James Noland, My 4th Great Grand Uncle
52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks
Week 13 – Prompt: Family Pattern
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JAMES NOLAND
James Noland was a Revolutionary War patriot and the son of Stephen Edward Noland and Susannah Smallwood of the Fairfield District, South Carolina branch of the Noland family. He was one of six brothers who served during the Revolution including Shadrach, Stephen, David, William, and George. Their uncle Daniel Noland and aunt Henrietta Smallwood also had sons who served during the Revolution.
James Noland was born in 1756 on the James River in Virginia and died after 1833, likely in Madison County, Tennessee.
Early Life
While still very young, he moved with his father to Fairfield District, South Carolina, where he was raised and came of age.
This migration reflects the broader movement of families from Virginia into the South Carolina backcountry, likely along routes such as the Great Wagon Road.
Revolutionary War Service
James Noland served as a private in the South Carolina Continental Line under Captain Hopkins in the regiment commanded by Colonel Thompson. He enlisted in the summer or autumn of 1776 for a term of three years.
After enlistment, he was stationed near Eutaw Springs at a location referred to as Colonel Flood’s. He later served with a detachment of selected men under Colonel Brown at Ninety-Six, where his primary duty was to arrest Loyalists (Tories) in the surrounding region. He reported that many were taken prisoner and confined.
In 1778, he was ordered to Georgia, where he was stationed near Midway Meeting House to suppress Loyalist activity in that area. From there, he marched toward Savannah in anticipation of a British attack.
During the fighting near Savannah, he was part of a small detachment positioned along a causeway through swampy terrain. When British forces advanced, his group sustained heavy casualties. James was wounded and taken prisoner during the engagement.
Captivity
Following his capture, James Noland was transported by sea to St. Augustine, Florida, where he was confined in a dungeon for approximately one month. He was later paroled within the town through the intervention of a Loyalist acquaintance from his youth.
He remained a prisoner in St. Augustine until the end of the war, after which he was released and returned to Fairfield District, South Carolina. His absence had been so prolonged that many in his community believed he had been killed at Savannah.
Later Life and Migration
James Noland continued to live in Fairfield District, South Carolina, for many years after the war.
James Noland is enumerated in the 1790 census of Fairfield District, South Carolina, confirming his residence there following the Revolutionary War and placing him firmly within the Noland family group established in that region.
Around 1810, he migrated west to Tennessee.
His movements in Tennessee included:
• Humphreys County (approximately seven years)
• Marion County (approximately three years)
• Madison County (approximately eight years)
He was residing in Madison County, Tennessee, when he applied for a Revolutionary War pension in 1832 at the age of seventy-seven.
Pension and Documentation
James Noland was granted a pension under the Act of June 7, 1832, based on his service in the South Carolina Continental Line. His pension was issued March 12, 1833, through the West Tennessee agency at a rate of $80 per annum.
His claim relied in part on traditionary evidence and community reputation, as he did not possess a discharge due to his capture during the war. Supporting witnesses attested that he had long been known in Fairfield District as a Revolutionary War soldier.
Legacy
James Noland’s life reflects the experience of many soldiers of the Southern Campaign—service across multiple regions, irregular warfare against Loyalists, and the harsh reality of capture and imprisonment.
His story also illustrates the westward movement of Revolutionary War veterans, from Virginia and South Carolina into Tennessee, as they carried their experiences into the next generation of frontier settlement.
Note: For consistency, I’ve used the spelling Noland throughout. In the records, the name appears in several forms, including, Nolen, Nowland, and Nolin.
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