Col. Samuel Wear, Sr

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]

Samuel married Mary "Polly" Gilliland about 1799. Mary (daughter of John Gilliand and Elizabeth Young) was born on 30 Sep 1779 in Cocke Co, Tennessee; died on 24 Sep 1840 in Knox Co, Tennessee. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

Died:
It is said that Robert Armstrong returned from a journey in connection with his appointment as United States Surveyor October 19, 1819, to find his wife dangerously ill and three of his children dead. They were: Robert Horace Armstrong, Samuel Thompson Armstrong, and a new born child, Betsey. The death of his wife Elizabeth Wear followed this tragic event in a few months, April 5, 1820.
Notable Southern Families

Elizabeth married Robert Armstrong, III on 19 Oct 1798 in Knoxville, Tennessee. Robert (son of Robert Armstrong, Jr. and Margaret Cunningham) was born on 13 Dec 1774 in Abbeville District, South Carolina; died on 13 Feb 1849 in of, Knoxville, Tennessee. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Robert married Lucretia Thomas on 30 Dec 1802 in Sevierville, Sevier Co, Tennessee. Lucretia was born on 1 Aug 1784 in Sevierville, Sevier Co, Tennessee; died on 21 Feb 1830 in Greenback, Blount Co, Tennessee. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Rebecca married John Witt, (son?) in 1807. John (son of Rev. Caleb Witt and Miriam Allred Horner) was born about 1787; died after 1810 in of, Fayetteville, Crittendon Co, Arkansas. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Samuel married Mary (..) Wear about 1815. Mary was born about 1790; died after 1830. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

John married Susannah Mullendore about 1813 in Sevier Co, Tennessee. Susannah was born in 1796; died on 27 Dec 1836 in Sevier Co, Tennessee. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

John married Sarah M. Patty about 1839 in Sevier Co, Tennessee. Sarah was born on 3 May 1822 in Union Co, South Carolina; died on 4 Mar 1895 in Sevier Co, Tennessee. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Mary married Simeon Perry about 1815. Simeon was born about 1795; died after 1820. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Melinda married William Bradshaw on 9 Aug 1818 in Sevier Co, Tennessee. William was born in 1797 in Tennessee; died on 26 Jul 1861 in Anderson Co, Texas. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Minerva married John Guthrie, (immigrant) on 29 Mar 1825 in Tennessee. John was born about 1807 in Scotland; died in Sep 1844 in Columbia, Maury Co, Tennessee. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Pleasant married Tryphena Tipton about 1822. Tryphena was born about 1802; died on 1 Sep 1863 in Mount Vernon, Missouri. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Pleasant married Mrs. Naomi (..) McFall after 1864 in Missouri. Naomi was born about 1802; died on 7 Jan 1870 in of, Lawrence co, Missouri. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Diana married David Johnson about 1830. David was born about 1810; died after 1835 in of, Springfield, Missouri. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Margaret married Rev. D.B. Cummings about 1833. D.B. was born about 1813; died after 1840 in of, Indian Territory (Oklahoma?). [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

Died:
died young.

Louisana married John Butler Tipton on 17 Apr 1820 in Blount Co, Tennessee. John was born on 16 Dec 1797 in Washington Co, Tennessee; died on 20 Nov 1873 in Monroe Co, Tennessee. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Caswell married Mary Eveline Montgomery on 10 Mar 1872 in Blount Co, Tennessee. Mary was born on 18 Nov 1853 in Blount Co, Tennessee; died on 5 Oct 1918 in Knox Co, Tennessee. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]