John's father was William Culley, whom had a wife named Sarah that signed a land patent on his behalf in Edgefield, Barnwell District, South Carolina. We have been unable to determine where this William Culley originated. He appears in the 1800 census in Barnwell District, SC, but not in 1820. After 1806, they moved to Georgia for a few years, and then to Bedford County, Tennessee.

There are some researchers list John's middle initial is "H" or "I".

--

John Culley was born 12 Aug 1792 in Edgefield Co. SC and moved with his parents to Bedford Co. TN where he enlisted at Shelbyville, TN in 1814, assigned to the Army Rifle Corps, Capt. Shelby's 3rd Regiment of TN. He served 5 years and was discharged 30 Oct 1819 in Council Bluffs, IA. As payment for services in the War of 1812, he received land north of Jonesboro, Arkansas, which he sold. He moved to Howard Co. MO and married Jane Wright on 4 Mar 1821 (Pension doc states: married at Richland bottom, Howard Co. MO on the 4th of March 1820).

Wright was Jane's married name - her first husband, John Wesley Wright, with whom she had two sons, vanished when he returned to Richmond, VA to settle his father's estate. John Culley and Jane "Jennie" Douglass Wright Culley then moved to Johnson Co, where John and his son William Ragan Culley, are listed as among the first settlers.

--

John Culley (Cully) in the Federal census

1830 - Howard Co., MO

1840 and 1850 - Johnson Co., MO

1850 census - John, 58 (1792) from SC and Jane, 60 from TN were in the household of their son William R Cully (Culley), Post Oak Twnshp

He is listed early as a "dresser of skins" and in Johnson Co, MO as a farmer and tanner.

--

Private (Rifles), of Captain William Martin's Company United States Regiment of Riflemen, enlisted Shelbyville, TN the 15th day of October 1814 to serve five years, is hereby honorably discharged from the Army of the United States at Council Bluff, Iowa, by reason of the Expiration of his Term of Enlistment.

Enlisted by Lieut Gray 15 Oct 1814 at Shelbyville, Tennessee, age 24

Height 5'11", dark complexion, grey eyes, dark hair, farmer

Captain William Martin, 3rd Regiment of US Rifles

Discharge date variously described as - Council Bluffs, Iowa, October 31, 1819, Nov 1817, for pension officially 31 Dec 1819, "served 5 years, 48 days.

--

John Culley's 1812 pension record:

Soldier: John Culley

Widow: Jane

Marriage Date: 4 Mar 1820

Date Enlisted: 15 Oct 1814

Date Discharged: 30 Oct 1819

Military Service Location: United States

Pension Number - #1: SO 27187

Pension Number - #2: SC 19686

Bounty Land Number - #1: 23481 160 12

Roll Number: 23

Archive Publication Number: M313

Declaration for Soldier's Pension, War 1812 lists: wife's name - Jane Wright - to whom he was married at Richland bottom, Howard Co. MO on the 4th of March 1820. The "Loyalty, claimant's averment and testimony of J. W. Wright and M. W. Thompson" signatures. This was done in the courthouse in Warrensburg, MO.

--

Discharge document states:

Know ye, that John Culley a Private of Captain William Martin's Company United States Regiment of Riflemen, who was enlisted [Shelbyville, TN] the 15th day of October 1814 to serve five years, is hereby Honorably discharged from the Army of the United States, by reason of the Expiration of his Term of Enlistment.

Said John Culley was born in Edgefield County in the state of South Carolina is Twenty four years of age [based upon this, he would have been born in 1795], five feet eleven inches high, Dark complexion, Gray eyes, Dark hair, and by occupation, when listed, a Farmer.

Given at Camp Depouri this Thirteen day of October 1819.

--

Land in Jonesboro, Arkansas area

Letter from Markle Abstract Company, dated April 18th, 1972 in response to Mrs. James D. (Bonnie) Culley:

WARRANTY DEED executed by John Culley, a private in Captain Martin's Company of Riflemen, in favor of James Semple, of Charlton, Missouri, dated March 22nd, 1822, filed June 3rd, 1823, and recorded in Deed Record "C" Page 55 of the records of Lawrence County, Arkansas, for a consideration of $100.00 cash in hand paid; Conveying the Northwest Quarter of Section 6, Township 13 North, Range 4 East, containing 160 acres, being the same tract appropriated for Military Bounty Location which John Culley holds by virtue of a Patent from the United States of America, dated May 7th, 1821.

--

John Culley and Jane Douglass Wright were married March 4, 1821 in Richland Bottom, Howard Co, MO. Jane's first marriage was to John Wesley Wright, with whom she had two sons, George Douglass Wright and John Angel Wright.