Early North Carolina Phillips Families

John Phillips b. 1759 on Deep Creek in Halifax Co., NC

            AKA  - John Phillips who m. Darkis Hamilton and Polly Thompson

Revolutionary War Pension File Disposition - 1837 - ? - see #1 & 2

1.      August 29, unknown date? {1837? John Phillips later states age as 78, also states b. 1759 on Deep Creek, Halifax Co.}

2.      State of NC, Johnston County Court…mentions year aforesaid, but no year is aforesaid on document

3.      States age as 78

4.      First time served in state of South Carolina

a.      Under Mr. Powell does not remember his rank, General or Colonel.

b.       Two months in what he called novelty tours, first month under Capt Fort.

c.       Served in Cheraw Hills on the Peedee River.

d.      July and August 1775, best of his recollection

e.      1^st month hired by Zachariah McDaniel, 2^nd month Drafted

5.      Returned to service again Oct 1778 in Bladen County, NC

a.      Place called Elizabethtown

b.      Major General John Ashe, Brig. Gen. Bryan(?), Maj. Abram Molter(?), Capt. Joseph Wood, and Lt. James Gains(?){hard to read names, handwriting illegible}

c.       Volunteered 6 months, 11^th of April 1779 discharged

d.      In Battle of Briar Creek, GA

6.      Signed his Name. John Phillips {educated}

7.      Dixon Phillips, Clergyman, and John Atkinson attest to being well acquainted with John Phillips and believe him to be 78. Both men signed their names.

Questions preformed to Mr. John Phillips:

1^st Where from what year were you born?

ANSWER: In Halifax County on Deep Creek in this state, in the year 1759.

2^nd Have you any record of your age & where is it?

ANSWER: I had a record of my age left by my Guardian but after it became very old I copied it off and destroyed the original – I have the copy I made at home. {This could be a very important piece of information…my Guardian…}

3^rd Where were you living when called into the service? Where have you lived since the Revolutionary War and where do you now live?

ANSWER: I lived when I served my first time in South Carolina-near Cheraw Hills – and when I began my second tour, in North Carolina in what was called Bladen County. I have lived at various places since the Revolution-traveling about as a Schoolmaster-but for forty years I have resided in Johnston County where I now live.

4^th How were you called into service-were you drafted-did you volunteer or were you a substitute? If a substitute for who?

ANSWER: I was a substitute for Zachariah McDaniel the first month of my first tour and was drafted the second – and during the whole of my second tour I was a volunteer.

5^th State the names of some of the Regular Officers who were with the troops where you served, such ???? & Militia Regiments as you recollect it.- The general con???? of your service.

ANSWER: Major Gen. Ash – Brig Gen Bryan – Col. of my Regiment Philip Alston – Major Molten – Capt Joseph Wood  - Leu. Irons and Mr. Powell was Gen or Col. of my first tour. – In the last tour there were four Regiments – one commanded by Col. Alston another by Col. Caswell from the Newbern District. Col. Perkins from the Edenton District – Col. Ealon from Halifax district -  marched through S.C. and had an engagement in Georgia at Briar Creek.

6^th Did you ever have a discharge from the service by whom was it given & what has become of it?

ANSWER: I had – but don’t remember from whom and kept it so long it has been lost or has wore out.

7^th State the names of the persons to whom you are known in your present neighborhood and who can testify as to your character for ---?--- and their ---?--- of your service as a soldier of the Revolution.

ANSWER: John Atkinson, Esqr., Dixon Phillips – John Hamilton – Samuel Strickland and many others who have been acquainted with me for some time.

Signed John Phillips