Mayburys/Mayberrys/Mabrys in the War for American Independence

Just before King George III retired for the night on July 4th 1776, he wrote in his diary:

"Nothing of importance happened today."

Had he had the luxury of modern instant communication around the globe, his diary entry would have been quite different!

More than 30 Mayburys are known to have served in the War for American Independence. Most were great grandsons of Francis Maybury of Virginia. But there were also descendants of Frederick Mayberry of Bedford County, Virginia; the "ironmaster Mayburys of Pennsylvania and the Mayberrys of Massachusetts and Maine, who came from County Kerry in Ireland. To the best of our knowledge, not one of them was a Loyalist.

The number following some of the names below is the number of the pension application, details of which are available from the National Archives and major libraries.

Benjamin Maberry [S38926] (very likely a grandson of Charles2 Mabry); enlisted and served twelve months from North Carolina; applied for pension in Sumner County, Tennessee. He is listed on the Tennessee Pension Roll as a Private, North Carolina Continental Line - $96.00 Annual Allowance $246.40 Amount Received February 26 1829 Pension Started Age 77. Many of his descendants are found in the Sumner County area. Others moved to Greene County, Illinois.

Capt. Beriah Maybury - was a son of Francis Maybury who married Rose Irwin on 11 May 1736 in Cecil Co MD. Beriah was born 17 Mar 1737; m1 Elizabeth Inch (d/o John and Jane Inch) Cecil Co MD;m2 12 Oct 1794 Mary Moufy?; d Jul/Aug 1799. Beriah is said by some to have served as Capt. in the Rev. War from MD; he is known to have lived in Annapolis where he bought and sold several tracts of land. He is also said to have owned and operated an iron foundry in Maryland.

Braxton4 Mabry [R6569] (Joel3, Hinchia Francis); enlisted in February or March 1776 in Virginia and served until October 1781. He married a Miss White about 1776. His second wife, whom he married about 1788-90 was Nancy Day. He moved to Pittsylvania County, Virginia after the war and later moved to Overton County, Tennessee, then to Macoupin County, Illinois and finally to Missouri where he applied for his pension in Greene County. He died in Taney County, Missouri

Charles4 Mabry (Joshua3, Hinchia, Francis); his service in the Revolutionary War is by family tradition and has not been documented. He may have received bounty land for his service. He married first Phoebe Gibbs on 29 May 1783 in Chesterfield County, Virginia. His second wife was Elizabeth Cole whom he married in Warren County, North Carolina on 26 January 1826. He died in Warren County on 19 September 1844.

Daniel4 Mabry [R6570] (Ephraim3, Hinchia, Francis); served on the South Carolina Line in 1782 as Adjutant and Quartermaster. It is believed that he served in the same regiment with his brother, Joel Mabry, and James Mabry of nearby Union County. He first married a Miss Funderburg of Fairfield County and after her death married Louisa Mobley.

David4 Mabry [W17072) (Francis3, Francis, Francis) served in the North Carolina Militia from Bute County; applied for pension in Wake County, North Carolina. Much of the information about his service comes from the pension application of his widow, Jean Mabry (nee Jean Bledsoe). They had one son, William Mabry, who died in Wilson County, Tennessee in 1831.

David Mayberry (1756-1811); m1 Jemima Spurr (Spear); m2 Lydia Mitchell; Buried Bell Hill Cemetery, Cumberland Co ME.

Frederick Mayberry [R6567] (son of Frederick Mayberry of New Jersey and Virginia); b 27 Nov 1756 in probably near Liberty, Bedford Co, VA; married 4 May 1792 in probably Green Co, TN to Priscilla Yokum. Frederick died 19 Apr 1842 Hamilton Co, IL. He served from Bedford County, Virginia. He applied for pension in Hamilton County, Illinois.

George Mayberry [S11030] (son of Frederick Mayberry of New Jersey and Virginia); served from Bedford County, Virginia. He married Christeen Kimberline on 5 January 1782 in Boutetourt County, Virginia and lived briefly in Cocke Co Tennessee; moved in 1812 to Bibb Co Alabama; applied for pension in Perry County, AL. His Revolutionary pension began on December 18, 1833 in Perry County, AL on which date his age was given as 74.

Gray4 Mabry (Joshua3, Hinchia, Francis); served from North Carolina; received warrant for 228 acres of land in Sumner County, Tennessee, which he sold to John Marshall. He married Martha Watson in 1784 in Brunswick County, Virginia, and later moved his family to Greene County, Georgia. He died in 1825 in Morgan County, Georgia.

Henry Mayberry (son of Frederick Mayberry of New Jersey and Virginia); b abt 1753 in New Jersey. Henry m 2 Apr 1778 Mary Magdalene Carnes in Bedford Co VA.

James4 Mabry (James3, George, Francis); served from South Carolina, in same regiment with Joel and Daniel Mabry of nearby Fairfield County. He died in Union County, South Carolina in 1805. Following his death, his widow, Hannah, married John Briggs and moved to Spartanburg County.

James Mayberry (1765-1830, descendant of the Mayberrys of Windham, Maine). He is buried in the Smith-Anderson Cemetery at South Windham in Cumberland Co ME.

Joel4 Mabry (Ephraim3, Hinchia, Francis); served from South Carolina; probably received bounty land in Georgia where he moved in 1789. He settled about 1800 in Franklin County, Georgia and probably died there sometime after 1830. His wife was Polly Wafer of South Carolina.

John Mayberry (1763-1841, descendant of the Mayberry family of Windham, ME); He is buried in the Smith-Anderson Cemetery at South Windham in Cumberland Co ME. 

John Mabery (parents unknown); served under Capt. Thomas in South Carolina)

John5 Mabry [S13832] (Francis4, Francis, Francis, Francis); served from North Carolina; he received bounty land in Kentucky where he was a surveyor and also ran a ferry. He applied for his pension in Trigg County, Kentucky.

John Mabry (parents unknown); served from Warren County, North Carolina in same company as Gray Mabry; received warrant for 228 acres of land in Sumner County, Tennessee, which he sold to John Marshall.

John Mayberry [S18965] (parents unknown); enlisted at Windham, Maine; applied for pension in Portland, Maine.

Joseph Mayberry; 1777-1779 Philadelphia County Militia, Captain Philip Hahn's Company. Actual service at the Battle of Germantown. 1781 Captain Benjamin Markley's Company. On January 30, 1833 Pennsylvania Governor George Wolf signed an authorization granting Nancy Mayburry, widow of Joseph Mayburry late of Montgomery County, an annuity of forty dollars for her husband's Revolutionary War service.

Matthew Mabry [S7174] (a grandson of George2 or Charles2 Mabry); served from Bute County, North Carolina beginning in April 1780; applied for pension in Warren County, North Carolina.

Molton Mayberry (parents unknown) served from South Carolina.

Morland Mabry (parents unknown); served from Warren County, North Carolina where he died in 1785, leaving a wife, Mary, and a daughter, Patsy Morland Mabry. He was probably a grandson of George2 Mabry.

Philip Mabry (parents unknown); served from North Carolina; deserted.

Repps4 Mabry [S41809] (Joshua3, Hinchia, Francis); served from North Carolina; applied for pension in Warren County, North Carolina. He was born about 1755, probably in Brunswick County, Virginia. His first wife was Martha DeFoor. After her death he married Honor Phillips. He died 29 January 1819 in Warren County, North Carolina.

Rich'd Mayberry, Capt. in Col. Tupper's Regt. He was a son of William Mayberry, who left County Antrim Ireland about 1730 to settle in Marblehead, Massachusetts. Shortly thereafter the family settled near Windham, which became part of the State of Maine in 1820. Capt. Mayberry was a blacksmith. He served for more than three years as Captain, 5th Company, 11th Regiment of the Massachusetts Bay Forces. He is buried in the Leach Hill Cemetery is located on Tarklin Road, off of the Leach Hill Road in Casco, Maine. A plaque erected by the Maine Society, Sons of the American Revolution, in 1929, reads, "In memory of Captain Richard Mayberry, 1735-1807. Pioneer and patriot officer of the Revolution. Hubbardston, Valley Forge, Stillwater, Monmouth." Richard Mayberry was born in Marblehead, Mass. in 1735. He died on 4 Nov. 1807. His wife, Martha (nee Bolton) died on 15 Jan 1823, at the age of 87.

Robert4 Mabry [Nathaniel3, Hinchia, Francis); served from Brunswick County, Virginia. He married first 2 April 1779 Rebecca Stewart. His second wife was Rebecca Mason whom he married on 22 September 1787. He died in 1808.

Robert Mabry was a soldier in the Revolutionary War. On 25 Nov 1776 he was a 2nd Lt. in the 15th Virginia Regiment of the Continental Army. He became a 1st Lt. on 19 Mar 1777. On 14 Sep 1778 his regiment was designated the 11th Virginia. He was promoted to Capt. Lt. on 14 May 1779 and served until at least 1780.

Even though he was an officer, the records of Robert Mabry's service during the war are sketchy at best. We know that he was a 2nd Lt. in the 15th Virginia Regiment of the Continental Army on 25 November 1776. On 19 Mar 1777 he was promoted to 1st Lt. On 14 Sep 1778 his regiment was designated as the 11th Virginia. He was promoted to Capt. Lt. On 14 May 1779 and continued serving until at least 1780. We also know that he was awarded bounty land of 2,666 acres for his Revolutionary service.

Some information about Robert Mabry's service during the was may be gleaned from other documents such as the pension application of Andrew Harwell, who mentions "Mayberry" three times in his testimony given on 17 July 1832 in Perry County, Kentucky. Harwell says that he enlisted in Sussex County, Virginia at which point, "there was then no Captain of the Company but Mayberry was Lieutenant and Commadant of the Company." The Company, apparently under the command of Robert Mabry "was marched from Sussex County to the White Plains in the neighbourhood of the City of New York, where the headquarters of the American Army then was". Harwell also says that, "Some time during the next spring I marched under Lieut. Mayberry from French Creek to Fredicksberg in Virginia and from there we went to Blanford, Pocahuntas and Petersburg." In his additional testimony, Harwell says, "He is not by any means certain that he entered service in 1776 or 77 he was under Lieutenant Mayberry for several months before he joined the main army near New York."

Seth4 Mabry (Hinchia3, Hinchia, Francis); served from Virginia or North Carolina. He was born about 1752 in Virginia. He married 16 Jun 1771 Elizabeth Seawell in Brunswick County, Virginia. About 1798 he moved to Sumner County, Tennessee. He died 2 November 1836 in Wilson County, Tennessee

Stephen4 Mabry (Joshua3, Hinchia, Francis); probably served from Virginia. He was born about 1752 and married Tabitha Nance in Mecklenburg County, Virginia on 19 April 1775. He probably died in Wilkes County, Georgia.

Thomas Mayberry (Thomas, William of Windham, ME); b 17 Jul 1751 Windham, MA; m 28 Apr 1774 Mary Worster in Windham, MA; d 27 Jun 1805 Windham, MA. Buried in the Smith-Anderson Yard Cemetery in Cumberland Co ME.

Thomas Mayberry, Private is on a list of Invalid Pensioners of the United States in Pennsylvania. His pension was $76.80 per annum.

William Mayberry (Richard, William of Windham, ME); b 12 Dec 1758; m Rebecca Bodge; d 1850; buried in the Mayberry Hill Cemetery in Cumberland Co ME.

William Mayberry [S41807] (parents unknown); served from New Jersey; applied for pension from Gallia County, Ohio

William Mayberry [S41819] (parents unknown); served from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; applied for pension from Wood County, (West) Virginia.

William Mayberry (parents unknown); served in Colonel Shepart's Regiment from Massachusetts. Was court-martialed for quitting his sommand at Newton without leave. He was sentenced to receive 100 lashes and pay hte cost of apprehending him.

Don Collins

August 2014