Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty Land Warrant Application File R. 10723, Purnal Truitt, Del. N.C. Va.
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SERVICE                                          NUMBER
Del.          Truitt, Purnall                 R. 10723
NC. 
Va
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12,769
In the matter of Purnal Truitt- application for a pension
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State of Georgia
Wilkes County

On this the 5th day of September 1832 personally appeared before the Justice of the Inferior court of the County aforesaid while sitting for ordinary purposes Purnal Truitt a resident of said country and state aged seventy five years the twenty sixth day of February last who being duly sworn according to law, doth on his oath make the following declaration, in order to obtain the benefit of the provisions... made by the act of Congress, passed the 7th day of June 1832. That he enlisted in the Army of the United States in the year one thousand Seven hundred and seventy eight on the first day of March in that year with Lieutenant George Parius in the company commanded by Capt. John Pattin being the first company of the Delaware regiment, which Regiment was commanded by Col. David Hall and [illegible] under them during his term of service in the regular army, that is regiment joined General
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William Smallwaar, at Willmington with the Maryland division and afterwards joined General Washington at the Valley Forge and then marched with him to the battle of Monmouth and was detached during that engagement under Lieutenant Caleb Brown as a flanker and was then lent to the State of New York and at the White plaines was detached off into a regiment of infantry commanded by Col. Richard Parker in the brigade commanded by General Scott and that he was afterwards marched to the South and was at Gate's defeat. That at the time he entered the Service he lived in Sussex country, State of Delaware and that nearly the whole of his regiment officers men having him taken ... and the regiment does know he often went down and joined the militiamen Wilmington in North Carolina. I hereby relinquish every claim whatsoever to a pension on an annuity except the present, and declare that my name is not on the Pension Roll of army Agency in any State. Sworn to and subscriber this day and year aforesaid.
Purnal T. Truitt
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And the Said Court do hereby certify and declare their opinion, that the above named applicant was a revolutionary soldier and served as he states. 
Thomas Wootten, I. J.C.
Lewis S. Brown, I.J.C.
William Killgrove I.J.C.
Richard J. Willis, I.J.C.

I John H. ... Clerk of the County of Wilkes do hereby certify, that the foregoing contains the original ... in the matter of the application of Purnal Truitt for a pension.
In the testimony whereof I have hereunto ... my hand and seal of office this 7th dy of September 1832. 
John H. Dyson
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                                             September 23, 1937

                                             xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
     
                                             BA-J/EEL
                                             PurnalTruitt-R. 10723

Mrs. John Truitt
Vevay
Indiana

Dear Madam:

        Reference is made to your letter in which you request the record of Purnall Truitt, born in 1757, in Maryland, served in the Revolutionary War, afterward, lived in North Carolina and Georgia: also, record of any other soldiers with surname Pruitt who may have served in the Revolution and the record of David Ransom, of Vevay, Indiana.

       There is no claim for pension or bounty land on file based upon the military service in the Revolutionary war of a David Ransom or similar spelling, who applied for a pension while residing in Vevay, Indiana. Such claims are the source of the data furnished by this office.

         As means of identifying the particular record of soldiers with surname Truitt, in whom you may be interested, should it be on file, the full name is essential and as much as possible of the following data: approximate dates of birth and death, places of residence at enlistment and after service and given name of widow.

          The record of Purnal Truitt is furnshined herein as found in the papers on file in pension claim, R. 10723, based upon the service of that solder in the Revolutionary War.

          Purnal Truitt was born February 26, 1757, place of birth and names of parents not shown. 

          September 5, 1832, while living in Wilkes County, Georgia, Purnal Truitt applied for pension and stated that while living in Sussex County, Delaware, he enlisted March 1, 1778 as a private in Captain John Patton's Company, Colonel David Hall's Delaware Regiment, joined said regiment at Valley Forge and was in the battle of Monmouth, after which he went to White Plains where
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he was detached and placed in the regiment commanded by Colonel Richard Parker, marched to the south and was in the battle of Gates' Defeat, where nearly all of the officers and men of his regiment where either taken prisoners or killed; that being in a destitute conditions, he made his way to the home of some relatives in Onslow County, North Carolina, volunteered there and served three months in Captain Stephen Thackleford's Company, Colonel Young's North Carolina Regiment of Light Horse; immediately after the termination of this service, he re-enlisted and served three months in Captain Hall James' North Carolina Company: and that he served, also, at various times on short tours until the end of the war. 

       The claim of, Purnal Truitt was not allowed as he failed to furnish proof of service as required by the pension laws. 

       The date of death of the soldier is not shown and there are no data as to wife or children. 

                        Very truly yours

                        A. D. HILLER
                        Executive Assistant 
                        to the Administrator.

Did not use "desertioh" because this soldier never claimed service in Col. Williams' Rent. and he does not seem to be recorded as a deserter from any other military organization as shown by these papers
                         M.M.F/eel
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Purnal Truit
Georgia-
Rejected, ... 15 April 1834
Andrews Chandler
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Vevay, Ind.

Please send me a record of Purnall Truitt, borned in Maryland in the year 1757. Son of one Riley Truitt, also had Bro. Riley Truitt. He was a soldier of the American Revolution, Lived for a time after the war, in North Carolina, but finally went to Georgia and settled there for awhile, but have record he was back in North Carolina. in 1791.

Are there any records of any other Truitts, as soldiers of the Revolution?

Also please send me my National Number.
Mrs. John Truitt, 
Vevay, Ind.

(handwritten: no signature?)
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Vevay, Indiana.

Please give me a record of David Ransom, A soldier of the American Revolution War, He answered the Lexington Alarm Call 1875.

My National No. I194734.
Mrs. Essie Hyde Truitt, 
Vevay, Indiana.
Switzerland, Co.

(handwritten: no signature)
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10,723
P.O. Purnal Truitt
Rejected

Alleges: List of rejected and suspended claims of 1852
Re-enlisted: gives, "Was a deserter"

[Side of page] 1937- Sept. 23- ... to Mrs. John Truitt
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Purnal Truit
Ga.

Rejected
15 April 1834

Andrews and Chandler
Washington Wilkes Co.
Geo.
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BRIEF objections to the admission of Pension Claims, of which those answered in the negative, in red ink, will apply to the claim of Purnal Truitt which require further proof or explanation.

I. Does the declaration show where the applicant resides? yy

II. Did the declarant make the declaration in the county where he resides? yy

III. If the applicant did not make the declaration in the county where he resides, is there any reason assigned for his not doing so?

IV. Has the declarant mentioned the period or periods of the war when he served? N

V. *Has he mentioned 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? N

VI. Has he given the names of the officers under whom he served, in conformity with the regulations? yy

VII. Has he made a relinquishment of every claim to any other pension than the one under the Act of June 7, 1832? yy

VIII. Has the Court given their opinion? yy

IX. Has the Clerk given his certificate? yy

X. Is the Clerk's seal affixed? And if so, has it a device or inscription by which it can be distinguished from any other seal? yy
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2

XI. Has the applicant obtained the evidence of a clergyman and another respectable citizen as to their belief respecting his age and the general belief in his neighborhood relative to his revolutionary service? N

XII. If the clergyman's affidavit has not been provided, is there any reason assigned for not obtaining it? NO

XIII. If the applicant has no documentary evidence, and has not obtained the testimony of at least one living witness, has he stated in his declaration that such proof cannot be had? NO-

XIV. † If the applicant's name is not found on the rolls of military service, has he produced a witness or witnesses as to his service? NO
If he has produced direct proof as to service, has the magistrate who administered the oath, certified to the credibility of the witness or witnesses?
Has the proper officer certified to the official character and signature of the magistrate as the regulations direct?

XV. Does it appear from any of the papers that the witness was in such a situation, or of such an age, as to have a personal knowledge of the applicant's service?

XVI. ‡ Are the papers authenticated as the regulations direct? Yes

XVII. Are the seven interrogatories prescribed by the War Department answered satisfactorily? And, if not, which of them is not so answered? yes


EXPLANATORY NOTES..
QUERE V. In a case where the applicant cannot, by reason of the 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 recol-lection he served not less than the periods mentioned below, and in the following grades: For -- year --- months, and -- days, I served as a -- 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.
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3

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 aid 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 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 declaration is highly objection-able. 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.

†QUERE  XIV. Proof of Service.
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 claimants 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.
‡ QUERE XVI. 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 paper 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 every case where the clerk of the course, or other certifying officer, 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.
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Andrews and Chandler
Augst 29, 1834
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Department of War
... Office
August 29, 1834

G..

The exclamtory declaration of Purnal Truitt- has been examined and being unsatisfactory in praecipe on file with his other papers.
Moreover to establish this claim the affidavit must produce the direct testimony of credible witnesses proving that he left the Services honorably and for good and justifiable reasons. As the case now stands, full and strong grounds for believing he deserted, and in order to do away this ... and before ... undoubted evidence will be required. 
All further actions on the case of Nathan Blackiner will be suspended until he shall have forwarded his original declaration to this office. His papers are placed on file.  -GM

Andrews and Chandler
Washington, Ga.
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Andrews Chandler
April 15 1834
OC
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Depart Affair
[illegible] Office 
April 15 1834

Gentlemen
The declaration of Purnal Truitt, 
has again been [illegible] but as no explanation has been made, a [illegible] attempted to be made to account for his [illegible] the [illegible] before [illegible] term of enlistment had expired, his claim has been respected and his paper placed upon the file in this Office. 
Jan 

Step Andrew L Chandler
[illegible] 
[illegible] & 
GA
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Department of War 
Pension Office
June 8th 1833

Sir: 
The declaration of Purnal Trui has been exam'd and is herewith returned, accompanied by a brief pointing out some of the objections to present admission of his claim. 
In addition to the objections alluded to there seems to be one of greater magnitude than all the others put together, and without its being satisfactorily explained must prove fatal to his claim. I allude to the minuter whom the "muster rolls of one of the companies of Col. William's reg't (regiment) serving in the Southern Army during the revolution, dated Hillsboro N.C. Sept 1780" from which it appears that a person of the name of "Purnal Truit" belonged to that Reg't and that he was missing in action 16 Sept 1780".
It also appears that he, the said Purnal Truit, had enlisted for three years, and if the applicant be the same, his service could not have expired until March 1781. To rebut the conclusion that the applicant deserted, it will require the concurrent testimony of several witnesses, of the first standing as to character and credibility. 
I am very respectfully
J L Edwards

In H Dyson Esq  Andrews Chandler
Wilkson's C. H.
Washington U. of A.
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In the matter of the additional application of Purnal Truitt Purnell Truitt. 
Ges
Ref case

Andrews + Chandler 
Washington
[illegible]
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Additional Declaration
In order to obtain the benefit of the Act of Congress, [illegible] June 7, 1832
State of Georgia 
County of [Illegible]
on this seventh day of July eighteen hundred and thirty four (1834) personally appeared in [illegible] court before the justices of the [illegible] court in + for fair county now sitting for the Ordinary purposes Purnell Truitt a resident of [illegible] of [illegible] and state of Georgia aged seventy seven years the twenty sixth day of last February, who being first duty [illegible] according to law, doth on his oath make the following additional declaration, in order to obtain the benefit of the Act of Congress, [illegible] June 7th 1832 for the purpose of explaining the manner of his leaving the Service, after the law [illegible] made his enlistment for during the war, upward of two years to wit from the first day of March seventeen hundred and seventy eight until the 16th day of August seventeen hundred + eighty. That at [illegible] defeat the regiment to which he was attached was nearly all taken prisoners or killed that being in a very destitute situation particularly for the [illegible] of [illegible] he [illegible] to some
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of his relations in Ongelo (?) County North Carolina that soon after he had arrived at his relations the enemy took possession of Wilmington in North Carolina, when every man that could hear ? in the neighborhood was ordered out, into service: when this applicant joined the light horse, in a regiment commanded by ? Young, of Hanover County, North Carolina ?  company commander by Stephen Shackleton that he found in this regiment of horse for three months; when he was discharged, in Ongelo (?) County by Capt Shackleton in writing, which written discharge he left in North Carolina - that while in this required of hour his service was performed in the neighborhood of Wilmington in the counties of Ongelo(?) + Hanover. That immediately after his discharge from the Horse, he volunteered in a company made up for the purpose of guarding a little silage, (Swansborough) in the neighborhood of Willmington, in Ongeto(?) County, ? the ? coast. That in this last service he was in a company commanded by Capt. Hull ?, which was the only company
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stationed at Swansborough, that he served in this company for three months and was discharged by Captain Jones in writing which he also ? left in North Carolina - that he continued in the two above counties for the ?ballance? of the war and was ordered out on various short ?jaunts?.

Applicant says further that after the dispension of his requirement at Gates defeat he never knew of it again. Having been collected Purnell his T mark Truitt
? to and ?subscribed? in ? Court the day + year ? ? John Dyson CCO MC.

And the court do hereby declare their opinion that the above named applicant was a revolutionary soldier, I swear? on ?
Richard Willis JJC
Nicholas Wylie JJC
Tho. Angeriono? JJC
William Killgore, JJC

I John H. Dyson clerk of the court of ordinary of Miller county do hereby certify that the foregoing contains the original proceedings of the ?fair? court in the matter of the additional application of Purnell Truitt for a pension ?in? testimony of which I have documented ?set my ?hand?  + ?oath? of office this 10th day of July 1834
John H Dyson ?CCO MC?