John Lesley served in the Revolutionary War along with his father and younger brother Robert in 1776. He was a member of the Montgomery ’s County Militia . He served in the defense of his new country. John was at first assigned to the “upper station” one of the forts erected for community defense. On October 12, 1778 , however just a scant 18 years of age, he was chosen as one of the men to march with Colonel John Montgomery’s Regiment to join General Clark in the Illinois Campaign.
The story of the Taking of Kaskaskia and Vincennes by the band of 150 men led by General Rogers Clark has been told by many, but the generals own day-by-day account is the most thrilling of all. The shooting of the rapids at the Falls of the Ohio, the wading neck high for days thru water which overflowed the lowlands, the swimming acrossed swollen streams, and the final swooping down on Vincennes like undulating waves of grain makes wonderfull reading for the schoolboy. How much more so to those descendants of the men who made up that brave band whom Clark praised so highy; most historians agree that it was “one of the most heroic episodes of the American Revolution, in one of the most important in it’s consequences.” The fact that this territory was in the hands of the Americans when the treaty of Paris was signed in 1783 made possible the securing the entire vast Illinois territory to the United States .
John Lesley served 18 months with the Continental Army with the Clark expedition, and then returned to the Bluestone. When the new County of the Wythe was formed in 1790 and encompassed the Bluestone area, he was named a Lieutenant in the Wythe County Militia.
John Lesley made a survey for land on the waters of the Bluestone in 1781 where he lived. This was for his services in the Rev. War. He later acquired more land he bought and his father gave him. He owned about 450 acres in total.
He met and married his wife Martha Cloyd in 1789. The marriage was recorded in the Montgomery County Virginia , under the jurisdiction of which the bluestone area remained until the following year. They had 3 sons and 5 daughters of whom they raised in Virginia on his land where he farmed.
John later moved to Kentucky to be with his father and younger brother in the Lesley Settlement in Johns Creek- Pike County Kentucky. John gave his land to his son William in Virginia when he left to come to Kentucky about 1815. He then later along with his youngest son John P. Lesley and perhaps some other members of the family, went to Lawrence County Kentucky, known today as Ashland , Boyd County, Kentucky.
John Leslie filed for his pension from where he served in the the Revolutionary War
This is the first page of that record
John Lesley is Burried in Ashland , Kentucky at the Leslie Cemetery in Boyd County . Located at Route 773, off of Bolts Fork Road .
Some of Johns children also are burried here. His wife Martha Cloyd is also burried here. I plan to go back to get better pictures and also name them all here for references for others in the spring of 2007.
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Read the complete History on William and his descendants taken from Ruths book here
Leslie~Lesley by Ruth Cleaveland Leslie
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Following Johns steps thru the years
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1776 Revolutionary War, John was a member of the Montgomery ’s County Militia.
He was assigned to the “Upper Station” one of the forts for community defence.
1778 John enlisted in Montgomery , Virginia under Captain Jesse Evans, Colonel George Rogers Clark’s Illinois Regt. He was in the Expedition to Vincennes .
1778 October 12 th John was chosen as one of the men to “march” with Colonel John Montgomery’s Regiment to join General Clark in the Illinois Campaign.
1790 John served 18 months with Continental Army on the Expedition. He returned to the Bluestone are, he was named a lieutenant in the Wythe County Militia.
1781-1783-1784 John made a survey for land in Wrights Valley which laid “on the waters of Bluestone”Wrights Valley lies back of and runs into the Little Valley on the Bluestone, Virginia .
1805 John bought or aquired land for 50 lbs Virginia coinage from William Brown.
1805 ? John purchased 150 acres on the Bluestone from Thomas and John Cartmell. He paid 200 lbs Virginia Currency.
1806 *Source: Tazewell County land Tax for the Year 1806
John is listed as follows |
John Lesley------------------------200 acres |
John Lesley—(fr. Wm. Lesley) 200 acres |
John Lesley—(grant)------------100 acres |
John Lesley—(fr. Wm. Lesley) 100 acres |
1827 John gave his son William 160 acres on Bluestone, Virginia .
1828 John sold 279 acres to Charles Tiffany for $1200.00 on the Bluestone, Virginia .
1833 he moved to Lawrence , Kentucky
1833 John applied for a pension under the pension act 1831 |
Pension application # S30687 Microcopy series M-804, Roll 1528 |
1844 of April John Lesley did not receive a payment for his pension. Assuming he had passed away March of 1844.
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Residence by "United States Census Records"
(click "record" to go to the Census File)
1810 -Floyd Kentucky , Name spelled John Lesly record
1820 -Tazewell, Virginia Name spelled John Leslie record
1830 -Pike, Kentucky Name Spelled John Lesley record
1840 -Age 79 Cabell , Virginia Name spelled John Lesley (States he is a Veteran) Stratton was Head of household. record
Sources:
Title: “Lesley--Leslie, a history of two hundred years in America , 1755-1955 :
William Robert Lesley and Elizabeth Buchanan Lesley and their descendants”
Author: Leslie, Ruth Cleveland
Publication: 1955
Media: Book
Text: Information on William Robert Leslie and Elizabeth Buchanan, stating births, deaths, marriages. A genealogy book.
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Family Data Collection-Individual records Ancestry.com
Virginia Marriages to 1800 Ancestry.com
An annotation of all Taxpayers-1801-1820
Tazewell County land Tax for the Year 1806
James Leslie. 
Rebecca Leslie. Born 25 NOV 1790 . 
