William Skaggs

• General Notes
  • SKAGGS, William Pension # W2182
    William Skaggs was a Private in theVirgina Militia. He entered the service 1 March 1778 to serve as an Indian Spy until 1 Nov 1778. He enlisted in 1779 under the command of Capt. Mastin and in the regiment under the command of Col. Shelby, in Clinch River, in Virginia. William was born in 1757, in North Carolina near Horse Pasture, North Carolina. Willia married Polly Beavee, 2 Sept 1802. William died 20 Aug 1848 in Green County, Kentucky.
    (Source: "Revolutionary War Soldiers from Adair, Green, Russel & Taylor Co., Kentucky" FHL US/CAN 976.9 A1 no.407 pg.35-36)
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    SOURCE: Kentucky Skaggs Records, by Juanita Skaggs Luttrell
    Page 309 - Green County, Kentucky
    
    William SKAGGS married Mary SIMPSON in 1778 in Virginia. In 1780 William came to Kentucky with his family and settled in one of the three forts that were built in Green County about this time. William's uncle established SKAGGS Station near Allendale, however, William spent some time at Pitman's Station, which is north of present day Greensburg. William's father, I believe name Jacob, also settled nearby. William and Mary lived at the fort until about a year later, when indians caused the three forts to be abandoned. William took his family to the then county seat at Bardstown. They lived there for several years and then returned back to the Green County area.
    
    From the James PIERCE bible, we find that William had the following children:
    Elizabeth, born 19 Jan 1785
    Polly, born 27 Aug 1787
    Nancy, born 16 Jun 1789 (William's wife Mary then died)
    William, born 25 Aug 1804 (William married Polly PIERCE, 2 Sep 1802)
    Fielding, born 25 Apr 1806
    Rachel, born 27 Oct 1807
    Libby, born 27 Mar 1809
    Jeremiah, born 17 Oct 1813
    Stephen, born 13 Mar 1820
    Henry, 29 Dec 1821
    Louisa, 8 Feb 1824
    
    (William SKAGGS or Squire SKAGGS as he was called, lived on Brush Creek near present day Allendale. He was a magistrate and well known citizen of Green County. A member of the Liberty Baptist Church, he is buried just west of Hwy 61 near the Jct of Hwy 566 in the SKAGGS Cem. The tombstone reads, "In memory of William SKAGGS, Born 1754, Died 2_ August 1848." The James PIERCE bible lists Williams birth date as 20 Dec 1757). William SKAGGS is mentioned several times in Allen's, History of Kentucky, and Wm. is gone but never forgotten.
    
    (This was researched and presented by Edward BENNINGFIELD.)
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    SOURCE: Kentucky Skaggs Records, by Juanita Skaggs Luttrell
    Page 336 - 337 - Green County, Kentucky
    Order Book #6, Page 447 - 25 Oct 1819
    
    Wm. SKAGGS is appointed guardian to the infant heirs of Stephen SKAGGS dec'd and also the infant heirs of James SKAGGS dec'd. it is ordered that Math. OWENS, James SCOTT & Wm. BARNETT be appointed Commissioners to divide the land of James SKAGGS, Senr. dec'd. between the sons and daughters of his three sons Stephen SKAGGS, Henry SKAGGS, & James SKAGGS which three sons have departed having rec'd a joint deed from their father for said land this life. It is ordered that the said Commissioners Convey to the sons and daughters of the said Stephen SKAGGS dec'd their proportion of said lands and in like manner convey to the sons and daughters of Henry SKAGGS dec'd. their proportions and in like manner to the sons daughters of James SKAGGS dec'd. their porportion of said land.
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    Ordinance Record FamilySearch™ International Genealogical Index v5.0
    North America
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    William Skaggs
    Male
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    Event(s):
    Birth: 20 DEC 1757 Horse Pasture, , , North Carolina
    Christening:
    Death: 20 AUG 1848
    Burial:
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    Parents:
    Father: James OR Jr. Skaggs
    Mother: Susannah Skaggs
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    William (Polly) Skaggs, W2182, BLWT 27564-160-55
    August 23, 1832, Green County, Kentucky, William Skaggs, resident of
    said county, aged 75 years born (b. 1757) stated that he entered the
    service of the United States under the following officers and served
    as herein stated.
    
    In 1778 in the month of March he was called and entered the service
    as an Indian Spy and continued to serve until the last of October or
    the first of November in the same year. He entered into the service
    in the State of Virginia, the name of the county not now recollected,
    but it was near the head of the Clinch River in the company commanded
    by Captain Thomas Mastin. While in service he and Thomas Ray were
    allotted to scout as spies in the boundary laid off commencing at the
    head of the Clinch River and extending to the "Big Cain brake" on Big
    Sandy River, a distance of about twenty-five miles. It was made their
    duty to go about one mile below the cane brake for the purpose of
    meeting two other spies. On one excursion as they were proceeding
    from the head of the Clinch River to the line (?) of their boundary
    and on their way they discovered that some Indians had taken up
    another fork of the Sandy along a "Buffellow" track which led toward
    the country settled by the whites, so as soon as they made the
    discovery they turned their course and endeavored to reach the
    settlement before the Indians so that some efficient means might be
    effected for the purpose of repelling their invasions. When they
    reached the settlement they were informed that the Indians had
    reached some parts of the settlement the night before and attempted
    to conduct some depredations and that they had attacked the father of
    said William as he was returning from a neighbor's house and pursued
    him with such violence that he was compelled to turn and fire, by
    which he was successful in putting an end to one of his pursuers.
    
    In the spring of 1779, the month not recollected, he enlisted in the
    Virginia militia in the State of Virginia and near the head of the
    Clinch River in a company commanded by Captain Mastin in the regiment
    commanded by Colonel Shelby and served three months. Immediately
    after his enlistment Colonel Shelby, together with his corps, made a
    tour by water down to the "Chickemaugy" town on the south side of the
    Tennessee River which town was entirely settled by the Cherokee
    Indians, which they invaded, killing many Indians. After they put to
    flight and destroyed the inhabitants of the place, they put fire to
    the town and entirely consumed it. When the destruction of the town
    was completed Captain Bean proposed raising a scouting party for the
    purpose of searching for some of the inhabitants of the town who had
    made their escape. Some thirty soldiers joined Bean, among whom was
    WILLIAM SKAGGS. They left the main army and marched a north course
    across the Cumberland Mountains. Shortly after they had crossed the
    mountains they discovered an encampment of the Indians which they
    immediately invaded and three of the Indians and took three
    prisoners. In that attack he had the good fortune to take a squaw as
    a prisoner. After this success they marched to meet the main army and
    fell in with them at their encampment on a small creek. They were
    marched from there to Powells Valley when owing to the great scarity
    of provisions, the army was disbanded, and they marched home where
    they were discharged. He received a written discharge from Captain
    Mastin which he kept for many years, but it was consumed in the
    flames of the roof which protected his family in conjunction with all
    his household property. He had no documentary evidence of his service
    whatever nor is there any living witness within his knowledge by whom
    he could establish the same in any part thereof.
    
    William Skaggs was born in 1757 in North Carolina. Charles Blevins,
    clergyman, of Green County, Kentucky, and Samuel Brent, resident of
    the same, certified that they were acquainted with William Skaggs,
    who was a soldier of the Revolution.
    
    March 10, 1853, Green County, Kentucky, Mrs. Polly Skaggs, resident
    of said county, 80 years old, (1773) stated that she was the widow of
    William Skaggs, deceased, who was a pensioner of the Revolutionary
    War. He resided in Green County for a number of years and up to the
    time he died. After his death she drew a fraction of a pension which
    was due from the last semi-annual draw to the time he died. The fact
    of the death and the time of death of Skaggs and the rate of pension
    was certified and filed.
    
    She was married to William Skaggs on September 2, 1802, in Green
    County, Kentucky. Her husband died on the 20th of August 1848. She
    was still a widow. Because of her age and bodily infirmity she was
    unable to travel or to attend court to make the declaration.
    
    Green County, Kentucky marriages: September 2, 1802, William Skaggs
    and Polly Pearce.
    
    March 17, 1855, Green County, Kentucky, Polly Skaggs, widow of
    William Skaggs, deceased, aged 75 years (1780) (notice the
    discrepancy in her age), made her application for a pension and was
    drawing the same from the agency in Louisville. Her certificate is
    dated May 17, 1853, No. 404. She now applied for bounty land.
    
    William Skaggs of Green County, Kentucky, who was a private in the
    company of Captain Mastin in the regiment of Colonel Shelby in the
    Virginia Line for eleven months, was inscribed on the roll of
    Kentucky at the rate of $36.66 per annum to commence on the 4th day
    of March 1831. Certificate of pension issued August 21, 1833.
    
    Polly Skaggs, widow of William Skaggs, was inscribed on the roll at
    the rate of $36.66 per annum to commence on February 3, 1853.
    Certificate of pension issued May 17, 1853.
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