Submitted by:
Mabry Benson
62 Eureka Ave
Kensington, California 94707-1111
benson@acm.org

First Generation

1. John Depew. Born in 1725.[97] died in 1811 in Botetourt County, Virginia.[96],[97],[99] Came to America in 1748. [97]

Probate: Will made June 1809, proved Sep 1811, names wife Catherine, sons Elijah, Isaac eldest, Abraham, Samuel deceased, James youngest, John, Jacob, daughter Lucretia Dalzell, three children of son Samuel, Mary daughter of son James. Will book B, p 264 [96]

Land: 23 Aug 1798. Survey for John Depew Sen’r of 370 acres on Glade Creek, on boh sides of the great road. 35 acres laid off for Henry Spinkard. [326]

He married Catherine Shepherd. died aft 1811.[96]

They had the following children:
2 i. Isaac (1758->1855)

ii. Elijah. Born on 12 Oct 1757. died on 28 Feb 1824 in Orange County, Indiana.[319]
Spouse: Married 1794 Elizabeth Peck. [319]
Children: Margaret 1795-1880, Issac 1797-1842, James 1800-1889, Elijah 1802- 1885, Ann M. 1804-1899, Catherine1807-1899, Benjamin Peck 1809-1862, Joel 1812-1872, Edward M. 1814-1844, Elizabeth 1819-1857

iii. Samuel. died in 1791.[99]
Spouse: Married 1787 Mary Peck. [97]

iv. John.
Spouse: Married 1792 to Mary Seagraves. [97]

v. Jacob.
Spouse: Married 1796 to Mary Peck. [97]
Children: Nancy Peck 1797-1878, Benjamin 1799-1846, Hester 1801, Lewis 1804-1880, Jacob ca 1807, Margaret ca 1808-1829, Caroline 1811-1899, Lucinda 1813, Maria 1815-1856, Polly Ann 1823-1828 [319]

vi. Lucretia. Born on 7 Feb 1766 in Frederick Co, Md.[324] died on 13 May 1859 in Nicholas Co, Kent.[324]
Married: 13 Nov 1787 Thomas Dalzell.
Children: John 1790, Elizabeth 1792, Anna 1794, Abraham 1796, Robert 1798, thomas 1804, Lucretia 1805. [96] [324]

vii. Abraham.

viii. James.
Spouse: Married 1800 to Margaret Peck. [97]
Children: Joseph, Jeremiah 1805-1867, Priscilla 1807-1843, Mary, Juliana, James 1812-1851, Wesley 1814-1891, Lucinda [319]

Second Generation

2. Isaac Depew. Born on 17 Sep 1758 in Middlesex, New Jersey.[85],[86],[265] died aft 17 Feb 1855 in Sullivan County, Tennessee.[87] Occupation: wheelwright.[86] Served in the Revolutionary War.

9 May 1783. Ordered to work on road in Botetourt County, Virginia. ca 1780, 1790, 1792, 1794, 1798 – Capt. Isaac Depew listed on Washington County tax lists. [145]

Land:

Settled in Washington County, Tennessee, before 1787 when he bought from John Boyd land between Big Limestone & Little Limestone (4-29). Between 1795 & 1800 Isaac Depew buys and sells 117 acres on the headwaters of Big Limestone a number of times with Uriah Hunt and Joseph Duncan. (6-427, 6-428, 6-459, 6-623, 7-345, & 10-90). [88]
2 Sept 1819 Isaac Depew of Sullivan Co Tenn sells to James Depew of Washington Co 150 acres on the head waters of Big Limestone, next to John Depew. (17-382) [88]
2 Aug 1823 Isaac Depew of Sullivan Co Tenn sells 112 acres on headwaters of Big Limestone next to land of James Depew. (17-381) [88]
1823 – 1825 Isaac Depew of Sullivan Co buys 179 acres on waters of Little Horse Creek (10-71, 10-72, 10-260) [266]
20 Sept 1833 Isaac Depew of Sullivan Co gives 100 acres to sons William Depew & Isaac Depew Jun land on dry branch of Horse Creek (11-284) [266]
10 June 1838 William Depew sells 50 ac to Isaac Depew Senior of Sullivan Co land on waters of Little Hors Crick (12-216) [266]
15 May 1854 Isaac Depew Sen gives to William G Depew 3000 acres on Bayz Mountain (18-66)
2 Feb 1854 Isaac Depew Senior sells100 acres to William P Depew in Dist 13, Little Horse Cr, the church lot excepted and the lot where I have inclosed around my house during my natural life.(18-317) [266]
2 Feb 1854 Isaac Depew sells 50 acres to William P Depew, land in Dist 13, on waters of Little Horse Creek (18-348) [266]

Probate:

17 Feb 1855 Isaac Depew Senior gives power of attorney to son John Depew to transact bisiness during his natural life and to settle the unsettled business after his death, and especially to take charge of seven notes of hand six of said notes executed to me by William P Depew. These notes each for $50 were ordered distributed to his daughters Jane Nortman, Susannah Murray, Sarah Nortman, Martha Baly, Elisa Guinn, Rosanah Boyd, Nancy Boyd. Two other notes for $50 & $100 are to be used to support Isaac for the rest of his life. (18-390 ) [87]

Military: State of Tennessee, Sullivan County

Declaration of Isaac Depew for Pension under act 7th June 1831

On this 20th day od March 1852 personally appeared before me J. W. Fulkerson an acting Justice of the peace in and for said County and I certify that the said Isaac Depew is ages ninty four years and who from age & dibility is unable to attend the court of the county in order to make his application in open court & called me to his own house to make this applec ation for pension. He states on oath that he served through the greater part of the Revolution and in the tours and at the times & places as herein after set forth. towit First being a resident citizen of Botetourt County Virginia He enrolled in Captain Gelmores company Col Christys command in the years one thousand seven hundred & seventy six which enrollment was for about four months that he with Col Christies men among Captain Gilmores was marched through the now western portion of Virginia into the then Indian Country now East Tennessee to what was called the Long Island ? ? & had engagements then with the cherokee indians & served out the term of his emrollment & was discharged by his said Captain Gilmore. He again enrolled himself C? th Shauney Indians making incursions and aiding the British in the County of Bototourt State of Virginia under Captain Paxton, thinks in the years 1777 for three months rout & since ? ? on the indian or ? tract of (now Virginia known as the Greenbrier Countryt & was discharged by his said Captain Paxton at the ? of his term of service He again enrolled under Captain John Mills at the time the British were attempting to gain possession of the lead ? in Western Virginia to perform a tour of duty and ? and said ? said enrollment he ? he was for a three month tour under Col William Preston of Virginia & marched to & ? in the ? of the head ? (now Wythe ) until his tour of service expired & was discharged by his said Captain Mills. He again enlisted in Captain Mills company of Virginia militia in the county of Botetourt to repel the British Army then marching through the South was ? by Col Camphill Marched into North Carolina & was attached to General Greens command said service was at the time the British Army was ? their movements toward virginia thinks in the year 1780 or 1781. & was under the command of Genl Green until the expiration of his service which he thinks was six months. & was discharged by his Captain Mills. He was again enrolled under Gl John Lewis Col Landon Carter was captain himself to perform a tour of duty to repel the cherokee Indians. Then in league with the British Hence the months in that expidition into the cherokee country & remainded until the expiration of his three months. He states that his service was continuous up to ths year 1793 from the close of the last named tour being performed before the year 1783 which closed the Revolution and the service time not being ? for he only states that he served as a private & up to Captain until 1793. Soldier hereby relinquishes every claim that owing to a pension or an annuity ?: the present and that had named not on the rolls of any agency in any state He declares that from the passage of the act of June 7th 1832 he uniformly determined not to accept of the charity of his Government indeed had regarded those who would apply as being destitute of partiotism during that they were fighting for their own ? & in preservation of their own liberty but life to him has been so long protacted that it has so far become a burden that incapacity endures him to so what he would not when able to labour havedone he & ? to subscribed befor me this 20th day of march 1852. Isaac Depew S
Interrogations propounded by me the acting magistrate to Isaac Depew 1st Where and in what year were you born answer In the state of New Jersey Middlesex County in the year 1758 September 16th day
2. Have you any record of your age & of so where is it answer None but the record in my Fathers Bible which Bible & presume was taken from the country by some of his children
3. Where were you living when called into service where have you lived since the Revolutionary war & where do you now live. I was living in the state of Va. Bottetourt Answer County & have lived ever since the year 1784 in the state of Tennessee.
4th. How were you called into service were you drafted did you volunteer or were you a substitute & if a substi tute for whom. I never served in any other capacity but as a volunteer.
Question 5th State the names of some of the regular officers who who were with the troops when you served such continental or militia Regiments as you recollect & the general circumstances of your service.
6th did you ever receive a discharge from the service by whom was it given & what has become of it
7th State the names of some of the persons known to you & by whom you can prove your character & reputation of service.
I certify that the foregoing questions were propounded by me & the answers given by the applicant appended
In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand & affixed my seal this 20th day of March 1852.
Answer to 5th question. Genl Danl Morgan and Genl Nathaniel Green & Col Wm Campbell (who was a General after that time) I was in the Regim ent of Col Wm Campbell at the Battle of Guilford at Martinswille State of North Carolina
Answer to 6th question. I did receive a discharge from Genl Greens army by the hands of my Captain John Mills, which is lost or misplaced
Answer to 7th I do not know any of my fellow sold iers who are now living, but I can refer youto many now living who can testify to my veracity for truth & represenation of service ? Dost John E. Cossin of Jonestown James Majors Samuel Hunt.
I certify the forgoing answers was made to the here questions by Isaac Depew the date above written.

Jonesborough September 20th 1852

Sir
The purpose of other business has prevented my writing you wooner & now refers me to the claim of Isaac Depew an applicant for the benefits of the act of 1832 in your communication of the 27th July you say “the reason assigned for his failure to apply for a pension until this date is not satisfactory.” I am at a loss to know what is required to be satisfactory as I have seen no law or rule of office designating what would be required. Depew is one of the most respectable man in his county I heard that from principle he was opposed to the act of 1832 so far as it allowed pensions to persons able to support themselves. this was a subject of general notoriety He was possessed of property as well as health & ability to subsist without the aid of the government & conscienscously refers to the boon he has lived to old age when declining health loss of his ? & inability to subsist by labours removed his well grounded abjection in earlier life & he is left of the few survivors not one living in his county. The act of 1832 was liberal in its provisions & ? who did not meed the aid obtained it without other record evidence of service or proof of associates but according to your presented regulations which I need not repeat this was ? so far as regarded the militia except Va & New Hampshire Depew was a Virginia militia man served in several calls & his service if he served at all must be ? ? ? ?. I want to know if he is not found on the rolls of Va militia in your office was it ? They are all forthcoming from the regulations under the act of 1832 so saying If his name is not there found why it is in vain to further promote the claim of those found certainly the pension laws do ? his case as to the calling in comrades of this day it is like calling ? from the ? they would not answer. I presume from the regulations that the rolls of Virginia militia are in your office & if so if his name on search cannot be found than matter must end for comrades are gone as well as the almost universal band who served in that patriotic struggle & if hold to proof now the proof is gone be pleased to inform me if you have the rolls of the militia in your office. & if so whether his name is not there as to the reasons for not earlier applying it is a matter of such notoriety that all his neighbors know his reasons the hundreds of pensioners who ? and in the act of 1832 when ? ? had the subject of Captain Depews objections to the healthy property holding soldiers > a pension.
Respectfully John Beard [265]

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He first married Jane Jones, daughter of John Jones & Elizabeth, on 19 Jul 1780 in Botetourt County, Virginia.[85],[99] Born abt 1762. died bef 1804.

They had the following children:

3 i. James (1784-1846)

4 ii. Margaret (1787-1820)

iii. John. Born 2 Aug 1795 in Tenn.[85],[86] Or 1797.[86] died on 26 Dec 1874 in Sullivan Co, Tenn.[85]

8 Feb 1816 – John Depew married Catherine Bacon. James Depew was bondsman.
Spouse-2: Mary Boyd.
Children: Sarah 1825, Elijah 1827, William 1828, James 1829, Isaac 1831, Elbert 1834
Spouse-3?: Mary Paxton

5 iv. Polly (~1798-)

v. Jane.
Spouse: Married Mr. Nortman [87]

vi. Susannah.
Spouse: Married 25 July 1822 – Christopher Murray. [87] [146]
Child: Shadrack 1826.

vii. Sarah.
Spouse: Married Mr. Nortman. [87]

viii. Martha.
Spouse: Married Mr. Baly. [87]

ix. Betsy. Born in 1794.
Spouse: Married 3 July 1822 John Lloyd.

He second married Virginia Grimes\Graham.

They had the following children:

i. William. Born on 4 Nov 1804 in Tennessee.[85],[86]
Spouse: Married Eliza. Married before Mar 1836 Sarah Mulky. [144]
Children: Isaac J. (1855-), James M. (1859-)

ii. Isaac. Born on 21 Feb 1806.[85] died in 1853 in Sullivan County, Tennessee.[121]
Spouse: Married Sarah Campbell. [121]
Children: Samuel (1829-1863), John Campbell (1830-1864)[121], William (1833-1920), James (1836-), Cyrus (1839-1863), Robert (1842-ca1916), Lilburn (1845-1915), Susan Elizabeth (1849-ca1924), Hugh Johnson (1852-)

iii. Cyrus. Born on 11 Aug 1807.[85] died in 1819.

iv. Rosannah. Born on 7 Sep 1809.[85]
Spouse: Married William Boyd. [87]

v. Eliza. Born in 1811.[85]
Spouse: Married – Guinn. [87]

vi. Abraham. Born on 28 Jan 1813.[85]

vii. Nancy. Born on 4 Jun 1817.[85] died in 1859.
Spouse: Married 1835 Rufus Boyd. [87]
Child: George W.

Third Generation

3. James Depew. Born in 1784.[156] died on 19 Sep 1846.[156]

1830: Greene County Tax List, 219 ac.

Died while moving to Iowa.
He married Susanna Cox, daughter of James Cox & Winifred, on 22 Dec 1813 in Washington County, Tennessee.[157] Born in 1796 in Tennessee.[106]

Children: Dorcas 1818, Sarah 1819, Elizabeth, 1822, John J. 1826, Winifred 1828, Isaac Levi 1830, Elbert Bowman 1833, Joseph Mabry 1834, Martha 1837, [154] [156]

Land:
1817. James Depew & wife Susannah nee Cox sell land on Boons Cr. [260, p 193 ]
2 Sept 1819 Isaac Depew of Sullivan Co Tenn sells to James Depew of Washington Co 150 acres on the head waters of Big Limestone, next to John Depew. (17-382)
23 Jan 1829. James Depew of Greene Co sells 42 &100 &12 ac on Big Limestone in Washington Co. (19-312 & 314 & 363)

4. Margaret Depew. Born on 8 Jan 1787.[2],[16] died on 22 Jan 1820 in Wayne County, Kentucky.[16]

She married Mabry Tucker Cox, son of James Cox & Winifred, on 31 Oct 1811.[16] Born on 21 Jan 1790 in Washington County, Tennessee.[2],[16] died in 1825 in Paris, Henry County, Tennessee.[34]

Child: Susan Depew Cox (1817-1906)

5. Polly Depew. Born abt 1798.

She married George R. Cox, son of James Cox & Winifred. Born abt 1794. Child: Mabry Tucker 1820- 1910. [120]

Land:
23 Jan 1812. Buys 226/126 acres on Big Limestone from Uriah Hunt. [39, Deed Book 14, p 12 ]
1817. Sells land on Big Limestone Cr, Washington County, Tennessee. [260, p 197 ] Buys 24 acres of Otter Creek, Wayne County, Kentucky. [259, Book B, p 447.]
Also buys 105 acres on Otter Creek, [259, Book B, p 478 ] which he sells in in 1819. [259, Book C, p 31 ]
In 1824 he sells 30 acres on Otter Cr, [259, Book D, p 67 ] and buys 189 acres from his brother-in-law Obediah Strange. [259, Book ]
In 1827 George R & Polly Cox of McMinn County, Tennessee, sell their land in Wayne County, Kentucky. [259, Book D, p 430 ]
3 Apr 1837 George Cox (no wife mentioned) sells 92 acres in Sec 19, Twp 5, in McMinn County, Tennessee. Deed book 9, p 69.

Sources

2. Ferdinand McCown Bible in the possession of Malcolm Campbell
16. Mabry Tucker Cox’s Bible, in possession of Mabry Geller Benson
34. Henry County, Tennessee, Will Book & Court Records
39. Loraine B Rae, Washington County, Tennessee Deeds v 2, 1797-1817
74. Wayne County, Kentucky, Tax Books, LDS film #8269
85. Tennessee Settlers and their Descendants, p 95-6, 1994.
86. 1850 Tennessee census
87. Sullivan County, Tennessee, Deed Book 18 p 390. Power of Attorney from Isaac Depew Senior to son John Depew.
88. Washington County, Tennessee, Deed Books
96. Botetourt County, Virginia, wills
97. “The Dupuy Family of East Tennessee”, The Huguenot vol 19, p 114, 1959.
99. Early Marriages, Wills and Some Revolutionary War Records of Botetourt County, Virginia, Compiled by Anne L Worrell. 1985.
106. 1850 Census
120. Information from Allan Johnson
121. DAR application for Ollie Depew
122. Information from Terri Parish
144. Washington County, Tennessee, Deed Book 36, p 406.
145. “Annals of Southwest Virginia,” by Lewis Summers. p 374.
146. Washington County, Tennessee, Marriages 1780-1870, by Goldene Burgner
154. Washington County, Tennessee, Deed Books
156. Information from Terri Parish
157. Washington County, Tennessee, Marriages 1780-1870, by Goldene Burgner
258. Early Reminiscences of Charles H Cox, as publiched in The Orgonian during 1905
259. Wayne County, Kentucky, Deeds
260. ‘Washington County, Tennessee, Deeds, vol 2, 1797-1817,’ by Loraine B Rae.
261. Land Sales Proven in Court of Pleas & Quarter Sessions
265. Revolutionary War Pension Application of Isaac Depew, R2892
266. Sullivan County, Tennessee, Land Records
319. Information from Karen Kessler Cottrill
324. Information from Dave Dalzell, Nov 1999.
326. Botetourt County, Virginia, Surveyor’s Book 1A, p 554

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4 June 2000

Mabry Benson
62 Eureka Ave
Kensington, California 94707-1111
benson@acm.org