Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty Land Warrant Application File R 5891, for William Kerr, South Carolina
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SERVICE  SC
Kerr, William
Karr
Carr
NUMBER  R5891
Born in Penn
CONTENTS
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Declaration
In order to obtain the benefit of the Act of Congress passed June 7th 1832
State of Tennessee Bradley County
On this 7 day of August
personally appeared William
Karr in Open Court before the
County Court of Bradley County and state of Tennessee now sitting William Karr a resident of Bradley County and State of Tennessee Aged 73 years who being 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 Colonel John Moffet [Lt. Col. John Moffett] in the month of March 1779 and was employed as spy and pilot being about 15 years of age declarant joined Colonel Moffetts Company in York District South Carolina at the head of Bullets Creek. I was sent to spy Col. [Matthew] Floyd's Regiment of Tories lying at the mouth of Bullets Creek in York district as soon as I entered the camp I was suspicioned to be a spy and was stripped of my clothes and
shoes & searched. I returned to Col. Moffett and told him Floyd was too strong to be attacked and he retreated into North Carolina. I was then sent by Major [Adam] Meek to
Union District to find where Col. Branun [Thomas Brandon] was and to know what course he was going when I reached Col. Brandon he had received news that Col. Floyd had been reinforced from Lord Cornwallis [General Charles Lord Cornwallis].  I was then sent by Col. Brandon to watch the movements of Col. Floyd troop. I professed to have descriptions of stray horses. when I came up to the Troops I was charged on by the dragoons and taken prisoner and searched. Col. Floyd
asked my business I showed papers description of stray horses, kept prisoner two days. Col. Floyd wanted to release me but Col. Hook [Capt. Christian Huck] a British officer
opposed it. I was taken back to the guard house and detained ten days then put at liberty.
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I returned to Col. [Thomas Brandon] Branum. We then retreated into York District. I then was sent with scouting
Companies and marched to Chester District. I then piloted Col. Brandon to a Ford on Broad River at lockard [Lockhart's] Shoals . We marched from the Ford to Brown's Creek
in Union District. We heard that there was a company of Tories collecting on Brown's Creek.  We marched to surprise them. When we came up there was some firing took place the Tories was disbursed. We marched to Thicketty [Fort] Creek where [Lt.] Col. James Steen lived. We staid there several days. We heard that there was several Companies of Tories coming
to surprise us we started about midnight and I piloted the Company across Broad River at Smith's Ford. I then was ordered by Major [Adam] Meek to Allison's Creek York District near Hill's Iron works. The Tories had been informed that I was acting as a spy. They determined to kill me on
sight. I then kept with the Company having served eighteen months as a spy and pilot which time I was not employed in any civil pursuit. My mother had her horses and other property taken by the Tories. I then entered the service of the United States as a volunteer in a company of
Calvery [cavalry] for nine months on the first day of September 1780 under the command of Captain John Thompson in [Lt.] Col. [John] Moffett's Regiment South Carolina in York District. The Tories having the ascendancy we marched towards the Catawba River Colonel Furguson [Patrick Ferguson] a British officer having marched and taking ground on Kings Mountain giving the Tories an opportunity to collect to him we marched in pursuit of a Company of Tories who were going to join Colonel Ferguson. But learning that they was three hours ahead we halted in six
miles of Kings Mountain we heard the firing of the Battle of Kings Mountain We staid there till the Battle was over we laid all night without fire or any food. The next day we started not learning the result of the Battle we overtook fourteen Tories and made them prisoners who had escaped from the Battle. From them we learned the British was defeated we took their
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arms and paroled them having no provisions for prisoners nor ourselves. We marched to Hill's
Iron works. We then scouted towards Sandy River and routed several Companies of Tories. I
was put in the advance guard of General [Daniel] Morgan to pilot his Army across Broad River. After that I returned to Captain Thompson. We was then joined by a Whig company and was ordered to marched and joined General Morgan's Army. Before we reached Morgan the Battle of the Cowpens was fought.  We marched to Union Court House and was dismissed for further orders having served seven months. I again was called up and served two weeks again I was called on and served eight days having served seven months and twenty two days in actual Service. The remainder of the nine months I was at home in readiness and was dismissed from the service at which time I was not employed in any civil
pursuit. I was only a private soldier declarant has no Documentary evidence and that he knows 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 the Agency of any State. The reason that I have not applied earlier I never knew the Act of Congress provided for any but those who served on the Continental Line. Sworn to Subscribed the day and year aforesaid. William Carr X his mark

I Henry Price, Clergyman residing in the County of Brady and Alexander A. Clingan residing in Tennessee and hereby certify that we are well acquainted with William Karr who has subscribed and sworn to the above declaration that we believe him to be 73 years of age that he is reputed and believed in the neighbourhood 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
s/ Henry Price
Alexander A Clingan
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And the said Court do hereby declare there 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 Henry Price who has signed the preceding Certificate is a Clergyman resident in the County of Bradley and State of Tenn and
that Alexander A Clingan who has also signed the same is a resident
in the County of Bradley and is a creditable person and that
their statement is entitled to credit
s/ Jesse Poe
William Forester
Absalom Coleman

I John H Robertson Clerk of the County Court of Bradley County do hereby certify that the foregoing contains the Original proceedings of the Court in the matter of the application of William Karr for a pension
In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal of office at Cleaveland August the 7th A.D. 1837
s/ J. H. Robertson

Quest I was born in the State of Pennsylvania near the City of
Adelphia in the year 1764
Ques 2 I have a record of my age in a large family Bible
Ques 3 I was living in South Carolina York Dist I removed to Tennessee
McMilin County I now live in Bradley County Tenn
Ques 4  I was a volunteer
Ques 5 I was with Col. Moffat [Lt. Col. John Moffett] Col Branum [Thomas Brandon], General [Daniel] Morgan
Ques 6 I never recd a discharge we were dismissed
Ques 7 I am acquainted with Henry Price a Clergyman and Alexander A Clingan
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REJECTED
5891
William Kerr
Tennessee
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William Kerr Tennessee
5891 Rejected did not served six months in a military capacity
over
act 7th June 1832
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William Kerr
Ten rej '32
Hon LP Waldo
Comr of Pensions
Washington DC
Hon SA Smith
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Hon SA Smith
Jan 8/33
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Pension Office
Jany 8 1833
Sir
I herewith return the letter of Mr Kerr
and have the honor to inform you that
William Kerr of Tenn did apply for a
pension for alleged service in South Carolina during the war of the Revolution, But he failed to prove by
any kind of testimony that he ever
rendered a day's service. The claim
must be sustained by record evidence
or by witnesses who know of his service.
Hon S. A. Smith
H of Reps
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Washington DC
Jan 2 1833
Hon L P Waldo
Com of Pensions
Sir Enclosed I send a letter of
William Kerr, in relation to an
application for a pension for the
services of his father Wm Kerr
Revolutionary soldier and will be
much obliged for information
in relation to the condition of the last
Respectfully
you obt svt
SA Smith
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War Dept. Pens. Office
Oct 17, 1837
Sir
In answer to your letter respecting the cases of Samuel Walker and William Kerr I have to state that the claim of the former has been allowed for six months service. The alleged service in Captain Barnetts  company cannot be allowed without the most
satisfactory proof being exhibited of his being the identical person who served in said company. A pension certificate for him will be sent to you in a day or two.
The decision in the case of William
Kerr is adhered to. He served from September until the battle of the Cowpens which was in January following making a period of less than five months and afterwards a term of eight days and a term of fourteen days being in all less than six months. his previous service as a spy and pilot was out of that
character provided for by the act of 7 June 1832
s/ John Hambright Esq
Calhoun
Tennessee
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Calhoun SC Aug 10
Free
Joel R Prineth Secretary of War
or JL Edwards
Washington City DC
Aug 21/_ [Illegible]
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State of Tenn
Mcminn County
Calhoun august the 8th 1827
Sir I send you a declaration made by William Karr in Bradley County I am requested by law to say to the
department that if his services as a spy and pilot will not come under the Act of Congress passed June 7th 1832 then grant him a pension for the nine service as a volunteer or for the
7 months and twenty five days of Actual service without any other trouble provided the declaration is made Agreeable to the established rules of the Department
I am with respect your obt ser
s/ John Hambright
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Hon W Stone
March 17 1836
SC
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War Department
Pension Office
March 17, 1838
Sir Agreeably to your request
I herewith enclose an authenticated copy of the declaration and evidence in the case of William Kerr the receipt of which I will thank you to acknowledge
Hon W. Stone, H Reps
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Hon W Stone
March 5 1838
Tenn
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War Dept Pens Office
March 5 1838
Sir
I herewith return Mr John Hambright's letter to you respecting the case of Samuel Walker. As for the evidence
transmitted by you to this office his
pension will be increased on account
of the services for ten months in Captain Barnets Company of Cavalry
and Col Hamptons Regt and a new certificate issued for him so soon as ise original certificate shall have been returned to this office.
The papers in support of the claim of William Kerr Cannot be sent out of this office as requesed by Mr Hambright, but a copy of them will be
sent to you so soon as it can be prepared
Hon Wm Stone
HR
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War Dept Pens Office
Augt 22 1837
Sir The declaration of William Karr has been examined. He alleges to have been employed in S. Carolina as a spy and Pilot for the American troops and that in September 1780 he joined a company of Cavalry and served under Capt. [John] Thompson
until after the battle of the cowpens when he was discharged and that he
was called out again and served two weeks in one term and eight days in another, making seven months and twenty two days.
The battle alluded to was fought in January 1781. The applicant could not therefore have served six months in Captain Thompsons Company, and the first alleged service was not of that character provided for by the act of 7 June 1832.
That
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act provides for none who did not
perform six months service in a
military capacity and in a regular
organized corps.
The claim has Consequently been rejected and the papers filed in
this office
The amended declaration of Samuel
Walker has been examined with his
other papers. The events mentioned took place principally in the Summer
of 1780. It does not satisfactorily
appear that he was in actual service more than six months
A pension may be allowed for that time and if acceptable a pension
certificate will be issued accordingly
John Hambright Esq
Calhoun
Tennessee
Aug 22. 1837
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BOUNTY LAND WARRANT CARD
NAME Kerrick, Benjamin H
GRADE Fifer
LINE Maryland
WARRANT NUMBER 11429
ACREAGE 100
ISSUED September 25, 1789 to _ not shown