| 12. | Col. Samuel Wear, Sr was born in 1753 in Virginia (son of Robert* Wear and Rebecca* Carrell); died on 3 Apr 1817 in Seviersville, Sevier Co, Tennessee. Other Events and Attributes:
- Military: 1780, Battle of Kings Mountain, Cherokee Co, North Carolina
Notes:
In 1777 he was appointed Ensign of the Augusta County Militia.
In the year 1778, in Augusta County, Virginia, Samuel Wear
married Mary, sometimes called Polly Thompson, daughter of William Thompson and his wife Elizabeth Lyle Thompson, (see Lyle Family).
The birth of Elizabeth Wear, the eldest daughter, named evidently for her maternal grandmother, Elizabeth Lyle Thompson, occurred October 4, 1780. A list of other children of Samuel Wear is given in the Lyle record and it is interesting to observe that Samuel Wear named his next daughter for his mother. Rebecca, and his first son for his father. Robert Wear. It is also not uninteresting to notice
that Elizabeth Wear's birth took place when Colonel Samuel Wear was already on his way to that famous ground, King's Mountain. He probably did not know that he had a daughter until he was one of the successful Captains of that famous engagement leaving Augusta County, Virginia, perhaps in the same year of his marriage. 1778, Samuel Wear followed the tide of emigration setting in toward the new country, which is now Tennessee.
John Sevier and Samuel Wear knew each other in Virginia and
undoubtedly Samuel Wear's removal to Tennessee was influenced by Sevier's enthusiasm. Their careers are singularly similar. They were born in the same neighborhood within a few years of each other. They grew up to know each other well. They both entered the Militia early, both married young, probably school girl sweethearts, both entered into a second marriage. later in Tennessee. They
moved to the Mountains about the same time. Both served at King's Mountain with rank and honor, both served in innumerable Indian campaigns, both were instrumental in the formation of the State of Franklin, were in fact, its leading spirits, both served in the early story of Tennessee. Territory and State, and occupied high offices, both were in the War of 1812 with rank and honor and finally died at nearly the same time after each had named a son for the other. They were through all this companionship intimate and confidential friends and after the fashion of the South the children of Samuel Wear and the grandchildren were taught to call the Governor Uncle John. To this day many of the descendants in writing to the author of this manuscript have insisted that we are descended from the Seviers because we have always called Governor Sevier "Uncle John."
Though we do not know the exact date that Samuel Wear moved
to the new country it was certainly between his marriage in 1778 and the Battle of Kings Mountain, October 7, 1780. when he was already a member of the new community and a man of property and position. He was selected as one of the Captains, either at John Sevier's request, which is probable, or by election.
Lyman C. Draper in Kings Mountain and Its Heroes, page 424 says: "Samuel Wear was another of Sevier's Captains at Kings Mountain. He was an active participant in the Franklin Republic movement; led a party in 1793 against Tallahassee, killing sixteen Indians and taking four prisoners. In 1793 and 1794 he was a member of the Convention that formed the Constitution of Tennessee and served many years as Clerk of Sevier County Court; and lived to a good old age. He was fully six feet in height, dark complexioned, and possessed much energy of character."
In "Wear's Cove," protected by towering mountains and refreshed by pure chalybeate water, Samuel Wear built his home and raised his family. It is an instance of the dangers that beset him, that he and his two young sons were fired upon by a party of thirty savages. Again on June 19, 1793, a band of Indians entered "Wear's Cove", cut down the growing corn, stole one horse, killed ten and destroyed the mill. Samuel Wear, with a party of friends pursued these marauders and at Tallahassee a battle raged which resulted in the death of sixteen Indians and the capture of four Indian prisoners.
In 1784 Samuel Wear began his political history, for in that
year he was elected "deputy to the Convention to deliberate upon public affairs." The convention met at Jonesboro, August 23, 1794. At that convention the first which was held in what is now Tennessee, was horn the State of Franklin.
Samuel Wear was thus a member of the first Legislative body
ever assembled in Tennessee, the first Franklin Convention. When the State of Franklin had become a fact, its Governor,
John Sevier, in June, 1785, appointed Samuel Wear Clerk of the County Court of the County of Sevier, and Colonel of the Regiment. In the summer of 1786 he was one of the commissioners appointed to negotiate a treaty with the Indians. This conference between savages and Commissioners lasted four days and ended August 3, at Coyton.
With Samuel Wear and the other commissioners at Chota Ford
1786 for this treaty were Old Tassel and Hanging Maw. The land claimed by the settlers in this treaty was the island in the Tennessee at the mouth of Holston and from the head of the Island to die dividing ridge between Holston, Little River and the Tennessee, sold to them by North Carolina.
After the rise and fall of Franklin, of which Samuel Wear
was a leading spirit, an election was held in December 1793, according to the proclamation of Governor Blount. This resulted in Samuel Wear becoming a member of the first assembly of the Territory of Tennessee (representing the County of Jefferson) which was called to order in Knoxville in February 1794. He was one of the Committee of five appointed by this assembly to draft an address to Congress. In this address the people demanded a Declaration of war against the Creeks and Cherokees.
http://archive.org/stream/notablesouthern00frengoog/notablesouthern00frengoog_djvu.txt
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Col Samuel Wear married first Mary Thompson in 1779 in Rockbridge Co, Virginia. They moved soon after to Sevier Co, Tennessee with Robert Wear and Rebecca Carrell. They had six children.
1. Elizabeth Wear b 4 Oct 1780 m Robert Armstrong
2. Robert Wear b 4 Nov 1781 m (1) Lucretia Thomas; (2) Margaret Wilkinson
3. Rebecca Wear b. 28 Oct 1787 m John Witt
4. Samuel Wear, Jr. b 16 April 1790 m Mary
5. John Wear b 14 Mar 1793 m Susannah Mullendore
6. Mary Wear b 10 Sept 1795 m Simeon Perry
Mary Thompson died in 1797 and Samuel married Polly (Mary) Gilliand a few years later. Polly was the daughter of John and Margaret Gilliand. Margaret Gilliand was a daughter of Moses and Jane Moore and sister of John Wear's wife Rebecca. All of the children of Robert Wear and Rebecca Carrell married into the Moore family. Samuel and Polly also had six children:
1. Melinda Wear b 12 Nov 1800 m William Bradshaw
2. Minerva Wear b 20 Oct 1807 m John Guthrie
3. Pleasant Wear b 28 Apr 1810 m Tryphenia Tipton
4. Diana Wear b 28 Apr 1810 m David Johnson
5. Margaret Wear b 4 April 1813 m Rev David Cumming
6. Franklin Wear b 27 June 1815 - died young.
Samuel married Mary "Polly" Thompson in 1779 in Rockbridge Co, Virginia. Mary (daughter of William Thompson and Elizabeth Lyle) was born in 1757 in Ireland; died in 1797 in Sevier Co, Tennessee. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]
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1845 - 1923 (77 years)