Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty Land Warrant Application File S. 3701, for Richard Pilkenton, North Carolina
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(3-1776)
SERVICE N.C.
Pilkenton, Richard
NUMBER
S.3701
carded
CONTENTS
[Blank]
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12.428
North Carolina
Richard Pilkenton of Johnson in the state of N. Car. who was a pri. in the ____ commanded by Captain _____ of the Regt. commanded by Col. Shepperd in the N. Car. line for 8 months -
Inscribed on the Roll of N. Carolina at the rate of 26 Dollars 66 Cents per annum to commence on the 4th day of March, 1831.
Certificate of Pension issued the 29 day of Apl. 33 and Sent Ransom Sauders (clk) C + N.C.
Amt. filed
Arrears to the 4th of March 1833 53.32
Semi-anl. allowance ending 4 Sept. - 13.33 =
$66.65

{Revolutionary Claim, }
{Act June 7, 1832. }
Recorded by Nathaniel Rice Clerk,
Book E Vol. 1 Page 51-
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James Pilkenton
Declaration
12.941
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State of North Carolina } Court of Pleas Quarter
County of Johnston } Sessions August Term 1832
On this 29 day of August personally appeared in open court before the Justices of the Court
of Pleas & Quarter Sessions now sitting Richard Pilkenton a resident of Johnston County aged about 70 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 act of Congress passed June 7 1832.
That he was drafted and entered the Service of
his country he believes in the Autumn of the
year 1778 or 1779 for a tour of five months and was placed under command of Captain
Mathew McCulloughs-Leuit Jno. McCullough,
and Rendezvoused at Smithfield -, and marched to Kinston N.C. was quatered [quartered]  in Kinston three or four weeks - under command of Colo: Sheppard and Lieut Col. Lowrie - He was thence marched to 
Wilmington N.C. - Gen. Clinton commanding - 
declarant was thence marched to South Carolina through Georgetown and to Charleston. Declarant was stationed about three months at Charleston and at Charleston received an honorable discharge signed he believes by Col. Lowrie - The Declarant was drafted according his best recollection about 12 months after the expiration of his first term of service for a tour of three months-- was placed under Captain Edmund Griffin Lieut. Jno. Griffin and Rendezvoused at Smithfield and marched under the above named Captain and Lieutenant to Wilmington N.C. - Colo: Needham Bryan was for a short time his Colonel in Wilmington - The Declarant forgets who was his successor in office. He
ended his tour in Wilmington and received his
discharge which was signed by his Colo: whose
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name Declarant has forgotten - His discharges
are both lost-- but he avers sincerely and truly
that he served in all the full time of eight months soon after his last discharge he remembers hearing of the Capture of Cornwallis at Yorktown-
Declarant was not personally engaged in any
battle - He remembered that Gen. Lincoln commanded the army at Charleston under whom both regular militia mustered -
He has no documentary evidence of his said
service and knows of no one living whose testimony he can obtain to his actual services
.
In answer to the Interrogatories prescribed
by the Departmant [Department] Declarant states that his age is nearly seventy- that he knows now of no record of his age unless it be in a family Bible once owned by his Brother that he was living in Johnston County at the time he was drafted where he has resided ever since - He hereby relinquishes every claim
whatever to a pension or annuity except the
present and declares that his name is not on
the pension roll of any agency in any State
Sworn to and subscribed the day & year
aforesaid
[Signature] Richard Pilkenton [R tilting left] his mark

We Samuel Pearce and James Peedin
residing in the County of Johnston hereby certify we are well acquainted with Richard Pilkenton who has subscribed and sworn to the above declaration and that we believe him to about 70 years of age, and that he is reputed and believed in the neighbourhood [neighborhood] where he resides to have
been a soldier of the Revolution - and we concur in that opinion - Sworn to and
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subscribed the day and year aforesaid
List R M Sanders
[Signatures] Lemuel Pearce [capital D tilting left] his mark
James  Peedin X his mark

And the said Court do hereby declare their opinion after the investigation of the matter 
and after putting the Interrogatories presented by the War Deparment that the above named
applicant was a Revolutionary Soldier and served as he states. And the Court further certifies that Lemuel Pearce + James Peedin are respectable plantin and credible persons-  residing
in the County of Johnston - and that
this  Statement is entitled to credit
I Ranson Sanders Clerk of the Court
of Pleas and Quarter Sessions do hereby
certify that the foregoing contains the original
proceedings of the said Court in the matter of
to application of Richard Pilkenton for a
Pension
[Signature] R M Sanders Clk
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Richard Pilkenton
N. Carolina
Admit as a private for 8 months - $26.66

12,941
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BRIEF in the case of Richard Pilkenton Co of Johnston in the State of N.C. (Act 7th June, 1832.)
1. Was the declaration made before a Court or a Judge?  Open Court
2. If before a Judge, does it appear that the applicant is disabled by bodily infirmity?
3. How old is he? 70
4. State his service, as directed in the form annexed.
[Headings]
Period. | Duration of Service. | Rank. } Names of general and Field Officers under whom he served.

In one of these years {1778 or 1779 drafted} | 5 mos. | Private | Cap. McCullough Col. Shephard

1780 drafted | 3 mos. | Private | Cap. Griffin Col. Needham

5. In what battles was he engaged? None
6. Where did he reside when he entered the service Johnston Co. N.C.
7. Is his statement supported by living witnesses, by documentary proof, by traditionary evidence, by incidental evidence, or by the rolls? traditionary
8. Are the papers defective as to form or authentication? and if so, in what respect?

I Certify that the foregoing statement and the answers agree with the evidence agree with the evidence in the case above mentioned.
[Signature] George Payton Examining Clerk.
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September 26, 1939.
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
BA-J/CC
Richard Pilkenton
S. 3701 ow
Mrs. Howard H.McCall [H. McCall]
1222 Peachtree Street,
Atlanta, Georgia.
Dear Madam:
Reference is made to your letter in which you request the Revolutionary War record of Richard Pilkenton, of Johnston County, North Carolina. The data which follow were obtained from papers on file in pension claim, S.3701, based upon service of Richard Pilkenton
in the Revolutionary War. Date and place of birth of Richard Pilkenton and names of
his parents are not shown. While residing in Johnston County, North Carolina, Richard
Pilkenton enlisted in the autumn of 1778 or 1779, served five months as private in Captain Mathew McCullough's company, Colonel
Shephard's North Carolina regiment,; enlisted about one year later and served three months as private in Captain Edmond Griffin's company, Colonel Needham Bryan's North Carolina regiment. The soldier was allowed pension on his application executed August 29, 1832, at which time he was aged about seventy years and a resident of Johnston County, North Carolina. No reference was made to wife or child. In 1832 he stated he knew of no record of his age "unless it
be in a family Bible once owned by his brother", the brother's name not shown. No further family data are of record in this office.
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In order to obtain the date of last payment of pension, the name and address of person paid and possibly the date of death of Richard Pilkenton, you should address the Comptroller
General, General Accounting Office, Records Division, this city and cite the following data:
Richard Pilkenton
Certificate #12428
Issued April 29, 1833
Rate $26.66 per annum
Commenced March 4, 1831
Act of June 7, 1832
North Carolina Agency.
Very truly yours
A. D. HILLER
Executive Assistant
to the Administrator.
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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 Richard Pilkenton which require further proof or explanation. 
I. Does the declaration show where the applicant resides? yes
II. Did the declarant make the declaration in the county where he resides? yes
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 periods of the war when he served? yes
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 amout [amount] of pension he is entitled? yes
VI. Has he given the names of the officers under whom he served, in conformity with the regulations? yes
VII. Has he made a relinquishment of every claim to any other pension than the one under the Act of June 7, 1832?  yes
IX. Has the Clerk given his certificate? yes
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? yes
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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? Yes as to others
XII. If the clergyman's affidavit has not been produced, is there any reason assigned for not obtaining it? -
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? yes
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?
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 [Query] 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 recollection he served not less than the periods mentioned below, and in the following grades; 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 paid 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 a declaration is highly objectionable.  It must in every case be clearly shewn under what officers the applicant served; 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 [QUEREY] 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 signature of the magistrate must be certified by the proper officer, under his seal of office.
++ QUERE [QUEREY] XVI. Mode of authenticating papers.
In every instance where 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.
[hand pointing right] In every case where the clerk of the court, 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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Sept. 23. '39
Mrs. Howard H. McCall
1222 Peachtree Street
Atlanta, Georgia

Bureau of Pensioner
Washington D.C.
Dear Sir-
Will you please send me the record of Richard Pilkenton (or Pilkington) Private N.C. Continental
line No. 1233 Johnson Co. North Carolina,
who received pension Mar. 1831 age 72. for service as a Rev. Soldier.
Thanking you in advance for this information-
I am 
Very truly yours-
Mr. Howard McCall.
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 Mrs. Howard H. McCall
1222 Peachtree Street
Atlanta, Georgia
Aug. 28. 1939.
Veterans Administration
Washington, D.C.
Dear Sir
Will you please send me a copy of the Pension record of Richard Pilkenton - Rev. Sol. Private - No. 1233 - Johnston Co. North Carolina. Continental line. On Pension roll.  Thanking you in advance for this information, I am 
Very truly yours - Mrs. Howard H. McCall.
1222 Peachtree St.
Atlanta, Ga.
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Rev War
INVALID.
File No. 3701
Richard Pilkenton
Pri. Rev. War
Act: June 7. 1832
Index: - Vol. _____, Page _____
[Arrangement of 1870.}

1939 - Sept. 26 - Hist. to Mrs. Howard H. McCall cc
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THE NATIONAL ARCHIVES
Form VAM-51
12-5-41
BOUNTY LAND WARRANT RECORD CARD*
Division of Veterans' Administration Archives
NAME Pilkerton, Michael GRADE Private LINE Maryland
WARRANT NUMBER 11608 ACREAGE 100 ISSUED January 8, 1796 to Geo. Ponsonby, assignee