Andrew Pickens (1739 - 1817)

Born 13 Sep 1739 in Paxtang, Dauphin, Pennsylvania

Ancestors

Husband of Rebecca Floride (Calhoun) Pickens — married [date unknown] in Waxhaw, Union, North Carolina, USA

Descendants

Died 11 Aug 1817 at age 77 in Tamassee, Oconee, South Carolina, United States

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Biography

Andrew Pickens is Notable.

Brigadier General Andrew Pickens served with South Carolina Militia during the American Revolution.

Andrew Pickens is a DAR Patriot Ancestor, A090968.

"PICKENS, ANDREW (Sept. 13, I739 - Aug. 11, 1817) Revolutionary soldier, was born near Paxtang, Pa., the son of Nancy and Andrew Pickens, who, having emigrated from Ireland, drifted south with the Scotch-Irish, sojourned eight miles west of Staunton, Va., obtained 800 acres in Anson County, N. C., and in 1752 were on Waxhaw Creek, S. C. He volunteered in James Grant's expedition in 1761 against the Cherokee under Oconostota [q.v.]. Two years later he and his brother sold their Waxhaw inheritance and obtained lands on Long Cane Creek in South Carolina. There he married, on Mar. 19, 1765, Rebecca, daughter of Ezekiel Calhoun who was a brother of John C. Calhoun's father; at the opening of the Revolution, with a wife and four small children, he was a farmer and a justice of the peace. As captain of militia in the first fight at Ninety Six fort in November 1775, he helped to negotiate the treaty with the Loyalists that followed. During the next two years his services on the frontier brought promotion, and, when Williamson became brigadier general, Pickens became colonel. His defeat of Colonel Boyd at Kettle Creek, he himself considered the severest check the Loyalists ever received in South Carolina or in Georgia. After the capitulation of Charleston in 1780, he surrendered a fort in Ninety Six District and with 300 of his men returned home on parole. When his plantation was plundered, however, he regarded himself as released from his parole, gave notice to that effect, and rejoined the patriots. His part in the victory at Cowpens brought him a sword from Congress and a brigadier's commission from the state. In April 1781 he raised a regiment, in which the men were enlisted as state regulars for ten months' duty and were paid in Negroes and plunder taken from the Loyalists. Active in the capture of Augusta, he cooperated with the Continentals in Gen. Nathaniel Greene's unsuccessful siege of Ninety Six and in the drawn battle of Eutaw Springs, in which he was wounded. Thereafter he was occupied mainly with Indian warfare.

"Elected to represent Ninety Six in the Jacksonboro Assembly in 1782, he continued in the legislature until sent to Congress for the session of I793-95. The South Carolina legislature voted him thanks and a gold medal in 1783 for his services in the Revolution and later elected him major general of the militia. In I785 he was chosen by Congress to treat with Southern Indian tribes that had been at war with the United States, and, until he declined further service in 1801, he was repeatedly appointed to deal with Indian relations. His most laborious service was in 1797, when for six months he was engaged in marking treaty boundaries. In I792 he declined a command in the western army. For a number of years he lived at "Hopewell," his plantation in Oconee, where he had a store. He also carried on business in Charleston under the firm name of Andrew Pickens & Co. Later he settled at Tomassee in Pendleton District, where he lived in retirement except during a brief interval in the war of 1812. There he died suddenly and was buried at the Old Stone Church, of which he was an elder and a founder.

"Strict in family devotions and church observances, he was reputed so Presbyterian that he would have suffered martyrdom before he would have sung one of Watts's hymns. Of medium height, lean and healthy, with strongly marked features, he seldom smiled and never laughed, and conversed so guardedly that "he would first take the words out of his mouth, between his fingers, and examine them before he uttered them"" (http://archiver.rootsweb.ancestry.com/th/read/LONGCANE/2001-07/0994951125)

(https://archive.org/stream/dictionaryameri02drakgoog#page/n728/mode/2up From Dictionary of American Biography p 715) Note this quote must be a diffferent edition. cause it's close but....

"Pickens. — To the list of South Carolina worthies we must also add the name of Andrew Pickens, (i) who rose from the rank of captain to that of Brigadier General during the Revolution. Always foremost in action, whether with British or Indian, is it safe to say that no American leader ever displayed greater gallantry, or ever achieved greater results with such limited resources. The Conti- nental Congress presented him with a sword for his distinguished services." P 140 "(3). Andrew Pickens was born of Huguenot parentage at Paxtang, Penna., 1739. His parents removed to S. C. in 1752. After a highly distinguished career he died in 1817. His son Andrew was also eminent, and was Governor of S. C. 1816-1818. " p.140 footnote^[1] ... Same text earlier p34 points out "The same period (early 1700's) witnessed the incoming of thousands of Covenanters (Scotch-Irish) who made New Castle their chief landing place, and from whence they pushed northward and founded the settlements of Octorora, Donegal, Pax- tang, Marsh Creek, the Cumberland Valley, etc."

The Children of Andrew Pickens and Rebecca Calhoun:^[2]

1. Mary Pickens (1766-1836),
2. Lt. Gov. Ezekiel Pickens (1768-1813),
3. Ann Pickens, (1770- 1846),
4. Son, died in infancy (1772),
5. Daughter, died in infancy (1773),
6. Jane Bonneau Pickens (1774-1848),
7. Margaret Pickens (1777-1830),
8. Gov. Andrew Pickens Jr. (1779-1838),
9. Son, died in infancy (1782),
10. Rebecca Pickens (1784-1831),
11. Catherine Pickens (1786-1871),
12. Joseph Pickens (1791-1853).

Andrew Pickens was born in Paxton, Bucks County, Pennsylvania on September 13, 1739. He attended the common schools; moved with his parents to the Waxhaw settlement in South Carolina in 1752; served in the provincial militia in the campaign against the Cherokee Indians in 1760; entered the Revolutionary Army as captain of militia and attained the rank of brigadier general; took part in the victories at Kettle Creek (1779) and at Cowpens, Augusta, and Eutaw Springs (all in 1781); commanded an expedition against the Cherokee Indians in 1782; member of the state house of representatives 1781-1794; one of the commissioners named to settle the boundary line between South Carolina and Georgia in 1787; member of the state constitutional convention in 1790; elected as an Anti-Administration candidate to the Third Congress (March 4, 1793-March 3, 1795); appointed major general of militia in 1795; unsuccessful candidate for election to the United States Senate in 1797; member of the state house of representatives 1800-1812; declined the nomination for governor in 1812; died in Tamassee, Pendleton District, South Carolina, August 11, 1817; interment in Old Stone Churchyard, near Pendleton, S.C.

Promoted to Brig. General Pickens, he was awarded a sword from Congress.

Death

• Find A Grave: Memorial #14519972 Burial: Old Stone Church Cemetery 14519972]

Legacy

• Three U.S. states have named counties in Andrew Pickens' honor. They are: Alabama, Georgia, and South Carolina.
• One of only ten American officers during the Revolutionary War to be awarded a presentation sword by the US Congress for heroism, for his spirited conduct during the Battle of Cowpens in January 1781 ^[3].

Sources

1. ↑ Memorials of the Huguenots in America, with special reference to their emigration to Pennsylvania. by Stapleton, A. (Ammon), Carlysle Pennsylvania: Huguenot Publishing, 1964
2. ↑ Hopewell Plantation Brochure. Clemson (University) Historic Properties. Department of Historic Properties (864)-656-2475 <removed disallowed email>. Downloadable pdf
3. ↑ https://allthingsliberty.com/2014/05/presentation-swords-for-ten-revolutionary-war-heroes/#google_vignette Presentation Swords for 10 Revolutionary War Heroes

• wikipedia: Andrew Pickens (congressman)
• Military Biography for Andrew Pickins
• The New York Genealogical and Biographical Record (NYGBS, 1919) Vol. 50, Page 62

Notes

Excerpt from General Andrew Pickens (1739-1817) letter to General Lee in 1811: "There seems to be some support for the claim that one ROBERT PICON, a Scotchman or Briton at the court of France was a Protestant who fled from Scotland in 1661 to avoid persecution of Charles II. In France he is said to have married Madam Jean Bonneau, also a Protestant. They fled France after the revocation of the Edict of Nantes by King Louis XIV in 1685. Tradition continues that they went to Scotland, later to North Ireland."

Notice: PROBLEMS HAVE BEEN DISCOVERED WITH AT LEAST ONE PREVIOUSLY VERIFIED PAPER - SEE ANCESTOR’S FULL RECORD 1) GRAVE MARKED 2) EL - GEORGE BOWIE & MARGARET PICKENS DID NOT HAVE A DAU MARY 3) EL - SAMUEL PICKENS, B. 1823 MARR. MARTHA EIDOM IS THE SON OF WILLIAM, 4) PICKENS, NOT EZEKIEL PICKINS & ELIZA BARKSDALE

Child and Spouse ANDREW [ 1] SUSAN M. WILKINSON EZEKIEL [1] ELIZABETH BONNEAU [2] ELIZA BARKSDALE MARY [1] JOHN HARRIS KATHERINE [1] JOHN HUNTER JOSEPH [1] CAROLINE J. HENDERSON ANDREW [1] SUSAN M. WILKINSON JEAN/JANE [1] JOHN HENRY MILLER MARGARET [1] GEORGE BOWIE REBECCA [1] WILLIAM NOBLE

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