Longley Brothers in War of 1812

 

At least three of William C. Longley's sons served in the War of 1812 and have records in the National Archives: Jonathan, Joel, and Joseph. William himself did not, although a William Longley did serve in Maryland. However, our William Longley qualifies as an ancestor for membership in the U.S. Daughters of 1812 because he served in the militia in 1796 while living in Washington Co., VA.

Jonathan Longley was drafted at Sevierville, TN, and served as a fifer in Johnson's 3rd Regt., Pvt. in Capts. Andrew, Lawson and Duggins Cos., East Tennessee Militia, War of 1812.

Joel and Joseph Longley were Privates in the Company commanded by Capt. J. B. Long in the 39th Regiment, U.S. Infantry, commanded by Col. John Williams. They were at the Battle of Horseshoe Bend on 27 Mar 1814, on the Tallapoosa River in Alabama. They were discharged at Fort Montgomery, Mississippi Territory on 17 Nov 1814.

During the War of 1812, Andrew Jackson roamed the frontier recruiting Indians, while the British sought to enlist the tribes as allies, promising future friendly relations. The war brought bitter division to Indian families. Thousands died at the Battle of Horseshoe Bend, allied with the Americans or the British in what President Teddy Roosevelt later described as "the American Indians' Waterloo." The tribes were never to return to their former strength, for on a wave of popularity Andrew Jackson was elected President of the United States. Ironically, one of the major thrusts of his administration was the removal of all Indians from East of the Mississippi River.

Jonathan Longley applied for a Bounty Land Warrant on 28 Sep 1850, but died in 1870 before the Pension Act of 1871.

 

Joel Longley applied for a Bounty Warrant on behalf of his deceased brother Joseph's daughter Martha Jane. Did their brother James serve in the War of 1812? He would have been 20 years old, and perhaps had to stay home and help his father work the farm. John C. Longley, their youngest sibling, was born 1806 so was too young to serve.

BOUNTY LAND WARRANT PAPERS
Joseph Longley, deceased
Blwt. #22017-160-50

DECLARATION OF JOEL LONGLEY
STATE OF TENNESSEE
COUNTY OF McMINN On this fifth day of May A.D. one thousand eight hundred and fifty one personally appeared before me, John B. Coxey, an acting Justice of the Peace within and for the County and State aforesaid, Joel Longley, a resident of Polk County in the state of Tennessee, who being duly sworn according to law, declares as appears from the records that he is the guardian of Martha Jane Longley, whose age is twenty one years on the twenty second day of February A.D. 1851, and who is the minor child of Joseph Longley who died on or about the twenty fifth day of November A.D. 1830, leaving no widow now surviving him, and who was a private in the Company commanded by Capt. J. B. Long in the 39th Regiment of United States Infantry commanded by Col. John Williams in the war with Great Britain. That the said Joseph Longley enlisted at Jennens Creek, Jackson County, Tennessee on the 18th day of November A.D. 1813 for the term of twelve months and continued in active service in said war for the term of twelve months, and was honorably discharged at Fort Montgomery in Mississippi territory on account of expiration of term on the 13th day of November A.D. 1814, as will appear by the muster rolls of said company. The said Joel Longley as guardian makes this declaration for the purpose of obtaining from the department of the Interior (for the benefit of the said minor child Martha Longley) the certificate or warrant for bounty land to which the said Martha Longley may be entitled under the act of Congress passed September 28th 1850." Witness: David Bradford
Sworn and subscribed before me on the day and date above written JOEL LONGLEY John B. Coxey, J.P. for Polk County

STATE OF TENNESSEE
COUNTY OF McMINN On this fifth day of May A.D. one thousand eight hundred and fifty one personally appeared before me, John B. Coxey, an acting Justice of the Peace within and for the County and State aforesaid, Joel Longley, who being duly sworn according to law saith that he was in the service of the United States in the years A.D. 1813 & 1814 as a private attached to the Company of Capt. J. B. Long in the written declaration mentioned, that he was personally well acquainted with and is the brother of Joseph Longley deceased, that he was a private attached to and belonging to said Company set forth in the above declaration. He further states that he saw his brother Joseph Longley die and assisted in his burial and that the widow is also dead and that he knows not of any record of the death of either the said widow or of her age.
Witness: David Bradford

Sworn and subscribed before me on the day and date above written JOEL LONGLEY
John B. Coxey, J.P. for Polk County

NOTE: Joel Longley was the guardian of Martha Jane Longley for the purposes of this application only, for she lived in Texas and was married to Hatch Alford on 25 Dec 1848. Does anyone know what happened to the bounty land she was granted?

Joel applied on 25 Apr 1871 at Catoosa Co., GA, for a Pension, granted on 20 Jun 1871. His and his widow's pension applications stated that he volunteered at Sevier Co., TN. He stated that his 1st wife's name was Nancy Bodine, his 2nd wife Mary Johnston, and his widow Jane P. Lovelady (3rd wife) applied for and received a Widow's Pension. At his death at age 86 in 1877, she was 38.

Page from Joel Longley's War of 1812 Pension Application dated 1872, courtesy of Juanima McDonald

 Click for a full list of surnames and individuals currently in my data on Rootsweb's WorldConnect Project, then type lastname, firstname in search window, select from list, view &/or print individual, pedigree, register, and alfentanil reports. No living individuals shown.