The following deposition of George Washington O’Rear (No. 398) Rome, Georgia, was prepared, evidently, by his daughter Beatrice O’Rear Treadway in connection with her research on the family. Ms. Frances O’Rear Brown of Attalla, Alabama kindly let me copy the original of this deposition. The notes at the end of the deposition were probably added by Ms. Treadway at a later date.
STATE OF GEORGIA, FLOYD COUNTY::::
In person comes before the undersigned official in and for said county, George Washington O’Rear, am the son of John O’Rear, who was the son of Daniel O’Rear, who was the son of John O’Rear.
John O’Rear, my great-grandfather came from Ireland, and my great-grandmother came from Scotland to America in the early settlement of this country, and they settled in the State of Virginia.
My grandfather, Daniel O’Rear was born in 1754 in Prince William County of Virginia, and went from that State in 1777 to the Revolutionary War, where he served six or seven tours, from 1777-78-80, for which service the United State’s Government paid him a pension beginning March 4, 1831, during the last twenty or thirty years of his life. I knew my grandfather, Daniel O’Rear, personally from my childhood until I was about fifty years old. He was more than one hundred years of age when he died. I, myself, have passed my eighty-third birthday. (He lived in Franklin Co., Tennessee until the Indians left, then he moved to Chattagua Co., seven miles from Summerville, near McCowell’s Mill. When he died, he was buried at Macedonia Church at Chattagua Co., Georgia.)
My father John O’Rear, (was born in Wake Co., N.C. in 1780) went from east Tennessee to the War of 1812. I do not remember the name of his company or battalion. His company tried to join Andrew Jackson’s army on his march to Alabama, but did not reach him until after the famous Battle of the Horse-Shoe in 1814.
My uncle, Robert O’Rear, was in the Battle of the Horse-Shoe, and was also in the Battle of New Orleans, which occurred in January 1816.
I, myself, was in the Seminole, or Indian War. I went from Winchester, Franklin Co., Tennessee in 18376, in Captain Benjamin Cherry’s Company of Major Lardendale’s Battalion of Mounted Volunteers, to the Seminole War in Florida.
This was a six month’s tour. I was honorably discharged in 1838 at Batten Rouge. After the law was passed allowing Indian War Soldiers Land Warrants, I received two eighty acre land warrants from the United States government. About ten years ago the Indian War Soldiers were allowed a pension, since which time I have drawn such a pension for service. My discharge from the Seminole War is now on file in the proper department in Washington, D.C.
I further swear that I am the father of Mrs. Beatrice O’Rear Treadway.
My father, John O’Rear married Malinda Veal of Savannah, Ga. in Millegeville in 1806.
My grandfather , Daniel O’Rear, married Susan Gouch, in North Carolina in 1778. He was a Virginian and a soldier in the Revolutionary War and was sent into North Carolina to drive out the enemy. It was here that he met Susan Gouch, a daughter of a prominent (Virginia) North Carolina family. She loved him for his gallantry, as a soldier. He loved her for her beauty and graciousness. She was a noted beauty of her day.
G.W. O’Rear
Sworn to and subscribed before me
this, the 17th day of February, 1902
Walter Harris, J.P.
(John O’Rear died in Mississippi in 1867, and his wife Malinda Veal O’Rear died in 1865 in Jasper, Alabama. Susan Gouch O’Rear, wife of Daniel O’Rear, died in 1865 in Alabama. Daniel O’Rear died in Chattagua C., Georgia about 1858. Robin O’Rear, son of Daniel and Susan O’REar was born in 1779 in N.C. Their son John was born in N.C. in 1778. Daniel O’Rear was born in Virginia in 1754. Malinda Veal’s mother was a Miss Ware.)