Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty Land Warrant Application File S. 8074, Joshua Blake, N.C.
Page 1

(3 - 1776)

SERVICE
N.C.

Blake, Joshua

NUMBER
S. 8074.

Carded

CONTENTS
[blank]
Page 2

23. 431
North Carolina
Joshua Blake
of Duplin in the State of N. Caro.
who was a pr: in the [blank] commanded
by Captain ----- of the Reg commanded
by Col Kenan in the N. Caro.
line for  14 1/2 mo:

Inscribed on the Roll of N. Carolina
the rate of 48 Dollars 32 Cents per ann.
to commence on the 4th day of March, 1831.

Certificate of Pension issued the 20 day of June, and sent Hon J. McRay HR [House of Representatives]

Arrears to the 4th of Sept 1832       120.80
Com-anl. allowance ending 4 Mar 34 
                                                          21. 16
[total]                                               $144.96

{Revolutionary Claim, Act June 7, 1832.}
Recorded by Nath Rice - Clerk,
Book [blank] Vol. 6 1/2 Page 46
Page 3

Rev War
8074

INVALID.
File N. 8074
Joshua Blake
Blake
Pri Rev War
---
Act: June 7th 1832
Index: - Vol. 1st, Page 35
{Arrangement of 1870.}
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Admit as a private
14 1/2 months $48.82
4466
164
32
Hon. J. McKay
H R [House of Representatives]
N.C.
Page 5

State of North Carolina
Duplin County ss.
On this the 16th day of September A.D. 1833 before us Gibson Sloan and John Linton two of the acting Justices of the Peace in and for said
County personally appeared Joshua Blake a
resident of Duplin County in the State of North Carolina aged ninety eight years and some months 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 7th 1832.
That he entered the service of the United States under the following named officers & served as herein stated 1st Under Col. James Kenan, Major Abraham Moulton, Capt Frederick Wells, Lieut Aaron Williams in November 1775 and served three months as a
private, it being in a company of Duplin militia, that he was a volunteer, and marched from Duplin across South River at Stewarts ferry and Cape Fear at Waddell's ferry below Elizabeth
thence up Cape Fear to Rockfish bridge about seven miles below Cross Creek now Fayetteville, thence down Cape Fear again to out of the tories [sic] from Wilmington, and across to Moores Creek bridge, where he arrived the same day a battle was fought there though after it was over, between the Americans under Col  Lillington and Caswell and the tories [sic] under Capt McLeod, that he was then discharged; that there were troops at Rockfish and were called continentals but does not know the names of any of the officers who commanded them; that he has no documentary evidence and knows of no person by whom he can prove this service
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2. He was drafted and served three months in a
company of Duplin militia under Capt Sampson
Grimes, Lieut Seaton Bluford in a regiment commanded by Col Avery, - Johnson Adjutant, he entered this service in December 1776 and left it in March or April 1777 as well as he can recollect; that after he marched to the vicinity of Charleston he was attached to a brigade commanded by Gen Lillington; that he marched from Wilmington into Brunswick County, thence to Georgetown in South Carolina, thence to a Bacon's bridge, thence to the vicinity of Charleston where he continued till his term was out, I thence marched to Monk's corner and discharged; that while he was stationed near Charleston the British raised
a fortification on the opposite side of Ashley River, and commenced cannonading the American army with heated balls; that an American ship of War went up Ashley River, fired upon the fortification, tore it up and
drove the enemy from their fort; that he served with continental regiments on the borders of Charleston under the command of Gen Lincoln; that he has no documentary evidence and knows of no person whose testimony he can procure to prove his service.
3. In a company of Duplin Cavalry under Captain Robert Merritt, King Vann Lieut in September he thinks in the year 1779 and served three months as a private; that he was sometimes under the command of Col Thomas Bludworth, that he was a volunteer; that he was in a skirmish with the tories [sic] at Bennett Smith's on South River where a private named David Tucker was wounded in the thigh; that their marches were in Duplin, Bladen & New Hanover Counties, that he served a tour of duty under Capt David Dodd which this applicant thinks was previous to this under Capt Merritt, that he has no documentary evidence, but thinks he can prove his service by Arthur Matthis of this County
4. That he volunteered in a company of Duplin cavalry
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under Captain David Dodd in a regiment commanded by Col James Moore, the other officers he forgets, in the fall and he thinks in the year 1778 and served three months as a private that he was in two skirmishes with the tories [sic] one at old Alberts over the North East River, where Captain Dodd killed one, and in one at Capt [John C. "Shay'] Williams' where two of the tories [sic] were killed; that his marches were confined to Duplin County; that he has no documentary evidence and knows of no person by whom he can prove this service.
5. in a company of Duplin militia as a volunteer
under Capt Aaron Williams, David Williams Lieut., Joseph Williams Ensign in a regiment commanded by Col James Kenan, Abraham Moulton Major and served two and a half months; that he entered this service in December 1780 and was taken sick and discharged after having served the time aforesaid; that while he was out in this service, there was a a battle near the Big Bridge in New Hanover County with the enemy, and the Americans defeated, on the East side of the River, this applicant being stationed on the West side; that he marched from Duplin to
the Big Bridge where he remained till taken sick and discharged; that he has no documentary evidence and knows of no person by whom he can prove this service
Answers of Joshua Blake the aforesaid applicant to the questions propounded to him as prescribed by the War Department
1. was born in Craven County N.C. in 1735
2. I have no record of my age now I once had but it is lost
3 When called into service I was living in Duplin County N.C. not far from where I now live; I have ever since the Revolutionary war lived in Duplin County and I now live in Duplin County. 4. I refer to my declaration.
5. The only regular officer whose name I can recollect who were with the troops where I served is Gen Lincoln, & in further reply to this question I refer to my declaration
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C. I received a discharge from Capt Grimes and one from Col James Kenan at the Big Bridge which I took no care of and have lost.
7. Rev. Peter Carlton, William Stokes, Gibson Sloan, John Linton Esquire, Rev. Geo. W. Hufham, Timothy Newkirk, Thomas Wells & many others.
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
Sworn to & subscribed the day & year aforesaid
Joshua Blake
X
his mark

Gibson Sloan J. P.
John Linton J. P.
Joshua Blake
mark
We Peter Carlton a Clergyman residing in the County of Duplin and Thomas Wills residing in the same hereby certify that we are well acquainted with Joshua Blake who has subscribed and sworn to the above declaration; that we believe him to be ninety eight years of age; that he is reputed and believed in the neighbourhood [sic] where he resides to have been a soldier of the Revolution and that we concur in that opinion
Sworn & subscribed the day & year aforesaid 
Peter Carlton
Thomas Wells

On the day & year aforesaid before us the Justices of the peace aforesaid personally appeared Arthur Matthis a resident in County in the State aforesaid aged seventy two years who being first duly sworn doth on his oath depose and say that he served three months in a company of Duplin cavalry under Capt Robert Merritt, King Vann Lieut in the fall of 1779 as he believes with Joshua Blake the aforesaid applicant with whom he is well acquainted & knew during the Revolutionary war, that in the service aforesaid with said applicant there was a skirmish with the tories [sic] on South River
and one David Tucker wounded in the high
Sworn to & subscribed the day year aforesaid
Arthur Matthis
X
his mark

Test.
Gibson Sloan J P
John Linton J P
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And we Gibson Sloan & John Linton the Justices of the Peace aforesaid do hereby declare it our opinion after the investigation of the matter and after putting the interrogatories prescribed by the War Department that the above named applicant was a Revolutionary
soldier and served as he states and we do further certify that it is well known to us that Peter Carlton who has subscribed and sworn to the preceding certificate is a clergyman resident in the County of Duplin and that Thomas Wells who has also signed the same is also a resident in the County of Duplin and a
credible person and that their statement is entitled to credit and we do further certify that Arthur Matthis who has sworn to and subscribed the preceding affidavit is a resident of Duplin County aged about seventy two years well known to us and entitled to full faith
and credit, and that Joshua Blake the aforesaid
applicant cannot from bodily infirmity attend Court.
Given under our hands
Gibson Sloan J. P.
John Linton J. P.

I John Watkins Clerk of the Court of Pleas and
Quarter Sessions for Duplin County hereby certify that Gibson Sloan before whom the foregoing declaration certificate and affidavit were Sworn to and subscribed and whose signatures appear to the above certificate are and were at that time acting Justices of the Peace in and for said County duly qualified
and authorised [sic] to administer oaths and that the foregoing signatures purporting to be theirs are genuine
In Testimony whereof I have hereunto affixed my seal of office and subscribed my name this 24th day of Sept A.D. 1833 and in the 58th Year of American Independance [si]
Jno. Watkins Clk
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State of North Carolina
Duplin County

On this the 20th day of December 1833 before the Subscriber a Justice of the Peace in and for
said County personally appeared James Blanton a resident of Duplin County N.C. aged seventy years next March who being duly sworn doth on his oath depose and say that he is well acquainted with Joshua Blake the above named applicant also a resident of Duplin County aged nearly one hundred years and
although of the said deponent served the same time and under the same Captain to wit under captain Aaron Williams the last of 1780 and first of 1781 and in the same manner as is above stated by said applicant yet I have no distinct recollection of him in that service but I believe he was there and served as he has stated. He further swears that he distinctly recollects of serving with said applicant three
months in a company of Duplin Cavalry commencing about the time Cornwallis & his army passed through this section to Petersburg Virginia, in the spring of 1781 under Captain Aaron Williams in a regiment commanded by Col James Kenan and was in a skirmish with the enemy at Rockfish bridge commanded by Major [James H.] Craig & Manson and the Americans defeated, and although said applicant has not mentioned this tour of duty, this deponent is certain that he served it.
James Blanton
X
his mark

Sworn & Subscribed the day & year aforesaid and I hereby certify that James Blanton the said deponent is well known to me & is entitled to full faith and credit
Alfred Ward J P
J