William D. Trotter Sr.

William Trotter Revolutionary War Soldier
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Trotter - Revolutionary Soldier

Somewhere near the waters of Flat Greek is the unmarked grave of William Trotter, Revolutionary soldier.

His will dated June 11, 1841 may help someone to recall a story which has been passed from one generation to another regarding the exact location of the grave.If found, the grave could be marked by the Daughters of the American Revolution
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I, William Trotter, Sr., being far advanced in age and knowing the uncertainty of life and that it is appointed for all to die, and being of disposing mind and memory, and being also desirous to dispose of worldly goods which it has pleased God to bless me with, do ordain this Will and Testament in place of all other wills made by me previous to this date, to wit, after my death it is my will and desire to be placed in a brick tomb I have had prepared for that purpose.
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Almost a year before making the will - August 1, 1840 - William Trotter had deeded a tract of land to Samuel Newman, his son-in-law, for one dollar and "in consideration of the same Samuel Newman hereby agreeing and binding himself to support myself and
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William Hedrick whose land adjoined William Trotter also was a Revolutionary soldier who was placed on the pension roll August 2, 1833 at the age of 89 years.

The rest of this article will contain data obtained from the papers on file in the Revolutionary War claim for pension S 1598 based upon the military service of William Trotter.

On September 3,1832 William Trotter appeared in open court before William C. Maples, Elijah Cate and Randle Hill who were acting Justices of the Court of Pleas and Quarter Sessions of Sevier County.William Trotter stated that he was sixty nine years old the past Christmas. (Born 1763).While living in Augusta County, Virginia, he entered war service as a substitute for Richard Trotter in May, 1781 for six months under Captain Thomas Smith in Col.Samuel Lewis Regiment of Militia and was at the siege of Yorktown and the taking of Cornwallis.He was honorably discharged at Williamsburg.However, he had no documentary evidence and knew of no person whose testimony could prove that he was in the war.

The first pension application was returned to be amended.

Almost a year later, July 23, 1833, William Trotter appeared before Isaac Love, an acting Justice of the Court of Pleas and Quarter Sessions of Sevier County, Tennessee

The amendment contains more specific information.He could not recall the exact day of his birth but he knew it was at Christmas time.He was born in the neighborhood of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and from there moved to Augusta County, Virginia.He continued to live in Augusta County for about twelve years after the Revolutionary War.His next move was to Jefferson County, Tennessee, where he lived for about three years.He moved to Sevier County, Tennessee in 1797.

ln his present neighborhood he was` 'acquainted with Col.Alexander Robertson, Capt. William Robertson, Robert Kenny, Matthew King, John Dixon, Archabald Dixon, Col.Andrew Anderson, Major James Porter, Sheriff George Rogers, Col. M. C. Rogers, and William Canterbury all of whom he believed would testify that he was a man of veracity and that he served as a soldier in the Revolutionary War.

On both pension applications the signature is the same.It is an unusually written signature.

The second pension application was accepted as he was granted Certificate No. 22288, issued October 18, 1833, rate $20.00 per annum, retroactive to March 4, 1831, Act of June 7, 1832, East Tennessee Agency.

William Trotter continued to live on Flat Creek until his death on August 16, 1841.He has descendants living in Sevier County today

I wish to express my appreciation to the following members of the Smoky Mountain Historical Society who supplied information for this paper: Mr. David Templin of Maryville, Tennessee, who has done research on the Trotters of Jefferson County; Mr. R. M. Trentham of Walden's Creek who gave me a copy of the war records, and to Mrs. J. A. Sharp for the copy of William Trotter's will.

The original was collected by Captain William Trotter on his ship "Susan" in 1796/97.Kept in a fishing hut on a tiny island in Maine, U.S.A. for the last 80 years, sold in 1981 for US $450,000.00.

Provenance: Hawai'iOriginal: Private Collection

Re: William D. Trotter of Drew County borned Person County NC
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In Reply to: William D. Trotter of Drew County borned Person County NC posted by Jim White on July 11, 2001 at 20:45:01:
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William D. Trotter enlisted in Co.E, 24th Arkansas Infantry, at Monticello, Arkansas, on June 16, 1862; age 36, born in North Carolina; and was elected captain on the same date.He was on a thirty-day furlough when Arkansas Post fell to the Yankees, so he escaped being captured.About February 8, 1863, the uncaptured elements of the 19th and 24th Regiments were consolidated into Hardy's Arkansas Infantry, and Trotter became captain of Company B. He was subsequently promoted to major.That's the last record I have, so I don't know if he was eventually promoted to colonel or not.

Capt. Bill Trotter and Ray Dela Cruz were crossing the channel to Molokai to escort a kayak race on the NIKOR when they caught their grander.