James served in the Revolutionary War from 1779-1781, state of Virginia. His first wife was Barbara and his second wife was Mary Wittenberger.
Southern Campaign American Revolution Pension Statements & Rosters Pension application of James Wyly (Wyley)1 W26145 Mary f77VA Transcribed by Will Graves 10/25/11 [Methodology: Spelling, punctuation and/or grammar have been corrected in some instances for ease of reading and to facilitate searches of the database. Where the meaning is not compromised by adhering to the spelling, punctuation or grammar, no change has been made. Corrections or additional notes have been inserted within brackets or footnotes. Blanks appearing in the transcripts reflect blanks in the original. A bracketed question mark indicates that the word or words preceding it represent(s) a guess by me. Only materials pertinent to the military service of the veteran and to contemporary events have been transcribed. Affidavits that provide additional information on these events are included and genealogical information is abstracted, while standard, 'boilerplate' affidavits and attestations related solely to the application, and later nineteenth and twentieth century research requests for information have been omitted. I use speech recognition software to make all my transcriptions. Such software misinterprets my southern accent with unfortunate regularity and my poor proofreading fails to catch all misinterpretations. Also, dates or numbers which the software treats as numerals rather than words are not corrected: for example, the software transcribes "the eighth of June one thousand eighty six" as "the 8th of June 1786." Please call errors or omissions to my attention.]
[f 23] State of Tennessee Blount County: SS On this 26 day of March 1833 personally appeared in open Court before us Robert Houston, David McKorny and Joseph Wilson three of the acting Justices of the court of pleas and Quarter Sessions in and for said County now sitting James Wiley a resident of said County of Blount in State of Tennessee in the said County of Blount in State of Tennessee aged seventy years who being first duly sworn according to law doth on his oath make the following declaration in order to obtain the benefit of the act of Congress passed June 7th 1832. That I entered the service of the United States under the following named officers and served as herein stated. He was born in McLinBurgh County [Mecklenburg County] North Carolina on the 19th day of December 1782. He moved when young to Montgomery County Virginia twelve miles from the lead mines on Cripple Creek in what is now Wythe County. He has a record of his age at home in his family Bible while living in said Montgomery County Virginia in May 1779 he volunteered under Captain Preston his Christian name not recollected in the Cavalry. We rendezvoused at Fort Chissle [Fort Chiswell] at the time last aforesaid we had no Colonel with us we then marched to Englishes ferry [English's ferry] on New River there we joined Major Floyd's Regiment of mounted men. We lay there some time and divided and went through the Country in scouting parties in quest of Tories we took some prisoners, with some Tories and brought some before Colonel Preston at Cattron's [?] mill for trial we then went to the Quaker settlement on the head of New River to retake Colonel Cleveland who was then a prisoner at the house of one Mendinhall [Mendenhall] as we understood, at our arriving the Tories discharged him, and fled from us, we lay at Mendinhall some time, and then returned to Fort Chissle and was there honorably discharged in August 1779. He served at this time three months. This he got no written discharge. He volunteered on the same day under Captain Isaac Campble [Isaac Campbell] in the Cavalry in Colonel William Campble's [William Campbell's] Regiment we marched to the Moravian towns in North Carolina marched to Howzer [?] town lay there some time we then called the Colonel of the Tory party and kept him a prisoner then we marched to Middle town lay there some time he then and all Captain Campbell's Company marched on to Dann [Dan] River there we came on a company of Tories took the Captain whose name was Read the rest fled, we took their Military Stores, we took some other prisoners along the way, we then returned to the Colonel at Middle town with our prisoners and booty, we then marched to the Yellow Banks on the Yadkin River, we then reconnoitered the country in quest of Tories and returned to Middletown after being out a considerable time, with some prisoners, we then 1 BLWt26214-160-55
marched to the lower Moravian town called Salem, we there call a British officer who had fled to the nunnery and dressed himself in women's clothes we then returned with him to Middle town to the Colonel, lay there some time and then marched back to Montgomery County and was there dismissed we got no written discharge it was in November 1779 he claims a pension for three months service at this time. He considered himself still in the service of his Country. He then put himself under the command of Captain William Love and scouted through the Country in quest of Tories wherever need required he was gone sometime one week sometimes two sometimes more he would sometimes get home and be ordered out the same night the Army was considered the safest place. He marched at one time on the Holston River on the South fork there we pursued Colonel Griffy the head of the Tory band we took some prisoners but Griffy eluded our grasp we then marched back to where we started from we marched to Watkers [sic?] Creek we took some prisoners held in punished some. He was sometimes under Captain Love and sometimes under Captain Henry Francis the routes were short and almost continual he cannot recollect of particular dates nor the particular length of each time as he got no written discharges. They marched at one time to the top of the blue Ridge for the purpose of fighting the British in North Carolina but was then informed that it was a false alarm and we returned back and continued to scout through the Country as before stated alwais [always] in the service of his Country till September 1780 as he thinks at which time he put himself under the command of said Captain Isaac Campble in Major Floyd's [sic, probably Joseph Cloud] Regiment of mounted men about three hundred in all, we had no Colonel and started to meet the British at Kings Mountain we were detained gathering our company till Colonel Campble and the main Army got ahead, we followed after and got to Burke Courthouse in North Carolina and was there at the time of the battle of Kings Mountain [October 7, 1780]. We then got an express informing us that there was a large body of Tories at the Shallow Ford of the Yadkin River, we then marched to that place he was in the battle of the shallow ford [October 14, 1780] Captain Francis [Henry Francis] was killed we had several men killed we conquered the Tories and took the ground we then returned home and got there he thinks in November 1780. He claims a pension for twelve months service at this last tour and the scattering tours above mentioned. Again immediately after he got home he volunteered again under Captain Isaac Campbell [sic] and marched in scouting parties to the head of Holston [River] and Read Creek [Reed Creek?] against the Tories and continued to reconnoiter the country till in February 1781 we were then ordered to march to North Carolina which we did, we had no Colonel with us, marched to the Moravian towns, the British had burnt the fences and killed the cattle, marched on to the battle of Gilford. He was not in the battle as he was on furlough and did not join the Army till a few days after the battle near Gilford [Guilford] [March 15, 1781] Erie it we then marched to the Moravian towns we then marched to Montgomery County then we continued in the service under Captain Campbell and reconnoitered through the Country whenever we could hear of Tory depredations being committed, till after Lord Cornwallace [Cornwallis] was taken his tours were diversified and some of them short he is not able at this time detail all the particulars of his tours but he knows he was always in service till the time above mentioned which was about the first of November 1781. He claims a pension for eleven months service at this last time and he claims a pension for twenty-nine months service in the whole. He may be mistaken as to the dates and some of the circumstances of the service above stated his memory is somewhat treacherous but he is certain he served the full length of time for which he claims a pension. He has no documentary evidence and he knows of no person whose testimony he can procure who can testify to his
service except George Caldwell2 who was a brother soldier he can prove his actual service by him after the two towers [tours] first above mentioned. 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 the agency of any state. He was living in Montgomery County Virginia as above stated when called into the service. He continued to live there about seven years he then moved to Washington County North Carolina but now Tennessee lived there about four years then moved to Georgia in Franklin County lived there about ten years and then moved to Blount County Tennessee and has lived there ever since and still live there. He never was drafted nor a substitute he always volunteered. He does not recollect the names of the regular officers who were with the troops where he served further than above stated except that General Greene was Commander in Chief at the battle of Gilford nor the names nor numbers of any Continental or militia regiments further than above stated. He never did receive a written discharge from the service nor did he not receive a Commission during the revolution. He is acquainted in his present neighborhood with Major William B Lenore, Lee Noble Esquire, Joseph R Henderson Esquire, Jacob F Foute & & Foute Esquires and John McGee Esquire all of whom he believes would testify that they believe him to be a man of veracity and that they believe him to have been a soldier of the Revolution. He thinks he served one or two short tower of duty before the time first above stated but not being able to give the particulars of them he has omitted to mention them altogether. Sworn to and subscribed the day and year aforesaid in open Court. S/ Jac. F. Foute, Clerk S/ James Wyly
I George Caldwell residing in the said County of Blount and State of Tennessee do hereby certify that I have heard the foregoing pension declaration of James Wyley read that I said Caldwell lived in said Montgomery County Virginia during the revolutionary war and was there acquainted with said James Wyley. That I served with him under the said Captain William Love and continued to serve with him till the end of his service, except that sometimes I was in one scouting party and the said Wyley in another but then we would meet together again in a few days. That I served with him and know of his service for the last twenty-three months mentioned in his declaration. That I am 73 years of age. Sworn to and subscribed the day and year aforesaid. S/ George Caldwell, X his mark [William Fogg, a clergyman, and Andrew Cowan gave the standard supporting affidavit.]
[f p 13] State of Tennessee Blount County: SS I James Wyley a resident of the County & State aforesaid, to whom a certificate of pension was issued from the United States under the act of Congress passed on the 7th of June 1832 bearing date the 21st of April 1833, in obedience to the requirements of the Commissioner of Pensions, in his letter to my address of September 22nd 1845, do hereby make the following explanatory statement of my services in the war of the Revolution. I served as a private in the Militia of Virginia in company commanded by Captain __ Preston [perhaps John or William Preston] and others several short tours amounting in all to about 5 or 6 months, But owing to the long lapse of time and the infirmities of age, I am unable to state the time when called into service, the period of service in each tour or the time of my 2 George Caldwell S3141
discharge. Agreeably to the best of my recollection I volunteered as a private in a light horse company or company of mounted Rangers in Montgomery County, Virginia, in May 1780 or about the time the British took Charleston. This company rendezvoused at Fort Chisel [Fort Chiswell] and was under the command of Captain Isaac Campbell, Lieutenant Michael Gleaves [sic, William Gleaves?], and Ensign William Deane [William Dean], & served in detachment in the country about the head waters of the Dan, Yadkin and New River's, and was fully actively engaged in scouring the Country and suppressing the movements of the Tories. This Company was under the orders of Colonel William Campbell, who was afterwards known as General William Campbell. Colonel Walter Crockett had command of the Militia of Montgomery County, Virginia. Major Floyd commanded about 3 or 400 men at the battle of the Shallow ford on the Yadkin [River], of which, Captain Isaac Campbell's Company constituted a part. My services in the militia having been performed in several short tours, undertaken expressly to hold in check the disaffected in the neighboring Country, and the Companies being permitted to return home as soon as the object for which they were called together was accomplished, I was not stationed at any fort for any length of time. These services were principally performed under the command of Captain Preston and were rendered before those under Captain Campbell. While serving under Captain Campbell as a mounted Ranger or light horseman, I was stationed for some time at the middle Moravian town but do not recollect when or how long. The services rendered by the company were such as to require its frequent change of place. I was in the battle of the Shallow ford [October 14, 1780] of the Yadkin, was absent from the company on furlough on a visit to my friends in Mecklenburg North Carolina to procure some clothing at the time of the battle of Guilford Court-house [March 15, 1781]. The company was at Burke Court-house the day after the battle of Kings Mountain [October 7, 1780]. I resided in Montgomery County Virginia and was seldom over 125 or 30 miles from home. I entered the service in Captain Campbell's Company as a volunteer light horseman or mounted Ranger, and received my pay in paper money at the rate of $30 for one, but by whom paid or whether by State authority I do not now recollect. There was neither commissary or quarter master with the Company, and as we acted in detachment we were compelled to close ourselves and were quartered and subsisted by our officers in the best manner the nature of the service we were on, the condition of the country, and the means of our officers would allow. I received my discharge from Captain Campbell's Company as well as I am able to ascertain in June or July 1782. I am assisted in the recollection of this fact from a recollection that my sister, Margaret Wyley & James Hall were married immediately after my discharge & returned home, and two years previous to my own marriage, which took place agreeably to my family record on the 6th of July 1784. S/ James Wyly
Sworn to and subscribed before made this 6th day of June 1848 S/ S. J. McReynolds, JP
[f p 17: On January 2nd 1854 in Blount County Tennessee, Mrs. Mary Wyly, 53, filed an application stating she is the widow of James Wyley a pensioner of the United States at the rate
of $80 per annum for his service in the revolution; that she married him January 15, 1828 by license by one Leroy Noble, JP in Blount County Tennessee; that her name prior to her marriage was Mary Whitenbarger [could be Whitenberger]; that her husband died January 12, 1851 and that she remains his widow. She signed her application with her mark.]
[facts in file: Veteran was born December 19, 1762 in Mecklenburg County North Carolina; veteran first married July 6, 1784, name of wife not stated nor is the date on which she died.
[Veteran was pensioned at the rate of $80 per annum commencing March 4th, 1831, for two-year service as a private in the Virginia service. Veteran's widow was pensioned in a like amount commencing February 3, 1853.].
James Wyly (also spelled Wyley / Wylie) was married three times. His first wife was Jemima Cleveland. The DAR states that there was no evidence she was the daughter of Colonel Benjamin Cleveland of the Battle of King's Mountain fame (Find A Grave Memorial# 31176869) even though several descendants have joined the SAR through her line naming Colonel Cleveland as the lineal ancestor. (Reference DAR Ancestor Number A023058 at dar.org, SAR Membership: 96915, and SAR Membership: 37279.) Jemima Cleveland was the mother of General James Rutherford Wyly of 1812 fame. She may have had other children as well.
Jemima Cleveland died in 1810.

The second wife of Wyly was Barbara: some give her last name as Fuqua. There was no evidence that she had children by Wyly.

On January 15, 1828, James married Mary Whittenberger (1800 - 1867), who was thirty-eight years his junior. She had at least three children by Wyly (and there may have been others): Mahala Jane Wyly who married Joseph Scate, Amy Aris Wyly who married John Jackson, and Mary Martha Wyly, (Find A Grave Memorial# 28907237) who married Joseph Dawson. Mary Wyly Dawson was born in 1842 when James Wyly was 80 years old.

James Wyly did not fight at the Battle of King's Mountain. Per his own words in his Application for Revolutionary War Pension, he testified that he and his group, "started to meet the British at Kings Mountain we were detained gathering our company till Colonel Campble and the main Army got ahead, we followed after and got to Burke Courthouse in North Carolina and was there at the time of the battle of Kings Mountain [October 7, 1780]."
(Contributed by Vonnie L. Cantrell). Thank You Ever so Kindly!

New Information Contributed December 4th, 2018
Suggested edit: There is at least one other marriage record and the spouse listed is Sarah Shanks - marriage bond dated 20 Jul 1790 -
Bond: # 000084470
Level Info: North Carolina Marriage Bonds, 1741-1868
Image Num: 007132
County: Mecklenburg
Record: # 02 280
Bondsman: James Shanks
Witness: Isaac Alexander

Contributor: Betty Stripling (48521550)

Suggested edit: Jemima Cleveland was James Rutherford Wyly's 1st wife. They separated ca 1780 and she remarried Evangelist "Evan" Edwards.
Contributor: Gregory Vaut (48390914)