The following information was assembled from numerous sources and cannot be used directly as proof of Qualifying Service or Lineage.
It is considered a research aid and is intended to assist in locating sources that can be used as proof.
Rev War Graves Register. Clovis H. Brakebill, compiler. 672pp. SAR. 1993
SAR Rev War Graves Register CD. Progeny Publishing Co: Buffalo, NY. 1998
Spouse: Mary Copeland Children: John;
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Instead the information provided is best effort, and from volunteers who have either researched grave sites, service records, or something similar. There is no documentation available at NSSAR HQ to order.
Author: Frederick Arnold Weyler
Sergeant James Curry of Captain James Dysart's company in Colonel William Campbell's Virginia militia was mortally wounded at Kings Mountain on Saturday 07Oct1780 and died on Sunday.
In his 04Aug1823 letter to David Campbell, Samuel Newell named James Curry among the privates. We must interpret this to mean not a commissioned officer. Micajah Frost, perhaps because of Curry’s leadership and maturity beyond the younger soldiers, called James a sergeant. Lyman Copeland Draper’s Heroes of Kings Mountain used Newell as the source, but changed private to ensign and the name to Corry. The Kings Mountain monuments changed ensign to lieutenant and continued Draper’s misspelling as Corry.
Widow Mary Copeland Curry did not appear in Washington County court in the November session with other survivors of BKM casualties. Mary came to the next court session in March 1781 with Samuel Samples, Robert Craig, and John Davis as surety for administration of the estate of her late husband. Andrew Willoughby, John Blackburn, Andrew Colville, and James Piper were appointed to appraise the estate.
In August 1781, Samuel Davies had a tract surveyed on Beaver Creek northwest of Blacks Fort adjoining Widow Curry. In 1782, Mary Curry was assessed personal property taxes on 12 horses and 25 cattle in Robert Craig’s precinct. In 1785 Parson Charles Cummings had a tract surveyed on Beaver Creek adjoining the Curry line and the John Davis line. In 1786 widow Mary Curry married widower John Davis.
James Curry was born about 1746. His son John Curry, apparently the elder of four children, came of age and acquired 310 acres on both sides of Beaver Creek in 1788. John Curry’s survey adjoined John Davis (Davies) and Cummings and was authorized by treasury warrant 8464. That range of warrant numbers was also seen in a batch of April 1782 warrants issued to other militia members who served at BKM. We surmise that John became an adult between his father’s 1780 death and the 1788 survey. Instead of a commissioner’s certificate of preemption by settlement and improvement of a homestead, treasury warrants were issued because of service to the commonwealth and used to obtain land not claimed by others.
Micaijah Frost S31043 -lead mines on New River and was stationed there as a guard and there came an express for us to march to King's Mountain and we immediately marched there & joined Colonel Campbell [William Campbell]. He states he was in the battle – that James Curry a Sergeant was shot through the bowels and the night after the battle he carried water to him in his shoe and attended to him until he died which was just before day – a Wm Blackburn was also killed & four men by the name of Edmondson (with whom he was well acquainted) were also killed.
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