Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty Land Warrant Application File R., for James Stevenson, Maryland
Page 1

(3-1776)

SERVICE
Md
Penn
S.C

Stevenson, James [Star above last. name]

NUMBER
R

CONTENTS
Page 2

State North Carolina
Cabarrus County
Dear Sir  July 20 1833

I recd. my fathers (James Stevensons) [struck out: papers] 
declaration from the war department some time ago 
with the objections annexed.  James Stevenson being dead 
at the time of the receipt of the declaration there were 
no possibly chance to rectify the papers [struck out: by] Is there any other 
way than by the certificate of the Justices of peace who 
were present at taking his declaration.  Please be so good 
as to examine the papers as soon as possible and direct 
your return to John Stevenson Spring Grove post office Indelle County
Yours respectfully 

John Stevenson
P.S. James Stevenson died the 5 day of February last past
J. S.
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James Stevenson's
Declaration
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James Stevenson

No owner or [illegible]
Page 5

State North Carolina } On the eighteenth day of August in the 
Cabarrus County { year of our Lord one thousand eight 
hundred and thirty three personally appeared before us
Thomas McEwen John Hall & Nathl. Sims three of the Justices 
of peace for said County, James Stevenson blacksmith a resident of the 
County and State aforesaid, aged eighty seven years and 
three months, who being first duly sworn according to law, doth on 
his oath make the following declaration in order to claim the ben
efit of the provision made by the act of Congress passed June 7, 1832 
He saith that he lived in the State of Maryland Cecil County and to 
Philadelphia in July 1776 with the intention to join the army of the 
United States.  He then and there engaged in the [illegible] business and 
served at said business untill [until] the [illegible] that General Howe was 
coming to take Philadelphia he then entered the army as a volunteer 
under Captn. Porter (Captn. Poter intended to take the command of a 
vessel but [illegible] to circumstances took command of a party of militia) 
at Philadelphia the names of the General and field officers not recollected. went from Philadelphia to Trenton and from Trenton to Princeton and was in 
the battle at Princeton under said Captn. Porter. Some time after that 
left Captain Porter.  [illegible] Captain Courtnay of the artillery 
served with sd. Courtnay some time.  then entered the Continental 
black smith, he [illegible] and work at shoeing the wagon horses [illegible] untill [until]
May 1778 at which time he [word struck out] left the service and went to 
Philadelphia from thence home to the State of Maryland.
and in the summer of 1778 removed to the State of South 
Carolina [illegible] district and then entered the service in the United 
States as a volunteer under Colonel [word struck out] Lacy of said State, served under Col.
Lacy some two or three months, but cannot recollect the precise 
length of time and owing to desease [disease] was [illegible] he quit the service 
he also states that he does no recollect whether he ever received 
a regular discharge. he also states that he has no documentary 
evidence and that he knows of no person whose testimony he 
can procure who can testify to his service.

He hereby relinquishes every claim whatever to a pension or annuity 
except the present and declares that his name is not on the 
pension roll of the agency of any state [words struck out]
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[words lined through]

Sworn to and subscribed the day } James his X mark Stevenson
and year above written }
Witness
Nathl. Sims J.P.
Thomas McEwen J.P.
Jno Hall J.P.

We the under named subscribers met at the house of the above 
mentioned James Stevenson on the day above written for 
the purpose of taking the above declaration.

We do hereby certify that we have been personally acquainted [acquainted] 
with said James Stevenson upward of twenty years, who 
has subscribed and sworn to the above declaration, that 
we believe him to be of the age which he has declared 
himself to be, that he is reputed and believed in the
neighbourhood [neighborhood] where he resides to have been a soldier 
in the revolution, and that we concur in that opinion 
and we further certify that the said James Stevenson 
from old age and infirmity is not by any means able 
to attend any Court of record.  In witness whereof 
we have hereunto set our names the day and year 
above written.
Jno. Robinson D.D.
Nathl. Sims J.P.
Thomas McEwen J.P.
John Hall J.P.

North Carolina }
Cabarrus County }

I James G Spears Clerk of  the
Court of Pleas & quarter sessions 
for said County, do hereby certify that Nathaniel Sims
Thomas McEwen and John Hall whose signatures appear 
above, are acting Justices of the peace in and for said County 
duly commissioned & qualified & that the foregoing signatures 
purporting to be theirs are genuine.
In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand & affixed 
the seal of my office this 18th day of August 1832
J.G. Spears Clk
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North Carolina
Cabarrus County ⎬ Personally appeared
in open court, now sitting
Nathaniel Simms, John Hall, and
Esquires who being duly sworn according to law
deponeth and saith, that they, were the acting Justices of the Peace who were called, on to prepare and administer the oath to James Stevenson of said County, to the declaration, within made & signed by said Stevenson
in order to obtain a pension under the act of June 7th 1832. who has since deceased; that on examination, they distinctly understood the said Stevenson to [illegible], that he entered them service in July 1776 & to continue in it as stated until May 1778. For very many years before the [illegible] case of said Stevenson from old age & infirmity he was
unable, to get from home his services, mostly were performed to the north. From whence it was impossible for him to obtain
other testimony
of July 1833
Sworn to & subscribed the 16 day of July 1833.
[illegible] St. Chairman C.C.
Nath Sims II.
[illegible] Hall [illegible].
Page 8

Jas. Stevenson 
of 
North Carolina 
Suspended-See let to 
Jno Stevenson, Spring Grove 
P.O. Iredell Co NC
Aug 17 1833
4.5.
[illegible] 1 2.7.
[illegible] Let Hon H W Conner
HR
Feby 7 1833

Page 239

Hon
H W Conner
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BRIEF in the case of James Stevenson of Cabarrus
County in the State of North Carolina 
(Act 7th June, 1832.)

1.  Was the declaration made before a Court or a Judge?  Justice of Peace

2.  If before a Judge, does it appear that the applicant is disabled by bodily infirmity?  does

3.  How old is he?  87

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.
In 1776 | blank] | [blank] | Capts Porter & Courtenay
1778 | 2 or 3 | [blank] | Col Lacy

5.  In what battles was he engaged?  Princeton

6.  Where did he reside when he entered the service?  Philadelphia
Pennsylvania

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?  Defective 
Service not stated as required

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

Jas C Wilson Examining Clerk.
Jy 12. 1833