James L. Alley Jr. (abt. 1753 - 1834)

Born about 1753 in Henrico, Virginia

Ancestors

Husband of Massie (Saunders) Alley — married May 1781 in Blockhouse, Western-most North Carolina (Monroe County Tenn)

Descendants

Died 2 Aug 1834 at about age 81 in Roane, Tennessee, United States

Problems/Questions Profile managers: Pat Quick [send private message] and Don Kramer [send private message]

Biography

James Alley Jr. is an NSSAR Patriot Ancestor.
NSSAR Ancestor #: P-102797
Rank: Private

Private James Alley Jr. served with North Carolina Militia during the American Revolution.

James Alley Jr. is a DAR Patriot Ancestor, A212657.

James L. Alley, Jr was born 1753 in Henrico Co., Van. He was the son of James Alley Sr. and Azby (Christian) Alley. ^[1]

Military

The Battle of the Guilford Courthouse, NC, March 15, 1781, is one of the Revolutionary War conflicts in which James Alley, Jr., was involved. The map at right shows various troop movements. It was shortly after this battle, "in April or May," that James and Massey Saunders were married in the blockhouse.
From Guilford Co., North Carolina Archives Military Records, Revolutionary War Pension, Pension Application of James Alley, National Archives Series M804, Application #W256, from Roane County, Tennessee; Alley, James; October 29, 1833.

"On this 29th day of October, in the Year of our Lord 1833, personally appeared in open court, James Alley, 80 years, made the following declaration: 'In the year 1777, I volunteered in Capt. Culpeper's Company in the regiment commanded by Col. Love. Went from Tryon Co. [now Guilford Co.], North Carolina to the head of Catawba where applicant was transferred to Capt. Roberson, in the same regiment and was attached to the Brigade commanded by Gen. Rutherford. Marched through various parts of the County to the Hywassee on a tour after hostile Indians. Applicant was discharged after having served seven months. Applicant then went back to Tryon where he remained about twelve months; in 1779, he again volunteered in Cap. Snoddy's Company, in the regiment commanded by Col. Smith. Marched to Boonesborough in Kentucky to defend the place at the time. An Indian called Black Fish besieged it. Applicant was discharged after serving three months.^[2] According to one of affidavits regarding James Alley's military service, after Battle of Guilford Courthouse was over in March 1781, James re-enlisted and assigned to Captain Love's Company. The company was sent to "western-most North Carolina" to defend against British-allied Indians. Their "HQ" was the Tellico Blockhouse which is in Monroe County Tennessee.

Marriage

James married Massie Saunders May 1781 in "Western Frontier of North Carolina" which is today's Tennessee. Marriage officiated by Capt. Love, Company Commander and a Justice of the Peace.^[3][1]

Massie is said to have followed him to the blockhouse (from North Carolina probably since James was a resident of Guilford County from about 1775). Captain Love performed the ceremony at the Tellico Blockhouse.

Problem with the affidavit--while Fort Loudoun has stood in what is now Monroe County, Tennessee since the 1750s Tellico Blockhouse wasn't built until after the Revolution. Either there was a different Tellico Blockhouse somewhere in Tennessee that no one, including Tennessee historians, know about or the affidavit is in error.

From Guilford Co., North Carolina Archives Military Records, Revolutionary War Pension, Pension Application of James Alley, National Archives Series M804, Application #W256, from Roane County, Tennessee--Alley, James; October 29, 1833: "On this 29th day of October, in the Year of our Lord 1833, personally appeared in open court, James Alley, 80 years, made the following declaration: 'In the year 1777, volunteered in Capt. Culpeper's Company in the regiment commanded by Col. Love. Went from Tryon Co. [now Guilford Co.], North Carolina to the head of Catawba where applicant was transferred to Capt. Roberson, in the same regiment and was attached to the Brigade commanded by Gen. Rutherford. Marched through various parts of the County to the Hywassee on a tour after hostile Indians. Applicant was discharged after having served seven months. Applicant then went back to Tryon where he remained about twelve months; in 1779, he again volunteered in Cap. Snoddy's Company, in the regiment commanded by Col. Smith. Marched to Boonesborough in Kentucky to defend the place at the time. An Indian called Black Fish besieged it. Applicant was discharged after serving three months.

A depiction of Boonesborough fort in Kentucky, which 135 pioneers used for safety, is at right. During the American Revolution, Chief Blackfish, a Shawnee leader allied to the British, besieged the settlement starting September 7, 1778. James Alley, Jr., along with approximately thirty-five other gunmen, volunteered to Col. William Bailey Smith's regiment to help save the pioneers. Daniel Boone, who had earlier been captured by the Shawnees, escaped in time to lead the defense. The siege ended September 18, 1778 with Blackfish's defeat. He went hence to what is now Lee County, Virginia where he remained about twelve months, when he again volunteered in defense of his country, in the company commanded by Cap. Snoddy. Marched to a place called the Block House on the **__of the Holstein, from thence to the Crab Orchard in Kentucky after the Indians, at which place this applicant was discharged, after serving three months. This was in 1780. He received no discharge. He did not return home immediately from the Crab Orchard, but substituted for a man by the name of McKinney in Capt. Martin's company, on an expedition against the hostile Indians. Marched out of the settlement to Lee's Town, after serving two months. This was in 1781. He was discharged at this time. He received no discharge [papers]. From which place he went back to the Crab Orchard where he remained a short time, when he returned from service and to his father's house on Clinch River, now Lee Co., Virginia, after serving 15 months as above stated.

Applicant was born in Henrico Co., Virginia, in the year 1753. He had a record of his age, but it is lost. From above source, Morgan Co., Tennessee: "On this 18th day of March, 1839, personally appeared before the undersigned, one of the justices of the peace in and for Morgan Co., Tennessee, Massey Alley, a resident of the county and state aforesaid, aged 80 years. That she is the widow of James Alley. That in the year 1777 or 1778, he volunteered in Guilford Co., North Carolina, in the brigade commanded by General Rutherford, and was a private and served a campaign against the Cherokee Indians and marched to Big Valley River in North Carolina and marched back; after serving three months, was discharged. Where he received a written discharge or not, this applicant cannot say.

"That in the year 1779 he again volunteered in the service in the brigade commanded by General Davidson. Marched from Guilford to the edge of South Carolina, passed Hill's Works thence to ?Warfed [Marfed?] Works (had a little skirmish with the Tories near the latter place) from thence to Gilbert Town in North Carolina. Had another skirmish with the Tories there, thence back to Hill's Works, thence to Cherokee Ford on Broad River, and was there discharged after serving three months. Inferior officers names not recollected by this affiant.

Listed in 1787 Russell Co., Virginia Personal Property Tax List, Lower District;

Revolutionary War military service, volunteer; fought with officers Snoody, Love, Culpepper, Roberson, Rutherford, Martin, Davidson;

Fought against Native Americans and/or Tories from 1777 through 1782;

Fought in battles or skirmishes at Boonesborough, Kentucky; the Crab Orchard, Virginia; the Block House on the Holstein, Virginia; Big Valley River, North Carolina; Hill's Works North Carolina; Gilbert Town, North Carolina; Guilford Courthouse, North Carolina; Cumberland frontier, Tennessee.

In 1777 and 1783, was serving in the militia in Washington Co., Virginia, on payroll at Moore's Fort (from Randall Alley);

1786 constable of Castlewood, Virginia (RA);

When Russell Co. was formed from Washington Co. became constable in Castlewood for one year (RA).

Death

James died August 02, 1832 in Roane Co., TN.

Residence

Date: 1820

Place: Scott, Virginia, United States^[4]

Date: 1830

Place: Roane, Tennessee, United States^[5]

Sources

1. ↑ ^{1.0 1.1} Source: #S-2128411358; Ancestry.com; Title: U.S. and International Marriage Records, 1560-1900; The Generations Network, Inc., 2004; Source number: 1854.038; Source type: Family group sheet, FGSE, listed as parents; Number of Pages: 1; Submitter Code; http://search.ancestry.com/cgi-bin/sse.dll?db=worldmarr_ga&h=1064175&ti=0&indiv=try&gss=pt; Birth date: 1759; Birth place: Marriage date: 1781; Marriage place: VA; APID: 1,7836::1064175 Ancestry Record worldmarr_ga #1064175
2. ↑ Source: Alley & Christian Genealogy, http://www.hullhome.com/alley.gen.htm
3. ↑ Source: Rev War Pension records
4. ↑ Source: #S-2128505522; Ancestry.com; Title: 1820 United States Federal Census; The Generations Network, Inc., 2004; Year: 1820; Census Place: Scott, Virginia; Roll: M33_139; Page: ; Image; http://search.ancestry.com/cgi-bin/sse.dll?db=1820usfedcenancestry&h=1105590&ti=0&indiv=try&gss=pt; Residence date: 1820; Residence place: Scott, Virginia, United States; APID: 1,7734::1105590 Ancestry Record 1820usfedcenancestry&h #1105590
5. ↑ Source: #S-2128527446; Ancestry.com; Title: 1830 United States Federal Census; The Generations Network, Inc., 2004; Year: 1830; Census Place: , Roane, Tennessee; Roll: M19, 201; Page; http://search.ancestry.com/cgi-bin/sse.dll?db=1830usfedcenancestry&h=741776&ti=0&indiv=try&gss=pt; Residence date: 1830; Residence place: Roane, Tennessee, United States; APID: 1,8058::741776 Ancestry Record 1830usfedcenancestry&h #741776

See Also:

• Alley Ancestors

Find a Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/174745269/james-lane-alley : accessed 15 January 2022), memorial page for James Lane Alley Jr. (8 Dec 1753–2 Aug 1834), Find a Grave Memorial ID Find A Grave: Memorial #174745269, ; Maintained by dcterri (contributor 47511169) Burial Details Unknown.

Acknowledgements

• WikiTree profile Alley-293 created through the import of GedTem12:18.ged on December 19, 2011 by Jack Templeton.