Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty Land Warrant Application File R. 5178, Thomas C Holmes, S.C.
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(8-1776)
Service - S.C.

Holmes, Thomas C.
Gwinn, Thomas
Gwinn

Number - R. 5178

CONTENTS
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County of Newton State of Texas
To Wit Personally appeared this 18th day of January A D 1854, before me a Justice of the Peace for County aforesaid, Thomas C. Holmes also of said County who being sworn according to Law deposes and says, that he is now ninety four years old, that early in the Revolutionary War when about sixteen years of age he entered the service of the United States under General [Francis] Marion, that, he gave the first information about Col Tines who was taken prisoner, that he served under Capt Ben Harrison & Govr Caswell, that he was wounded in the knee at the battle of the Slippery Bridge, that while in the service of Genl Marion, he was an Express Rider and carried expresses from Gen Marion to Generals Washington, Greene & Gov Caswell: that he was married in the year 1794 that, his wife is still living, that he has a son Thomas Holmes Jr. who is now fifty one or fifty two years of age, that, he was married in Wayne County, North Carolina, that he was at the battle of the Eutaw Springs at the taking of Fort Scott and he thinks at Fort Moultrie that he was with Marion at a fight on the Big Pedee, that when he entered the army under Marion he ran away from his Grandfather and in order to prevent discovery, assumed the name of Gwinn, that he went by the name of Thomas Gwinn while in the Revolutionary War
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under Marion. that he is the same and identical Thomas Gwinn who served as aforesaid, that he served in the capacity of Express Rider during his whole service aforesaid, that he has never received from the Goverment of the United States any bounty land or pension
for his services aforesaid, that he has lost or mislaid any and every evidence of his services aforesaid, he may have had, that his discharge, or discharges if any, have also been lost, that he was honorably discharged from the service of the U States, after his period of service with Marion NC, that his memory is still very
clear and distinct concerning things that occured during his early life and indeed of all his past life, that his health is uncommonly good for a man of his extreme age, that he refers for more particular proof of his services to the Rolls of the Revolutionary War under Marion and others, which bear his name throughout his term of service, as Express Rider or Private in that capacity that he now claims a pension under the Act of 1832, at the rate of Forty Dollars a month, which was the pay of an Express Rider and any Bounty Land that he may be entitled to under the Laws of
the United States that if the Act of 1832, be not applicable to his case he claims the benefit of any other act, under which he may claim for his services aforesaid, that, he has never asked
for a pension because he did not need it, but now he does need it and he asks for it, if any, that he hereby appoints and constitutes W G Snethen of Washington D.C. to be his attorney with full powers of substitution to prosecute to a conclusion this his claim against the U. States for pension or B land or both if
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it may be, and to do all lawful things, he may do in the premises hereby certifying all his legal acts.
Thomas C. Holmes
Thomas Gwinn 

Witnesses
Jackson McGee             
Nath P. Wise

Sworn to, subscribed and acknowledged by the said Thomas C. Holmes alias Thomas Gwinn in my presence and in the presence
of the two witnesses aforesaid, and I do hereby certify that I believe the said affiant is of the age he sees he is, that he is the same person he swears he is, that he is known to me to be a truthful man that his memory appears to be good concerning every thing he speaks of
that he is in good health for one of his age. That I have full confidence in all that he has said of himself herein, and I further certify that
I have no interest whatever in this his said claim prepared by the within affiant. This seventeenth day of January A.D. 1854
David Mahan
Justice of the Peace
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State of Texas
County of Newton

I John Moore Clerk of the County Court
of Newton County do hereby certify that David McMahon was and is an acting Justice of the Peace in and for the County aforesaid. That his signature to the above certificate is genuine and worthy of credit. That I have no interest
whatever in the above claim for which the above affidavit was made.
In testimony I have hereunto set my hand and affixed the seal of the County Court of Newton County this the 19th day of January AD 1854

John Moore Clerk of the County Court of
Newton County Texas

Original
W. G. Pether
New York City

No. 38705
Thos C. Holmes
Thomas C. H (olmes - covered by seal)
June 7, 1832
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Thos. C. Holmes
alias
Thos. Gwinn

Rev. Act 1832
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Additional Evidence
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W. G. Snethen
Attorney
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The State of Texas
County of Newton

Before me John Moore an acting Justice of the peace in and for the State and County aforesaid Personally appeared W H J Holmes
a citizen of said State and County to me well known who being duly sworn according to Law deposes and says that he is fifty three years old and that he is the son of Thos C Holmes Senr who has always from said affiant earliest recollection claimed to have served in the Revolutionary war in the Second Regiment of South Carolina, that he served under the name of Guinn or Thomas Guinn and was employed during the whole of said war as an Express Rider and private. I have often a great number of times heard him give an account of Killing a british Captain to save the Life of I think Col Newry, and of General Marion giving
him the horse and Equipments of the said Captain for so doing, and he often years ago would Speak of Marian and his officers rejoicing when he Brought them their Commissions, he often told of the contrivances he used to keep the dispatches from falling into enemies hands in case he should be taken, and further that he the said affiant has has passed his whole life among good Riflemen
but never has known one who could equal his father in the quickness and certenty of his aim before he Lost his sight, that he and his Brothers had often, endeavoured to pursuade his father to apply for a pension but that he always Refused because he said he did not Serve for money and could get along without it, but that now he has become old and helpless and does need it.
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and affiant further says that he has often seen
a scar on his fathers knee which extends entirely across the knee and looks like the result of a verry bad wound which his said father has always declared he received in Battle during his Said Service in the Revolutionary war.
And also personally appeared before me
Charles Holmes a resident citizen of
the State and County aforesaid who being duly sworn according to Law deposes and says that he is forty three years old and a son of Thos C Holmes sen.r and the foregoing deposition of his brother W H J Holmes being read over to him, he Said affiant Says that his said father has always represented himself in the way therein set forth as far back as his recollection will extend, and that all of the facts thus set forth have ever been a tradition in the family
and further said Deponants say not

his mark - W. H. J. Holmes
his mark - Charles Holmes
In presence of
Geo. Dougherty
J.M. Dougharty

Sworn to and subscribed Before me this the 17th day of March AD 1855
John Moore Justice of the Peace
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The State of Texas
County of Newton

 I John Justice of the peace in and for the State and County aforesaid do certify that the above named W H J Holmes and Charles Holmes did on the day and year therein written Personally appear before me and being Sworn on the holy Evangelist of Almighty God make the above depositions which I Reduced to writing with my own hand and read over to them before their signing in presence of the subscribing witnesses, and I further certify
that I have no interest whatever in the matter
for which the Said affidavits were taken
John Moore Justice of the Peace

The State of Texas
County of Newton ⎬
 I John Moore Clerk of the County Court
of the County aforesaid do hereby certify that John Moore Esqr Before whom the foregoing affidavits were taken and whose Genuine Signature appears thereto is now and was at the date thereof an acting Justice of the peace in and for said County of Newton duly commissioned and Sworn as such and
full faith and credit is due his official acts
Given under my hand and the
Seal of the County Court
this the 17th day of March
A D 1855
John Moore Clerk
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REJECTED
5178

Thomas C. Holmes
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Thos B
Gwinn Holmes Texas - Act 1832
Papers I.N.W.
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No. 38,705
Thomas C. Holmes
(Crossed out B, replaced with a C)
Texas
5178
Let, to W.G.Snethen, 
March 6/54
Let. enter Ag. 29/55 

Revy. Act 7th June 1832
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Copied                    Pension Office
MMHF                       March 6, 1854

Sir, 
The affidavit of Thomas B. Holmes of the State of Texas, transmitted by you in support of a claim for pension in virtue of his revolutionary services has been received and filed.
Declarations for pensions under the Act of June 7, 1832 must be made before a Court of Record, and supported by record proof of service. There is no proof of this claimant's service on file in this office.
Very respectfully etc
W. G. Snethen Esqr
New York City
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Copied                     
MMHF
Pension Office
Aug 29, 1855
Sir
I have filed the joint affidavit of W. H. J. Holmes & Charles Holmes in support of the claim asserted by their father, Thomas C. Holmes, for the benefit of the Act of June 7, 1832, and you are informed that we cannot enter upon an examination of the case until a declaration is made by claimant before a
Court of Record, in the order indicated by the regulations herewith sent. His name is not borne on the Rolls of Marion's Corps in this office and if the claim is further prosecuted
proof of service should be sought in the office of the Comptroller of South Carolina, at Columbia. It may be well to add,
that the testimony of claimant's children, even if it could be proved (? badly written), does not show actual service but merely that their father told them he had served, etc.

W. G. Snethen Esq
New York