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HAMPTON, STEPHEN (Dec'd) Stokes County Miscellaneous Records C.R. 90.920.1 North Carolina ) S.S Stokes Gounty ) Be it known that on
this 13th day of April A.D. 1852 before the Hon. Superior Court of Law and Equity held for the County aforesaid at Crawford personally
appeared Charles Banner Esq. aged Seventy Eight years. a resident of Forsyth County & State aforesaid, and Benjamin Morgan aged
Seventy One years a resident of Stokes County aforesaid _____________. and they being Sworn according to law. declares that they were
well acquainted with a Certain Stephan Hampton who enlisted in a Company of Infantry of the U. States for the term of five years under the
Command of Capt. George Cloud of the 10th Regmt. of Infantry some time in the fall or Autom of the year 1812 at German- town in the
County aforesaid having a wife named Elizabeth who Married since to John Cox who is dead and that said Stephen Hampton we believe died
while in the Service leaving three Children only living who are still alive & residents of Stokes County aforesaid (to wit) Alexander Hampton.
aged 48 years last Sept., Mary W. Hampton (who married to Joseph Terry) aged 47 years this present Month & Stephen S. Hampton aged 39
years the 1st of Jany. last as appears by the family Records & Statement made by their Mother now the widow Elizabeth Cox who is now living
in the County ofStokes aforesaid Sworn & Subscribed in open Court.
Samuel Vest (1757-1841) is the son of William Vest Sr. and Lucy Alford Vest of Townfork Settlement. Samuel Vest moved to the
Lewisville area by 1793 where he purchased some tracts of land. By 1830, Samuel Vest and his brother William Vest Jr. and his
sons Obediah, Moses and Samuel moved to Washington Co., Indiana. Samuel’s son, Charles Vest Jr. stayed in Lewisville and
died there in 1860.
Declaration of Samuel Vest in order to obtain the benefit of the act of Congress passed June 7, 1832.
State of Indiana
Washington County
On this 5th day of April 1833 personally appeared in open Court, before the Judges of said Court it being a Court of Record now
sitting Samuel Vest a resident of the said County of Washington and State of Indiana, aged 73 years, the 7th day of April inst. who
being first duly sworn according to law, doth on his oath, make the following declaration in order to obtain the benefit of the Act of
Congress passed June 7th, 1832. That he entered the service of the United States under the follow-
ing named officers and served as herein stated, that he entered said service in the County of Bedford State of Virginia in the
month of June 1779 as a volunteer Soldier in a Militia company commanded by James Adams, Captain Mathew Artee, Lieutenant
& Talbert Artee Ensign, said company was called out by the order of Col. Wm. Calloway to guard the Lead mines called Chissels
mines, upon New River in the State of Virginia, marched with said company to the said mines armed these & performed duty in
said company as a guard until he was discharged having served in this expedition, from the time he entered the service till he was
discharged, three months and twelve days. About the month of November in the same year (1779) at the same County of
Bedford, he again entered said service as a drafted militia man in the company under Capt. Robert Adams,
Charles Lynch was Lieutenant, he marched with said company to Petersburg, which belonged to the Regiment of Col. Lynch, the
forces at that place were under command of Baron Steuben. This claimant remained at Petersburg & performed duty in said
company as a private soldier until he was discharged, he served on this tour of duty not less than nine weeks, or 63 days.
About the first of February 1781 at the same County of Bedford Virginia, he again entered the service by joining a militia company
as a Substitute for a Benjamin Lisamor who was drafted in said company was commanded by Jacob Moore, Capt. & Michael
Gilbert Lieutenant, and belonged to the Regiment under Col. Lynch, marched to a place appointed to Rendezvous on Staunton
River. On the first of February or about that time 1781 the Regiment took up the line of March and proceeded on till it met the
army under General Green (?), this was at a place called the Hawfields on Haw River from thence, this declarant marched with the
army to Guilford, and was in the battle at that place, which took place on the 15th of March, after the battle, the Americans rallied
& collected at a place called the troublesome Ironworks, this declarant was amongst the numbers and at that place in his
discharge and returned home, having served with this last expedition not less than two months.This declarant states that he
served in the Revolution as a private Soldier in three expeditions above mentioned not less than seven months and fifteen days,
that herein discharges at the said several times when he left the service which are lost, and he states that he has no documentary
evidences and that he knows of no persons whose testimony he can procure who can testify to his service, except his Brother
William Vest. He hereby relinquishes every claim whatever to a Pension or Annuity except the present and declares that his name
is not on the Pension role of the Agency of any State
Sworn and subscribed the day and year aforesaid
Samuel Vest
William Vest, Brother of the said Samuel Vest who has sworn to and subscribed the foregoing declaration a resident of the
County of Washington and State of Indiana, in open Court makes oath that his said Brother Samuel, served as a private soldier in
the Revolution the said William states he knew of his own knowledge that his Brother Samuel went in the first tour of service
named to the Lead mines, and returned home about the time he stated he knows also of his going on the expedition to
Petersburgh and as to the last tour of service he knows (he the said William having served in the same expedition) that his said
Brother served as he has stated.
Sworn to in open Court and subscribed. William Vest
Samuel Vest did receive his pension payments.
Transcribed by Sally Jones and Judy S. Cardwell in 2006
Col. Joseph Winston
This newspaper article appeared in June, 1892.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Prominent among the early friends of liberty in North Carolina was Col. Joseph Winston. He belongs to an old Yorkshire family, which had
settled in Wales and afterwards emigrated to Virginia soon distinguishing itself thereby its talent and its love of liberty. These qualities were
nobly illustrated in the lives of Judge Winston and of Patrick Henry, the great Virginia orator, who mother was a Winston. Some authorities say
that Patrick Henry's mother was the sister of Col. Jos. Winston's father. Col. Winston was born in Louisa county, Virginia, June 17th, 1745
inheriting the liberty-loving spirit of his ancestors and a fondness for the hardships ad adventures of the chase.
He received a fair education according to the standard of the day, but was more adventurous than studious. At the age of 17 he joined a
company of Rangers formed for the purpose of fighting the Indians, who were very troublesome in that section. During an expedition to the
frontier for the object of punishing a marauding party, his company was ambuscaded and made a desperate resistance, but were
overpowered and put to flight. During this skirmish young Winston acted with great gallantry. His horse was killed under him and he himself
received to balls; one in the thigh, and the other in the body. Dragging himself painfully into the underbrush, the Indians in pursuit of the
retreating Rangers, passed him by. Here he would doubtless have perished had he not been discovered by comrades, who like himself had
sought the brush for refuge. His friend being unwounded aided him in escape, faithfully carrying him on his back for three days, until they
reached the welcome shelter of a frontier man's cabin. During this toilsome and painful journey they had no food save the berries of the wild
roses, which fortunately, were quite plentiful. One of the bullets which he then received was never extricated and continued to the end of his
life to be a source of suffering.
Early in 1770, Winston migrated to what was then Surry, now Stokes County, North Carolina, settling in the vicinity of the forks of Dan River.
He embraced with ardor the cause of the Colonies in the dispute with the mother country, and was chosen by the people of his county to
represent them in the important Provincial Congress of 1775. In February following the was one of an expedition against the Scotch Tories on
Cross Creek, who in the endeavor to effect a junction with the royal troops under Sir Henry Clinton were signally defeated at Moore's Creek
Bridge on the 27th of that month.
By the Provincial Congress of April, 1776, he was appointed lst Major and Commandant of the Militia for the county of Surry. In this capacity
he served under Gen. Griffith Rutherford in arduous expedition across the mountains in the fall of the same year. By this expedition the
Cherokees were so effectively humbled that they continued peaceful during the rest of the war.
Under the Constitution of 1776, Major Wins ton was elected a member of the first House of Commons, which met the following years. Upon
him, in conjunction with Waighstill Avery and Robert Lanier, was conferred the important duty of effecting a permanent settlement with the
lately humbled Cherokees. They succeeded in securing the celebrated treaty of the Long Island of Holston, thereby extinguishing the Indian
tititle to a large area of land and establishing a peace which enabled the western people to devote all their engeries to the defeat of the
British. Without this treaty the victory of King's Mountain would have been impossible, as the mountaineers would have been exposed to the
attacks of the savages.
During the Britain invasion of North Carolina, Major Winston was in active service against them and against the Tories. He fought with the
gallant but unfortunate General William Davidson against Cornwallis and afterwards with Col. Cleveland against the Loyalists of New River.
From 1807 to 1813 he served as a Trustee of the University of North Carolina, thus showing his interest in higher education, which was just
then struggling for recognition. Immediately after the battle of King's Mountain, the General Assembly of his State voted Colonel Winston a
sword, in recognition of his gallantry on that memorable day; but in the harassing trials of the war, the vote was not carried into effect. It was
not until the beginning of the second War of Independence that this duty was performed.
His reply when this honor was conferred upon him was characteristic of the man, and in its laconic brevity breathes the sublime virtue of the
ancient Spartan. He said, "Mr. Speaker, I am at a loss for words to express my sense of honor which the General Assembly has conferred
upon me by this grateful present. I trust that the sword which is directed to be presented to me, will never be tarnished by cowardice, but be
wielded in defense of my country[s right and independence." Thus was his last public service crowned by a noble testimonial of his people's
love and gratitude. He died on the 21st of April, 1814.
In person, Col. Winston was of commanding presence and fine manners. His form was stately, his countenance noble and expressive; in some
features resembling his kinsman, Patrick Henry. His nature was fitted rather for action than for contemplation or speech.
Warrior, Statesman, Patriot, Educator, he yet "lives in the hearts of his countrymen." His monument in the thriving and progressive town of
Winston, which was fitly named in his honor, since the liberty he so greatly aided in establishing, alone made its existence a possibility.
In the grand Memorial Hall at Chapel Hill, amid the names of other illustrious Carolinians, is a tablet to the memory of Colonel Joseph Winston.
It reads as follows:
COL. JOSEPH WINSTON
Born 1746 Died 1814
Trustee University of North Carolina 1807-1813
Member Hillsboro Congress of 1775
Commissioner to Cherokee Indians 1777
Major at King's Mountain 1780
Voted a sword by the General Assembly for gallantry
Eight times a State Senator
Thrice Representative in Congress
Twice Presidential Elector
The Town of Winston Called in His Honor
This Tablet Erected by the Graded School of Winston
this 13th day of April A.D. 1852 before the Hon. Superior Court of Law and Equity held for the County aforesaid at Crawford personally
appeared Charles Banner Esq. aged Seventy Eight years. a resident of Forsyth County & State aforesaid, and Benjamin Morgan aged
Seventy One years a resident of Stokes County aforesaid _____________. and they being Sworn according to law. declares that they were
well acquainted with a Certain Stephan Hampton who enlisted in a Company of Infantry of the U. States for the term of five years under the
Command of Capt. George Cloud of the 10th Regmt. of Infantry some time in the fall or Autom of the year 1812 at German- town in the
County aforesaid having a wife named Elizabeth who Married since to John Cox who is dead and that said Stephen Hampton we believe died
while in the Service leaving three Children only living who are still alive & residents of Stokes County aforesaid (to wit) Alexander Hampton.
aged 48 years last Sept., Mary W. Hampton (who married to Joseph Terry) aged 47 years this present Month & Stephen S. Hampton aged 39
years the 1st of Jany. last as appears by the family Records & Statement made by their Mother now the widow Elizabeth Cox who is now living
in the County ofStokes aforesaid Sworn & Subscribed in open Court.
Samuel Vest (1757-1841) is the son of William Vest Sr. and Lucy Alford Vest of Townfork Settlement. Samuel Vest moved to the
Lewisville area by 1793 where he purchased some tracts of land. By 1830, Samuel Vest and his brother William Vest Jr. and his
sons Obediah, Moses and Samuel moved to Washington Co., Indiana. Samuel’s son, Charles Vest Jr. stayed in Lewisville and
died there in 1860.
Declaration of Samuel Vest in order to obtain the benefit of the act of Congress passed June 7, 1832.
State of Indiana
Washington County
On this 5th day of April 1833 personally appeared in open Court, before the Judges of said Court it being a Court of Record now
sitting Samuel Vest a resident of the said County of Washington and State of Indiana, aged 73 years, the 7th day of April inst. who
being first duly sworn according to law, doth on his oath, make the following declaration in order to obtain the benefit of the Act of
Congress passed June 7th, 1832. That he entered the service of the United States under the follow-
ing named officers and served as herein stated, that he entered said service in the County of Bedford State of Virginia in the
month of June 1779 as a volunteer Soldier in a Militia company commanded by James Adams, Captain Mathew Artee, Lieutenant
& Talbert Artee Ensign, said company was called out by the order of Col. Wm. Calloway to guard the Lead mines called Chissels
mines, upon New River in the State of Virginia, marched with said company to the said mines armed these & performed duty in
said company as a guard until he was discharged having served in this expedition, from the time he entered the service till he was
discharged, three months and twelve days. About the month of November in the same year (1779) at the same County of
Bedford, he again entered said service as a drafted militia man in the company under Capt. Robert Adams,
Charles Lynch was Lieutenant, he marched with said company to Petersburg, which belonged to the Regiment of Col. Lynch, the
forces at that place were under command of Baron Steuben. This claimant remained at Petersburg & performed duty in said
company as a private soldier until he was discharged, he served on this tour of duty not less than nine weeks, or 63 days.
About the first of February 1781 at the same County of Bedford Virginia, he again entered the service by joining a militia company
as a Substitute for a Benjamin Lisamor who was drafted in said company was commanded by Jacob Moore, Capt. & Michael
Gilbert Lieutenant, and belonged to the Regiment under Col. Lynch, marched to a place appointed to Rendezvous on Staunton
River. On the first of February or about that time 1781 the Regiment took up the line of March and proceeded on till it met the
army under General Green (?), this was at a place called the Hawfields on Haw River from thence, this declarant marched with the
army to Guilford, and was in the battle at that place, which took place on the 15th of March, after the battle, the Americans rallied
& collected at a place called the troublesome Ironworks, this declarant was amongst the numbers and at that place in his
discharge and returned home, having served with this last expedition not less than two months.This declarant states that he
served in the Revolution as a private Soldier in three expeditions above mentioned not less than seven months and fifteen days,
that herein discharges at the said several times when he left the service which are lost, and he states that he has no documentary
evidences and that he knows of no persons whose testimony he can procure who can testify to his service, except his Brother
William Vest. He hereby relinquishes every claim whatever to a Pension or Annuity except the present and declares that his name
is not on the Pension role of the Agency of any State
Sworn and subscribed the day and year aforesaid
Samuel Vest
William Vest, Brother of the said Samuel Vest who has sworn to and subscribed the foregoing declaration a resident of the
County of Washington and State of Indiana, in open Court makes oath that his said Brother Samuel, served as a private soldier in
the Revolution the said William states he knew of his own knowledge that his Brother Samuel went in the first tour of service
named to the Lead mines, and returned home about the time he stated he knows also of his going on the expedition to
Petersburgh and as to the last tour of service he knows (he the said William having served in the same expedition) that his said
Brother served as he has stated.
Sworn to in open Court and subscribed. William Vest
Samuel Vest did receive his pension payments.
Transcribed by Sally Jones and Judy S. Cardwell in 2006
Col. Joseph Winston
This newspaper article appeared in June, 1892.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Prominent among the early friends of liberty in North Carolina was Col. Joseph Winston. He belongs to an old Yorkshire family, which had
settled in Wales and afterwards emigrated to Virginia soon distinguishing itself thereby its talent and its love of liberty. These qualities were
nobly illustrated in the lives of Judge Winston and of Patrick Henry, the great Virginia orator, who mother was a Winston. Some authorities say
that Patrick Henry's mother was the sister of Col. Jos. Winston's father. Col. Winston was born in Louisa county, Virginia, June 17th, 1745
inheriting the liberty-loving spirit of his ancestors and a fondness for the hardships ad adventures of the chase.
He received a fair education according to the standard of the day, but was more adventurous than studious. At the age of 17 he joined a
company of Rangers formed for the purpose of fighting the Indians, who were very troublesome in that section. During an expedition to the
frontier for the object of punishing a marauding party, his company was ambuscaded and made a desperate resistance, but were
overpowered and put to flight. During this skirmish young Winston acted with great gallantry. His horse was killed under him and he himself
received to balls; one in the thigh, and the other in the body. Dragging himself painfully into the underbrush, the Indians in pursuit of the
retreating Rangers, passed him by. Here he would doubtless have perished had he not been discovered by comrades, who like himself had
sought the brush for refuge. His friend being unwounded aided him in escape, faithfully carrying him on his back for three days, until they
reached the welcome shelter of a frontier man's cabin. During this toilsome and painful journey they had no food save the berries of the wild
roses, which fortunately, were quite plentiful. One of the bullets which he then received was never extricated and continued to the end of his
life to be a source of suffering.
Early in 1770, Winston migrated to what was then Surry, now Stokes County, North Carolina, settling in the vicinity of the forks of Dan River.
He embraced with ardor the cause of the Colonies in the dispute with the mother country, and was chosen by the people of his county to
represent them in the important Provincial Congress of 1775. In February following the was one of an expedition against the Scotch Tories on
Cross Creek, who in the endeavor to effect a junction with the royal troops under Sir Henry Clinton were signally defeated at Moore's Creek
Bridge on the 27th of that month.
By the Provincial Congress of April, 1776, he was appointed lst Major and Commandant of the Militia for the county of Surry. In this capacity
he served under Gen. Griffith Rutherford in arduous expedition across the mountains in the fall of the same year. By this expedition the
Cherokees were so effectively humbled that they continued peaceful during the rest of the war.
Under the Constitution of 1776, Major Wins ton was elected a member of the first House of Commons, which met the following years. Upon
him, in conjunction with Waighstill Avery and Robert Lanier, was conferred the important duty of effecting a permanent settlement with the
lately humbled Cherokees. They succeeded in securing the celebrated treaty of the Long Island of Holston, thereby extinguishing the Indian
tititle to a large area of land and establishing a peace which enabled the western people to devote all their engeries to the defeat of the
British. Without this treaty the victory of King's Mountain would have been impossible, as the mountaineers would have been exposed to the
attacks of the savages.
During the Britain invasion of North Carolina, Major Winston was in active service against them and against the Tories. He fought with the
gallant but unfortunate General William Davidson against Cornwallis and afterwards with Col. Cleveland against the Loyalists of New River.
From 1807 to 1813 he served as a Trustee of the University of North Carolina, thus showing his interest in higher education, which was just
then struggling for recognition. Immediately after the battle of King's Mountain, the General Assembly of his State voted Colonel Winston a
sword, in recognition of his gallantry on that memorable day; but in the harassing trials of the war, the vote was not carried into effect. It was
not until the beginning of the second War of Independence that this duty was performed.
His reply when this honor was conferred upon him was characteristic of the man, and in its laconic brevity breathes the sublime virtue of the
ancient Spartan. He said, "Mr. Speaker, I am at a loss for words to express my sense of honor which the General Assembly has conferred
upon me by this grateful present. I trust that the sword which is directed to be presented to me, will never be tarnished by cowardice, but be
wielded in defense of my country[s right and independence." Thus was his last public service crowned by a noble testimonial of his people's
love and gratitude. He died on the 21st of April, 1814.
In person, Col. Winston was of commanding presence and fine manners. His form was stately, his countenance noble and expressive; in some
features resembling his kinsman, Patrick Henry. His nature was fitted rather for action than for contemplation or speech.
Warrior, Statesman, Patriot, Educator, he yet "lives in the hearts of his countrymen." His monument in the thriving and progressive town of
Winston, which was fitly named in his honor, since the liberty he so greatly aided in establishing, alone made its existence a possibility.
In the grand Memorial Hall at Chapel Hill, amid the names of other illustrious Carolinians, is a tablet to the memory of Colonel Joseph Winston.
It reads as follows:
COL. JOSEPH WINSTON
Born 1746 Died 1814
Trustee University of North Carolina 1807-1813
Member Hillsboro Congress of 1775
Commissioner to Cherokee Indians 1777
Major at King's Mountain 1780
Voted a sword by the General Assembly for gallantry
Eight times a State Senator
Thrice Representative in Congress
Twice Presidential Elector
The Town of Winston Called in His Honor
This Tablet Erected by the Graded School of Winston
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