Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty Land Warrant Application File S. 6838, James Finley, N.C.
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(3-1776)
SERVICE NUMBER
N.C Finley. James S. 6838
carded
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5610
North Carolina
James Finley
of Guildford in the state of
who was a Mr: in the cavalry commanded 
by captain Forbis of the Regh commanded by Col: Paisley in the N. Car:
line for 6 mo: 21 days - from 1780

Inscribed on the Roli of North Carolina 
at the rate of 22 - dollars 33 - cents per annum,
to commence on the 4th day of March, 1831

Certificate of Pension issued the 15th day of Feby
1833 - and [illegible] [illegible] [illegible] [illegible] of [illegible]

Arrears to 4th of July 1832                         33.49
Semi-annual.  allowance ending [illegible] 1117             
                                                                   44.66
                                        {Revolutionary Claim,}
                                            {Act June 7, 1832.}
Recorded by Nathan Rice cle-  
Book D Vol. 8 Page 30-
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James Finley 
From 1780 private
6 m 21.days
$22.33

Declaration of James Finley
February
[illegible] term 1832
in the courts of
[illegible] [illegible] [illegible]
For
Guilford County
For
A Pension 
Returned amended filed 4 Feb 1835
A H Shepperd
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State of North Carolina     S.S.
County of Guilford 
On this 22d day of August 1832 per son ally appeared in open court before the court of pleas and quarter [illegible] for the County and state aforesaid now sitting James Finley, a resident of the County & state aforesaid now in the seventy [illegible] and years of his age, who being first sworn according to law, doth on his oath make the following declaration, in order to obtain the benefit of the act of compress passed June 7th 1832
  That he was born on the plantation on which he now resides in the County of Guilford and that he has resided all his life in [illegible] County that from an entry made in his & others family [illegible] he was born on the 10th day of October 1760
 About the middle of August 1780 he entered the serviced of the United States as a volunteer under the command of Col John Paisley Capt Arthur Forbis & lieutenant Gilmore and [illegible] after marched from all [illegible] [illegible] in the County of Guildford to for the forces of Genl William & Davidson in the County of [illegible] [illegible] bury that before he marched into [illegible] County the forces with which he marched from Martinsville were state and for two weeks on the Yadkin at which time he form a member of a company of these had volunteer under the Command
 John Paisley Captain Arthur Forbis to attack a part of towns under the Command of Captain Burke and who had been committing depredations north allow [illegible] of the Yadkin and that they [illegible]  [illegible] on the [illegible] and debated and rented by a [illegible] of [illegible] by whom they had and attached. After returning from this scouting party
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and again forming the main body he was marched into the County of Mecklenburg where Genl. Davidson took the command
after remaining there for some time he was marched under the command of a Captain Wilson from Caswell County and joined some
forces under command of Col. Davis who was stationed on the Catawba River for the purpose of watching the movements
and keeping in check the British forces under the command of Lord Cornwallis which were encamped on the other side of the river
Shortly after this he joined the main army again under the command of Genl Davidson & remained with them till he was discharged
which took place in the month of November 1780 on the Yadkin River. He received a discharge at the time aforesaid Signed by Genl Davidson and Captain Arthur Forbis which
discharge has been lost or destroyed.
Genl Morgan & Col. Washington were frequently at the head of Genl Davidson when he frequently saw them.
And the aforesaid James Finly [Finley] further states that shortly after the battle of Guilford from the scarcity of money and from the great depreciation of the money then in circulation, that it was a matter almost of impossibility to imploy persons to act as public agents for the procurement of provisions for the military stores which it was making to keep up in the county to supply the armies, and officers who were repaying from and part of the country to within - That it was necessary
for persons to be employed in this service as soldiers and to be considered as such, and paid and discharged as such. That he
entered into the service under the command of Major Rutherford who was stationed at Martinsville and continued
in it for the space of three months at the end of which time he received a discharge from Major Rutherford which
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discharge he has likewise lost. And at the same time he received a certificate from Maj. Rutherford that he had performed
serve as equivalent to a three months tour and that he was intitled to the same pay with those who had served for that length of time.
In addition to the foregoing services he was subject to a call at any time as a minute man, whenever the inroads of the tories
any other there along danger throw the country into a state of alarm, He was marched down to deep river under Captain Bell
for the purpose of attracting a parcel of tories who were disturbing that section of country, after the dispersion of the tories he returned home and was discharged by his Captain he is
not certain as to the party and or time of this service but believes to to be a short time before Gates' defeat as a part of the force
after the dispersion of the tories went on to join the Southern army.
In the spring of 1781 at the time Genl Green was retreating before Lord Cornwallis he was again called out under Capt Bell and marched to Martinsville where he remained for the share of a week for the purposes of protecting the records of the county from destruction, but from the great destruction of property which was going on through the county at that time he was discharged together with the rest of the militia there assembled in order to
conceal their property from the plunder and pillage of the British and tories.
He is known to William Maxwell who has been
acquainted with him all his life, and by whom he can prove his service is his first tour under Genl Davidson, they both being discharged and returning home at the same time.
He is like wise well known to the Rev. Wm D. Parsley and has been for a number of years likewise to Joseph Denny.
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who are well acquainted with his character and standing in society  He herby relinquishes every claim whatever to a pension or annuity except the present & declares that his name is not on the pension roll of the agency of any State
Sworn to and subscribed the day and year aforesaid
James Finley
We William D. Parsley clergy man residing in the county of Guilford and Josep Denny - in the in the same hereby certify that we are well acquainted with James Finly [Finley] who has Subscribed and Sworn to the above declaration that we believe him to be Seventy odd years of age - that he is a man who has always been a good character for honesty
and truth
W. D. Paisley
Joseph Denny

And the said Court do hereby declare their opinion after the investigation of the matter and after putting the interrogatories [illegible]
[illegible] by the war department that the above named applicant is a revolutionary Soldier and served as he states And the Court
further certifies that it appears to them that William D Parsley who signed the preceding certificate is a clergyman resident in the county of Guilford and that Joseph Denny
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is a credible person and that their statement is entitled to credit
Jos. Gibson [illegible] 
B: Russ JP
James Fulton JP
William Maxwell maketh oath that he is well acquainted with James Finly [Finley] whose name is subscribed to the foregoing declaration and that he knows that he was in the service of United States during the revolutionary war and in the command of Genl Davidson and that he was discharged after the expiration of his term of service and [illegible]
[illegible] 
Sworn and subscribed in said Court the day and year aforesaid
Wm Maxwell

I Alfred E Hanner Clerk of the Court of pleas and quarter sessions for the County of Guilford do hereby certify that the foregoing contains the original proceedings of the said Court
in the matter of the application of James Finly [Finley] for a pension
In testimony where of share here unto set my hand and seal of office this 23d day August 1832
A. E. Hanner CCC
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Rev. and 1812 Wars Section.

February 28, 1924.

Mrs. C. E. Vance,
4 Washington St.,
College Park, Ga.

Madam;
I have to advise you that from the papers in the Revolutionary War pension claim, S. 6838, it appears that James Finley was born October 10, 1760 in Guilford County, North Carolina, and resided there when he enlisted in the War of the Revolution.

He was allowed pension, for six months and twenty one days service as a private in the North Carolina troops, on his application executed August 22, 1832, at which time he was a resident of Guilford County, North Carolina.

There is no data on file as to his family,

Respectfully,
Commissioner.
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1924-Feb. 28 - Hist to Mrs. C. E. Vance - See letter in John Findley
S.C843 - CWS

Rev War
6838
INVALID.
File No. 6838
James Finley
Pri Rev War


Act: June 7th 32
[In]dex: -- Vol. 2st, Page 124
[Arrangement of 1870]
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North Carolina }
Guilford County }

Personally appeared before me William Adams an acting Justice of the peace for
the County & State aforesaid, James Finly [Finley], who being duly Sworn deposeth and saith that by reason of old age and the 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
For three months in 1780 I served as a private under the officer and in the company mentioned in my declaration
For three months I served as a private in 1781 (Spring)
For one week I served as a private in an 
expedition against some tories on deep river
For two weeks I served as a private, about the time of the battle of Guilford
In all: For six months & three weeks I served
my country in the war of the revolution and for
such service I claim a pension
James Finley
Sworn & Subscribed before me
William Adams JP
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State of North Carolina }
Guilford County }
I Alfrid E Hanner Clerk of the Court of the court of pleas and quarter Sessions for the County & State aforesaid do hereby certify that William Adam Esquire whose name appears to the foregoing affidavit (as the magistrate administering an oath to the affiant James
Finly [Finley]) is an acting justice of the peace for the County & State aforesaid and that due faith and credit are to be given to all his acts as such
In testimony of which I have hereunto set
my name and affixed the seal of office
this 28th Jany 1833
A E Hanner fff
I have examined the foregoing papers
and certify they are all [illegible] being
[illegible] by Ralph Garell Sq whose
hand writing is well known to - He wrote
it than the authenticater required and
omitted it being inconvenient to obtain &
could be supplied by my knowledge re
I know the applicant & his witness and
certify that they are all quite respectable
A. H. Shepperd
17 Fey 1835
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State of North Carolina
Guilford County

I William Adams Justice of the peace
for the County & State aforesaid do hereby certify that I am well acquainted with the character of William Maxwill whose name appears to a certificate attached to the declaration of James Finly [Finley]
for a pension that he is a man of
truth & that his statements can be relied on
that he is an old man and appears
old enough to have lived in the day of the
Revolution
William Adams JP