Captain - SC Militia - Rev. War

Thanks to Mary Ann Bumgarner for the following information:

He enlisted while RESIDING in Newberry District, SC during the spring of 1779 under Capt. Philemon Waters and Col. Beard. In the fall of 1779, he was appointed lieutenant under the above officers and Col. Glenn. He was in the battle of Rocky Mount (N.C.). Some time thereafter, he moved to Ohio, then Indiana.
Source: Roster of South Carolina Patriots in the American Revolution by
Bobby Gilmer Moss, Limestone College, Genealogical Pub. 1983 @ Lex. Co.
Library, Lex, S.C.

See autobiography and Reagan biography by N. M Reagan tells
stories of Thomas in the Rev. War, tracks his moves to Indiana.
See Rev War Biographies #9244.
"Ragin (Reagin), Thomas, b PA 1749"

In 1800 SC Census.

Pension statement of Thomas Reagan of Newberry County: "The next morning this applicant with Sumpters forces, about sunrise, moved down the River towards the British Camp & arrived there about 24 hours after they started. They lay about one mile & a half of the enemy the succeeding night and came within gunshot distance (neither side having cannon) about 8 o clock Sumpter's forces immediately attacked the British who lay in a large log house at a place called "Rocky Mount" on the Catabaw (sic) -- The ingagement (sic) lasted till near 11 o clock in the fore noon when the troops under Sumpter drew off, leaving the British in possession of the log house. During this ingagment Sumpter's party were protected by the woods and the huge rocks situated near the log house, consequently but few were killed of his men -- This applicant thinks there were killed and missing about 14 or 15 men, and among the killed were Col. Lee -- Capt. Jones and Capt. Burns who was shot in the Eye & fell close by this applicant, who took an active part in the ingagement. Our forces were marched back to their old Camping ground and incamped for the night -- The forgoing officers named as belonging to Sumpter's force except one Maj. Heather who carried a flag to the British the next day to get permission to bury the dead, are all now recollected. This applicant left Sumpter's forces the third day after his joining them & with his six companions returned to Newbury County and joined the rest of his company."
From the pension statement of Thomas Reagan of Newberry County, S.C.: "(T)he next engagement was at Bellville from thence hearing of a reinforcement we marched to meet them It turned out to be a small detachment of British guarding some British wagons loaded with clothing and money for the soldiers; these surrendered and the loading was put on a barge and soon after retaken at Wrights Bluff with some of our men and we [text missing] Sumter for the purpose of retaking this prize from the British and were met by the British near said Bluff and defeated and dispursed in this engagement the applicant got a wound in his right arm which disabled this applicant a few weeks."

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Thomas Reagan applied for a pension in 1832 and stated "after the close of the Revolution and he believes in the year 1790 he left Newbury Co. until about the year 1804 and then he moved to Hamilton Co., OH and resided until about the year of 1812 when he moved again with his children to Warren Co., OH and in the year 1829 he left OH & came to Marion Co., IN where he resided one year, then with one of his sons (Reason) he went to live in Clinton Co., IN where he now resides." " Thomas Reagan stated that he was born in Frederick Co., VA." Source: Clinton Co., Indiana History and Genealogical by Joan C. Bohm.

Thomas Ragan, present in Kershaw County at the time, families are from Virginia; then most move north into North Carolina, and then on to the old Northwest Territories, mostly Indiana. (Ragan) Joseph, John, and Reason Reagin are said to be associated with the Quaker migration from Virginia, and to have arrived in Newberry County, by about 1760. (Annals of Newberry County, South Carolina; page 28) They are known to be descendants of Timothy Ragan, born in Ireland, 1678, who died in Anne Arundel County, Maryland about 1744. (Regan)

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Thomas Ragan (Rezin, Timothy) was born in Frederick Co., VA. 6 May 1749. Thomas died 25 Jul 1838 in Clinton Co., IN., at 89 years of age.

He married Hannah Pugh 20 Sep 1775 in Newberry District, SC. Hannah was born 21 Nov 1754. Hannah died 25 Jul 1838 in Indiana, at 83 years of age.

Thomas Ragan (1749-1838) served in the Revolutionary War, and his application for pension describes some of the skirmishes he was involved with during this period around King's Mountain, South Carolina. It is rather interesting. Thomas married Hannah on 20 Sept 1775 or 1776, and they had seven children.

NOTES ON THOMAS REAGAN:

REFERENCE MATERIAL: Boone Magazine (Boone County, Indiana) August 1981. THE BOONE COUNTY AND CLINTON COUNTY REAGANS by N.M. Reagan Nothing is more intriguing than the Reagan Family History in an era when our nation's President bears the same name. Many of us are trying to link the leader of our country with our own family heritage. This is the first part of the Boone and Clinton County, Indiana Reagans and their migration to this state. NOTE: The genealogy of President Ronald Reagan is well documented and he is not connected to our Reagan Family.

Thomas Ragin, of the County of Clinton in the State aforesaid , aged eighty-three years on the sixth day of May, 1832, who being duly affirmed, according to the law, doth on this affirmation make the following declaration in order to obtain the benefit of the Act of Congress passed June 7th 1832. That he entered t he service of the United states under the following named officers and served herein state, viz:

Some time in the Spring of 1779, the day nor the month not now recollected, and while he was resident citizen of Newberry County, South Carolina, he entered the service of the state for no definite period of time as a volunteer in the Militia or state troops, but which were denominated, this applicant, from the great distance of time and presently badly infirm, cannot now recollect, in the Brigade of General Andrew Pickens and in a Regiment composed of the following officers, viz: Beard, Col. Commander, given name not now recollected; Lile, Lieut. Col. and Jerimiah Williams, Major, and in the Company commander by Philoman Waters, James Williams, Lieut., and Daniel Richardson was Ensign to the best of this applicant's recollection. The Company to which he belonged was raised for the avowed purpose of keeping and protecting two stations in the County of Newberry on the Saluda River, called "the Upper and Lower Stations," the former was also known by the name of "Perdu's Station" and the latter by the name "Dragoon Hall." This applicant entered the service as such volunteer with a horse which he furnished himself and continued to furnish and keep the same during his whole period of service. That in a few months after his enlistment. Lieut. Williams belonging to this Company left and same and one Edward Satterfield was made Lieut. and served for a short time when he deserted to a Company of disaffected persons called "The Out layers" and this applicant in a short period of time after such desertion , with five or six of his fellow soldiers while on a scout on the waters of the Bush River, discovered Satterfield in the woods on horseback and they gave chase to him and in a short time they they came up with and captured him. They immediately took him to their Col. Commandant Glenn (David Glen, Beard having some short time previously left the Regiment and Glenn having been appointed in his stead) and the next day after such capture, Satterfield was hung near Colonel Glenn's house by Colonel's approbation and order, that immediately thereafter, this applicant was by his Company, elected Lieut. to fill Satterfield's place, which election was approved by Colonel Glenn, but he did not receive any commission or authentic except such election and approval by the Colonel, to act as Lieut. From the time of his enlistment as a volunteer to the time of his election to the Lieutenancy , this applicant was, to the best of his recollection, employed in the service aforesaid with his horse about six months. That during this period he was in great measure employed at the two stations and their vicinity; that he served as Lieut. in said company from sometime in the Fall of 1779 until the Fall of 1780 making about one year, but during that period the applicant was occasionally at home, and perhaps putting all the time together while he acted as a Private and the period during which he was Lieut., he spent about two months with his family but stood ready at all times to engage in the service of his Country. That during the summer of 1780 this applicant commanding were on a scout and lay on the bank of the Saluda River, when early in the morning they heard firing at Sterling Turner's station in Edgefield County, he supposed about 8 or 10 miles distance from the place of their encampment, and being apprised that one William Cunningham, a cruel and unrelenting Tory well acquainted with the country, with about a 100 followers, had come up from Charleston and probably had surprised the fort, which he, this applicant, expected was poorly manned and unable to defend from the force which had attacked it. He and five or six of his party resolved to proceed directly to General Sumter's Army consisting of about 600 men, at the Waxhaw settlement on the Catawba river , which was at least forty or fifty miles from the place of their encampment. They started and proceeded across the Enoree, Tyger, Broad River and Fishing creek to the banks of the Catawba. They started in the morning and arrived about sundown at Sumter' s camp, Who lay about six miles above the British forces commanded by Colonel Turnbull, to the best of the applicant's recollection. He had a personal interview with Sumter and appraised him of Cunningham's movements and other intelligence which he had acquired in relation to the enemy. The next morning, this applicant , with Sumter's Forces, about sunrise, moved down the river towards the British camp and arrived there 24 hours after they started. They lay about one mile and half of the enemy succeeding night and came within gunshot distance (neither side having cannon ) about 8 o'clock. Sumter's forces immediately attacked the British who lay in a large log house at a place called "Rocky Mount " on the Catawba. The engagement lasted until near 11 o'clock in the forenoon when the troops under Sumter drew off, leaving the British in possession of the log house. During this engagement , Sumter's party were protected by the woods and the huge rocks situated near the loghouse; consequently but few were killed of his men. This applicant thinks three were killed and missing about 14 or 15 men and among the killed were Col. Neel, Captain Jones and Capt. Burns who was shot in the eye and fell close by this applicant, who took an active part in the engagement. Our forces were marched back to their old camping ground and encamped for the night. The foregoing officers named as belonging to Sumter's force, except one Major Heather, who carried a flag to the British the next day to get permission to bury the dead, are all now recollected.

During the Summer, individuals belonging to the Whig Party were in great danger, more so than other persons who adhered to the cause of Independence that resided within the direct range and intercourse of the foreign invading army, as among them laws of war were observed among civilized nations at this period of our Revolution, began to be observed of the British, but the most unprincipled robberies and murders were perpetrated by the Tory neighbors in that part of Carolina to which his services were confined.

During the summer or fall of 1780, Col. Glenn left the Regiment and Captain Waters was promoted to the station of Colonel Commandant of the Regiment and this applicant was commissioned as he believes and is certain he received the appointment of Captain in the place of Waters, but what has come of that commission or appointment he is now unable to state, but he held and exercised the Office of Captain until the Fall of 1785 when he received a commission from Governor Moultrie. He exercised the command of the Company for about two years before the close of the Revolutionary War and for several years thereafter. Two years before the close of the war and the year or most of the year after, he was in active service as Captain of the Militia, a greater part of his time, for the military force in the part of the South Carolina where he resided was kept up and were frequently called to assist the civil authorities in the execution of the laws and suppressing robberies and other outrages as late as the year 1783-4.

In the years of 1780 and 1781-2 while acting as Captain he and his company met with several adventures while on scouts. They were present and assisted in hanging a number of Tories and two of considerable note in the neighborhood of the Station, viz : one Strisslin Harvey and one Dorman Hinson who were hung at the Upper or Perdu's Station in the year 1780 or 1781. This applicant was sent by his Colonel with his Company to guard Neel's Mill on the Bush River, which runs into the Saluda sometime he believes in the Spring of the year 1782 and while proceeding on horseback in the direction of the Mill, the company turned off to a spring to get water, when from a thicket a shot was made by a straggling Tory at this applicant and was then believed he being the commanding officer and ball passed very near him and wounded Ichabod Wood riding next to him who fell from his horse and died the same evening.

Deducting the time he was at home while he held the office of Captain, endearing to keep his own domestic concerns in some order, he believes he was in active service as such Captain about eighteen months before peace was concluded in 1782. He has no discharge and thinks he never received any either when acting as a Private, Lieut., or Captain. When he was promoted to the Captaincy he received a commission or appointment in writing through his Colonel and before examining his papers in his own hands and the hands of his connections, he believes he had documentary evidence to show the time he served as Captain the last two years of the Revolution. He has changed his place of residence five or six times and has not been in a situation to keep his papers safe from the weather. He wanted further to state that the want of any regular civil or military authority in that part of South Carolina the theatre of his action in the Revolution as above stated, precluding all regular military promotion for a greater part of the time. Frequently officers belonging to his Regiment became disaffected or abandoned the cause of Liberty and others, without ceremony, were selected to fill their places. This applicant, however, has been able to find among papers one order issued to him from his Colonel in 1783 and a commission to him as Captain from Governor Moultrie in 1785, which this applicant is proud to state is somewhat expressive of his attachment to the cause of Liberty and Independence, both of which are hereto attached and marked.
This applicant was born in Frederick County, Virginia and when very young and before the Revolution a schoolmaster made a record of his birth and age in a Bible belonging to him that is the only record ever made of his age. The Bible he gave to a daughter who was then married, but is since dead. The Bible has been lost or passed into other hands and is not in existence to his knowledge. This applicant would refer to Thomas Neel of Marion County and one of the present Commissioners of that County who can testify to his character for veracity and his belief as to his service as a soldier of the Revolution that he, the said Neel, has been personally acquainted with this applicant for more than thirty years and he wanted also to refer to William Reagin who has known him about the same time who can testify to the same fact and this applicant wanted further to state that he does not know of any clergyman within the County of Marion who can testify to his character but is acquainted with one John Harland, a clergyman in the County of Clinton, as also with one Mordecai McKinsey residing in that County who can testify to his good character if the Court requires it, but his acquaintance with said Harland has not been more than a month last past.

After the close of the Revolution and he believes in the year 1790, he left Newberry County with his family and moved to Broad River, Burke County in North Carolina where he resided about two years and returned again and resided in Newberry County until the year 1804, then he moved to Hamilton County, Ohio and resided until about the year 1812 when he again removed with his children to Warren County Ohio, and in the year 1829 he left Ohio and came to the County of Marion, Indiana, where he resided about one year. Then with one of his sons, he went to live in Clinton County where he now resides. That he is destitute of means of support and dependent on one of his sons for a living who has supported him and his wife for the last fifteen years.

He hereby relinquishes every claim whatever to a pension for annuity except the present and declares that his name is not on the Pension Roll of the Aging of any state whatever.

On the second day of December, 1833, a Certificate of Pension was issued to Thomas Reagan (Ragin) in the amount of $1800 per
annum retroactive to the 4th day of March, 1831. On the 25th day of July,1838,Thomas Reagan died. He is buried in the Old Town Cemetery on the west edge of Kirklin, Clinton Co., Indiana. Application to the Veteran's Administration is being made to have a marker placed upon his grave.

CENSUS: 1850 Jackson Twp., Clinton County, Indiana. Page 448 Noah Reagan 26 b. Ohio Nancy Reagan 22 b. Ohio Rezin Reagan 73 b. North Carolina Jesse Reagan 21 b. Ohio Leannah J. Reagan 1 b. Indiana

!CENSUS 1860 Jackson Twp., Clinton County, Indiana Page 20. Enumerated in the household of his son Noah Reagan. Reason Reagan 82 b. South Carolina

Thomas Ragan and Hannah ? had the following children:

i. Rezin Reagan was born 7 Jul 1777.

ii. Jesse Ragan was born in Newberry Co., SC 29 Dec 1779. He married Susannah Saunders 4 Jan 1818 in Warren Co., OH.

iii. Daniel Ragan was born in Newberry Co., SC 24 Nov 1783.