Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty Land Warrant Application File R. 4,522, Thomas Hamilton, S.C. Va.
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(8-1776)
Service: S.C. [South Carolina], Va. [Virginia]
Hamilton, Thomas
Number: R 4.522
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3
Wherefore in order to obtain the benefit of the act of Congress passed June 7th 1832 by Thomas Hamilton

State of Alabama
Lowndes County 
On this the [underlined]31st day of March A. D. 1840 personally appear in Open Court before Mr. [crossed-out]Thomas Hamilton Honbl [Honorable] Peter Williamson Judge [inserted]of the county court of Lowndes County sitting at Day with it being a Court of record was sitting [underlined]Thomas Hamilton a resident citizen of [underlined]Lowndes County in the State of Alabama and [underlined]Eighty Years on the 9th day of April last 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 Jan 7th 1832, That He whom the service of the United States under the following named officers & services herein stated that He first entered service under the command of [underlined]Colonel Stephens & Captain Morgan about the month of [underlined]March in the year [underlined]of 1778
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The State of Alabama
Lowndes County

I John Varner Clerk of the County Court of Lowndes County [crossed out] it being a Court of Record & I Keeper of the Records do hereby certify that the Honorable Peter Williamson before whom the foregoing Declarations was made in Judge of the said County Court of Lowndy & that full faith & credit is due to all his official acts.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand & affirm my official seal of office at office the 2nd day of April AD 1840
John Varner Clk
C.oC.L.C. [Clerk of Court of Lowndes County]
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Leaving his wife must soften the fight commented General Smallwood came up with his troops & engaged in the battle- He was draughted in Henry County & commenced service as was regularly mustered in at Meyer Winstons on Hall River in South Carolina, He marched from Hall River to the shallow ford on that Yadkin River & from thence up the Hollows of the Yadkin & from thence back to Henry County in Virginia & was thence discharged by Captain Shelton, He has no documentary evidence of this term of service & He knows of no persons who can testify the same.
He further declares that he entered the service a third time under Colonel Cassey & Captain George Martin in the month of March in the year 1782 or 1783 & continued in service for about the term [underlined] twelve months, or untill about the
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first of March after He entered the service- He at the same time he entered service This third time resided on Reedy Creek in Ninety six District in the State of South Carolina
He entered service as a volunteer He was in no regular regiment but half several officers marched with the town - He passed the most of this term of service in the Ninety six District, He was acquainted with Captain Lewis Saxon Captain Martin & Col. Cassey 
He has no documentary proof of this term of service And this declarant hereby relinquishes every claims whatever to a pension on annuity except the present & declares that his name is not on the pension roll of the agency of any state
Subscribed & Sworn to the Authority named aforesaid
S/ Thomas Hamilton
S/ Peter Williamson JCCLC
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& contribute in service under the Law officers untill about the first of September or October following last about six months at which time He was discharged at the time, he entered the service [inserted] He lived in Culpepper County [crossed-out] House at the State of Virginia, that he entered service as a volunteer during the first term of service; He marched from Culpepper Court House where he entered service down to Norfolk & was kept there about three months, He was marched from thence to [crossed-out] Richmond [Inserted] Williamsburg in Virginia where he remained four or five days, & was from thence marched back to to Norfolk & was stationed there the balanced of the term of Service & was then discharged from service, There was a slight engagement at Norfolk which He was in the service & he reached thence Captain Haraldson an officer [inserted]in the British army was killed in the engagement, He was acquainted with officers Stephen Morgan & Jameson He states that he has no documentary evidence of his Lowndes service having long since lost or destroyed that evidence
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& declarant knows of no one that can testify to this term of service He served as a Private Soldiers-
He further declares that he entered the service of the United States a second time under the following officers, with Colonel Martin & Captain Thomas Cook & Captain James Shelton- He entered the service the second time about September in the year of 1782 He continued in service about six months thence, at the commencement of This Second term of service He lived in Henry County in the State of Virginia He was draugh after this service term of service, the draft being for the service of three months: He was in an engagement this time of service at a place called The Shallow Ford On the [underlined]Yadkin River in North Carolina, He was commanded in this engagement by Captain Cook- & the other Tories were commanded by Bryant & the engagement has afterwards known as Bryants defeat
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The Service purports a Clergy man residing in the County of Lowndes is in the neighborhood of Thomas Hamilton & William B Haraldson residing in the same hereby certify that we are well acquainted with Thomas Hamilton when he subscribed & sworn to the above declaration, that we believe him to be about the age of Eighty Years; That He is reputed & believed in the neighborhood where He resided to have been a Soldier of the revolution & that we concur in that Opinion

Subscribed & Sworn to the 31st day of March 1840
S/ David Peebles Jun.t
S/ W.B. Haraldson
S/ Peter Williamson CCLC

And We the said Court do hereby declare the opinion after the investigation of the months, that the above named applicant was a revolutionary soldier & served as He states: & the Court previous certifies, that it appears- to the said
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Court that Lewis Pebbles who was subscribed by the above is a regular minister of the gospel, residing now the said Thomas Hamilton & that the James William & W Haraldson is a citizen of Lowndes & has therein is his neighborhood-
S/ (Hon D.H. Lewis H.OC) [written upsidedown]
S/ Peter Williamson JCCLC

[Written on the side of the page] 4      35,008
Thomas Hamilton
-Alabama

The declarant Thomas Hamilton states upon Oath, that from the long period until his passed & from his forgetfulness & want of many He is unable to state with greater fervent & certainty the months & times & preventing the dates herein said forth-
Subscribed & Sworn to the 31st of March 1844
S/ Peter Williamson JCCLC
S/ Thomas Hamilton
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ISC
Rej. No. 4522,
Thomas Hamilton
Rev. War

Feb. 3, 1905

Sir:
In reply to your request for the military history of Thomas Hamilton, a soldier of the Revolutionary War, you are advised that he applied for a pension March 31, 1840, at which time he was a resident of Lowndes County, Alabama, "aged 80 years on the 9th of April last."
He stated that he resided in Culpeper County, Virginia, when he enlisted in March, 1778, as private under Capt. Morgan and Col. Stephens; was in an engagement at Norfolk, Va.,; served 6 months.
He was draughted [drafted] in Henry Co., Va., September, 1780, and served under Capts. Thomas Cook and James Shelton, and Col. Martin; was in "Bryant's Defeat" on Shallowford on Yadkin River, N.C.: 6 weeks.
At his [inserted] last enlistment he resided on Reedy Creek, S.C., and served from March, 1782 or 1783, under Capt. George Martin and Col. Cassey (?) for 12 months.

This claim was rejected on the ground of claimant's failure to prove six months' actual service in the Revolutionary War as required by law.

Very Respectfully,
Acting Commissioner

Lieut. Gordon R. Catts,
Fort Lawton, Washington
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407
Pension office
Feb 4,1846
Sir
In reply to your inquiry respecting the case of Thomas Hamilton, I have the honor to inform you that his claim has not been admitted, as his revolutionary service did not amount to six months, which the law requires. The original paper cannot consistently with our rule, be sent from the file, in this case, but certified copies will be furnished if you desire them.

S/ Hon W. L. Yancey
H.R.

35008, ala
32 2yo
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4
Thomas Hamilton
Alabama
Rejected
Sec. let.: 20 May '40 to D. H. Lewis. doth Hon. W.L. Yancey HR Feb 21 46 
Copies of papers sent to same, April 1. 1846

Did not perform six months actual service
4522
Act 7 June 1832
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Sir- The Hon: D. H. Lewis informs me
that the papers requisite for drawing
the pension of Thomas Hamilton of Lowndes
County, Alabama, are in your hands.
Please to inform me if Mr. Hamilton
is on the Pension list of Revolutionary
soldiers?  If so, has any pension ever
been paid to him & if not, how much
is now due?
If his name is not on the list, please
to send all the papers in your office
relation to his petition to be placed on
the list to one
Yours respectfully
W. L. Yancey
July 17. 1846.
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297
Pen: Office 
May 20, 1840

Sir,

The declaration of Thomas
Hamilton has been examined. He
alleges to have served as a wilton
man of Virginia, a term of six months
from March 1778, and a tour of
six weeks in 1780, and for twelve
months as a volunteer of South Carolina
in 1782 or 1783. The Virginia militia
were not called on to serve more
than three months under one engagement,
and those who belonged to volunteer
companies in South Carolina in 1782
1783 were not called out by state
authority to perform actual service in a
military capacity. The Act of 7 June
1832 provides for none who did not
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perform six months actual service in 
a military capacity. The claim has
consequently been rejected and
the papers filed. I herewith return
[Mr. strikethrough] the
letter of Major Gilchrist and
Bedford's letter.

Hon. Dixon H. Lewis
H. R.

Hon. D. H. Lewis
May 20 40
[unknown]
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18 May 1840

Sir

Please to let me hear from you on the subject of the enclosed papers as soon as your convenience will allow.

Very Respectfully
Yr. Obt. Servt. [Your Obedient Servant]
D. H. Lewis

Jas. Edwards Esq.
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3-871
RECORD DIVISION
Department of the Interior
BUREAU OF PENSIONS

Briefed by
Claim No.
Certificate No.
Claimant
Soldier Thomas Hamilton
Service Census of 1840 page 149 reports
Additional Service Thomas Hamilton of Lowndes Co. Ala. age 81
No _ _ _claim, State records _ _ _, 191
as a pensioner
No claim, combination records _ _ _, 191

REMARKS:
There is no such pensioner but see Ref. 4522 Ala [Alabama] Agency book searched & no sol. or will of a Thos.[Thomas] Hamilton on it:
There is only one old war Fol.[Folder] or will of Thomas Hamilton pensioned over
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and that is Sarah a res. of Ga. widow of Thomas Hamilton Ala Vols. Mexican war & said war of course was after 1840, therefore is not the one on census report. All the other Thos Hamiltons are Rev. & none of them in Ala
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November 14, 1931

BA-J/AY [illegible initialed signature]

Mr. John B Scheel,
212 Van Hosen Avenue,
Passaic, New Jersey.

Dear Sir:
Reference is made to your letter relative to one Thomas Hamilton, a soldier of the Revolutionary War.
The data contained herein are obtained from the papers on file in the Revolutionary War claim for pension, R4522, based upon his military service in that war.

Thomas Hamilton was born April 9, 1759, place not stated.

He applied for pension March 31, 1840 while a resident of Lowndes County, Alabama, and stated that while a resident of Culpeper County, Virginia, he entered the service about March 1778, served about six months as a private in Captain Morgan's Company, Colonel Stephens' Regiment and was in an engagement at Norfolk; that while a resident of 
Henry County, Virginia, he was drafted about September 1780, served six weeks under Captain Thomas Cook and James Shelton and Colonel Martin and was in Bryant's defeat at Shallowford on the Yadkin River; that while residing on Reedy Creek, Ninety Six District South Carolina, he entered the service on March 1782 or 1783,served about twelve months in Captain George Martin's Company, Colonel Cassey's Regiment and was in several skirmishes with the Tories.

His claim was not allowed as he failed to furnish proof of service for six months in an organized
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military corps as required by the pension law.
There are no family data.

Very Truly yours
A.D. Hiller
Assistant to Adminstrator
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Rev. War Section

April 18, 1914.

Chief, Quartermaster Corps.
Washington D.C.

Sir:
In response to your letter of the 15th instant. and the attached papers. I have the honor to advise you that in the rejected Revolutionary War pension claim. File no. 4522.
Thomas Hamilton, who lived in Lowndes County, Alabama in 1840, alleged that he volunteered in Virginia. March 1778 and served about 6 moths under Captain Morgan and Colonel Stephens. He was drafted in Virginia September 1780 and served about 6 weeks under Captain Cook and James Shelton and Colonel Martin. He volunteered in South Carolina in 1762 or 1783 and served about 12 months under Captain George Martin and Colonel Cassey.

His claim for pension was rejected May 20, 1840, for the reason that the Virginia Militia was not called out to serve more than three months under one engagement. While he alleges that his first tour was six months. and also that those who belonged to volunteer companies in South Carolina in 1782 or 1783, were not called out by state authority to perform actual service in a military capacity and the Act of June7,1832 under which he applied for pension provided for none who did not perform six months actual service in a military capacity.
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This rejection was re-affirmed on February 21, 1846. In a letter to the Hon. W. L. Yancy, House of Representatives.
There were five Revolutionary War soliders named Thomas Hamilton or Hambleton on the pension roll  in 1840 but none of them served or resided as described in the Revolutionary claim No.4522. The rolls of Revolutionary War pensioners paid in Alabama fail to show the name of Thomas Hamilton at any date. 
By consulting the title page of the Census of Pensions printed in 1841. you will see that it was complied from the returns made by the Marshalls of the several judicial districts under the act for taking the sixth census, and not from the records of this Bureau, therefore it has often been impossible to verify the data contained therein as in the present instance it is suggested that the person recordedon page 149 of said Census may have stated that he was an applicant for  pension and been incorrectly reported.
Very respectfully,
GM Saltzgabey
Commissioner

Hamilton. - 2
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Reg. 4522
Thomas Hamilton

Mch 31, 1840 res Loundes Co.
Ala. V. Apl. 9,
res Culpeper Co. Va at encl.
Mch 78. Pri [Private]
Capt. Morgan
Col Stephens

eng [engaged] at Norfolk 6m
res Henry Co. Va
Sept 80
Capt Thomas Cook
Capt James Shelton
Col Martin
eng [engaged]  Shallow Ford 6 m
Yadkin river NC.
Bryants defeat
__________
Mch 82 or 83 (8.C.)
Capt Geo. Martin
Col Cassey

Resided on
Reedy Creek, S.C.
12 m
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John B. Scheel
212 Van Houten Avenue
Passaic, N.J.

October 28, 1931

Office of the U.S. Director of Pensions,
Washington, D.C.

Gentlemen:
The undersigned would appreciate receiving from you the Revolutionary War record of --
[underlined]THOMAS HAMILTON who was born in Belfast, Ireland, April 9th, 1758, emigrated to America in 1762, with his parents, His father's name is David Hamilton, mother's maiden name was Carlisle. The family settled in Culpepper County, Virginia and Thomas Hamilton probably enlisted from there. He served [underlined]four years in the Continental Army.
He married Temperance Arnold, daughter of Benjamin Arnold May 28th, 1782.
[underlined]THOMAS HAMILTON died in August 1844, aged 86 and was buried in Wathin Cemetery, in Lowndes County, Alabama (10 miles South of Benton, Ala.). His wife Temperance Arnold Hamilton died July 22nd, 1849 and is buried in the same cemetery.

Yours very truly
S/ John B Scheel

[Stamped] RECEIVED 
0CT 30 1937
RECEIPT SECTION
PENSION FILES COMMISSION
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Address reply to
Chief, Quartermaster Corps
Washington D.C

War Department,
Office of the Chief of the Quartermaster Corps
Washington

April 15, 1914
(No 474695)
S/ [Initialed] H.A.S.

From: Chief, Quartermaster Corps U.S. Army
To: The Commissioner of Pensions, Washington, D.C.
Subject: Verification of military service of Thomas Hamilton.

1. It is requested that if practicable the military service of Thomas Hamilton, alleged to have served in the Revolutionary War in the organizations given on the enclosed application blank for Government headstone, be verified from the Revolutionary War records in your office.  Attention is 
invited to the correspondence attached in which it is stated by Colonel Francis G. Caffey, Solicitor, Department of Agriculture, applicant for the within-mentioned headstone, that the name of Thomas Hamilton appears on the "Census of Pensioners for Revolutionary or Military Service, 1840, page 149."
By direction;
S/ Jno L.Clems [John L. Clems
Colonel, Quartermaster Corps.
3 incls.
A-C
AR

[Written note] All the enclosures had to be returned. The services quoted were those in the "Reg. 4522" and one of the enclosures was a copy of the declaration of the claim

[Stamped] U.S. PENSION OFFICE N
APR 16 1914
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[Stamped] U.S.F.B. OLD WAR & NAVY
JAN 28 1905
FILES.

Fort Lawton, Wash.,
Jan20, 1905

The Commissioners of Pensions
Washington D.C.

Sir:
I have the honor to request a statement of the services of Thomas Hamilton rendered during the Revolutionary War. He was an ancestor of mine, was born in Belfast, Ire, April 9, 1758 and served i the Virginia forces, he made application for a pension in 1840 and at that time resided in Lowndes County, Alabama.

Very respectfully,
(Lieut.) Gordon R. Catts
Fort Lawton, Wash

[Stamped] U.S. PENSION OFFICE. A
JAN 27 1905
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UNITED STATES MILITARY ACADEMY
West Point, New York

Nov. 2, 1902

[Stamped] FIRST DEPUTY COMMISSIONER U.S. PENSION OFFICE
NOV 4 1902

J.L. Davenport,
Commissioner of Bureau of Pensions,
Washington, D.C.

My dear Sir,-
I should like to obtain information relation to
the military history of [underlined] Thomas Hamilton, a soldier of the Revolutionary War. He was an ancestor of mine, resided in Lowndes County, Alabama
and made application for a pension in 1840.
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His residence at date of enlistment was in Culpepper County, VA
I shall be very grateful to you for any information.

Very respectfully,
Gordon R Catts
Cabet, U.S.M.A.
Page 29

Aug. 28, 1902.
Commissioner of Pensions
Washington, D.C.

Thomas Hamilton of Loundes County, Alabama, a [unintelligible] of the Revolutionary War. was, or am informed, on the Pension
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[Stamped]REJECTED
4522
Thomas Hamilton
Service: _____
Enlisted:_____, 18
Discharged:____, 18
Application filed:_____, 18
Alleges:_____________
Re-enlisted:____________
Attorney: ______
P.O.__________
_____Recognized.  _____Contract.
_____Cert. of Dis.  Searched for _____, 18

[Written notes from the blank page before the above info.]
Oct 25-02
Fos. G. 'Caffey -N.Y. Cap't.
Nov. 20-1902
Gordon R. Catts
Cadet U.S.M.A. West Pt. N.Y
------------
Feby 8. 1905 History to Lt. Gordon R Catts, Fort Lawton Wash-
--------
1914. Apr. 18 Hist of service &
cause of rejection to D. M. Gere
AW.
1931 Nov. 14. Hist. to John B.
Scheel, A. D. Y.