Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty Land Warrant Application File S. 31,717, Peter Groover, N.C.
Page 1

(3 - 1776)
SERVICE
N.C
Groover, Peter
Number
S. 31.717
CONTENTS
Page 2

Georga
12.048-
Peter Groover
Franklin in the State of Geo
he was a pr: cor: & [Illegible] in the --
commanded
Captain Donohon of the Regh commanded
Cal: Murphey in the N. Car.
for 21 months --

Inscribed on the Roll of Georgia
at the rate of 79-Dollars- Cents per annum
to commence on the 4th day of March, 1831.

Certificate of Pension issued the 19 day of March
1833 and sent to J. K.
Stanford Carnesville Geo
---
Arrears to the 4th of March 1833
158
Semi-anl. allowance ending 4 Sept-
39.50
$197.50
Revolutionary Claim,
Act June 7, 1832
Recorded by Nathan Rice Clerk,
Book E Vol. 6 Page 91 -

Died July 11, 1841
(A.B.)
Page 3

2022,
Peter Groves
claim for Pension
under Act of June 7 1832
Page 4

Declaration in order to obtain the benefit of the Act
of Congress passed June 7 1832
State of Georgia
Franklin County S.S.

On this twenty third day of July in the year Eighteen Hundred and
thirty two personally appeared before the Inferior Court of the County
and state aforesaid now sitting Peter Groover a resident
of Capt Vaughans District of said County & State aged
Seventy 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 he entered the service of the United States under the
following officers & served as herein stated to wit
That he served in the Militia of the State of North Carolina
and entered said service in the year
just before
the defeat of General Gates in the State of South Carolina
about sixteen miles South West of Camden S.C., was in said
Battle & served three months at that time under Capt.
Trice and Major Armstrong and General Gates. That
immediately on the expiration of the three months aforesaid he
served another tour of three months under Capt Johnson who
was under the command of General Butler & was stationed
in Salisbury North Carolina that immediately after this last
mentioned then he served twelve months under Captain
Donahou & Major Armstrong & Colonel Murphy and
Dixon & General Green That he was in the battle at Eutaw
springs in South Carolina & was afterwards stationed at the
High hills of Santee in South Carolina, while there the
news of peace was recd & he was discharged on his way home from Santee
That he served irregularly of many
other times making in all three or four years & was in
skirmishes, but no other regular Battles. He served the
first six months above recited as a private and the last
Twelve as a Corporal & afterwards served as a sergeant 
in the Light Horse under Captain Cowan.
He was born about the year Seventeen Hundred & sixty two
does not know that there is any record of his age
When he entered the service he was living in Orange County North Carolina
from thence he removed to the County of Franklin
Page 5

State of Georgia where he has resided ever since
there was an order for one man among every sixteen to go
into service and he entered the service as a substitute for
the sixteen the last 12 months, then his first tour of three
months each he was a substitute but does not recollect for
whom
While he served Capt Donahou was promoted to Major
Capt Bush was an adjutant in his battalion, Col. Leytle
an office in the regular army was with them the last
12 months, does not recollect other officers except those here
tofore enumerated
He received a Discharge from Col. Dixon which he
has since lost. He does not recollect dates with
sufficient accuracy to swear to them but presumes the
date of his commencement of service (Gates defeat) will be
sufficiently certain
He is personally known to Nelson Osborne a preacher
to Jacob Redwine both of whom can testify to his
veracity & the latter to his having been deponent in
the service
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 any agency
of any State within his knowledge or belief

his
Peter X Groover
mark

Sworn to and subscribed--
in open Court the day
& year aforesaid
Thos King Clk

Mr Nelson Osborne a clergyman, and Jacob Redwine
both residing in the neighborhood of the above mentioned Peter
Groover in the County & State aforesaid Hereby Certify
that we are well acquainted with Peter Groover who
has subscribed & sworn to the above declaration &
that we believe him to be about seventy years of age
that he is reputed & believed in the neighborhood where he resides
to have been a soldier in the Revolution & that we concur in
that opinion & said Jacob Redwine further saith that he saw & knew said Peter in the service of the County in the Revolutionary war
Nelson Osborn
subscribed in
Page 6

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
& served as he states And the Court further certifies
that it appears to them that Nelson Osborn who has signed
the preceding certificate is a clergyman resident in this
County & that Jacob Redwine who has also signed
the same is a resident of the County & is a credible
person and that their statement is entitled to credit
G. L. Sandidge J.J.C
Thomas Farmer J.J.C
William Turk J.J.C.

Trat [?]
Thm King Clk


I Thomas King Clerk of the Inferior Court of
the County & State first aforesaid Do hereby certify
that the foregoing contains the original proceedings
of the said Court in the matter of the application
Peter Groover for a pension
In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my
hand & the seal of said Court this twenty third
day of July 1832
Thos King C.I.C.

State of Georgia
Franklin County
Sir
On this twenty eighth day of January 1833 personally appeared
before the Inferior Court for the County and State aforesaid the afore
said applicant Peter Groover, who being sworn according to
law on his oath said that he served the first six months before recited as a
private, and the next twelve months as a Corporal, and three months
as a Sergeant of Light Horse under Captain Cowan and
found his own Horse, Making his whole service, regularly
one year and nine months. Declarant cannot
Page 7

recollect the particulars of his other irregular service and
therefore makes no claim for it.
Sworn to and subscribed in open
Court the day & year last above
written

his
Peter X Groover
mark

Thos King C. I.C.

I Thomas King Clerk of the Inferior Court for
County and State aforesaid Do Hereby Certify that the
above amendment to the Declaration of Peter Groover was made
and sworn to by said Peter Groover in open Court
In Testimony whereof I have hereunto
set my hand and seal of office this
28th day of January 1833
Page 8

2022
Peter Groover

Adm 6 mo pri ref. 20.
12 Capt " 44
3 Serg Cavy " 15
$79
Capt Donahou
Conl Murphy
N C Mebles
Page 85

See let Nov 24, 1832
19 Stanford
Gainesville Geo.
Page 9

2022
BRIEF in the case of Peter Groover
County of Franklin in the State of Georgia
(Act 7th June, 1832.)

1. Was the declaration made a County Court or Judge? Judge

2. If before a Judge, does it appear that the applicant is disabled by bodily infirmity?

3. How old is he? 70

4. State his service, as directed in the form annexed.

Period.
Duration of Service.
Rank.
Names of General and Field Officers
under whom he served.

Years, Months, Days, As a, Gen.

just before the 
defeat of Gates ~ 3 ~ private
Capt Trice Maj Armstrong
Gen Gates

Defeat of Gates ~ 3 ~ " Capt Johnson, Gen Butler
again Sub
again

& at several  1 or 12 ~ Corporal Capt Donahou Col Murphy & Dickson

other times  not stated precisely Sergt

5. In what battles was he engaged?  Gates Defeat & Eutaw

6. Where did he reside when he entered the service? Orange Cty N. Car:

7. Is his statement supported by living witnesses, by documentary proof, by traditionary evidence, by
incidental evidence, or by the rolls? Traditionary & Witness

8. Are the papers defective as to form or authentication? and if so, in what respect? Correct

Certify that the foregoing statement and the answers agree with the evidence in the case
above mentioned.
T. Waugh
Examining Clerk.
*In all 3-4 years
Page 10

May 18, 1937
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Mrs. G. C. Barfield
2825 Beacon Avenue
Columbus, Georgia

PETER GROOVER
S. 31717
BA/MLB

Dear Madam:

Reference is made to your letter in which you request the records
of Revolutionary War soldiers named Jacob Groover, Peter Goover,
Philip Groover and of any others with surname Groover, who lived in Georgia.

There is no claim for pension or bounty land on file based upon
service in the Revolution of a Jacob Groover, or similar spelling, or
of my Philip Groover or Peter "Goover". Such claims are the source
of data furnished by this office in regard to soldiers of the Revolutionary War.

In order to identify the Revolutionary War record of any other
soldier with surname Groover, should it be on file, the full name and
as much as possible of the following data in regard to him are essential
approximate dates of birth and death, places of residence at enlistment
and after service and given name of widow.

The record has been found of a Peter Groover, of Georgia, which
be that of the soldier in whom you are interested. It is furnished
herein as shown in pension claim, S. 31717, based upon his service in
the Revolutionary War.

Peter Groover was born about 1762; the place of birth and names of
his parents are not shown.

While a resident of Orange County, North Carolina, Peter Groover
enlisted just before the defeat of General Gates, and served three months
as private in Captain Trice's company, under Major Armstrong in the North Carolina
troops and was in the battle of Camden. Upon the expiration
of this tour, he served another tour of three months as private in
Captain Johnson's North Carolina company, stationed at Salisbury, North Carolina. Upon the expiration of that tour, he served twelve months
as corporal in Captain Donahue's company, Colonels Murphy's and Dixon's
North Carolina regiments, and three months as sergeant in Captain Cowan's
Page 11

company of light horse, and was in the battle of Eutaw Springs, being
afterwards stationed at the High Hills of Santee in South Carolina.
He stated that in addition to his regular service of one year nine
months, he performed irregular service at many different times, during
which he was in several skirmishes, and that his service in all mounted
to three or four years, no further details of which were given.

The soldier moved from Grange County, North Carolina, date not
stated, to Franklin County, Georgia.

Peter Groover was allowed pension on his application executed
July 23, 1832, at which time he was a resident of Franklin County,
Georgia. He died July 11, 1841.

No family data appear in the claim.

In order to obtain date of last payment of pension and name and
address of the person paid, you should write to the Comptroller General,
General Accounting Office, Records Division, this city, and cite the following data:

Peter Groover
Certificate #12048
Issued March 19, 1833
Rate $70 per annum
Commenced March 4, 1831
Act June 7, 1832
Georgia Agency.

Very truly yours
A. D. HILLER
Executive Assistant
to the Administrator
Page 12

BRIEF objections to the admission of Pension Claims, of which those
answered in the negative, in red ink, will apply to the claim of
Peter Groover which require
further proof or explanation.

I. Does the declaration show where the applicant resides? Yes

H. Did the declarant make the declaration in the county where he resides? Yes

III. If the applicant did not make the declaration in the county where he resides, is there any reason 
assigned for his not doing so? ~

IV. Has the declarant mentioned the period or periods of the war when he served? Yes

V. Has he mentioned with precision the length of his service, and the different grades in which he
served, in language so definite as to enable the department to determine to what amout [sic] of pension
he is entitled? No

VI. Has he given the names of the officers under whom he served, in conformity with the regulations? Yes


VII. Has he made a relinquishment of every claim to any other pension than the one under the Act of June 7, 1832? Yes

VIII. Has the Court given their opinion? Yes

IX. Has the Clerk given his certificate? Yes

X. Is the Clerk's seal affixed? And if so, has it a device or inscription by which it can be distinguished
from any other seal? Yes
Page 13

2
XI. Has the applicant obtained in evidence of a clergyman and another respectable citizen as to their belief respecting his age and the general belief in his neighborhood relative to his revolutionary service? Yes

XII. If the clergyman's affidavit has not been produced, is there any reason assigned for not obtaining it? ~

XIII. If the applicant has no documentary evidence, and has not obtained the testimony of at least one living witness, has he stated in his declaration that such proof cannot be had? a witness

XIV. +If the applicant has produced a witness or witnesses as to his service, has the magistrate who administered the oath certified that he, she, or they are persons of credibility? Yes
Has the official character and signature of the magistrate been certified by the proper officer under his seal of office? ~

XV. Does it appear from any of the papers that the witness was in such a situation, or of such age, as to have a personal knowledge of the applicant's service? Yes

XVI. Are the papers authenticated as the regulations direct? Yes

XVII. Are the seven interrogatories prescribed by the War Department answered satisfactorily?
And if not, which of them is not so answered? Yes

EXPLANATORY NOTES.
QUERE V. In a case where the applicant cannot, by reason of the loss of memory, state precisely how
long he served, he should amend his declaration by making an affidavit in the following words:
"Personally appeared before me, the undersigned, a Justice of the Peace, &c. A. B. who, being
duly sworn, deposeth and saith, that, by reason of old age, and the consequent loss of memory, he
cannot swear positively as to the precise length of his service, but according to the best of his recollection he served not less than the periods mentioned below, and in the following grades: For--
year -- months and - days, I served as a --
For -- months
and -- days, I served as a --
and for such service I claim a pension."
Page 14

It is important in all cases to determine with precision the period for which the applicant served,
and the particular rank he held, as the law directs the pension to be paid according to the grade of
the pensioner and the length of his service. The use of the phrase about three or four months is too
indefinite, and all such qualifying expressions are objectionable.
QUERE XIV. Proof of Service.
In a case where the name of the applicant is not found on the records of the Department, he
must prove his service by two credible witnesses, who are required to set forth in their affidavits
the time of the claimants entering the service, and the time and manner of his leaving the same, as well as
the regiment, company, and line to which be belonged. The magistrate who may administer
the oaths must certify to the credibility of the witnesses, and the official character and signature
of the magistrate must be certified by the proper officer, under his seal of office.

QUERE XVI. Mode of authenticating papers.
In every instance where the certificate of the certifying officer who authenticated the papers is not
written on the same sheet of paper which contains the affidavit, or other paper authenticated, the
certificate must be attached thereto by a piece of tape or narrow ribbon, the end of which must
pass under the seal of office of the certifying officer, so as to prevent any paper from being improperly
attached to the certificate.
Page 15

RECORD DIVISION.
3-525
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR,
BUREAU OF PENSIONS.
Washington, D. C., ___, 19__
S. F. 31.717

In reply to your request of __, received __
a statement of the military history of Peter Groover
a soldier of the REVOLUTIONARY WAR, you will find below the desired
information as contained in his (or his widow's) application for pension
on file in this Bureau.

DATES OF
ENLISTMENT OR
APPOINTMENT.

LENGTH OF
SERVICE.

RANK.

OFFICERS UNDER WHOM SERVICE WAS RENDERED.
CAPTAIN.

COLONEL.

STATE.

* 3 mos. Pvt. Trice  N.C.
Immediate after 3 mos. " Johnson
Immediately after 12 mos Corpl Donahou
Murphy
Dixon
" 3 mos. Sgt. Cowan

Battles engaged in,* Camden Eutaw Springs
Residence of soldier at enlistment, Orange Co. N.C.
Date of application for pension, July 23, 1832 His cl. al. [?]
Residence at date of application, Franklin Co., Ga.
Age at date of application, b. about 1762, Died July 11 1841
Remarks: No data as to family

from A.B.

Very respectfully,

Commissioner
6 -- 2856
Page 16

ROBERTS-WALL COMPANY
WHOLESALE MEATS, PRODUCE AND FRUITS
AGENTS FOR ARMOUR & COMPANY
DAWSON GA.

PENSION
C
JAN
18
1913
OFFICE
US.

Jan 16-1913
Commissioner of Pensions
Washington D.C.
Dear Sir-
Have you either
Daniel or Peter Groover on
your list of Revolutionary
soldiers, and could you give
me their War service
Humbly yours,
Sincerely
Mrs. T. D. Wall
Page 17

Columbus, Ga.
Dear Sir-
Dow you have any
record of Jacob Groover or
Peter Goover [sic] of Philip Groover
Rev. Soldiers making application
for a Pension. They lived I
think in Richmond Co Ga
Thanking you for any information.
Sincerely,
---
(Mrs G C.) Louise Colhoun Barfield
2825 Beacon ave
Columbus, Ga.

P.S. Or any other Grooner's
listed?

RECEIVED
APR 12 1937
MAIL SUB-DIV.
VETS ADMIN
READER 11
Page 18

31,717
INVALID.
File No. 31,117
Peter Groover
Sergt Rev War
---
Act: June 7th 32"
Index:--Vol. 2, Page 493
Arrangement of 1870.)

1913 Jany 22 Hist to Mrs.
T. D. Wall V.L.M.
1837 May 13 - Hist to Mr. G.C. Barfield D.P.B.