Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty Land Warrant Application File S. 32432, for John Painter, North Carolina
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(3 - 1776)
SERVICE
N.C.
Painter, John
Or Panter
NUMBER
S.32432
CONTENTS
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Illinois. 30.940
John Painter
Greene County in the State of Illinois, Who was a Private in the Company commanded by Captain Robinson of the Regiment commanded by Col. McDowell in the North Carolina line for six months.
Inscribed on the Roll of Illinois at the rate of 20 Dollars - Cents per annum, to commence on the 4th day of March, 1831. Certificate of Pension issued the 7 day of January 1837 and sent to A.W. Cavarly, Esq. Carrollton.
Arrears to the 4th of September 1836 $110
Semi-annual. allowance ending 4 March 1837 $10
$120
{Revolutionary Claim Act June 7, 1832}
Recorded by William Allison, Clerk
Book E, Vol.8, Page 129
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State of Illinois
Greene County
On this 6th day of September one thousand eight hundred and thirty six, personally appeared in open Court before the County Commissioners Court of said County now sitting John Painter a resident of said Green County and State aforesaid aged eighty two 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 seventh 1832.
That he entered the service of the United States in the year 1779. During which year this deponent does not recollect under Captain John Robinson and served in the North Carolina Line from the time he entered the service until he was finally discharged by Genl Green at Charlotte, Mecklenburg County, North Carolina in the year 1781 after the surrender of Lord Cornwallis at Yorktown. This deponent says that at the time he went into the service under Capt Robinson, William Davidson was Brigadier General, and Joseph McDowell was Colonel under which officers this deponent served, under the command of Genl Davidson Col McDowell and Captain Robinson I was marched on to the Catawba River at Battys ford where we had a Battle with the British army under the command of Lord Cornwallis, where after a
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Defense of the ford, Lord General Davidson was killed and we were compelled to retreat, with some loss. This battle was fought by the Militia, and in this engagement Col Hall of the British army was killed. From this defeat we were marched to Charlotte Michenburgh County North Carolina where we remained in camp until the spring of 1780 when I was transferred to the Company of Captain Culberson, General Gates and the Baron DeCalbwere the General Officers. Under the officers I was marched with the army to Camden in South Carolina where we fought a Battle with the British to under the command of Lord Cornwallis some time in August 1780 and were defeated.
Immediately after this battle we retreated back to Charlotte, and soon afterwards was under the command of Genl Marion, until Genl Green took the command in the winter of 1780. I was still in Capt. Culversons Company, and under the command of General Greene and was march with the army to the Cheraw Hills in North Carolina from thence we marched into Virginia where we received reinforcements and then marched back to North Carolina and after a series of movements we reached Guilford in March 1781, where we were encamped within a few
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miles of the British army under Lord Cornwallis and the next day the British Army advised upon the American Army and after a hard fought battle General Green ordered a retreat, and after falling back a few miles our army was again drawn up for battle, but the British army did not pursue us, but retreated, and as soon as our army got supplies of provisions we pursued Lord Cornwallis as far as Ramsey Mills where we were halted for about three weeks, from this place we marched back to Hobkirks Hill near Camden, and
soon afterwards we were attacked by the British army under the command of [Illegible] and after a hard fought battle we were compelled to retreat. This battle was fought as well as my memory serves me in April 1781. From Camden we were march by Genl Green to ninety six, where we besieged the place for near four weeks, when we were ordered by Genl. Greene to take the Garrison by storm. This was a bloody business in which we lost a great many men, and we were compelled to raise the siege and retreat. We were were then marched over the [Illegible]
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and we recrossed the Saluda and pursued Lord Rawdon but we were unable to bring him into another engagement, until sometime in September we assembled all the American forces and attacked the British Army under Col. Stewart (if my memory serves) at the Eutaw Springs here we were commanded by Gen Green and I was under the same Captain Culverson.
Gen Marion was also with us, and commanded the North Carolina Militia to which I belonged. This battle was severe, and the day was excessively hot, and we had the satisfaction of claiming the victory, though at a loss of a good many of our brave men.
We left the field the field of battle and encamped for the night about one mile off. The next day we marched over the battle ground in pursuing the British Army who had retreated towards Charleston, followed the enemy to Monks corner about sixty miles from the Eutaw Springs, but the enemy eluded our pursuit and we saw [none of them].
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We remained at Monks corner about three weeks and then went back to Charlotte in Mecklenburg County, North Carolina, where we were encamped for seven weeks, and then we were disbanded, and I returned home.
I have omitted to state in its proper place that a battle was fought by the American forces under General Marion, in which I took part, after the suspension of Gates and before General Greene took command of the southern army. This battle was fought by our army with a party of Tories and British in South Carolina near a Tory plantation in the night where we killed forty three, and took two hundred horses and their equipage, and as many guns.
This deponent says he was a citizen of Lincoln County North Carolina when he entered the service and lived on the South York of the Catawba river. This deponent further says that he
entered the service as a volunteer in the North Carolina Line, in the 1779, and remained in  service as stated in the foregoing declaration until the after the Battle of Yorktown, and was at no time out of service except
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At short intervals to procure supplies of clothing.
This deponent states that he was born in 1754 in Lincoln County North Carolina when he lived until 1785, when I removed with his family to Rutherford County Tennessee where he lived 12 years, from thence he removed to Madison County, Illinois where he lived four years, and thence to Green County where he now lives and where he has resided for the last fifteen years.
I have no record of my age here, but I believe there is one in my fathers family Bible in North Carolina, if its not destroyed.
I never received any written discharge nor do I know of any person now living by whom I can prove my services in the Revolutionary War.
I entered the service of the revolutionary War as a private and so continued through the war on three months tours, and when the time of service expired, I uniformly volunteered again, and so continued without returning home until the war closed.
This deponent hereby relinquishes every claim whatever to a pension or annuity except the present and declares that his name is not on the Pension
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Roll of the agency of any State.
Sworn to an subscribed the day and year aforesaid.
John Painter

We, Charles Ketchens, a clergyman residing in the County and State aforesaid, and Jacob Fry of the same County, hereby certify that we are well acquainted with John Painter who has subscribed and sworn to the above declaration; that we believe him to be Eighty two 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.
Charles Kitchens, Clergyman
Jacob Fry
And the said County Commissioners Court aforesaid do hereby declare their opinion after the investigation of the matter and after putting the interrogatories required and 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 Charles Kitchens who has subscribed the preceding certificate is a Clergymen and resident.
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in the County of Greene and State of Illinois and that Jacob Fry who has also signed the same is a resident in the same County & State is a credible person and that their statements entitled to credit.
Cyrus Tolman
Alexander King
Thomas Dow
County Commsioners

I, Moses O. Bledso, Clerk of the County Commissioners Court of said Greene County do hereby certify that the foregoing contains the original proceedings of the said Court in the matter of the application of John Painter for a pension.
In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal of Office this sixth day of September 1836.
Moses Bledso, Clerk
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Revolutionary Invalid
No. 32,432
John Painter
Private Revolutionary War
Act: June 7, 1832
Index:-Vol. 2, Page 315
[Arrangement of 1870]
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Suspended 
Letter 11 January 1836
A. W. Cavarly 
3 October 1836
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Declaration of John Painter
State of Illinois
Greene County
Be it remembered that on this tenth day of September 1835 personally appeared before the same being a Court of Record the County Commissioners Court of said Greene County now in session John Painter a citizen of said County & aged at this time eighty one years, who being first duly sworn according to law in open Court, doth on his oath make the following Declaration in order to obtain the benefit of the provisions made by the act of That he and Congress passed June 7th 1832. That [the said John Painter entered] service of the United States as a volunteer in the Revolutionary war sometime in the year 1776, and served in the war against the Indians in North Carolina under the command of Capt John Robinson, our Colonel’s name was Joseph McDowell, and under Genl Charles McDowell, in which service I remained about one year. We fought the Indians on French broad river and its branches. 
After which I served under the same Captain and our General was Davidson we marched from Burk Court house in North Carolina to Ramsaw Mills in Lincoln County in the summer of 1780 where we had a battle with the  Tories under the command of Genl John More in which battle willed took the whole Tory forces. From thence we marched to Batys ford on the Catawba River where we had a battle with the British troops when Genl Davidson fell in battle crossing the river to charge the Enemy, after Genl Davidson was shed we recrossed the river and retreated back to Charlotte Court house in Mecklenburg County and State of North Carolina where we remained several days, here I was
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transferred under the command of Capt. John Culvertson and General Marion, under Gen Marion we had a number of skirmishes with parties in any of these skirmishes we surprised and killed, upwards of twenty and took British & Tories [captive]. After which in the fall General Gates & DeKalb took the command four troops and we marched to Camden in South Carolina where we had a battle with the British troops under Lord Cornwallis. Here Genl DeKalb was killed and we retread back upon Charlotte under Gen Gates, Here we remained until Gen N. Greene took the command of our troop, and then we marched into Virginia to recruit the army here we were reinforced and we then marched to Guilford Courthouse had a hard fought battle with the British under Lord Cornwallis. We then fell back a mile and a half from town and formed in line of battle & awaited the advance of Lord Cornwallis, but he retreated, and our army pursued the enemy about seven miles, and being worn down with fatigue made a halt, here we took care wounded and buried the Enemies dead. From here we marched to Camden in South Carolina where we had a battle with the British troops, and we then retreated a short distance and remained some days and then we marched to Ninety Six from thence if I recollect a right we marched to the Eutaw Springs where we fought an even and successful battle, we then returned to Charlotte Courthouse where we remained some months and I was still in service when Lord Cornwallis was taken, and then I was discharged, but took no written discharge, I was in the service as before detailed from 1776 to 1781, nearly five years [and] I have a record of my age in my family bible
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I know of no person by whom I can prove the facts set forth in the foregoing declaration. was a citizen of Lincoln County & State of North Carolina at the time I entered the service & after I left the service until about the year 1810 when I removed to Rutherford County & State of Tennessee where I lived about twelve years, and then I removed to Madison County Illinois where I lived four years and thence to Grane County when I have lived for fourteen years and now live. I am known to Charles Kitchen. 
John Panter
And the said John Painter hereby relinquish every claim whatever to a pension or annuity, except the present & he declares that his names not on the pension roll of any agency in any State.
Subscribed & sworn to before the Court to the year aforesaid.
Moses Bledso

We, Charles Kitchens, a Clergyman, and Jacob Fry, hereby certify that we are well acquainted with the above named John Painter who has subscribed and sworn to the above declaration that we believe him to be eighty one 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.
Subscribed & sworn to the 10th day of Sept 1835
Charles Kitchen, Clergy
Jacob Fry

And the said Commissioners Court of said County do hereby declare their opinion after the investigation 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 the Court
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Further certifies that it appears to them that Charles Kitchen of the County aforesaid who has signed the foregoing Certificate is a Clergyman of said Greene County, and the said Jacob Fry who has signed the same is a resident of the same County and is a credible person and that their statement entitled to credit.  
I, Moses Bledson, Clerk of the County Commissioners Court of said Greene County do hereby certify that the foregoing contains the original proceedings of that said Court in the matter of the application of John Painter for a pension.
In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal of Office this 10th day of September 1835.
Moses A. Bledsoe, Clerk
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On this 28th day of July A.D. 1840 personally appeared in Open Court before the County of Commissioners Court for the County of John Painter Williamson and State of Illinois aged eighty six years on the 2nd day of February last past (1840) 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 1832.
That he entered the service of the United States under the following named officers, and served as herein stated.
To wit early in the year 1779 recollect the month as a Rifle Volunteer under Capt John Robinson and Col McDowell and (Parvard Major) he thinks and continued in said service until about three weeks subsequent to the surrender of Lord Cornwallis. The first engagement with the British that he was in was at Camden under Genl Gates. my Capt was killed in Gates defeat I then went under Capt John Culberson the same Col & Major was yet alive and with us. my Capt joined Genl Francis Marion and continued with him until Gen Green came on we marched through the lower part of North & South Carolina & a small portion of Virginia the second engagement I was in was with Greene at Guilford Court house in North Carolina then Green marched from Guilford Courthouse to Ramsey Mills from thence to Camden again & gave battle to Lord
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Rawdon near about the same ground that Gates defeat was from thence to Ninety-Six in South Carolina the next Battle I was in was at the Eutaw Springs (a hard fought battle it was too) from thence to North Carolina again and was there until after the surrender of Lord Cornwallis’ troops we were then discharged. Capt John Culberson was my Capt up to this date. I have no documentary evidence of these facts. I know of no person whose testimony I com procure to testify to said service. 
John Painter
That the said John Painter 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 only on that of the agency of the State of Illinois.
Subscribed & sworn to the day and year aforesaid.

We, John W. Calvert (Clergyman) and Byrd T. Ryburn, both residing in the County of Williamson & State of Illinois hereby certify that we are well acquainted with John Painter who has subscribed and sworn to the above Declaration that we believe him to be eighty six years of age that he is reputed and believed in the neighbourhood where he resides to have been a soldier of the Revolution and that we concur in that opinion.
Sworn & subscribed the day & year aforesaid.
John N. Calvert
Byrd T. Ryburn
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Interrogatories propounded by the Court.
Question: Where and in what year were you born?
Answer: I was born on the 2nd Feby 1754 in Lincoln County, North Carolina

Question: Have you any Record of your age & if so where is it?
Answer: My age is recorded in the old family Bible in Lincoln County, North Carolina.
Question: Where were you living when called into service and where have you lived since the Revolutionary War and where do you now live?
Answer: I was then called into the service of the United States, living in Lincoln County, North Carolina since the Revolutionary war. I have lived both in North Carolina & Tennessee and I soon live in Williamson County, State of Illinois.
Question: How were you called into the service? Were you drafted, did you volunteer, or were you a substitute of a substitute for whom?
Answer: I was a volunteer the whole time for three months at a time
Question: State the names of some of the regular officers who were with the troops where you served, such as Continental and Militia Regiments as you can recollect and the general circumstances of your service. 
Answer: There was Genl Davidson, Genl Dave, and Major Grimes.
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Question: Did you ever receive a discharge from service, and if so by whom was it in and what has become of it? 
Answer: Never did receive any written discharge, were discharged in in person by Genl at Charlotte Courthouse Mecklenburg County, North Carolina. There was no talk about writing discharges.
Question: Did you ever receive a Commission & if so by whom was it signed and what has become of it?
Answer: I never held any commission. I belonged all the times to the ranks as a private.
And the said Court do hereby declare their 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 the Court further certifies that it appears to them that John N. Calvert who has signed the preceeding certificate a clergyman and a resident in the County of Williamson & State of Illinois and that Byrd Ryburn who has signed the same is also a resident in said County & State that both are credible persons and that their statement is entitled to credit.
Sterling Hill
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State of Illinois
Williamson County 
I, Elijah McIntosh, Clerk of the County Commissioners Court for said County & State aforesaid do hereby certify that the foregoing contains the original proceedings of the said Court in the matter of the application of John Painter now of said County & State for a pension.
In Testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand & private Seal this 28th day of July 1840 there being no public seal provided.
Elijah McIntosh
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Letter
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Carmi, Illinois
Pension Agents office
12th Sept 1840
Sir,
John Painter a pensioner of this State has left with me the enclosed declaration for me to forward to you with a hope that you can increase his pension when you have examined his case you will please make known to me the result. So far as I am acquainted with Mr. Painter my opinion of him is favorable as to his being an honest correct man.
I am respectfully your obedient servant,
Daniel Hay

James L. Edwards, Esqr.
Commissioner of Pensions
Washington City
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War Department
Pension Office
Sept 21. 1839
Sir
In reply to the part of your letter relating to John Painter, I have to inform you that in his amended declaration, the first service in the militia of N.C. is alleged to have been performed under Capt. Robinson, Col. McDowell & General Davidson at which time he was marched to oppose the  enemy at Beattie's Ford when Genl Davidson was killed, and that he was discharged sometime after the surrender of Cornwallis, Genl Davidson was killed in February 1781, and Cornwallis surrendered in October following, making, between the two events, a period of about 8 months. The militia service was not continuous; and it is not probable that more than six months actual service was performed from February to October; for which time a pension was allowed. In his original declaration be alleges to have entered the service at an earlier period. If  his tours of actual service can be clearly & fully specified, as required by the regulations herewith and perhaps an increase of pension may be allowed.
I am, respectfully, your obedient servant, 
J.L.  Edwards

Daniel Hay, Esqr.
Carmi, Illinois
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From J. L. Edwards
Commissioner of Pensions
Washington City D.C.
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Carrollton Dec 10th 1836
Sir,
In reply to your Letter of the 3d of October, relative to the pension of John Painter & can only say that I have shown him your letter and he feels that injustice will be done him unless he gets full pay for his services, his great age and infirmities are such as to account for his confusion  as to dates. He insists if he was not in the battle at Camden, the battle was not fought, as also the other battles detailed in his declaration, as to myself I have no doubt he was an actor in the great tragedy of the Revolution, and to the extent he alleges, his extreme poverty and a large helpless family  plead strongly in his favor. It can be but a short time that he can enjoy the little bounty of the Government, very soon, the whole of that gallant land of Patriots will be gathered home, and I know that he is no less deserving than a majority of those whose declarations I have drawn up. He can offer no further proof of his services, his case is before you, and he desires me to say; he will patiently acquiesce in your decision, as he patiently bore the fatigues and privations of the Revolution.
I am respectfully your obedient servant,
A W. Cavarly
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Pension Office
March 26. 1842
Sir,
I enclose  herewith the letter of Mrs. Catharine Whately, widow of Samuel Whately.
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[Illegible] Lewis Cass
Secretary of War
Washington City D.C.
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Carrollton, Green County, Ill.
Hon. Lewis Cass
December 16th, 1835
Secretary of War
Enclosed I send you the application of John Painter for a pension which in behalf of said Painter, I desire immediate action upon us he is in want, with a large and helpless family. 
I am sincerely you obedient servant,
A. W. Cavarly
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Hon. J. L. Edwards
Pension Office
Washington City
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Carrollton, Grane Co., Ill
Sept 15th, 1836
Dear sir,
Enclosed is the Declaration of John Painter for a Pension. It has put him to some expense and a lot of trouble to have all this business to go over a second time. He has disclosed as fully and as circumstantially all the facts of his case as it was possible for a man of his advanced age and consequent infirmities, There may be some discrepancies between the two declarations as to date of the time he entered the service but not as to his services. In reciting to me the incidents of that part of the Revolutionary War in which he took part, wrote them down, he seemed to repossess the real and patriotism that warmed his bosom during the eventful times of which he spoke.
He is verry poor with a large young family of children, the youngest no more than two years old
Respectfully yours,
A W. Cavarly