Felix Earnest (1762-1842)

Rev. Felix Earnest

My 5th great-grandfather Felix Earnest was born in Newtown, Virginia (now known as Stephens City) on September 19, 1762 -the first child of Henry Earnest and Mary Stephens. When Felix was about 15 years old, his family moved to the territory which later became the State of Tennessee. Details regarding this move can be read in his father's biographical notes. The family located on the south side of the Nolichucky River, a few miles east of what is now Greeneville. At that time there were very few families north and west of the Allegheny Mountains.

Military Service

Felix is first heard of as a soldier at the great Battle of King's Mountain, a pivotal battle in the winning of the Revolutionary War. He was 18 at the time and joined the "Over-mountain Men", who gathered at Sycamore Shoals in 1780 to march into South Carolina and attack British Major Patrick Ferguson. On the morning of September 26, the men gathered in their companies with their families. Felix was in Colonel John Sevier's Regiment, Captain Daniel Williams' company. The Reverend Samuel Doak conducted a religious service and the contents of his prayer and sermon can be found in the Alderman book, The Overmountain Men. The battle cry of these frontiersmen became "The Sword of the Lord and of Gideon!" A description of the appearance of these men is found in Ramsay's Annals of Tennessee. "Each man, each officer, set out with his trusty Deckhard on his shoulder. A shot pouch, a tomahawk, a knife, a knapsack and a blanket completed the outfit. At night, the earth afforded him a bed and the heavens a covering; the mountain stream quenched his thirst; while his provisions were supplies acquired on the march by his gun." The Sycamore encampment as described in The Overmountain Men by Alderman says that "the whole countryside seemed to be gathering for the muster. Most of the men were accompanied by their families. Beefs for meat were driven to Sycamore Shoals. So many wanted to go that a draft had to be made. Sevier and Shelby knew that the frontiers were in constant danger from Indian raids. So, the very young boys and older men were drafted to stay home to protect the women and children. It was some gathering as the people arrived from every cove, valley and hillside. Mothers, sisters, sweethearts and children were present to see their men folk off to battle. This would be the last farewell for some

In Lyman Draper's book "King's Mountain and Its Heroes" there is a quotation from Felix Earnest in regard to an investigation of the conduct of a Colonel Campbell. He certifies that "I was ... at the battle of King's Mountain - that I was at the surrender, and saw the enemy stacking their arms, and a guard placed around them, but that I did not see Col. Campbell at the place of surrender, for some minutes afterwards." These Overmountain men caught the British encamped on the low ridge at the border of South and North Carolina. With their knowledge of the terrain they attacked uphill and in a terrible two hours of fighting, the American riflemen crushed the British with a defeat which greatly influenced Cornwallis' military objectives in this country. Felix's participation in this event is well documented. He served first as a Private and later as an ensign.