Robert Haney
Robert Haney Came To County In 1783
Among the many soldiers of the Revolution who made Rutherford County their home, was one Robert Haney. We have been unable to locate any present-day descendants of this patriot from whom we might obtain additional information, but felt that the record of his service as outlined in his pension file (National Archives File OR -4563) were worthy of publication, We feel sure that there are still descendants in this area, and we would appreciate hearing from anyone who might have additional data on the Haney family.
Robert Haney was born March 30, 1751 in the State of Virginia. At the outbreak of the American Revolution, he was living in Halifax County, North Carolina, where he enlisted for a term of 30 months in Capt. William Burkley’s company in the Regiment commanded by Col. (Sumner?).
He was stationed at Wilmington, N.C., and participated in the battle on Sullivan’s Island under the command of General Lee. From Wilmington, he was sent to Georgia, but was overcome by illness and returned to North Carolina to a unit near the Virginia line. By the time he had recuperated, his term of service had expired, and he returned to Charlotte County, Virginia. (This statement was made by his son in an affidavit dated June, 1855, We have not determined whether his family had moved from Halifax Co., NC to Charlotte Co., Va., or whether Robert Haney went there by himself).
While in Charlotte County, Va., Robert Haney again entered the service in the Virginia Militia, for a period of three months as a substitute for a man by the name of Francis Foster. He served in Capt. Martin’s company and was stationed at Petersburg, at Williamsburg, and later was stationed at the mouth of the James River where he remained until discharged.
After his discharge, he moved to Union (?) District, South Carolina and shortly thereafter, was drafted for a three-months tour of duty in Capt. Grant’s company of Col. Brandon’s Regiment. His company was marched to the “Ten Mile House” above Charleston where he was stationed for the remainder of his tour. The pension file does not indicate whether he participated in any battles on this tour of duty.
Immediately upon his discharge, he again volunteered in the same company for an additional three-months tour. During this tour, his company was attached to the Regiment commanded by Major Jolly and participated in the Battle of Eutah Springs. After this battle, Haney was discharged, but was immediately drafted again and assigned to Capt. Grant’s company. They were marched to Bacon’s Bridge in South Carolina, and remained at that place until his term of service expired and he was discharged.
He returned home to Union District, S.C., but remained a volunteer in the local militia until the close of the War.
Sometime in the year of 1780, he was married in Union District to Elizabeth (last name unknown), and about the year 1783, he moved his family into Rutherford County, N.C., where he resided until his death.
Robert and Elizabeth Haney were the parents of (13) children and the original Bible Record, submitted as a part of his application for pension, gives dates of birth as follows;
JOHN HANEY was born January 24, 1781.
SALLY HANEY was born November 19, 1783.
NANCY HANEY was born January 10, 1785.
TIMOTHY HANEY was born April 15, 1787.
ELIZABETH HANEY was born May 14, 1789.
ROBERT HANEY (JR.) was born July 30, 1792.
MARY HANEY was born February 2, 1795.
REBECCA HANEY was born May 9, 1797.
CINTHIA (SYNTHEY) HANEY was born May 17, 1799.
WILLIAM HANEY was born June 11, 1801.
BETHANEY HANEY was born July 8, 1803.
THOMAS B. HANEY was born Aug. 17, 1803.
WASHINGTON HANEY was born December 30, 1803.
According to an affidavit of the widow, this Bible Record was in the handwriting of Housen Harrill, who had recorded the family data for them prior to her husband’s death.
Robert Haney (Sr) died in Rutherford County, N.C. on March 30, 1837. Apparently some of the children migrated to Tennessee after their marriages, since the widow’s application for pension was filed in Polk County, Tennessee on May 30, 1846, when she was 86 years of age.
For some reason, Robert Haney’s pension was later suspended, probably because the application failed to contain an affidavit of a witness who could verify his military service. After the death of the widow on Feb. 10, 1850, the son, Timothy Haney, on behalf of his brothers and sisters, applied for reinstatement of the pension and stated that one Simon Davis could verify the service of Robert Haney, having served with him, and he himself drawing a pension. This application was filed before the Rutherford County, N.C. court. The pension file does not indicate if the heirs were successful in obtaining their fathers’ pension which was due.
As stated in the beginning, we have not been able to locate a local descendant who could give us any additional data of this family; therefore, we have not attempted to trace the children and their descendants. However, in checking the Marriage Bonds of Rutherford County, we note several marriages, some of which, no doubt, are children of Robert and Elizabeth Haney, others are probably grandchildren. The following Haney marriages are recorded: Robert Haney and Nancy Webb 28 Dec. 1821; Robert Haney and Melinda Smith, 30 July 1827; Timothy Haney and Nancy Dobbins, 20 August 1840; Benjamin Davis, Jr. and Rebecca Haney, 4 Sept. 1815; Joel Freeman and Polly Haney date illegible; J.H. Robertson and Didema Haney 29 Mar 1847; Jacob Smith and Nancy Haney, 12 Sep 1825; John Smith and Elizabeth Haney, 31 Dec. 1832; Sherrod A. Webb and Drucilla Haney 9 Feb. 1854; William Wiggins and Polly Haney, 23 Dec. 1829; Robert Wilson and Betsey Haney, 26 Feb. 1807; and William Wilson and Nancy Haney, 21 March 1803.
In checking our cemetery records, we have found recorded in the Cliffside Cemetery, in Rutherford County, the following:
“In Memory of JOHN HANEY who died December 23, 1867 aged 86 years and 11 months”; “In Memory of Drucilla Haney who died June 26, 1871, aged 84 years, 2 months, and 13 days”; “William Haney who died July 27, 1855 in his 30th year”; and “Martha W. Haney, December 28, 1816 – June 18, 1887 aged 70 yrs 6 mons and 20 days”.
In the 1850 Rutherford County census, we find the foregoing John & Drucilla Haney living in the High Shoals section with the following children: Martha Haney, age 33; Drusilla Haney, age 31; Selia Haney, age 26, and Wilson Haney, age 33; and Wilson Haney, age 24. There were, of course, other Haney families in the 1850 census, but this was the only one we found that we felt sure was the son of the Revolutionary War patriot, Robert Haney, and lack of space precludes our listing all of them. We would very much like to hear from anyone who has additional information of this family.
This article, part of a genealogical series by Mrs. Ernest Newton and Roy Brooks, appeared in The Forest City Courier on June 21, 1972. The entire series, which ran in the Courier from 1969 to 1978, was bound into a 700-page book called “Bridges To The Past.” It can be purchased from the Genealogy Society of Old Tryon. Research by Joyce Hunter.
Subsequent to the posting of this article, we’ve acquired a descendants list of Robert Haney (1757-1854), ancestors of those Haneys buried in Cliffside.
