Captain John DAMRON Sr.1,2,3,4 and his brothers apparently were among one of the first generations to eliminate the "e" from the family name. Some theorize that this was a device to differentiate the family that supported the colonies from those backing England during the Revolutionary War. Some lines later returned the "e" to the name but many retained the shorter form. (NOTE: Circumstantial evidence strongly backs the theory that John was the son of Moses Damron and Aggie Owl. Some researchers have reported that his father was William Dameron but have not provided any sources to substantiate that claim. This site will consider John as the son of Moses. He and Anna were definitely in Russell County, Virginia, when Moses and Aggy were there. In RUSSELL COUNTY, VIRGINIA DEED BOOK 2 (1795 - 1798): "page 467 - December 16, 1797 between John Damron & Anne and James Bush & Austen Bush...on the waters of Clinch River...170 ac...part of a survey granted to James Osborn by patent dated July 5, 1785...Beginning in a sinkhole corner to David Cowans land...running up the branch to the fork of the branch...to the line of Abraham McClenen...on Henry Hamlins line...Signed: John Damron & Anney Damron. No witnesses." Other county records shown John interacting with Moses, and Lazarus Damron in Russell County which supports that John was the son of Moses and Aggy.---CCC)
During the Revolutionary War, he joined the 9th Virginia Regiment of the Continental Line. This unit, made up of expert Virginian marksmen, was the famous Morgan's Riflemen. John's service record shows that he was at the battle of Gooch's Bridge, Delaware, in August 1777. This was reportedly the first battle actually fought under the Stars and Stripes although this claim has never been authenticated. The flag had been adopted on 14 July 1777. That engagement was followed by the Battle of Brandywine on 11 September. In the Battle of Germantown in October, John was taken prisoner by the British.
However, he was free and back on the roll of the 2nd
Virginia Regiment in March 1778. This regiment was with Washington at Valley
Forge, Pennsylvania, although it is not known if John had been there for that
infamous winter. On 18 June 1778, Washington took his army across the Delaware
River at Coryell's Ferry and, on 28 June, into the Battle of Monmouth Court
House, New Jersey. (If John was still with Morgan's Riflemen, he would not have
actually participated in the battle. That group, although nearby, since Morgan
had not been directly ordered to enter the fray and by the time he arrived with
his troops the battle was over.) The forces later accompanied Washington when he
moved his headquarters to White Plains, New York. Later, John joined the
Virginia State Militia where he attained the rank of Captain that resulted in
his being called "Captain John" for the remainder of his life.
He married Anna Ladd, a first cousin, and lived in Russell County, Virginia, for many years. He was an active Methodist preacher. They had several children before Anna died in 1804. John married again. His second wife's name is uncertain. A Cynthia Damron appears on a church membership roll along with some of John's children. It is thought that this is most likely his second wife. Her maiden name is also only a guess. Census records indicate that their third child, Agnes, had been born in Tennessee in 1811 and that Elvira, the next child, was born in Illinois in 1815.
In 1818, John and Cynthia appear in New Burnside, Johnson County (then, part of Franklin County), Illinois, where they had a farm. John was a farmer and a Methodist minister who, as a circuit rider, served missions in southern Illinois. His will, dated 5 September 1835, was made out in Franklin County, Illinois, and was filed in Johnson County, Illinois. He was buried in Drake Cemetery just across the border in Williamson County. A stone identifying him as a Revolutionary War veteran still marked the grave in 2008. (Click photo to visit the entry about him on the Find A Grave website.) The Will of John Damron, 1835 The family Bible of John Damron.
Birth: 12 Jan 1757 Albemarle Co., Virginia.5,6,7,8
Marriage: cir __ ___ 1780 Virginia.9,10,11,12,13
Marriage: cir __ ___ 1806 Cynthia THOMPSON?
( -1845);
Cynthia's maiden name is not known. It is thought by some researchers that it was
Thompson.14,15
Death: __ ___ 1840 Johnson Co., Illinois.16
Burial: __ ___ 1840 Drake Cemetery, Williamson Co., Illinois.17,18,19
Father: Moses DAMERON
(1735-1812)
Mother: Aggy OWL
Spouse: Anna LADD20,21,22,23
Birth: 04 Mar 1765 North Carolina.24,25,26
Death: 08 Feb 1804 Russell Co., Virginia.27,28
Burial: __ ___ ____ (probably in Russell Co.,
Virginia)
Father: Noble LADD Sr. (1714-1782)
Mother:
Judith DAMERON (1732-1790)
Thirteen Children of John's first marriage:
1/M Joseph DAMRON Sr.29,30
Birth: 22 Dec 1781 Russell Co., Virginia.31,32,33
Marriage: 03 Dec 1815 Elizabeth DYKES (1796-1860); Floyd Co., Kentucky.34,35,36,37
Death: __ ___ ____2/M Solomon DAMRON38
Birth: 02 Oct 1783 39
Death: bef __ ___ 1835 Before father's will was made.40
Marriage? __ ___ ____3/F Elizabeth DAMRON41
Birth: 03 Mar 1785 42
Marriage? __ ___ ____
Death: __ ___ ____4/F Judith DAMRON43
Birth: 04 Mar 1787 44
Marriage? __ ___ ____
Death: __ ___ ____5/M William DAMRON45
Birth: 01 Feb 1789 Virginia.46
Marriage: __ ___ ____ Betsey (--?--)47
Death: __ ___ ____6/M John DAMRON Jr.;48,49,50 Records indicate that in the early 1810's John was in New Madrid County, MO, living with his father's brother, George, who had a son also named John so that the two cousins were known by nicknames. John was "Ground Hog John" while George's son was called "Cuffy." His Uncle George died in 1816 about the time, or soon after, John married Sarah when she was only fourteen or fifteen. Census records show that he was in Franklin Co., Illinois, in 1818 and 1820. By 1830 he was in Weakley Co., Tennessee, then moved to Barry Co., Missouri. By 1844, he and his family had arrived in Ellis Co., Texas, with a company of friends, neighbors and relatives, traveling overland by wagon and teams of oxen or horses. (At least one source reports that they were members of the Mercer Colony.) After John's death in 1856, his widow and some of their children converted to Mormonism and moved to Utah;
Birth: 19 May 1791 Russell Co., Virginia; John was possibly born in Northumberland Co., Virginia.51,52,53
Marriage: cir __ ___ 1812 Sarah Elizabeth SHULTZ (1799-1859); Illinois.54,55
Death: 03 Apr 1856 Ellis Co., Texas.567/M George DAMRON57,58,59
Birth: 12 Mar 1793 Russell Co., Virginia.60
Marriage: cir __ ___ 1816 Delilah Catherine FISHER (1798-1857); Illinois.61
Death: 13 Jun 1840 Ector, Fannin Co., Texas.62
Burial: aft 13 Jun 1840 Carson Cemetery, Ector, Fannin Co., Texas.638/F Polly DAMRON64
Birth: 12 Mar 1793 65
Marriage? __ ___ ____
Death: __ ___ ____9/M Noble Ladd DAMRON66,67,68,69
Birth: 16 Mar 1795 70
Marriage: __ ___ ____ Elizabeth (--?--) (1805- )
Death: __ ___ ____10/F Anna Ladd DAMRON;71 After James, her husband, died, Anna was left to rear their six children on the league of land he had been posthumously granted. Since James had died intestate, a partition proceeding in the district court of Collin County awarded Anna half of the property. Each of the children was awarded equal portions of the remaining half. The area was very much still a frontier with many hardships including Indian activity. There were only about 150 people in the county in 1842 but, by 1859, the population had reached 1,950. Apparently, Anna had difficulty in supporting her family on her own. Between the years of 1845 and 1852, she executed 14 deeds, granting various sized parcels of land out of her share of the land. She evidently sold parcels of land as she required money. She sold two rather large pieces of land to her son Jobe "in consideration of the love and affection which I bear to my son..." Some years later, when Jobe was living in Goliad County, his wife, Minerva, died. Anna went to live with him to help rear his children and remained there until Jobe's death. Then, she moved to Llano where she lived with a grandson until her own death. (Source: THE TEXAS HERITAGE OF THE FISHERS AND THE CLARKS by O.C. Fisher. The Anson Jones Press, Salado, TX. 1963.) Interestingly, some descendants have come to believe that Anna was simply Anna Ladd who had been born in Holland and could speak no English until she was nineteen years old! Her son Jobe was the father of the well-known Texas gunman King Fisher.
Birth: 23 Dec 1797 Virginia.72,73
Marriage: 08 May 1816 James FISHER Jr. (1795-1837); Pope Co., Illinois Territory; Later, Pope Co., IL. Territorial marriage records. In the Illinois Marriage Record Index (3/9/94 edition), a computerized database compiled by the Illinois State Genealogical Society and copied to microfiche, page 3954 shows: Danril, Anney and Fisher, James Junr. md. 5/8/1816, Pope Co., Book A, page 2.74
Death: aft __ ___ 1851 Llano Co., Texas.7511/M Moses DAMRON76
Birth: 06 Jun 1799 Russell Co., Virginia.77
Marriage: bef __ ___ 1823 Susanna McCLAIN (1806-1855); TN or IL; LDS Archive Record for Susan E. Damron's children.78
Death: cir __ ___ 1855 possibly, Collin Co., Texas.7912?/M Constantine Ladd DAMRON;80,81 Constantine has reported as being the father of John Henry Damron although no conclusive documentation has been presented. The preparer of this document feels that the lack of proof and evidence that Hulda Majors Damron was more closely connected justifies not listing John Henry Damron among his children;
Birth: 05 May 1801 Russell Co., Virginia.82,83
Marriage: cir __ ___ 1825 Sarah Emeline MCCORMICK (1803-1845)84
Marriage: 08 Jun 1845 Sarah MITCHELL (1820-1853); Carthage, Jasper Co., Missouri.85,86,87
Death: __ ___ 1849 Jasper Co., Missouri.813/F Hulda Majors DAMRON;89 Hulda seems to have been named for her mother's sister, Hulda, who married Robert Majors. She was born only a few months before her mother died and was reared by her step-mother, Cynthia. Hulda was married and widowed two times. She was apparently the mother of John Henry Damron . In the 1830 census, she is in the household of her first husband, James Thomas Addleton, along with a male under five years of age. There is no record of an Addleton child of this age. The age of this child is correct for John Henry Damron with whom she later lived in Texas and, apparently, died in his household. Descendants of John Henry considered Hulda as his mother. It is probable that John Henry is her child although no evidence of a previous marriage has emerged. She and James Thomas Addleton evidently raised John Henry who was to name his first son, James Thomas Damron. John Henry's account of his father's death suggests that he was referring to James Thomas Addleton rather than his biological father. James Thomas might have been his father but this seems unlikely since John Henry never took the Addleton name;
Birth: 08 Dec 1803 Virginia.90,91
Marriage: bef __ ___ 1830 James Thomas ADDLETON Sr. ( -1837); Illinois.92
Marriage: aft __ ___ 1837 (--?--) COLDIRON ( -1849)93,94
Death: 21 Dec 1864 Fannin Co., Texas.95
THE SECOND MARRIAGE OF Captain John DAMRON Sr.96,97,98,99
Birth: 12 Jan 1757 Albemarle Co., Virginia.100,101,102,103
Marriage: cir __ ___ 1780
Anna LADD (1765-1804);
Virginia.104,105,106,107,108
Marriage: cir __ ___ 1806
Cynthia's maiden name is not know. It is thought
by some researchers that it was Thompson.109,110
Death: __ ___ 1840 Johnson Co., Illinois.111
Burial: __ ___ 1840 Drake Cemetery, Williamson Co., Illinois.112,113,114
Father:
Moses DAMERON (1735-1812)
Mother:
Aggy OWL
Spouse: Cynthia THOMPSON?;115,116 Her first and
last names are not known for certain. A Cynthia Damron appears on the membership
role of the local church along with some members of John's second family and it
does seem possible that this could well be her. It is believed that her last
name might have been Thompson since that name was used in the name of her
youngest son. However, no proof has been uncovered which verifies this
supposition;
Birth: __ ___ ____
Death: __ May 1845 Johnson Co., Illinois; Estate box 58. Vienna, Johnson
Co., IL.117
Burial: __ ___ ____ Williamson Co., Illinois; Drake Cemetery.118
Six Children of John's second marriage:
1/M David DAMRON119
Birth: 05 Oct 1807 120
Marriage: 01 Dec 1828 Belveretta CASEY121,122
Death: bef __ ___ 1835 1232/F Suckey DAMRON124 ("Suckey" was frequently a nickname for Susannah or Susan.)
Birth: 12 Apr 1809 125
Death: 09 Aug 1810 126
Marriage? __ ___ ____3/F Agnes DAMRON
Birth: 31 Jul 1811 Tennessee.127,128
Marriage: __ ___ ____ Stephen GILL (1810-1875); Adair Co., Kentucky.129,130
Death: 19 Feb 1852 131
Burial: aft 19 Feb 1852 Drake Cemetery, Williamson Co., Illinois.132,1334/F Elvira DAMRON134,135
Birth: 27 Oct 1815 Franklin Co., Illinois.136,137,138,139
Marriage: 26 Jan 1832 Hall WHITEAKER (1810-1884); Franklin Co., Illinois.140,141
Death: 10 Mar 1888 Johnson Co., Illinois.142,143
Burial: aft 10 Mar 1888 Drake Cemetery, Williamson Co., Illinois.144,1455/F Malissa DAMRON146,147
Birth: 10 Apr 1818 Franklin Co., Illinois.148
Marriage: 20 Apr 1836 William CHOATE; Benton, Franklin Co., Illinois.149,150
Death: __ ___ ____6/M Noah Thompson DAMRON151,152
Birth: 12 Dec 1823 Johnson Co.?, Illinois.153,154,155
Marriage: 14 May 1846 Mary Ann THORNTON (1827- ); Johnson Co., Illinois.156,157,158,159
Death: aft __ ___ 1850 160,161
Burial: aft __ ___ 1850 Franklin Co., Illinois.162,163
Index to names on the above section
Created using The Master Genealogist for Windows
"IN THE NAME OF GOD AMEN. I JOHN DAMRON of Franklin
County and the State of Illinois being through the abundant mercy of God, Tho“
weak in body yet of a sound and perfect understanding and memory do constitute
this my last will and testament and desire it may be received by all as such:
FIRST . . . I most humbly bequeath my soul to God my maker, beseeching His most
gracious acceptance of it through the all sufficient merits and mediation of the
adorable Redeemer Jesus Christ who gave Himself to be an atonement for my sins
and in able to save to the uttermost all that come unto God by Him, and Who I
trust will not reject me, when I come to him for mercy; in that hope and
confidence I render up my soul with comfort, humbly beseeching the most gracious
merciful and holy Lord God to prepare me for the time of my Dissoulution and
then to take me to Himself into that abode of peace and life which he hath
prepared for all that love and fear His holy name, Amen.
"I give my body to the earth from whence it was taken
in full assurance of its resurrection from thence at the last day; as to my
Burial, I desire it may be decent and at the discretion of my dear wife and my
executors here after named who I doubt not will manage it with all requisite
prudence . . . As to my worldly Estate I will and positively order that all my
debts be paid, and first I give to my son JOSEPH DAMRON, the sum of One Dollar,
and to each of my children, BETSEY, JUDITH, WILLIAM, GEORGE, POLLY, NOBLE LADD,
ANNE, MOSES, CONSTANTINE LADD, AND HULDAH, the like sum of One Dollar. To my son
JOHN I give my large Family Bible--
"And I also give to the Heirs of my son DAVID DAMRON,
One Dollar--to each of my daughters, AGNES and ELVIRA, the like sum of One
Dollar--
"SECONDLY, I give to MALISSA, one Feather bed with its
necessary furniture and a cow and calf.
"THIRDLY, I give to my dear wife all the residue of my
property my improvements Household furniture, farming utensils and stock of
every description with the intent and expectation that she will raise my
youngest son, NOAH THOMPSON, and my will further says, that during her life or
the continuance of her widowhood she enjoy and use all of the remainder of my
property, but at her death or marriage my will is that my son NOAH THOMPSON
shall have all that there may remain.
"I do here by appoint my wife as Executrix and my son
John Damron, and my worthy friend Joseph Kuykendal1 Executors of this my last
will and testament firmly believing that they will faithfully see that my wishes
as herein expressed will be fully executed after I am gone. In witness whereof I
have hereunto set my hand and seal this 5th day of September, 1835.
(SEAL) JOHN DAMRON (SEAL)
"Witnesses:
JAMES GILL
JESSE (X) APLING;"
(The will was found in Estate Box 56 at the Johnson County Courthhouse, Vienna, Johnson Co., Illinois.)
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The Family Bible of Captain John Damron
Helen Foster Snow wrote in THE DAMERON-DAMRON GENEALOGY that Nell Elkins Pearce Pearce "has seen the old Bible Mentioned in the will of John Damron, and said it was a beautiful book bound in leather. She sent me the following with the note: 'This record of births and deaths of the family of John and Anna (Ladd) Damron was found in a very old book in possession of one of John and Cynthia Damron's great-grandchildren. (Cynthia was his second wife.)'"
REGISTER
Sons and Daughter
"JOSEPH DAMRON, the first son, b.
22 Dec. 1781
SOLOMON 2nd b. 2 Oct.
1783
BETSEY 1st
daut. b. 3 Mch. 1785
SMITH
2nd daut. b. 4 Mch. 1787
WILLIAM 3rd son b. 10 Feb.
1789
JOHN (JR.) 4th son
b. 19 May 1791
GEO. & POLLY DAMRON 5th son
and 3rd daut. b. 12 Mch.
1793
NOBLE LADD DAMRON 6th son b. 16 Mch.
1795
ANNA
4th daut. b. 23 Dec. 1797
MOSES
7th son b. 6 June, 1799
CONSTANTINE LADD " 8th son b. 5
May 1801
HULDIA MAJORS "
5th daut. b. 8 Nov. 1803
"JOHN DAMRON, senior, was born Jan.
12, 1757.
ANNA DAMRON, his wife, was born Mch. 4, 1765, and died
Feb. 8 1804.
"Children of John Damron and 2nd Wife Cynthia
DAVID DAMRON, the 9th son b.
5 Oct. 1807
SUCKEY
6th daut. b. 24 April 1809
AGNES
7th daut. b. 31 July 1811
ELVIRA
8th daut. b. 27 Oct. 1815
MALISSA
9th daut. b. 10 April, 1818
NOAH THOMPSON " 10th son b. 12 Dec. 1823"
Mrs. Pearce added the following notes: John Damron,
Jr. b. in Va. (Census). Agnes Damron b. in Tenn. (Census). Elvira Damron b.
in Illinois, Franklin Co.; Malissa b. Illinois; Franklin Co.; Noah Thompson b.
in Illinois in Williamson or Johnson County. Between Feb. 8th,
1804, and 1806 John married Cynthia as her first child was born 1807.
Mrs. Pearce also wrote: John's son David was already dead in 1835, and I
have other proof of this then the will. I have never been able to locate the
following sons of John, Sr.: Solomon, Joseph, William. In fact I have never
seen any of them in the Census with him except John Jr. and his family. Where
did they locate--not in Illinois I am sure? She told me: "My ancestress,
Agnes Damron married Stephen Gill; they named their children John C. Gill,
Polly, Benjamin, Monroe, Stephen Thompson, Elizabeth, Sarah Ann and Milton
Gill." She also wrote: "I have always thought that maybe Cynthias maiden
name was Thompson as she named her last child, b. 1823, Noah Thompson. Noah
was of Bertie County, N.C." She said Benagar Gill, father of Stephen,
enlisted from Delaware, and she did not know who his father was at that writing. The
tombstones of Agnes and Stephen Gill are in the cemetery.
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