Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty Land Warrant Application File R. 3,514, Gabriel Ferrell, N.C.
Page 1

(3-1776)
SERVICE

N.C. 
NUMBER
Ferrell, Gabriel
R. 3,514
Nancy
Born in Va.
CONTENTS
32
W.
Page 2

For D. M. Barringer
July 8, 1840

23. [illegible]
North Carolina

Gabriel Ferrell
Ferrell in the State of N. Car
who was a Pri in the ____commanded
of Captain ____ of the Reg commanded
by Col. [Illegible] in the N. Car.
line for 12 months

Inscribed on the Roll of N. Carolina
at the rate of 24 Dollars _____ Cents per annum,
commence on the 4th day of March,1831. 

Certificate of Pension issued the 22 day of [illegible]
and {illegible]

Arrears to the 4th of [illegible] 
Semi-amt. allowance ending [illegible]
Revolutionary Claim,
Act June 7, 1832.

Recorded by {illegible]
Book E Vol [Illegible} Page {illegible]
Page 3

Declaration in order to obtain the benefit of the act of 
Congress passed June 7th, 1832.
On this day of May 1833 personally appeared in open Court
before the Justice of the Court of Pleas & Quarter Sessions
for the County of Mecklenburg & State of North Carolina
now sitting Gabriel Ferrell aged 73 years, and after
being duly sworn agreeable 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. 
He was borne in the State of Virginia in the year 1760. 
I entered the Service of the United States in the year 1780
October as a volunteer for twelve months under Captain Tilman
N. Dixon Lieutenant, Charles Dixon, Major Donahoe & Col. Hall Dixon. He marched under these officers to Guilford
and was in the Battle there. Was then marched to Hillsboro
& remained there two weeks. And then was marched through
Salisbury, Charlotte and there I was one of thirty who was ordered
to guard 80 British Prisoners which we guarded. 
We then returned through Charlotte and on to Camden where
I was taken sick. The rest of the army went on & served 
General Green before the Battle of Eutaw Spring, S. C.  
My sickness was done, near to death, and after I recovered
I returned to Caswell County and got a discharge
for twelve months service, which time I fully served.
 I served but one tour of twelve months, as a private soldier. 
I have no documentary evidence to establish my claim
not thinking it necessary to preserve my discharge. 
i hereby relinquish every claim whatever to a pension or annuity except this present under the act of Congress
passed June 7th 1832 and declare my name is not on
Page 4

The Pension toll of the agency of any State
Interrogations but by the Court. 

Where were you born & in what year? I was born in 
the County of Mecklenburg in the State of Virginia. 
Have you any record of your age? No I have lost it but 
recollect having it in a family Bible. 
When & where did you enter the service of the United States?
In the County of Orange North Carolina. 
Where do you now reside? In the County of Mecklenburg 
in the State of North Carolina where I have lived for
near forty years.
Swore to & subscribed in open Court this 28 day of
May 1833.  
Gabriel Ferrell
His mark

State of North Carolina
Mecklenburg County
This day Moses Christenbury aged 65 years appears and before seen and after
being duly sworn said with on oath that he lived in
Caswell County State of North Carolina in then one 
mile of Gabriel Ferrell the above named applicant
and perfectly recollect of his leaving home & going into
the army and living about for something more than twelve
months. 
His mark
Moses Christenbury

Sworn to & subscribed before me 
this 8th day of June 1833
James Doherty, J Peace

Walter S Pharr an acquaintance residing in the County of Mecklenburg
& State of North Carolina and James Doherty
residing in the same hereby Certify that we are well acquainted
with Gabriel Ferrell who has subscribed and sworn to the 
above Declaration that we believe him to be 73 years of age
that he is reported & believed in the neighborhood where
Page 5

And the said Justice of the Court of Pleas & Quarter
 Sessions for the County of Mecklenburg & State of North
Carolina, 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 Gabriel Ferrell was a Revolutionary 
soldier and served as he states, and the Court further
Certifies that it appears to them that Walter S Pharr who
has signed the preceding Certificate as Clergyman
resident in the County of Mecklenburg & State of North
Carolina and that James Doherty who has signed
is also a resident of the County of Mecklenburg & State above written
and is a Creditable person and their statement is 
entitled to Credit.

I Isaac Alexander Clerk of the Court of Pleas and Quarter
Sessions for the County of Mecklenburg and State of North
Carolina do hereby certify that the foregoing contains the 
original proceedings of the said Court in the matters
of the application of Gabriel Ferrell for a pension.
In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my 
hand and Seal of office this 30th day of May.

Isaac Alexander [illegible initials]
By B. Oates D, C, 
1833
Page 6

I Isaac Alexander Clerk of the Court of Pleas and
Quarter Sessions for the County of Mecklenburg & State of
North Carolina do here by Certify that James Doherty
who has sworn & signed the affidavit of Moses 
Christenbury to the service of Gabriel Ferrell 
in the Revolutionary War is an acting Justice of  
the Peace at the time of signing the same
and due faith & Credit ought to place in
his official acts as such. 
In testimony whereof I have hereunto to set my
hand and affixed the Seal of office this 20th
May 1833.

Isaac Alexander [illegible credentials]
by B. Oates D. C.

I certify that Moses Christenbury, a subscribing witness
 herein, is a credible person.
Henry W Connor
March [illegible date] 1834. 
Gabriel Ferrell
Page 7

8729
Gabriel Ferrel

Admit as private
12 months $40

Suspended
____________
13
Intg. 1.2.5.7
P. 6330

Hon
H W Connor
HR
Page 8

BRIEF in the case of Gabriel Ferrel
County of Mecklenburg in the State of No. Carolina
(Act 7th June, 1832.)

1. Was the declaration made before a Court or a Judge? In open Court
2. If before a Judge, does it appear that the applicant is disabled by bodily infirmity? 
3. How old is he? 72
4. State his service, as directed in the form annexed. 

Period

Volunteered
October In 1786

Duration of Service
Years 
1

Rank
As a 
Private

Names of General and Field Officers
under whom he served
Gen.
Col. Hall Dixon, Chas G Wilcox
Capt Tillman Dixon 

5. In what battles was he engaged?
Guilford
6. Where did he reside when he entered the service?
Caswell County North Carolina
7. Is his statement supported by living witnesses, by documentary proof, by traditionary evidence, by
incidental evidence, or by the rolls?
Traditionary evidence
 8. Are the papers defective as to form or authentication? and if so, in what respect?
 X Certify that the foregoing statement and the answers agree with the evidence in the case above
 mentioned. 

Chas. Wilcox
Examining Clerk
12. July 1835
Page 9

7.860
Page 10

State of North Carolina
Mecklenburg County

On this 15th day of June
A. D. 1852 personally appeared before me the 
undersigned Justice of the Court of Pleas and
Quarter Sessions in and for the County and State
aforesaid Gabriel Ferrell, William Ferrell, Sarah
Holden & August Ferrell are residents of the County 
of Mecklenburg and State of N. Carolina who being
first duly sworn according to law, doth on
their oaths make the following declarations, in
order to obtain the benefit of the provision made
by the Acts of Congress passed July 7th 1836 and  
July 7th 1838. And all other Acts touching their case.
That they are the children of Nancy Ferrell 
who was the widow of Gabriel Ferrell, who 
was a Revolutionary soldier, which will appear
by reference to the records on file in the Pension office
as he the said Gabriel was a Pensioner of the
United States at the rate of forty dollars per annum.
They further declare that their father Gabriel
and mother Nancy Ferrell were married on the 
day of A.D. 17 that the said Gabriel
Ferrell died on the 5th day of June A.D. 1845 and
that the said Nancy died on the 6th day of March 
A.D. 1848 and the said Nancy remained the 
widow of the aforesaid Gabriel Ferrell until her
death which occurred at the time above stated.
Dependents further state that their said father and mother left no record of their marriage.
They are unable therefore to prove their marriage
except by circumstantial evidence
Page 11

Sworn to and subscribed on the day and
your above written before.
Mr. W Barnette Jr

his mark
Gabriel Ferrell
Margret Ferrell
Sarah Ferrell Holden
his mark
Wm Ferrell

and I, W Barnette, do hereby certify that
I am well acquainted with the above named
parties. They are my neighbours and are very
respectable citizens. And I know them to be
the children of Gabriel Ferrell and by his wife
Nancy Ferrell or at least, they were, always are
knowledged by the said Gabriel & Nancy to be
their children. And I further certify that I 
knew Gabriel Ferrell & his wife Nancy about
fifty years ago. They were then living together
as sworn man and wife and had several children
and they continued to live together as man 
and wife until Gabriel died.

Given under my name this 15th
day of June A. D. 1852 - W. Barnette Jr.
Page 12

State of North Carolina
Mecklenburg County

I Brady Oates Clerk of the 
Court of the Pleas and Quarter Sessions in and for the
County and State aforesaid - do hereby certify
that William Barnette Esqr before whom the
foregoing declaration was executed was at the 
time and is now an acting Justice of the Court
aforesaid, duly commissioned and qualified, acts
and that the foregoing signatures attached to the
declaration - And I further certify that the individuals
who signed the foregoing certificates marked A, B, & C are  
respectable citizens of this County, and their statements 
entitled to credit.

In testimony whereof I have
hereunto set my hand and 
affixed my Seal of Office this
2 - day of August A. D. 1852
B. Oates Clerk of
Mecklenburg County Court
Page 13

52. 50. 58
48

1852
   60
1792
Page 14

State of North Carolina Mecklenburg County
We Certify that Gabriel Ferrell died the 5th 
of June 1845 and that Nancy Ferrell died the 
6th of March 1848. I also certify that 
Margret Ferrell, John Ferrell, and Gabriel
Ferrell and Wm Ferrell and Sarah Ferrell
is the children and Hairs of Gabriel Ferrell
and Nancy Ferrell. The old pensioner and was
always recognized as such. 
Certified by me this 27th day of May 
1852

R. D. Alexander
W Barnette 
Silas Lavis
Danl F. Christenbury
Page 15

No. 7,860

Nancy Ferrell
Widow of Gabriel
N. C.

John Y. Bryant [illegible credentials]
22/53

(over)
Act July 4, 1936

She was not a widow at the passage at the act of
July 7, 1838 & did not [illegible] until 3 o'clock 1837.
Page 16

[Seal]
[Charlotte N.C.]

Augt: 11. 52

Appl. of Nancy
Ferrell dead wife
of Gabriel

Kinley
No agent mentioned

Hon J E Heath
Com of Pensions
Washington City D. C.
Page 17

Acts of July 14, 1862, and March 3, 1973

REJECTED
3514

P.O.
Nancy Ferrell
Service:
Enlisted: ______, 18 .
Discharged _____, 18 .
Application filed: _____, 18 .
Attorney: _______
P.O. _______
_______ Recognized.
_______ Contract
_______ Cert. of Dis. 
Searched for _______, 18.
Page 18

H. of [Illegible]
June 24, 1846

Sir,

I [illegible] you the application 
of Nancy Ferrell, of Mecklenburg 
Co. N. C. for a pension.
Attention [illegible]
Yours truly,
 [Illegible]
W Barringer
Page 19

Washington City
October 6th, 1853

Sir,
Please inform me what 
progress has been made in the
case of Gabriel Ferrell of North
Carolina for a Revolutionary Pension,
filed August 20, 1852. 

Very respectfully
Your abdt Servt. 
John M Bryant
per William H Dietz

To 
Hon L. P. Waldo
Comr. of Pensions
Page 20

State of North Carolina
Mecklenburg County

This day personally appears before me
William Barnette undersigned Justice of
the Pleas in and for the County and State
aforesaid Jane Davis aged 84 years who
being duly sworn in according to law states 
that she was well acquainted with Gabriel 
Ferrell and wife Nancy. That she had known
them for 50 years. They lived near neighbors
then and raised a family of children
the youngest of whom must be at least 48
years old. She never heard their marriage 
doubted. They lived together as man and wife 
from my first acquaintance with them
until the death of said Gabriel Ferrell. 
They both belonged to the Methodist Church 
a number of years before their death and 
they were both highly respected in their
neighborhood.
Sworn to and subscribed before 
me this 1st day of June 1852.
Jane Davis
her mark

William Barnette JP
Siler Davis
A
Page 21

We the undersigned citizens of Mecklenburg
County, residing in the neighbourhood when
the late Gabriel Ferrell (Pensioner) lived and
died, certify that we were well acquainted
with Gabriel Ferrell and his wife Nancy. 
They were considered very respectable, always
maintained impeccable characters, were
considerate members of the Methodist Church,
lived together as husband and wife, from
our earliest acquaintance with them, which 
has been for many years back, respected well
believed in their neighbourhood to have been
legally married, raised a family of children,
some of whom are between sixty and seventy years
old. 
In testimony whereof we have 
documents subscribed our names this day
of July A. D. 1852. 
Caleb Erwin
Andrew Hunter
K. Hunter, Esq
Jeff Alexander
Abner Hunter
Silas Davis 
W. Barnette, Esqr
Hiram Barnette
John Davis
F Dearmon
R. D. Alexander
B