Editor’s note: The following italicized text is the Revolutionary War record of William Vaughn.
Declaration of William Vaughn on this 20th day of November in the year 1833 – I, James Gordon, one of the Justices of the Peace of Anson County NC at the home of William Vaughn (age 81 years) because he being very feeble and not able to travel to court and being duly sworn according to law make the following declaration in order to obtain the benefit of the Act of Congress which was approved into law on June 7th 1832, whereas he entered into the service of the United States under the following named officers and served as herein stated:
I was born on January 1st 1752 in South Hampton County, Virginia. I was a volunteer Private in a company of light (?) horse in Cumberland County NC. My commanding officers were Colonel Ebenezer Folsom and Captain John Blocker (?) of Cumberland County. We marched to the Hemby Bridge on Cape Fear River to keep the Tories from seizing it and near the bridge we met with some Tories that had just been defeated by the Americans and we helped to guard them at David Smith’s. Then we were marching to Vernon Bridge to keep the Tories from crossing.
I served six months during this time. The day or month is not remembered but I think it was in the year 1775 and in the course of that year I moved to Anson County NC and volunteered for another six months. My commanding officers were Colonel John Jackson and Captain John Stanfield but not long after I was a volunteer again for six months and marched under the leadership of Colonel Thomas Wade and Captain Patrick Boggan of Anson County and we marched up into the county on Rocky River and then marched to the south and then back into Anson County and we then crossed Pee Dee River and then marched onto Drowning Creek to Batty (?) Bridge and it was here that we were engaged in a battle with the Tories. My horse was shot in the action.
The Americans were defeated. I served another six months but I do not remember the year. I was employed by the War Department for six months in order to provide beef cattle for the regular army when marching thru this section of the county on their march to the south. The year not remembered but I remember seeing General Gates as he marched to the south and I remembered seeing General Greene and his army stopped for a short time near my house when I lived at the crossroads near May’s Mill on Jones Creek. I have no papers to prove my services nor do I know of any individuals that are living that can testify to my military services.
It is possible William Vaughn was a son of Stephen and Mary Vaughn. Stephen Vaughn’s will was recorded in Anson County on March 5, 1785. Those named in the will were his wife, Mary, sons, William and Harman, and daughter, Sarah Vaughn.
William Vaughn probably got married in Anson County as early as 1780. In 1790, he was the head of the household with one male and six females living there. His wife might have been named Hannah.
Possible sons of William Vaughn were Benjamin, Anderson and James Vaughn. Benjamin died before 1847, while James and Anderson moved westward. William’s only daughter was Hannah Vaughn Burr. Hannah was born about 1790 and was a widow as early as 1830. Hannah was living in Anson County in 1850.
William Vaughn began receiving a pension for his service in the Revolutionary War in 1831. He received $30 every March 4 and September 4. William was living Sept. 24, 1844. He was 92 at this time. He must have died before March 1845.
Steve Bailey is employed with the Anson County Historical Society and has specialized in local African-American family history for 20 years.