Additional Hargis Information

The data which follow were obtained from the papers on file in Revolutionary War pension claim, W. 82, based upon the military service in that war of William Hargis.

William Hargis was born July 16, 1760, in Fairfax County, Virginia. The names of his parents are not known.

While living with his father in Caswell County, North Carolina, William Hargis volunteered, was commissioned an ensign and served four tours as such officer in the North Carolina Troops, as follows, from November, 1778, to April 10, 1779, under Adjutant Samuel Johnson, Captain William White, Colonels Yancy and James Sanders; three months, his services ending June 9, 1780, in Captain Adam Sanders' Company, Colonel Hugh Tinning's Regiment, from some time in 1781, in Captain Shadrach Hargis' (soldier's oldest brother ) Co., Colonel William left the service a few days after the battle, having served three months, from August 19, 1781 to November 19, 1781, in Captain Moore's Company.

After the Revolution, he lived in Caswell County, North Carolina, for about twenty years, then moved to Rutherford County, that state thence to Knox County, Tennessee, thence to White County, Tennessee.

He was allowed pension on his application executed April 10, 1833, while residing in said White County, about fourteen miles from Sparta, where he resided for about twenty-five years.

William Hargis died March 11, 1836, in White County, Tennessee.

The soldier married September 12, 1782, Elizabeth Jay. She was born April 22, 1766. The place of her birth and marriage and names of her parents are not stated.

Soldier's widow, Elizabeth, was allowed pension on her application executed April 11, 1838, while residing in White County, Tennessee.

The names of the following children of William and Elizabeth Hargis are shown:

Abraham Hargis, born September 30, 1783; James Ray Hargis, born October 10, 1785; Solomon Nalley Hargis, born February 6, 1788; Susannah Hargis, born March 29, 1790 died 1866; Jean Hargis, born June 4, 1792; William Asa Hargis, born January 6, 1795; Sally Hargis, born November 16, 1798; Thomas Lee Hargis, born September 24, 1801, died November 29, 1801; Betsy Jay Hargis, born March 8, 1804; Washington Green Hargis, born September 8, 1807; Mary Polly (Pop) Hargis Johnson, born February 20, 1811, died January 5, 1881, married about 1832, Joseph Johnson, born September 25, 1809, died August 3, 1872.

The following family data are shown here:

John Suttell, born June 6, 1785, died September 8, 1851; Naughsizee, daughter of John and Susanna Suttell, born January 31, 1809, in Knox County, Tennessee. Dideme Suttell Bohannan( ? ), born November 21, 1810, White County, Tennessee; Anderson Suttell, born January 20, 1813; Jean Suttell, born July 13, 1817; Polly Suttell, born April 14, 1820; Betsy Suttell, born June 12, 1822; Jesse Suttell, born December 15, 1824, died April 22, 1888; Alice Tennessee Suttell, born September 6, 1825, died September 8, 1913.

There is no claim for pension on file based upon the service in the Revolutionary War of Shadrach Hargis.

In order to obtain the date of last payment of pension, the name and address of person paid and possibly the date of death of the Revolutionary War pensioner, Elizabeth Hargis, widow of William Hargis ( W. 82 ), you should apply to the comptroller General, General Accounting Office Records Division, this city, and cite the following date:

Elizabeth Hargis, Widow of William Hargis, Certificate No. 5851, issued October 10, 1840, rate $56.66 per annum commenced March 11, 1836, Act of July 7, 1838, Tennessee.

From "History of Tennessee" published in 1787: Joseph and Mary (Hargis) Johnson were natives of Putnam County and of Irish-Dutch decent. Mary Johnson was a member of the Baptist church.

Children of Joseph and Mary Johnson:

William Johnson, settled on White River, Missouri. Fought in Civil War with Federal Army; Solomon Johnson, killed in Civil War, was a Confederate soldier; Samuel Johnson, killed in Civil War, was Confederate Captain; Elizabeth Johnson Milligan; Washington Johnson, ( visited William J. in Missouri, 1872.)

General Accounting Office

Washington, D. C.

R-43894-HCS

In reply to your letter of November 4, 1935, requesting information concerning Elizabeth Hargis, a pensioner of the Revolutionary War, Certificate No. 5851, Tennessee Agency, you are advised that the records of this office show that the last payment of pension, covering the period from March 4, 1836 to March 4, 1841, was paid at the Pension Agency, Nashville, Tennessee, on March 30, 1841, to William Glenn, as attorney for the pensioner.

On March 4, 1841, Elizabeth Hargis certified that she was a resident of White County, Tennessee, where she had resided for the space of thirty years past, and previous thereto she resided in North Carolina.

No further information has been found of record in this office.

HARGIS

The first Hargis in America seems to have been one George Hargis, who was transported to Virginia in 1642, by Thomas Benton.

In 1669, Thomas Hargrace and William Hargrace, possibly sons of George Hargis above, patented a tract of land in Charles County, Maryland, near Zachiah Swamp. Thomas Hargrace died in Charles County and left four sons, Thomas, William, Francis and Abraham.

Abraham Hargis was born about 1710 and lived in Prince George County, Maryland, then in Charles County, Maryland; moved to Fairfax County, Virginia, about 1750 and to North Carolina about 1765. Date of his death is not known. We have record of five of his sons:

Shadrach, born 1740, ancestor of M. Moore; Thomas, born 1752; William, born 1760, Rev. soldier; Richard and Abraham.

All the sons served in the Revolution except possibly Richard.

DECENDENTS OF WILLIAM HARGIS

William Hargis was born in Fairfax County, Virginia, July 16, 1760. While a resident of Caswell County, North Carolina, he was called to the Army; drew $26.60 for eight month' service as a private and $30.00 for three months as an Ensign, was in the battle of Guilford, and had a brother, Captain Shadrach Hargis, in the Revolutionary War. His discharge signed by "Efrm Washington, B. Major, at camp McLainess Bluff, November 19, 1781, states: "This may certify that William Hargis, ensign in Capt. Moore's Co., has served three months and is herby discharged."

"He lived in Caswell County, North Carolina, when called into the service. He continued there (Caswell County) for something like twenty years, then moved to Rutherford County, North Carolina, then moved to Knox County, Tennessee, from thence to White County, Tennessee, where he resided twenty-two years and where he still resides. He had a record of his age in his Bible which is at his house fourteen miles from this place ( Sparta, Tennessee, when his depositions for pension were taken.)"

The following record of William Hargis' family is in his own handwriting. William Hargis was born July 16, 1760, married in the year 1782, and died March 11, 1836. Elizabeth Jay Hargis, his wife, was born April 22, 1766, and died in March, 1841.

Children:

Abraham Hargis, born 9-30-1783; James Ray Hargis, born 10-10-1785; Solomon Halley Hargis, born 2-6-1788; Susannah Hargis, born 3-29-1790, died December 1, 1790; Jean Hargis, born 6-4-1792; William Asa Hargis, born 1-6-1795; Sally Hargis, born 11-16-1798; Thomas Lee Hargis, born 9-24-1801, died November, 1801; Betsy Jay Hargis, born 3-4-1804; Washington Green Hargis, born 9-8-1807.

The foregoing is from the records of the Pension department in Washington. Descendants of one son still lives near Sparta. Have been unable to trace any descendants of the other nine children.

James Hargis, born October 10, 1785, married Mary _____. He died July 6, 1850. Children that are known: William Hargis, born 3-7-1810; John Hargis; Jeff Hargis; Solomon Hargis, born 1827.

William Hargis, born March 7, 1810, married April 10, 1831, in White County, Tennessee, to Catherine Bohannon and by her had two children. They moved to Arkansas where Catherine died June 23, 1847. William Hargis and two small sons then moved to Jackson County, Tennessee. He married second, Rhoda, and by her had four children. His death occured in Jackson County, January 2, 1867.

Children: James Hargis, born 1-29-1837; Abraham Hargis, born 11-14-1838, married October 25, 1856, died at Tullahoma, Tennessee during the Civil War, Issue; Richard Hargis, living in Kentucky in 1900, moved to Oklahoma or Texas; Mak Hargis; Clem Hargis, married Thomas Wade, of Gallatin, Tennessee; Nep Hargis, no record.

James Hargis, born January 29, 1837. Records of the War Department show that he enlisted June 9, 1861, at Camp Trousdale for a period of one year, was Sergeant, Co.K., 17th Tenn. Infantry, C. S. A., reduced to ranks May 15, 1862. Company muster roll for February, 1863, is the last on which his name is shown. Union prisoner of War records show that he was captured at Jackson, Tennessee, Feb. 3, 1864, and released at Ft. Delaware, Del., March 16, 1865, on taking the oath of allegiance to the United States.

Description: Residence, Jackson County, Tennessee; Complexion dark, hair black, eyes black, height 5 ft. 11 inches.

James Hargis was a farmer by occupation but represented Jackson County, Tennessee, in the Tennessee legislature two terms, in 1889 and 1901.

He married October 6, 1866 in Jackson County, Tennessee to Elizabeth Martin Montgomery and Sarah Hamilton Montgomery. She was born November 17, 1846, died May 24, 1927. Husband, James Hargis, died March 20, 1920. Both are buried at Granville, Tennessee.

James Hargis was a Democrat and a member of the Masonic Lodge. He and his wife were staunch Presbyterians. In the earlier days of their married life, they helped finance the building of a Presbyterian church. Then in his will, James donated a lot for the location of a new church.

All the sons are Democrats; all are Masons but two;and about equally divided in the Presbyterian and Methodist churches.

Children: William A. Hargis, born 3-2-1869; Abram Bohannon Hargis, born 9-28-1869, died May 26, 1935; John Hamilton Hargis, born 11-6-1871; Hugh Smith Hargis, born 1-30-1874; Franklin Cooper Hargis, born 3-14-1877; Robert Lewis Hargis, born 3-22-1879; James Martin Hargis, born 8-15-1881; Talmadge Dewitt Hargis, born 2-11-1884.

( Editor's comment. We are of the opinion that the Hargis family of Macon County and the family above set out are related, but distantly. The description of the physical appearance of James Hargis is very much that of the Hargis men we have known, dark complected, with dark eyes and hair.

Another mark of identification is in the same name of Shadrach Hargis. There have been Shadrach Hargis's in the Macon County family for many years. We used to have one here in Lafayette, commonly called "Shade" Hargis, whose real name was Shadrach.

The information about William Hargis and other members of the family, given above, is furnished by Robert Lewis Hargis, of Granville, Tennessee, who was born March 22, 1879.

If any of our readers have additional information on the Hargis family, let us have it and we will be more than glad to publish same in the Times.)