I recently heard from Jennifer, a fellow Alcorn researcher, who's preparing to file a DAR application based on her ancestor John Alcorn's Revolutionary War service. The problem she's running into is separating the anectdotal from the factual.
John was born 1734 in Augusta County, Virginia, and lived in Montgomery County, Virginia before moving to Kentucky in the late 1780s.
He did not file a Revolutionary pension file, though there are references in several pension files from several soldiers under Col. John Alcorn's regiment. I believe this is a different John, the one who lived in Wilson County, Tennesee.
From the book "Robert Alcorn and his Descendents" by Lloyd Alcorn, Sr, we learn that: "Lt. John Alcorn, later Capt. John Alcorn, also owned land on Reed's Creek (along with Robert and James Alcorn), Montgomery County, Virginia, at this time (1753 to 1782). At the court of Montgomery County, May 3, 1780, John Bethel, John Alcorn, and others were awarded 40-acre grants for six-months' service under Col. George Washington. Their lawyer representative was Patrick Henry."
I've also found several books that list John Alcorn's service, but none with actual sources and citings.
Can you help Jennifer find the documentation she needs? If you can, we'd love to hear from you.
