John William Bearden, Jr.

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Find A Grave Memorial # 83360997 - Nancy Wynn (Langston) Bearden (she was the wife of Eli(jah) M. Bearden - son of John William, Jr.) - clarifies that Nancy Wynn Langston was NOT married to John William Bearden, Jr. John, Jr.'s wife Nancy Ann (Langston) Bearden was the aunt of their son Eli(jah) M. Bearden's wife Nancy Wynn Bearden. So, father and son married aunt & niece!

It seems probable that John William Bearden, Jr. was married more than once, based upon the death date of his first wife, Nancy Ann Langston (c. 1750 - 1783), and the subsequent birth of several more children whose father were John William Bearden, Jr., after her death. The marriage of John William, Jr. & Nancy Ann (Langston) Bearden occurred in 1768 in Spartanburg, Spartanburg Co., SC.John William & Sarah (Hargis) Bearden were married in 1796 in Spartanburg, SC, and several children were born between the death of Nancy and the marriage to Sarah?

On August 12, 1784 John Bearden - plat for 271 acres on the north side of the Tyger River, Ninety-Six District, SC, was surveyed by Philip Waters (http://www.archivesindex.sc.gov/). John William Bearden, Jr. can be found in the 1790, 1800, 1810, and 1820 Census records of Spartanburg District, SC. He remained a citizen of South Carolina until the year 1824, when he removed to Bedford County, Tennessee. in fact, per a letter written in 1899 by great-grandson Rev. Philputt, "Grandfather [Eli M. Bearden] built him a house in his yard.

John William Bearrden, Jr. joined the Friendship Baptist Church in Bedford Co., TN in September, 1802 (http://wc.rootsweb.ancestry.com/cgi-bin/igm.cgi?op=GET&db=sillum&id...). (Did he travel here at times or is this a different John? See below).

John was age 33 when he entered as a private into the service of the United States..

Tennessee Pension Roll 1835 shows the following "John Bearden, Private, South Carolina Line- $63.38 annual allowance, $148.33 amount received May 17, 1833, pension started at age 79."

John was a veteran of the Revolutionary War, and was granted a pension for that service in Bedford Co., TN (see part of his sworn testimony below). Later in his life, John W. "Buck", Jr. came to Flat Creek, Bedford Co., TN to join his sons Eli and Billy. Years after the Revolution Congress provided a pension for these soldiers, providing they produced proper documentation. In 1833, John Bearden, at age 89, mentioned in his pension application that he served under his brother-in-law Capt. John "Buck" Gowen in February 1778 in a company of rangers, according to "Kings Mountain Manuscripts." Volume 2.

The following is taken from sworn testimony of JOHN BEARDEN to William Heaslett, acting Justice of the Peace, in Bedford County, TN in May 1833, in order to document his service in and receive a government pension, passed by Congress in June 1832: "John William Bearden, Jr. was born in 1744 in Spotsylvania and entered the service of the United States as a private volunteer in a company of Rangers or Spies commanded by Captain Joseph Worford and Lieut. D. Graham in Spartenburgh District and State of South Carolina, sometime in the month of April 1777.....and marched up on the head of Jonsee River to Prices Fort and was there stationed, but was frequently out on spying and scouting expeditions against the Cherokee Indians and a Tory family by the name of T. Bates......There he remained in service until some time in January 1778, when he was dismissed after serving not less than nine months in actual service...About a month afterward, in February, he volunteered again and joined a company of spies or Rangers under the command of Captain John Gowen...He moved shortly after that down into Union District, South Carolina, and there entered the service of the United States again about one week before the "Siege of Ninety-Six" He was then transferred from Captain Blessengame's company to a company of volunteers....of not less than four months, when he was finally dismissed from service after serving in all a time of actual service of not less than nineteen months, for which he claims a pension."

Tennessee Pension Roll 1835 shows the following "John Bearden, Private, South Carolina Line- $63.38 annual allowance, $148.33 amount received May 17, 1833, pension started at age 79 A transcription summary of the 6 page pension application is in the book "The Frosts and Related Families of Bedford Co., TN", written by Wright W. Frost, on page 197. Part of the summary states: "During the year 1824, at the age of eighty, John Bearden removed to Bedford Co., TN, where he was living on May 15, 1833. On this date, at the age of Eighty nine years two months and four days, John Bearden appeared before his neighbor, William Heaslett, a Justice of the Peace, in the Flat Creek Community, who took the deposition in application for the pension. He remained a citizen of South Carolina until the year 1824, when he removed to Bedford County, Tennessee. Tennessee Pension Roll 1835 shows the following "John Bearden, Private, South Carolina Line- $63.38 annual allowance, $148.33 amount received May 17, 1833, pension started at age 79."

Added by Reva Staggs

Date 1776+ - John Bearden received an account audit (file # 388) regarding his service in the Revolutionary War - http://www.archivesindex.sc.gov/.

There are 2 Find A Grave Memorias for John Williams Bearden, Jr.:l # 7311762, and .http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=25178405, Find A Grave Memorial # 25178405.

http://wc.rootsweb.ancestry.com/cgi-bin/igm.cgi?op=GET&db=53070577&...

John Bearden, Jr, was married to Nancy Ann Langston and had the following children: Eli M. Bearden, William "Billy", Mary, John W. III, Benjamin Franklin, Pleasant B., and Elizabeth Bearden. There were likely other wives and other children. Late in life, he came to Flat Creek to join his sons Eli and Billy. Mary Came also. All of them died in Bedford County, Tennessee. Years after the Revolution, Congress provided a pension to these soldiers, providing they produced proper documentation.

SOURCES:

• There are 2 Find A Grave Memorias for John Williams Bearden, Jr.:l # 7311762, and .http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=25178405, Find A Grave Memorial # 25178405.
• http://wc.rootsweb.ancestry.com/cgi-bin/igm.cgi?op=GET&db=53070577&...
• A Patriot of the American Revolution for South Carolina with the rank of Private. DAR Ancestor #: A008092. John was age 33 when he entered as a private into the service of the United States..
• "Fisher-Presnell (21 May 2013)", database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.2.1/3S3Z-T24), entry for John William Bearden, Jr..