Micajah Autry (1793 - 1836)

Born 1793 in Sampson, North Carolina, United States

Ancestors

Husband of Martha Wyche (Putney) Autrey — married 1824 in Davidson, Davidson, Tennessee, United States of America

Descendants

Died 6 Mar 1836 at about age 43 in The Alamo, San Antonio, Bexar, Texas

Problems/Questions Profile managers: Mary Richardson [send private message] and Texas Project WikiTree [send private message]

Micajah Autry is a part of Texas history. Join: Texas Project Discuss: texas

Biography

Micajah Autry served in the United States of America Army in the War of 1812
Service started: 1812
Unit(s): 39th United States Infantry, Capt. Lord's Co.; 18th Infantry
Service ended: 1814

Battle of the Alamo, KIA

Harrison's Command

Micajah Autry was born about 1794-95 in Sampson County, North Carolina, USA to parents, Theophilus Autry and Elizabeth Crumpler. ^{[1] [2][3]} His grandparents were Cornelius Autry (b.1740 Edgecome county, North Carolina - d. 1910 in Sampson, North Carolina, USA). Cornelius Autry married Sophia Keen 1765. ^[2]

Micajah moved to Tennessee at an early age with his parents.^{[3] [4][1][5]}

During the War of 1812, Micajah marched with his company against the British to Wilmington, North Carolina. Later he re-enlisted with the U. S. Army in Charleston, South Carolina, USA. Micajah served with Capt. Lord's Co. in the 39th United States Infantry, War of 1812 until the Treaty of Ghent was signed in 1815.^{[6] [5]}He served until 1814. ^[7]

5 Mar 1814 Michajah Autry in U.S. Army, Register of Enlistments, 1798-1914 1798. M-O.

Name: Micajah Ottery

Birthyear: abt 1794

Birthplace: North Carolina, United States, Enlistment Age: 20

Listed as a musician in the 18th Infantry .

Description- Dark eyes, dark hair and dark complexion, 5'8 3/4.

In 1824 he married Martha Wyche Putney Wilkinson, a widow with one child, Amelia Wilkinson who married Samuel Smith.^{[8][5] [2]}

Children of Micajah Autry and Marthe Wyche Putney Autry: ^[9]

1. Mary Autry Greer born Feb 7, 1826, married James M. Greer,1842 with 4 sons: James, Robert, Edward, and Hal. who related the information about her father.^[1][6]
2. James Lockhart Autry born January 8, 1830 near Nashville, Tennessee. During the Civil War James was killed by a minnie ball, 1862 in the First battle of Murfreesboro.^[10][11]

Micajah, a farmer from Sampson County, North Carolina was admitted to the bar in 1829. He practiced law in Nashville, 1831-1835. He tried farming, teaching, then became a lawyer. ^[6][5]

During a trip to the east, New York and Philadelphia to buy merchandise for his store, Micajah met Moses Austin and heard of the opportunities in Texas. ^[5]

In 1835 Micajah left his family and slaves in the care of Samuel Smith (his step-daughter's husband), and immigrated to Texas. He took a steamboat from Memphis, Tennessee, up the Red River to Natchitoches, Louisiana. Being unsure of conditions in Texas, he went down to New Orleans. ^[2][9]

Micajah joined a squad in New Orleans on their way to Texas. He wrote that they walked all the way to Washington-on-the-Brazos with David Crockett and others who were under the command of Captain William B. Harrison". He arrived in San Antonio, Bexar Colony. Texas Colony with his company on February 9, 1836. All joined the Alamo garrison, commanded by Col. William B Travis. ^[2][12][9]

By February 23, Gen. Santa Anna and the Mexican army arrived and began the Siege of the Alamo.

cenotaph

March 6, 1836 in the morning, the Mexican Army hit the south wall (where Michajah was part of Crockett's defense of that wall). He died along with the 187 other Alamo Defenders in the Battle of the Alamo.^{[12][13][14][5]}

A memorial is in San Fernando Cathedral. Find A Grave: Memorial #8655105 ^[15]

Research Notes

Micajah Autry appears in a newspaper article, "The Lone Star Interesting ", in the San Antonio Light, San Antonio, Texas in 1948. In the May 26 edition, a reporter reviewed the book "The Story of the Lone Star State" by Henrietta A. Holden (published on March 6, 1948). She called her grandfather, Micajah Autry (1793–1836), "A Hero of the Alamo from North Carolina by birth and Tennessee by adoption and a Texan on the roll of immortality.".

Note: A letter from Micajah to his wife, dated February 11, 1834, is on display at the Alamo. Click here to view the letter:: Micajah Autry's letter to his wife

NOTE 2: Land Bounties for heirs

• https://s3.glo.texas.gov/ncu/SCANDOCS/archives_webfiles/arcmaps/webfiles/landgrants/PDFs/3/1/9/319742_016.pdf
• Nacogdoches 1st 1 Labor and 2/3 League Headright

• Robertson bounty 1920 acres

• 2/3 League and 1 labor Nacogdoches

• Bounty Warrant 640 Acres
• Fort Bend 2/3 League, 1 Labor

This may be interpreted as 3,840 Acres in 2 grants in 1839 and 1846 for his service and the cause.^[16]

Sources

1. ↑ ^{1.0 1.1 1.2} Micajah Autry
2. ↑ ^{2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4} https://tshaonline.org/handbook/online/articles/fau16
3. ↑ ^{3.0 3.1} http://files.usgwarchives.net/tx/bexar/military/alamo/alamo.txt
4. ↑ Genealogies of Virginia Families from the William and Mary College Quarterly
5. ↑ ^{5.0 5.1 5.2 5.3 5.4 5.5} https://digitalprojects.rice.edu/wrc/autry/exhibits/show/autry/micajah_autry
6. ↑ ^{6.0 6.1 6.2} https://www.thealamo.org/remember/battle-and-revolution/defenders/micajah-autry
7. ↑ U.S. War Bounty Land Warrants, 1789-1858, War of 1812
8. ↑ Dodd, Jordan. Tennessee Marriages to 1825 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 1997
9. ↑ ^{9.0 9.1 9.2} https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/8655105/micajah-autry
10. ↑ https://mississippiconfederates.wordpress.com/2014/12/31/he-died-for-his-country-lieutenant-colonel-james-l-autry-27th-mississippi-infantry/
11. ↑ https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/10527652/james-lockhart-autry
12. ↑ ^{12.0 12.1} http://www.thealamo.org/remember/history/defenders/index.html
13. ↑ https://www.ncdcr.gov/blog/2015/03/06/defender-of-the-alamo-micajah-autry
14. ↑ http://listverse.com/2012/02/25/5-notable-alamo-deaths/
15. ↑ https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/8655105/micajah-autry Micajah Autry
16. ↑ Crockett. Dictionary of North Carolina Biography, Volume 1, edited by William S. Powell, William Stevens

• Micajah Autry listed in U.S. War Bounty Land Warrants, 1789-1858, War of 1812 Warrants: 01727-2808524771-26870. 160 acres. Ancestry.com. Ancestry.com Operations Inc 2007. Provo, UT, USA.

• Micajah Autry in Genealogies of Virginia Families from the William and Mary College Quarterly. Vol. V. Thompson-Yates Genealogies of Virginia Families from the William and Mary College. pg 616. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2007.

• Micajah Autry in 1830 United States Federal Census, Davidson, Tennessee.

• 1812 Micajah Autry in the Tennessee, Early Tax List Records, 1783-1895. In Davidson Tennessee for 120 acres includes white and 3 blacks for a total of $6.05. Ancestry.com. Tennessee, Early Tax List Records, 1783-1895 [database on-line]. Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2013. Micajah Autry tax.

• 1948 May 26 Micajah Autry in the The San Antonio Light (San Antonio, Texas). "The Lone Star Interesting" by Henrietta A, Holden (published on March 6, 1948). A Review by a News- paper, Correspondent unknown. Provo, Utah USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2007. Original data - San Antonio Light. San Antonio, Texas, United States Of America.

• 5 Mar 1814 Micajah in U.S. Army, Register of Enlistments, 1798-1914 1798. M-O. Name: Micajah Ottery. Birth Year: abt 1794 Birthplace: North Carolina, United States Enlistment Age: 20 Listed as a musician in the 18th Infantry 5'8 3/4. Dark eyes, dark hair and dark complexion. Farmer from Sampson County, North Carolina. Enlisted in Fayetteville, NC by Captain Robertson or Robeson. [database on-line]. Provo, Utah, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2007.
• Micajah Autry San Antonio Light (San Antonio, Texas) in "S. A. Festival Attributes Autry." 1955. August 21.
• Find A Grave: Memorial #8655105

See Also:

• https://s3.glo.texas.gov/glo/history/archives/land-grants/index.cfm
• Texas land grants search

• Lt, James Lockhart Autry Sr. in U.S., Find A Grave Index,1600s-Current. Birth: 8 Jan 1830. Davidson County, Tennessee, USA. Death: 31 Dec 1862 (aged 32) Rutherford County, Tennessee, USA. Burial: Hill Crest Cemetery, Davidson County, Tennessee, USA. Find A Grave: Memorial #10527652