Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty Land Warrant Application File S. 31,693, William Gilbert, N.C.
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Service NC
Gilbert, WIliam
NUMBER
S. 31693

Born in Va
Contents:
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RGJA 
30.172
William Gilbert

[illegible] altrules in the State of Georgia
was a private in the Compy commanded
Captain Blecker of the regt commanded
Col Moore in the North Carolina
for 14 months private

Inscribed on the Roll of Georgia
the rate of 46 Dollars 66 Cents per annum,
commence on the 4th day of March, 1834.

Certificate of Pension issued the 15 day of Sept
1835 and Sent to
Jno. P. Lucas Monroe Ga

Arrears to the 4th of March 1835 $186.64
Semi-anl. allowance ending 4 Spt 23.33
$209.97

{Revolutionary Claim, Act June 7, 1832.}
[Re]corded by Danl Boyd Clerk,
[bo]ok E Vol. 6 Page 91
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Declaration of Wm Gilbert In order to obtain
the benefit of the act of the act of Congress of the 7th of June 1832

State of Georgia
County of Walton

On this 18th day of May Eighteen hundred & thirty five personally appeared before the honorable the Inf. Court of said County being a Court of Record William Gilbert a resident of the County aforesaid to wit - the County of Walton State of Georgia aged seventy seven years on the tenth day of September Eighteen hundred & thirty four who being first duly sworn according to Law doth on his oath make the following declaration in order to obtain the benefit of the provision made by the act of Congress passed June 7th 1832 That he was drafted into the army of the United States as a North Carolina Militia Man in the year Seventeen hundred & Eighty with Stephen Moore Colonel & served in his said Moore's regiment of the North Carolina line under the following named officers Stephen Moore Col.______Nawls Maj. Lewis Blecker Capt Jacob Blecker Lieut. ______ _____ Ensign & Seargents' names this deponent is utterly unable to recollect that he was drafted & entered into the service on/ as near as he can remember, the twentieth of May 1780 for the period of three months. that at the time he entered the service he resided in the County of Wake & State of North Carolina that during said three months he was engaged in the battle of Gates defeat near Cambden in So. Carolina And this deponent further declares that during this his first tour of service he marched thro' the following section of country He rendezvouzed first at the then Court house but now Raleigh in Wake County aforesaid & marched from thence to Chatham Court House in the State aforesaid from thence to Chatham Court House in the State last aforesaid from thence to Ramseys Mills in the County last aforesaid from thence he marched to Cumberland County upon the Cape Fear River from thence to Rockingham County from thence to near the head of the Yadkin River
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& thence by a circuitous route to the Cheraw Hills in So Carolina thence up the Pedee River in the direction of Cambden So Carolina to near said Town of Cambden at the place where Gates defeat took place After which defeat the whole portion of the Army to which this deponent was attached were completely routed & every man being compelled to shift for himself this deponent finally arrived at his home in Wake County North Carolina after having served fully five months though the term for which he was drafted was only three months, And this deponent further declares that on or about the twentieth of October seventeen hundred & Eighty he was again drafted as one of the North Carolina Militia for another three months tour & entered into the service under the same Capt. Lewis Blecker Col. Moore having been killed as well as Maj. Nauls at Gates defeat Jacob Blecker Lieut. And this deponent farther declares that he was not engaged in any battle during this tour & that he marched thro' the following sections of Country his residence still being in Wake County North Carolina First he rendezvoused at Salisbury North Carolina thence he marched up the Country upon the Yadkin River to the Moravian Town upon one prong of said River thence he marched with prisioners [prisoners] taken at said last town down the county to Hillsboro in North Carolina where this deponent was discharged honorably at the expiration of this tour having served three months from whence this deponent returned home again to Wake County N. Carolina And this deponent farther declares that he was again drafted into the service as a North Carolina Militia man on or about the twenty fifth of January Seventeen hundred & Eighty one with- Wooten Col.  his residence still being in Wake County State of North Carolina that he was drafted this time for a three months tour & that he entered the service under the folling [following]named Officers-- Wooten Col.
[notes in left margin - "5"  "X"  "3" "III" "(5)" "x"]
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Majors name he cannot remember John Trent Capt. Joseph Peeples Lieutenant & this deponent cant remember the name of the ensign or of any of the Seargeants And this deponent was not engaged in any battle during this three months tour And this deponent further declares that during this tour he rendezvoused at Wake Court House North Carolina & thence he marched to Hillsboro No. Carolina where this deponent was stationed during this three months tour employed principally in guarding tory prisoners & attending at the executions of the same And this deponent further declares that he was honorably discharged after having fully served this three months tour at Hillsboro, aforesaid on or about the twenty eighth of April seventeen hundred & Eighty one And this deponent further declares that he was again drafted into the service as a North Carolina Militia Man on the nineteenth day of May seventeen hundred & Eighty one with Kenon Colonel & served under said-- Kenon Col. & Thos Criddle Brigade Major James Hillsman Capt - the Lieutenants Ensign & Seargeants names this deponent cant remember that this deponent was drafted for another three months tour & that he served the same that he was not engaged in any battle during this tour- that he still resided at Wake County N Carolina aforesaid - that he rendezvoused for this tour at Wake Court House then now Raleigh hence he marched down the Country to Duplin County No. Carolina where he encamped on a creek called rockfish in said last named County thence he marched across Neuse River to one Gray's  where he was stationed until near the expiration of said last named tour when he marched back to Wake County where on the nineteenth of August Seventeen hundred & Eighty one this deponent received a written discharge from under the hand of Thos. Criddle which is hereto annexed & herewith exhibited And this deponent further declares that the discharge hereto annexed is the only one he has in his power custody or control
[notes in left side margin -  "3" "(3)"  "x"]
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this deponent had written discharges for his other tours but he gave them all up to a board of Auditors a great many years ago & received certificate therefor which certificates he paid away in taxes & for some article of public property such as guns &c which were sold at the the public stores at the termination of the Revolutionary War And this deponent further declares that after using his best endeavors for better than two years by making inquiries & writing letters to different parts of the county & especially to North Carolina he is entirely unable to find any witness or witnesses by whom to prove his aforesaid services & that this deponent is fully satisfied that such witness cannot be found He this applicant hereby relinquishes every claim whatever to a pension or an annuity except the present & he declares that his name is not on the Pension Roll of any agency in any State
Sworn to & subscribed the day & year aforesaid in open Court
J. P. Lucas. Clk
William x his mark Gilbert 

We Henry Hardin a Clergyman residing in the County of Walton State of Georgia & Simon Holt residing in the same hereby certify that we are well acquainted with William Gilbert who has subscribed & sworn to the above declaration that we believe him to be seventy seven years of age that he is reputed & believed in the neighborhood where he resides to have been a soldier of the Revolution & that we concur in that opinion
Sworn & subscribed the day & year aforesaid-
J. P. Lucas Clk
Henry Hardin  clymn.
Simon Holt
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To the Interrogatories required by the War Department to be propounded to the applicant the said William Gilbert answers in open Court as follows

To the first interrogatory he answers__ I was born in Brunswick County State of Virginia in the year seventeen Hundred & fifty seven

To the 2nd he answers He has no record of the time of his birth but he has of his marriage in a prayer book of the Episcopal Church or Church of England which book is here in court & the record of said marriage therein contained & further that by sd. record it appears that he was married the 4th Oct 1779 & he knows he was twenty two years old the September previous to his marriage

To the 3rd Int. he answers. In Wake County North Carolina Since the Revolutionary War I have lived some time in Wake County N. Carolina say 16 or 17 years then in Martin County N Carolina about 6 years then in Morgan County State of Georgia & now in
Walton County & State last aforesaid

To the 4th He answers I was drafted

To the 5th He answers. Gen. Gates Gen Dekabb Majr. Sharp and as regards the General or particular circumstances of his service he answers I have stated every thing as fully as I know how to do) in my declaration. He states among the Militia Generals the names of Gen. Butler Gen. Rutherford & Gen Caswell

To the 6th He answers. I have already stated that I was discharged for every tour & what has become of them all except the one hereto annexed I have also stated in my declaration Capt. Blecker signed one of the discharge Capt. Trent Signed another discharge the other was signed by a Capt but I dont remember his name Thos. Criddel Brigade Major signed the discharge annexed to the declaration
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To the 7th he answers John Backus John Malcom
Gannaway Malcom Saml Williams Esqr & John
Blasingame & Hugh Abercrombie.

William Gilbert
Geo. 33.056
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Rev. and 1812
Wars Section
RKL:MLB

October 4, 1930

Hon. John Q. Tilson
House of Representatives

My dear Mr. Tilson:     
It appears from the papers in the Revolutionary War pension claim, S. 31693, that William Gilbert was born September 10, 1757, in Brunswick County, Virginia. 

 While residing in Wake County, North Carolina, he enlisted and served with the North Carolina troops, as follows:    

From about May 20, 1780, five months in Captain Lewis Blecher's company, Col Stephen Moore's regiment, and was in the battle of Gates' Defeat; from October 20, 1780, three months in Captain Lewis Blecher's company; from January 25, 1781, in Captain John Trent's company,  Colonel Wooten's regiment,  and was discharged about April 28,1781; from May 19, 1781, in Captain Hileman or Hilleman's company, Colonel Kenon's regiment and was discharged August 19, 1781. 

After the Revolution, he continued to reside in Wake County, North Carolina, for sixteen or seventeen years, then lived in Martin County, North Carolina, about six years, then  moved to Morgan County, Georgia and then to Walton County, Georgia.  He stated that he also lived in Upson County, Georgia. 

He was allowed pension on his application executed May 18, 1835, while residing in Walton County, Georgia.      

He stated that he married October 4, 1779, but did not give the name of his wife, nor is there any reference to children.         

Very truly yours
E. W. Morgan
Acting Commissioner
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31693
Revy   INVALID

File No.  31,693
William Gilbert
Pri Rev Wats

Act:  June 7th 32"
Index: -- Vol. 2, Page 154
[Arrangement of 1870.]

1930 - Mar 20 - Hist. to Miss
Gertrude Gilbert.  Letter 
in case of Gabriel Clements
W.27592-             EEL

1930 - Oct 6 - Hist. to Hon
John J. Lilson.  Letter
in case of Chas. Gilbert
S.31057 -       EEL
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William Gilbert                                                                                 
Georgia            

Suspended, see letter to John P. Lucas, Aug 4, 1833--
Admit--as private--
14 mo 4h, hh

Act 7 June 1832
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Page has light and dark writing that is mixed.

James [illegible] gnfer W
T [illegible] corks
James gilbert was born
[illegible]
Wake County [illegible]
Sam man & John Colle

James Weathers
[illegible]
[illegible]
John Gilbert his handand
Peace he will be good but god
William Gilb[illegible]
State North Carolina
Wake County [illegible]
L[illegible]y Gilbert his
Book [illegible] [illegible] [illegible]
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William Gilbert having
served a Tour of Duty in Cap Hilsman's Company is Discharged
Aug [illegible]
July [illegible] Day 1787
Blase was put to [illegible] 
gone __ __ 1817 

Lucardy Gilbert  June 

William Gilbert is my name
and with my pen I rite the same
Remember thy Creator in the days of thy youth
William Gilbert and [illegible]

SW

To cost fore Shillings - To Debit - 8.
Lucs Davis Sr these shillings and
[illegible] pence 
William gilbert
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War Department
Pension Office
August 1st. 1835

Sir
I have examined the declaration of William Gilbert and
have placed it on file, in order that he may be able to make some explanations in relation to his alleged service, before any definite action he had thereon. It appears from the declaration, that Mr Gilbert was married in Oct 1779  - that in May, he was drafted for three months, but did not return until the expiration of five - that upon the very day of his arrival
at home, to wit, on the 20th of Oct. 1780, he was again drafted, and
immediately joined his company for a three months term, and returned on the 20th of January 1781. - that on the 25th of January, he was
again drafted for three months, and was discharged at Hillsboro,
April 28. 1781.  - that he was a fourth time drafted, on the 19th of May
1781 for three months, which he performed and was discharged 19th
of August 1781; making in all, 14 months actual and continuous service, with the exception of 14 days in Jany two in April, and 18 days in May
being from his family every day from the 20th of May 1780, 18 May 1781 exception of 4 days in Jany, two in April, and 18 days in May, being from his family every day from the 20th of May 1780 to May 1781 except the 4 days in Jany.  This statement, to say the least, is highly improbable, and
it was contrary to the usual practice of the militia, thus to require by draft of such continuous service. To sustain a part of this claim, a paper, purporting to be a discharge, is also submitted to this Office 

This may be a genuine discharge, but as a shade of doubt is cast on the claimants allegations, it has been more critically examined. The paper is evidently a part of one of the blank leaves of a book, and has been recently seperated from the other part, by a knife -  it has upon the back of it some writing, apparently much older than that which purports to be the discharge.

The Department will require, that the remaining part of this leaf be forwarded to this Office. He will also state the
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the reason why he has not before applied for a penson.

I am very Respectfully
Your Obed. Serv.
J L Edwards


Jn P. Lucas Esq
Clerk Co. f. Walton C.
Munroe  Ga
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FREE

[stamp  MONROE  Ga.  AUG 11]
Aug 21st
Gw:
Mail

Hon Secretary of War or the
Hon Commissioner of Pensions
Washington City
District Columbia
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State of Georgia
County of Walton

Personally appeared before me the undersigned a Justice of the Peace in and for the County aforesaid William Gilbert who being duly sworn deforseth and saith that his declaration made out there to fore forwarded to the War Department of the United States for the purpose of obtaining a pension under the act of Congress of the 7th June 1832 was made out and drafted the best of this departments recollection.  This department further saith that by reason of old age and the consequent laps of memory there may be some inaccuracies in the dates as to the periods of time intervening between some of the tours - this deployment further says that during the whole time from his first entering the service until his final discharge he was not at home scarcely any - that he did nothing towards raising a craft during the time - that the way he happened to be out five months way that he was required to serve three months or in  other words to make up three months  after he crossed the South Carolina line. This deponent is certain that he served the fourteen months at least & of this he has a perfect recollection by reckoning up the tours & the five months he also distinctly remembers-- This deponent farther says that he was with the baggage waggon at the time he received the discharge- that Major Cridle would not give this deponent a discharge until most of the others had been discharged on account of its being necessary that this deponent should be detained to take care of the baggage waggon this deponent further states that it was near night when this  deponent was discharged
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_That Cridle was without paper having and it all in writing the discharges of others - that this deponent was also without paper when he bethought himself of some blank leaves in a prayer book of his having the book of Common prayer of the Church of England. This deponent further says that it was upon a blank leaf in that book that the discharge already forwarded way written under the circumstances herein before stated And this deponent farther says that the piece of paper hereto affixed by seal in the balance or remainder of said leaf & herewith forwarded as required by the letter of the Hon. J L Edwards dated War Department Pension Office 1 Aug. 1835

And this deponent farther states that he did apply at a very early date after the act of the 7th June 1832 in the County of Repson & State of Georgia where he then resided _ that either through the neglect of his councel or some other reason unknown to deponent he never could hear any thing from said application for near or quite two years _ that he afterwards removed to the County Walton when after writing to the department he need for answer that no application had ever reached the Office on his behalf. This deponent farther states that a while after receiving the aforesaid answer from the Pension Office he advised with his present council who informed him if he could prove his services by two witnesses he would ensure him success in his application Whereupon this deponent says letters were written to ascertain the fact if it were possible to prove his services by living witnesses
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as his counsel had advised_ that said letters were written some of them to North Carolina & some to distant places in this State the result of all which was an utter inability to prove services by living witnesses they all having
departed this life. These are the circumstances this deponent saith which have created such seeming delay upon his part Deponent saith that he was as is already stated to serve three months out of the State that is out of the State of North Carolina under the first draft- And this deponent farther says that he was not at home he is confident and of any account during the
whole period of his service 

Sworn to & subscribed       William his X mark Gilbert  
before me this 10th day of August 1835
Leroy Pattillo JP

seal affixed

I John P Lucas Clerk of the Superior Court of Walton County & State of Georgia do hereby certify that Leroy Pattillo is a magistrate as above & that the foregoing signature purporting to be his is genuine In testimony whereof I have hereunto affixed my seal of office & subscribed my name this 10th August 1835
Jno P. Lucas. Clk

seal affixed
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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 Henry Hardin who has signed the preceding certificate is a Clergyman resident in the County of Walton State of Georgia and that Simon Holt who has also signed the same is a resident in the County of Walton & State of Georgia is a credible person & that their statement is entitled to Credit
Egbert B Bratt J.J.C.
Peter G Morrow J.J.C.
Robt M. Echols J.J.C.
Warren J Hill J.J.C.
James W Harris J.J.C.

I John P Lucas Clerk of the Court of Walton County do hereby certify that the foregoing contains the original proceedings of the said Court in the matter
of the application of William Gilbert for a pension In testimony whereof I have be to set my hand seal of office this 18th day of May 1835
Jno. P. Lucas Clk
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Rev. and 1812
Wars Section
XXL

March 20, 1930

Miss Gertrude Gilbert
910 Peden Avenue
Houston, Texas

Dear Madam:
I advise you from the papers in the Revolutionary Was pension claim, S.31693, it appears that William Gilbert was born September 10, 1757, in Brunswick County, Virginia.

While residing in Wake County, North Carolina, he enlisted and served with the North Carolina Troops as follows:

From about May 20, 1780, five months in Captain Lewis Blecher's Company, Colonel Stephen Moore's Regiment and was in the battle of Gates' Defeat.

From October 20, 1780, three months in Captain Lewis Blecher's Company.
From January 25, 1781 in Captain John Trent's Company, Colonel Wooten's Regiment, and was discharged about April 28, 1781.

From May 19, 1781, in Captain Hilsman or Hillman's Company, colonel Kenen's Regiment and was discharged August 19, 1781.

After the Revolution, he continued to reside in Wake County, North Carolina, for sixteen or seventeen years, then lived in Martin County, North Carolina, about six years, then moved to Morgan County, Georgia and then to Walton County, Georgia. He stated that he also lived in Upson County, Georgia.

He was allowed pension on his application executed May 18, 1835, while residing in Walton County, Georgia.
[end of page letter]

written in Right margin : There has come data on his discharge but it was too illegible to use.
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He stated that he married October 4, 1779, but did not give the name of his wife, nor is there any reference to children.
Very truly yours
EARL D. CHURCH
Commissioner.
[written on left side of letter] Date of death not on A 13[?]
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THE NATIONAL ARCHIVES
Form VAM-51
12-5-41
BOUNTY LAND WARRANT RECORD CARD*
Division of Veterans' Administration
NAME Gilbert, William  GRADE Private  LINE Pennsylvania
WARRANT NUMBER 9479  ACREAGE 100  ISSUED May 26, 1794
to Michael Stever, assignee

*The information concerning the issuance of warrants carded on this form is found in volumes 2 to 4 of ""Land Warrants Issued Prior to 1800"" which are registers of bounty land warrants issued to non-commissioned officers and privates under congressional resolutions of September 16, 1776, and subsequent dates. Other records relative to the applications for warrants appear to have been destroyed in the War Department fire of November 9, 1800.  Information concerning warrants surrendered to the Federal Government is to be found in General Land Office records in The National Archives.