SIXTH GENERATION
56. James Lee CLARKSON
(32)
(57)(32) was born between 1775
and 1780. He died on Feb 11 1815 in Mobile, AL. James was a soldier in the
"War with Grear Britian" War of 1812. Beginning December 13, 1814,
he served with Captain John Brock's Fourth Regiment of the East Tennessee Militia.
He died Feb. 11, 1815. Almost all that is known about him and his family
is taken from the service and pension files of the National Archives. The pension
file is voluminous, containing thirty- nine pages.
Tracing this family has proven to be difficult. Many of the early census for
East Tennessee were lost. Sarah and James Clarkson's "Certification of
Marriage" was filed by James Farmer November 19, 1851. Afterward, Sarah
had to prove her marriage by depositions, but a major problem was that James
Clarkson's military records were listed under the name of James Claxton. A deposition
in 1851 by Tandy Welch and Foster Jones states that the Clarkston name was "sometimes"
called and written Claxton". The spellings are interchangable, and should
be noted as such in all records, Furthermore, Tandy Welch and Foster Jones stated
they were with James Clarkson when he died, and that "he James belonged
to the said Company and Regiment to which we did and that each of us have applied
under the Act of 28 September 1850.
According to a deposition Sarah mane for a bounty land warrant her " name
before her narriage was Sarah Cook." Sarah and James married Oct. 10 1799
( she later made a deposition in her early eighties saying she was married in
Oct. of 1805.) in Russell Co..
The earlier date seems more likely the correct date as Fairwix Clarkson, the
oldest son, was borned in 1800 in Virginia. By 1804, the family was living on
the Powell River in what is now Hancock Co. TN.
Beginning December 13, 1814, James Clarkson was mustered into service in Knoxville,
TN. for a term of six months. He died at "Fort Decatur on or about 20th
of Feb. 1815 because of illness. Sarah filed and recieved a widow's benefit
of $4.00 per month, a soldiers's half pay to continue for a period of five years.
Aug. 11, 1817, Sarah Clarkson was appointed administrator of the estate of James
Clarkson: i.e their estate was settled May 11, 1818. In 1834, Sarah purchased
100 acres from "heirs at law" of James Clarkson i.e. their children:
Fairwix, Mahala, Elizabeth, Susanna, Rebecca, and Martha. Mary (Polly) and Henry
are not mentioned in the deed. Henry probably was still living at home but Mary
(Polly) had been married to Tandy Welch fourteen years.
In the 1850's, Congress passed several acts benefiting military survivors and
windows. It was during that period that Sarah Clarkson obtained a grant of 40
acres.
However, she filed a deposition in March of 1854, claiming she was entitled to
80 acres. The 40 acres grant cancelled( a copy of the cancelled certificate
is in the pension file) and the 80 acre grant approved. Sarah also received
a widow's pension of $3.50 per month,
He was married to Sarah COOK on Oct 10 1805 in Russell, CO VA.
(65)
57. Sarah COOK
(32) was born in 1775. She died on Dec 21 1863 in Jonesville, Lee
Co, VA.(32) Children were:
i.
Elizabeth CLARKSON(32) was born between
1800 and 1810. She died in 1848.
ii.
Susanna CLARKSON(32) was born on Oct
11 1808. She died on May 22 1895.
28 iii.
Henry CLARKSON.
iv.
Fairwick CLARKSON(32)
(66) was born in 1800. He died on Feb 11 1874.
v. Mary
CLARKSON was born in 1804 in Tenn.. She died on Jun 22 1887 in Hancock Co
Tn..
vi.
Mahala CLARKSON(32) was born on Dec
7 1801.
vii.
Rebecca CLARKSON was born about 1810.
viii.
Martha "Patsy" CLARKSON was born on Oct 10 1811. She died on
Dec 23 1901.
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