DEDICATION OF THE ABEL LANHAM GRAVE

Saturday November 12, 2005

Bonny Kate Chapter National Society Daughters of the American Revolution, General Joseph Martin Chapter Sons of the American Revolution and the County of Claiborne would like to thank all of those participating in dedication ceremony. On Saturday November 12, 2005, a beautiful sunny morning, approximately 40-50 people turned out for the ceremony of the Dedication of the Abel Lanham Grave.
The trumpet call was given by Reverend Samuel Johnson followed by Color Guard from Rutledge High School of Rutledge, TN. The welcome was given by Patricia F. Hunter, Regent Bonny Kate DAR. The invocation was given by June Burnett, Chaplain Bonny Kate DAR. Todd Williams, General Joseph Martin SAR, led the Pledge of Allegiance. Posting of Colors: JROTC, Rutledge High School. Special Presentation of Certificates of Appreciation was given by Virgil Herrell, Claiborne County Mayor. Introduction of presenter, Chuck Minton, and history was given by Ollie Ellison, Historian Bonny Kate DAR. Chuck Minton, 4th great grandson of Abel Lanham, gave a history and tribute to Abel Lanham. A letter from Senator Mike Williams was read by Mayor Virgil Herrell who sent an American Flag for this Patriot.
The flag was presented to Chuck Minton by Captain Malone, a representative of the JROTC. Laying of Wreaths was done Chuck Minton, Mayor Virgil Herrell, and Todd Williams. The Benediction was given by June Burnett, Chaplain Bonny Kate DAR. Retiring of Colors by JROTC, Rutledge High School and Taps by Reverend Samuel Johnson. A beautiful ceremony! Even the cattle in the field seemed to Reverend the ceremony. They gathered near the fence with quiet attention. Following the ceremony, everyone enjoyed a delicious meal prepared by the ladies of Blairs Creek Church.

by Chuck Minton

The following information has been derived from the research of Jeffery Barefoot a direct descendant of Abel and his second wife, Sarah Nunn.

Abel Lanham was born ca. 1762 in South Carolina to John Lanham and Comford Brown Lanham. He was one of six children. He had one brother named William and four sisters, Sara Hagarty, Easter Dean, Jean McCoy and Comford Osburn.

According to a document that still exists, Abel Lanham and Jean Kuykendall were married December 3rd, 1777. From this marriage, eleven children were born. It should be mentioned that Jean's father was, in all probability, Peter Kuykendall, who fought at Kings Mountain and was also Abel's Captain. Jean's maiden name was given to me by Mark Treadway, also a descendant of Abel and Jean Lanham Information about Peter Kuykendall was taken from Pat Alderman's book "One Heroic Hour at King's Mountain". Also, information registered with the North Carolina State Archives shows that Peter Kuykendall was jurate at the reading of John Lanham's will, 22, October, 1765 After the death of his first wife in 1810, Abel Lanham remarried in 1818. He married Sarah Nunn. From this marriage, eight children were born.

Abel's Revolutionary War statement reads as follows:

"On this sixth day of February 1837, personally appear before the County Court of said State Abel Lanham aged 75 years, who being first dully sworn, according to law doth on his oath make the following declaration, in order to obtain the benefit of the provision made by the Act of Congress, passed June 7th, 1832. That he entered the service of the United States the 1st of March 1778, as a volunteer, and as a private, under the command of Captain Kerkendall, in Regiment of William Grimes in Rutherford County in the State of North Carolina We rendezvoused on a creek called Sandy Run. My Captain and company were detached from the Regiment and ordered to go in (pursuit?) of outlying Tories. We crossed 1st and 2nd broad rivers to the frontiers of the State for the purpose of intercepting men who were in the habit of doing mischief and then fleeing to the mountains. We also kept in awe, such men (as?) were inclined to harbour bad men. We marched from place to place as necessity required, and kept the disaffected citizens from collecting together. We took ten Tories in our (rout?), and delivered them over to Col. Grimes, who commanded our Regiment. We were kept in this service scouting about from place to place until the last of May, when we were discharged by Col. Grimes, having been in service three months. On the first of March 1779 I volunteered my services again as a private in the service of the United States, in Rutherford County State of North Carolina under the command of the said Captain Kerkendall, and Col. Grimes.

We met at a place called the Cross roads. I was marched from (it to the?) frontier settlements to a fort called McFadden's Fort where we were stationed for three months for the purpose of protecting the citizens engaged in cultivating their farms. We were engaged while there in marching about sometimes across the Blue Ridge, and in (the?) mountains, guarding the passes through which it was thought the Indians would attempt to pass into the settlements, and then returned to our fort. We were discharged the first of June 1779, and returned home. From North Carolina I, the said Abel Lanham, went into South Carolina, on a visit to my sister, and whilst there I volunteered again as a private on the first of September 1781, in Orangeburg District under the command of Captain Young. My Colonel's name I cannot now recollects and (served?) Col. or General Sumpter at Orangeburg Court house, Sumpter lay at Orangeburg Court house three months, during which time we had to subsist chiefly by foraging. Whilst here we did nothing of importance and during this time Wayne came on there on his way to Georgia. I was again discharged the first of February 1782. I then went into Washington County North Carolina (now Tennessee). The first of September 1782, I volunteered again in said County, under the Command of Captain Samuel Williams, in the Regiment of Col. John Sevier, as a private. This service I performed as a horseman. We were marched against the Cherokee nation of Indians, We started from the Big Island on French Broad river and marched on to Tennessee river, and crossed the same at an indian Town called Chota, from there to Hiwassee river, passed Bulls town and crossed Cooses river to an Indian Town called Estanolee (Estenaula?) from there to little shoemaker plains and from there to (sd.?) Hiwasse Towns. In this campaign we destroyed the Indian crops and fourteen Towns, and returned home December 1st 1782, where I was discharged. This was my last service as a soldier. (Not Marginal)"

Grainger County, named after territorial governor William Blount's wife Mary Grainger was established from Hawkins and Knox counties in 1796 before Tennessee was admitted to the union. Abel Lanham was present in this county during this time. He was commissioned as a lieutenant by John Sevier on 20 June, 1797, and also was commissioned as a justice of the peace for Grainger County on October 26, 1799, by John Sevier, Governor of Tennessee.

Four years later Claiborne County was broken off of Hawkins and Grainger counties. The following is taken from the 1st Claiborne County Court minutes book and Abel was present at this meeting.

Be it known that by virtue of a law of the State of Tennessee passed at Knoxville on the 29th day of October 1801, authorizing and erecting a part of Grainger and Hawkins counties into a separate and distinct county by the name of Claiborne and also in consequence of a Commission from his Excellency, Governor Roan, Commissioning the following persons to the office of justice of the peace for said County, to wit- Isaac Lane, Joseph Webster, Williamson Trent, James Chisum, Abel Lanham John Wallen, Mathew Sims, John Vanbebber, William Rogers, George Real, Cavender Newport, John Casey, Joseph Nations, and James Refro being present.

Abel Lanham also took part in the founding of Tazewell. It was during the December session of Court that "(The court received of Mathew Sims, John Bullard, Abel Lanham and Joseph Webster Commissioners, a plan of the Town of Tazewell together with John Hunts and Nathaniel Austins Bonds to them, Commissioners and also there with a memorandum of the sale of lots in said Town and ordered said papers to be filed in the Clerks Office)". This information appears in Book 1 of the Claiborne County Court Minutes.

It should be noted that Abel Lanham's name appears in the first court minutes book 24 times. His duties as a commissioner in the beginning of Claiborne County's history included viewing new roads which connected the peoples together as well as taking in taxable lists of property and polls. It is recorded in the first court minutes book that "Abel Lanham, Esquire, was appointed a commissioner to take in lists of taxable property and polls, in that part of Captain Chisum's old company north of Wallens ridge for the year 1802''. It is also mentioned in Goodspeed's History of 30 East Tennessee Counties that Abel Lanham was Trustee for Claiborne County during the years 1810 through 1814.

Abel received many land grants in Claiborne County prior to it being broken off Grainger and Hawkins counties. One Grant in particular, was a One-thousand acre grant granted to him by the State of North Carolina in the year of 1784. This cemetery is located on this grant and the west property line is, for the most part, still in tact. Lewis Minton's East property line is the West property line of this large land grant.

Too few men are born with visions for the future and Abel Lanham's heroics, both in the Revolutionary War and taking part in the founding of Claiborne County, exemplify the courage that men possessed Two-Hundred years ago. From his youth to his death, Abel Lanham witnessed the birth of the United States and ultimately the birth of a county known by the name of Claiborne County. This Country and this County will always remember you, Abel Lanham for a job well done.