Anthony Bledsoe

Anthony Bledsoe was born in 1733 in Culpeper County, Virginia (or Spotsylvania County, Virginia).[1][2][3] His father was Abraham Bledsoe.[3] His brothers included Isaac Bledsoe (1735-1793) and Jacob Bledsoe, Sr. (1724-1817).[1][4]

He served in the French and Indian War of 1754–1763 in the Virginia militia.[1]

After the war, he served as a justice of the peace for Augusta County in 1769, Botetourt County in 1770 and 1771, and Fincastle County in 1773 and 1774.[2] He also served on the Fincastle Committee of Safety from 1775 to 1776.[2] In 1776, he commanded Fort Patrick Henry on Long Island of the Holston in Tennessee.[1] The following year, in 1777, he was elected to the Virginia House of Delegates.[1]

In 1779, he became a surveyor of the Western parts of Virginia and North Carolina to establish borders for further explorations to come.[2] The following year, in 1780, he became a justice of the peace for the newly created county of Sullivan County, North Carolina; in 1781 and 1782, he served as its state Senator.[2] In 1783, he was one of the surveyors of the North Carolina military land grant reservation.[2] The same year, in 1783, he became a justice of the peace for new Davidson County, Tennessee, named after North Carolina General William Lee Davidson (1746–1781).[2] During the American Revolutionary War of 1775–1783, he served as a Colonel over the Davidson County Regiment of the North Carolina militia. Units that he served in During the American Revolution include:[1][5]

• Major in a Virginia unit (1776)
• Major in the Washington County Regiment of Militia (1777-1779)
• Major in the Sullivan County Regiment of the North Carolina militia (1779-1781)
• Lt. Colonel in the Sullivan County Regiment of Militia (1781-1783)
• Colonel over the Davidson County Regiment of Militia (1783)

Shortly after the war, 1785 to 1786, he served as a state Senator for Davidson County, Tennessee.[2] He also became an early settler of Sumner County, Tennessee, building what came to be known as Bledsoe's Station in Castalian Springs, Tennessee.[1][4] By 1787, he served as the Chairman of the Sumner County court.[2] He also served as a surveyor of the area, trying to keep Indians at bay.[4]

He married Mary Ramsey Bledsoe (1734–1808) of Augusta County, Virginia, in the 1760s.[2][3] They had five sons and six daughters:

• Abraham Bledsoe [3]
• Thomas Bledsoe [2][3]
• Sarah Bledsoe [3]
• Anthony Bledsoe, Jr.[2][3]
• Isaac Bledsoe [3]
• Henry Ramsey Bledsoe [3]
• Rachael Bledsoe [3]
• Polly Bledsoe [3]
• Prudence Bledsoe [3]
• Susan Bledsoe [3]

He was killed by Native Americans on July 20, 1788, in Castalian Springs, Tennessee.[4]