Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty Land Warrant Application File R. 10483, for William Thaxton, North Carolina
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Service N. C.
Thaxton, William 
Number R. 10483
Contents
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questions & Answers and Oaths of Christian Neighbors of Wm Thaxton Applicant for a Revolutionary Pension
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questions propounded to William Thaxton by
Abraham Bowman Jr Justice of the Peace 
1st Question } Where & in what year were you born
Answer in the State of Virginia, does not remember in what year
2nd Question } have you any record of your age & if so, where is it 
Answer I have no record 
3rd Question } Where were you living when called into the service where have you lived since & where do you now live
Answer my residence was in the State of North Carolina Caswell County — have lived in the State of Kentucky Breckenridge County & now live in the State of Illinois Greene County
4th Question } How were ^you called into service were you drafted did you volunteer or were you substituted & if so for whom 
Answer a substitute first for Nathaniel Reed & second for Henry Cobb
5th Question } State the names of some of your [scribbled out] the Regular officers who were with the Troops where you served such Continental & Militia Regiments you can recollect & the general circumstances of your service 
Answer Gen Butler dont remember his given name Col. H Dixon Major Donoho Capt Samuel Yarber (in the first town) served [illegible] months recollect gen Marion gen Gates gen Decith, & gen Morgan I was at the Battle of Guilford
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Court house — recollect Gen Greene I was at the battle of Eutaw Springs I was also at the battle of Gates defeat 
6th Question } did you ever recive [sic] a discharge from the Service & if so by whom was it given & what has become of it
Answer I did – I think signed by Capt Samuel Yarber I have lost my discharge 
7th Question } State the names [name?] of persons to whom you are known in your neighborhood & who can testify as to your character for veracity & their belief of your service as a soldier in the revolution 
Answer E. L. Cooper & Wm Waltrip 
his mark William Thaxton
{State of Illinois, Greene County} sworn to & subscribed before me on this 12th day of May AD 1848
Abraham Bowman Jr. JP
{State of Illinois, Greene County} we the undersigned do testify that we believe the man named William Thaxton to be a man of veracity & believe he was a soldier of the revolution 
E. L. Cooper
Wm Waltrip Jr (his mark) 
{Sworn to & subscribed before me this 12th May of 1848 A Bowman Jr}
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{State of Illinois, Greene County} SS

I, Francis P. Vedder, Clerk of the County Commissioners Court and Ex officio [sp?] Register of the List of Civil [illegible] Missions in and for the County of Greene and State of Illinois do hereby Certify that Abraham Bowman whose genuine Signature appears to the foregoing questions and [illegible] of William Thaxton also to the deposition of William Waltrip and E. L. Cooper is and was, at the time of signing the Same an [sic] acting Justice of the Peace in and for [illegible] said County of Greene and as such all his official acts are Entitled to full faith and Credit

In testimony whereof I have hereunto Signed my name and affixed my Seal of office at Carrollton in said County this 28 day of May 1848 

Francis P. Vedder Clerk
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{State of Illinois, Greene County} SS

On this 28 day of May one thousand and Eight hundred and forty Eight personally appeared before me the undersigned probate Justice of the Peace me and forsaid Greene County William Thaxton aged Eighty one years who being first duly Sworn according to Law doth on his Oath make the following declaration in order to obtain the benefit of the provisions made by the act of Congress passed June 7th 1832 that he is Blind and has been for nineteen years that his father and mother died when he was very young that he never received any Education that he Enlisted as a Substitute for an Nathaniel or Nat Reede in the Company Commanded by Tillman Dixon in the Regement [sic] of Drafted troops that his memory does not Serve him as to the ^ [illegible addition] [illegible] thinks he Entered or Enlisted in the Service as aforsaid [sic] some Six or Eight months before peace was made between the United States and Great Britain in that he was hired as a substitute for a term of three months which time he Served out does not recollect if he Ever received any Discharge for the oforesaid [sic] Service that that [sic] he Lived in the County of Caswell in North Carolina [and was in the battle of; addition overtop] that he was marched to Camden in South Carolina where Decalle the [illegible] general was Killed and General Gates was defeated that he was in a Battle on Stono River some he thinks fifteen miles from Charleston South Carolina before Gates was defeated that he was not old enough to be drafted that he was a private in the forgoing Revolutionary
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Service that he Served another three months Term of Service in the Revolutionary War again as a Substitute in the Company Commanded by Samuel Yarber for one Henry Coble in the Regiment of drafted men Commanded by Colonel Hal or Henry Dixon in this service he was at the Battle of Guilford [sp: Gillford or Guildford?] Courthouse and helped to guard the Ammunition waggons [sic] that he was driving a Baggage waggon [sic] and heard the firing in the Battle of the Eutaw Springs that while he was in Said Service he he [sic] has often seene [sic] General Francis Marrion General Greene General Gates that he recollects a Colonel of the Draggoons [sic] named Washington he thinks his given name was William that he Recollects another Colonel of Light horse named Lee his horses were all Blacks that for this Last Service he recollects after peace was made he was honorably Discharged he thinks by Captain Yarber or Colonel Dixon that he has Lost Said discharge. That he hereby relinquishes Every claim whatever to a pension or any annuity except the present and he declares that his name is not on the pension roll of any agency in any State that this is the first time he Even made any application for a pension 

Sworn to and subscribed before me the day and year first above written} 
S/M. S. Link PJC}

His mark X S/William Thaxton
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{State of Illinois, Greene County} SS

I Mathias S Link probate Justice of the Peace in and for the County of Greene and State of Illinois do hereby Certify that I was Sent for by William Thaxton who Lives some Eight miles from Carrollton Greene County Illinois to aid him in obtaining a pension for Revolutionary services that I found him as I believe unable to Attend before a Court as required owing to his Bodily infirmity and old age that I found his memory of Time very defective that he gave me but one date directly and that the Length of time he has been Blind that his recollection of names and Events appeared good that have long heard him Spoken of in this community as a Soldier of the Revolution but was not acquainted with him that he refered [sic] me to a preacher of the Gospel named Abner Hill of this County who he Said was acquainted with him and he Supposed Could Certify for him that he said that the Said Hill has moved off to parts to me unknown that E. L. Cooper and William Walltrip [sic; Waltrip] are good respectable Citizens of Greene County Illinois man of Truth and veracity and that I believe as well their Statements as the Statements of William Thaxton the forgoing declarant that I believe Said William Thaxton was a Soldier in the Revolution for the following reasons first him and his neighbors Say he was Second his Expressions, hatred to the Tories of the Revolution when I was Talking with him was ever [even?] yet vindictive and his appearance and appearant [sic] great age is to my mind Satisfactory that he was was in the Revolution as above Stated
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or was old [ink blot] Enough from his appearance to have Served his Country in the Revolutionary War I believe him unable to appear at Court

In testimony whereof I have here unto Signed my name and affixed the Seal of the Court of Carrollton [repeated; struck through] this first day of July AD 1848 in the County of Greene and State of Illinois 

S/Mathias S Link Probate Justice of the Peace

{State of Illinois, Greene County} SS

I Francis P Vedder Clerk of the County Commissioners and Exofficio Register of the List of Civil Commissions in and for the County and State above mentioned do hereby Certify that Mathias S Link whose genuine Signature appears to the forgoing Certificate and declaration is and was on the 28th day of May and first day of July 1848 an acting Probate Justice of the Peace in and for our said County of Greene and as Such all his official acts are Entitled to full faith and Credit 

In testimony whereof I have here unto Signed my name and affixed my Seal of office at Carrollton in Said Greene County Illinois this first day of July AD 1848

S/Francis P. Vedder Clerk

[sideways]
37[illegible mark/number]37
Declaration of Wm Thaxton applicant for a Revolutionary Pension
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Power of attorney
Wm Thaxton
Virginia [struck] or Illinois

[upside down] Wm Thaxton or heirs 
Carrollton 
Greene Co.
Illinois 

Oct 23 1852
[illegible mark]
FE Hassler 
present
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POWER OF ATTORNEY
For ascertaining whether any increase or arrears of Pension are due the Widow or heirs of Revolutionary Pensioners, [illegible]C*

{State of Illinois, County of Greene}

Be it known that before me Charles D. Hodges, Justice of the Peace personally appeared Doctor Thaxton aged 52 years, who being duly cautioned and then sworn in due form of law, states that he is the son of William Thaxton, who was a revolutionary✝ Soldier in the State of Virginia and that he died on the 5th day of April 1850 and that his mother, named Sarah died on the 16th day of October 1840 and that they were married on the [left blank] day of [left blank] 17[left blank] and that they were residents of Halifax County in the State of Virginia and that they resided there about [illegible] years, and that he resides in Greene County, Illinois and that furthermore he BY THESE PRESENTS, constitutes, appoints, and fully empowers and authorizes, irrevocably and with powers of substitution, F. E. Hassler of Washington city, D. C., as his true and lawful Attorney for him and in his name and stead, to examine into, to prosecute, to demand, and to receive from the U. S. Government and State officers his rights in all and in any manner of claim for increase or arrears of Pension or Land that may be due him as the son of William Thaxton who died leaving the same undrawn, as in right of law he may be entitled.

In witness thereof, he has on this 4 day October 1852, hereunto signed his name and affixed his seal.

Witness: Charles D. Hodges}		S/Doctor Thaxton [seal]
Witness: DM Woodson}

Signed, sealed, acknowledged, and sworn to before me ; and I further certify, that Doctor Thaxton has always by the community been known as the son of William Thaxton. Dated on this 4t [sic] day of October 1852. S/Charles D. Hodges J. P.

{State of Illinois, County of Greene} to wit:
I hereby certify, That Charles D. Hodges Esq., before whom the foregoing affidavits and acknowledgements were made, and who has thereunto subscribed his name, was at the time of so doing, a Justice of the Peace in and for the County aforesaid, duly commissioned and sworn, and that his signature above written is genuine.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand, and affixed the seal of Greene County Court, this Fourth day of October one thousand eight hundred and fifty two
S/Francis P. Vedder Clerk.

*If a widow applies, state “the date of marriage, and date of death of her husband.”
✝State under what act pensioned, or when pension commenced, if a pensioner—and amount of pension.
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September 3, 1936
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
BA-J/EEL
James Thackston–B.L.W[illegible marks]3326–500
William Thaxton–R.10483

Mr. W. G. McDonough
Postmaster
McMinnville, Tennessee

Dear Sir:

Reference is made to your letters in which you request the Revolutionary War record of Alexander Johnston, of North Carolina or Virginia, who died in Tennessee in 1815; also, Revolutionary War records of William Thaxton or Thackston and Lieutenant Colonel James Thaxton or Thackston, both of North Carolina.

There is no claim for pension or bounty land on file based upon the military service in the Revolutionary War of an Alexander Johnston, who died in 1815. Such claims are the source of the data furnished by this office.

It is suggested that as a possible means of obtaining information in regard to the military service of the soldier, you apply to The Adjutant General, War Department, this city, who is custodian of military records.

The records of James Thackston and William Thaxton are furnished you [sic] herein.

James Thackston
B.L.Wt.[illegible mark]2225–500

The records of this office show that Warrant No. 2225 for five hundred acres of bounty land was issued November 15, 1791, on account of the military service of James Thackston, Lieutenant Colonel, North Carolina Line, War of the Revolution.

This office has no further information in regard to this soldier because of the destruction of papers in such early claims when the War Office was burned in November, 1800.
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For information in regard to the location of the land granted Lieutenant Colonel James Thackston, you should address The Commissioner of the General Land Office, Interior Department, this city, and furnish that official with the number of the warrant, the acreage, and the date of issuance of said warrant.

. . . . . .

William Thaxton
R.10483

The data which follow are obtained from the papers on file in Revolutionary War pension claim, R.10483, based upon the military service of William Thaxton in that war.

William Thaxton was born in Virginia, date not given. His parents, whose names are not shown, died when he was very young.

The soldier married Sarah. The date and place of their marriage, date and place of her birth and names of her parents are not stated. Sarah died October 16, 1840, place of death not given. It was stated that soldier and his wife lived for about fifty years in Halifax County, Virginia. The soldier lived, also, in Breckenridge County, Kentucky and in Greene County, Illinois.

While residing in Greene County, Illinois, and aged eighty-one years, William Thaxton applied, May 28, 1848, for the pension that might have been due on account of his services in the Revolutionary War and alleged that while residing in Caswell County, North Carolina, he enlisted, date not given, and served three months as a private in Captain Tilghman Dixon’s [handwritten notation: Tilghman Dixon in (illegible)] North Carolina Company and was at the battle of Stono; that he again enlisted, date not given, and served three months in Captain Samuel Yarber’s [handwritten notation: could not identify Capt. Samuel Yarber or Yarborough] (possibly meant for Yarborough) Company, Colonel [illegible, could be Hal] or Henry Dixon’s North Carolina Regiment and was at the battle of Gates’ Defeat: also, that at the time of the battle of Eutaw Springs, he was a wagoner and was near enough in the battle to hear the firing.

His claim was not allowed as he failed to furnish proof of service of six months as required by the pension laws.

The soldier stated at the time of his application for pension
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that he had been blind for nineteen years. It was stated that he had been a member of the Baptist Church for many years.

William Thaxton died April 5, 1850, place not stated.

In 1852, Doctor Thaxton, a son of the soldier and his wife, Sarah, was aged fifty-two years, and resided in Carrollton, Greene County, Illinois.
There are no further family data. 

. . . . . 

Very truly yours,
A. D. HILLER
Executive Assistant
to the Administrator.
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10483

P. O. William Thaxton
Service: __

Enlisted: __ ,18
Discharged:__ ,18
[stamped over this section: REJECTED]

Application filed: __ ,18

Alleges: The printed list of 1852 gives cause of rejection
Re-enlisted: as. “For proof of service from the N. C. records”

Attorney:
P. O.
__ Recognized.
__ Cert of Dis.
__ Searched for, 18 [cut off]

[this section sideways]
1922. [illegible] tombstone data to Quartermaster General M. S. G. who was also advised “Pension was not allowed, proof of service not sufficient” [illegible] 1936 – Sept 2 – [illegible] W. G. M. Donough. Letter in case of James Thackston BLW 2225–500–EL
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[Low visibility, mostly illegible]
H 83
Oct 7 June 1832
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Carrollton July 1st 1848
Greene County Illinois

Col J. L. Edwards Com of Pensions

Dear Sir if you find any merit in the facts and Statements of William Thaxton who claims a pension for Revolutionary Services Even if the preasant [sic] papers are defective and I fear they are I will Endeavor to Supply any defects if informed what they are and most cheerfully and gratuously [sic] render him any assistance in my power for I find in him a very aged man Still retaining Ill feelings and Expressing them in a vindictive manner when his memory Recalls the conduct of the Tories of the Revolutionary war of our Independence he certinly [sic] was a Soldier in the Revolution. I understand he has Long Been a member of the Baptist Church and that this Mr. Abner Hill he referred me to was the Minister of his church. Mr Hill I find has moved off and I have been unable to Learn where Mr Thaxton Also Refered [sic] me to Thomas Corlin Late Governor of Illinois as an old acquaintance and a man who would testify as to his character for Truth and his opinion of his character as a Soldier in the Revolution his Testimony could be easily had and perhaps Mr Hills by sending to where he has moved I have not Enquired of Gov. or Corlin or been able to Even Learn where Mr Hill has moved to. Direct any communication to this place [or/on] this Subject to M. S. Link and if any
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Certificate Should issue direct it also likewise to Wm Thaxton to care of M. S. Link 

Respectfully your obedient Servant
S/M. S. Link for Wm Thaxton
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Wm Thaxton
Nov 21 48
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Pension Office
Nov 2[illegible] 1848

Sir

The papers in the case of William Thaxton have been examined and filed under the act of 7 June 1832. Claimant alleges that he served as a substitute first for Nathaniel Reed for 8 months under Cap Dixon and second tour for 3 months for Henry Cobb under Capt Yarber (supposed to mean Yarborough). The first tour correspond neither with the [illegible] in the Militia or or Continental [illegible] of that [illegible—shall?], and as neither of his tours have been sustained by any proof whatever we cannot grant him to a [mark] pension. The Certificate of the Secretary of State and of the [Comprothe?] of Publick account of North Carolina showing what evidence the [illegible] in his office afford of Claimants Service should be produced.

Applicants declaration is defective. The Probate Justice before whom it was made is not a Judge of a Court of record within the meaning of the act of an [illegible] the regulating of this office.

[sideways] William Thaxton [illegible]
Carrollton
Green
[mark]