One of my recent discoveries uncovered a John Kennington who served for South Carolina during the American Revolution.
My 4th great-grandfather was John Hennington, who served as a Capt. for South Carolina, also during the American Revolution.
These two Johns, although they both served for South Carolina in the war, each led very different lives.
John Kennington, is listed as born 1745 in South Carolina and was a son of Edward. His brothers were Edward and William. During the war, John served 56 days as a horseman in 1779-1780, and thirty days in the infantry in 1781, under Col. Marshall. John is listed n the 1790 Census in Lancaster County. There were five females and five males in the Kennington household. John remained in Lancaster County until his death, sometime between 1800-1810. During the Estate settlement in 1815, his wife is noted as Martha, and his children as William, Edward, John, Marian (husband Edward Narrimore), Catherine, Sarah (husband David Myers), and Violette (husband William Jasper Fortenberry). His surname is also noted as Carrington on this document.
Capt. John Hennington was born about 1750 in possibly Beaufort, in the Province of North Carolina. His wife was Elizabeth. He had three known sons, with none as the same names as John Kennington's.
John Hennington owned over two-thousand acres between Saltcatcher and Edisto rivers. As part of the Historical Records of Officers of the Continental Army he is part of a roster as, Hennington, John (S.C.) as a Capt. in the 3rd South Carolina (The Rangers). He financed his own regiment. On June 28, 1776, he served under Gen. William Moultrie at the Battle of Sullivans Island. An interesting side note, during this battle, it was his cousin William Jasper that raised the South Carolina flag over Fort Moultrie. (you can find many paintings as noted below, online)
During the Siege of Savannah, Capt. John Hennington was taken prisoner and is listed on a
List of Officers Taken in Savannah Dec. 29, 1778. They were taken to British prison ships in the Savannah harbor.
After the war, he owned land in the Orangeburg District, as well as living primarily in Charleston, South Carolina. In 1785 he was elected as Justice of the Peace. He also was elected to represent Orange Parish in the Sixth General Assembly. John continued to own land in Pendleton District, Ninety-Six District, Orangeburg, and Charleston.
John’s death date is assumed to be between 14 July 1798 and 24 September 1799, possibly in Charleston. In 1799, his wife Elizabeth is listed as the primary landowner in Orangeburg District, bounded by Richard Berry.
John Kerrington died 1800-1810 in Lancaster County, South Carolina. his wife was listed as Martha.
It is easy to see how these two men, one listed as John Kennington, and the other as John Hennington, would be confused as the same person. Each served South Carolina, one from Lancaster, the other from Charleston.
The Hennington research continues. I have discovered many new things that have not been released, and certainly, deserve consideration for publication at a future date.
