Womack's Fort Militia Roll, 1776
Capt. Jacob Womack's Company
Fincastle County, Virginia
(now Sullivan County, Tennessee)

Transcribed by Jim Maroon
Annotated by C. Hamnett





According to Oliver Taylor's Historic Sullivan (1909), "In the spring of 1767, two years after the first settlers made their homes in the county, Jacob Womack built a fort two miles east of Bluff City on the land once owned by Sam Miller [not further identified]."

Womack's Fort was located in what is now Sullivan County, Tennessee, but was originally considered part of southwest Virginia. The Fort is also mentioned in Goodspeeds' History of Sullivan County, which states "Fort Womack, which stood two miles east of Bluff City, was built by Jacob Womack. It afforded protection for the people who lived in the territory now covered by the Fourth, Sixteenth, Ninth and Twentieth Civil Districts. It is said that when on one occasion its people were forted here a marriage took place between Hal [Henry] Massengill and Penelope Cobb. From this union have sprung a large number of descendants. many of whom still reside in the county."

In 1776, however, Womack's Fort was part of Fincastle County, Virginia, and that same year, upon war having been declared against the English, became part of the newly-created Washington County, Virginia, both of which counties are named in the following muster roll of Jacob Womack's Militia Company. By 1778, however, upon erection of Washington County, North Carolina (now Tennessee), Jacob Womack was one of the justices of the new county court (Washington County Court Minutes, 23 Feb 1778), with the 1778 Washington County, North Carolina Tax Return of Jacob Womack including a number of the following men in addition to himself, many of whom are also on the 1796 Sulivan County tax lists (See also Squabble State).




Pay Roll for Captain Womack's Company of Militia stationed at 
Womacks Fort in Fincastle County

Names                  when inlisted  when discharged Days on Duty

Jacob Womack   Captain  15 July [1776]  October 12          90
George Russel  Lieut            "             "             90
Henry Jones    Ensign           "             "             90
Pharoah Cobb   Sergt            "             "             90
Edward Russel    do             "             "             90
Joseph Benson    do             "             "             90
Landford Hezziah                "             "             90
Benjamin Gest                   "             "             90
John Russel                     "             "             90
John Benson                     "             "             90
Robert Shirley                  "             "             90
James Fowler                    "             "             90
Aaron Benson                    "             "             90
Richard Bennet                  "             "             90
Andrew Thompson                 "           28 Sept         76
Geo Potts                       "           12 Oct          90
Caleb Powell                    "           28 Sept         76
Hadiah Russel                   "           28 Sept         76
Edward Shirley                  "           30 Sept         78
John Shirley                    "           12 Oct          90
Thomas Shirley                  "             "             90
Absalom Thompson                "             "             90
Matthias Little                 "           28 Sept         76
Henry Massengale                "           12 Oct          90
Bradley Cambell                 "             "             90
John Reller [?]                 "             "             90

[Page 2]

Thomas Binson                July 15       12 Oct           90
Jno McMahon                     "          4 Sept           52
Isham Irby                      "          28 Sept          76
James Stephenson                "             "             76
Charles Thompson                "          12 Oct           90
Godfrey Isbell                  "             "             90
Michl. Massengall               "          28 Sept          76
Vallentine Little               "             "             76
John Chisolony (Commissary)     "             "             76
John McAdams                  26 Aug       15 Sept          21

[Page 3]

Arthur Cobb                  July 15       12 Oct           90
John Chissam                    "          23 Sept          71
Henry Massengall                "          12 Oct           90
John Gibson                     "          28 Sept          76
Samuel Underwood                "          12 Oct           90
William Russel                  "          28 Sept          76
William Hood                    "          28 Sept          76
Dempsey Ward                    "          12 Oct           90
James Ward                      "          12 Oct           90
Thomas Fletcher (Drummer)       "          12 Oct           90
William Fletcher                "          12 Oct           90
Joel Chalacham                  "          28 Sept          76
Sam Weaver                      "          24 Sept          72
Jacob Thompson                  "          12 Oct           90
William Shirley                 "          12 Oct           90
Geo Russel (a spy)              "          28 Sept          76
Jno Russel (Ditto)              "          28 Sept          76
Pat Hennifree                   "          12 Oct           90
Jno Calacham                    "          28 Sept          76
Sam Weaver                      "          12 Oct           90
Reuben Dunnam                   "          12 Oct           90
Jno Gist                        "          12 Oct           90
Thomas Jonekin                  "          12 Oct           90
Jordan Roach                    "          12 Sept          60
John Maroon                     "          28 Sept          76
Duke Pinson                     "          12 Oct           90
Jno Carrack                     "          12 Oct           90
Ezekl Potts                     "          12 Oct           90

Washington County
Captain Jacob Womack makes Oath that the within is a just pay roll 
of the men called into duty under his command. 
Signed Thomas Maddison, 4 February 1777

I hereby certify the service of the within enrolled Company was 
necessary for the Protection of Fincastle County against the 
Cherokees and acted under my orders.
Signed W. Russel, Febry 4th, 1777 


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