Fought in the Revolutionary War.
was born in what is now Buckingham County, Virginia. Buckingham County was formed in 1761 from the County of Albemarle in an area of rolling hills known as the Virginia Piedmont. We know that at least part of his childhood was spent in his native state. Only speculation can be made as to when he and his family moved to South Carolina.
Thomas was only 18 years of age when he enlisted in the service as a colonial soldier. He enlisted on July 15, 1777 in York County, South Carolina. After his first tour of duty, which was an expedition into Georgia and Florida, he became a resident of Edgefield County, South Carolina. In 1779 he took another tour which led him back into Georgia and to the first Siege of Savannah. His dedication to the cause motivated another volunteer for service in 1780 and again in 1781, fighting in the first, and then the last Siege of Augusta, Georgia.
Thomas was a farmer and a minister. In 1821, he was the minister of the Baptist Church in Hopewell Township, Ohio.
In 1832, Thomas applied for a pension as a result of his service in the Revolutionary war, which was approved. He was 73 and still very active. He helped establish the Little Piney Church in Phelps County, Missouri.
Thomas and Deborah are buried in the Pine Hill Cemetery in Phelps County, Missouri.
John Thomas Snelson was born on 04 Jul 1759 in Buckingham or Albemarle Co., VA. He died on 10 Sep 1843 in Crawford Co., MO and was buried in Pine Hill Cemetery, Phelps Co., MO.Other children attributed to Thomas and Deborah Snelson
Michael Snelson was born in 1785.
William Snelson was born in 1789.
Deborah Snelson was born in 1790 in Tennessee.1810 SNELSON, Thomas Buckskin TWP, Ross Co., OH pg 65
1816 SNELSON THOMAS Ross County OH 065 Buckskin Township Tax list
1817 SNELSON THOMAS Ross County OH 073 Buckskin Township Tax list
1830 SNELSON THOMAS Ross County OH 327 Paints Township Federal Population ScheduleJohn Thomas Snelson was born 4 Jul 1759 in what is now Buckingham Co., VA. Buckingham was formed from Albemarle in 1761.
Thomas was age 18 when he enlisted in the service as a colonial soldier. He enlisted 15 Jul 1777 in York Co., SC. After his first tour of duty, an expedition into GA and FL, he became a resident of Edgefield Co., SC. In 1779, he substituted for one Robert Holiday, presumably of this county. This tour took him back into GA and to the first Siege of Savannah. In 1780, Thomas is in Wilkes Co., GA. His dedication to the cause motivates another volunteer
for service in 1780 and again in 1781, fighting in the first and then the last Seige of Augusta, GA.In 1784, Thomas was granted 287 1/2 A in Washington Co., GA and additional land in 1785.
In 1784, Thomas received from the state of SC, Three Pounds Two Shillings and Ten Pence Farthing Sterling for his claim against the state of SC for service in the Revolution.
Prior to 1785, Thomas left GA and went back to SC. From records of Early South Carolina Land Grants, he is listed as owning land in the ninety-sixth Dist., Edgefield Co., SC on Hamblin Creek, a tributary of the Savannah River.
Thomas was the minister of the Baptist Church in Hopewell Township, OH in 1821.
In 1832, Thomas applied for a pension in the Rev. War which was approved. He was 73 years old and still very active. He was instrumental in establishing the Little Piney Church near where Newberg, MO now stands, in the county of Phelps.
The 1840 census of Crawford Co., MO shows Thomas living with Mary Snelson, widow of his son Marshall and their children.
He and Deborah both rest in Pine Hill Cemetry, Phelps Co., MO.
This Indenture made this Second day of March in the year of our Lord One Thousand Eight Hundred and Thirty, between Thomas Snelson and Deborah his wife of the County of Ross and State of Ohio and Joseph McCoy of the County and State aforesaid…in consideration of the sum of ten dollars to them in hand…Five acres, be the same more or less, lying and being in the County of Ross on the waters of Paint Creek, being part of Survey No. 12641 entered in the name of Cadwallader Wallace…the said Thomas Snelson and wife have set their hand and seal the day and year above written.
Signed and Delivered in presence of;
William Wilson {Signed} Thomas Snelson
Marshall Snelson Deborah [her X mark] Snelson
This Indenture made this Second day of October in the year One Thousand Eight Hundred and Thirty One between Thomas Snelson and Deborah, his wife, of the County of Ross and State of Ohio of the one part and David Nixon also of the County and State aforesaid…Thomas Snelson and Deborah, his wife, for and in consideration of the sum of Two Hundred dollars…that tract or parcel of land lying and being in the County of Ross and on the waters
of Paint Creek…containing Ninety Five acres, more or less, and a part of Survey No. 12461…Surveyed in the name of Peter and Mayo and granted unto the said Thomas Snelson a deed of conveyance bearing date Seventeenth day of October, One Thousand Eight Hundred and Twenty Six, together with all improvements, watercourses, and appurtenances…Thomas Snelson and Deborah, his wife, have set their hand and seal the day and year above written.Signed and Delivered in Presence of;
Marshall Snelson {Signed} Thomas Snelson
Joseph Rockhold Deborah [her X mark] SnelsonPension Application for John Thomas Snelson
State of Missouri, Crawford CountyOn this 24th day of June in the year 1833, personally appeared before William E. Hawkins and George A. Coppedge, Judges of the county Circuit of the county aforesaid, Thomas Snelson, a resident of Crawford County in the State of Missouri, aged 73 years, the fourth day of July last, who being first duly sworn according to the law, doth on his oath make the following declaration in order to obtain the benefit of the provision made by the act of Congress, passed July 7th 1832, that he was in Buckingham County in the State of Virginia on the fourth day of
July in the year 1759, as appears to him by record which he has of his age, and on the 15th day of July 1777, he enlisted for three years and entered the service of the United States under Captain Joseph Duncan, Lieut. Robert Middleton, Ensign Thomas Raney, commanded by Colonel John Stuart and Lieut. Colonel Elijah Clark and marched through the state of Georgia and crossed the Attamahow River at Fort Barranton and across the St. Tilley's River and St. Mary's into east Florida and returned into the state of Georgia and received a written
discharge at a place called Midway Meeting House near Sunsbury, signed by Col. Stuart, Capt. Middleton, and Lieut. Duncan in July 1778, making one year's service.
That tour was generally known by the name of the Florida Expedition. Residence at the time of enlistment in the service was in York County in the state of South Carolina and was in no engagement in that tour. And in the year 1779 was a resident of Edgefield County in the state of South Carolina and substituted for one Robert Holliday and was in the service forty two days under Capt. Leroy Hammond, Drury Pace, Lieut. Henry Grabel, commanded by Capt. Leroy Hammond and marched into the state of Georgia to Savannah during the tour in the month of September 1779. Was in an engagement in Savannah. Continental officers General Marion and Col. Horry in which engagement General Pulaski and Sergeant Jasper fell, and marched to Hulston's Tavern in Georgia and was dismissed, but received no written discharge. And in the year 1780 was resident of Wilkes County in the state of Georgia and volunteered under Capt. Henry Ware, Lieut. Hughy Gillitin, commanded by General Clarke and marched to Augusta in the state of Georgia and there fought the British Tories and Indians from Wednesday until Monday. This tour lasted ten days and was called the first siege of Augusta, during which engagement the British reinforced and General Clarke with his troops were
compelled to give ground. He received no written discharge and in March 1781, he was a resident of Wilkes County in the state of Georgia and volunteered under Capt. William Walker and Lieut. Thomas Holiday, commanded by General Clarke and marched to the city of Augusta in the state of Georgia and there remained until the month of May following and stormed a fort of Tories commanded by Col. Grason [Grayson] in which engagement we killed 24, wounded 33, and took upwards of 70 prisoners. Capt. Josiah ___ was the first man that entered the fort and cut down their colors and about the third day of June, Col. Brown, a British officer
surrendered up his troops and we were dismissed, but received no written discharge after a tour of three months and three day, our Continental officer was Col. William Washington. He hereby relinquishes every claim whatever to a pension or an annuity except the present and he declares that his name is not on the pension role of any agency in any state.{Signed} Thomas Snelson
Sworn to and subscribed the day and year aforesaid
James Harrison, Clerk
STATE of SOUTH CAROLINATo all these present shall come, Greeting:
Know ye that in consideration for Four Pounds, Thirteen Shillings & 4 p Sterling Money paid by Thomas Snelson into the Treasury for the use of this State, We have granted and by these present do grant unto the said Thomas Snelson, his Heirs, and Assigns, a plantation or Tract of Land containing two hundred acres situated in the district of ninety six South of Saluda River below the ancient boundary line on a branch of Savannah River called Hamlins Creek, having such Shape, Form, and Marks, as we are represented by a Plat hereunto annexed, together with all Woods, Trees, Waters, Watercourses, Profits, Commodities, Appurtenances, and Hereditaments whatsoever belonging, to have and to hold the said Tract of two hundred acres of land and all and singular other the premises hereby granted unto the said Thomas Snelson his Heirs and Assigns forever in free and common Soccage.
Given under the Great Seal of the State
Witness, his Excellency, William Moultrie Esquire, Governor and Commander in Chief in and over the said State, at Charleston the Sixth day of November Anno Domini, One Thousand Seven Hundred and Eighty Six and in the Eleventh Year of the Independence of the United States of America.Will'm L.M.S. Moultrie
And hath thereunto a Plat thereof annexed, representing the same, certified by
F. Bremar_ Surveyor General
21 February 1785
Pension Pay
Treasury Department
Second Comptroller's Office
November 26, 1838Sir:
Under the act of the 6th of April 1838, entitled "An act directing the transfer of money remaining unclaimed by certain Pensioners and authorizing the payment of the same at the Treasury of the United States", Thomas Snelson, a pensioner on the Roll of the St. Louis, Mo. Agency at the rate of Fifty Six Dollars and Eight Cents per annum, under the law of the 7th June 1832 has been paid at this Department from the 4th of Sept. 1837 to the 4th of
March 1838.Respectfully yours,
Albion K. Parris
Comptroller
To the Commissioner of Pensions,
PresentPension Certificate
Missouri 19.823
Thomas Snelson
Of Crawford Co. in the State of Missouri
Who was Private in the Comp. commanded
By Capt. Duncan of the Reg. commanded
By Col. Stuart in the Georgia & SC
Line 1 yr 4 mos 25 $112.16
$52.33 28.04
2.75 $140.20
$56.08Inscribed on the Roll of Missouri
At the rate of 56 Dollars 08 Cents per annum
To commence on the 4th day of March 1831Certificate of Pension issued this 18 Day of Sep 1823
And __ J. Harrison
Little Piney P. O.Arrears to the 4th of Sep '33 $140.20
____ allowance ending 4 Mar? '34 28.04
$168.24Revolutionary Claims Act June 7, 1832
Recorded by Geo C Stiles Clerk
Book E Vol 8 Page 88Military - State of Georgia
This is to certify that Thos's Snelson Sen'r was nominated to serve as a Sergeant in the __ Battalion of Minute-Men, raised for the Defense of this State, by Resolve of Assembly, passed the 3rd June 1777; and that the said Sergeant Snelson was not, at the time of his enlistment, an Inhabitant of this State, nor had he resided in any Part thereof for Six Months preceding his enlistment and further, that he was in service at the time the said Battalion was reduced by a subsequent Resolve of March 1st 1778.
Given under my Hand at Washington, this First Day of April 1784.
Elijah Clarke Lt. Col.
By his Order
H. Freeman
Rachael Elizabeth's twin brother.
Note - check to see if related to Hester Martin
Note - see if related to Hester and Saphrona Martin.
