Updated 10/23/2002

The following is copied from a Pyle family history on the internet. A descendent of Col. Pyle is current president of the Chatham Historical Society and was very helpful in assisting us in researching Goldston Family History in 2002.

Dear Pyle Cousins;
We are so fortunate because we have a Pulitzer prize winner in Ernie Pyle & a Congressional Medal Of Honor hero in Alvin York, but looking back one of the most interesting adventure stories involving the Pyle family concerns Doctor John Pyle.

Born on April 8, 1723, John was the first child of Samuel Pyle and the grandson of Nicholas Pyle, who came from England with William Penn. The practice at the time was to send the first born child back to England for Schooling. Samuel sent his son to medical school in Oxfordshire and John returned around the year 1744. He married Sarah Baldwin, daughter of John and Hannah Baldwin of Oxfordshire, England at Wilmington, Delaware.

The first of 11 children, John Jr., born in 1746 went to school to become a doctor and after his parents migrated to Chatham County, North Carolina in 1767, he assisted his father in a medical practice.

The Pyles were loyal Englishmen and devout Quakers. The Doctor was a man of deep convictions and loyal to his King and his country, having lived all his life under English rule.
Northern Chatham County was an area of turmoil and far from England's supervision, allowing the people to develop an independent attitude. English, Scotch-Irish and German settled along the colonial frontier contributing to the separation of the citizens into different camps. Complaints ranged from excessive taxes, dishonest sheriffs and extortionist's fees.
The people were ready to revolt and a group desiring to run their own lives formed the Regulators. The Pyles were loyal Englishmen and not Tories and were trying to preserve law and order against those that were trying to destroy England.

In the spring of 1775, King George instructed the Governor of North Carolina to grant commissions to leaders in the state. Granted a commission to Colonel in the British army and given authority to grant commissions, John Pyle began raising an army. He was not a military man, but become a valiant Tory and a leader during the Revolutionary war. He and his son constantly engaged in battle while leading the Royalists.

Lieutenant Henry (Light Horse) Lee ambushed the Royalists at the Haw River in North Carolina. The Royalists, savagely beaten and lead by Colonel Pyle separated. Pyle severely wounded saved himself by submerging in a pond. The pool in which he hid became known as "Pyle's Pond" and The Battle of Haw River, North Carolina later called "Pyle's Hacking Match." In the battle, Doctor John lost three fingers and the use of an eye.

William J. Headen on March 29, 1864 writes “Samuel and Joseph Dark were in the ranks of the Tories at Pyle’s Hacking Match, in what is now Alamance County, and would have been slain by the American Troops but for their fleetness of foot. All the sons of Samuel Dark Sr. were active Tories. (William J. Headen married Mary Decimus Goldston, daughter of George Washington Goldston).

Returning to duty after the battle at the Haw River, John was unable to ride a horse because of his injuries, so he went back to war as an Adjutant in the headquarters of General Cornwallis.
Wishing to compensate for his injuries, he asked Cornwallis for a promotion to Brigadier General. When refused, he decided to take matters into his own hands. Colonel Pyle met General Washington at a party in Pennsylvania and they had a conversation in which he concluded that he may be on the wrong side.

When he returned to work at headquarters, he had access to all the battle plans and paperwork of the British army. He memorized these secrets and carried them to Washington. When Washington's army defeated Cornwallis at Yorktown, many people in England blamed the loss on Colonel John Pyle and King George the 3rd offered 5000 pounds for his capture.

In September of 1781 he surrendered himself and his son to Captain William O'Neal of Washington's army. Both doctors devoted their time to treating the injured of both armies. After Cornwallis surrendered, Colonel Pyle and his son returned to Alamance County, North Carolina. Doctor John died there in 1804 at the age of 81.