| Notes |
- John Brownlow was born about 1762 in County Armagh, Northern Ireland, to William and Jane Brownlow. When he was a child, his family left Ireland and moved to the Carolinas. Although the Brownlows entered through the port of Charleston, it appears that they quickly joined other relatives in piedmont North Carolina. Following his father’s death in 1770, his mother remarried to Andrew McBride of Orange County, North Carolina. It appears that he grew to manhood in the area around Hillsboro and Pittsboro, North Carolina.
On 29 May 1781, when he was about nineteen, John Brownlow joined Captain Joseph Rosser’s company of Col. Robert Mebane’s regiment, 2nd brigade, North Carolina line. On 13 September 1781, while in the vanguard, John Brownlow was heavily wounded in the battle of Lindley’s Mill. According to his pension statement, he “was wounded in three places in the skull, which was broken with a sword by one of the enemy.” He was left for dead on the battlefield, but he managed to make it to his mother’s house in Pittsboro, North Carolina, where, after several months, he recovered. He had thirteen pieces of skull removed from his wounds, and his left arm was disabled.
Sometime about 1786, John Brownlow married. Unfortunately, despite many online trees giving her a name, his wife’s first name is currently unknown. (See discussion on the wife of John Brownlow).
In 1800, John Brownlow moved his family to Pendleton District, South Carolina. After multiple attempts, John Brownlow was finally able to obtain a federal pension for his service during the American Revolution. In old age, he still had the scars from his youth. In 1824, he described his unnamed wife as being “old & helpless” and suffering from “the deprivations of an affliction.” He also stated that she had “been his only comfort in early life.” She died 13 November 1828 in Anderson County, South Carolina. The Pendleton Messenger of 19 November 1828 reported that “Mrs. Brownlow died Thursday night.” She was about sixty-three years old.
John Brownlow died 12 April 1832, aged about seventy. The Pendleton Messenger of 25 April 1832, in reporting his death, stated that he was a “soldier of the Revolution and for many years honest resident of this District. The burial location of John Brownlow, and his wife, is currently unknown.
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Thanks to Jason Edwards
John Brownlow, son of William and Jane Brownlow, was born in Ireland in 1762. He came to South Carolina with his parents in 1767. On May 29, 1781, he entered the service of Colonel Mabane's Regiment of North Carolina Line. He was injured in several places at the battle of Lindy's Mill. He married sometime around 1785 but his wife's name is not know. Before 1800 he moved from Chatham County, North Carolina to Pendleton District, South Carolina. He applied for and received a pension from the State of South Carolina in 1819 and received it until his death on April 12, 1832. His wife had died in Pendleton District on November 13, 1828. Their known children were:
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John served in the American Revolutionary War.After appearing in the Halifax County, NC records in 1790, Chatham County records in 1800 and the New Hanover County records in 1802 this buch of Browlows moved to South Carolina.
John Brownlow - American Revolutionary War
John Brownlow was born in Ireland in 1762. He came to South Carolina with his parents in 1767. Possibly known as “Plain John,” John Brownlow is said to have been a Revolutionary War hero. He is the grandfather of James Alexander Henley Brownlow, father of Harriet Octavia Smith, Thiddo Smith’s* grandmother.James A. H. and his brother Obediah both fought in the Civil War (see below).
On 29 May 1781, he enlisted in Col. Robert Mabane's 3rd North Carolina Regiment and took part in the battle of Lindley’s Mill, in Alamance County, North Carolina, on 13 September 1781.
The day before, 1,100 Tory soldiers under the command of David Fanning attacked Hillsboro, North Carolina, the capital, and captured 200 prominent officials including the governor, Thomas Burke. Fanning took about 600 men and marched Burke and some of the other prisoners to Washington to turn them over to the British.
As they passed through Lindley’s Mill, which was a major crossroads, they were ambushed by 300 Patriots under the command of Gen. John Butler, Col. John “McBane” and his brother Col. Robert Mebane. The Patriots occupied high ground north of the mill.
During the attack, Gen. Butler is said to have lost heart and tried to retreat, but Col. Robert Mebane rallied the troops. In the end, the Patriots ran out of ammunition and the Tories escaped with the governor after Fanning threatened to kill the prisoners if pressed. In all, between 200 and 300 men died in a space of four hours.
Col. Mebane was murdered a month later, on 13 October, in Williams Township, and his killer, a Tory named Henry Hightower, was captured and hanged. The Governor was not rescued, and was imprisoned on James Island.[1] The Battle of Lindley's Mill closed the war in North Carolina one month before Lord Cornwallis surrendered the British Army at Yorktown.
John Brownlow, a private, was said to have been wounded 13 times during his service.
Lindley’s Mill was built in 1755 by Quaker Thomas Lindley, an Irish immigrant, who was granted 1,000 acres by the Earl of Granville. The mill is still in operation, having passed down through the Lindley family for nine generations.
Thanks to Betty Jo Evans
The State of South Carolina Pendleton District by the Honerable Charles Colecock Esquire, one of the Associate Judges of the State of South Carolina To all to whom these presents shall come, be, been or made known, Greetings. Know ye, that this day, John Brownlow, a citizen of Pendleton District, did appear before me and made oath, that on the 29th day of May 1781, at or near Chatham Court House, North Carolina, he, the said John Brownlow, entered the service of the United States of America as he understood during the (pleasure?) of the Government of the United States, under Joseph Rosser, Capt, of Col Robert Mabane's Regiment in the 2nd Brigade of the N.C. Line. He was in the battle at Lindley's Mill, on Crane Creek of the Haw River, Orange County, North Carolina. He was in the Van Guard and was wounded in three places in the skull, which was broken with a sword by one of the enemy. He was many months unable to do anything, by occassion of his wounds, during the time he laid at his Mothers near Chatham County Court House, N.C. And before he was fit for duty, he received a message from Col. Robert Griffen, whose command he was then under, that his services were no longer required by the United States. After he got able to do business or was fit for duty (as he lay several months, confirmed, the Tories in the battles having left him on the ground for dead) He thought it unnessary to be at any trouble to obtain a discharge as peace was made between the United States and Great Britian before his recovery. This despondant further saith that he has never received any bounty, pay or pension from the United States and from age and infirmity he is unable to labour as heretofore and that his reduced circumstances in life, he stands in need of the assistance of his country for support. mark John X Brownlow In testimony that therefore was sworn to and subscribed before me, this twenty-seventh day of March Amno Domini one thousand eight hundred and nineteen. I have set my hand and seal of the court caused to be affixed. Charles Colecock the justice of the State
Obituary April 25, 1852 Issue of the SC Messanger:
Died on Thursday the 12th. Mr John Brownlow (Sr.) a soldier of the Revolution, and for many years an honest resident of this district.
November 19th 1828 Issue of the SC Messanger:
Mrs. John Brownlow died on Thursday night.
Notes for JOHN BROWNLOW:
Pendleton District newspaper: "April 25, 1832-Died Thursday 12th, Mr. John Brownlow, soldier of the Revolution and for many years honest reresident of this District."
Pension papers state that John fought in the Battle of Lindley's Mill, which occurred September, 13, 1781, and took place at Quaker Thomas Lindley's Mill, where over 250 soldiers on both sides were killed or wounded.
(Directions: Take Exit 147 off Interstate 85/40, travel south on NC Highway 87 to the ELi Whitney community at crossroads of Greensboro-Chapel Hill Road. Head west on Greensboro-Chapel Hill Road to Lindley Mill Road, then go south 1 mile to Rock Drive beside Cane Creek Bridge.)
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Bette,
While perusing an online scan of R.S. Sanders book The Family of Henry
Simeon Sanders, 1983 the following appeared. "John Saunders, son of
William Saunders, gave a deposition for John Brownlow when Brownlow was
wounded and carried to his mother's (S-) house in Pittsboro. John
Saunders was captured in the same battle near Pittsboro and imprisoned
in Wilmington NC, he lived to go home." The author has an endnote mark
by the deposition, but the scan (on the Sanders website that I sent you,
listed as "William Sanders family" on menu) does NOT include citations.
I suspect that the data came from _The Colonial Records of NC series.
Of course, this could be the John B- (ca.1724-80) the inn keeper, but he
was a bit old to be fighting and living in Fayetteville. However, he
was an active patriot, could this be what killed him? Your ancestor,
John, seems the proper age to be a "fighting Quaker" and living nearby.
Some of this Saunders clan moved to the Pendleton District of SC in the
late 1700s, and this family were also Quakers. The said John S- was the
brother of Mary who mar. James B- (son of Wm. & Jane) who d. in Giles
Co. TN.
Howard Hansen
More About JOHN BROWNLOW:
Military service: Fought in Revolutionary War
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1762 - 1832 (70 years)
