Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty Land Warrant Application File S. 8,974, for Thomas Porter, Virginia
Page 1

(3-1776)
service    number
Va.   Porter, Thomas  S. 8.974

carded
Page 2

23.278
Thomas Porter
of Louisa in the  State of Virginia who was a Serge in the ----- command by Captain -------
of the Regt command by Col Febiger in the Virginia line for 2 years

Inscribed on the Roll of Virginia at the rate of 120 Dollars ----- Cents per annum to commence on the 4th day of March, 1831.
Certificate of Pension issued the 18 day of Dec :35
and Sent C.W. Dabney Louisa CH. Va
Arrears to the 4th of Sept 1833 - 300
Semi-anl. allowance ending 4 Mar:34 60
_______
$360 --

{Revolutionary Claim, Act June 7, 1832.
Recorded by Nath Rice - Cler
Book E Vol. 6 1/2 Page 28 -


Benj F Willis   20/55
Date of death not in A. B.
Page 3

State of Virginia
Louisa County} ss
On this 12th day of Nov 1833 personally appeared in open court before the court of the county aforesaid now sitting Thomas Porter a resident of the said county aged about Eighty two 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, he thinks in the later part of the summer before the army encamped at Valley forge, under his brother Lieut William Porter in the county of Powhattan who was then recruiting in that county, and was a corporal - marched to the North and at Georgetown on the Potomac was inoculated with the small pox - upon his recovery he marched on and joined the Grand army at Whitemarsh - was under Capt William Taylor in the second Virginia regiment - does not recollect the Col's name but was once  under the command of Col Febiger on some occasion - was in several skirmished but in no battle of importance - recollects once wading the Scuylkill to decoy an enemies party - The army went into Winter quarters at the Valley Forge and he and John Guerrant obtained furloughs for three months to return home - when they were about to rejoin the army they were ordered to report themselves at Wm'sburg, to make up a new regiment - They did so and Guerrant was made Lieut and he Sergeant in the company under Capt Alec Parker - Marched under Cols Richard Parker to Petersburg where they drew regimentals - thence to Camden, thence to Augusta in Georgia and thence to Savanah where he joinsd the French and was present at the siege - when the siege was ceased he returned with
Page 4

with his regiment to Augusta where they prepared winter quarters, but before the quarters were completed they were ordered to Charleston - marched to that place and entered the town then under the command of Genl Lincoln - was present during the whole siege - one night a party sallied out to repair a redoubt - The enemy discovered them and fired rapidly on them The alarm was general and the firing rapid and general - after it had subsided somewhat Col Parker who was very near him on the parapet raised his hand just above the works and received a ball in his forehead, and expired instantly only exclaiming O Lord. The army capitulated, marched out and stacked their arms, and returned to the barracks. On account of some men braking their parols the troops were put on board prison ships, and he remained there many months - they were then brought around by water into the Chesapeake and he was exchanged a short time before the surrender of York, he thinks at James Town - his term of enlistment having expired come time he returned home and that he served at least two years as Sergeant in the infantry as above stated --
He hereby relinquishes every claim, whatever to a pension or annuity except the present, and he declares that his name is not of the pension roll of the agency of any State or Territory --
Sworn to and subscribed the day and year aforesaid
Thomas Porter  X his mark
And the said court do hereby declare their opinion the the above named applicant was a Revolutionary Soldier and served as he states --
I John Hunter Clerk of the Court of said County hereby Certify that the foregoing contains the
Page 5

Orignial proceedings of the said Court in the matter of the application of Thomas Porter for a pension.
In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my and and seal of Office this 13th day of November 1833.
John Hunter Clk
[seal]
Page 6

March 28, 1938
Thomas
S. 8974
BA-J/AWF

Miss Amanda Clibourn 319 Ash Street
Jefferson City, Missouri
Dear Madam:
Reference is made to your letter in which you request the Revolutionary War records of William and Thomas Porter, of Louisa County, Virginia.
The Revolutionary War records of this office have been searched and no claim for pension found based upon the service of a William Porter of Louisa County, Virginia.
The record of Thomas Porter which follows was obtained from papers on file in pension claim, S. 8974, based upon his service in the War of the Revolution.
The date and place of birth of Thomas Porter were not given, nor were the names of his parents stated.
Thomas Porter enlisted the latter part of the summer "before the Army encamped at Valley Forge" in Powhatan County, Virginia, under his brother, Lieutenant William Porter, who was a recruiting officer in that county, and he (Thomas Porter) served as corporal in Captain William Tayler's company in the 2nd Virginia regiment, and in Colonel Febiger's Virginia regiment, was in several skirmishes, and when the army went into winter quarters at Valley Forge, he and John Guerrant obtained furloughs for

[note] I put this in as in letter she stated a sister of soldier married one John Guerrant
Page 7

three months, and went home, and when about time to return to the army, Thomas Porter was ordered to report at Williamsburg, was there made a sergeant and served in Captain Alexander Parker's company in Colonel Richard Parker's Virginia regiment, marched to Camden, to Augusta, Georgia, thence to Savannah, was in the siege there, after which marched to Charleston, in the siege there, where taken prisoner, put on a prison ship and held "many months", and was exchanged a short time before the surrender of Yorktown.
Thomas Porter was allowed pension on his application executed November 12, 1833, then a resident of Louisa County, Virginia, aged about eighty-two years.
The papers on file in this claim contain no reference to wife or children of Thomas Porter.
In order to obtain the date of last payment of pension, name and address of person paid, and possibly the date of death of this pensioner, you should address The Comptroller General, General Accounting Office, Records Division, Washington, D. C., and furnish the following data-
Thomas Porter
Certificate # 23278
Issued December 18, 1833
Rate $120.00 per annum
Commenced March 4, 1831
Act of June 7, 1832
Virginia Agency.

Very truly yours
A. D. HILLER
Executive Assistant to the Administrator
Page 8

8974
INVALID.   Rev War
File No. 8974
Thomas Porter S  War
Act: June 7th 1832
Index:-Vol. 1st, Page 299
[Arrangement fo 1870.]

1938 March 28 hist to Miss Amanda Clibourn
Page 9

[stamp] Received March 21 1938 Mail Sub-Div. Vets. Add. Reader No. 19
[letterhead] Eugene F. Clibourn Dry Goods Novelties and Floor Coverings 223 East High Street Phone 23 Jefferson City MO. Mch 19 1938
Mr. A.D. Hiller
Veterans Administration
Washington DC.
Dear Sir -
In reply to your letter to Honorable W. L. Nelson file reference BA.-J/A.W. F. in regard to Revolutionary pension records of William and Thomas Porter I wish to say they were both from Louisa County Virginia and were on Louisa C. Va pension roll of 1835.
They were both in pay roll of Capt. Wm. Taylors Co. and Va Regiment commanded by Christian Febigan Jan 1778.
The following may help in checking these specific pensions.
1. William Porter of Louisa Co. Va was son of John Porter Sr. of Louisa Co. Va. William had wife Rebecca Burner.
Sons - William Jr., John, Josiah and Thomas a sister Elizabeth Gurrant wife of John Gurrant
Page 10

[letterhead] Eugene F. Clibourn Dry Goods Novelties and Floor Coverings 223 East High Street Phone 23
Jefferson City, MO. ----------193--
2. Thomas Porter of Louisa Co. Va was son of above William Porter of Louisa Co. Va His will is recorded in Louisa Co. Va 1-8.1840 He had daughter Sarah Elizabeth Porter Kennon wife of Charles Kennon son William Porter alias William Ashlen James Porter " James Ashlin or Ashley guardean Nancy Ashley daughter of Christopher Ashley Desc.
I earnestly hope this information may be of use to you in identifying the records we are particularly interested in.
Thanking you.
Miss Amanda Chilbourn 319 Ash St. Jefferson City Mo.
Page 11

[stamp] Received Mar 21 1938 Mail Sub-Div. Vets. Admin. Reader No. 19
Page 12

Louisa CH   Free
Nov 14 
Va Nov 16

J. L. Edwards Esquire Commissioner of Pensions Washington D C

Admitted Sergeant 2 years $120 -
Page 13

Louisa Court House Va 13 Nov 1833
Sir
Enclosed you have the application of Thomas Porter. The circumstances of this case embolden me to request an early attention to it. The applicant is a most respectable man reduced by securitiship from a condition of comfortable independence to want. As soon as the act of June .32 went into operation, he prepared to avail himself of its provision. At the August Court of the last year he made a declaration, which was put into the hands of the representative from the county of Louisa in the assembly, Capt Poindexter. Late in the last winter Capt Poindexter proposed to put the management of the case into my hands, and gave me an order for the papers which he supposed were in the pension Office. The order was transmited to a person in Washington who after great delay has lately informed me that the papers had not been received at the office, and upon examination it was found that they had not been taken from the office of the Clerk of the Court. Upon examination that declaration like most of the early ones, was found defective, and the old gentleman was obliged to make a new one at the present term of the court. It is hoped that this state of facts will entitle the case of Mr. Porter to a similar station in the office as if the former declaration had been received and this an amended one -- The result may be directed to me at Montpelier Hanover Va
Respectfully C W Dabney