John Stiles was born on February 01, 1757, in Virginia. His ancestry is unknown, but it is widely believed that he is a descendant of Benny Stiles, an English immigrant who came to America in the 1600's as an indentured servant. After completing his seven-year indenture, Benny married Halijon, a Cherokee woman.
Around 1774, John married Sarah [maiden name unknown] (b. circa 1754, d. 10/17/1818). They had at least nine children:
On March 04, 1776, John enlisted in the Continental Line in Savannah, GA, to fight in the Revolutionary War. He served in the Sixth Company of the Georgia Battalion, under Captain John Green and Lieutenant Colonel Joseph Habersham. By the time he was discharged on April 04, 1777, he had been promoted to sergeant.
In late 1778 and early 1779, several Georgia cities, including Savannah, were captured by the British. Perhaps this is the reason that John and his family had moved north to Burke County, NC, by 1780. By 1790, they lived in the Morgan district of Lincoln County, and by 1800, they lived on Scotts Creek in Sylva, old Buncombe County, present-day Jackson County, NC. It was here that John and Sarah farmed and lived until death.
John Stiles died on September 17, 1833, and was buried beside Sarah in Dills Cemetery, Sylva, NC. Descendants of John and Sarah Stiles can be found in every state in the nation.
Sources: Marjorie Wolf's "Descendants of John Sr STILES"; Cherokee County Heritage--North Carolina, Vol. I, page 450.