Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty Land Warrant Application File R. 1820, Richard Cavett, N.C.
Page 1

SERVICE
N C
Cavett, Richard
NUMBER 
R 1820
CONTENTS [blank]

[black ink star stamped on top]
Page 2

And the said Court doth declare its opinion, after the investigation of the matter & after propounding the interrogatories prescribed by the war department that the above named applicant was a revolutionary soldier & served as he states - and the court further certifies that John Sandridge & David Jacks are clergymen residents as they state in said county and that John D. Philan Valentine G. Priest, Rhodah Horton, & Richard B. Purdom who have also signed the same are residents of said county - that all of them are credible persons and their statement entitled to credit.
John C. Thompson
Judge of the County  Court of 
Madison Cty. Ala.
[Signature]

I Richard B. Purdom, Clerk of the court aforesaid, certify that the foregoing contains the original proceedings of said court in the matter of the application of Richard Cavett for  pension 
In testimony whereof I have 

31.934
Richard Cavett
Alabama
Page 3

Alabama
In the County Court of Madison County held at
Huntsville [Alabama] on the 19th day of August 1834 before the hon [honorable] John C. Thompson, judge thereof- 

Richard Cavett, a citizen of said county, resident therein, on this day personally appeared in open court, and being 70 years of age and first 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 June 7, 1832.

From the uniform traditions of my father's family I was born on the head  waters [headwaters] of James river [River], in what was then probably  Bottecourt [Botecourt] County, Virginia in 1765. there was no record of my age ever made known to me, Presently after my birth I was removed with my father's family into the region then unsettled called Sullivan County [NC] comprised probably all of all North Carolina between the Allegahny [Alleghany] Mountains [part of the Appalachian Mountains] & Mississippi river. Thither my father went as a pioneer.

His name was Moses Cavett. He maintained his post in the remote settlement & amidst hostile savages until his death. He was a captain under Col. Isaac Shelby & fought under him at King's mountain [Battle of Kings Mountain, South Carolina] in the fall of 1780. 

shortly prior to that battle, tho' [though] then in my fifteenth year, I was enrolled in my fathers company not as a regular draft but from the exigencies of the settlement, I carried some clothing to Col. [Isaac] Shelby's quarters and asked him to prevail on my father to let me go with them against the Tories-

He spoke to my father on the subject, but he refused because of the necessity of guarding the settlement from the cruel inroads & butcheries of the hostile indians [Indians]. At this juncture the Cherokey [Cherokee], who had arranged themselves around on the Tory Side under Cameron [Alexander Cameron, Tory] , occupied the region around Nickejack [Nickajack, North Carolina] on the Tennessee river; & those of them, who were influenced by Genl. [Joseph Martin] & the Whig cause occupied the water
Page 4

of the Holston [River, Tennessee], Little Tennessee [River] and Hiwassee [River, Tennessee]. The Shawnees, then on the north bank of the Ohio [River], were hostile & made frequent excursions & hunts into the country of Clinch river [Tennessee] & that of my father's residence, now Sullivan County of Tennessee.

Most of the effective men in this quarter at this period were under Col [Isaac] Shelby. The young men capable of wielding the rifle were either in service or left to guard the homes of the settlers.  In this last mothers daughters sisters were united & it was one of Continuous watch & peril.

My father [Moses Cavett] was almost constantly on campaign - He has four sons & five daughters. I was the eldest, & in his absence, with the counsel & aid of my mother I commanded the home fortress.

I kept my gun in hand - or when I sat down to eat I lay it across my lap- or when going to bed the door was barricaded - I lay down with my weapon of defence [defense] by my arms. The door in the morning was carefully opened after sunrise & a circuit of observation taken around the premises.

From the time mentioned until about close of the revolution my father's company was kept in service, when he was promoted to the rank of Major & succeeded by Capt Benjamin Clark. I was constantly attached to the company.

George Russell, brother of the celebrated Wm Russell [William Russell] captain of Spies in the late Creek War, was our lieutenant &  Morgan Murray our ensign.

Until the close of the war I was out on frequent excursions against the hostile Cherokees & Shawanees [Shawnees] , but had with them only skirmishes & no battles of consequence.  Mostly however when the company went to a great Distance, as into N. Carolina South Carolina & Georgia I was left to guard the settlement.

Thus my service extended beyond the revolution. I was in two battles at Lookout mountain [North Carolina] in which Genl. [Joseph] Martin commanded
Page 5

and in another under Genl.Jno [John] Sevier on the Hightower river - 

My whole Term of service was at least & certainly two years during the revolution & about ten years in all. I obtained two discharges, the first from Genl. Joseph Martin & the second from Genl. [John] Sevier but did not preserve them 

there is no one living & known to me by whom I can prove these service. At the close of the Cherokee war by the battle at Nickajack [Tennessee] I removed into Roane County, Tennessee, where I lived about 16 years. I then came to Madison County now of Alabama aforesaid where I have ever since live & still reside.

I hereby relinquish every claim whatever to a pension or annuity except the present, and declare what my name is not on the pension roll of any state or of the United states -
Sworn to & subscribed in open court
Richard Cavett
Rich. B. Purdom Clk

We John Sandridge and David Jacks, clergymen of the county of Madison aforesaid, the former residents in the immediate neighborhood of the applicant and Rhoda Horton  Valentine G Pruitt & Jno Phelan,  R B Purdom of said county, do certify that we are well acquainted with Richard Cavett, who has subscribed and sworn to the above declaration; that we believe him to be seventy years old; he is reputed & believed in the neighborhood where he resides to have been a soldier of the revolution, & that we concur in that opinion - 
Sworn to in open court
John Sandridge M gop [Man of the gospel] 
David Jacks M [man] of the gospel
John C Thompson Justice of the County Court of Madison county Ala [Alabama]
Jno D. Phelan
VG Pruitt
Rodah Horton
Rich. B Purdom
Page 6

And the said Court doth declare its opinion, after the investigation of the matter & after propounding the interrogatories prescribed by the war department, that the above named applicant was a revolutionary soldier  served as he states - and the court further certifies that John Sandridge & David Jacks are clergymen residing as they state in said county and that John D. Philan Valentine C. Priest, Rhodah Horton & Richard B. Purdom who have also signed the same are residents of said county - that all of them are credible persons and their statement entitled to credit
John C. Thompson
Judge of the county court of
Madison County Ala.

I Richard B. Perdom, clerk of the court aforesaid, certify that the foregoing contains the original proceedings of said court in the matter of the application of Richard Cavett for a pension.
In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal of office the 19th day of August 1834.
Rich'd. B. Purdom
[Signature]

31.934
Richard Cavett
Alabama
Page 7

[round black ink stamp]
[illegible] AUG 31

Ala. Sept. 13
FREE [no postage]
Richard Cavett's declaration

Mr. J.L. Edwards
of the Pension Office
of the War Department
Washington

[right margin illegible words]
Page 8

Rejected did not serve in a military capacity 
See letter to R. B. Purdorn 
Huntsville,
1820
Page 9

REJECTED
1820
P.O. Richard Cavett
Service: __________
Enlisted: _______________, 18  .
Discharged: ______________, 18  .
Application filed: ________________, 18  .
Alleges : _______________________
Re-enlisted: _____________________
Attorney: ________________________
P.o. ______________________________
__________Recognized.  ____________Contract.
_________Cert. of Dis.  Searched for __________, 18  .