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The ancestors, descendants, and cousins of the Shells of Pigeon Creek, Alabama.
Notes for John Hybart
The origins of John Hybart are not known with any great degree of certainty. It seems likely that he was the John Hybart whose signature appeared on a petition presented by Charles Drayton, Esquire on behalf of himself and some 60 others to the First Council of Safety of the Revolutionary Party in Charleston, South Carolina, in August 1775 requesting authority to form a company of foot for the Province of South Carolina. He apparently had second thoughts about supporting the Revolution and in a memorial (claim for losses) made to the British government after the Revolution he stated:
To the Comm app by Act of Parl for enquiring into the Losses and Services of the Am
Loyalists
The Memorial of John Hybart Sheweth.
That early in the year 1776 that your Memorialist actuated by principles of Loyalty removed
from South Carolina to West Florida. And in 1779 took Arms in defence of the Royal Cause
in which he unfortunately Lost the use of his left Arm at the siege of Augusta in Sep 1780
And in conseq of his Wound suffered a long and painful illness which was attended with
a very heavy expence to your Memorialist.
That your Memorialist in conseq of his Loyalty and attachment to his Majestys person and
Governm proved obnoxious to the Rebels by which he has suff a Loss of prop amounting
to £660 Sterling as will appear by the Annexed Shedule.
Your Memorialist therefore prays that his Case may [be] taken into your Considerat in order
that y Memorialist may be enabled under your Rep to receive such Aid or relief as his
Losses and Serv may be found to deserve.
John Hybart
Further research into the files of the British Public Record Office in London has been published recently and is quoted below:
JOHN HYBART.
Of South Carolina. A native of Wales, Hybart immigrated to America in 1773, taking with
him goods worth £400 sterling. He settled in Charleston, and in 1774 or 1775 became a
deputy to the Surveyor General of Woods. In June 1776 Hybart moved to West Florida, and
obtained a similar post. He went to Savannah in 1779, and was appointed an ensign in the
King's Rangers; in the following year he raised forty men and became a lieutenant. Hybart
lost the use of his left arm as the result of a wound received during the siege of Savannah.
He sailed for England when his regiment was reduced, and received half pay as a lieutenant.
Hybart had three tracts of uncultivated land, totalling 900 acres. His claim for £708 was
disallowed for want of proof.
On 5 February 1783 a warrant was issued at the British Headquarters in New York to pay Lt. John Hybart of the King's Rangers 85£.3s.4d, one year's pay, from His Majesty's Bounty, for the loss of the use of his left arm resulting from a wound suffered in action at Augusta on 16 September 1780. He was also placed on half-pay as a retired officer. Several accounts of the siege at Augusta are available. During the siege the Americans diverted the stream supplying water to the King's Rangers. In desperation, the King's Rangers were forced to relieve their thirst by fulfilling part of a threat described in the Old Testament.
Records of the provincial officers serving during the Revolution show that Lt. John Hybart served in the King's Carolina Rangers for 3 years, was born in England, and was a surveyor in civilian life. One family tradition states that the father of Henry Hugh Hybart and John Hugh Hybart was born in France of English parents.
Muster rolls show that Lt. Hybart served in Captain Joseph Smith's company. On 24 April 1781 the company was at Augusta, but John Hybert was listed as recruiting in Charleston. On 24 October 1781 he was with the company at Savannah. At this time his signature was fixed on the roll and spelled Hybart although spelled Hybert elsewhere (probably by a clerk). The company was at St. Augustine on 1 November 1782 where he was listed as "absent since 5 October 1782." On 25 April 1783 he was listed as "on leave." The company was still at St. Augustine.
John Hybart was eligible to receive 2000 acres of land in Canada after the Revolution. Land was set aside near Country Harbor in Nova Scotia for the Carolina Rangers, but many of them chose their land in other parts of Canada. In a letter written 1 March 1791 from 7 Cartwright Street, Westminster to Evan Nepean, John Hybart asked for compensation for sufferings and property lost in America. He also requested passage to Nova Scotia or Canada and the allowance normally granted to soldiers and refugees at the end of the war. A Government Bounty (not transferable) to John Hybart for Canada was signed in London on 14 May 1792 by Henry Motz. Information in this Bounty showed that John Hybart had a wife, two children under 10 years of age, and two servants. He was given passage, provisions,
bedding, clothing, implements and family lands agreeable to the General Plan with 500 acres of land for himself. A gratuity of £26 was paid.
Land records in Canada show that John Hybart received grants totaling 750 acres in Loughborough Township, Frontenac County, Ontario. This land is in the rear of Kingston in the Midland District east of Lake Loughborough and is now in Storrington Township. On 29 April 1793 he was assigned lots 17 and 18 in Concession 1 containing 400 acres which was not transferable. On 17 May 1802 John Hybart was issued a Crown Patent for lot 18 containing 201 acres. On 4 December 1832 an Order in Council assigned lot 18 to John and Jane Campbell. Apparently, John Hybart had not settled on the land and forfeited it. On 1 July 1794 John Hybart was assigned lot 23 containing 200 acres and 3/4 of lot 25 containing 150 acres in Concession 5 which was not transferable. All of the land assignments were made by Alexander Aitkens, Deputy Surveyor.
One source indicates that the Florida Rangers, King's Rangers, and Carolina Rangers were part of the East Florida Rangers which were raised on the Georgia-Florida border in June 1779 and merged with the Georgia Loyalists in June 1782. Afterwards they were disbanded in New York.
During the early years of the American Revolution many who were loyal to the king moved from the Atlantic colonies and settled in West Florida. Many settled as planters along the Alabama and Tombigbee Rivers in what is now Alabama as well as in the towns of Pensacola, Mobile, and Natchez. Many of the records of British West Florida were destroyed by fire, piracy, and war so that little can be found of the everyday activities of the people of this colony.
William C. Stapleton, Jr. Hybart Family History.
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