Some News On Newsome Rainwater: A Family For Mary Ann ?

The most important thing to remember while considering this report on our Rainwater lineage is that it is not chiseled in stone but is written with the expectancy of challenges, changes, corrections, additions and deletions. It is a compilation of accumulated data into a report delineating possibilities so that others may build upon it and refine it as facts are ascertained or disproved. Mary Ann Rainwater was born about 1768 in Franklin county, North Carolina and has heretofore been considered a possible daughter of James Rainwater, born 1736 in Edgecombe county, NC and died circa 1805 in Surry county. He is the son of John Rainwater and Mary Fussell. This no longer seems viable to me. I should state, as every Rainwater researcher has discovered, that the male given names of John, James and William are prolific in this line. The only name which surpasses them is Mary and identifying any Mary Rainwater is extremely difficult, open to debate and often just guessing. Hence, identifying our Mary requires some ingenious methods - identifying her by the males in her life. I consider that by fully identifying Newsome Rainwater, whom I believe and presume to be her brother, we will, finally, identify Mary Ann’s correct family. I am assuming a sibling relationship between Mary Ann and Newsome Rainwater. It is entirely possible that the relationship is more removed than siblings; yet, what little we do know indicates a close link between them. So let us begin. Newsome ( Nusome, Nusum) Rainwater was discharged August 31, 1815 at Pass Christian (Ms.) at 38 years of age thus we deduce that he was born in 1777. And, his birth occurred in Johnston county, NC. By inference we shall place Mary Ann’s birth as Johnston county also. The man considered to be Newsome’s father was in Bute county, NC in 1767. As she was born about 1768 her birthplace may be Bute rather than Johnston. Franklin county was created in 1778 from Bute county so Mary Ann may have been born, after all, in the area that is now Franklin county. For convenience I am changing her birthplace and stipulating that our Mary Ann Rainwater was born 1768 in Bute county,NC. Before continuing further with Newsome I need to backtrack to his father. Newsome is one of the several sons of Moses Rainwater, SR., who was likely born by 1745 probably in Edgecombe county, North Carolina. He witnessed a 1767 Bute county deed; was in Johnston county 1784 and 1790; paid taxes to the sheriff of Nash county in 1784, 1785 and 1786; and, sold land in the adjacent county of Sampson in 1795. Moses had a brother,William Rainwater,Jr, whose son, Gilliam, married Nancy Christmas in Warren county,NC in 1787. They seem to be the sons of William Rainwater who was born by 1721 as he was an adult in 1742. Possibly he’s a brother of John Rainwater who married Mary Fussell. William was in Halifax county by 1742. ( Halifax was created in 1754 from Edgecombe.) His wife’s name is Ann … and their children are: 1) William, Jr. - in Warren county, NC in 1766; possibly on the Granville county, NC Tax Lists 1787 - 1793; in Aaron Woods District, Jackson county, Georgia 1799 2) Moses, Sr. - as previously stated 3) Richard - born by 1755; in Chesterfield, SC in 1800; in Baldwin county, Alabama by 1816 4) Jesse - born 1755-1774; in Chesterfield, SC in 1800; in Baldwin county, Alabama by 1816 5) Thomas - born before 1774; (?) in Warren county, NC 1784; in Spartanburg county, SC by 1790; may be the son of John of Spartanburg county, SC I will remind you again that this is not absolutely proven. Nor is the following. Moses Rainwater, Sr. had these children: 1) Moses Rainwater, Jr. - born 1763- 1774; in Richmond county NC in 1820; Sevier county Tennessee in 1830 and possibly Rhea county, Tn by 1850. 2) William Rainwater - born by 1767 as he married 16 November 1787 in Johnston county to Molley Reaves; in Jackson county, Georgia in 1799 3) Mary Ann Rainwater - born 1768 Bute county, NC; married Burrell Perry in NC (or Ga ) about 1790 4) Matthew Rainwater - born 1774-1787; about 1815 married Mary Morrison, daughter of John Morrison, Sr. of Richmond and Montgomery counties, NC; in Richmond county in 1840; maybe Jefferson county, Tn. in 1830; Carroll parish, Louisiana by 1857 5) Newsome Rainwater - born 1777 in Johnston county, NC; married 1795 - 1796 in NC or Georgia; in Jackson county, Georgia by 1799; enlisted in War of 1812 in 1813 from Rhea county, Tn and discharged 31 August 1815 at Pass Christian, Mississippi; Washington parish, La deeds,p361, Newsome Rainwater sold firm of (Samuel) Ott and (Griffin) Revell the patent to 160 acres, bearing date of 1809 with patent granted John Patterson; patent granted Newsome Rainwater #19609 SW 1/4 Section 21 Township 55N Range 20W; In 1819 in Washington parish, Louisiana Burrell Perry, Newsome Rainwater, and Edward Rainwater shared land together. (Washington Parish Deed Bk.1, p457: Section 49 Township 4S Range 13E 641 50/100 acres claim of Burwell Perry under Newsome Rainwater C & S 1819 Nos. 121 - 717 with part of this section located in Greensburg District St.Tammany parish, La.) ( Newsom (Nuesom) Rainwater in Washington Co., La - T4S, R13E, S49 listed as a military warrant, so it's possible he drew his bounty land there as the warrant could not be sold or transferred. It was for 160 acres.) St. Tammany and Washington parishes are just across the Pearl River and adjacent to Hancock county Mississippi. Moved to Texas. 6) John Rainwater - born by 1778 as he married 26 December 1801 in Richmond county to Mary Cunningham; in the 4th Reg. NC Militia; moved to Tennessee and Alabama 7) James R. Rainwater - born 1780; married Katherine Reagan and Mary Sanderson; and, died Sevier county Tennessee in 1811. 8) Elizabeth Rainwater - married Daniel Collins 12 November 1800 in Richmond county, NC 9) Joshua Rainwater - born circa 1792; married Mary Peterson; enlisted at Pendelton Courthouse, South Carolina 10) Vincent Rainwater - was a private in Cpt. P.M.Mask’s Company of NC Militia ( a detachment from the Richmond county Militia); discharged 02 March 1815 at Wadesborough

Military and miscellaneous data:

The Alphabetical Index of Missouri Patentees BLWTs- War of 1812 (GS # 0983163-pg 154) lists: Edmund Rainwater - Warrant # 19610 ( On the actual warrant it is Edward ) NW 10 55 27 ; John Rainwater-Warrant # 19607- NW 35 55 21 ( He was with Hunters Inf.) Newsom Rainwater - Warrant # 19609 SW 21 55 21; William Rainwater-Warrant # 19611 NE 13 54 20. Edward, Newsom and William were with Allens 7th Inf (according to the warrants.) All were registered on 7 June 1819. All three were discharged at Pass Christian, Ms. Newsome was Newton on the printed lists from "Report of the Adjutant General of the State of Kentucky" Vol.1 pg 339 " where it lists: Wm Rainwater, Sr. Pvt enlisted 1 Jan 1814 for service till 30 June 1814. This William deserted on 20 Jan. Newton, Edward and William, Jr enlisted for the same term in Capt William McClellan's Co 7th Reg't US Inf. McClellan's company was based in Pulaski Co., KY. Also, neither Edward or Newton appear in the 1810 or 1820 Kentucky census. I know they are not sons of William Rainwater, and wonder if they might be the sons of the mysterious Abraham Rainwater who lived in Pulaski and Russell counties, but he either died with no will, or left Kentucky before 1840. [ by Glidie R. Mobley ]

Vincent Rainwater was a private in Capt. P.M. Mask’s Company of North Carolina Militia and was discharged March 2, 1815 at Wadesborough. John Rainwater, 2nd Company of Riflemen detatched from the 14th Brigade; Matthew Rainwater, 10th Company detatched from the Richmond Regiment

James Rainwater was a private in Capt. George Gregory’s Company of East Tennessee Drafted Militia, Col. Samuel Bunch’s Regiment;

James Rainwater was a private in Capt. James Churchman’s Company, 4th Regiment, East Tennessee Militia commanded by Col. Samuel Bayles; enlisted 13 November 1814 and discharged 18 May 1815. He enlisted at Dandridge, Jefferson county, Tn where he lived in 1851. In 1855 he lived in Crawford county, Arkansas. He was born about 1791 and married May 1, 1809 in Rockingham, Richmond county, NC to Catherine McCall. ( SC Pension # 14314.)

Burrell Rainwater was a private in Capt. James Gray’s Company 26th Regiment Tennessee Militia and served from June 17th through the 24th, 1812.

Burrell Rainwater was a private in Capt. Edward Clement’s Company 1st regiment South Carolina Militia serving as a substitute for John Fortenberry from October 01 through 31, 1814.

Joshua Rainwater was a private in Capt. Jacob Reed’s Company, Lt. Col. William Austin’s Regiment, South Carolina Militia from February 1 to March 24, 1814. He was born in 1792 and married January 1821 in Pickens district, SC to Polley Peterson. He lived in Carroll county, Georgian in 1850 and 1855 and Upshar county, Texas in 1874. He died August 15, 1878 in Hamilton, Texas.

He also served as a private in Capt. Alexander Morehead's company. ( Pension #21344 Land warrants #2405-80-50 and #14253-80-55 ) And, John Rainwater, served as a private in the same company. He died about 1837. ( Land warrants #30650-80-50 and #48778-80-55 ) Wife Martha, pension #12999

Wm. Rainwater was born in Jackson county, Georgia, age 15 years, height 5’ blue eyes, fair complexion, farmer, and enlisted on October 16, 1813 in the 7th U.S. Infantry at Fort Hampton for 5 years. Was discharged 31 August 1815 at Pass Christian, Mississippi. ( Think he’s son of Newsome Rainwater.)

Contributors;

Leila Mayberry, Louis D. Megehee, Jr., and others

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