Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty Land Warrant Application File S. 32340, for Joseph Rogers James, North Carolina
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(3-1776)

SERVICE
N.C.

James, Joseph Rogers

NUMBER
S 32340

CONTENTS
[blank]
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32014
Indiana
Joseph Rogers James of Owen Co in the State of Indiana who was a private in the company
commanded by Captain Foulds of the regt commanded by Col McDowell in the N. Carolina line for 9 mos & 20 day.

Inscribed on the Roll of Indiana at the rate of 32 Dollars 20 cents per annum to commence on the 4th day of March, 1831.

Certificate of Pension issued the 10 day of [illegible] 1837 and sent to Hon. J. W. Davis [illegible]
Arrears to the 4th of March 1837   
                            $193.[illegible]
Semi-ann, allowance ending  [blank]

{Revolutionary Claim
Act June 7, 183[illegible]

Recorded by Wm L Allison, Clerk,
Book C 2  Vol. 7 Page126
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33912
Joseph Rogers [crossed through] James

Indiana

Pension Declaration
of Joseph Rogers James

Hon. J. W. Davis
HR [House of Representatives]

[crossed through text]
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Declaration
In order to obtain the benefit of the Act of Congress passed June 7 1832
State of Indiana Owen County S.
Owen County Probate Court November term 1836
On this seventeenth day of November in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and thirty six personally appeared in Open court before the Hon John Dunn Sole Judge of the Probate Court of said County now sitting
Joseph Rogers James a resident of the county and State aforesaid, aged eighty 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 7. 1832
That he entered the service of the United States under the following named Officers and served as herein stated to wit. That he enrolled himself in a company of Volunteer Militia, commanded by Captain Gills Fauldis and Lieut in the Regiment commanded by Colonel McDowell in the County of Burke in the State of North Carolina in the spring of the year  1780 and applicant believes it was in the month of March and between the middle and last of that month. That soon after he so joined his said company the Tories under the command of one Roberts assembled at a place in the County of Lincoln called Rainshower's Mills, that the company to which this applicant belonged consisting of twenty four or five men under the command aforesaid together with other companies from elsewhere were marched to said Mills, that the Tories make but little resistance to force of the Whigs but broke up and scattered a few in each direction, that the company to which applicant belonged was marched in pursuit of that portion of the tories who had dispersed in the direction of Morgantown (the County seat of Burke Co.) that they continued their pursuit and search for some time till they took seventeen prisoners, who were conveyed to the Colonel of the Regiment for disposal. That in this tour they
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from the time they left home till they returned was one month and four or five days That they remained at home but a short time (applicant cannot say how long,) when they were again called out on chase after the tories, that in
this way they were called on and served in five or six short expeditions, the longest of which was eight days that the others were but for a day or two and on some one or two of these occasions they were employed only one day.
That on or about the fifteenth day of August said company under the command of Captain
Hardin received intelligence from their Colonel to rendezvous at Morgantown, where they remained three or four days, and additional companies were coming in that from Morgantown aforesaid they marched across the South fork of the Catawba river, that after they had crossed the Catawba, they laid by waiting as applicant thinks for the arrival of more troops and provisions for some days, that they were again marched under the
command aforesaid to where they came up to the troops commanded by Shelby and from thence in company with the army to Kings Mountain That here they had an engagement with the British and tories under the command of Furgeson That applicant was on the right wing of the army during the battle, that they were compelled to retreat before the British down the Hill, and that on the side of the Hill applicant was wounded in both his legs (in
what is called the calf of his leg) by a musquet [sic] ball. That after the battle was over notwithstanding his wound he was able to ride his horse. That they were marched to the plantation of one Felix Walker on little broad river near the mouth of Kings creek where
one Race Sharp and many others of the tories who had been taken prisoners were hanged. That Sharp and others who were hung lived prior to that time in the neighborhood of this applicant, but had fled from their said pursuit, when on one of their tory choses
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aforesaid. From this place they were march back to Morgantown and from thence to the Moravian town where the company of this applicant returned home again. that at the Moravian towns he last saw the prisoners aforesaid. That in this tour he was employed
with his horse two months. That the company to which this applicant belonged were some time employed as tory scouts while the flesh wounds of applicant were too sore to permit him to attend with them. That sometime in the month of December 1780 he again joined his said company who were rendezvoused at Morgantown, that it was as early as the fifteenth of December this applicant is satisfied but cannot say certainly the precise day of month. That they were marched under the command of a brother of their former Colonel as applicant believes, across the south fork of the Catawba river and from thence after some
delay the cause of which applicant does not now know to a stream he thinks was called Paccollett [sic Pacolet], where they encamped with the army commanded by Genl Morgan from here they were marched to the Cowpens where they had another battle with the British, that at this place he recollects to have seen Colonel Washington That here again they were compelled to retreat and this applicant was then charged on by a British Dragoon and struck on the head with his sword and left on
the ground for dead. That after the battle he was taken to one Saunderer's that his ribs were broken loose from his back as he supposes by the horse of the Dragoon aforesaid, That other wounded persons were also kept at the same house, that he remained here unable to get
home till the first of March following, when applicant returned home. That during the summer of the year applicants company was several times called out for short scouts- That the next services that applicant performed was in his said company in the month of September 1781, that they were marched from Burke
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aforesaid they were marched to the head waters of the Catawba River, thence to Cany [Cane ?] river, thence to French Broad, that they traversed the country in this direction for the purpose of seeing whether some recent murders had been committed by the Indians or tories. that without making any satisfactory discoveries they again returned home, that in this tour, they were employed between three and four weeks.
That some time after the surrender of Cornwallis at York time, but how long after this he knows not He at the County of York in the State of South Carolina engaged in what was called the ten months men, in the company of Captain Nesbit his Colonel was by the name of Hill and his General was by the name of Sumpter from York Co. they marched in the direction to Yorktown, crossed the Catawba at Widow Biggers' ferry and went through Salisbury, that in this service applicant continued three months when his wounds from fatigue rendered him unable borger to bear the fatigue, when he was discharged that his discharge was signed by Hill and Sumpter and that after this time he engaged with a commissary to drive waggon [sic] for which he is informed he is not entitled to pay and and therefore not put down.
That during the first tour of service herein named among the few that were killed was the Captain herein first named, when Captain Hardin succeeded to the command of the company aforesaid That sometimes this applicant was called Joseph Rogers
only this being the name of applicants mother
and some time Joseph James only by which name he was enrolled he cannot now say certainly
That he was born near Lynchburg ferry in the
County of Campbell in the State of Virginia, that He has no record of his age, it having been burnt
He lived in Burke County in the State of North
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8
of North Carolina when he was called into the service and after war he removed to the State of Tennessee in the County of Carter from thence he moved to Clay Co in the State of Kentucky from thence to the County of Pribble co in the State of Ohio from thence to Monroe
County Indiana from thence to Cole Co Illinois from thence to Cass Co Indiana and from thence to White Co and from thence to Owen Co Indiana his present residence. That he was called into service as herein herein heretofore stated. That the officers and also herein as fully
named as the memory of applicant will permit
That he never received but one discharge and that was burnt in Monroe Co Indiana by his house being burnt
That Joseph Skidmore and John Walter Hood with whom I have long been acquainted can testify &  The said Skidmore and myself having been well acquainted for more than thirty five years, and the said Hood about four years, that said Skidmore can testify as to the effect produced on this applicant by his wounds since his acquaintance that applicant has become very frail both in body and mind
by reason of his age and wounds aforesaid or he would not apply for a pension of the Government
That he cannot from loss of memory state his
services more particularly that he has done That he served during his tours of service as follows
to wit 
the first tour named 1 month and 4
days
second trip-- after tories  8 days
At Kings Mountains trip-- 2 months
At Cowpens--  2 months 15 days
Tory & Indian expedition -- 23 days
In Nesbits Company -- 3 months
[total] 9 months 20 days
And for which time he claims a pension, that he has no documentary evidence of his service and the person by whom he can prove the  same living within his reach He hereby relinquishes every claim to a pension or  annuity at present and declares that his name is not on the pension roll of the agency of any state in the union.
Joseph Rogers James
X
his mark

Sworn to and subscribed in open court.
Test.
T. C. Johnson Clerk.
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9
State of Indiana
Owen County
We Joseph Skidmore and John Walter Hood (there being no clergyman in the vicinity), do
hereby certify that we had been acquainted with Joseph Rogers James who has subscribed and sworn to the above declaration, that we believe him to be of the age of eighty years - that he is reputed and believed in the neighborhood where he resides, to have been a wounded soldier of the revolution and that we concur in that belief
Sworn to and subscribed in
open Court
Joseph Skidmore
X
his mark
John Walter Hood
X
his mark

Sworn to and subscribed in open court
Test
S.C. Johnson Clerk

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 they have examined to wounds spoken of in the foregoing declaration, and believes them to have been inflicted by the means therein stated, and
that it appears to them that Joseph Skidmore and John Walker Hood residents of said County of Owen who has signed the preceeding [sic] certificate are credible and that their statement is entitled credit
R Dunn 
Judge of the Owen County Probate Court

I Thomas C. Johnson Clerk of the Probate Court of said County do hereby certify that the foregoing contains the original proceedings of the said court in the matter of the application of Joseph Rogers James for pension
In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand and the seal of Office this 17th day of November 1836
J. C. Johnson Clerk

[seal]
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32340
Revy

INVALID.

File No. 32340
Joseph Rogers James
Pri Rev War

Act: June [illegible]

Index: - Vol. 2, Page 431

{Arrangement of 1870}
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1
State of Indiana
Owen County ss
Owen County Probate Court February Term 1837.
Personally appeared Joseph Skidmore aged sixty three in March next, who being duly sworn in open court to speak the truth the whole truth and nothing but the truth, deposeth as follows towit
That he became acquainted with Joseph Rogers James (who has applied to the war department for a pension, and who resides in said County,) about thirty five years ago in the eastern part of Kentucky that said James was then about forty five  years of age, that he then knew by information of the wound received at the battle of the Cowpens in his back as also
the wound received at Kings Mountain, that he knows nothing of his own personal knowledge of the services of said James that all he does know was from common report and from said report he is compelled to believe that said James was a soldier in the war of the revolution and served as he states, and he further states from his long acquainted with
said James he has no hesitation in saying that credit ought to be given to his statement of said matter, and further he saith
Joseph  Skidmore
X
his mark

Subscribed & sworn to in open court. February 15th 1837
T.C. Johnson Clerk

Joseph Rogers James being duly sworn, states under oath that the reasons why he has not previously applied for a pension was first that for a great many years after the war of the
Revolution he was not of opinion from  information that he was not entitled to a pension, unless he was destitute of property to a certain extent greater than was true as to himself Second, He thought it illiberal and wanting patriotism in him to apply for a pension when he was able to support
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himself and family by his own exertions and lastly that when he began to be unable from his wounds and old age to support as aforesaid, his house was burnt consuming
all his papers containing evidence of his service, and that he has been engaged for some time in trying to procure positive evidence of his service and wounds but not as yet able to find such witnesses as can certainly testify and further he saith not.
[signature] Joseph James

Sworn to & subscribed in open Court Feb 15. 1837
T.C. Johnson Clerk

Indiana, to wit:
Owen County ⎬ 
I Thomas C. Johnson Clerk of the Probate Court of said County certify the foregoing to be the original affidavits taken in open court before the Hon. John Dunn Sole Judge thereof at the February Term thereof in the year of our
Lord one thousand eight hundred and thirty seven.
Given under my hand and the seal of the
said Court at my office in Spencer this 16th day of February, A.D. 1837.
T.C. Johnson Clk

[seal]
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House of Reps Decr 7. 36
D Sir
Enclosed herewith you have the declaration of Joseph Rogers James made with a view to obtain a pension under the act of June 7th 1832
will you have the goodness to examine his application and give me a reply at your earliest
convenience as also to my other communication herewith sent you
Respty [Respectfully] your obt [obedient] Servt [Servant]
Jno W Davis

Hon.
J L Edwards
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Washington Dec. 11. 1836

D Sir

I filed in your office a few days since the declaration of Joseph Rogers James of
[illegible] will you have the goodness to inform in what regiment company & he alleges
to have served as an enlisted soldier in South Carolina, that I may communicate with the Comptroller Genl of that State in relation to the proof of such service
I have the honor to be
Yours &c
Jno W Davis

J L Edwards Esq
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Lodgings March 7 1837
Sir
I herewith enclose some additional evidence in case of Joseph Rogers James whose application for a pension. I submitted some
weeks ago About the 15th of Decr. I wrote to Mr Laval Comptroller Genl of South Carolina
for what evidence of Mr James claim there might be in his office but have recd no answer
I shall remain in the City for a few days yet at Mr Harbaughs on 7th St.

Very Respt.
your obt St
Jno W Davis

J L Edwards Esq
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Hon J W Davis
Rep. in Congress
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3
Spencer Indiana
Feb. 15. 1837
Sir
Having availed myself of the first opportunity to procure for Mr James the deposition of Joseph Skidmore as well as his reasons for not applying sooner for a pension, I now forward them to you
I fear Sir, that the dept has mistook some remark in the declaration as to Mr Skidmores knowledge of the service and wounds of Mr James. But I hope the deposition of Mr Skidmore will be satisfactory as to what current report has been for 35 years past.
The reasons of Mr James may not seem satisfactory to the dept owing to the fact, that the notion that it is a want of patriotism for a soldier to apply for pension as long as he can support himself, is peculiar to the west, but you know Sir, that but few of them in Indiana would apply at all till since the passage of the late act. If more testimony as to Mr James Character is wanting, it can easily be had as he is a respectible [sic] member of the Baptist Church and has been so for many years. If the
testimony from the controllers office is still needed will you please address him a note or let me know
I am Sir
Yours most respectfully
D. R. Eckels

Hon John W Davis