Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty Land Warrant Application File S. 7083, for Nicholas Jones, North Carolina
Page 1

[typed form, with handwritten responses]

[3-1776]

SERVICE
N.C.

Jones, Nicholas

NUMBER
S.7083

Carded
CONTENTS
b. 1758 in Delaware. 
res. at enl. Rowan Co. N. C.
res. in 1832 Iredell Co. N. C.
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[typed form, with handwritten responses]

16,288
Nicholas Jones
of Iredell in the State of N. Car. who was a pr. [private] In. & Cav. in the [blank] commanded by Captain [blank] of the Regt. commanded by Col. Lock - in the N.C. line for 11 mo. 14 days

Inscribed on the Roll of North Carolina
at the rate of 43 Dollars 21- Cents per annum,
to commence on the 4th day of March 1831.

Certificate of Pension issued the 24th day of July ‘33 and sent to T. Falls Statesville, NC -

Arrears to the 4th of March 1833 86.42
Semi=anl. [annual] allowance ending 4 Sept. 21.60
$108.02

{Revolutionary Claim}
{Act June 7, 1832}

Recorded by N. Rice, Clerk
Book E Vol. 6 Page 45.
Page 3

9543
20
Nicholas Jones
Application
for
Pension

[written sideways] Nicholas Jones
Page 4

State of North Carolina}
Iredell County} 
On this 6th day of September 1832 personally appeared before me James Campbell a justice of the peace in and for the County of Iredell Nicholas Jones a resident of said County aged 84 years and who I certify from his age and infirmities he is unable to attend the Court of said County and who being sworn according to law doth on his oath make the following declaration in order to obtain the benefit of the Act of Congress of the 7th day of June 1832, that he entered the Service of the United States under the following named Officers and Served as herein Stated. 
That he entered the Service as a volunteer under Captain Reid [sic, probably Samuel Reid of the Rowan County militia regiment] for three months in the foot and joined the Corps under Gen Rutherford [General Griffith Rutherford] -- this tour was performed from about the Shallow Ford to Salisbury and on the Pee Dee [River] and was sent on to Gen Sumter [General Thomas Sumter] and was with him in the skirmish where he was routed at Fishing Creek [Battle of Fishing Creek, August 18, 1780] in South Carolina this was a three months tour afterwards he volunteered and performed another tour in the horse in the same division in the horse, and was in the engagement when Gen Davidson [General William Lee Davidson] fell at Colson's [Battle of Colson's Mill July 21, 1781]. He was afterwards discharged at Charlotte. That he served another tour of three months first under Capt. Johnsons [John Johnston] and afterwards under Captain Locke [possibly Col. Matthew Locke] Served about three weeks being called out after the British Army crossed the Catawba [River] in pursuit
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of Gen Morgan [General Daniel Morgan]. He joined the retreating Army at Salisbury. He was in two expeditions against the Indians one of four weeks and another of five weeks under Capt. Reid. That in one of those expeditions he went as far as the Cowee towns and a day beyond them. That he was in some other short expeditions. He honestly and conscientiously believes that he was more than twelve months in actual Service. 
He was born in the State of Delaware about the year 1758. He has no record of his age. He was living in Rowan County N.C. at the time he was called into Service and has lived mostly in Iredell County since that time --
He always volunteered. He did receive one discharge but has lost it. Refers to William Scott Esq. & James Orton. That he has no documentary evidence & knows of no person by whose testimony he can prove his Services. 
And I hereby relinquish all claim whatever to a pension or annuity except the present and declare that my name is not on the pension Roll of the Agency of any State. 
Nicholas [his x mark] Jones
Sworn and subscribed before me on this 6th day of September 1832} 
J. Campbell, JP

We William Scott and James Orton resident in the County of Iredell North Carolina do certify that we are well acquainted with Nicholas Jones who has subscribed and sworn to the foregoing declaration that we believe him to be 81 years of age; that he is reputed & believed in the neighborhood where he resides to have been a revolutionary Soldier in which opinion we concur.
Sworn & Subscribed before in the 6th Sept 1832}
Wm Scott
James Orton
J Campbell JP
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And I do certify that after the investigation of the matter and putting the interrogatories prescribed by the war department my opinion is that the said Nicholas Jones the applicant was a Revolutionary Soldier and served as he states. And I further certify that William Scott and James Orton who subscribed the foregoing certificate are respectable and their statements are entitled to credit. 
J. Campbell JP

I Abraham Simonton Clerk of the Court of pleas and quarter sections of Iredell County, N. Carolina do hereby certify that James Campbell who signed the foregoing proceedings is a justice of the peace in and for said County & State and that his signatures are genuine in his own proper hand writing
In Testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand and affixed the seal of my office at Statesville this 7th day of September 1832 
A. Simonton Clk [Clerk]
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Nicholas Jones
N. C.
No. 9543
Res.
Admit as private
Cavalry 6 mo. 25 -
Infantry 5. 14 18.21
d. c. $43.21

J. Fall, Statesville N. Car.
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[typed form, with handwritten responses]

WAR DEPARTMENT
PENSION OFFICE
Apl. 25, 1833
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 show what is necessary to be done these points to which your attention is more particularly directed, you will find marked in the margin with a brace, (these:}). You will, when you return your papers to this Department, send this printed letter with them; and you will, by complying with this request, greatly facilitate the investigation of your claim.
A STATEMENT, showing the Service of Nicholas Jones
[column headings: Period when the service rendered. Duration of the claimant’s service. Years. Months. Days. Rank of the claimant. Names and Rank of the Company officers under whom he served. Names and Rank of the General and Field officers. Battles in which the applicant was engaged. Country through which he marched. Place of abode when he entered the service, and age at the present period. Evidence by which the declaration is supported.]  
Vol. 3 [months] Pri. Capt. Reid Genl. Rutherford 84 years Rowan Co. N. C. Traditionary
“ 3 [months] Pri. Horse Capt. Johnson
3 [months] Pri. Capt. Locke Capt. Reid
2.14/11.14 believes was in service more than 12 months

I am, respectfully,
Your obedient servant,
J. L. EDWARDS,
Commissioner of Pensions
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2
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     personally appeared (a) before A. B. a resident (b) of     in the county of     and State, Territory or District of aged (c) 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)    , with    and served in the      (e) regiment of the      line, under the following named officers: 
[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. 
[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. 
1               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 day 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. 
I,        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 bis 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 alleged service, as they are known at the Department. A very full account of the services of each person
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3 -
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. 
6. {To a Soldier.} {To an Officer.} Did you ever receive a discharge from the service, and if so, by whom was it given and what has become of it? Did you ever receive a commission, and if so, by whom was it signed, and what 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 he 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 enquiry 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 trans nit 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. 
(a) 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. 
(b) 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. 
(c) The age of the claimant must invariably be mentioned. 
(d) The declarant must mention the period or periods of the war when he served. 
(e) 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. ln a case where the applicant cannot, by reason of 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 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." 
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 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. 
[f] The law makes the relinquishment indispensable. 
[g] The opinion of the Court is always required. 
[h] The Clerk must give his certificate in every case. 
[i] The Clerk must affix 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 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. 
Mode of authenticating papers. In every instance where the certificate of the certifying officer who authenticates the papers in 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. 
Proof of Service. 
[j] In a case where the name of the applicant is not found in 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 witnesses, and the official character and signatures of the magistrate must be certified by the proper officer, under his seal of office. The notes from (a) to (i) are all equally applicable to the cases of Militia men, Volunteers and State Troops. The proof required by rule to [illegible] note (j) applies to continental troops only. 
[k] This traditionary evidence is indispensable in militia cases. 
[l] If a witness cannot be found, the declarant must state the fact. 
[m] The answers to the interrogatories must all be written, and sent to the War Department, with the declaration.
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[typed form, with handwritten responses]

7083
Rev War 
INVALID

File No. 7083
Nicholas Jones
Pri [Private] Rev War

Act: June 7th, 1832
Index: - Vol.1st, Page 195

[Arrangement of 1870.]
Page 12

State of North Carolina Iredell County 
This day came Nicholas Jones before me the Subscribing Justice of the Peace in and for said County and being sworn in due form of law doth upon his oath make the following additional declaration in order to obtain the benefit of the provisions of the Act of Congress of 7th June 1832.
That by reason of old age and consequent loss of memory he cannot swear positively 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 
His first service of three months was in the foot under Captain Reid Major Johnson, Col. Locke & Gen. Rutherford, this service was about and at the time of Gates defeat ---- 3 months 
His second tour in the horse in the same division of the Army. The fall of Gen. Davidson was during this service. 3.00 
That as soon as this tour expired he entered another in the horse which was performed in the same division of the Army under Capt. Johnson & Col. Locke on foot 3.00 
That his two tours against the Indians under Col. McDowell on foot was not less than 2. 2 
11.2
He was always a private 
Nicholas [his X mark] Jones
Sworn & Subscribed before me the 27th day of May 1833.
J. Campbell, JP 

I Abraham Simonton Clerk of the Court of pleas and quarter sections of Iredell County, N. Carolina do hereby certify that James Campbell before whom the foregoing affidavit was made is an acting justice of the peace in and for said County and that his signature thereto is genuine. In Testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand & affixed the seal of office this 28 day of May 1833
A. Simonton Clerk