Redmond McMahan : Short Biography

His given name is variously spelled Redman, Redmon, Redmont, Redmund. And his surname is variously spelled McMahon, MacMaho(a)n, McMahen, Maha(o)n, and many strange phonetic ways. There is much confusion surrounding Redmond McMahan, Revolutionary War veteran of New River Valley, Virginia, and South Carolina. After the war, he lived in Buncombe County, North Carolina, and Warren County, Tennessee. Much of the confusion exists because of similar names, but also because he was active and moved around extensively. Redmond lived more than one hundred years, he owned properties in three states, he was both a Tory and a Whig. Most researchers cannot accept that he was in so many places, moved so much, and appeared to have fought on both sides of the Revolutionary War, so they suggested he is more than one person, or conflated him with Archibald McMahan. Many researchers, such as Pamela Hudson & JJ Henry name Redmond, Archibald or Archibald Redmond. Indeed they have reason to do so because of the TDW McMahan Papers archived at the University of Tennessee Hodges Library. These papers contain the writings of McMahan family members, Nora Trotter McMahan, David Templin, and Glen F McMahan.[1] They name this person Archibald, and that must have some credibility. HOWEVER, in doing the research for the attached research paper, Redmond McMahan Explained, we never came across one civil record for the name Archibald McMahan with the proper age. All of the land records and other military records name him Redmond. Even David Templin said in the TDW McMahan Papers: “I searched the records for North Carolina, Virginia, and Maryland for ten years without any trace of Archibald McMahan – the Elder.” And “Redmond McMahan ...is a possible solution to the failure of Archibald McMahan – the Elder to appear in the records.” Redmond is very mysterious, but we have a very important source for him: his Rev War Pension Application where he gives much of his history to that time in his life in his own words dated 20 Oct 1834.[2] He states he is 103 years old. Our very first record for Redmond is in Pennsylvania in 1746 on the list of a local militia. He states he is age 20, from Ireland, and a laborer.[3] On the same list is Thomas Rae , age 19, Ireland, laborer who joined 6 days later. Thomas Rae (Ray, Rhea) & Redmond will be linked in records for many years to come and helps us to know that those Redmond records are for the same person and not another. Redmond's daughter, Sarah Elizabeth, marries Joseph Ray, son of Thomas Ray in Buncombe between 1800-1805. Redmond states that he was at the Battle of Fort Sullivan at the beginning of the Rev War in SC in 1775 with the 4th SC Regiment and there are witnesses. But another record shows he deserted 28 Feb 1776, fully 4 months before the battle.[4] We don't know if was reinstated before the battle but it seems he must have been somehow. Next we find Redmond in Montgomery County VA in Cox's Militia in 1777 along with other Raes.[5] But on 7 Oct 1780 he is "taken prisoner" by the VA militia at the Battle of Kings Mountain.[6] He is held on a 5000 pound bond in Montgomery VA until he can be handed over to proper authorities. One of the witnesses is John Price. In 1767, John Price was a carpenter apprentice to Joseph Ray. Another Ray connection for Redmond. There is no further mention of this episode, but there is a law passed in Oct 1780 in the General Assembly giving pardons to those of SW VA counties who chose to take a new oath to the commonwealth.[7] We are certain of this because he is again found on the Elk Creek District Militia of Montgomery VA in 1782.[8] Redmond's life begins to stabilize after the Rev War and we start seeing records for him in SW VA, first Montgomery, then Wythe, lastly Grayson. He did not move, but the new counties formed around him on Elk Creek. His son Archibald married Elizabeth Byrd, daughter of George W Byrd, on 8 Sep 1793. On 7 Aug 1787, George and Redmond are listed on the Montgomery VA property taxes the same day, meaning they probably lived very close to each other.[9] Between 1787-1793, there are many land and tax records in these SW VA counties, and then in 1794 we find him in Buncombe County NC where he purchases land from none other than Thomas Ray[10] He states in his pension app that he moved to NC in 1795. In 1800 we have the only census record for Redmond in Buncombe, age over 45, along with 10 others with varying ages including a female over 45 also. Also listed on the same census page is Edmund McMahan & James McMahan. James is a proven son of Redmond, Edmund is not, but we think he is by age and association. Redmond has a land record in Buncombe in 1802 purchasing 50 acres witnessed by his son Eli.[11] Other sons who we see later in Buncombe census are Eli, Archibald, and Stephen in 1810. One of the frustrating things about researching Redmond was that he appears in only one census record, 1800 for Buncombe County NC. This prevents us from having a clearer understanding of Redmond's family. Shown in the record is Redmond and his unknown wife over 45. There are two males and one female under 10, two males and two females 10-15, and one male and one female 16-25. This is a total of 9 children with him in 1800. After analyzing all the children we know of, their ages, and where they might be, it appears Redmond had four more people than we have names for in 1800, one male and three females. We have not been able to make a guess as to the names of these people. They might have been relatives or in-laws, and not descendants. It is possible the Rhoda McMahan, born abt 1785, who married Stephen Winton, is a daughter of Redmond. Her age and marriage in Sevier TN in 1806 would fit Redmond's location. She would be the female age 16-25 or one of the females age 10-15 in 1800. But Redmond is on the move to Tennessee in the early 1800s. He has a land location record for 20 Aug 1807 in White County TN, assignee of Edmond McMahan.[12] On 26 Aug 1806 Edmond McMahan and son Sanders sign petitions in White TN for a new county, Warren, to be formed.[13] Redmond will settle in Warren County TN. His home is 200 acres on a bend in the Barren Fork opposite Hickory Creek, about 5 miles southwest of present day McMinnville TN.[14]. Between 1808-1825 there are 11 land records for Redmond. We also see that his youngest sons Jonathan and William acquire land in the area, but not next to Redmond. In 1820, Redmond owns land on the same page as son Sanders in Marion County TN south of Warren and on the border of Alabama.[15] From 1831-1858, son Sanders has 10 land records in Jackson County AL, just south of Marion where he had 3 land records from 1820-1824. We could not find records of Redmond selling land or divesting it to his sons before his death. He was still living in 1834, but we think he lived until 1836 because witnesses are still testifying for him in his pension application. He wife has passed by now, she is never mentioned in the application. Why would there still be testimony for Redmond if he was not alive? There is no record of his death. But if his past movements are any indication of his future, I think they would lead us to believe that he died at his son's Sanders house during or after 1836 in Jackson AL. Every one of these records below has the name Redmond on it, and I have many, many more. Not one has the name Archibald on it. His wife is never discussed in any of the records that I found. The name Archibald Redmond comes only from unsourced online trees. The name Ann McNulty is derived from one of Archibald's sons naming a son McNulty. So it could be true, but this is the only reason to name Ann McNulty as a wife. Do not confuse this Redmond with another Redmond McMohan, illegitimate son of Catherine Cole (father unknown, but often assumed, without proof, to be Robert McMahon) is apprenticed to David Stuart as a cooper September 1747. Many people believe that this Redmond McMohan, son of Catherine is the same as this Redmond McMahan. We completely disagree, because Catherine Cole’s illegitimate son was born in 1747 while this Redmond is clearly born about 1731 according to his own words and the Samuel Perry record mentioned above. Children of Redmond McMahan & unknown wife: Archibald abt 1773-1853, (same as McMahan-190, but I disagree with that profile's parents) James abt 1775-bef 1860, Eli abt 1776-bef 1860, Stephen 1780-1863, Sanders E 1784-1864, Sarah Elizabeth abt 1785-aft 1870, married Joseph Ray, son of Thomas Ray. Jonathan abt 1788-abt 1863, William 1796-abt 1861. Possible son Edmund, 1775-?. Possible daughter Rhoda abt 1785-1846, married Stephen Winton. (Same as McMahan-198, but I disagree with that profile's parents) Sources 1. Thommas DeArnold Wilson McMahan, TDW McMahan Papers (self), U of Tennesse, 121 Hodges Library 2. Ancestry.com, U.S., Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty-Land Warrant Application Files, 1800-1900 (Provo, UT, USA, Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2010) 3. Officer & Soldiers of Province of PA, 1744-1765, Fold 3, page 15, 16. Samuel Perry's Co, 4 Aug 1746 4. page 638, Original data: Moss, Boby Gilmer. Roster of South Carolina Patriots in the American Revolution. Baltimore, MD, USA: Genealogical Publishing Co., 1994. 5. Revolutionary War Soldiers, New River Notes web page 6. Charles W Crush, Montgomery Co First 100 Years (Athens, GA, Iberian Publishing, 1994), page 69, 7. William Waller Hening, Henings Statues at Large, Vol 10, 1779-1781, Ch II, page 324: A Collection of all the Laws of Virginia, transcribed for the internet by: Freddie L. Spradlin 8. Revolutionary War Soldiers, New River Notes web page 9. Stephen & Yvonne Binns, Montgomery CO VA 1787 Personal Property, binnsgenealogy.com, 1787 C disk, image 12 for Redmond, image 4 for George Byrd. 10. Buncombe Co, Register of Deeds, Book 2, pg 13. 22 Jul 1794, Redman McMahan Grantee, Thomas Ray Grantor, 160a Boling Creek. 11. Buncombe Co, Register of Deeds, Book 7, pg 274. recorded 1 Oct 1802, Redman McMahan Grantee, Nancy Anglin Grantor, 50a on Caney River. Witness: Eli McMahan. 12. Tennessee State Library and Archives; Nashville, Tennessee; Early Tennessee/North Carolina Land Records; Series Number: 05; Series Title: Board of Commissions Office Files. Record for Redmon McMahon, #47, 20 Aug 1807, location#75, assignee of Edmond McMahan for 198 acres. 13. Ladye Jane Hunter, 1st Petition to Form Warren Co TN, TN Gen Web, 26 Aug 1806. 14. Frederick Smoot, Early Land Surveys from Extant Third Surveyor District (, 1998), TN Gen Web, page 48. 20 May 1808 15. Tennessee State Library and Archives; Nashville, Tennessee; Early Tennessee/North Carolina Land Records; Series Number: 03; Series Title: Plats and Surveys