Peter's father, John Ledford, Sr. (1724-1799) was 14, in 1738, when he along with two older brothers, William, 16, and Henry, 18, left their poor family farm in England. The boys traded passage by agreeing to work for seven years as indentured servants to their ship's captain on his property in Virginia, Colonial America.
Peter's mother, Lucy Thompson (1726-1789). Married 1744 in Augusta County, VA
In 1855, John's oldest brother, Henry, was killed by the Shawnee and he left behind a wife and seven children. After that, both of his brothers took care of his survivors.
Peter's siblings aren't clearly identified because the orphaned cousins were absorbed into the two houses: Philadelphia (1746–), William (1748–1798), Elizabeth "Betty" (1748–1809), Mary (1750–1809), Frederick (1751-1839), John Jr (1752–1802), James (1754–1800), Joseph (1760–1860), Obadiah (1761–1841), Alexander "Elias" (1763–1850).
Spouse: Martha Young Thomas (1760–1844) Married 1776
Children: Ellender/Eleanor (Knight) (1780–1857), Eli (1786–1840), Peter George, Jr (1786–1870), Daughter (1789–), Absalom (1792–1880), Levi (1797–1850), Jason David (1798–1889), Samantha (1776–1860), Thomas Sanford (1802–1875).
Spouse: Ann "Nancy" Tucker is suggested in other locations to replace an incorrect Martha Young Thomas. This obviously requires additional investigation....
1758 - Peter was born in Rowan County, NC as he testified in his application for pension for Revolutionary War service in 1833. He goes on to state, "I have no record of my age, nor never had."
1779 - Peter is listed in the 1779 tax list of the newly formed county of Randolph, NC with a small amount of land and some livestock. This land is later shown to be on Little Caraway Creek. Peter should have been married about this time.
*FAVORITE FACT... 7 Oct 1780 - Peter was just 22 and fought with the local militia Patriots in the legendary Battle of Kings Mountain, SC. In 'The Winning of the West'', Theodore Roosevelt wrote, "This brilliant victory marked the turning point of the American Revolution." Thomas Jefferson called it "The turn of the tide of success." President Herbert Hoover at Kings Mountain said, "This is a place of inspiring memories. Here less than a thousand men, inspired by the urge of freedom, defeated a superior force entrenched in this strategic position. This small band of Patriots turned back a dangerous invasion well designed to separate and dismember the united Colonies. It was a little army and a little battle, but it was of mighty portent. History has done scant justice to its significance, which rightly should place it beside Lexington, Bunker Hill, Trenton and Yorktown."
1 Mar 1781 - Peter officially joined the Revolutionary effort as a trooper in the Company of Cavalry and served for six months as a private. Most of his service was spent in pursuit of a Tory colonel by the name of Thomas Fanning who terrorized the citizens of central North Carolina. He wasn't caught while Peter was serving, but they did their best.
1789 - Peter purchases from his father, John Ledford, Sr, 40 acres on Caraway Creek in Randolph County. The deed states that this land adjoined his other 13 acres crossing Little Caraway, placing Peter and John Ledford Sr. at the confluence of the Little Caraway with Caraway Creek.
1790 - Peter is enumerated in the census of Randolph County, NC. His household consists of two male age 16 and over two male age under 16 years and three females.
1792 - Peter sells 40 acres to Elizabeth Fouts. No sale record of the other 13 acres.
1793 - Peter applied for 320 acres in Burke County, NC, on the North Cove of North Fork of the Catawba River, now located in McDowell County.
1800 - In the 1800 census, Peter is living in Burke County, NC, age of 26 and under 45 years with his wife of the same age, one daughter and two sons and under 16 years and one daughter and two sons age under ten years.
1810 - Peter is still living in Burke County, NC in the 1810 census age over 45 years along with his wife of the same age. Also in the household are one daughter and one son age of 16 and under 26 years, two sons age of ten and under 16 years, and one son age of under ten years.
1813 - Peter purchased 100 acres on Toms Creek in present McDowell County. Toms Creek flows into the Catawba River between Marion and Pleasant Gardens.
1820 - The 1820 census has Peter living in Burke County, NC age over 45 years with his wife of the same age and one son age of 16 and under 26 years and one daughter? age of ten and under 16.
1823 - Peter sells land on Toms Creek and buys 56 acres near the Little Tennessee River in what will become Macon County, NC in 1828.
1830 - Peter is now in Macon County, NC, age of 70 and under 80 years with his wife, age of 60 and under 70 . No children in the household.
1833 - Peter files for pension for service in the American Revolution in Jun 1833, Macon County, NC. He was awarded $66.30 back pay and $26.52 per year after that in semi-annual payments. They did not mail payments to veterans at that time. The veteran had to travel to the nearest office and appear in person, or have an agent appear on his behalf. The nearest office was most likely in Asheville.
1836 - Peter purchased an unknown tract in the 1836 sale of Cherokee lands.
1837 - Having purchased land in the yet unopened county of Cherokee, Peter sold his Macon lands to James Bradley. James' daughter Elizabeth was married to Peter's son Jason.
1838 - Peter purchases 76 more acres at the Cherokee Land Sale in September 1838. There were other entries under his name (or that of his son) which were let go soon after winning the bid.
1840 - Peter has settled into his new land in the new county of Cherokee, North Carolina and appears on the census this year age of 80 and under 90 years with his wife of the same age. Note that Peter's wife is still alive in this and the previous census indicating that she had not passed away in 1824, as her F.A.G. memorial indicates. In this census, the exact ages of pensioners were given; Peter was 86 years old (1754).
1844 - Peter's wife died in Cherokee County, NC on 24 Jun 1844. She was buried in the Old Ledford Chapel Cemetery.
1847 - Peter collected his Revolutionary War pension for the last time in the 4th quarter of 1847.
22 May 1848 or 13 Oct 1854 - Peter died in Cherokee County, NC and was buried next to his wife in the Old Ledford Chapel Cemetery in the Scrougetown section of Clay County, NC.
1941 - The bodies of both he and his wife were moved to the Relocated Ledford Chapel Cemetery, across the street from the old cemetery, which was to be below the 1933 foot elevation line of Lake Chatuge when the TVA constructed the dam across the Hiawassee River. The relocated cemetery was behind where the old church stood. The building was later damaged by a windstorm and torn down. The grave site remains with a grave marker that says simply that he was a Revolutionary Soldier.
It seems there are only two known soldiers of the Revolutionary War buried in Clay County. Peter Ledford and Robert "Bob" Henry who died in 1863 at the age of 98 and was buried on Tusquittee in an old field near the intersection of the Tusquittee Road and the Cold Branch Road. There are several other burials in this old field plot, which is now the Sanctuary of Peace and is on private land not open to the public.
Family legend has it that Peter carved his gravestone himself... if that were true, how would he know what date and age to carve?
Peter's father, John Ledford, Sr. (1724-1799) was 14, in 1738, when he along with two older brothers, William, 16, and Henry, 18, left their poor family farm in England. The boys traded passage by agreeing to work for seven years as indentured servants to their ship's captain on his property in Virginia, Colonial America.
Peter's mother, Lucy Thompson (1726-1789). Married 1744 in Augusta County, VA
In 1855, John's oldest brother, Henry, was killed by the Shawnee and he left behind a wife and seven children. After that, both of his brothers took care of his survivors.
Peter's siblings aren't clearly identified because the orphaned cousins were absorbed into the two houses: Philadelphia (1746–), William (1748–1798), Elizabeth "Betty" (1748–1809), Mary (1750–1809), Frederick (1751-1839), John Jr (1752–1802), James (1754–1800), Joseph (1760–1860), Obadiah (1761–1841), Alexander "Elias" (1763–1850).
Spouse: Martha Young Thomas (1760–1844) Married 1776
Children: Ellender/Eleanor (Knight) (1780–1857), Eli (1786–1840), Peter George, Jr (1786–1870), Daughter (1789–), Absalom (1792–1880), Levi (1797–1850), Jason David (1798–1889), Samantha (1776–1860), Thomas Sanford (1802–1875).
Spouse: Ann "Nancy" Tucker is suggested in other locations to replace an incorrect Martha Young Thomas. This obviously requires additional investigation....
1758 - Peter was born in Rowan County, NC as he testified in his application for pension for Revolutionary War service in 1833. He goes on to state, "I have no record of my age, nor never had."
1779 - Peter is listed in the 1779 tax list of the newly formed county of Randolph, NC with a small amount of land and some livestock. This land is later shown to be on Little Caraway Creek. Peter should have been married about this time.
*FAVORITE FACT... 7 Oct 1780 - Peter was just 22 and fought with the local militia Patriots in the legendary Battle of Kings Mountain, SC. In 'The Winning of the West'', Theodore Roosevelt wrote, "This brilliant victory marked the turning point of the American Revolution." Thomas Jefferson called it "The turn of the tide of success." President Herbert Hoover at Kings Mountain said, "This is a place of inspiring memories. Here less than a thousand men, inspired by the urge of freedom, defeated a superior force entrenched in this strategic position. This small band of Patriots turned back a dangerous invasion well designed to separate and dismember the united Colonies. It was a little army and a little battle, but it was of mighty portent. History has done scant justice to its significance, which rightly should place it beside Lexington, Bunker Hill, Trenton and Yorktown."
1 Mar 1781 - Peter officially joined the Revolutionary effort as a trooper in the Company of Cavalry and served for six months as a private. Most of his service was spent in pursuit of a Tory colonel by the name of Thomas Fanning who terrorized the citizens of central North Carolina. He wasn't caught while Peter was serving, but they did their best.
1789 - Peter purchases from his father, John Ledford, Sr, 40 acres on Caraway Creek in Randolph County. The deed states that this land adjoined his other 13 acres crossing Little Caraway, placing Peter and John Ledford Sr. at the confluence of the Little Caraway with Caraway Creek.
1790 - Peter is enumerated in the census of Randolph County, NC. His household consists of two male age 16 and over two male age under 16 years and three females.
1792 - Peter sells 40 acres to Elizabeth Fouts. No sale record of the other 13 acres.
1793 - Peter applied for 320 acres in Burke County, NC, on the North Cove of North Fork of the Catawba River, now located in McDowell County.
1800 - In the 1800 census, Peter is living in Burke County, NC, age of 26 and under 45 years with his wife of the same age, one daughter and two sons and under 16 years and one daughter and two sons age under ten years.
1810 - Peter is still living in Burke County, NC in the 1810 census age over 45 years along with his wife of the same age. Also in the household are one daughter and one son age of 16 and under 26 years, two sons age of ten and under 16 years, and one son age of under ten years.
1813 - Peter purchased 100 acres on Toms Creek in present McDowell County. Toms Creek flows into the Catawba River between Marion and Pleasant Gardens.
1820 - The 1820 census has Peter living in Burke County, NC age over 45 years with his wife of the same age and one son age of 16 and under 26 years and one daughter? age of ten and under 16.
1823 - Peter sells land on Toms Creek and buys 56 acres near the Little Tennessee River in what will become Macon County, NC in 1828.
1830 - Peter is now in Macon County, NC, age of 70 and under 80 years with his wife, age of 60 and under 70 . No children in the household.
1833 - Peter files for pension for service in the American Revolution in Jun 1833, Macon County, NC. He was awarded $66.30 back pay and $26.52 per year after that in semi-annual payments. They did not mail payments to veterans at that time. The veteran had to travel to the nearest office and appear in person, or have an agent appear on his behalf. The nearest office was most likely in Asheville.
1836 - Peter purchased an unknown tract in the 1836 sale of Cherokee lands.
1837 - Having purchased land in the yet unopened county of Cherokee, Peter sold his Macon lands to James Bradley. James' daughter Elizabeth was married to Peter's son Jason.
1838 - Peter purchases 76 more acres at the Cherokee Land Sale in September 1838. There were other entries under his name (or that of his son) which were let go soon after winning the bid.
1840 - Peter has settled into his new land in the new county of Cherokee, North Carolina and appears on the census this year age of 80 and under 90 years with his wife of the same age. Note that Peter's wife is still alive in this and the previous census indicating that she had not passed away in 1824, as her F.A.G. memorial indicates. In this census, the exact ages of pensioners were given; Peter was 86 years old (1754).
1844 - Peter's wife died in Cherokee County, NC on 24 Jun 1844. She was buried in the Old Ledford Chapel Cemetery.
1847 - Peter collected his Revolutionary War pension for the last time in the 4th quarter of 1847.
22 May 1848 or 13 Oct 1854 - Peter died in Cherokee County, NC and was buried next to his wife in the Old Ledford Chapel Cemetery in the Scrougetown section of Clay County, NC.
1941 - The bodies of both he and his wife were moved to the Relocated Ledford Chapel Cemetery, across the street from the old cemetery, which was to be below the 1933 foot elevation line of Lake Chatuge when the TVA constructed the dam across the Hiawassee River. The relocated cemetery was behind where the old church stood. The building was later damaged by a windstorm and torn down. The grave site remains with a grave marker that says simply that he was a Revolutionary Soldier.
It seems there are only two known soldiers of the Revolutionary War buried in Clay County. Peter Ledford and Robert "Bob" Henry who died in 1863 at the age of 98 and was buried on Tusquittee in an old field near the intersection of the Tusquittee Road and the Cold Branch Road. There are several other burials in this old field plot, which is now the Sanctuary of Peace and is on private land not open to the public.
Family legend has it that Peter carved his gravestone himself... if that were true, how would he know what date and age to carve?
Inscription
96Y.OALD
PETER:LD
E:DE:MAY
22DA1848
REVOLUTIONER
