Starling Gunn

Starling Gunn was born in Nottoway County, Virginia, in 1764. He moved to Caswell County after the conclusion of the Revolutionary War, but exactly when is not known. An 1835 North Carolina Revolutionary War pension record lists him as a private. The actual pension application apparently had been filed in 1832. Most believe that Gunn settled in Caswell County between 1785 and 1791, when he purchased 400 acres on Rattlesnake Creek. Both his father, Thomas Gunn, and his brother, Griffith Gunn, also moved to Caswell County. Whether they were in the county before Starling is unknown. However, all three are thought to have been established in Caswell County by 1792.

Starling Gunn is buried in the Yanceyville Methodist Church cemetery, and a photograph of his tombstone is shown above. The epitaph on the stone reads as follows:

Sacred to the memory of Starling Gunn a soldier in the war of Independence who fired the first cannon at York and was an eye witness to the surrender of Cornwallis. He was for more than 40 yrs a prominent member of the M. E. Church. Who Died Aug. 13, 1852. AE. 88 y's 3 m's 4d's.

A newspaper obituary stated that he "assisted in placing and firing the first gun upon the British at Yorktown." Starling Gunn would have been just age seventeen when he performed these deeds. Before his remains were moved to the Yanceyville Methodist Church cemetery in 1950, he had been buried some 1.5 miles north in a family cemetery.

Note the following from the declaration that he made in 1832 in support of his Revolutionary War pension application:

[In 1781] [t]his Declarant was marched to old Jamestown under the aforesaid named officer. From thence we marched to Williamsburg and there remained some time. And from there we followed in pursuit of the enemy to Yorktown where we besieged the enemy. At this place this declarant was (by an arrangement of the officers) taken out of the Infantry (into which he had volunteered at Williamsburg) and was put in the Artillery and assisted in digging the trenches and building the fort and assisted in firing the first Gun that he recollects to have been fired upon the Enemy.

. . . .

. . . This Declarant was well acquainted with a great many regular officers who were with the troops where he served. He knew Col.Lamb, Col. Price, Genl. Mecklenburg, Genl. Wayne, Genl. LayFayette and Genl. Washington.

Starling Gunn was active in Caswell County politics and was a staunch supporter of the Methodist Church. Note the following from William Powell's Caswell County History (at 440):

Itinerant ministers were welcomed in homes along the way and they often stayed for extended periods of time when they found a warm welcome and an attentive congregation. It was recalled at a later time that Revolutionary veteran Starling Gunn reserved a special room in his modest home as the "Preacher's Room." It was described as being comfortably furnished and often used. Tradition relates that it was Gunn who constructed a building that came to be known as Piney Grove Methodist Church. From hewn logs he and his neighbors erected a 40 by 24-foot building for the use of any minister who passed; a partition three feet high across the back of the building marked off an area reserved for any slaves who wished to attend.

According to family records, Starling Gunn married Mary Hooper (1768-1843) on October 5, 1785. They had thirteen children. Mary Hooper Gunn is buried alongside her husband in the Yanceyville Methodist Church cemetery.

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References

Declaration of Starling Gunn 1832

When the Past Refused to Die: A History of Caswell County North Carolina 1777-1977, William S. Powell (1977)

The Heritage of Caswell County North Carolina, Jeannine D. Whitlow, Editor (1985)

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DECLARATION OF STAIRLING GUNN, SENR.

STATE OF NORTH CAROLINA

SUPERIOR COURT OF LAW

COUNTY OF CASWELL

NOVEMBER TERM, 1832

On this 6th day of November 1832 personally in open Court before the Superior Courts of law now sitting, Stirling Gunn aged sixty-eight years on the 9th day of May last, 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:

Sometime in the fall of the year 1780, perhaps in the month of September, but at this distant day this declarant cannot now state, he (the Declarant) substituted himself in the place of his Father, Thomas Gunn, who was drafted under the following named officers, To wit, Capt. Edward Momford in the Company commanded by Col. Elliott. That at this time this Declarant resided in the county of Amelia and State of Virginia, and he was marched under the said officers to Petersburg and from thence to a place called Cabin Point where they were stationed and remained Guarding the landing and the Coast around until they were discharged after serving a tour of three months, as well as this declarant now recollects. He was discharged together with all the Amelia troops about Christmas, but whether a little before or afterwards, this Declarant cannot now particularly state. In this tour this Declarant received no discharge nor did any of those troops who were discharged at the same time, they being marched back as far as Petersburg under their said Captain & from thence they severally took their course to their several homes.

Some time in the month of February, 1781 or thereabouts, the Enemy under a General Philips came to Petersburg and took and burnt a part of the town; and this declarant together with all the force which could be collected in the surrounding country volunteered to go down and drive them away. This declarant at this time volunteered under Captain John Knight and was marched to Petersburg, but when they arrived there the enemy had fled and the volunteers of whom this declarant was one was discharged or disbanded and returned home after serving or being absent from home, fifteen days.

Some time in the month of March l78l following, this Declarant was drafted in the Amelia Militia under Captain John Knight, in the Company or Regiment commanded by Col. Meriwither and was marched first. to Petersburg and from thence by forced marches a circuitous route to Richmond and was in sight of the fire when Manchester was burned by the Enemy, got in to Richmond and endeavoured -to prevent the enemy crossing the James River into Richmond but was compelled to retire and was driven from place to place before the enemy until we got up into the mountains in Culpepper County being at this time under the General Command of General LaFayette. In Culpepper County, this declarant, together with five other captains' companies, were discharged after serving a tour of three months. After they were disbanded and were on their march home they were pursued by the enemy's horse and were overtaken (this Declarant thinks) in Goochland County, and the Captain together with a good many of the soldiers were taken prisoners. This Declarant made his escape and got home in Amelia County in the month of June 1781.

Some time in the month of the same June as well as this declarant now recollects, though at this distant day it's impossible for him now to recollect, he was again drafted under a Captain Anderson in the Company or Regiment commanded by Col. Richardson. But Captain Anderson becoming indisposed retired from the army until after the capture of Lord Cornwallis and we were put under an officer by the name of Cobb who took command of the company as captain. This Declarant was marched to old Jamestown under the aforesaid named officer. From thence we marched to Williamsburg and there remained some time. And from there we followed in pursuit of the enemy to Yorktown where we besieged the enemy. At this place this declarant was (by an arrangement of the officers) taken out of the Infantry (into which he had volunteered at Williamsburg) and was put in the Artillery and assisted in digging the trenches and building the forts at Yorktown. This Declarant was in the fort and assisted in firing the first Gun that he recollects to have been fired upon the Enemy.

Captain Price and Col. Lamb were his immediate officers in the artillery who acted under the orders of the [Brave] Genl. Knox. This declarant also was present at the hoisting of the American flag in the fort.

This Declarant continued in the artillery and fought during the siege until the Capture of Cornwallis, and afterwards until his term of service expired or until he was discharged. He thinks he got his discharge about the time of the expiration of his service, But at what particular day he cannot recollect; he first applied to his Captain and asked to be discharged, being at that time sick, but did not get it, and shortly afterwards Col. Richardson wrote and gave him his discharge and he returned home.

He thinks he got home, Amelia County, Virginia, about the first of November, 1781. Therein the whole time which this declarant served his Country during the War of the Revolution was something about nine months and fifteen days. The Country through which this declarant marched was in and through the State of Virginia. This Declarant was well acquainted with a great many regular officers who were with the troops where he served. He knew Col. Lamb, Col. Price, Genl. Mecklenburg, Genl. Wayne, Genl. LayFayette and Genl. Washington.

This Declarant would state that he has long since lost his discharges and has now no documentary evidence to prove his services, and knows of but one man in this County (where he now lives, Caswell County and State of North Carolina) by whom he can prove his service -- by Sgt. Joseph Dameron.

I hereby relinquish every claim whatever to a pension or annuity except the present and declare that my name is not on the Pension roll of the agency of any State.

The following interrogations propounded by the Court to the applicant and answers:

Question 1st. Where and what year were you born?

Answer-- I was born in Brunswick County and State of Virginia as I have been told:on the 9th day of May 1764.

Question 2nd. Have you any record of your age & if so where is it?

Ans. -- I have a record of my age recorded in my Family Bible.

Question 3d. Where were you living when called in service, Where have you lived [since] Your service as a soldier of the Revolution?

Answer -- I have lived in this (Caswell) County for forty years and am known to most all of the Citizens, any or all of whom will prove my character for truth and good behaviour. I am not certain that I can prove my services or any part of my services by any but one man, Joseph Dameron, who was in the army with me at Cabin Point and I have to rely upon my own oath.

Sworn to and Subscribed the day and year aforesaid

JEREMIAH GRAVES, C. S. C.

STARLING GUNN

We, Richard Mastin, a clergyman residing in the County of Caswell and State of North Carolina, and James Rainey, residing in the same County and State, hereby certify that we are well acquainted with Stirling Gunn, who has subscribed and sworn to the above declaration, that we believe him to be sixty-eight years of age, that he is reputed and believed in the neighbourhood where he resides to have been a soldier of the Revolution and that we Concur in that opinion. Sworn to and subscribed the day and year aforesaid.

Richard Mastin

James Rainey

Jeremiah Graves, C. S. C.

And the Court do hereby declare their opinion after the investigation of the matter and after putting the interrogation prescribed by the War Department, that the above named applicant was a revolutionary Soldier and served as he states. And the Court further certifies that It appears to them that Richard Mastin who has signed the preceeding Certificate is a Clergyman residing in the County of Caswell and State of North Carolina, and that James Rainey who has also signed the same is a resident of the said County of Caswell and State aforesaid and is a credible person and that their statement is entitled to credit.

I, Jeremiah Graves, Clerk of the Superior Court of Law of the County and State aforesaid, to-wit: County of Caswell and State of North Carolina, do hereby certify that the foregoing contains the original proceedings in the matter of the application of Sterling Gunn for a pension. In Testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand and affixed my seal of office this 6th day of November A. Dom. 1832.

JEREMIAH GRAVES, C. S. C.

Starling Gunn was the famous Revolutionary War soldier who at age 17, it is said, fired the first cannon at the Battle of Yorktown and witnessed the surrender of Cornwallis in 1781.

Pierce'S Register

[p.313] VOUCHERS

page 424

Names: Starling Gunn

Rank: Do

Sums received: 90.00

Description of service: Do

Commencement of pension: Do

Ages: 70

Check Microfolm - Joseph Gavit's Marriage and Death Notices 1784-1829 Marriages Pages 683,830,1116,1215,1341,1357,1443,1461,1564,1726,1777,1896,1942,1976

ORANGE COUNTY, NC - CENSUS - Early Tax Records, 1755-1779

These "Tax Records" were copied from the North Carolina Division

of Archives & History, 109 East Jones Street, Raleigh, NC. 2761

This file was contributed for use in the USGenWeb

Archives by: Paul R. Sarrett, Jr. prsjr@aol.com

Revised: 3/18/97 prsr@aol.com

Date SNDX L Name F Name NARS StR Pg# Family Grp.

1779 G500 GUNN Joseph N/A N/A N/A Tax Roll

1779 G500 GUNN William N/A N/A N/A Tax Roll

Mrs. Katherine Gunn Boor.

DAR ID Number: 104591

Born in Charitan County, Mo.

Wife of V. F. Boor.

Descendant of Starling Gunn, as follows:

1. Thomas Gunn, Jr. (b. 1822), m. 1843 Susan Ellington (1828-1907).

2. Thomas Gunn (b. 1789) m. - Montgomery.

3. Starling Gunn m. Mary Hooper (1769-1863).

Starling Gunn (1764-1852) was pensioned for service as private under Captains Mumford and Knight, Colonels Richardson and Lamb,

Virginia Line. He was born in Brunswick, Va.; died in Caswell County, N. C.

The National Society of the Daughters of the American Revolution Volume 162

page 211

[p.211] Miss Susie Blue Buchanan.

His birth is estimated based on his daughter Mary's age

Relationships for Gunn family, Caswell Co., but not Sterling specifically.

DAR ID Number: 161688

Born in Brandon, Miss.

Descendant of Starling Gunn, as follows:

1. William Buchanan (1841-1912) m. 1880 Maggie R. Gunn (1860-1915).

2. John Gunn (1804-68) m. 2d 1858 Susan Richardson Stevens (1814-87).

3. Starling Gunn m. 1785 Mary Elizabeth Hooper (1768-1843).

Starling Gunn (1764-1852) received a pension for service as private under Captains Mumford and Knight, Colonels Richardson and Lamb, Virginia Line. He was born in Brunswick County, Va.; died in Caswell County, N. C.

Also No. 128188.

From "Abstracts of Rev. War Pension Files"

Starling, S6941, Cont & VA Line, sol was a son of Thomas Gunn and he was b 9 May 1764 in Brunswick Co VA & he lived in Amelia Co VA at enl & also srv as a sub for his father, after the Rev War he lived 4 yrs in Lunenbug Co VA then to Caswell Co NC & he appl there 6 Nov 1832

1800 Census NC Caswell

Starling Gunn 12110-22110-05

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