Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty Land Warrant Application File S. 2480, James Creemer, N.C.
Page 1

[typed form, with handwritten responses]

[3-1776]

SERVICE
N. C.

Creemer, James

NUMBER
S. 2480

Carded
CONTENTS
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[typed form, with handwritten responses]

12,480
North Carolina
James Creemer Sr.
Of Beaufort the State of N. Car
who was a pr. in the --- commanded by Captain Sharp of the ---- commanded by ---- in the N. Car. line for 1 year

Inscribed on the Roll of North Carolina at the rate of 40 Dollars -- Cents per annum, to commence on the 4th day of March, 1831. 

Certificate of Pension issued the 2 day of May ‘33 and sent J.B. Hinton – Raleigh, N Car.

Arrears to the 4th of March 1833 80
Semi-anl. allowance ending 4 Sept – 20
100

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

Recorded by Nathan Rice, Clerk
Book E Vol. 6 Page 36
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Declaration of James Creemer Senr [Senior] in order to obtain the benefit of the act of Congress, passed June 7th 1832.

State of North Carolina}
Beaufort County} to wit
On this 22nd day of August 1832 personally appeared in open Court, before the worshipful the Court of Pleas and Quarter Sessions of said County, now sitting, James Creemer Senior a resident of said County, aged seventy-eight years or thereabouts, 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 entered the service of the United States, under the following named officers, and served as herein stated. That is to say – sometime after the commencement of the war of the Revolution, he enlisted in a company in the County of Pitt in this State & as well as he can now recollect the Captain's name was Herring [James Harrin] in what was called the State Regiment and for a twelve months tour of service. The Regiment was commanded to the best of his present recollection by Col. Heritage [sic, John Herritage]. He served out his said arrangement without any material occurrence & was employed in various expeditions to different parts of said State. After returning home & remaining sometime after his discharge at the close of the above period of service, he again enlisted in the Army & in a Company which was commanded as well as he
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can now remember by Captain Stancel [Godfrey Stancil] & his said enlistment was in the County of Pitt in said State – and as far as he now remembers, his contract of service was for three months – & before the expiration of said three months, he joined the main Army with his Company and enlisted in the Continental service in a Company commanded by Captain Sharpe – and he thinks Colonel Dixon was commander of the Regiment. General Green [Nathanael Greene] commander in chief and his enlistment was for twelve months, but his memory has so failed him, that he cannot recollect the date of his enlistment in the upper part of the State and at a tower, the name of which he has forgotten – during this period he saw a great deal of hard service and was often in very suffering circumstances – and was in the Battle of the Eutaw Springs [September 8, 1781] – not long afterwards he was discharged with many others at Wilmington in this State – & he came home and has remained here ever since. He has long since lost all the documentary evidence of his several engagements for service in the Army & of his discharges therefrom. But his whole period of service in the Army was nearly four years: and he knows of no other person now living, who can testify to his service in the Army; except Jacob O Merry [S.4592], his comrade for about twelve months.
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He is now old & his memory as well as body nearly worn out, his health gone very poor & part laborer with a family to support. 
He hereby relinquishes every claim whatever to a pension or annuity, except the present & declares that his name is not on the pension roll of the agency of any State except that of the State of North Carolina. He made an effort nearly two years ago to get a pension from the United States, but owing to some informality or inattention, little or nothing was done in it for him. 

{James [his X mark] Creemer
Sworn to & subscribed the day & year aforesaid 
Wm Ellison, clerk

Jacob O Merry, a resident of said County, seventy-one years of age, being first duly sworn here in court, maketh oath, that he is well acquainted with James Creemer Senr. Senior] the applicant for a pension & who subscribed the above Declaration that he knew him as a private in Captain Sharpe's Company in the revolutionary War – & served with him about twelve months in the same Regiment – and a great intimacy subsisted between him and said Creemer during their period of service in said company.
Jacob [his X mark] O. Merry

Sworn to & subscribed the day & year aforesaid
Wm Ellison Clk [Clerk]

We Reading Grist & Thomas Allen - two of the Justices of the Peace in for the said County, & by virtue of an Commissions associate Justices of the Court of Pleas & Quarter Sessions of the County of Beaufort hereby certify that we are well acguainted
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acquainted with James Creemer Senr. [Senior] who has sworn to & subscribed the above declaration and that we believe him to be about Seventy eight years of age; that he is reputed & believed in the neighbourhood where he resides to have been a soldier of the Revolution - and we concur in that opinion - that he is very poor his health & his memory well nigh gone & that there are no clergyman residing in his neighbourhood, of whom he could obtain certificates if he were obliged to have them. 
Sworn to & subscribed the day & year above mentioned} 
[signed] Reading Grist 
[signed] Thomas Allen
Wm Ellison Clk. 

And the Court aforesaid, do hereby declare their opinion, after an investigation of the matter, and after putting the interrogatories prescribed by the war department that the above applicant was a Revolutionary soldier and served as he states. And the Court further certifies; that he Reading Grist Esq & Thomas Allen Esq the two Justices of the Peace of this County who subscribed & swore to the above certificate are every way entitled to the highest respect & confidence, & credence 
Presiding Justice 
I William Ellison Clerk of the Court of Pleas & Quarter Sessions of the said County do hereby certify that the foregoing contains the original proceedings of the said Court in the matter of the application of James Creemer for a Pension. In testimony whereof whereof I have hereunto set my and & seal of Court, this 22d August 1832
Wm. Ellison Clk
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State of North Carolina Beaufort County Court of Pleas and Quarter Sessions September 1820 On this seventh day of September 1820, personally appeared in open Court being a Court of record for the said County and being a court of record because it is so declared by various acts of assembly because it is recognized as a Court of record by the Supreme legal tribunal and because it had the power of fines and imprisonment and because its proceedings are according to the course of the common law and it keeps a record of its proceedings James Creamer aged 65 years resides in the said County who being first duly sworn according to law doth on his oath declare that he served in the revolutionary war as follows That he served during the revolutionary war four years altogether but that his only service in the regular Continental establishment – (his other services being in the occasional detachments of militia) was for one-year which was the last year of the war that he first listed under Captain Armstrong under whom he marched to join the Army commanded by General Green [Nathanael Greene] in South Carolina there he was placed in the Company of Captain Anthony Sharpe and remained in his company till the expiration of twelve months the term for which he listed and then was regularly discharged. 
And I do solemnly swear that I was a resident Citizen of the United States on the 18th day of March 1818 and that I have not since that time by gift, sale or in any manner whatever disposed of my property or any part thereof with intent
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thereby so to diminish it as to bring myself within the provision of an act of Congress entitled “an act to provide for certain persons engaged in the land and naval service of the United States in the revolutionary war” passed on the 18th day of March 1818, and that I have not nor has any person in trust for me any property, or securities, contracts or debts due to me nor have I any income other than what is contained in the schedule hereto annexed and by me subscribed
300 acres of poor Piney land $150
5 common chairs without bottoms 1
6 pewter spoons .25
1 old mare 15 years old 10
1 Colt three years old 10
1 old Brandy still [sic] 20
4 cups & saucers .10
6 Fowls .80
1 Skillet .10
2 plows 2.00
3 Bee hive Stocks 1.00
I further swear that I am by occupation a farmer feeble and a little able to work I have a wife older than myself to support and we two constitute our family – I have neither children relations or tenants to help me besides I am indebted to the amount of forty dollars.
Signed, James [his X mark] Creamer

Sworn to and declared in open Court on the 7th day September 1820 before us the further
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certify that the value of the property set forth the Schedule is one hundred and ninety five dollars and seventy five cents
Signed, Jer Cherry JP 
Jas Willis JP 
Reading Grist JP

State of North Carolina} 
Beaufort County} Clerks office of the Co. Pleas & Q. Sessions Nov. 1. 1821. 
I Thomas Smaw Clerk of the said Court do hereby certify that the foregoing is a true copy from the original filed in this office, and of the Record made thereof in the said Court: and that the above named Jeremiah Chirry, James Willis and Read.y [Reading] Grist Esquires were acting and presiding Justices of the said Court at the time above named day - viz 7th Sept 1820 & full faith & attention is due to their attestation as such. 
Given under my hand & seal of Office this day & date above named
Tho. Smaw C

State of No. Carolina} 
Beaufort County} I John G. Blount Chairman of the Court of Pleas & Quarter Sessions of the said County. do hereby certify that Thomas Smaw, whose name is subscribed to the above certificate is the Clerk of the said land and credit is due to his attestation as such. Given under my hand, this 1 Nov 1821.
J Blount Chairman
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James Creemer
No. Ca.
No. - 

Admit as private for
12 mo. - $40
Ret. Call
J. B. Hinton Esqr [Esquire]
Raleigh
N. C
[crossed out - Hon H Hall Wm. Ellison Beaufort Co[
N. C.

Clk [Clerk]
No. Ca.
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[typed form, with handwritten responses]

WAR DEPARTMENT
PENSION OFFICE 183
Sir:
The evidence in support of your claim, under the act of June 7, 1832, has been examined, and the papers are herewith returned. The following is a statement of your case in a tabular form. On comparing these papers with the following rules and the subjoined notes you will readily perceive that objections exist, which must be removed, before a pension can be allowed. The notes and the regulations will show what is necessary to be done these points to which your attention is more particularly directed, you will find marked in the margin with a brace, (these:}). You will, when you return your papers to this Department, send this printed letter with them; and you will, by complying with this request, greatly facilitate the investigation of your claim.
A STATEMENT, showing the Service of James Creemer Senr. [Senior]

[column headings: Period when the service rendered. Duration of the claimant’s service. Years. Months. Days. Rank of the claimant. Names and Rank of the Company officers under whom he served. Names and Rank of the General and Field officers. Battles in which the applicant was engaged. Country through which he marched. Place of abode when he entered the service, and age at the present period. Evidence by which the declaration is supported.]  
After the commencement of the Revo. Enlisted 12 [months] as far as remembers 3 mos. but before expiration enlisted for 12 months whole period of service was nearly 4 years. Pri. Capt. Herring as well as can remember Capt. Stancel Capt Sharpe Genl. Greene Eutaw Springs Through difference parts of No. Ca. 78 years Pitt Co No. Ca. Traditionary
applied formerly - 

I am, respectfully,
Your obedient servant,
J. L. EDWARDS,
Commissioner of Pensions
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REGULATIONS UNDER THE ACT OF JUNE 7, 1832. The following regulations have been adopted: This law has been construed to extend, as well to the line, as to every branch of the Staff of the Army, and to include under the terms "Continental Line," "State troops," "militia," and "volunteers," all persons enlisted, drafted, or who volunteered and who were bound to military service, but not those who were occasionally employed with the army upon civil contracts, such as Clerks to Commissaries and to Store Keepers, &c. Teamsters, Boatmen, &c. Persons who served on board of Private Armed Vessels are also excluded from the benefits of the law, as well as persons who turned out as patrols, or were engaged in guarding particular places at night, and were not recognized as being in actual military service. Four general classes of cases are embraced in this law: 
1. The Regular Troops. 
2. The State Troops, Militia, and Volunteers. 
3. Persons employed in the Naval service. 
4. Indian Spies. 
As rolls of the regular troops in the Revolutionary War exist in this Department, all persons, claiming the benefit of this law as officers, non-commissioned officers, musicians OR privates, will in the first instance, make application by transmitting the following declaration. which will be made before a Court of Record of the County where such applicant resides. And every Court having by law a seal and Clerk is considered a Court of Record.
DECLARATION,
In order to obtain the benefit of the Act of Congress of the 7th of June, 1832. 
State, Territory, or District of} ss.
County of}
On this     day of     personally appeared (a) before A. B. a resident (b) of     in the county of     and State, Territory or District of aged (c) 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 provision made by the act of Congress, passed June 7th, 1832. That he enlisted in the Army of the United States in the year (d)    , with    and served in the      (e) regiment of the      line, under the following named officers: 
[Here set forth the names and rank of the Field and Company Officers; the time he left the service; (and if he served under more than one term of enlistment, he must specify the particular period, and rank and names of his officers;) the town or county and State in which he resided when he entered the service; the battles, if any, in which he was engaged, and the country through which he marched. This form is to be varied so as to apply to the cases of officers and persons who belonged to the militia, volunteers, navy, &c.] 
He hereby relinquishes every claim (f) whatever to a pension or an annuity, except the present, and he declares that his name is not on the Pension Roll of any Agency in any State. or (if any) only on that of the Agency in the State of 
Sworn to and subscribed the day and year aforesaid. 
[And then will follow the certificate of the Court.]
And the said Court do hereby declare their opinion (g) that the above named applicant was a revolutionary soldier, and served as he states. 
1               of the Court of              do hereby certify (h) that the foregoing contains the original proceedings of the said Court in the matter of the application of                for a pension. 
In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal of office (i) this day of       &c. 
If, on examination of the proper record the names of applicants, making such declaration, cannot be found, they will produce such proof as the rule given in note (j) points out. 
Every applicant who claims a pension by virtue of service in the State Troops, Volunteers or Militia, except those who belonged to the New Hampshire Militia and State Troops of Virginia, will make and subscribe a declaration similar to the foregoing, with the following additions, viz: 
(k) We, A. B., a Clergyman, residing in the             and C. D. residing in (the same) hereby certify, that we are well acquainted with              , who has subscribed and sworn to the above declaration; that we believe him to be               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 concur in that opinion. 
Sworn and subscribed the day and year aforesaid. 
[And then will follow the certificate of the Court.] 
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 A. B. who has signed the preceding certificate is a clergyman, resident in the            and that C. D., who has also signed the same is a resident in the            and is a credible person, and that their statement is entitled to credit. 
I,        Clerk of the Court of            do hereby certify that the foregoing contains the original proceedings of the said Court, in the matter of the application of              for a pension. 
In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand and seal of office, this     day of     &c. 
Every applicant will produce the best proof in his power. This is the original discharge or commission; but if neither of these can be obtained, the party will so state under oath, and will then procure, if possible, the testimony of at least one credible witness, stating in detail his personal knowledge of the services of the applicant, and such circumstances connected therewith, as may have a tendency to throw light upon the transaction. 
If such surviving witness cannot be found, the applicant will so state in bis declaration (l) and he will also, whether he produce such evidence or not. proceed to relate all the material facts, which can be useful in the investigation of his claim, and in the comparison of his narrative with the events of the period of his alleged service, as they are known at the Department. A very full account of the services of each person
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3
will be indispensable to a favorable action upon his case. The facts stated will afford one of the principal means of corroborating the declaration of the applicant, if true, or of detecting the imposition, if one be attempted; and unless, therefore, these are amply and clearly set forth, no favorable decision can be expected. All applicants will appear before some Court of Record in the County, in which they reside, and there subscribe and be sworn to, one of the declarations above provided, according to the nature of his case. 
The Court will propound the following (m) interrogatories to all applicants for a pension, on account of service in the Militia, State troops, or Volunteers, except the Militia of New Hampshire and the State troops of Virginia. 
1. Where and in what year were you born? 
2. Have you any record of your age, and if so, where is it? 
3. Where were you living when called into service; where have you lived since the Revolutionary war, and where do you now live? 
4. How were you called into service; were you drafted, did you volunteer, or were you a substitute? And if a substitute, for whom? 
5. State the names of some of the Regular Officers, who were with the troops, where you served; such Continental and Militia Regiments as you can recollect, and the general circumstances of your services. 
6. {To a Soldier.} {To an Officer.} Did you ever receive a discharge from the service, and if so, by whom was it given and what has become of it? Did you ever receive a commission, and if so, by whom was it signed, and what has become of it? 
7. 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 services as a soldier of the Revolution. 
The Court will see that he answers to these questions are embodied in the declaration, and they are requested to annex their opinions of the truth of the statement of the applicant. The applicant will further produce in Court, if the same can be done, in the opinion of the Court, without too much expense and inconvenience to him, two respectable persons -one of whom should be the nearest clergyman, if one lives in the immediate vicinity of such applicant, who can testify, from their acquaintance with him, that they believe he is of the age he represents, and that he is reputed and believed in the neighborhood to have been a Revolutionary soldier, and that they concur in that opinion. If one of these persons is a Clergyman, the Court will so certify, and they will also certify, to the character and standing of other persons, giving such certificates. 
The traditionary evidence of service is deemed very important, in the absence of any direct proof, except the declaration of the party. And the Courts are requested to be very particular in the enquiry whether the belief is general, and whether any doubts have ever existed upon the subject. 
Applicants unable to appear in Court by reason of bodily infirmity, may make the declaration before required, and submit to the examination, before a Judge or Justice of a Court of Record of the proper county, and the Judge or Justice will execute the duties, which the Court is herein requested to perform, and will also certify that the applicant cannot, from bodily infirmity, attend the Court. 
Whenever any official act is required to be done by a Judge or Justice of a Court of Record, or by a Justice of the peace, the certificate of the Secretary of State or Territory, or of the proper Clerk of the Court or County, under his seal of office, will be annexed, stating that such person is a Judge or Justice of a Court of Record, or a Justice of the Peace, and that the signature annexed is his genuine signature. 
No payments can be made on account of the services of any person, who may have died before the taking effect of the act of June 7, 1832; and in case of death subsequent thereto, and before the declaration herein required is made, the parties interested will trans nit such evidence as they can procure, taken and authenticated before a Court of Record, showing the services of the deceased, the period of his death, the opinion of the neighborhood respecting such services, the title of the claimant, and the opinion of the Court upon the whole matter. 
(a) The declarant must appear in open Court, unless prevented from doing so by reason of bodily infirmity in which case the declarant will follow the rule laid down for his guidance. 
(b) The declarant must make his declaration in the county where he resides. If he should fail to do so, he must assign a sufficient reason for not conforming to the rule. 
(c) The age of the claimant must invariably be mentioned. 
(d) The declarant must mention the period or periods of the war when he served. 
(e) Every continental officer or soldier must give the name of the Colonel under whom he served; otherwise a satisfactory examination of the claim cannot be had. Every claimant must state, 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. ln a case where the applicant cannot, by reason of 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." 
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 or 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. 
[f] The law makes the relinquishment indispensable. 
[g] The opinion of the Court is always required. 
[h] The Clerk must give his certificate in every case. 
[i] The Clerk must affix his seal, and if it has no device or inscription by which it can be distinguished from any other seal, or if he 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. 
Mode of authenticating papers. In every instance where the certificate of the certifying officer who authenticates the papers in not written on the same sheet of paper which contains the affidavit, or other papers 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. 
Proof of Service. 
[j] In a case where the name of the applicant is not found in 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 claimant's 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 signatures of the magistrate must be certified by the proper officer, under his seal of office. The notes from (a) to (i) are all equally applicable to the cases of Militia men, Volunteers and State Troops. The proof required by rule to [illegible] note (j) applies to continental troops only. 
[k] This traditionary evidence is indispensable in militia cases. 
[l] If a witness cannot be found, the declarant must state the fact. 
[m] The answers to the interrogatories must all be written, and sent to the War Department, with the declaration.
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[typed form, with handwritten responses]

[left side]
Revy War 2480 Own
INVALID

File No. 2480

James Creemer Sr.
Pri Rev War

Act: June 7th, 1832
Index: - Vol. A., Page 80

[Arrangement of 1870.]
Page 15

Washington 12th Nov. 1821 

Sir honorably to the request of Mr. Creamer, a neighbour of mine. I have thereon under in [paper torn]
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act of Congress lately passed for the [paper torn] of indigent revolutionary soldiers, the result of his application, he desires you would have the goodness to make known to him through me at this place, very respectfully I have the honour to be he your obt Servt [obedient servant] 
William Kennedy
Honbl [Honorable] John C. Calhoun 
Secretary of War
Page 17

FREE

[circular stamp] WASHINGTON NOV 13 N. C.
Honbl [Honorable] John C. Calhoun 
Secretary of the City of Washington

[written sideways] 18,312
James Creamer Beaufort Co. N. C.
Wm. Kennedy
Washington, N. C.

Recd [received] 21 Nov. 1821
Rejected on account of property – See letter 29 Nov. 1821
Page 18

[duplicate]

act of Congress lately passed for the [paper torn] of indigent revolutionary soldiers, the result of his application, he desires you would have the goodness to make known to him through me at this place, very respectfully I have the honour to be he your obt Servt [obedient servant] 
William Kennedy
Honbl [Honorable] John C. Calhoun 
Secretary of War
Page 19

State of North Carolina 
Secretary of State's Office 
I William Hill Secretary of State in and for the State aforesaid, do certify, that it appears from the muster roll of the Continental line of this State in the revolutionary War, that James Craimor [Creemer] a private Soldier in Captain Sharp's Company of the 10th Regiment enlisted on the 15th of April 1781 for 12 months and that he left the service the 15th of April 1782. 
Given under my hand this 1st April 1833 
Wm Hill
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State of North Carolina 
Secretary of State's Office 
I William Hill Secretary of State in and for the State aforesaid, do hereby certify that it appears from the muster rolls of the Continental line of this State in the revolutionary war, that James Craimor [Creemer] a private in Capt. Sharp's Company of the 10th Regiment enlisted on the 15th April 1781, for the term of 12 months and left the service the 15th of April 1782. 
Given under my hand this 18th January 1833 
Wm Hill
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James Craimor [Creemer]