THROUGH
MOUNTAIN MISTS
Early Settlers of Union
County, Georgia
Their
Descendants...Their Stories...Their Achievements
Lifting the
Mists of History on Their Way of Life
By: Ethelene Dyer Jones
John Henry
Stonecypher, Jr. - Revolutionary War Soldier
John Henry Stonecypher, Jr.,
Revolutionary
War soldier, did not ever live in Union County, Georgia. In fact, after the war, he settled on a large
grant of land in what became Franklin and later Stephens counties. But
his
descendants people the mountain areas across North
Georgia,
including Union.
We turn our focus on this mover and shaker of
colonial America.
John Henry Stonecypher, Jr. was
born in Culpepper County,
Virginia
in 1756, the son of German immigrant Johann Heinricus Steinseiffer who
came to America
in
1753, and the grandson of Johannes Steinseiffer who immigrated to America
in
1749. John Henry, Jr. lived in Virginia until
his
family moved to Wilkes County,
North Carolina in 1763.
John Henry Stonecypher, Jr.
enlisted in the
United States Army in June, 1776 as a private in the North Carolina
Militia
under Colonel Cleveland and Captain Shepherd.
He entered the service at the Wilkes County Court House and was
made a
guard over some prisoners-of-war at Salisbury
under Captain Gordon Shepherd. This was
a three months tour of duty.
He returned to Wilkes County
Court House
and was reassigned to a battalion at the Crew River
where they sought to stop the Tories led by a Captain Roberts. At King's Creek they also warded off Tories.
That ended his second three-month's enlistment.
He rejoined the service in June,
1780 at
Wilkes County Court House under the leadership of Captain Rutledge in
the
regiment commanded by Colonels Loches and Isaacs. Commander
in Chief was General Gates. He also served
under General Rutherford. That
term of service was three months. His fourth term of duty in the North
Carolina
Militia began at Salisbury. The regiment was marched to Charlotte Court
House and then to Camden,
South Carolina where he
again fought under
the command of General Gates. Life was not easy. His
militia was defeated. Stonecypher escaped
and returned home to Wilkes
County. After a few days of rest, he went again to
Wilkes County Court House and signed for the North Carolina Militia
under
Colonel Cleveland with whom he continued in service and fought in the
famous
Battle of King's Mountain in October, 1780.
He was then placed under the
command of
General Davidson and engaged in the Battle of Okimish at Beatty's Ford
on the Catawba River. There they were
trying to prevent the
British under General Cornwallis from crossing the river.
General Davidson was killed in the
battle. The militia was defeated and
retreated to the Widow Torrance's house.
There they were attacked the next morning in her Lane and again
defeated. He went home for a brief
furlough.
Stonecypher returned to Wilkes
Court House,
again joining with Colonel Cleveland. He remained with Cleveland until
the latter was assigned to
the Lejis Catuce. Stonecypher was then placed under the command of
Colonel
Hearne with whom he continued to serve until the Battle of Guilford
Court House
in March, 1781. At Guilford
he was placed among the riflemen under Colonel Campbell. He was wounded
in that
battle. He returned home for his wound to heal.
In October 1781 he reentered
service under
the command of Captain Keys, Colonel Hearne and General U. Lowell. They
marched
to Pleasant
Gardens on the Catawba River. From thence they engaged against
the Indians who were
siding with the British in Cherokee territory. The militia engaged in
burning
Indian villages at Wautauga, Cowee and Sugar Creek. He served until
December,
1781. He was honorably discharged at Wilkes County Court House by
Colonel
Cleveland. Altogether, John Henry Stonecypher served three years as a
private
soldier in the Revolutionary War.
He married in Wilkes County, NC
to Nancy Ann Curtis, daughter of Joshua Curtis, a lieutenant in the
Revolutionary Army. Stonecypher was granted 20,000 acres of land in
Rabun and Franklin
Counties in Georgia
in payment for his service
in the Revolutionary War. He and Nancy moved first to Hart County, Georgia
in 1784. In 1786 they moved again to what was then Franklin County,
Georgia (now Stephens) and located on Eastanollee Creek where he built
a dam
and a water-operated grist mill. In 1790 he built a stately two-story
house,
hiring the services of an architect to plan and erect the dwelling.
After moving to Georgia,
he continued to fight the
Indians, serving as Captain of the militia.
He and Nancy had nine children:
Benjamin, b. 1787, Franklin
County, GA,
married Elizabeth Collins.
Susannah, b. 1790, Franklin
County, GA,
married William Nix.
James Thomas, b. 1793, Franklin
County, GA,
married Martha Ruth Camp.
Fannie, b. 1797, Franklin
County, GA,
married a Cannon.
Mary, b. 1799. Never married.
Nancy, b. Nov. 11, 1800, d. March,
1854. Never married.
Lucy, b. ca 1801, married
Anderson Moseley.
Amy, b. 1803. Married Cooper B.
Fuller.
Phoebe, b. April 16, 1807, d. May 10, 1865,
married Daniel Moseley who operated
the old Stonecypher Mill.
John Henry Stonecypher, Jr. died
at age 96
on December 15,
1850
from injuries sustained in a fall from his mill house steps. Nancy Curtis Stonecypher, who was born about
1760, died July 12, 1852 (?). Both are
buried in the Stonecypher
Family Cemetery
near the house he built at Eastanollee near Toccoa, GA. Those interested can see both the cemetery
and house. GPS location
34 32 03 N
- 83 17 08 W should guide you there.
On July 16, 1994, descendants and
admirers gathered for a
service of dedication at the cemetery.
An historical marker was placed and a patriotic program was
conducted
recounting Stonecypher's service in the Revolutionary War.
Descendant and SAR member John Paul Souther
(late) of Gainesville
led the effort to erect the fence, place the memorial, and plan and
implement
the impressive program.
c2009 by
Ethelene Dyer
Jones; published July
9, 2009
in The Union Sentinel, Blairsville,
GA. Reprinted by
permission. All rights reserved.
Ethelene Dyer
Jones is a retired educator, freelance wirter,
poet, and historian. She may be reached
at email edj0513@windstream.net; phone 478-453-8751; or mail 1708
Cedarwood
Road, Milledgeville, GA 31061-2411
Updated June 18, 2018
Back To Union County, GAGenWeb
Site