Although I have not found any extant record which proves his service, Prosser likely served with the Orange County (NC) Militia and probably also served with the 3rd NC Regiment of the Continental Army.
I did find several pay records for him and his brothers.
Prosser Horton Revolutionary War Pay Record, Hillsborough NC(NC Archives courtesy Family Search website)
"No. 933. State of North Carolina Hillsborough District, Auditors office, February 28th 1783. This is to certify that Prosser Horton exhibited his claim and was allowed thirteen pounds, ten shillings specie”. C.Abercrombie, Test(ator) J. Estes, Clerk. John Nichols"
(NC Archives courtesy Family Search website)
(NC Archives, Courtesy Family Search)
His brothers James and Jeremiah also served in the same units. Some researchers claim that James was captured and held prisoner in a ship off the NC coast. James can be found living in Jackson County, Georgia as late as the 1840 census where he is shown to be 70-79 years of age. He is living near the Brazelton and DeLapereirre families. His grave is likely the grave located near present day Sam Freeman Road (Braselton/Hoschton) in Jackson County, GA. [1]
The signatures on these pay "chits" are interesting. Alexander Mebane was one of the original trustees for the University of North Carolina, and also a Congressman from NC. Mebane County NC is named for him. During the Revolutionary War, he was a Colonel in the Orange County Militia, Colonel of the Horse for the Hillsborough District and then Brigadier General for the same district. So, it is very likely that these units were where Prosser and the other Horton men served.
C. Abercrombie is likely Charles Abercrombie who was an officer in the Patriot army holding the rank of Major of the 3rd NC Regiment and 1st Captain of the Hillsborough District of the Orange County Militia. He is said to have owned a store in Orange County that was visited by Governor Tryon's army as it marched to the Battle of Alamance. Charles also built a large fort nearby. Interestingly, he was an early settler of Hancock County, Georgia where Prosser Horton can also be found witnessing a land deed in 1793.[2]
Other Horton men noted to be from Orange County and/or Hillsborough with Revolutionary War pay records found in the NC Archives are Charles, David, and Samuel who could be cousins of Prosser (and his brothers).
The NC Archives also has Revolutionary War records for a William Combs who likely is the same William Combs that can be found in various Orange County land records along with the Horton family. This could be the same William Combs that settled in Jackson County, GA near Prosser and his brother James. [See Orange County section].
William Combs, Hillsborough District, Revolutionary War pay record(NC Archives, Courtesy Family Search website)
William Combs, Hillsborough District, Revolutionary War pay record
(NC Archives, Courtesy Family Search website)
The above documents are the only extant records that I located to date; However, Prosser's widow, Sarah K. Horton received one draw in the 1825 Georgia land lottery as a widow of a Revolutionary War soldier. She was living in Jackson County, Georgia Militia District (GMD) 248 (Captain Deaton's District). Other soldiers living in the same district were Francis Bell, Soloman Saxon, James Cochran, James W. Cook, Jacob Brazelton, Sr., and Alexander Reed.
(Atlanta, GA., Index Printing Co., 1920)
Soloman Saxon's 1833 Revolutionary War pension application can be found on the website www.revwarapps.org [3] and is of particular interest; He states that he is known to Major Cochran, Thomas Niblack, Jacob Brazelton, Jesse Horton, John Randolph and John Horton [4]. Saxon also states that he was born in Orange County, NC – where Prosser and his brothers were likely born. Saxon states he was with the 3rd or 4th Regiment of the NC Militia. [5] His activities were indicated to have been battles around Cheraw and Camden in South Carolina. He was later captured and was interred on a prison ship in Charleston for 14 months (this is markedly similar to the anecdotal story that I read about Prosser's brother James).
Another later record is Prosser's name in McCall's Roster. [6] He is also listed in the book located at the Georgia Archives entitled Revolutionary Soldier's Records dated 1938 as compiled by Mrs. Howard H. McCall. [7]
There are also numerous DAR applications for Prosser Horton. Four are through the Adam Williamson line; three are through the Thomas S. Price line; and one each through the James Glenn, Washington Allen and Elijah Nunn lines. [8] His birth date is given as 1736 (no supporting documentation) and his residence during the American Revolution was stated as Orange County, North Carolina. Spouses named are Ann and Sarah (no supporting documentation).
Jackson County, GA District Map circa 1800s
(Jackson County Historical Society)
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[1] See the James, Jeremiah, Sherwood and other Hortons section.
[2] See the Wilkes & Warren Counties page. Hancock County shared a border in the same general area.
[3] S31951
[4] John Horton is not identified by the author; Possibly another brother or perhaps a Whorton.
[5] I found records for John Saxon and Yancy Saxon in the Revolutionary War records (NC Archives) – the same "chits" as the Horton men received.
[6] Howard H. McCall, Roster of Revolutionary War Soldiers in Georgia, Volume 3, p. 6
[7] Listed in the index only, as living in Jackson County, p. 4
[8] DAR online ancestor search.
(This page was updated on 10/5/2021)