LIEUTENANT COLONEL JAMES HAWTHORN

James Hawthorn was born in Armagh County, Ireland about 1750. Some of the problems of modern-day Ireland were brewing during the mid-to-late 1700's and the Hawthorn family and many other Irish families migrated to South Carolina during that time.

The Hawthorns found the land rich and game plentiful but little could be accomplished with a tool in one hand and a rifle in the other. Indians were a constant source of worry in the backcountry, far from Charleston and British protection.

About age twelve, James, his mother, and two sisters were captured by the Indians. His mother and sisters were killed during the captivity. James was later released unharmed and learned the bricklayers trade in York County, South Carolina where he met and married Mary Neel, daughter of Colonel Thomas Neel. During this time period, due to British and Indian oppression, a normal life could not be lived. It became a choice between oppression or freedom. James, like many others, chose to fight for freedom, putting his daily life and young family aside until the issue was resolved either with his death in war or a better life with victory and peace. James served throughout the Revolutionary War.

According to Lyman C. Draper, author of "King’s Mountain And Its Heroes," James Hawthorn fought in several major battles and an unknown number of skirmishes during the Revolutionary War. He served under Colonel Neel in the Snow Campaign in 1775, on Williamson’s Campaign of 1776, and as a Captain on the Florida Campaign of 1778-79. He served as Lt. Col. under Col. Hill, under General Sumter, who fought at the Battle of Rocky Mount, Battle of Hanging Rock, Battle of Carey’s Ford, and the Battle of Fishing Creek, the Battle of King’s Mountain, where he took command of Col. Hill’s Regiment, Battle of Fish Dam Ford, and the Battle of Blackstocks. Lt. Colonel Hawthorn was twice wounded during the war.

Sometime after the war ended James and his family moved to Livingston County, Kentucky. He is recorded on the tax rolls of Livingston County in 1800 as having 200 acres of land on Livingston Creek.

James listed substantial property up until 1807 but died probably in December of that year. According to Livingston County Court
Order Book C, page 65, Andrew Hawthorn, Thomas N. Hawthorn, and Mary Hawthorn are listed as administrators of "James Hawthorn, deceased." The previous page to this entry is dated January 2nd, 1808, although the entry itself is not dated.

Brigadier General Edward Lacey, of Chester County, South Carolina, also settled in Livingston County, Kentucky about the same time. Lacey, also a Colonel during the war, and Hawthorn fought many times side by side with General Sumter in South Carolina to defeat the foes of freedom. American will forever be in their debt as well as indebted to all those who fought during the Revolutionary War, especially those who died during that time never realizing what their supreme sacrifice would eventually gain.

A number of other Revolutionary War soldiers, several from South Carolina, also settled in the Livingston County area about that time. A list entitled, Revolutionary War Soldiers Who Settled In Livingston County is posted on the Livingston County GenWeb site by Brenda Joyce Jerome.

A biographical sketch of General Edward Lacey is also posted at the same site by Libbie Griffin.

Sources: King’s Mountain And Its Heroes by Lyman C. Draper, printed 1881, reprint in 1996 by The Overmountain Press.

Livingston County Court Orders, Book B, page 75

Livingston County Court Book C, page 65

Livingston County Land Entries/ Locations, pages 1, 66, 86.

Livingston County Tax Rolls, 1800-1808.