Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty Land Warrant Application File S. 7720, for William Thompson, New Jersey
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(3-1776)
SERVICE  NUMBER
New Jersey  Thompson, William  S7720

Carded
CONTENTS
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North Carolina 27.816

William Thompson of (?) in the State of N. Car: who was a private in the Company commanded by Captain Kurhart of the  (blank) commanded by (blank) in the N.J. line for 9 months. 

Inscribed on the Roll of N. Carolina at the rate of 30 Dollars (blank) Cents for annum, to commence on the 4th day of March, 1831. 

Certificate of Pension issued the 31 day of May (?) and (?) Allen Newsom 
Jackson Hill N.C.

Arrears to the 4th of March 1834. 90 -
Semi-anl. allowance ending 4 Sept-  15 -
                                                             __________
                                                           $105. 

Revolutionary Claim 
Act June 7, 1832. 

Recorded by Nath: Rice clerk
Book C Vol. a/2. Page 76.
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State of N. Carolina
County of Davidson
307.65
Wm Thompson

On the 24th day of April 1834 personally appeared before me Jacob Gofs who being a Justice of the Peace in and for said County, William Thompson a resident of the United States in the County of Davidson and State of N. Carolina aged according to a award he has of his age 85 years the 2nd day of last September who being first duly sworn according to law, doth made the following declaration in order to obtain the benefit of the act of Congress papered June the 7th 1832. That he entered the service of the United States under the following named officers and served as herein stated. To wit; he was born in the State of New Jersey, Hunterdon County, (Amwell Township), the 2nd September 1748 and married about the year of 1772 according to the date of some paper evidence. He the said William Thompson in the first instance states that on account of his advanced age and about 10 years ago having had a delirious attack for some time that the dates of his service, his officers, and many other occurances have become obscure and clouded, but to the best of his recollection he was drafter in the County of Hunterdon (it might have been in Morris County New Jersey as he lived in both Counties) for the tour of three months in the New Jersey Militia troops and entered the service as he now believes in the year of 1779 or 1780 in the 31st or 32nd year of his age he believes in the fall season of the year in Sussex County New Jersey at Elizabethtown opposite to Staten Island and on an arm of the seas as sound that makes around on the northwest side of Staten Island in which the enemy as British to a considerable quantity had landed. He states that he entered his first tour at Elizabethtown he believes that he was put under Capt. Jacob Keerhart or Carhart whom he can recollect better than any other person on account of his being a near neighbour BlackSmith he states that he does not recollect any other officers at that time. He was there stationed with his officers and other soldiers to prevent the British from occupying the town and landing into the N. Jersey State. He states that he was employed in raising as making a fort of brush and di. until his first tour expired and then he received a discharge but does not now recollect by whom it was assigned and then returned to his family at his former residence and was soon drafted the second time for three months more to defend the same place and section of Country adjoining by scouting sound about watching the maneuver of the enemy and strengthening and putting up the fort at said town but he does not now recollect whether Keerhart or Carhart was his Captain as not or who was but at length has second tour of three moths ended when he believes he served a discharge from some officer but not long after he returned home to his family he was again drafted
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the third time during three months more to defend the same town as before stated and returned to Elizabethtown and to the best of his knowledge he was put under Capt. Sheeler no other officers recollected but during the two first tours they built houses and other fortifications for the defense of that section of the State which was in greater danger perhaps than any other on the account of so many British being in Staten Island and having such great opportunity of landing if not prevented, but he the said Wm. Thompson further states that during his third tour of three months they were Stationed at Elizabethtown Sussex Co. as near or about that place in discharge of their duty at soldiers according to the directions given them by their head officers. He further states that he was not in any regular battle but was often beseiged and assaulted by the enemy from Staten Island; but he would with the other Americans shoot at and expell them from doing them much damage. He further states that he recollects and occurance that transpired on which he was at E.town perhaps as well as any event. To wit: the British were in the habit of coming down from the Island to the arm of the Bay and shooting over toward the fort or town and turning up their back….for impudence and at length some one of our soldiers fired at one of them in the act, doing as before described, and at the fire the British soldier fell with his head to the ground and the others carried him off as a dead man. The said William Thompson states that he remained in the service of the N. Jersey Militia until his third tour of three months expired. From some one of his head officers to the best of his recollections he received the  third discharge and then returned to his former residence to Hunterdon or Morris County as he resided in both about that period and does not now recollect positively which of the two Counties but ending three tours each three months in the service of the N. Jersey Militia troops of the Revolutionary War making nine months service. Sometime after he had performed his servicdes in the war of the Revolution he moved from the N. Jersey State to North Carolina Rowarn County now Davidson Co. he believes in the year 1784 according to some dates that he has of papers where he had resided ever since about fifty years. He further states that he did not think the discharges which he received from his officers of any value or service; therefore he too no particular careof them so he either left them in the N. Jersey State or has lost or mislaid them many years ago. He further states that he has no documentary evidence of his service nor does he know of any person now living by whom he can prove his service; nor does he know of any preacher or clergyman near him with whom he has much acquaintance; owing to his private life on the account of old age.
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He further states some of the names of his fellow soldiers who served with him to wit: Anthony Garlick, Stofle Garlick and Alexander Baty. He states from the declivity of old age and bodily infirmity caused by having the rim of his bowels broken that he is not able to attend to Lexington the Co. seat wherein said County he now resides it being at the distance of 20 miles. He states that he served under more captains than he has recollected at now and other superior and [illegible] officers too. He hereby relingquishes every claim whatever to a pension or annuity except the present, and declares that his name is not on the previous roll of the agency of any State. Sworn to, and subscribed the day and year aforesaid. 
J Gofs

William Thompson Xmark
In addition to the above declaration on this 24th day of April 1834 appeared Andrew Thompson son of William Thompson the above applicant before me Jacob Gofs the said Justice of the Peace and doth on his oath deposed to the following declaration as traditional evidence of his father’s service in the Revolution. He the said Andrew Thompson states according to the record of his age that he will be 47 years of age at the 2nd of Oct next. And ever since he can recollect of hearing his father talk of his native State (N. Jersey) that he recollected of his telling about serving three tours in the Militia of said state at and about Elizabethtown, Sussex Co. New Jersey and that he has heard his father call the names of his head officers and subalterns and that he could relate and did a great number of occurrences and events that happened when he was a soldier and the time when he served with distinction which he believes he could not have related unless they had been true (all of which he related before he had a delerium spell which greatly injured his recollection) at past events and before there was any hope or expectation of the soldier ever drawing a pension and therefore he the said Andrew Thompson states that he believes his father William Thompson the above applicant did serve three tours in the N. Jersey Militia as above states as much as he believes anything that he never saw because his father told him the said occurances and events in childhood, boyhood and manhood. Sworn to, and subscribed, the day and year aforesaid.
J Gofs        Andrew Thompson
I Absalom  Cameron residing in the County of Davidson hereby certify that I am well acquainted with William Thompson and have been during 48 or 50 years who has subscribed and sworn to the above and within declaration; that I believe him to be 85 years of age; that I never heard his character brought in question; that he is reputed and beloved in the neighbourhood where he resides, to have been a soldier of the Revolution, and that I concur in that opinion and believe that he served the length of time that he states, and I further certify that Andrew Thompson who has subscribed to the above additional declaration is a credible person and his statement is entitled to credit. Sworn to and subscribed day and year aforesaid. 
J Gofs      Absalom Cameron
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Jackson Hill
N. Carolina Davidson City
May the 1 1834

Sir,
Inclosed is the Declaration and proceeding
annexed thereon of William Thompson. applicant for a pension as a soldier of the Revolution, who is an invalid as you may perceive by perusing the inclosed document. 
He wished me to assist him ion obtaining his certificate [illegible] in order to recieve his pension as a soldier of the Revolution which has induced me to be the author of these lines/
I think Sir, by a deliberate examination that you will be convinced beyond a rational doubt that 
old William Thompson is clearly entitled to a pension for 9 month service according to the Act of congress and if so he will not receive it too soon because he is abundantly needy of some assistance in his present condition.
Please to make your report to me relative to this case as soon as you possibly can and direct it to me as inserted here below.
I am very respectfully
your obedient servant [illegible]
Allen Newsom [signature]
Hon. J. L. Edwards
Also is enclcosed the declaration of Jacob Leonard for your examination after which you will please to report as in the above  case. [illegible]   Allen Newsom
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[round rubber stamp] RECEIVED
NOV 23, 1936
MAIL SUB. DIV.
VETS, ADM,
READER @ 15

Monticello, GA., November 21, 1936.

Commissioner of Pensions,
Washington D. C.

Sir:
                                 one pen 183X [handwritten] 
   Will you please send me a copy of the Revolutionary War record
of William Thompson, a Pensioner in Davidson County, N. C., in 1840, also the record of Jesse boon. Revolutionary Pensioner in Morgan County, GA.m, in 1835?   
                                          1015 [handwritten]  

                                  Respectfully,
                                 F. L. Penn, Jr. [signature]
                                 F. L. Penn, Jr.
P.O. Box 7.
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December 8, 1936

                               BA-J/ILL
Mr. F. L.Penn Jr.,     William Thompson
P.O. Box 7              S.  7720
Monticello Georgia

Dear Dir:

     Reference is made to your letter in which you request
the Revolutionary War records of Jesse Boon, a pensioner of Morgan County, Georgia, in 1835, and William Thompson, a pensioner of
Davidson County, North Carolina, in 1840.

The records of Jesse Boon and William Thompson are furnished you herewith fro pension claims based upon their service in the Revolutionary War.

   Very truly yours,

A.D. HILLER,
Executive Assistant
to the Administrator.