103 - Joseph Watford - Big Creek, AL
N 31° 04.517 W 085° 25.851
16R E 649691 N 3439003
Joseph Watford died at the ripe old age of 103 and is believed to be the only American Revolutionary War veteran buried in Houston County, Alabama.
Waymark Code: WMFD1Z
Location: Alabama, United States
Date Posted: 09/30/2012
Views: 3
An historical marker about Joseph Watford is located in front of the Big Creek United Methodist Church cemetery where his grave is located. The marker reads:
"Adjacent to Big Creek United Methodist Church is a cemetery containing the grave of Joseph Watford. Mr. Watford served as a soldier for four years during the American Revolutionary War. In 1833, he emigrated from South Carolina to this area of southeast Alabama. He died in July 1845. Mr. Watford is believed to be the only Revolutionary War Veteran buried in Houston County."
The following information is from the Alabama Department of Archives and History website:
"WATFORD, JOSEPH, aged 92, resided in Dale County, June 1, 1840, with Barnabas Whatford. Census of Pensioners, 1841, p. 149.
"Joseph Watford was born on January 29, 1742 in North Carolina and resided in Pitt County before the Revolutionary War. He volunteered for service under Capt. James Lanier, Col. Jonas Johnson and General Butler. He marched from Pitt County, North Carolina, to South Carolina and was at the Battle of Stono. This tour of service was for four months. The next tour of service was for four months and he served under Capt. Samuel Barrow and Col. Benjamin Sowell. During this tour he marched to meet General [Horatio] Gates but did not arrive before the defeat of Gen. Gates in [Camden] S. Carolina. Was ordered back to North Carolina where he served the last two months on Deep River. The third tour of service was under Capt. Jesse Proctor and Gen. William Caswell. He was drafted in Pitt County and marched to Trent River in North Carolina. The next tour of three months he was drafted and served under Capt. Richard Reeves and Major Sheperd. He was ordered from Pitt County, North Carolina to Wilmington but before arriving there was ordered to return and was discharged at Kingston. This was his last service and about the close of the war. His four tours of service lasted over a period of four years, during the time he served in the above capacity and in no other way but a private soldier of the Militia.
"Soon after the war Joseph Watford moved to Darlington District, South Carolina where he resided for about thirty years. During the time that he lived in Darlington he applied the first time for his pension but the papers were lost by the lawyer who took them and the application to Columbia, South Carolina, to present to the legislature. In 1844 he again applied for pension and at this time was living in Dale County, Ala.
"Watford died on July 26, 1845 and was buried in the cemetery of Big Creek Methodist Church in what is now Houston County, Alabama."
-- Information provided by William Ted McKenzie, Dothan, Alabama, July 30, 2007."
Additional information is available from the transcripts of his application for a pension at the age of 102 (visit link).