Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty Land Warrant Application File S. 1884, Robert Welch, Va.
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(8—1776)
SERVICE
NUMBER

Va.
Welch, Robert
S. 1884

Carded
Contents
Page 2

7247

East Tennessee

Robert Welch

A [spanger?] be in the State of C.T.
who was a private in the [?] commands
by Captain Carrenton of the [illegible] commands
by Col Coley in the Virginia
[?] for 2 years

Inscribed on the Roll of East Tennessee
at the rate of 80 Dollars [blank] cents per annum
to commence on the 4th day of March, 1831.

Certificate of Pension issued the 20th day of March 1833 and S[?] to Wm E
Cocke of Grainger [?] Tennessee

Arrears to the 4th of March 160.00
Seminal allowance ending Sept = 40.00
$200.00

Revolutionary Claim,
Act June 7, 1832.

Recorded by Daniel Boyd, Clerk
Book 6 Vol. 7 Page 66
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No 15547–
Robert Welch
Grainger County
Tennessee
[illegible] [Polk?]
on Roll
from 1776 private
0 year
80

William E Cocke CL
Grainger County Court
Tennessee
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BRIEF in the case of Robert Welch
of Grainger County in the State of Tennessee
(Act 7th June, 1832.)

1. Was the declaration made before a Court or a Judge? a 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.
Enlisted In 1776.

Duration of Service.
Years, Months, Days.
Served from Feb 1776 to
the end of the war in
1781. when peace was declared

Rank.
As a
Private

Names of General and Field Officers under whom he served.
Gen. Clark Capt Carrenton Col Parker
Col Washington Lee Maj.
Armstrong & Sea

5. In what battles was he engaged? Guilford Court House, Eutaw Springs & various other

6. Where did he reside when he entered the service? Buckingham Co Va.

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? Correct

x Certify that the foregoing statement and the answers agree with the evidence in the case above mentioned.
Dyer Castor
Examining Clerk.
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Declaration of Robert Welch in order to affairs and
benefit of the act of Congress passed June 7th 1832
State of Tennessee
Grainger County & On this day of October 1832
personally appeared in open court before the Judge of
the Circuit Court of Grainger County in the State
of Tennessee now [silling?] Robert Welch a resident of
the County of Grainger and State of Tennessee aged
seventy 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 7th 1832. that he enlisted in the service
of the United States in the Virginia State troops,
under the following named officers and served as herein
stated that he enlisted under Joseph Clark who by appointment of Capt Maleo Carrenton
was a recruiting officer for the term of eighteen months that he was there s[?]t to Chesterfield Court
House in the state of Virginia that in [?]th
after he arrived at Chesterfield Courthouse he
concluded to take the bounty for the remainder
of the war or until peace should be declared
which he accordingly did that he collected the
bounty at Chesterfield from Col William Davis
that shortly afterward, Col Richard Parker took
command of the Regiment to which I belonged.
He states that he entered in the month of February 1776 and did not have the service until peace was
declared in 1781 as he believes. He states that he was
in the following engagement to wit at Guilford Court
house in the State of North Carolina Gens Green
and Morgan, Col Wm Washington,
Col Sec. Maj. Armstrong and Maj. John Ridgely.
I was also in the siege of 76 we sieged the fort for
about twenty six days but could not take it
We then relocated I also fought in the Battle of
the Eutaw Springs Genl Green commanding at
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engagement I was wounded in the said battle in
my arm and hand. I was engaged in various
s[?] He states that he was discharged by Maj. Joseph Agleston
or Egleston but that it was destroyed when my house burnt down long ago.
He states that at the time he entered the service
he resided in Buckingham County, State of
Virginia – that he was enlisted and fought in
the engagement, as above stated. He states that he
served with the regiment, commanded by
Col Washington and Lee as before stated
that he fought in the Battles of Guilford court
house and Eutaw Springs. Gens Green and
Morgan of [illegible] regular army commanding
He states that he has no documentary evidence
and knows of no person whose testimony he can
procure who can testify to his 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
Sworn to and subscribed the day and year
afterward.

Robert Welch
+
Wm E. Cocke, Clerk
By D. Barton, D.C.

We Joseph Wolfinbarger and Peter Wolfinbarger
residing in the county of Grainger and State of Tennessee
hereby certify that we are well acquainted with
Robert Welch who has subscribed and [was in?] to the
above declaration that we believe him to be seventy
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 [concern?] in that
o[?]n Sworn to and subscribed this day of Octr 1832

Wm E. Cocke, Clerk
By D. Barton, D.C.
Joseph Wolfinbarger
+
Peter Wolfinbarger
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And the said court do hereby declare their opinion
after the investigation of the matter and after pulling
the interrogations presented by the War Department
that the above named applicant was a revolutionary
soldier and served as he states and the court further
certifies that Joseph Wolfinbarger and Peter Wolfinbarger who have signed the preceding 
certified are residents in the County of Grainger
and that they are creditable persons and that
their statement is entitled to credit.

I William E. Cocke clerk of the circuit court
of Grainger County do hereby certify that this
foregoing contain the organic proceedings of
the said court in the matter of the application of
Robert Welch for a pension. In testimony whereof
I have hereunto set my hand and seal
of my office this 22nd day of Octr 1832.

William E. Cocke Clerk
By his deputy D. Barton

Questions proposed by the court DC

Question where and in what year were you born
answer I was born in Buckingham County State of
Virginia in the year 1760 in the month of Oct of said year.

Question Have you any record of your age if so where is it
Answer I have not here but it is in Lexington Kentucky

Question where were you living when called into service 
where have you lived since the revolutionary war
and where do you live now
answer I was living in Buckingham County Virginia when I entered the service from Buckingham I [removed?]
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to Greenbrier from then on to Powell Valley from
then on to Grainger County Tennessee where I now live

Where were you called into service
Answer I entered in the Virginia State troops

Question State the names of some of the regular officers
who were with the troops when you served such
continental and militia regiment as you can
recollect and the general circumstances of your
service
Answer I served with Col Washington Lee Genl
Green Morgan Col Campbell who was killed
at the battle of Eutaw Springs not [mere?] than
twenty steps from me for the general circumstances
of my service I refer to my declaration

Question Did you ever receive a discharge from the
service of so by whom was it given and what has
become of it.
Answer I received my discharge from Maj Joseph Agleston or Egleston and it was destroyed when
my house was burnt up some time ago.

Question State the names of persons to whom you are known in your present neighborhood and
who can testify as to your character for veracity
and their belief of your service as a soldier of the
revolution
Answer Joseph Wolfinbarger and Peter Wolfinbarger

Robt. Welch 15547
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Rev. War
1884
INVALID

File No. 1884
Robert Welch.
Paris, Va. L[?]

Act: June 7, 1832.
Index:—Vol. [A?], Page 397

Arrangement of 1870.
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No 15547.
Robert Welch
Grainger County
Tennessee

William E Clarke CL
Grainger County Court
Tennessee
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BRIEF objections to the admission of Pension Claims, of which these
answered in the negative, in red ink, will apply to the claim of
Robert Welch which require
further proof or explanation.

I. Does the declaration show where the applicant resides?

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

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?

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 amount of pension
he is entitled?

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

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

VIII. Has the Court given their opinion?

IX. Has the Clerk given his certificate?

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?
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XI. Has the applicant obtained the evidence of a clergyman and other another respectable citizen as to
their belief respecting his age and the general belief in his neighborhood relative to his revolutionary
service?
No

XII. If the clergyman's affidavit has not been produced, is there any reason assigned for not obtaining
it?
No

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?

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 local 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?

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

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 postively 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 [blank]
year [blank] months, and [blank] days, I served as a [blank] For [blank] months
and [blank] days, I served as a [blank]; and for such service I claim a pension.
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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 that 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 shown under what officers the applicant served; the duration
of each term of engagement; the particular place of places where the service was performed; 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 certificate of the certifying officer who authenticates the papers is not
written on the same sheet of paper which contains the affidavit, or another 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.
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.