Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty Land Warrant Application File R. 524, Nicodemus Barnes, Md.
Page 1

Service
MD

Name
Barnes, Nicodemus

Number
R.524
Page 2

33617

Nicodemus Barnes
Declaration for 
Pension

Hon G A Caldwell
H.R.
Page 3

Declaration in order to obtain the benefit of the act of congress passed June 7, 1832

State of Kentucky, Clinton County

On this the 12th day of November 1843 personally appeared before me John Wade a Justice of the peace in and for said county, Nicodemus Barnes a resident citizen of said county aged eighty-three years sometime in October last he having no record of his age nor does he know the precise day of the month that he was born and he was born in the state of Maryland not more than seventy miles from Baltimore City, he declarant does not know certain what county he was born in but he was born in the state of Maryland in the year 1760 in the month of October the day of the month he was not fully informed and after being duly sworn for that purpose on his oath makes the following declaration in order to obtain the benefit of the act of congress passed June the 7th 1832.

That he entered the service of the United States in the state of Maryland in the year 1780 not far from the city of Baltimore, he entered as private volunteer soldier sometime in the summer of the year 1780 under Captain [illegible]under Col Lacy and General Putnam a tour of six months and was stationed at Baltimore City under direction
Page 4

and arrangement of General Putnam's. The declarant served out said tour of six months under said officers mostly at Baltimore and after having fully served out the same, he again in the spring of 1781 volunteered to serve six months more under Capt. Barnes and Col. Lacy and served with Corenlius Dawsey, James Barnes and on one occasion he started to aid the army commanded by General Washington and was turned back to Baltimore to guard the city as the British then lay at or was crossing the head of Elk. Declarant was then ordered back and was there guarding the city during which time the French army lay near that place for a considerable time. The declarant was many times stationed near the British Army at times in sight a part of the time. They were on flight on many occasions and we after them together with the French during the whole of declarant's service which he continued in until about the first of December 1781. The declarant was in no general battle or engagement but was in several skirmishes with the detached parcels and one night the main army was fired on and he this declarant with some others was wounded slightly in the left
Page 5

ankle. He picked out the buck out of his ankle though it was but a single ball and but a small distance in it left a tolerable large scar which is plainly visible ever since. He was also at the same shot slightly wounded in the left thigh and a wound on the point of his ribs on the right side, which is very visible at this day and has remained a little sore to the present day. This declarant had discharged from some of his officers which he lost long ago though he does not now recollect the time he lost them. He is certain they are lost this declarant owning to the great lapses of time and old age and loss of memory cannot state the precise length of his service but to his best recollection he served in all during the Revolutionary was against the common enemy of his county a period not less than fourteen months.

This declarant cannot give a nearer account as to the precise time of beginning each tour of service nor the time of ending the same than herein given.

After the last period of declarant's service he went to North Carolina thence to South Carolina which there he married there. He lived near ten years and moved to Roan County Tennessee having five children when he moved there lived on the waters of Clinch
Page 6

River and Poplar Creek continued there about six years thence to Wayne County Kentucky and he has lived in Wayne County Kentucky and in Clinton County Kentucky for the last thirty-eight years.

The declarant about the first year after the law was passed granting the soldiers a pension as herein claimed applied to Roades garth to get his pension and attended once at Monticello for that purpose but owing to a throng of applicants declarant could not get his papers prepared there on that day and being greatly fatigued and exhausted from a long ride was unable to attend again until the weather became cold so that it was impossible to attend without great danger of his health, in the mean while the declarant moved to down into the Hills into what is now Clinton County and soon became wholly unable to travel or walk or to attend to himself and was informed by some that he would have to prove his service and he knew of no person by whom he could prove his service he now has no person by whom he can prove his service. He has never had a convenient chance to make application till now. He further declares that he is well known in Wayne County and Clinton where he has lived for the
Page 7

last thirty-eight years he further states that he is reputed known and esteemed by all his acquaintances as being a revolutionary soldier. he having doubt but all his brethren in the methodist church with whom he is acquainted at Davis's meeting house and all other *** acquaintance of his with but very exceptions believe him to have been a revolutionary soldier of them. Declarant will name George Jones, Preacher, John Kelly, William Bell Jr, William Bell Sr, Henry Guffey Sr, Henry Guffey Jr, James Bell, George Gwinn Esq., Charles Sample Esq, Harman Wynn Esq, John Chapman, Rawley Chapman, Joseph Beck, James Jones a pensioner of Wayne County and Samuel Snow Absolem Davis, John Downey, Arimintus Bell and he knows [illegible] He relinquishes all claims to a pension except the present. HIs name is not on the pension roll of the agency of any state.

Nicodemus Barnes
His X Mark
Page 8

State of Kentucky
Clinton County

I John Wade Justice of the Peace for Clinton County aforesaid certify that after investigation of said claim and swearing him to the same I believe his declaration is true. I am acquainted with him an have been for a long time and understand him to be a man of veracity and that the same is generally believed of him. I further certify that he is wholly unable to attend court from bodily infirmity and that he is eighty-three years old as he has stated.

Given under my hand this 14 day of November 1843.

John Wade JP

State of Kentucky
Clinton County

County Court January Term 1844

This day John Kelly a preacher of the gospel being a resident citizen of Clinton County state of Kentucky and a man of veracity and after being duly sworn for that purpose on his oath state that he is well acquainted with Nicodemus Barnes who has sworn to the foregoing pension declaration he further states that said Barnes is reputed
Page 9

and esteemed in his neighborhood as a Revolutionary soldier, and was so esteemed in Wayne County, Kentucky, where he affiant, knew him many years, and that it is to the belief of affiant Eighty three years old as stated by him, and affiant concurs in the oppinion (opinion) that affiant served as stated by him in his foregoing Declaration. (signature) John Kelley

Sworn to & subscribed in open Court 1st Jany (January) 1844
Rice Maxey Clk

The court hereby declares their opinion that they believe the foregoing Declaration is true, they certify that John Kelley is a man of veracity, Resident in Clinton County foresaid, a preacher of gospel, and that the applicant for a Pension is a very good character,
(signature) John Wade
Page 10

Kentucky Clinton County Court Sct
January Term 1844

I Rice Maxey, Clerk of the Court of the County aforesaid certify that the foregoing declaration of Nicodemus Barns (Barnes) was at a Court holden for said County at the Court house in Albany on the 1st day of January 1844 exhibited in Open Court, and read and examined, and from their own personal knowledge of said Barns (Barnes) and from information derived from sources on which they rely the said Court certifies that he is a man of good character and entitled to credit, that they believe he is as old as he states himself to be, and from general reputation in his neighbourhood (neighborhood) for years past they have no doubt but he was a soldier of the Revolution as he states, and I do further certify that John Wade whose signature appears to two certificates attached to said declaration is and was at the time of signing the same a Justice of the peace for said County duly commissioned and qualified, and that free faith and credit are due to his official acts as such. RM
In Witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand and private seal there being no seal of office provided at office this 1st day of January in the year of our Lord 1844
Rice Maxey Clk
The words above "on the 1st day of January 1844" interlined by me.
att. Rice Maxey Clk
Page 11

35617

Nichodemus (Nicodemus) Barnes
Ky. 524

Let (Letter) to Hon. G. A. Caldwell
Feb. 5, 1844

7, June 1832
Page 12

Ex'r      INVALID.

No. 524

Acts of July 14, 1862, and March 3, 1873.

Nichodermus (Nicodermus) Barnes
*Following all left blank
P.O.
Service:
Enlisted:
Discharged:

Application filed:

Alleges:
Re-enlisted:
Attorney:
P.O.
Page 13

H. Reps. January 11th, 1844

Dear Sir, 
I send you herewith the declaration of Nichodemus (Nicodemus) Barnes for a Pension which you Please give your attention and advise me of the result. 
I also send you a letter from Mr. Robt. A. Dabney in relation to Ten cases the papers of which are on file in your office - If nothing can be done for those applicants in your department please send me the papers in those cases that I may pay them before Congress - Also return to me Mr. Dabney's letter. 
Your attention will much oblige

Your obt (obedient) Servt (Servant)
Geo. A. Caldwell

Hon. J. L. Edwards
Commissioner of Pensions