Captain Thomas Gourley

I am starting to believe that all the Gourleys started with John Gourley who was born about 1725 in Belfast, County Antrium, Ireland.

He had 6 Sons and I think only 3 or 4 came to America with him. His sons were:

Hugh Gourley James Gourley Robert Gourley Arthur Gourley John Gourley Thomas Gourley

With Thomas being the most famous.

The names are used over and over again in the family therefore I can see where the Clarence Herbert Gourley born in 1856 may be related to my grandfather by the same name born in 1908.

Steve

Our ancestor, Thomas Gourley, was born in Belfast, Ireland in 1752, and his family originally lived in Scotland. They were Protestants but whether they left Scotland for religious reasons, because of the law of primogeniture, or because they hoped to widen the scope of opportunities, I don't know. It is possible that it was a combination of all three.

Thomas Gourley came to Lancaster, PA in 1768 at the age of 16. Gourley's listed in Lancaster in that year were Thomas, John, Samuel and Robert Gourley. Our Thomas Gourley named sons each of these names, so we can be fairly certain that they were all relatives. John Gourley left PA for SC shortly afterwards and had sons named William and Robert. Our Thomas died in 1796 at Camden, SC where John and his family settled. So we can be fairly certain that this John was either the father, brother, or uncle of our Thomas.

After Thomas arrived in PA in 1768, he joined the Maryland Rangers and stayed in that unit for two years. In 1770, he came back to Lancaster, PA and then moved to York, PA. In 1772, at the age of 20, he married Martha McNeeley in Lancaster, PA. The McNeeleys were Irish immigrants.

I don't know how Thomas earned a living from 1770-1776. After serving two years in the Maryland Rangers. he returned to PA. Sometimes between 1772-1776, he moved to York, PA and in March 1776, he enlisted in the Continental Army. Evidently in his services with the Maryland Rangers he had moved up in rank and his military evperiences had paid off. He enlisted with the rank of Second Lieutenant and moved up rapidly.

From Pennsylvania Archives, Series III,Volume II, P. 254

Thomas Gourley- Colonel Samuel Miles, Pennsylvania Rife Regiment

Appointed 2nd Lt. 3-16-1776

Promoted 1st Lt. 12-6-1776

Promoted Capt. 5-3-1777- 9th Pennsylvania Dragoons, commanded both Marshall and Colonial Bachman. Thomas Gourley fought at the famous Battle of King's Mountain and according to K. White, The King's Mountain Men, were in the same combat unit as John Sevier.

Thomas was discharged at Yorktown in 1781. He chose to take his alloted acres in what is now Carter County, Tennessee. His land was located in the Watauga Settlement and he had John Seiver and John Tipton as neighbors. Alog cabin was erected and sometime between 1781-1783, his wife, Martha and their two sons, Charles M.D. and William joined him there.

CHILDREN of Thomas and Martha McNeeley Gourley

1. William Gourley b. 3-14-1775 PA; d. 7-1-1860 Carter Co, TN. m. Elizabeth Scholtz.

2. Charles McDonnell Gourley b 1779 PA d. 1849 Carter Co, TN. m. Nancy Mary Morgan

3. James Gourley b 2-10-1782 PA. d 8-21-1848 Carter CO, TN. m. Mary Patton

4. Edward Gourley b 1785 TN d 1855 m. Jane Robinson

5. Robert Gourley b.1785 TN. d about 1860. m. Elizabeth Patton

6. Mary Gourley b 1-16-1787 TN. d. 10-29-1961 Carter Co, TN. m. William Rogers

7. Martha Gourley b 1788 TN. d. 1816 Lancaster, PA

8. Sarah Gourley b. 1790 d before 1855 m. a __McNeal

9. John Gourley b. 1790 d. before 1855 m. Jennie Patton Farnsworth (sister to Mary Patton #3)

10. Thomas Gourley Jr. b 1791 TN. d.1880 TN. m. Sussanah Simerly

11. Samuel Gourley b 1792 TN. d after 1855. m. Dorothy Wiseman

Information obtained from book Gourley Generations by Sam and Beverly Gourley published in 1992 in Cunningham, Kentuckey

DAR

GOORLEY, THOMAS Ancestor #: A045944 Service: PENNSYLVANIA Rank: CAPTAIN Birth: 1752 IRELAND Death: 1796 SOUTH CAROLINA Service Description: 1) ALSO LT 2) CAPT JOHN MARSHALL, COLS NAGLE, MILES

A Revolutionary War Soldier. Served with Rangers in Western Maryland. Enlisted 1776 in Continental Army. Capt. 1778 in 9th PA Dragoons under Col. Beckman. In Pennsylvania who was discharged in Yorktown in 1781. Thomas and Martha had 10 children. Their son, William had 11 children, son John had 10 children, and son Thomas had 10 children. Thomas was an early settler of the Watauga in Tennessee. He was a Clerk of Court. He came to Lancaster, Pa. in 1768 at the age of 16 & joined the Maryland Rangers (stayed for 2 yrs,) In 1772, at age 20, he married Martha Hannah MeNeeley in Lanscaster, Pa. He fought at the famous Battle of King's Mountain in the same combat unit as John sevier. He was discharged from this unit at Yorktown in 1781 & chose to take his alloted acres in what is now Carter Co.,Tn. This land was located in the Watauga Settlement. John Sevier and John Tipton were hs neighbors. He erected a log cabin sometime between 1781-1783. Martha and sons Charles Medonnell and William joined him there. At that time the Watauga Settlement was located in Washington Co.,NC. He lived to see the Watauga Settlement become a disputed battleground between the State of Franklin and the State of North Carolina (the collapse of the State of Franklin came in late Feb 1788), and he also lived to see his home become part of the newly formed Carter County which became a part of the State of Tennessee (June 1, 1796) President George Wshington signed a bill admitting Tennessee as the 16th State. Thomas neighbor, John Sevier, became the first Governor. The first tax list were drawn up in 1797 and Thomas is listed a a householder. In Feb. 1787 Thomas Gourley was named deputy clerk of the Court of Pleas and quarter sessions at Jonesborough, Washington County, Tn.--Goodspeed's HISTORY OF WASHINGTON COUNTY, PART ONE (Chicago and Nashville: Goodspeed Pub. Co. 1887) on Nov 1790 Thomas Gourley was a witness to the will of Joseph Whitson-- Washington County, Tn. Will Book, pp. 161-162 BURIAL Womacl's Statement that the Thomas Gourley is buried in South Carolina contradicts the statement in Abstruct of Groves of Revolutionary Patriots, Vol.2, p ? Serial: 8399; Volume: 7 which places his grave in Gap Creek, Carter County, Tn. Ancestry: Some reseachers believe Thomas Gourley also had brothers Hugh, Robert, and James (Hugh is supposed to have settled in South Carolina and than move to Ca. 1805 to NC, dying in Buncombe County in 1833)

NATIONAL DATABASE (WASHINGTON D.C.) FOR CAPTAIN THOMAS GOURLEY:

GOORLEY, THOMAS ANCESTOR #AO45944

BIRTH DATE: 1752

BIRTH STATE/COUNTRY: IRELAND

DEATH DATE: 1796

DEATH STATE/COUNTRY: SOUTH CAROLINA

RANK: CAPTAIN

SERVICE STATE/ORGANIZATION: PENNSYLVANIA

SPOUSE: MARTHA MCNEELY

NOTE FOR CAPTAIN THOMAS GOURLEY:

CAPTAIN THOMAS GOURLEY WAS BORN IN 1752 BELFAST, IRELAND, AND DIED 1796 IN CAMDEN, SOUTH CAROLINA. HE MARRIED MARTHA HANNA MCNEELY IN 1772 IN SCRANTON, PENNSYLVANIA. SHE WAS BORN IN PENNSYLVANIA, AND DIED AUGUST 26, 1829 IN CARTER COUNTY TENNESSEE.

CAPTAIN THOMAS GOURLE IS BURIED IN CARTER COUNTY TENNESSEE AT GAP CREEK NEAR ELIZABETHON. HE CAME TO AMERICA IN 1768. HE SERVED WITH THE RANGERS IN WESTERN MARYLAND FROM 1768 UNITL 1770. IN 1776 HE ENLISTED IN THE CONTININTAL ARMY, WAS MADE CAPTAIN IN 1778 9TH PS DRAGOONS UNDER COLONEL BECKMAN. HE SERVED ON WATAUGA UNDER SEVIER. HE WAS DISCHARGED AT YORKTOWN IN 1781 AND CHOSE TO TAKE HIS ALLOTTED ACRES IN THE WATAUGA SETTLEMENT IN WASHINGTON COUNTY FROM 1787 TO 1790. IT SEEMS THAT THE THREE PRINCIPAL POLITICIANS IN WASHINGTON COUNTY WERE JOHN SEVIER, THOMAS GOURLEY AND JOHN TIPTON. IN AUGUST 1784 A CONVENTION WAS HELD AT JONESBORO, WHERE THE SETTLERS DECLARED THEMSELVES INDEPENDENT TO NORTH CAROLINA. JOHN SEVIER WAS ELECTED PRESIDENT OF THE NEW STATE WHICH THEY NAMED IN HONOR OF BENJAMIN FRANKLIN. IN OCTOBER 1784 NORTH CAROLINA RESCINDED ITS CESSION ACTS AND THE SETTLERS WERE FACED WITH BEING CHARGED WITH REBELLION IF THEY WENT FORWARD WITH THEIR PLANS. IN FEBRUARY 1787, THE STATE OF NORTH CAROLINA ORGANIZED A COURT OF PLEAS AND QUARTER SESSIONS WITH THE FOLLOWING OFFICERS:

GEORGE MITCHELL SHERIFF

JOHN TIPTON CLERK PRO TEM

THOMAS GOURLEY DEPUTY CLERK

FOR THE NEXT FEW YEARS A STATE OF CONFUSION EXISTED. THE STATE OF FRANKLIN (HEADED BY JOHN SEVIER) LEVIED TAXES AND THE STATE OF NORTH CARLOINA (WITH JOHN TIPTON ACTING AS IT'S AUTHORITY) LIVIED TAXES. TWO GOVERNMENTS EXISTED. THE SETTLERS PAID NO ATTENTION TO EITHER, PRETENDING NOT TO KNOW TO WHICH GOVERNMENT THE TAXES SHOULD BE PAID.

ALL THIS RESULTED IN A PERIOD OF CIVIAL WARFARE AND AUTUAL BLOODSHED BETWEEN TIPTON FORCES AND THE SEVIER FORCES. THOMAS GOURLEY SIDED THE THE TIPTION FACTION. SEVIER MANAGED TO SECURE THE RECORDS OF THE COURT OF NORTH CAROLINA BUT TIPTON, WITH A SMALL FORCE OF GUARDS, RECOVERED THEM AND GAVE THEM TO THOMAS GOURLEY FOR SAFE KEEPING. SEVIER RETOOK THEM AND HID THEM IN A CANE PATCH. UNDER THE AUTHORITY OF NORTH CAROLINA, TIPTON CAUSED SEVIER TO BE ARRESTED AND THOMAS GOURLEY WAS ONE OF THE GUARDS CHOSEN TO TAKE HIM TO MORGANTOWN FOR TRIAL. WHEN, FRENCH, THE OTHER GURAD, WANTED TO KILL THE PRISONER, THOMAS GOURLEY PREVENTED IT AND TOLD SEVIER ABOUT THE PLOT. THE FINAL COLLAPSE OF THE STATE OF FRANKLIN CAME IN LATER FEBRUARY, 1788. ON JUNE 1, 1796 PRESIDENT GEORGE WASHINGTON SIGNED A BILL ADMITTING TENNESSEE AS THE SIXTEENTH STATE. JOHN SEVIER BECAME THE FIRST GOVERNER. CARTER COUNTY TENNESSEE WAS FORMED OUT OF WASHINGTON COUNTY, NORTH CAROLINA WHICH PLACED THE WATAUGA SETTLEMENT IN CARTER COUNTY, TENNESSEE.

SOME TIME IN 1796 THOMAS GOURLEY RODE SOUTH TO VISIT RELATIVES IN SOUTH CAROLINA. SOME THINK HE WENT TO VISIT A SON BUT HIS SONS WERE STILL SINGLE AND PROBABLY STILL AT HOME IN CARTER COUNTY, TENNESSEE AT THAT TIME. A JOHN GOURLEY, A WILLIAM GOURLEY AND A ROBERT GOURLEY WERE LISTED AS LIVING AT CAMDEN, SOUTH CAROLINA AT THAT TIME. WHILE IN SOUTH CAROLINA, THOMAS GOURLEY DIED IN HIS 44TH YEAR.