Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty Land Warrant Application File S. 31127, John Hickman, N.C.
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Hickman, John S.31127
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25362
Kentucky
John Hickman
Simpson County in the State of Kentucky
who was a private in the com commanded
by Captain Florence of the regt commanded
by Col Barringer in the N Carolina
line for 1 year
Inscribed on the Roll of Kentucky
at the rate of 40 Dollars - Cents per annum,
commence on the 4th day of March, 1834.

Certificate of Pension issued the 30 day of Dec
1833 and W H Todd Present

Arrears to the 4th of Sept 100 00
Semi-anl. allowance ending 4 March 2,00

$120-

Recorded by
Dan Boyd Clerk

Revolutionary Claim, 
Act June 7,1832

Book E Vol. 7 Page 2
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State of Kentucky
Simpson County

On this 12th day of September 1833 personally appeared before James Herndon
Justice of the peace in & for said County,
John Hickman who is a resident of said
State and of Logan County Ky aged 71 years who being first duly sworn according to
law doth on his oath make the following
declaration in order to obtain the benefits
of the act of Congress posed 7th June 1832

That in the year 1780, he thinks the first month
of the spring, he entered the service of the United States as a private, in the war of the revolution as a drafted soldier of Roan County North Carolina for six months or upwards, 
that Captain Mountflorence was the commandant of the Company to which this affiant belonged,

that his company formed a portion of Col Baringer's Regiment of Militia, that he continued in the service until the time aforesaid ended,

that during this time of service he was in no battle, 

that at the expiration of the time of the aforesaid draft, he entered the service as a volunteer, in the company aforesaid, and in the same Regiment, the time for which he volunteered he, for want of memory, can
not state, but that he is certain he never left
the service until the month before Lord Cornwallis surrendered, at York Town,
which he thinks took place in Oct 1781 - this
affiant states that he was in no battle during
his tour of service, that he received a number of discharges to which the name
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of Capt Mountflorence was attached, that he has made diligent search for said discharges and can not find them, he states that he is infirm of mind because of the loss of family relations, not so much of age, that because
of that his infirmity he cannot state the
number of his tours, or the number of his
discharges from said tours, but he is certain of
having entered the service and of never having
left it as above stated, he is not certain of
having served all the time under the officers
as above named, but that he served apart
of the time under said officers he cannot be
mistaken, he states that he has to the best
of his knowledge given a fair detail, of the
services he has rendered for his county, and
if a more accurate statement is required
than the foregoing he shall loose the reward
which he now asks of goverment he states that
he has no documentary evidence, nor does he
know of a living witness by whom he can prove the services aforesaid, 

that he is unable to attend Court there to make his declaration He hereby relinquishes all claim to a pension but the present and declares his name is not on the pension roll of the United States or any agency thereof, Sworn to & subscribed the day & year  aforesaid

John Hickman

The Justice put to the applicant the interogations presented by the war department, to which he gave in answer:
A. I was born in Maryland, in Oct 1761
A. I have no record of my age
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A: when called into the service I lived in Roan
County North Carolina, since the revolution, I moved to Kentucky, Bourbon County, in 1807 I came to Logan County where I now live.

A: When called into the service I was drafted, after the first tour I volunteered for all the balance of the time, untill one month before the surrender of Lord Corwallis. As I recollect but few if any of the officers of the N Carolina line, or of the Regiments from loss of memory as aforesaid, the general circumstances of my service has been given as aforesaid

A: I received a number of discharges but have lost every one of them,

A: I state as persons to whom I am known in my present neighborhood & who
can speak of my veracity, & who can speak of their opinion of my services as a soldiers,

We Tilman Ray, Robert Hall, & Lunsford Powell
Residents of Logan County Ky and neighbors
of John Hickman, the applicant, hereby certify
that we are well acquainted with John Hickman who has subscribed the above declaration, that we believe him to be 71 years of age, that he is reputed and universally believed in the neighborhood where he now resides to have been a revolution Soldier, and we concur in that opinion sworn to & subscribed,

Tilman Ray
Robert Hall
Lunsford Powell

one years pay will be
see
Wm H Todd
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And the said Justice hereby declares it as his
opinion, after the investigation of the matter, and after having put the interrogatories prescribed by the war department, that the above named applicant John Hickman, served as he states and was a revolutionary soldier, and the Justice further certifies, that Robert Hall Gilman Ray, & Lunsford Powell, Severally
authorised me to sign their names to the
foregoing certificate; and that they and each of them, made their mark, and that they are each residents of Logan County & neighbors of said applicant, and are men of credibility
whose statements are entitled to credit, said
Justice further certifies that John Hickman
has been long known to me say 25 years, I know him to be a man of the first veracity, and from some cause has lost his memory to a considerable extent, and that a preacher could not be [illegible] had who could speak of his veracity this morning - he sums to be very much unable of body and could not with any convenience attend court
James Herndon P

State of Kentucky
Simpson County ⎬

I John L Moor Clerk of the County Court
in afor said County, do hereby certify that James Herndon whose name is signed to the preceding certificate now is & was at the time of doing the same, an acting Justice of the Peace in afor said County, duly commissioned & qualified as such

In testimony whereof I have hereinto set my name as clerk aforesaid and affixed the
seal of my office this 13th day of Sept ┃
1833 John L Moore
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31127
Reg INVALID.

File No. 31, 127
John Hickman
Pri Rev War

Act: June 7th 33

Index: --Vol. 2, Page 187

[Arrangement of 1870.]
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John Hickman

Simpson County Ken

from 1780

1y 40

W. H. Todd
Present

[words crossed out]
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WAR DEPARTMENT.
Pension Office,

Sir
The evidence in support of your claim, under the act of June 7, 1832, has been examined, and the papers are herewith returned.
The following is a statement of your case in a tabular form. On comparing these papers with the following rules, and the subjoined notes, you will readily perceive that objections exist, which must be removed, before a pension can be allowed. the notes and the regulations will shew what is necessary to be done. Those points to which your attention is more particularly directed, you will find marked in the margin with a brace, (thus: }).
You will, when you return your papers to this Department, send this printed letter with them; and you will, by compling with this request, greatly facilitate the investigation of your claim.

A Statement, shewing the service of John Hickman

Period when the
service was
rendered.
1780 6 Pr Capt Mountflorence
Col Barringer


different times till month before surrender of Cornwallis

The claim cannot be allowed from the Spring of 1780 the time of his first service to the Fall of 1781. As there were a number of tours performed, it should be state [illegible] to the [illegible] in note of the length of time that he was in actual service. It is not probable that he was in service the whole of the time.

I am, respectfully,
Your obedient servant
J. L. EDWARDS,
Commissioner of Pensions.
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REGULATIONS UNDER THE ACT OF JUNE 7, 1832.
The following regulations have been adopted:
This law has been construed to extend, as well to the line, as to every branch of the Staff of the Army, and to include under the terms "Continental Line," "State troops," "militia," and "volunteers, all persons enlisted, drafted, or who volunteered and who were bound to military service, but not those who were occasionally employed with the army upon civil contracts, such as Clerks to Commissaries and to Store Keepers, &c, Teamsters, Boatmen, &c. Persons who served on board of private armed vessels are also excluded from the benefits of the law, as well as persons who turned out as patrols, or were engaged
in guarding particular places at night, and were not recognized as being in actual military service.

Four general classes of cases are embraced in this law:
1. The Regular Troops.
2. The State Troops, Militia, and Volunteers.
3. Persons employed in the Naval Service.
4. Indian Spies.

As rolls of the regular troops in the Revolutionary War exist in this Department, all persons claiming the benefit of this law as officers, non-commissioned officers, musicians or privates, will, in the first instance, make application by transmitting the following declaration, which will be made before a Court of Record of the County where such applicant resides. And every Court having by law a seal and Clerk is considered a Court of Record.

DECLARATION,
In order to obtain the benefit of the Act of Congress of the 7th of June, 1832.
State, Territory, or District of } ss.
County of
On this
day of
A B. a resident (b) of
personally appeared (a) before
in the county of
and State, Territory or District
of
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 provision made by the act of Congress, passed
June 7th, 1832. That he enlisted in the Army of the United States in the year (d)
and
served in the
(e) regiment of the
(Here set forth the names and rank of the Field and Company Officers; the time he left the service; (and if he served
under more than one term of enlistment, he must specify the particular period, and rank and names of his officers;) the
town or county and State in which he resided when he entered the service; the battles, if any, in which he was engaged,
and the country through which he marched. This form is to be varied so as to apply to the cases of officers and persons
who belonged to the militia, volunteers, navy, &c.]
He hereby relinquishes every claim (f) whatever to a pension or an annuity, except the present, and he
declares that his name is not on the Pension Roll of any Agency in any State, or (if any) only on that of
the Agency in the State of
Sworn to and subscribed the day and year aforesaid.
A. B.
And then will follow the certificate of the Court.
-
And the said Court do hereby declare their opinion (g) that the above named applicant was a revolutionary
soldier, and served as he states.
of the Court of
do hereby certify (h) that the foregoing contains the original proceedings of the said Court in the matter of
the application of
for a pension.
In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand and seal of office (i) this
day of
& c.
If, on examination of the proper record, the names of applicants, making such declaration, cannot be
found, they will produce such proof as the rule given in note (j) points out.
Every applicant who claims a pension by virtue of service in the State Troops, Volunteers or Militia,
except those who belonged to the New Hampshire Militia and State Troops of Virginia, will make and
subscribe a declaration similar to the foregoing, with the following additions, viz:
(k) We, A. B., a Clergyman, residing in the
and C. D. residing in (the same)
hereby certify, that we are well acquainted with
who has
subscribed and sworn to the above declaration; that we believe him to be
years of age; that he is reputed and believed, in the neighborhood where he resides, to have been a soldier
of the Revolution, and that we concur in that opinion.
Sworn and subscribed the days and year aforesaid.
And then will follow the certificate of the Court
And the said Court do hereby declare their opinion, after the investigation of the matter, and after
putting the interrogatories prescribed by the War Department, that the above named applicant was a Revolutionary
Soldier, and served as he states. And the Court further certifies, that it appears to them that A.B.
who has signed the preceding certificate is a clergyman, resident in the
and that C. D., who has also signed the same is a resident in the
and is a credible person, and that their statement is entitled to credit.
1,
Clerk of the Court of
do hereby certify that the foregoing
contains the original proceedings of the said Court, in the matter of the application of
for a pension.
In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand and seal
of office, this day of
& c.
Every applicant will produce the best proof in his power. This is the original discharge or commission
; but if neither of these can be obtained, the party will so state under oath, and will then procure, if
possible, the testimony of at least one credible witness, stating in detail his personal knowledge of the services
of the applicant, and such circumstances connected therewith, as may have a tendency to throw light
upon the transaction.
If such surviving witness cannot be found, the applicant will so state in his declaration,(l) and he will
also, whether he produce such evidence or not, proceed to relate all the material facts, which can be useful
in the investigation of his claim, and in the comparison of his narrative with the events of the period of his
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alleged service, as they are known at the Department. A very full account of the services of each person
will be indispensable to a favorable action upon his case. The facts stated will afford one of the principal
means of corroborating the declaration of the applicant, if true, or of detecting the imposition, if one be attempted
; and unless, therefore, these are amply and clearly set forth, no favorable decision can be expected
. All applicants will appear before some Court of Record in the County in which they reside, and
there subscribe and be sworn to, one of the declarations above provided, according to the nature of his
case.
The Court will propound the following (m) interrogatories to all applicants for a pension, on account of
service in the Militia, State troops, or Volunteers, except the Militia of New Hampshire and the State
troops of Virginia.
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 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, who were with the troops, where you served; such
Continental and Militia Regiments as you can recollect, and the general circumstances of your services.
Did you ever receive a discharge from the service, and if so, by whom was it giv-
6.
en, and what has become of it?
Did you ever receive a commission, and if so, by whom was it signed, and what
nice has become of it?
7. State the names of persons to whom you are known in your present neighborhood, and who can testify
as to your character for veracity, and their belief of your services as a soldier of the Revolution.
The Court will see that the answers to these questions are embodied in the declaration, and they are
requested to annex their opinions of the truth of the statement of the applicant.
The applicant will further produce in Court, if the same can be done, in the opinion of the Court,
without too much expense and inconvenience to him, two respectable persons--one of whom should be
the nearest clergyman, if one lives in the immediate vicinity of such applicant, who can testify, from
their acquaintance with him, that they believe he is of the age he represents, and that he is reputed
and believed in the neighborhood to have been a Revolutionary soldier, and that they concur in that opinion.
If one of these persons is a Clergyman, the Court will so certify, and they will also certify to the character
and standing of other persons giving such certificates.
The traditionary evidence of service is deemed very important, in the absence of any direct
proof, except the declaration of the party. And the Courts are requested to be very particular in the
inquiry whether the belief is general, and whether any doubts have ever existed upon the subject.
Applicants unable to appear in Court, by reason of bodily infirmity, may make the declaration before
required, and submit to the examination, before a Judge or Justice of a Court of Record of the proper
county, and the Judge or Justice will execute the duties, which the Court is herein requested to perform,
and will also certify that the applicant cannot, from bodily infirmity, attend the Court.
Whenever any official act is required to be done by a Judge or Justice of a Court of Record,
or by a Justice of the Peace, the certificate of the Secretary of State or Territory, or of the proper
Clerk of the Court or County, under his seal of office, will be annexed, stating that such person is a
Judge or Justice of a Court of Record, or a Justice of the Peace, and that the signature annexed is
his genuine signature.
No payments can be made on account of the services of any person, who may have died before
the taking effect of the act of June 7, 1832; and in case of death subsequent thereto, and before the
declaration herein required is made, the parties interested will transmit such evidence as they can procure
, taken and authenticated before a Court of Record, showing the services of the deceased, the period
of his death, the opinion of the neighborhood respecting such services, the title of the claimant, and the
opinion of the Court upon the whole matter.
The declarant must appear in open Court, unless prevented from doing so by reason of bodily infirmity; in which case the declarant will follow
the rule laid down for his guidance.
The declarant must make his declaration in the county where he resides. If he should fail to do so, he must assign a sufficient reason for not
conforming to the rule.
The age of the claimant must invariably be mentioned.
The declarant must mention the period or periods of the war when he served.
Every continental officer or soldier must give the name of the Colonel under whom he served; otherwise a satisfactory examination of the
claim cannot be had. Every claimant must state, 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. In a case where the applicant cannot, by reason of the
estate 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
recollection, 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."
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,
in too indefinite, and all such qualifying expressions are objectionable. Some persons who apply for pensions merely state that 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 objectionable. It must, in every case, be clearly shown 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 employed in any civil
pursuit.
The law makes the relinquishment indispensable.
The opinion of the Court is always required.
The
The Clerk must fix his seal, and if it has no device or inscription by which it can be distinguished from any other seal, or if he has no pubseal
of office, the certificate of a Member of Congress, proving the official character and signature of the certifying officer, should accompany the
papers.
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 papers authenticated, the certificate 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 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 claimant's 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 wit-
The notes from to are all equally applicable to the cases of Militia men, Volunteers and State Troops. The proof required by rule in
note applies to continent
This traditionary evidence is indispensable in militia cases.
If a witness cannot be found, the declarant must state the fact.
┃ The answers to the interrogatories must all be written, and sent to the War Department, with the declaration.