Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty Land Warrant Application File S. 31,980, for William Speares, Virginia
Page 1

Service  Va.                            Number S. 31.980
Speares, William
or 
Spears
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Georgia 16330
=================
William Spears
County of Franklin in the State of Geo
who was a pr & sergt in the --- commanded 
by Captain Takers of the Rgt commanded 
by Col Nevel in the VA
line for 15 mo. 20 days
==================
Inscribed on the Roll of Georgia
at the rate of 62 Dollars 22 cents per annum
to commence the 4th day of March, 1834
==================
Certificate of Pension issued the 30 day of July ''33 and sent to J.R. Stanford, Carnesville, Geo
===================
Arrears to 4th of March 1833            124.44
Semi-ant. allowance ending (illeg)      31.11
                                                           ====
                                                          $155.55
{Revolutionary Claim,
Act June 7, 1832}
Recorded by N. Rice - Clerk
Book E  Vol. 6  Page (103 or 113)

Handwritten Notation of facing page:
Death not on A B
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Declaration in order to obtain the benefit of the Act of Congress passed June 7, 1832.
State of Georgia 
Franklin County
On this sixth day of May in the year Eighteen hundred and thirty three personally appeared before the Court of Ordinary for the County and State aforesaid William Spears, a resident of Captain Edwards District in the County and State aforesaid, aged about Eight eight 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 entered the service of the United States under the following named officers, and served as herein stated (viz) That he entered the service of the United States in the year 1775 or 1776 as a volunteer in the militia of the State of Virginia in Amherst County as a Sergeant in Captain Tankerley's Company in Colonel Nevil's Regiment, and was marched to Powels Valley on the Frontiers of Virginia, where he remained as a guard six months, when he served six months as Sergeant he was discharged. He again entered the service in the year 1776 or 1777 in the Militia of the State of Virginia in Buckingham County, as a private in Captain John Bates Company in Col. Gabbel's Regiment, he was drafted to serve three months but was sick great part of the time and was out on furlough and had not recovered so as to return to camp where the other Militia drafted at the same time were discharged and therefore he received no discharge. He served twenty days before he was taken sick, as a private. He was again drafted in Buckingham County, aforesaid, on a call for four men from Captain Chambers Company of Militia, and served three months as a private as a guard to some Hessian prisoners at the Point of the Fork in Virginia, does not recollect the names of his officers but thinks he was under the command of Genl. Mecklinberg. He again served a three months tour as a private as a substitute for James Spears at Point of Fork under the same officers, as last above stated, in the year 1780. - About the first of January 1781 he again entered the service at Prince Edward Courthouse, Virginia as a volunteer under Captain William Cannon, and
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From thence was marched to meet Genl. Green at Guilford North Carolina and was in the battle at Guilford Court House, from thence he was marched to Deep or Rocky River N.C. where they found that Cornwallis had camped to avoid an attack. From thence he was marched back to his own state of Virginia, where he was discharged by his then Captain Allen (his first Captain having left the troops), which discharge is here to annexed. In this last tour he served three months as a private at Guilford, he was under the command of Col. Holcomb and Genl Lawson. He served in all as follows to wit - He served as a sergeant six months, and as a private twelve months, and for each service he claims a pension. He has no other documentary evidence than the discharge herewith enclosed and he knows of no person whose testimony he can procure who can testify to his services -  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 the Agency of any state. Does not know what has become of his Sergeant Warrant.
1. Was born in Amherst County Virginia as near as he recollects in the year 1745.
2. He does not know that there is any record of his age.
3. When first called into service was living in Buckingham County Virginia, where he lived until 1788, when he removed to Elbert County, Georgia, where he has resided ever since.
4. The Militia was drafted in Divisions of Companies, which Companies were to furnish a given number of Men, and he volunteered as one of the Men so called for. He was drafted at some times and served once as a substitute for my brother James Spears.
5. Does not recollect any of the names of the Regular officers except Genls. Green, & Mumford & Stevens, but does not recollect the rank of the last two.
6. Never received any other regular discharge than the one inclosed.
7. He is known to Nelson Osborn, James H. Little and Jesse Holbrook who can testify to his veracity.
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Sworn to and subscribed in open
Court, the day and year of aforesaid  
Tho. King, C.C.O. 

William Speares [signature]

We Nelson Osborn, a clergyman residing in the County of Franklin, State of Georgia, and James H. Little and Jesse Holbrook residing in
the same, hereby certify that we are well acquainted with William Spears who has subscribed and sworn to the above Declaration 
that we believe him to be about Eighty-eight years of age, that he is reputed and believed in the neighbourhood where he resides to have been a soldier in the Revolution & that we concur in that opinion.
Sworn & subscribed the day & year aforesaid.

Tho. King C.C.O [signature]
Nelson Osborn [signature]
James H. Little [signature]
Jesse Holbrook [signature]

And the said Court do hereby declare their opinion after [the investigation] bracketed words struck through putting the interrogatories prescribed by the War Department, that the above named applicant was a Revolutionary Soldier, and served as he states. And the Court further certifies that it appears to them that Nelson Osborn has signed the foregoing certificate as a clergyman who resided in the County of Franklin and that James H. Little and Jesse Holbrook who has also signed the same are residents of the neighbourhood of the said William Spears, and are creditable persons, and that their statement is entitled to credit.

Testee Tho. King C.C.O [signature]
Noah Looney, J.J.C.[signature]
A.E. Whitten J.J.C. [signature]
Robert Williams J.J.C. [signature]
Alvan Dean J.J.C. [signature]
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I Thomas KIng, Clerk of the Court of Ordinary, do hereby certify that the foregoing contains the original proceedings of the said Court in the matter of the application of William Spears for a pension. 

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand, & seal of office, this 6th day of May 1933.

[signature]
Tho King CCO
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January 25, 1940
BA-J/MCS
Wm. Speares, S.31980

Ethel Speer Dent
433 E. Spruce Avenue
Inglewood, California

Dear Madam:

Reference is made to your letter in which you request the Revolutionary War record of William Spears, pensioner in Franklin County, Georgia, in 1840, and in which you also request to know whether or not there are census records of 1810 showing the names of families of Franklin County, Georgia.

For information in regard to census records, you should apply to the Director of the United States Census Bureau, Commerce Department, Washington, D.C.

The data which follow were taken from papers on file in the pension claim, S.31980, based on the Revolutionary War service of William Speares (personal signature Speares but pensioned as Spears).

William Speares was born in 1745 in Amherst County, Virginia. The names of his parents are not shown.

While a resident of Buckingham County, Virginia, he enlisted and served with the Virginia troops as follows: six months in 1775 or 1776 as sergeamt om Captain Tankersley's Company in Colonel Nevil's Regiment; twenty days in 1776 or 1777 as private in Captain John Bates' Company in Colonel Cabel's Regiment; next served three months as private and was engaged in guarding Hessian prisoners at the Point of Fork in Virginia; in 1780 he served as substitute for his brother, James, for three months as private; from about January 1, 1781 until April 3, 1781, he served in Captains William Cannon's and Charles Allen's Companies in Colonel Holcombe's Regiment and was in the battle of Guilford Court House.

In 1788, William Speares moved to Elbert County, Georgia, and in 1798 or 1799 he moved to Franklin County, Georgia.
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William Speares was allowed pension on his application executed May 6, 1833, at which time he was living in Franklin County, Georgia, [aged about eighty-eight years] bracketed words are struck through. 

The reference to soldier's brother, James, is the only datum given relative to family.

In order to obtain the date of last payment of pension of William Spears, the name and address of the person paid and possibly the date of soldier's death, it is suggested that you address the Comptroller General, General Accounting Office, Records Division, Washington, D.C. giving the following data:

William Spears, Certificate 16330, issued July 30, 1833, rate $62.22 per annum, commenced March 4, 1831, Act of June 7, 1832, Georgia Agency.

Very truly yours
A.D. HILLER
Executive Assistant
to the Administrator
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Discharge
William Speares
S.7. 31980
Virginia
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This is to Certify that William Spears a Soldier from Buckingham County in Col. Holcombs Regt. having served his tour is hereby Discharged 
Given under my hand this 3rd day of April 1781
Chas Allen Capt.