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Southern Campaign American Revolution Pension Statements
Pension application of John McClain (McLean, McLain) S31853 fn78NC
Transcribed by Will Graves rev'd 1/30/09
[Methodology: Spelling, punctuation and grammar have been corrected in some instances for ease of reading and to facilitate searches of the database. Also, the handwriting of the original scribes often lends itself to varying interpretations. Users of this database are urged to view the original and to make their own decision as to how to decipher what the original scribe actually wrote. Blanks appearing in the transcripts reflect blanks in the original.]

State of Georgia, Rabun County
On this 7th day of July 1834, personally appeared before the undersigned Judges of the Inferior Court of County of Rabun being a Court of Record of this said State, Captain John McClain, a resident of the said County, aged 73, who being first duly sworn according to law doth on his oath make the following declaration in order to obtain the benefit of the provisions made by the act of Congress passed June 7th, 1832. That he entered the service of the United States as a volunteer under Captain Adam Hampton & was appointed a Sergeant and was under the command of Col. Andrew Hampton as well as he recollects in the 1775 in Rutherford County NC and was ordered out on a scout against the Cherokee Indians; was employed in the County of Rutherford being a frontier and patrolled the line to Burke County &c. They killed one Indian in Mumford's Cove on the waters of Board River. He was out in this service not less than six months as a Sergeant.
In the year 1776, he being elected a Lieutenant in Captain Adam Hampton's company of cavalry in Rutherford County, which was raised by order of Col. Andrew Hampton who had orders from General Rutherford [Griffith Rutherford]. The company volunteered and was ordered out as Rangers and they all turned out, found their own horses, guns, pistols, swords etc. & found their own provisions. They were stationed at Jones Williams' in Mumford's Cove and a scout was sent once a week to the Burke line -- to Green River -- and to the South Carolina line. The scout went in one day to one of these places and returned the next to the Fort. He was in this service two years. He is desirous to be in all cases under the length of time he was actually in the service, but is positive he must have served at the very least twelve months as a Lieutenant. During the time he was in an engagement with the British and Tories at Ned Hampton's. They were attacked about two hours before day by a company under Captain Dunlap. We killed one man & took two prisoners in the morning & also retook two of our men which they had [taken] prisoner -- Jesse Neville of Pickens District was with us in this engagement. Captain Dunlap was wounded in the thigh -- afterwards they joined General McDowell [Charles McDowell] & was a few days with him, while with him old Col. Clarke [Elijah Clarke] of Georgia applied to him for help to take a British or Tory Fort called Thicketty -- General McDowell would not grant him aid. He then applied to Captain Hampton who said if his men were willing he would go & sent declarant out that evening. The next morning at sunrise they arrived at the Fort which was summoned to surrender which they did in 20 minutes. They took about 60 prisoners or upwards, with their arms [&] ammunition. The prisoners were paroled, the people ordered out & the Fort burn – the reduction of this Fort gave peace and quiet to the country for upwards of 30 miles round as the Tories would commit all kinds of depredations in that distance & return into the Fort in the day time. He was ordered out to meet General Greene [Nathanael Greene] & went with him to the Siege of 96 and remained there till the siege was raised after which he returned home.
Before the news of the reduction of Charleston had reached Rutherford County, Captain Hampton's company having been disbanded, this declarant raised a company of cavalry called Minute Men by order of Col Porter who had orders to raise the same and declarant was elected Captain. General Rutherford ordered them out against the Cherokee Indians & directed them to take prisoners as hostages to exchange for white prisoners in the Nation. They took 12 or 15 and carried them to Rutherford. Soon after Colonel Ferguson came into that quarter with a superior force & compelled the Whigs to go over the mountains for aid. They joined Col Campbell [William Campbell] who came on to meet Ferguson but as he traveled slow, declarant took his Lieutenant and Lewis Music [?] and went towards home on Broad River and they were fortunate in taking about 20 prisoners whom they paroled and took their arms and ammunition and joined Col Campbell again and went with him to the Battle at King's Mountain where they defeated Ferguson, the account of which is embodied in the History of the Country. This declarant continued in actual, continual, active service as Captain of the company of cavalry volunteers from the 12th March 1781 till 27th May 1782 during which time he followed no civil pursuit whatever; when he was discharged having served as Captain one year, two months and 15 days. He did serve not less than six months as Sergeant; not less than one year as Lieutenant; not less than one year two months & 15 days as Captain; in all he served two years eight months & 15 days at the least; he knows much more than that time! Knows of no living witness to testify for him except Jesse Neville1 of South Carolina. And he does make the following answers to the interrogatories required to be put by the War Department: Answer to the 1st: he was born in the year 1760 in Pennsylvania. Answer to the 2nd: he has a record in his Bible taken from his father's [Bible]. Answer to the 3rd: Rutherford County North Carolina, since then he has lived in Pendleton South Carolina 12 years; afterwards was in the County of Buncombe North Carolina 22 years since which he has lived in Rabun County in the State of Georgia. Answer to the 4th: he was at all times a volunteer. Answer to the 5th: he does not recollect any Continental officers but Greene. Answer to the 6th: he never got a commission; in the part of the country he lived in none was given that he knows of. He got a discharge when he quit the service & a certificate which are herewith forwarded. He was in actual service as stated in Col Porter's discharge. Answer to the 7th: he does not know a man in Rabun County or any where else of any respectability who would doubt his word. He can appeal to Col Sam Beck, Major & Major Price, the officers of the County. H. T. Mozley the late clerk of the Court, now Senator; W. Kelly, a representative in the State Legislature & every respectable man. He hereby relinquishes every claim whatever to a pension or annuity except the present and declares that his name is not on the pension roll of any Agency of any State. S/John McClain
1 Jesse Nevill (Neville) S21899
Sworn to & subscribed in open court the day and year aforesaid.
S/ Wm Gillespie, JIC
S/ Robert Brown, JIC
S/ Bailey Dover, JIC
S/ J. H. Sloan, JIC
S/ E. Wilborn, JIC
[John S. Henley, a clergyman, and Elijah Coffee gave the standard supporting affidavit.]
[fn p. 8, Ephraim E. McClain, 53, resident of Habersham County, Georgia made application as the son of John McClain. In this application he states his father died in Rabun County Georgia July 8, 1844 leaving no widow but 8 children surviving, namely: David, Margaret McClure, Jane Porter, Anne Mauldin [wife of Alexander Mauldin], John, Charles, James N. & Ephraim E. McClain.]
[facts in file: veteran married Mary [maiden name not stated] January 8, 1784 in SC. She died February 22, 1841.]
[fn p. 24]
This is to Certify that the Bearer hearof John McLain has faithfully served as a Captain in my Regiment over a Company of lite horse and has been very faithful in that post from the 12th of March 1781 to the 27th of May 1782 and is hereby Discharged from the same. This 27th day of May 1782. S/ Robert Porter, Colo.
[fn p. 26] [very faint and difficult to read]
State of North Carolina Rutherford County
This is to certify that we the Subscribers is well acquainted with Capt. John McLean &c Do know him to be a young man of an Extraordinary Character always from behaving Well more Especially from the Commencement of the War Declaring his Fidelity to the State by his Conduct [entire line of illegible text] good Services acting as Captain of Rutherford's Light Horse for a Considerable time behaving himself well in that Office Every Station of life that he deserved the Approbation of every Citizen [several indecipherable words]. Given & Certified this [indecipherable day] day of February 1782. By
S/ Jonathan Hampton [illegible title]
S/ Robert Porter, Col.
S/ [illegible signature]
[fn p. 28, Francis Bird, a 'preacher of the gospel' testifies as to the veteran's moral character, Oct. 5, 1832 in Rabun County, Ga.]
[fn p. 33]
State of Georgia Rabun County
Personally appeared before me the undersigned a Justice of the Peace for the County aforesaid Capt. John McClain who after being duly sworn as the law directs, deposeth and saith, That in the first application he made the papers were drawn up by a person who was inexperienced and who states some things he did not fully understand
and some which he objected to, and which he supposes was so altered as read to him -- But he now again does state unequivocally, that he did serve 6 months as Sgt. & as such was most of the time stationed in Maple Creek Fort in Rutherford County North Carolina under Col. Andrew Hampton.
That as Lieut. he did at least 12 months service in Mumford Cove in Rutherford County North Carolina under Capt. Adam Hampton and Col. Andrew Hampton --
And that as he served as Capt. he took the place of Adam Hampton and commanded a company of Cavalry with Rifles as well as swords & pistols found their own horses & arms -- and as Capt. went a tour of one month to the Cherokee Nation as he now recollects by order of General Rutherford -- He was at the siege of 96 and at the Battle at Kings Mountain in all these services he was Capt. & commanded his troop of Cavalry. At Ninety Six going, returning and he is not less than one month -- and at King's Mountain -- and in the service out and after Ferguson not less than one month But he was continually out & cannot now by the loss of memory & age he cannot state the precise dates & times. He knows of no other proof except Jesse Neville in South Carolina and Jonathan Hampton if they are living Hampton did live in Rutherford County North Carolina. He was continually in the service followed no civil pursuit from March 1781 to May 1782 and was discharged as Col. Porter states and the paper sent.
Sworn to and subscribed 27th of April 1835 Before me
S/ A. P. Goines, JP S/ John McClain
[fn p. 40]
State of Georgia Rabun County
Before me H. W. Cannon one of the Justices of the Peace for said County Personally came Capt. John McClain of said County who after being duly sworn in due form of law doth make the following explanation of his services during the war of the Revolution to the best of his memory.
On mature reflection he now recollects of entering the service a private volunteer in what was then called mounted militia under the command of Capt. James McFagin and was stationed at Maple Creek Fort in Rutherford NC and served not less than 6 months was then discharged. Sometime after volunteered under Col. Andrew Hampton in Rutherford and marched to Salisbury was then put under the command of Capt. Sides and was stationed to guard the Jail and served 5 weeks was then dismissed. That he then volunteered under Capt. Adam Hampton & was appointed Lieut. and was stationed at Mumford's Cove NC and served one year at least and believes more than a year during which time he performed a Tour to the Cherokee nation and likewise a tour to Ninety Six in South Carolina and remained there till the siege was raised at Ninety Six and then marched back to the station in Mumford's Cove, was then appointed Capt. of the same company and served in that capacity during the time specified in a written discharge which he has sent on to the war department & during which time he performed another tour into the Cherokee nation and likewise was at the battle of King's Mountain.
Sworn to and Subscribed before me. S/ John McClain
S/ H. W. Cannon, JP
[fn p. 58]
State of South Carolina Pickens District
Before me Frederick N. Garvin one of the Justices assigned to keep the Peace for the District aforesaid personally appeared Jesse Neville of the said District who being sworn according to law deposes and saith, That during the War of the Revolution he this deponent lived in Rutherford County in the State of North Carolina deponent was for several years, in the service of the United States, and that during that time he was acquainted with Capt. John McLane [sic] who also lived in North Carolina in Rutherford County this deponent was never attached to the same Company with the said John McLane but they often met while in the service & were sometimes for days or perhaps weeks stationed or camped at the same place.
This deponent does know that the said John McLane was reputed and believed to be one of the best Soldiers and that part of the Country. Deponent lived near enough to know the character of said McLane and did know that he was very much in the service of the country was an honest man a rigid Whig. This deponent has often seen him since he moved to Rabun County Georgia but has not been so intimately acquainted as formerly -- But this deponent would have the most implicit confidence in anything he would state concerning his Services.
Sworn to and Subscribed before made this 9th May 1834 S/ Jesse Nevill
S/ F. N. Garvin, JP