6 or 700 men on this expedition. We crossed
French Broad at Evan's ferry; thence on an Indian trace to the Chota Ford on the Tennessee River
-- thence to the Tellico plains. At the Tellico plains, we fired on the Indians and pursued them
through the plains -- killed several and burnt the towns. Then crossed the Tellico marched to the
Hiwassee and burnt a town there; then marched up the River and crossed it -- thence to the Coosa
River, where we burnt several towns; here we remained several days. We kept down the Coosa,
crossing and recrossing it repeatedly, burnt several towns on the Coosa, went down the Coosa to
the Big Swamp Spring. We remained for some time on the Coosa River, burning the towns and
pursuing the Indians -- killing some and taking some prisoners. We then returned nearer the
mountain. One part of the men attempted to return through the mountains and got lost. Major
George Russell piloted them to the old trace. The declarant belonged to the division, which
returned by the old trace, after they struck the Hiwassee River. The Declarant was discharged by
Captain Hardiman at Jonesborough, and disposed of his discharge in the same way, as before --
receiving a certificate for 3 months pay, which he sold for a trifle -- the State not being been able
to redeem them with silver, and the paper paid by it being greatly depreciated. This declarant
served the 2 tours above mentioned -- in the year 1781 and 1782 -- each tour being one of 3
months -- making a service of 6 months during the revolution. The Declarant was in General
Martin's campaign in 1786 -- and was in the battle at the lookout Mountain under that officer --
in which battle his Captain John Hardin was killed. The Declarant was afterwards in General
Dougherty's Campaign in 1791. For these two last tours he does not claim a pension, the act of
June 7th not providing for the services rendered in them. The declarant removed to the mouth of
Boone's Creek on the Watauga in 1781 and remained in Washington County 5 years -- he then
removed to Greene County, that part of it which now forms Jefferson, where he now lives on the
waters of Bent Creek and where he has lived for forty-seven years. The Declarant has no
documentary evidence of his services, and knows of no person, whose testimony he can procure,
who can testify to his service in the Revolution. 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.
Question 1st Where and in what year were you born?
Answer 1st: I was born in Randolph County North Carolina, on the waters of Deep River,
in the year of our Lord 1763 12th day of May.
Question 2nd Have you any record of your age and if so where is it?
Answer 2nd I have a record of my age in my Bible at my house.
Question 3rd Where were you living when called into service: where have you lived since the
Revolutionary War and where do you now live?
Answer 3rd: When called into service, I was living at the mouth of Boone's Creek, on
Watauga River, in Washington County. Since the revolutionary War, I have lived in Washington
County and in Jefferson County to where I now live
Question 4th How were you called into service; were you drafted; did you volunteer or were you
a substitute, and if in substitute, for whom?
Answer 4th. In the two tours, in which I was engaged during the Revolution, I was
drafted.
Question 5th State the names of some of the regular officers who were with the troops when you
served, such Continental and militia regiments as you can recollect and the general
circumstances of your service.
Answer 5th. There were no regular officers with the troops where I served. The general
circumstances of my service are detailed in my declaration. The first expedition in which I was
engaged, numbered 144 mounted men, under the command of Colonel John Sevier -- against the
Cherokee Indians. The 2nd expedition, numbered 6 or 700 men under the same officer, against
the Cherokee Indians. There were 2 other expeditions mentioned in my declaration, which did
not take place during the Revolution and are not provided for by the present law.
Question 6th Did you ever receive a discharge from the service, and if so, by whom was it given
and what has become of it?
Answer 6th. I received a discharge at the end of each of the tours. I served during the
revolution. They were given by my captains Captain Witt and Captain Hardiman and were
returned to them by me and they procured certificates for the payment for the tours, which I got
and sold for a trifle.
Question 7th State the names of persons to whom you are known in your present neighborhood
and who can testify as to your character for veracity and their belief in your services as a soldier
in the revolution.
Answer 7th. I would refer to the Reverend Pleasant A. Witt, Captain John Riddle,
Archibald Austin who can be examined and will testify as required by the War Department.
Sworn & subscribed to before me
S/ Robert McFarland, JP S/ Tidence Lane
[Pleasant A. Witt, a clergyman, John Riddle & Archibald Austin gave the standard supporting
affidavit.]
[fn p. 19: on January 20, 1844 in Jefferson County Tennessee, Mary Lane, 77, filed for a widow's
pension under the 1838 act stating that she is the widow of Tidence Lane, a pensioner of the
United States for his services in the revolution; that she married him on October 23, 1783; that
her husband died January 25, 1841.]
[fn p. 16 family record]
Lydia Lane was born the 6th of January 1786
Isaac Lane was born the 8th of August 1788
Nancy Lane born the 24th day of July 1791
Esther Lang was born the 6th day of November 1793
John Lane was born the 4th day of June 1796
Noah Lane was born the 18th day of October 1798
Mary Lane was born the 20th day of November 1800
Right Lane was born the 7th of June 1803
James Madison Lane was born the 3rd day of November 1805
[Veteran was pensioned at the rate of $20 per annum for 6 months service in the revolution under
Colonel Sevier.]
