Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty Land Warrant Application File R. 282, Robert Ashley, S.C.
Page 1

(3-1776)
SERVICE
S.C.
Ashley, Robert
NUMBER
R. 282
Born in S.C.
CONTENTS
Page 2

State of North Carolina
Henderson County S.S.
On this 1st day of October One thousand Eight hundred and forty five personally appeared in Open Court before the Court of Pleas & Quarter Sessions (Now sitting in Hendersonville) Robert Ashley a resident of Henderson County State of North Carolina aged Ninety (90) 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 July 7th 1832, That he entered the service of the United States under the following named Officers and served as herein stated, That he entered the in Lancaster District South Carolina in the month of February in the year Seventeen hundred and Seventy Nine (1779) as a Substitute for Jordan Ashley his Fathers, his said Father having been drafted for a tour of three months and having taken sick in about two weeks after he entered the service, and sent home, the said Robert Ashley the affiant went to Orangeburg where the army was stationed & Joined it in his Fathers stead under one Capt Wm. Nettles Commanded by Genl Sumter & Col. John Stewart the Ridgment was called 5th Ridgment he there remained guarding some Tories until the end of the said tour of three months, he then enlisted for and during the war under the same Capt Nettles & Col Stewart but was joined to Genl Beufords Ridgment he thinks called the 4th Ridgment and was marched to the high hills of Santee & there remained until in October or November of that year, they were then marched to Charleston South Carolina to prevent the Brittish from landing there, and there remained until the surrender of Charleston in May
Page 3

1780. he was then marched back to Landcaster, and the Brittish there overtook them they had a Battle at what was called Beaufords Battleground & this Declarant was there taken Prisoner by the Brittish and remained about three weeks, when he was Parolled, & went home and the next morning after Returning home he went and joined Genl Sumters army again under one Capt. Jacob Gray & Col. John Martial they was immediately marched to where the Brittish was incamped near the hanging Rock & there had a Battle, Genl. Sumter soon after having taken sick Genl. Green took the command & was marched to Camden & there had a Battle he was then marched to Rugeleys Mills and was there joined to Genl. Gates armey & was marched from there to gum Swamp two miles from said Mills & there had a Battle with the Brittish in which fight this Declarant Received a wound by a ball through the Left arm, & Genl. Gates having Deserted his armey Genl. Sumter again took the command he was then marched to near Salisbury North Carolina then back again to Camden South Carolina & there Remained until the Surrender of Cornwallis at Little York in October 1781.
He hereby relinquishes every claim whatever to a pension or annuity except the present & declares that his name is not on the pension Roll of the agency of any state.
Robert Ashley
Sworn to & subscribed the day & year aforesaid
James Blythe CCC

Qustion 1st. Where & in what year was you born,
Answer- I was born in Landcaster Dist So. Carolina in the year 1755.
Ques. 2nd. Have you any Record of your age if so where is it.
Ansr. I have a Record of my age now in my possession
Page 4

Quest. 3rd. Where were you living when called into service, where have you lived since the Revolutionary war & where do you now live,
Ans. I was living in Landcaster Dist. South Carolina when I entered the service, I lived there about Twenty years after the close of the war. I then moved to Buncombe County No Carolina since which Henderson County was Sriken off of Buncombe where I now live,
Quest. 4th. How were you called into service, were you drafted did you volunteer or was you a substitute, & if a substitute for whom,
Ans. I entered the service as a substitute for my Father Jordan Ashley & served about three months I then enlisted for and during the War.
Quest. 5th Did you ever receive a discharge from the service, & if so by whom was it given & what has become of it,
Ans. I received a discharge from Genl Sumter at the close of the war but many years ago I got my house burnt with all its contents together with my discharge,
I was acquainted with Genls. DeCalb Davidson & Col Hamrite besides those mentioned in my Declaration, There is living in my neighbourhood Abraham Glaysner George Glaysner Joshua Bryant & John Galaway besides many others who can testify as to my caracter for veracity, and there belief of my services in the war of the Revolution
Robert Ashley
Sworn to & subscribed in open Court this 1st October A.D. 1845
James Blythe CCC
Page 5

We John Clark a Clergyman Residing in Henderson County State of North Carolina and Boyd McCrary Residing in (the same) hereby certify that we are well acquainted with Robert Ashley who has subscribed & sworn to the above declaration, that we believe him to be Ninety (90) years of age, that he is Reputed & believed in the Neighbourhood in which he lives to have been a soldier of the Revolution
& that we concur in that Opinion,
John Clark
B. McCrarey
Sworn to and subscribed in open Court this 1st day of October A.D. 1845.

And the said Court do hereby declare there opinion after the investigation of the matter, & after putting the interogatories prescribed by the war Department that the above named applicant was a Revolutionary soldier & served as he states, & the Court further certifyes that it appears to them that John Clark who has signed the preceding certificate is a Clergyman resident in the County of Henderson State of North Carolina that Boyd McCrary who has also signed the same is a resident in the State & County afforesaid & is a credable person & there statements intitled to Credit.
R Thomas Chairman

I James Blythe Clerk of the Court of Pleas & Quarter Sessions in and for the County of Henderson & State of North Carolina do hereby certify that the foregoing contains the Original precedings of the said Court in the matter of the application of Robert Ashley for a pension
In tistamony whereof I hereunto set my hand and Seal of Office this 1st day of October A.D. 1845
James Blythe Clerk of
Henderson County Court
Page 6

Ex'r. INVALID.
REJECTED
Robert Ashley
P. O.
Service:
Enlisted:
Discharged:
Application filed:
Alleges:
Re-enlisted:
Attorney:
P. O.
Page 7

[black box on page]
Page 8

State of North Carolina
Henderson County
On this 1st day of October A.D. 1845. personally appeared before the Court of Pleas & Quarter Sessions (now sitting in Hendersonville) Robert Ashley who is now an applicant for a pension and a Citizen of Henderson County No Carolina & after being first duly sworn according to law doth on his oath declare, That the reason why he has not applyed for a pension before this late day is. That he was allways unwilling to apply for a pension whilst he was able to work for a support, though he has been solicited by his friends to apply several times, but still was unwilling to do so as he thought he only discharged a duty he owed to himself & his country in defending it from the Tirancys & Oppression of the King of England, until within the last five years by reason of bodily infirmity & Old age, and his reduced circumstances in life he is compelled to resort to some other source for means for a sustainance for himself and an aged wife, or suffer for want of Food & Raiment
Robert Ashley
Sworn to and subscribed in open Court the day & year above,
James Blythe CCC

I James Blythe Clerk of the Court of Pleas & Quarter Sessions in and for the County of Henderson & State of North Carolina do hereby certify, that it is ordered by said Court that the Clerk certify that Robert Ashley who is now an applicant for a pension & who has sworn to and subscribed the foregoing affidavit is personally known to the Court, & that he is an Inteligent and Respictable Citizen & and a man of undoubted veracity, and one whose statements is
Page 9

intitled to full faith & credit,
In testimony whereof I the said Clerk have hereunto set my hand and affixed the seal of my office this 1st day of October AD 1845
James Blythe Clerk
of Henderson County Court
Page 10

State of North Carolina
Henderson County
Octr. th 1845
This day Personally Appeard before me James Hamlin an acting magistrate in and for sed county Joshua Bryan and after being duley sworn acording to law doath Apon Oath Swar Thate he is will aquainted with Robert Ashley of sed State and County and has been for the last Twenty five years past and thate his Carrietor for Trouth and Honesty has always been Looks on as good and Thate he has always Looked on him from his own History as a Soldier of the Revolution, Thate he allwas herd him speake of the ware and of the names of his officers & of his fellow soldiers in this Revolution and of some ingagements thate he was in in the time and in all his conversation abought it he refused To make Applycation for a pention & said he would not while he was able to support himself. He further States - Thate the sed Robert Ashly did get his House Burned together as he understood with all his goods were and papers and thate he is now an aged man and has an aged and verry fraile wife with no other meenes to surport But there own labor but is now as Informed an Applycant for a pention Sworn to Before me day and date above Ritten
Joshua Bryant his mark X
Test
Jas. Hamblen [squiggle mark seal]
Page 11

State of North Carolina
Henderson County
Oct 27th 1845
I James Hamlin an acting magistrate in and for said County do certify that the said Joshua Bryan The Affiant in the forgoing affidavit before me is personally known to me and thate he is a man of sound mind and an intellidgant man and thate all his statements ar intitled to full faith and credit
Givin under my hand and seale day and date above ritten
Jas. Hamblen [squiggle mark seal]

State of North Carolina
Henderson County
October the 1845
I James Blythe Clerk of the Cort of pleas and Quarter sessions in and for Sed County do hereby Certify thate James Hamblin whoes name apppeers to the forgoing affidavit and certificate is an acting magistrate as appeers to the forgoing And thate the Signerture there unto [illegible] purporting to be his is Januine and is intitled to full faith and Credit as such in Testamony whereof I have here unto set my hand and affixt the Seale of my office this 27 day of Octr 1845
James Blythe CCC
for the County of Henderson
Page 12

37,133
Nov. 8, / 48.
Robert Ashley
---
North Carolina
---
Act 7 June 1832.
---
282

E. F. Brown
Agent,
Washn. D.C.
7. Nov. 1845.