Researched, written, and contributed by Marian Titsworth Dingman

John Sinor, the son of John Sr and Mary Wetzel was born about 1785 in Bedford Co. Virginia. Little is know about his childhood, he grew up in Middlesex County Virginia shortly after the Revolutionary War. His father had served in the War and from records I have found they were an affluent family.

John was enumerated in the 1810 Census with his parents and on one brother 16-25 and one sister less than 16 yrs of age. No names were given in that census.

After 27 Nov 1810 John married Nancy Lacy, daughter Sarah Lacy (father unknown) of the Commonwealth of Virginia (Goochland Co. Virginia) John had to pledge $1500 to the Governor for use in the Commonwealth if there was no marriage. The obligation was void when they were married. This was a common practice and called a Bond for Marriage. ( Source: Henshaw’s Quaker Genealogy Vol 6; Marriage bonds; 1800-1853 pg 142 Bedford Co. Va., Index to Marriage Bonds – Husbands). Nancy’s mother, “Sary” gave her approval of the marriage acknowledging the death of her father, dated 17 Nov 1810. The couple would have married shortly after this date.

In 1813 there is a court Records dated 6 Oct 1813 Bedford Co. Va. ( Book 14 pg 36) that John received 947 dollars currency of the U.S. on 25 Oct 1813.

They had only been married a couple years when John joined the War of 1812, he was about 29 years. John enlisted on the14th of August 1814 in Capt Pleasant M. Groggins Co. of Virginia Militia. He served until 20 Feb 1815.

The War of 1812 was a military conflict fought between the U.S and the British on both land and sea. U.S. declared war for several reasons; the Royal Navy was taking U.S. Citizens into their Navy to serve on their ships with or without the men’s approval, and the British supported the Indian tribes against American expansion, also the American’s possible desire to annex Canada. It lasted 2 years and 8 months and this War inspired our National Anthem, The Star Spangled Banner. (Source: Wikipedia free dictionary)

And on May 13, 1815 Court Records Bedford Co. VA (bk 14 pg 411) John purchased 100 acres of land for 77 lbs 7 shillings lawful money of Virginia in the County of Bedford north of the Staunton River. Not sure what the settlement was for but he received the sum of 947 dollars in 1813. It appears he took that money to Bedford Co. Virginia and purchased land with most of it. He purchased a number of acres of land in the area.

He was still in Bedford County, Virginia in the 1820 Census (pg 24) it lists John and Nancy with three daughters between 10-15 years of age. He was engaged in agriculture, owning his own farm.

In about 1830 they moved to Flint Springs in Calhoun, Georgia. And they were there until they moved to Bradley Co. Tennessee, before the 1850 census was taken. I could not find them in the 1840 Census Records.

1850 they had moved to Bradley, Tennessee and he was a farmer there, age 65 with wife, Nancy and sons, (Andrew) Jackson age 2, (error; he was born 1832 would have been 18) James age 17. John and Nancy had at lest 9 children that I have been able to identify.

John died, according to her affidavit for pension, on 26 March 1858 in Bradley Co. Tennessee.

On April 26, 1877, at the age of 77 years old Nancy applied for a widow’s pension and in her application was also listed the names of their children, “in the order of their ages”, that were living at the time and one child Nancy as “died”. No date was given. On 19 March 1878 the last letter was written in support of her pension by niece, Lucinda Smothers, age 46 and Nancy A. Hightower, her sons, James and Joel both signed the letter of recommendation.

Nancy’s request for a pension was rejected 18 July 1877, for lack of proof of marriage and the Governments inability to locate files on the Company John Jr. served with, however, now I have found records from the Department of the Interior Pension Office dated Dec 12, 1877 that give the dates of John’s service, and that he did receive a land warrant. Perhaps the original rejection was overturned and she received a pension and we are unable to find he record.

Nancy went to Arkansas with her son, James Franklin and his family before 1870 as they are found in that census record. She died in Barren Creek, Baxter Co. Arkansas in 1878 at the age of 89. She lived a long life and traveled from Virginia to Arkansas in covered wagon’s, amid all the hardships of travel at that time at a very advanced age.