Samuel Gann of Winchester Va Family

From Phyllis Horsman, 8/31/96

1850 Census; Hamilton Co., TN; Page 379, Residence 112: James Gann 27 Farmer TN; Sarah Age 25 TN; John 8 TN; Andrew 6 TN; Monroe 4 TN; Margaret 2 TN; Joseph 1 TN

1860 Fed census, Belleview Twp, P. O. Caledonia, Washington Co, MO, house 201, page 358: James Gahn, 40, farmer, b. TN; Sarah Gahn, 37, b. TN; Anderson Ghan, 19, collier, b. TN; Monroe Ghan, 18, b. TN; Margaret Ghan, 16, b. TN; Joseph Ghan, 12, b. TN; James Ghan, 5, b. TN.

Personal deposition made by James Gann on Dec. 14, 1896 to accompany Indian War Pension Application Form. State of Missouri, County of St. Francois, Before J. J. Brady, Notary Public, Declaration of James Gann, Sr., for Pension. My name is James Gann. I am past 80 years of age. Have been farm hand and farmer from boyhood til broken down by age. I never learned to read or write. I live in a "cabin-tent" with my Son Jr. and his family near Elvins post office in this St. Francois County, Missouri. I volunteered when about 19 years of age in 1836 in the U.S. Army at Chatanooga, Tennessee to quiet and remove Cherokee Indians, Gen. Wood we were under. My Captain was John P. Long, Lieutenant John Brown and ? Wilds. Sergeant and Corporals not remembered. At Chatanooga we were given muskets and cartridge boxes all filled, but no uniforms. The gun had flint locks, we bit off one end of the cartridge, ramed it down hard and the gun primed itself. We were at Chatanooga a week or less and were sent home by orders. I got no pay for this service, and not clothing, or other compensation.

The next year soldiers were wanted and I volunteered again at Chatanooga. My Captain was named Laferre, 1st Lieut. Wm. Vinsant, 2nd Wm. Becke, Orderly Sergeant James Conner, Corporal Wm. S. Conner, a brother of the Orderly Sergeant. When I went into service this 2nd time it was early corn planting time and I continued until discharged, which was the same year when roasting ears were getting hard. I was paid for this $8 per month.

Declarant produces to the Notary, declarant's "Discharge." It is on paper 2 1/2 inches wide and near 8 inches long, and of the tenor as follows: "I certify that James Gann Sr., a Private under my command in a company of Infantry Received into the Service of the United States on the 25th of July 1836 By order of Genl. Wool was Regularly and honorably Discharged on 29th of July 1836. S/s/ John Brown, Jr., by order Jno. P. Long, Capt."

Declarant continuing says: We were a few weeks in Chatanooga and then were hunting and escorting the unwilling Indians from their camps, wigwams and hiding places, to Fort Morrow up the River, from Fort Morrow they were, by boats, shipped to Arkansas--flat boats and steamers.

I was born in Hamilton Co., Tennessee, continued there until about 35 or 40 years of age when I came to Missouri and continued til 1895 in Missouri some 12 miles S.W. of this place and here til now.

I cannot recollect the number or date of my land warrants. The 1st warrant was for 40 acres and came to me at "Harrison," Hamilton County, Tennessee; I sold it there, I think, to Jim Roddy. The 2nd warrant was for 120 acres and came to me at Iron Mountain, Mo. from my Brother, John, who had it forwarded from "Harrison." I sold the 120 acres warrant to Val. C. Peers of Farmington, Mo. Signed James (his x mark) Gann, Sr. Witnesses: T. J. Cain and Robert Gann Sworn to and subscribed by James Gann, Sr., and attested by the witnesses before me, and I am well acquainted with declarant and the witnesses, Thos. J. Crain, and Robert Taylor Gann, and believe them to be reputable and credible. I have no interest in declarants claim and am not concerned in its prosecution. Given under my hand at office in Elvins, this 14th day of Dec. 1896. My term expires Jany 31, 1900. J. J. Brady, Notary Public.

State of Missouri, County of St. Francois: On this 14 day of Dec. A.D. one thousand eight hundred and ninety six, personally appeared James Gan, Sr., a resident of Elvins, in the County of St. Francois, in the State of Missouri, who, being by me first duly sworn according to law, deposes and says: I am the identical James Gann, who served under the name of James Gann, as a private in the Company commanded by Captain John P. Long, in the "not recollected" regiment of Tenn. Vol. Infty, commanded by "not recollected", Gen. Wool, in the Indian War of 1836; that I enlisted at Chatanuga on or about the 25th day of July, A.D. 1836, for the term of 12 months, and was honorably discharged at my home, Hamilton Co. Tenn, on the 29th day of July, 1836. That being duly enlisted, as aforesaid, I actually served thirty days or more which service was as follows: "First service under Capt. John P. Long, July 25-29, 1836. Second Service under Capt. Laferre some months from time of corn planting til roasting ears were full ripe 1837." That I have been married; that maiden name of my wife was Sarah Gann (2nd cousins), to whom I was married at Hamilton Co., Tenn. in the State of Tennessee, on the ___ day of 1839 or 1840, A.D.; that my wife is now Dead, having died on the __ day of Sept. [illegible] at Washington Co., in the State of Missouri; that I have not since remarried...

Pensioner dropped. United States Pension Agency, Topeka, Kansas, July 31, 1903, Certificate No. 3749, Class: Indian War Survivor, Pensioner: James Gann, Sr.; Service: Capt. Lafferys Co. Tenn. Mtd.; The Commissioner of Pensions: Sir, I have the honor to report that the above named pensioner who was last paid at $8, to May, 1903, has been dropped because of Death. Died 24 July 1903.

In an Affidavit in Chancery Ct. Record, Hamilton Co, Tenn. #9604, James's sister Mary Gann Billings wrote: "I don't know [when James died]. [He] died in Missouri. He had two children when he left here but I don't know whether he had any children surviving him or not. Their children were named Isabella and Sinna. I have not heard from them since the Civil War and I hear then that he was killed and left his wife and two children. They were then at Iron Mtn., MO." [Her testimony apparently does not apply to this James as he did not die until 1903. This statement could apply to Robert Gann who had two children by that name and was killed in the Civil War in Arkansas.]