John Fields

  General Notes:

Revolutionary War Pension File of John FIELDS (Extracted from transcription of Combs Researcher Tim Spence)

The 17 Aug 1853 Declaration of Nicholas COMBS (b 1759-1760) of Surry/Wilkes Cos NC and Perry Co KY, dated 17 Aug 1853, on behalf of Revolutionary War Pension Applicant John FIELDS (Transcribed by Combs Researcher Tim Spence):

Statement of Nicholas COMBS
State of Kentucky
Perry County
Nicholas COMBS Senior states upon his oath that he is a resident of said county and that he is upwards of ninety years of age [b ca 1763]. He states that several years ago he had papers filed under the act of Congress [in margin: Act 1828] passed June 7th 1832. That his papers were prepared by Elisha SMITH and the he had his discharge and gave his discharge to James LOVE (?) to take to Washington City as he was then Congressman. He states that he always had his discharge up until he gave it to LOVE and that the discharge read that he was discharged during the war and signed by capt William LEWIS and Col. Matin [Martin] ARMSTRONG.

He states that he has known John FIELDS (who was a resident of this county) for many years and states the he has known him since they were young men when the Revolution was in progress he states that they were residents of North Carolina and he was in Dunsmoore County Virginia when Cornwallace was taken at Little York. That John FIELDS of this county has a short time ago applied for a pension and that he died, perhaps July 1852. That the same John FIELDS was to his own knowledge a soldier in the Revolutionary War and so was Stephen FIELDS his brother. That John had gained a considerable reputation in the war before the capture of FERGUSON at King's Mountain. That said FIELDS was at the hanging of the Tories on the Yadkin river when WELLS, Thomas ROBERTS and ST____INE were hung. And this was before the Battle of King's Mountain were fought. FIELDS was a man who had a character for being an Indian fighter and tory. I understood from my associate soldiers that Col LEWIS or Capt LEWIS selected 5 or 6 of his best riflemen and pointed to FERGUSON and told them he had to fall. They all shot and several balls hit him. FERGUSON at that time used his sword in his left hand as he had been wounded previously in his right arm. He was close to the neighborhood when the battle took place. FIELDS claimed to have been in that battle and was wounded in the hip on that day. He was a cripple for several years of his life and originated in the hip. He was also badly palsied and remained so for a long time. That his wife left him perhaps fifteen years ago owing to his condition. That he has heard FIELDS very often give a history of his service in the old war and many long descriptions of his hardships, battles, officers, starvations, Indians, tories, etc. but I have forgotten a great deal of my past history and past events. That he would get drunk, cry and talk. He stated he did not belong to the same company with FIELDS but at different times saw FIELDS in the service as they were defending the frontier from the Indians and Tories. That he has known FIELDS from that time until he died. That FIELDS some years ago as he learned applied for a pension and about that same time that defement(?) died. That FIELDS often spoke of Col. CLEVELAND as Cleveland had the tories hung on the Yadkin river. Spoke of General CAMPBELL having the tories hung at King's Mountain after the battle was over. Spoke of Col. SEVIER. Claimed Capt. SAWYER at one time being his captain and capt Thos VENCENS [VINCENT] at another * That FIELDS at his death was about the age of the despondent but had little mind of his later years and had entirely lost the use of himself. Don't know how long he was in the service nor don't know when he was discharged nor when he entered the service. He states he saw him in the service before the Battle of King's Mountain on several occasions. That he had gained considerable character about the time he saw him. He thinks the battle of King's mountain was fought in the year 1780. He states he is no relation to FIELDS nor has he any interest in the claim of FIELDS directly or indirectly. This 17th August 1853. Nicholas [His X Mark]
COMBS

* [written in margin along the right side and top of page, presumably to be inserted at the *] and Captain SHANE(?) and Capt. STARK at another. He thinks that Capt SHANE was from Surry Co. The old Block house known as Selby's fort was in
Wilkes County Squabble State embraces Wilkes and Surry and laid towards Salisbury(?) when at Jonesbourgh.
(Transcribed by Combs Researcher Tim Spence)

Notes:

(1) John SEVIER was in early east Tennessee. A 1788 Sullivan Co TN Militia Roll of Capt. Thomas VINCENT (under whom John FIELDS had also served) included one John COMBS (not yet identified)

(2) It is not known why Nicholas COMBS would have been in Shenandoah Co (renamed from Dunmore in 1777), VA when he heard of Cornwallis' 1781 fall, but note that Dunmore was created from Frederick Co VA (from whence Mason COMBS, Sr. had come by 1768 to that part of Rowan Co NC which became Surry in 1772), and re-named Shenandoah Co VA during the Revolution.

(3) In 1778, during the Revolutionary War, it was from Shenandoah Co, VA that both John COMBS (1761) of Perry Co KY and William COMBS of Bath Co KY, enlisted in the Revolution according to their pension files.

(4) The RW Soldier on whose behalf Nicholas COMBS testified was the following:

"RW John FIELDS applied 8 Feb 1852, Perry Co, KY, aged 87, stating that he lived in what was called "Squable State" in NC due to a dispute between WALKER * HENDERSON ?. He stated he was born in 1765. His wife Polly made aff'dt 18
Aug 1853 that she married John FIELDS before 1800, but had not lived with him in 15 to 20 years but instead "lived about with her children." She stated that a son Stephen FIELDS was the oldest and that she had 2 children that were dead. On 26
Oct 1853 a William H. FULKERSON of Proctor in Perry Co, KY was administrator of John FIELD'S estate. John FIELDS and Polly _____ were divorced 20 Jul 1836. He died leaving children: Stephen, William, Lucy, Esau, Jacob, Rachael, Sally &
James & no widow. On 10 Oct 1854, his son Stephen stated that his father was born 28 Dec 1763, and that he (Stephen) was born 20 Oct 1797. (RW Pension File R3529) Abstracts of Rev. War Pension Files, White)

Note: John FIELDS was f/o Lucy FIELDS who had Chaney and "Big Henry" by Nicholas' brother, Henry COMBS, Sr.

John married Polly before 1800.

John also married Polly.

John also married Polly.