Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty Land Warrant Application File S. 31,611, Benjamin Clark, N.C.
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(3-1776)

SERVICE
N. C. 

Clark, Benjamin
or
Clarke

NUMBER 
S.  31. 611

CONTENTS
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25. 799

Arkansas Territory
Benjamin Clarke  Penr.
of Hempstead Co in the State of Arkansas Ty.
who was a Pri  in the Company commanded 
by Captain Williams of the Regt commanded 
by Col Moore in the N Carolina
Militia.

1 Yr Private $40.00

Inscribed o the Roll of Arkansas Ty.
at the rate of $40 Dollars - Cents per annum
to commence on the 4th day of march, 1831.

Certificate of Pension issued the 5th day of Jany and Sent to   1834  Hon. A. H. Sevier, H of Rep

Arrears to the 4th of Sept 1833          $100.00
Semi-anl. allowance ending 4 Mch '34   20.00
                                                             _________
                                                            $120.00

{ Revolutionary Claim, }
{ Act June 7, 1832. }

Recorded by  John J. Spraque Clerk
Book  E  Vol. 8   Page 137.

Sent letter 21 June '34
to Hon. J. Grandy

Date of Death not on ab
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United States of America
Territory of Arkansas
County of Hempstead
On this third day of October in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and thirty two personally appeared in Open Court before the Honorable Thomas P. Eskridge one of the Judges of the Superior Court of the Territory of Arkansas aforesaid and Sole Judge now sitting and presiding in the Circuit Court holden in and for the County of Hempstead aforesaid Benjamin Clark Senior, a resident in the County of Hampstead and Territory of Arkansas aged about seventy four 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 7th 1832
That from the best in formation in his possession or power, he was born in or about the month of January in the year of our Lord 1758, in Dobbs County in the State of North Carolina, whence his parents removed when
he was about one year old to Duplin County also in the State of North Carolina where he was raised and lived during the American Revolution. That about the time or shortly after the cessation of hostilities, and the declaration of peace, he removed from the said County of Duplin to Sampson County, also in the State of
North Carolina where he resided for some three or four years, and then removed to Edgefield District or County in the State of South Carolina - that he resided in Edgefield aforesaid nine or ten years, and removed thence to Logan County in the State of Kentucky, where he resided about eighteen months and removed
thence to Sumner County in the State of Tennessee where he resided about one year and removed thence to Wilson County in the said State of Tennessee, in which County he resided at the same place about nineteen or twenty years, and removed thence to the
County of Arkansas in the then Territory of Missouri and settled at a place now embraced within the County of Hampstead in the territory of Arkansas, that he resided in the County of Hempstead aforesaid, until about the year A.D. 1826, and that he the removed to a place at the time of his said removal also situated in Hempstead County, but which upon the establishment of Sevier
County was embraced within its limits - that he lived in said County of Sevier Until the year 1831 in which year he again removed to the said County of Hempstead in
resides; That from lapse of time, age and infirmity he finds himself unable to recall to memory the particular dates, or terms of service performed by him during the war of the revolution; That he believes
he entered the service of the United States, as a militiaman, in the
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[Declaration page 2]

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Militia of the State of North Carolina, at the time under the Command of Colonel James Kenan; about the year 1775 or 1776. That he joined the infantry under the Command of said [James] Kenan and was stationed during the principal part of the first tour or campaign which he served, near Wilmington in [New] Hanover County in the State of North Carolina, on or near a small water course called Juniper Run which empties into Cape Fear River on the north side below Wilmington and that he believes his said tour was for three months and that he served the same as a  mere private, 

that whilst he was stationed near Wilmington as aforesaid there was with the Corps there stationed two officers of the Continental line; named Pinckney then engaged in the recruiting service He believes that at or about the time he was stationed near Wilmington [NC], there was some Continental troops at Wilmington Commanded by a Colonel or General [James] Moore That at the expiration of the term for which the Militia under the Command of Colonel [James] Kenan had engaged there being no troops present to relieve them the One half of the Command as he believes were required to remain in the service whether they remained as volunteers or were drafted He cannot say - 

but he again engaged in the service with those of Colonel [James] Kenan's Command who were required to remain, and substitute in his place a man by the name of Samuel Oats and thereupon left the service and returned to his home in Duplin County [NC] aforesaid he believes that at the time he substituted Oats in his place he had engaged for a tour of three months as a private

He also states that he engaged as a volunteer in the Militia and served another tour ,as a private in a Corps of infantry Commanded by Colonel James Kenan, Major James Moore at the time belonged to the same Corps and acted as Major, that he was stationed during some part of this tour at Rock Fish Creek [Rockfish Creek, NC] about seven miles below Fayetteville in North Carolina, that during the time he was so stationed at Rock fish Creek [Rockfish], the British forces Commanded by McDonald and McCloud were at Cross Creek or Fayetteville, and he is certain that at the same time there was some Continental forces with the Militia, under Colonel [James] Kenan Command,

Commanded at the time by Colonel or General [James] Moore during this tour last mentioned.
he served in the Company Commanded by Capt. Michael King in the first and last instances above  mentioned he was enrolled in  the said County of Duplin [NC], and that in the last instance he served until the Militia with whom he was, were disbanded and discharged but he  the cannot recollect the length of time he served

He further states that on another occasion he enrolled himself as a volunteer in the Militia of said state of North Carolina in the horse of Cavalry Company Commanded by Capt Daniel Williams, he believes saod Williams had previously served and commanded a company in the Continental line, and that at the time he enrolled
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himself in the Company of Cavalry Commanded by Capt. Daniel Williams Col. James Kean, had command of the Regiment of Cavalry to which
said Williams Company was attached, and that Michael Kennan was Quarter Master to said Corps, Commanded by Col James Keenan, and that after he had enrolled himself as aforesaid and previous to starting on the company he was appointed by Col Kenan, Quarter Master Sergeant, and that he served in that character, in the several tours here next mentioned as well as the tour for which he
was then engaged, - that the Cavalry to which he belonged, then Commanded by Col Kenan, marched into the State of South Carolina and ranged on both sides of the big Pee Dee, up and down the same, and joined on their march a troop of Cavalry Commanded by a Colonel Wade, but they did not remain long together - that after
the corps to which he belonged had for some time, marched and ranged on the waters of the Pee Dee, they were joined by General Arrington  or Harrington, who assumed the command for a time of the Corps united -he distinctly recollects that said General, at the time had with him
 aid de camp by the name of McIntosh, - he believes that he volunteered as aforesaid in Capt. William's Company for a tour of three months and that he served as above stated the full term if not
longer.- He further states that as quarter Master Sergeant he served  another tour with a corps of troops commanded by General Lillington with which corps was at the time, Colonel Brown, Major
Watson and Captain Love they marched from the County of Duplin to the Pee Dee, and ranged the country on the Pee Dee, he cannot say whether they passed into the State of South Carolina or not, - he states that during this service, the troops under the command of General Green, were a part of the time encamped at Guilford Court house -
that he accompanied Col. Brown who was sent with an express from General Lillington to General Green, whilst Genl Green was encamped at Guilford Court house, and that upon the return of
Col. Brown and himself to the encampment of General Lillington the troops under the command of General Lillington were immediately marched down near to Wilmington and encamped on the
opposite side (from Wilmington) of the North east fork of Cape Fear river, that while the main body of Lillington's Command was there encamped, Col. Brown with his command were ordered to
cross the river above Wilmington and reconnoiter the enemy's forces then at Wilmington, commanded he thinks by a man by the name of Gray or Gregg - that he went with and under the
command of Col. Brown, he distinctly recollects that Col Brown did engage  the enemy about ten miles below Wilmington near the bridge on the northeast foc and after a Sharp
Contest was compelled to retreat and that he was with Col Brown's command during the engagement and retreat, and that he served at this time a tour of three months further states that
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during the campaign next previous to the one last mentioned, that is to say the campaign which he made with and under Col. Kenan, as above stated a number of prisoners were taken, and carried by the order of Col Kenan to his Col. Kenans residence in Duplin County in North Carolina, and were there detained under guard by the order of Col. Kenan, and that he was ordered by Col. Kenan to remain with the guard and aid in guarding said prisoners and that he remained with the guard until the prisoners were removed but he is now unable to state the length of time they remained at Col. Kenans as aforesaid. He further states that he served another tour with Captains Williams and Dodd, that they were some part of the time on the waters of a creek called the little Coharrie, and on the waters of black or south river, in North Carolina, that during this tour they were joined by a Major Dougherty. he cannot recollect whether Dougherty at the time had the command of said companies or not, or how long he was in actual service a this time, but he recollects distinctly that during this tour Capt Dodd, shot out of a tree a certain commander of some tories by the name of Hall, he further states that about the same time he served several other tours in the same quarter or section of country the length or number of which he cannot recollect but he believes they were of short duration and he does not recollect the name of any officers then in command with or under whom he served. He further states that he served another tour, with a Corps commanded by Lieutenant Colonel James More of Duplin County and that there was a Captain belonging  to said Corps by the name of Asher Pipkin, and that they were marched from Duplin County to town creek below Wilmington, which he believes to have been about the time the British left Wilmington, and that he was in the service at that time about three months. also that he served another tour in company with Captain Pipkin, but the length of time which he served on said tour he cannot recollect, he believes that it was a short tour, that he served another tour with a Corps which he thinks was commanded at the time by Col. Kenan, that during this tour they had several skirmishes with the enemy, in Hanover County in North Carolina he believes the enemy there was at that time under the command of a man named Mobley - in one of said skirmishes they took prisoner a Capt. Goff. the length of time which he served on this campaign he cannot recollect. He further stats that he served another tour with a Corps, one company of which was commanded by Capt. Dodd, in whose company there was a Lieutenant Armstrong. during said tour the said Corps was most of the time in Duplin County North Carolina on the waters of a stream called the North east. he does not recollect what length
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of time he served on said tour, that he served another tour with a Corps, in which Captains David Dodd and Thomas James commanded two of the companies, that this tour was exclusively directed against the tories, in Duplin and the surrounding counties in North Carolina, and that the Corps with which he served had a skirmish with some tories then embodied at One Alden's he cannot recollect the length of time which he served on said tour. He further states that he served the several tours above mentioned previously to Lord Cornwallis, with the troops under his command passing through the state of North Carolina, in the direction of the state of Virginia, and that shortly after Cornwallis had passed through North Carolina as aforesaid, Col. James Kenan ordered his brother Michael Kenan, to raise some men in the County of Duplin aforesaid, for the purpose of taking from such persons as had taken parol of Lord Cornwallis their parols that a troop was raised accordingly by the said Michael Kenan by whom the said troop was also commanded and that he volunteered and joined said troop and performed another tour of service of considerable length, but the time he cannot state. He further states that during the time he was engaged in the service as above stated he at all times after he joined the Cavalry or horse as above stated furnished and rode his own horse, And that during the time he received several discharges, though he believes he did not at the end of each tour take any regular discharge and he is now unable to state for what tours or of what officers he did take a discharge. And he gives it as his opinion that at the close of the war he had at least seven or eight regular discharges signed by the proper officers, And that after the close of the war Auditors were appointed to examine and adjust the accounts of the Militia for services rendered in the war, and that he placed his discharges in the hands of Colonel William Dickson of Duplin County aforesaid his neighbor who was appointed one of said auditors, to take and present the same to the board of Auditors for adjustment that said Dickson took the same for that and for no other purpose, and that said Dickson when he returned home from his service as auditor as aforesaid gave it as his opinion that some person of the same name had applied to the
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said board of Auditors and got the ticket to which he was entitled, and that neither the discharges or ticket could afterwards be found in the office of said Auditors or among their files. He further states that he never sold his claim upon the Government for compensation for his said services or otherwise disposed of the same than as above mentioned, and that he has never received any compensation whatever from the government or any other source whatever therefor. He further states that no sum of money could induce him to say that he either did or did not serve two years in all of the several tours above mentioned, and that his recollection does not serve him so as to enable him to state what length of time he was actually engaged in the service of the United States - 

He further states that he had a written appointment to the office of Quarter Master Sergeant, which was signed by Colonel James Keenan, which he believes he handed to Colonel William Dickson with his discharges aforesaid to be by him presented to the Auditors aforesaid, and that it was lost with them; if not so he is unable to state what
has become of it; He further states that he does not know of any individual living who has any personal knowledge of the services before mentioned rendered by him - that about two years since there was a man living in Phillips County in this Territory by the name of John Ward who personally knew of his services aforesaid having been rendered - he was about two years older than this applicant and
extremely feeble and almost blind when he last heard of him, and was then represented as rapidly declining and he supposes him dead but has not heard any thing of him for about two years - He further states that he has not any record of his age except one made by himself about twenty years and which is now he believes in the possession of his son Gilbert Clark, in Sevier County Arkansas Territory and that he has no knowledge of the existence of any other record thereof - He further states, that he is in his present neighborhood known to the Reverend John Henry, the reverend Joseph Reed, to  William McDonald, to whom he refers and who can testify as to his character for veracity and their belief of his
services as a soldier of the revolution - He further states that 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, and that hitherto he never has claimed any pension or annuity whatever
Benjamin Clark
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We Joseph Reed a Clergyman residing in the County of Hampstead and Territory of Arkansas, and William Yates, and William McDonald, also residing in the County of Hampstead and Territory of Arkansas aforesaid, hereby certify that we are well acquainted with Benjamin Clark Senior of the County and Territory aforesaid who has subscribed and sworn to the above and foregoing declaration: That we believe him to be seventy four or seventy five years of age: That he is reputed and believed in the neighborhood where he resides to have been a soldier of the Revolution and that we concur in that opinion. Sworn to and subscribed in open court this 10th day of October A.D. 1832
Joseph Reed
W Yats
Wm McDonald

I Thomas P Eskridge one of the Judges of the Superior Court of the Territory of Arkansas assigned by law to hold circuit courts in said Territory and now holding and sitting and presiding as sole Judge in and for the Circuit Court of the County of Hampstead in the Territory aforsaid, do hereby declare my opinion after the investigation of the matter and after putting the interrogatories prescribed by the War department that Benjamin Clark Senior the above named applicant was a revolutionary soldier and served as he states And I do further certify that it appears to me that Joseph Reed who has signed the preceding certificate is a clergyman resident in the said County of Hampstead and Territory of Arkansas, and that William Gates and William McDonald who have also signed the same are residents in the County of Hampstead aforesaid and are credible persons and that their statement is entitled to credit, done in open Court this 13th day of October in the year AD 1832
Tho P. Eskridge
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Benjamin Clarke
Arkansas Territory

Return 
$40 per annum

Hon A H Sevier
Ho of Representative

                       -
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September 8, 1937
Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
BA-J/EEL
Benjamin Clarke-S.31611

Mrs. Olin L. Crook
Box 226
Marlin, Texas

Dear Madam:
     Reference is made to your letter in which you request the Revolutionary War record of Benjamin Clark, Senior, born in North Carolina, later lived in other southern states.

     The data which follow were obtained from the paper on file in Revolutionary War pension claim, S.31611, based upon the military service in that war of Benjamin Clark.

     Benjamin Clark was born in January, 1758, in Dobbs County, North Carolina, and when about one year old, his parents, whose names are not given, moved to Dublin County, that state.

     Benjamin Clark enlisted in 1775 or1776, in said Dublin County, where he was then residing, and served at various times as private and quartermaster under Captains Michael King, Daniel Williams, Love, Dodd, Pipkin, Mobley and Thomas James, Colonels James Keenan’s Brown and James Moore in the North Carolina troops and was in the battle at Cape Fear River and in some skirmishes.  The length of his service is not stated.

     After the Revolution, he lived in Sampson County, North Carolina;  in Edgefield District, South Carolina; in Logan County, Kentucky; Sumner and Wilson Counties, Tennessee; in Arkansas County, Missouri Territory, which was later Hempstead County, Arkansas and in Sevier County, Arkansas.

     He was allowed pension on his application executed October 3, 1832, while residing in Hempstead, Arkansas.   At that time , he was referred to as Benjamin Clark, Senior.

     A son, Gilbert Clark, is referred to.   No names of any other children are given and the name of soldier’s wife is not shown.

                         Very truly yours

                         A.D. HILLER
                        Executive Assistant
                        To the Administrator.
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     Benjamin Clark was allowed pension on his application executed October 3, 1832, while residing in Hempstead County, Arkansas.   At that time he was referred to as Benjamin Clark, Senior.

     A son, Gilbert, is referred to.   His age is not stated nor is the name of his mother shown and there are no further family data. 

     It is regretted that your letter could not have been answered sooner.

                           Very truly yours

                           A.D. HILLER
                           Assistant to Administrator.
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     He was allowed pension on his application executed October 3, 1832, at which time he was a resident of Hempstead County, Arkansas.
     The name of the soldier’s wife was not given.  A son Gilbert is referred to.  There are no further family data.

                          Very truly yours,


                           EARL D. CHURCH
                           Commissioner.
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[left hand page]
31611
Revy
INVALID. 
File No. 31,611
Benjamin Clark
Priv. Rev War
Act: June 7th 32 [1832]
Index:- Vol. 2, Page 74
[Arrangement of 1870.]

[right hand page]
1922 Jan 21. Hist to Mrs. M. Hopkins aw.
1929 Oct 11, Hist to Mrs. Charles M. Clark MEE
1931 Dec. 4 Hist to Memorial Branch War Dept 
1934 Apr 12 Hist to Mrs ? A. Yates EEk
1937 July 28 [Hist to] [illegible] C. Moore Es
1937 Sept 8 [Hist to] Mrs Olin L. Crowl ES
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    Relative to this application address
Allen M. Oakley
Kansas Tenitay