Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty Land Warrant Application File S. 1947, Elijah Cross, N.C.
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(3-1776)

SERVICE
N.C.

Cross, Elijah

NUMBER
S. 1947

Born in Md.
carded

CONTENTS
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S1832
Elijah Cross
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State of Tennessee}
Sullivan County} On this 21st day of August 1832 personally appeared in open Court before the Justices of the Court of pleas and Quarter Sessions for Sullivan County now sitting Elijah Cross aged Seventy four years a resident in said County and State who being first duly sworn according to law doth 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 named officers and served as herein stated. That he was born in Baltimore County Maryland in the year1758 that he moved to what is now Sullivan County in the state of Tennessee about the commencement of the Revolutionary war, that pretty early in the war he cannot state the year he was ordered out a two months tour under Col. Evan Shelby, that James Shelby or Daisy was his Captain that they marched to  the glade hollow fort near Clinch river that he staid his time over and returned home - but got no discharge. That he thinks about two years after the above tour he was ordered out on a two months tour under Captain (afterwards Col.) Anderson of the block house that they marched to Blackamores fort on Clinch river that they ranged on the frontier untill his time expired when he returned home but got no discharge. That about one year after the last mentioned tour he volunteered under Captain Marten to go to the Cherokee nation that they rendezvoused not far from  Dodson's
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ford on Holston river at Honeycut's place that they crossed the French broad river that he took sick and was unable to proceed farther that Benjamin Lowrey came back to take care of him that on their return by McBroom fort in Carter's valley they had a skirmish with some Indians and drove them from the fort. That he lay sick at said  Lowrey's sometime and then returned home after a tour of five weeks.
That in the fall of the year when Cornwallis was taken he served as orderly Sergeant a three months tour under Capt. Wallace, that Isaac Shelby was Colonel that they marched to the yellow mountain where they were joined by Colonel Sevier that they marched from there to Ramsours mill in North Carolina where they lay for some days - from there they went to Burke Courthouse from there to Charlotte from thence they marched to  Camden from there to the high hills of Santee where Gen'l. Green then lay from thence they crossed the Santee river and Joined Gen'l Marion, that they marched with Marion near the quarter house where a party of the British lay. They then marched to where a party of the British lay not far from Monk's corner - that they attacked the British and took a number prisoners, that they then returned with the prisoners to Marions headquarters on the Santee that they staged them untill his time expired when he got a discharge from Col. Shelby that he was acquainted with Col. Mayhew of the house at Santee who was a regular officer. That he has lost his discharge and has no documentary and that he knows of no person whose testimony he can procure who can testify to his service and that there is no clergyman in his vicinity whose testimony he can procure.
He herby 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. [Signature]
Elijah Cross
Sworn to and subscribed the day and year aforesaid.
We William Snodgrass & John Spurgeon residing in Sullivan County do hereby certify that we are well
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acquainted with Elijah Cross who has subscribed and sworn to the above declaration that we believe him to be Seventy four years of age that he is reputed & believed in the neighborhood where he resides to have been a soldier of the revolution and that we concur in that opinion.
[signatures] William Snodgrass  John Spurgeon
Sworn to and subscribed the day & year aforesaid.

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 ad the court further certifies that it appears to them that William Snodgrass & John Spurgeon who signed the preceding certificate are residents in the said county and in the neighborhood of the applicant are credible persons, and that their statement is entitled to credit.
[Signatures] Abrm McClelland
E. R. Dalen
Abraham Hull

I Richard Netherland Clerk of the Court of Pleas and Quarter Sessions do hereby certify that the foregoing contains the original proceedings of the said court in the matter of the application of Elijah Cross for a pension. 

In Testimony whereof I have hereunto set my Hand and Seal of office this 21 day of August 1832.
Richard Netherland Clerk by
G. W. Netherland D Clerk
[seal]
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To Jonesboro' 1647.
East Tennessee
Elijah Cross
Sullivan in the State of Tennessee who was a pt. & Sgt. in the Company commanded by Captain Anderson the Reg't commanded by Col. Shelby in the Tennessee line for 9 months 5 days from 1776
N.C. line: Records corrected
Inscribed on the Roll of East Tennessee Nov. 18 '03 at the rate of 35 dollars 54 Cents per annum, to commence on the 4th day of March 1831.
Certificate of Pension issued the 5 day of Nov. 1832. and sent to Samuel Rhea. Blountville Ten.
Arrears to 4th Sept. 1832 53.31
Semi-anl. allowance ending 4 March 1833 17.77= $71.08

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

Recorded by Nathan Rice Clerk,
Book D Vol. 9 Page 97.

Date of death sent on ab
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4832
Elijah Cross
Tennessee

from 1776 private & Sergent. 9 mos. 5 days
$35.54

Sam'l. Rhea
Blountville
Ten:
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4832

BRIEF in the case of Elijah Cross County of Sullivan in the State of  Tennessee
(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? 74 years
4. State his service as directed in the form annexed.

[Headings]
Period. | Duration of Service. | Rank. | Names of General and Field Officers under whom he served.

1776 | tour 2 months | [blank] | Col. Evan Shelby
[blank] | tour 2 months | [blank] | James Shelby or Daisy was Capt.
[blank] | tour 1 month | [blank] | Capt. (afterwards Col:) Anderson
[blank] | tour 1 month 5 days | Capt. Martin
[blank] | tour 3 months | ord.ly Serg't. | Col. Isaac Shelby Capt. Wallace Col. Sevier Gen'l Marion

5. In what battles was she engaged? 
6. Where did he reside when he entered the service? Sullivan County Tennessee
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? 

I Certify that the foregoing statement and the answers agree with the evidence in the case above mentioned.

Examining Clerk.
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Rev. & 1812 Wars Section.

August 27, 1926.

Miss S. E. Brown,
Cherokee
1100 Peachtree St.
Atlanta, Ga.

Madam:

I have to advise you, that from the papers in the Revolutionary War pension claim, S. 1847, it appears that Elijah Cross was born in Baltimore, Maryland in 1758. While living in what was later was called Sullivan County, Tennessee, he enlisted and served as a private
in the North Carolina Troops as follows;
For two months in Captain James Shelby's Company, Colonel Evan Shelby's Regiment. For two months in Captain Anderson's Company. For one month under Lieutenant Stanton. For five weeks in Captain Martin's Company. No
Dates given for these services. He enlisted in the fall of 1781 and served as Orderly Sergeant for three months in Captain Wallace's Company. Colonel Isaac Shelby's Regiment and was in an engagement.
He was allowed pension on his application executed August 21, 1832, while living in Sullivan County, Tenn.
There is no data on file as to family.
Respectfully,
E.W.MORGAN.
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Rev. War 1947
INVALID.
File No. 1947
Elijah Cross
Sergt. Tenn. line
Act. June 7, 1832
Index:-Vol. .A, Page 80
[Arrangement of 1870.]
N.C. Line Records corrected Nov. 18, 03 a

1926 Aug. 27 Hist to S.E. Brown/see
letter in Abraham Cross S.1900/aw
1907 Mch 2 - hist. to Memo-Br. sce
other correct in neg. Files under John Alison case.
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Hon. Lewis Cass
Sec. War
Washington D. C.
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Blountville: August 19. 1835

Hon. Lewis Cass
D. Sir,

We are among the number that yet survive of those who fought for the liberty that we now enjoy - Through the kindness of our Government we are enabled to receive annually a small pension for which we feel grateful. As our pensions are small we wish to draw it with as little expense as possible - we are old and none of us well able to attend at Jonesboro to draw our money of course we have to impower a friend in Jonesboro to draw for us - Your instructions to Mr. w. Balir, as we are informed are that our atty. must go before a magistrate and swear he is not interested &c. and the clerk must certify that said magistrate is an acting
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magistrate for which service he claims from each of us 50 cts. This we consider a grievance and humbly ask of you to reconsider your instructions and if you can consistent with duty recall them. we shall be much obliged and by this we shall each of us save $1 per year - It has been represented to us that your agent W. Rob't. King in Knoxville, has never required the county seal nor has he been so instructed we mean the seal to the clerks certificate relating to the justice who took the attorney's oath - 
We always employ some person in Jonesboro as our atty who is well known to Mr. Blair - We hope you will hear our request and grant the relief asked for, which will confer a lasting favour on some hundreds of your
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pensioners and very much oblige your unworthy servants.
[Signatures]
Elijah Cross
Jno. Shaffer
Andrew Hawk
Jacob Hawk
Micajah Adams
Joshua Bates
Thomas Jones
Sol. Crutsinger
Sam'l Hensley

n.b.
We shall be glad to hear from you even should you not grant our requests.

Two Tennessee - 
E. Cross J. Shaffer
& others U.S. Pensioners

ans. Aug't. 27 1855

J. Edwards 1855
Pension Office
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BRIEF objections to the admission of Pension Claims of which those answered in the negative, in red ink, will apply to the claim of Elijah Cross which require further proof or explanation. 
I. Does the declaration show where the applicant resides? Yes
II. 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 periods of the war when he served? No
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 [amount] of pension he is entitled? Yes
VI. Has he given the names of the officers under who 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

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.
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2
XI. has the applicant obtained the 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? certified by two citizens
XII. If the clergyman's affidavit has not been produced, is there any reason assigned for not obtaining it? States there is no clergyman in his vicinity whose testimony he can procure.
XIII. If the applicant has no documentary evidence, and has not obtained the testimony of at least one living witness, as he stated in his declaration that such proof cannot be had? Yes
XIV. +If the applicant's name is not found on the rolls of military service, has he produced a witness or witnesses as to his service?
If he has produced direct proof as to service, has the magistrate who administered the oath, certified to the credibility of the witness or witnesses? 
Has the proper officer certified to the official character and signature of the magistrate as the regulations direct? 
XV. Does it appear from any of the papers that the witness was in such a situation, or of such an age, as to have a personal knowledge of the applicant's service?
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? 
__________________________________________________

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 & has a device.
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3
It is important in all cases to determine with precision the period for which each 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. Some persons who apply for pensions merely state they served two years in the militia, &c. without specifying the tours; the names of the officers, and other particulars respecting their service.  This form of a declaration is highly objectionable.  It must in every case be clearly shewn under what officers the applicant served; that the applicant served with an embodied corps called into service by competent authority; that he was either in the field or in garrison; and for the time during which the service was performed, he was not employed in any civil pursuit.
(+) 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 he 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 certifying officer who authenticates 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 ends 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.
[hand pointing right] In every case where the clerk of the court, or other certifying officer, has no public seal of office, the certificate of a member of congress, proving the official character and signature of the certifying officer, should accompany the papers.
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March 2, 1937

Elijah Cross
S. 1947
BA-J/AWF aw
The Quartermaster General
Memorial Branch
War Department
Washington, D. C.

Dear Sir:

The data which follow were obtained from papers on file in pension claim, S. 1947, based upon the service of Elijah Cross in the Revolutionary War.
Elijah Cross was born in the year 1758 in
Baltimore County, Maryland, and moved about the commencement of the Revolutionary War" to what was later Sullivan County, Tennessee. The names of his parents
were not given.
Elijah Cross enlisted early in the Revolution
and served two months as a ranger on the frontier under either Captain James Shelby or Daisy in Colonel Evan Shelby's North Carolina regiment. He enlisted about two years later, served two months in Captain Anderson's company, and about three weeks later served one month under Lieutenant Stanton. He served five weeks in Captain Martin's company, and was in a skirmish with the Cherokee Indians. He enlisted in the fall "when Cornwallis was taken" and served three months as orderly sergeant; in Captain Wallace's company in Colonel Isaac Shelby's North Carolina
regiment, and was in an engagement near Monk's Corner.
He was allowed pension on his application executed August 21, 1832, then a resident of Sullivan County, Tennessee.
The papers in this claim contain no reference

Access: Unrestricted
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to the family of the soldier, Elijah Cross.
The application for headstone for Elijah Cross is returned attached to this correspondence.
Very truly yours
A. D. HILLER
Executive Assistant
to the Administrator

see negative Files
under John Alison