Presley Thorn

Presley Thorn was born Bet. 1755 - 1760 in North Carolina, and died 1849 in Madison Co., Alabama. Buried in Burleson Cemetery in Franklin ounty Alabama.He married Anne Williams December 17, 1783 in Edgecombe Co., North Carolina, daughter of Nimrod Williams and Amy Bobbitt. She was born 1764 in Granville Co., North Carolina, and died Bef. 1805 in Chester Co., South Carolina.

Children of Presley Thorn and Anne Williams are:

1. Amorey Thorn, born October 1784; died Bef. 1800.

2. Winnifred C. Thorn, born 1785 in North Carolina; died July 1869 in Morgan Co., Alabama. She married James Love Wright 1803 in Chester Co., South Carolina; born 1783 in Chester Co., South Carolina; died 1821 in Morgan Co., Alabama.

3. Presley Thorn, born 1791 in North Carolina; died 1860 in Franklin Co., Alabama. He married Mary Nancy Boyd 1820 in Tennessee; born 1795 in Georgia.

4. William Hightower Thorn, born 1794 in North Carolina; died 1860 in Franklin Co., Alabama.

5. Charnall William Thorn, born 1800 in Kershaw Co., South Carolina. He married (1) Elizabeth Sanderson; born March 22, 1791 in North Carolina. He married (2) Judith Brazil. William was a physician

6. Thomas Williams Thorn, born March 12, 1803 in Kershaw Co., South Carolina; died September 08, 1879 in Franklin Co., Alabama. He married Sarah Hughes January 04, 1825 in Madison Co.,Alabama; born November 10, 1807 in Davidson Co., Tennessee.

He served in the military between 1776 and 1783 in the Revolution.
In 1828 Presley applied for a pension from the Government for his Revolutionary Service. He stated that he was a Captain in the Third Regiment of the Continental Line. His claim was rejected.
In 1829 there is more correspondence about this claim. Presley states that he also served in the quota of the State of North Carolina under General Green in the Third Regiment commanded by Samuel Hopkins [this seems to have been a separate period of service from that mentioned above] and that he had received commutation certificates for the five years pay granted by the resolve of 22 May 1783 and further, that he received as a pensioneer since the third of Mar 1828, nothing. He applied for the sum equal to the amount of full years full pay which sum was offered by the resolve of Congress in 1783 instead of the half pay for life to which I am entitled under the resolve of 21 Oct 1780. It appears he never got it.
He resided between 1784 and 1786 in Granville County, North Carolina.
He resided in 1800 in Kershaw County, South Carolina. Had in his household: 3 males under 10, 1 male 10-16, 1 male 20-45; 1 female under 10, 2 females 10-16, one female 20-45.
He resided in 1810 in Chester County, South Carolina. Inhabitants of house: 1 male under 10, 1 male 10-16, 2 males 16-26, 1 male over 45, 1 female under 10, 1 female 10-16, 1 female over 45.
He served in the military in 1812 in the War of 1812. He was in Perkins Battallion, Seventh Regiment, Mississippi Territory Militia.
He resided in 1830 in Morgan County, Alabama. Presley is listed as between 70 and 80 years of age. A young boy between the ages of 5 and 10 was in the house. This was probably Presley Randolph Wright.
In 1805, Chester County, SC, Presley Thorn sold a horse, cows and calves, cooking utensils and household furniture to John WRIGHT. The document sounds very much like a man who was "breaking up housekeeping" after the death of a spouse. If Ann had died, however, Presley remarried. There is a female in his age group in his house in 1810 census.
By 1820 he was in Morgan County, AL.
In 1821 he served as surety for the administration bond for Winnifred, widow of James WRIGHT and became guardian of her infant son, Presley Randolph WRIGHT. Presley Randolph actually lived with his grandfather.
On 22 Mar 1841 he obtained from the Federal Land Office a "fraction" of the NW1/4 of S31, TS, R13W in Franklin County, AL and on 2 Sep 1846, another entry for 160.8 acres (the SW 1/4 of T5,R13W,S28) (certificates nos. 17275 and 20837). Neighboring entries are recorded for Presley THORN, Jr. in 1840 and Merriman Marion THORNE in 1843.