Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty Land Warrant Application File S. 2,650, for James T Jester, North Carolina
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(3-1776)

SERVICE
N.C.

Jester, James T.

NUMBER 
S. 2,650

carded

CONTENTS [area below this heading is blank]
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12.435

North Carolina

James T. Jester_

of Buncombe in the State of N. Car.
who was a Pvt:\_ in the [left blank] commanded by Captain [left blank] of the [illegible] commanded by Col Martin in the N. Car.
line for 6 months

Inscribed on the Roll of N.Carolina at the rate of 20_Dollars_ Cents per annum, to commence on the 4th day of March, 1831.

Certificate of Pension issued the 30 day of A.D. 39
and Sent to N. Car Woodfin Ashville, Buncomb Co:

Arrears to the 4th of March 1838
Semi-anl. allowance ending + [illegible]
40-
10-
$50

{Revolutionary Claim,}
{Act June 7, 1832.}

Recorded by Nathaniel Rice./Clerk,
Book 6 Vol. 6 Page 45
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No. [illegible]636

James Jester of Buncombe
County of N. Carolina

James is a parole –
for 6 months _ $20.00

Arnold N. Woodfin Ashville

Buncombe County NC
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BRIEF in the case of James Jester
of Buncombe County in the State of North Carolina
(Act 7th June, 1832.)

1. Was the declaration made before a Court or a Judge? Yes

2. If before a Judge, does it appear that the applicant is disabled by bodily infirmity? No

3. How old is he? 70 years

4. State his service, as directed in the form annexed

Period. Duration of Service. Rank. Names of General and Field Officers under whom he served.

Years, Months, Days. As a	Gen. Washington

Vol – In 1781 – 3 -		private	Capt. John [illegible], Col. Martin

Vol	“	  3 -		private Capt. [illegible] Haley, Col. Martin

5. In what battles was he engaged? Troublesome River

6. Where did he reside when he entered the service? Guilford County N. Carolina

7. Is his statement supported by living witnesses, by documentary proof, by traditionary evidence, by incidental evidence, or by the rolls? Traditionary

8. Are the papers defective as to form or authentication? and if so, in what respect? Correct

Certify that the foregoing statement and the answers agree with the evidence in the case above mentioned.

[illegible] K. Walls Examining Clerk.
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State of North Carolina Court of pleas and quarter

Buncombe County	[illegible] October [illegible] 1832

On the Eighteenth day of October A.D. 1832 personally appeared in open court before the Justices of the court of pleas and quarter [illegible] James T. Jester a resident of Buncombe County in the State of North Caro-lina aged 70 years who being first duty sworn according to law doth on his oath make the following declarations in order to obtain the benefit of the act of Congress [illegible] June the 7th 1832

That he entered the service of the United 
States under the following named officers and service as from State

That he was born in the year 1763 in July 29th in the State of Delaware in Rent County and in the year 1777 my father moved to North Carolina and I came with him and in the year 1781 in March I volunteer in the service of the United States in the county of Guilford in the State of North Carolina under John McAuse Captain and in the regiment of Col Martin and he was with General Geo Washington at the lawful and served three months and received his discharge from service under the hand of John McAuse Capt.
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and that he volunteered in the service again in the Same County and served three months under Capt John Haley in the regiment commanded by Col. Martin and was in but one battle and that was with the forces on Troublesome River in Rockingham County in the State of North Carolina. We then Marched to the State of Virginia in Franklin County on our way to HeadQuarters but in the next County we met with an [illegible] that Cornwallis had been taken and that peace had been made and we were then discharged I received my discharge under the hand of Capt John Halin but I have lost both of my discharges and have no documentary evidence of my services and I know of no person by whom I can prove my Services living in this Country that I served Six months as a volunteer in the Revolutionary war of the United States. I hereby relinquish all claim whatsoever of any pension or an annuity except the Present and I hereby declare that my name is not on the Pension roll of the agency of any State.
Sworn to and Subscribed in open trust James Jester-
October the 18th 1832

[illegible] John Miller [illegible]

Ben N.W. Woodfin [illegible]
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We, Robert Williamson and George Pendland residing in the Same neighbourhood of James Thomas Jester, hereby certify that we are well acquainted with James T. Jester who has Subscribed and Sworn to the above declaration that we believe him to be 69 years of age that he is reputed in the neighbourhood where he lives to have been a Soldier of the Revolution and that we concur in that opinion.

Robert Williamson

George Tenland

Sworn and Subscribed the day and your [illegible] and List John Miller [illegible]

By N.W. Woodfin [illegible]

And the Fair court a hereby declair their opinion after the investigation of the matter and after putting the interrogations prescribed by the war department that the above applicant was Revolutionary soldier and Served as he States and the court further certify that appears to them that Robert Williamson and George Pendland are a credible persons and that their Statement is an Letter to credit
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I, John Miller, clerk of the Court of pleas and quarter [illegible] for Buncombe County [illegible] do humbly certify that the foregoing contains the original proceedings of the fair court in the matter of the application of James T. Jester for a pension.

In testimony whereof I have [illegible] set my and seal of office of Buncombe County Court this 18th day of October A.D. 1832. John Miller [illegible]

By N.W. Woodfin [illegible]

Questions put by the court

1 where and in what year were you born?

2 Have you any record of your age and if so, where is it?

3 Where were you living when called into the Service? Where have you lived Since the revolutionary war and where do you now live

4 How were you called into Service? Were you drafted, did you volunteer, or were you a substitute? And if a Substitute, for whom?

5 State the names of Some of the Regular officers with the Troops where you served. Such continental and militia regiments as you can recollect and the general circumstances of your Services.

6 Did you ever receive a discharge from the Services and if so by whom was it signed and what has become of it?

7 State the names of persons whom you are known in your present neighbourhood and who can testify to your Character for veracity and their [illegible] of your Service as a Soldier of the revolution.
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Rev War

2650
INVALID.

File No. 2650
James T. Jester
On Rev. War

Act: June 7. 1832
Index:-Vol. A., Page 192.
[Arrangement of 1870]
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BRIEF objections to the admission of Pension Claims, of which those answered in the negative, in red ink, will apply to the claim of James Jester which require further proof or explanation.

I. Does the declaration show where the applicant resides? Yes

II. Did the declarant make the declaration in the county where he resides? Yes

III. If the applicant did not make the declaration in the county where he resides, is there any reason assigned for his not doing so?

IV. Has the declarant mentioned the period or periods of the war when he served? Yes

V. *Has he mentioned with precision the length of his service, and the different grades in which he served, in language so definite as to enable the department to determine to what amount of pension he is entitled? Yes

VI. Has he given the names of the officers under whom he served, in conformity with the regulations? Yes

VII. Has he made a relinquishment of every claim to any other pension than the one under the Act of June 7, 1832? Yes

VIII. Has the Court given their opinion? Yes

IX. Has the Clerk given his certificate? Yes

X. Is the Clerk’s seal affixed? And if so, has it a device or inscription by which it can be distinguished from any other seal? Yes
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XI. Has the applicant obtained the evidence of a clergyman and another respectable citizen as to their belief respecting his age and the general belief in his neighborhood relative to his revolutionary service? No

XII. If the clergyman’s affidavit has not been produced, is there any reason assigned for not obtaining it? No

XIII. If the applicant has no documentary evidence, and has not obtained the testimony of at least one living witness, has he stated in his declaration that such proof cannot be had? Yes

XIV. †If the applicant’s name is not found on the rolls of military service, has he produced a witness or witnesses as to his service?
If he has produced direct proof as to service, has the magistrate who administered the oath, certified to the credibility of the witness or witnesses? The Court has
Has the proper officer certified to the official character and signature of the magistrate as the regulations direct?

XV. Does it appear from any of the papers that the witness was in such a situation, or of such an age, as to have a personal knowledge of the applicant’s service? No

XVI. ‡Are the papers authenticated as the regulations direct? Yes

XVII. Are the seven interrogatories prescribed by the War Department answered satisfactorily? And, if not, which of them is not so answered? Y

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EXPLANATORY NOTES

QUERE V. In a case where the applicant cannot, by reason of the loss of memory, state precisely how long he served, he should amend his declaration by making an affidavit in the following words:
“Personally appeared before me, the undersigned, a Justice of the Peace, &c. A. B. who, being duly sworn, deposeth and saith, that, by reason of old age, and the consequent loss of memory, he cannot swear positively as to the precise length of his service, but according to the best of his recol-lection he served not less than the periods mentioned below, and in the following grades; For --------- year ------- months, and -------- days, I served as a -----------. For ---------- months and ---------- days, I served as a ----------; and for such service I claim a pension.
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It is important in all cases to determine with precision the period for which each applicant served, and the particular rank he held, as the law directs the pension to be paid according to the grade of the pensioner and the length of his service. The use of the phrase about three or four months is too in-definite, and all such qualifying expressions are objectionable. Some persons who apply for pensions merely state they served two years in the militia, &c. without specifying the tours; the names of the officers, and other particulars respecting their service. This form of a declaration is highly objection-able. It must in every case be clearly shewn under what officers the applicant served; the duration of each term of engagement; the particular place or places where the service was performed; that the applicant served with an embodied corps called into service by competent authority; that he was either in the field or in garrison; and for the time during which the service was performed, he was not em-ployed in any civil pursuit.

†QUERE XIV. Proof of Service.
In a case where the name of the applicant is not found on the records of the Department, he must prove his service by two credible witnesses, who are required to set forth in their affidavits the time of the claimants entering the service, and the time and manner of his leaving the same, as well as the regiment, company, and line to which he belonged. The magistrate who may administer the oaths must certify to the credibility of the witnesses, and the official character and signature of the magistrate must be certified by the proper office, under his seal of office.

‡QUERE XVI. Mode of authenticating papers.
In every instance where the certificate of the certifying officer who authenticates the papers is not written on the same sheet of paper which contains the affidavit, or other paper authenticated, the cer-tificate must be attached thereto by a piece of tape or narrow ribbon, the ends of which must pass under the seal of office of the certifying officer, so as to prevent any paper from being improperly attached to the certificate.
In every case where the clerk of the court, or other certifying officer, has no public seal of office, the certificate of a member of congress, proving the official character and signature of the certifying officer, should accompany the papers.