Robert Cleveland (1744–1812) was an

American revolutionary Patriots, also known as Revolutionaries, Continentals, Rebels, or American Whigs, were the colonists of the Thirteen Colonies who rejected British rule during the American Revolution, and United States Declaration of Independence, declared the ...

from Wilkes County, North Carolina, and served as a

captain Captain is a title, an appellative for the commanding officer of a military unit; the supreme leader of a navy ship, merchant ship, aeroplane, spacecraft, or other vessel; or the commander of a port, fire or police department, election precinct, e ...

in the

Wilkes County Regiment The Wilkes County Regiment was authorized on December 9, 1777 by the Province of North Carolina Congress at the same time that Wilkes County, North Carolina was created from Surry County, North Carolina and Washington District, North Carolina. T ...

of the North Carolina militia under his brother Colonel Benjamin Cleveland.

Early life

Cleveland was the son of John Cleveland and Elisabeth Coffey Cleveland. He was born on his father's plantation in Orange County, Virginia on June 8, 1744; along with several siblings he migrated to western North Carolina sometime around 1769. Those family members who migrated with him were: Benjamin Cleveland, Jeremiah Cleveland, Absalom Cleveland, Larkin Cleveland, Rev. John Cleveland, and a sister Mary who married Bernard Franklin. Franklin's son Jesse Franklin served as

governor of North Carolina The governor of North Carolina is the head of government of the U.S. state of North Carolina. The governor directs the executive branch of the government and is the commander in chief of the military forces of the state. The current governor, ...

. Cleveland was an acquaintance of Daniel Boone and married a Kentucky girl named Aley Mathis (1750–1791). They had thirteen children. He made his home near the

Parsonsville, North Carolina Parsonsville is an unincorporated community in Wilkes County, North Carolina, United States, close to North Wilkesboro. NASCAR The National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing, LLC (NASCAR) is an American auto racing sanctioning and o ...

community near

Lewis Fork, North Carolina Lewis may refer to: Names * Lewis (given name), including a list of people with the given name * Lewis (surname), including a list of people with the surname Music * Lewis (musician), Canadian singer * "Lewis (Mistreated)", a song by Radiohead ...

. This area is now known as

Purlear, North Carolina Purlear is an unincorporated community in Wilkes County, North Carolina, United States. Purlear is west of Millers Creek. Purlear has a post office with ZIP code 28665. Rendezvous Mountain State Park is located in Purlear. Notable person *Joh ...

as recognized by the US Postal Service. The home he once lived in (

Robert Cleveland Log House Robert Cleveland Log House is a historic home located at the Wilkes Heritage Museum in Wilkesboro, Wilkes County, North Carolina. It was originally located east of Purlear near junction of SR 1300 and 1317, and moved to its present location in ...

) is said to be the oldest existing home in Wilkes County and has been moved and restored to a place behind the Old Wilkes Jail Museum in Wilkesboro, North Carolina.

Service

Captain Cleveland was an active patriot and served in the

Surry County Regiment The Surry County Regiment was established on August 26, 1775 by the North Carolina Provincial Congress. The regiment was engaged in battles and skirmishes against the British and Cherokee during the American Revolution in North Carolina, South Ca ...

(1776-1777) and the

(1777-1781) under his brother, Colonel Benjamin Cleveland. He was in the Battle of Kings Mountain, Battle of Cowpens, and Battle of Big Glades. In the ''Cleveland Genealogy'' there is a quote by another soldier named Dan White saying :"... that this brave Captain was due the success of this battle; for in the middle of the conflict, when all were giving away before Ferguson's bayonets Captain Cleveland stood firm and unmoved, sustaining the charge until Colonel Ben Cleveland could rally the troops and come to his assistance." Cleveland also served on the third electoral college of the United States after the war.

Death

Cleveland was buried in the Cleveland Cemetery alongside his wife in a well-marked grave bearing a headstone and markers placed there by the

Daughters of the American Revolution The Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR) is a lineage-based membership service organization for women who are directly descended from a person involved in the United States' efforts towards independence. A non-profit group, they promote ...

. The grave is surrounded by an iron picket fence and is situated near the site of his old home off the Parsonsville Road. This site is not far from Rendezvous Mountain, famous as the place that Colonel Benjamin Cleveland rallied the

Over Mountain Men The Overmountain Men were American frontiersmen from west of the Blue Ridge Mountains which are the leading edge of the Appalachian Mountains, who took part in the American Revolutionary War. While they were present at multiple engagements in th ...

in preparation for the trek to Kings Mountain in October 1780. The

Battle of King's Mountain The Battle of Kings Mountain was a military engagement between Patriot and Loyalist militias in South Carolina during the Southern Campaign of the American Revolutionary War, resulting in a decisive victory for the Patriots. The battle took pla ...

was the beginning of the successful end to the Revolution, assuring independence for the United States of America.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Cleveland, Robert 1744 births 1812 deaths North Carolina militiamen in the American Revolution