James Callaway

Ancestor Number

A018375»

Date of Birth

1756

Place of Birth

Bedford Co, VA

Date of Death

13 Jul 1835

Place of Death

Howard Co, MO

Spouse(s)

Susannah White

Children

Charles, Stephen, Aggy, John, Anna, Ambrose, Betsey, Sally, James, Flanders, Cency

Service during the American Revolution

He enlisted in the army in 1777 serving under Captain Henry Paulding and Colonel John Bowman of the Virginia State Line. He was a prisoner of war.

State of Service

Virginia

Donor

Proud descendants of James Callaway: Karen Fletcher McCloskey, Robert Lynn Fletcher, Patrick Robert McCloskey

Service during the American Revolution: According to the approved pension record, James Callaway enlisted in the army of the United States in 1777 and served under Captain Henry Paulding and Colonel John Bowman of the Virginia State Line. He reenlisted under Captain Daniel Boone and was stationed on the frontier at Boonesborough in January 1778. In February 1778, James Callaway and other soldiers working to mine salt were captured by Shawnee Indians. They were taken north. James Callaway was eventually turned over to the British. After refusing to sign an oath of fidelity, Callaway was taken to Fort Niagara before being sent to jail in Quebec for approximately two years. After about three years of captivity, James Callaway was “exchanged or paroled” and allowed to go home to Virginia. He returned to Bedford County on December 24, 1871, after serving close to four years and seven months including the time he was held as a prisoner of war.

Other information of interest on this Patriot: In the mid-1820 & 30’s, James Callaway and many of his sons and daughters moved from Virginia to Howard County, Missouri. James Callaway and his son, James, were each granted 80 acres on adjacent land in Howard County Missouri on August 1, 1825. The sale of the younger James Callaway’s land contained details that proved which of many James Callaways in the area was the son of the patriot.

Born in Bedford County, Virginia in 1756, James Callaway enlisted in the army of the United States with Captain Henry Paulding at approximately 21 years of age. He served in the regiment commanded by Colonel John Bowman of the Virginia Line. Under their command, Callaway went to Kentucky for the purpose of defending frontier settlements at or near Boonesborough. When he reenlisted, he was placed under the command of then Captain Daniel Boone. In January 1778 Callaway and 26 other soldiers, including his brother Micajah Callaway and Captain Daniel Boone went to Blue Licks to make salt to provision the garrison. In early February, all were taken captive by a party of approximately 100 Shawnee Indians and taken north into the Ohio Territory and then Canada. Many of the prisoners were separated and James Callaway was eventually turned over to the British. After refusing to sign an Oath of Fidelity, he was imprisoned and taken to Fort Niagara. Callaway was imprisoned by the British at a variety of locations in Canada, including two years in Quebec. In late 1781 when Callaway was transported to a location near New York where he was either exchanged or paroled, and granted permission to return home. Callaway returned to Bedford County, Virginia on December 24, 1871, after serving close to four years and seven months including the time he was held as a prisoner of war. On July 13, 1783, James Callaway married Susannah White, and during their marriage had eleven children. In the early 1800s, the James Callaway family moved first to Kentucky, and by 1825 they settled in Howard County, Missouri. James Callaway passed away on July 13, 1835, in Howard County, Missouri.

Much of the details of this biography are provided in James Callaway's extensive pension record (W9771) and
the pension record of his brother, Micajah Callaway, A018382 (W6646).