Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty Land Warrant Application File R. 4279, William Green, Ga.
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[form completed with handwritten entries]

(3-1776)

SERVICE | | NUMBER
GA | Green, William | R. 4279

CONTENTS
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33377

Application of William Green for a Pension ~
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Declaration in order to obtain the benefit of the act of
Congress of the 7th of June 1832.
State of Georgia} ss
County of Jasper} On this  Twenty seventh day of October
Eighteen hundred and twenty five personally 
appears before the Superior Court of the County of Jasper
the same being a Court of record, William Green a resident
of the County and State aforesaid aged eighty one 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 7, 
1832. That he enlisted in Stafford County Virginia 
on the twenty seventh day of April 1776. That while 
a boy he removed with his father to Halifax County, 
So. Carolina. That in the year 1772 he removed to 
the region of Wilkes County, Georgia. That there in the
month of July 1775, he was engaged as a volunteer 
in frequent skirmished against the Creek and Cherokee
indians under Capt. Zachariah Phillips. That he was 
then occasionally employed until the month of November
1776. During which time he assisted in building Phillips
Fort near a little River in Walker County. That about 
the end of November or first of December 1776 he removed 
to Richmond County about fifteen miles above Augusta. 
That the  winter afterwards he was drafted to give six
weeks more under Capt George Brown Col Briggs
Regiment of militia. John Robinson 1st Lieut and [illegible] [illegible] 2nd Lieut. marched them from the Augusta River where they had some slight skirmishes with a variety of Indians. Returned home at the end of six weeks and discharged. In the early part of the fall of 1777 drafted to go against St. Augustine, Florida -  marched from Augusta under same officers - was about ten months in this service. The whole body of Georgia troops under Gen’l Greene and Governor Treutlen joined the Regular troops under Gen’l Howe
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Col. Elliot at a place west of the River St.  Mary's,  Twenty five miles where some British troops were in garrison commanded by Col Brown a Scottish royalist. That upon the approach of the Americans the British retired in light of our Troops and marched in to St. Augustine. He recollects an engagement being fought about forty miles from St. Augustine called C[illegible]d. The Americans under Col. Elijah Clark and the [illegible] [illegible] Tories. One American killed and some wounded. After we remained as above stated about Four months in this service, there being no active work done of consequence and the expedition named going as far as St. Augustine. He was discharged at a place called Briar Bluff about where [illegible] now stands. Thence returned home. Was engaged at different periods under his old officers in the years 1778 & 1779 in various scouting parties against the Tories and Indians but from old age and the destroying [illegible] 
of the service can not state anything definitely. In the latter part of the year 1779 he thinks perhaps he was again drafted and entered the service at Augusta under the command of Capt. Charles Crawford, Col. Down formerly Capt of Regiment and marched from Augusta to the place known by the name of the Burke County Jail,  where the Americans had some Tories prisoners. [illegible] [illegible] [illegible] [illegible] [illegible] [illegible] under Col. Benjamin Fisher. At this place was engaged in an active [illegible], the Americans and British and Tories under command of Col. Brown the Scotch officer aforementioned. Col. Fisher commanding in the action. Col Brown the British commander was wounded. whereupon the British retired. This fight took place about day break and was a [illegible] and well conducted engagement. Marched the remainder of that day and all the succeeding night until they reached a place known as Beaver Creek about 15 or 16 miles below Augusta. Here joined The Regulars under command
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command of Col. Marberry and early in the morning of the next day encountered a detachment of British & Tories and a slight engagement occurred. [illegible] [illegible] [illegible] [illegible]. This he remembers the American Officers considered and tried to attract their attention and divert it from [illegible]. The [illegible] who with his troops having asses’d the [illegible] was marching in the direction of Augusta on the Carolina shore with a view of [illegible] [illegible] down upon the Americans so as to attack them in [illegible] said fort. Whereupon, the Americans were drawn off and marched in the direction of Augusta. Col Marberry with his detachment marched into Augusta [illegible] Regiment while the militia marched up to the [illegible] of Richmond County and into Walker in search of Tories and Indians. Then turned and marched back [illegible] being sent down another six miles on Spirit Creek 12 miles below Augusta. Here he was stationed about five weeks and was Cook to Capt. Crawford. Marched from this place up to Captain Clark, stationed five miles below Augusta. And joined the regular regiment of Georgia militia - under Col. John Conley and Col. Elijah Clark- remained at this place several weeks-can not say  precisely how long. Then marched under their old officers to the frontier on the Oconee River and [illegible] it. There they were stationed for several weeks at Fort Phillips in Walker County, the first place he had performed duty as a soldier. The troops here reported to Major Lee whom they had found in command of this place. Marched up the County and deponent with the other divisions went down to the Cherokee frontier-and after a long fatiguing and profitable expedition returned to Augusta was here discharged after being about six months from home.
He deems it proper to state that whilst stationed at [illegible] Hill he heard of the fall of Charleston-and that Major William Harris brought the intelligence to that
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place. In  the summer of 1780 he removed up to Walker County, his old neighborhood, with his wife and one infant child and here remained for many months. From an old wound in the thigh from the tooth of a wild boar. He was considered unfit for service for a long time. Early in the spring of 1781 he thinks he went into garrison at old Fort Phillips under Capt. Phillips and generally went out on excursions in the frontier. Continued in the spring. Col Clark remained at this place with some militia & here he again entered the service as a volunteer under command of Capt. William Walker, and Lieut. Thomas Holiday and marched down under Col. Fry to the siege of Augusta - then occupied by the British under the celebrated Colonel Brown and the Tories under Col Grierson and was present and engaged in several engagements and skirmishes  that occurred during the siege. He recollects to have seen at Augusta. Co. Col.. Pickens & Col. Carruthers, Lieut Lee. Col  Walker, Elijah Clark ensign -  though at different times.  Lieut Col Eaton was killed.  Eaton & a Lieutenant  from North Carolina and were killed in an act of daring and stupidity. Charging the enemy with a few mounted men while not engaged in general fight - The rest of the officers [illegible] [illegible] left Augusta to join Gen'l Greene in the Carolinas-before the surrender took place- He [illegible] [illegible] [illegible] and in June [illegible] [illegible] [illegible] black berries and sassafras. Col. Pickens and Col. Clark [illegible] to have been on the day of the capitulation. [illegible] [illegible] Col. Brown yielding up his sword-[illegible] that the Tory and an Indian was shot without orders-and knew that A soldier by the name of James Abernathy killed him-From Augusta marched under his aforementioned officers up to a place not far below the mouth of Briar River where Col. Clarks family lived and here was stationed till early in September- but permitted to return home twice to [illegible], [illegible] district, about fifty miles. Staid only one
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day what and then turned back. In September the troops were marched over to Fort Charleston, South Carolina on the Savannah River then through [illegible] settlement and up the Savannah where [illegible] [illegible] from [illegible] at the Cherokee Fort. And returned to Fort Charleston and was here discharged. After his return home he was drafted in the latter part of the fall and went under Capt. Walker and Lieut Thomas at McDougall's. Col Clark up to McDougall Fort near Savannah River and Fifteen miles above the junction of it and Broad River and here was stationed about four weeks and was then discharged to go home to prepare to return in two weeks to a place of [illegible] near the Fort in order that they march against the Cherokee Indians-and did return at the expiration of a fortnight and under the same officers, formed the Carolina detachment. Col. Perkins [illegible] marched across the Country. then [illegible] thirty and [illegible] the Cherokee nations. And west of the [illegible] where [illegible] burned the great Cherokee village - called Big Echota. And that a smart bunch [illegible] the Indians - took a great many prisoners, chiefly old men, women and children. Here the force [illegible]
Col Pickens going southward & Col Clark in the direction of the mountains. And burned another village & killed several indians and afterward [illegible] again returned to Big Echota, where they again met the Carolina militia - And parted at that place again. And all returned home. He was again severely affected by the breaking and [illegible] of the old wound in his thigh, which had been sore and still is a [illegible] hurt. In the year 1782, he [illegible] at a Court martial held in Wilkes County at which Col Bedford Brown presided. He deponent [illegible] a
written discharge- which is now lost or destroyed.
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He hereby relinquishes any claim whatever to a pension or annuity, except the present, and he declares that his name is not on the Pension roll of any agency in any State. He refers to the annexed affidavit of Jacob Mercer taken before Jesse Loyall a Justice of the Peace for Jasper County for proof of his service. And that the record of his age is lost. He refers to Meshack Lowery, a Clergyman & Jarrett Malone & William Tucker of said County, who are well acquainted with him in his present neighborhood and who can testify as to his character for veracity and to their belief of his service as a soldier of the Revolution.
Sworn to and subscribed the day and year aforesaid.

William Green [signature]
Jno. G. Polhill [signature underlined]
One of the Judges off the Superior Courts of Ga.

We Meshack Lowry a clergyman residing in the County of Jasper State of Georgia and William Tucker and Jarrett Malone, both residing in the same hereby certify that we are well acquainted with William Green, who has subscribed and sworn to the above declaration, that we believe him to be eight one years of age, that h 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 above written.

Sworn to and subscribed before me this 27th Oct. 1835.
Jno. G Polhill [signature]
One of the Judges of the Superior Courts of Georgia.
Meshach Lowry [signature]
Wm Tucker [signature]
Jarrett Malone [signature]
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And the said Court hereby declares his opinion after the  
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 him that Meshack Lowry who has signed
the preceding certificate is a clergyman resident in the
County of Jasper, State of Georgia and that William Tucker & Jarrett Malone who have also signed the same are credible persons and that their statement is entitled to credit.

Jno. Polhill
One by the Judges of the Superior Court of Georgia

I William B. Stokes, Clerk of the Superior Court
of Jasper County State of Georgia do hereby certify
that the foregoing contains the original proceedings of the said Court in the matter of the application of William Green for a pension.
In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal of Office. This 27th day of October  1835
William B Stokes Clk
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Revolutionary Act  7, June  1832

suspended claim of William Green, dec.

Georgia

To examine papers. Power of Attorney

in favor of Ch. C. Tucker, Atty. Present
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State of Georgia
County of Jasper
Know all men by these presents that I George Green do hereby constitute and appoint Charles C. Tucker of Washington D.C. my true and lawful agent and attorney to prosecute the claim of William Green for any amount of Revolutionary Pension or increase of pension that may be due under the provisions of the act of or any other act or resolution of Congress and I hereby authorize my said attorney to examine all paper and documents in relation to said claim on file in the departments at Washington City or elsewhere, to file additions incidence or arguments and to receive the certificate which may be issued for said claim and to appoint one or more substitutes under him for the purposes herein expressed, and to do all things that I might or could do were I personally present. Hereby satisfying and confirming all my said attorney may lawfully do in the promises
Witness my hand and seal this the 26th day of April AD 1854
George Green   seal
In presents of
Stephen Howard
Berry T Digby
On this 26th day of April A.D. 1854 before the Justice of the Peace in and for the county and state above mentioned  -personally offered George Green and acknowledged the foregoing power of attorney to be his act and deed for the purposes having mentioned.  Mat. Whitfield J.P.
State of Georgia
County of Jasper 
On this 26th day of April 1854 before me a Justice of the Peace in and for said county and state personally offered George Green a resident of said County and made oath according to law that his is the identical George Green who executes the foregoing power of attorney and that he is directly interested in said claim and makes this affidavit to be filed with such additional evidence or arguments as my said attorney may use in prosecuting said claim Sworn to deed subscribed before me the day and year above written, George Green
Mat. Whitfield J.P.
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State of Georgia
County of Jasper
I M H Hutchison Clerk of the superior court for the county and state aforesaid do hereby certify that Matthew Whitfield Esq before whom the  foregoing affidavit and acknowledgment were made and who has hereunto signed his name was at the time of so doing a Justice of the Peace of the county and State aforesaid duly commissioned and sworn and that his official acts as such are entitled to full faith and credit and that his signature hereto [is genuine - covered with seal]
In testimony whereof I have hereunto signed name and affixed my official seal this 26th day of April A.D. 1854
Maximillian H. Hutchison clerk
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March 18, 1931
Mrs. E. B. Freeman
825 Bellevue Avenue 
Dublin, Georgia

Rev. & 1812  Wars Section
MMIF:MLB

Dear Madam:
Reference is made to your letter in regard to the Revolutionary War pension claim of William Green (R. 4279).
The law under which he applied for pension required that the soldier should have rendered six months service in a regularly organized military corps and that he should furnish proof of such service, either by record evidence or by affidavits of those who served with him.
He did not comply with the requirement of the law so his claim was not allowed.
The record of his service as given in bureau letter of January 6, 1928, addressed to Hon. S. Rutherford, was according to soldier's declaration, but, as stated above, was not supported by proper proof as required by law.
Very truly yours
E. W. MORGAN
Acting Commissioner
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[Possible torn and missing print at top of edge of page.] [Hand written black ink swirl top right corner] 
January 6, 1928
Honorable S. Rutherford
House of Representatives.

My dear Mr. Rutherford:
In response to your letter of the fourth
instant, I have the honor to advise you from
the papers in the Revolutionary War pension
claim R. 4379, it appears that William Green
was born April 27, 1754 in Stafford County, Virginia, while a boy moved with his father, whose name is not given, to Halifax County, North Carolina, and in 1772 moved to Wilkes County, Georgia. 
He stated that while a resident of said Wilkes
County, he volunteered in May 1775 and served at various times to November 1776 was out against the Creeks and Cherokee Indians, under Captain Zachariah Phillips, and helped to build Phillips Fort.
In November or December 1776 moved to Richmond County, and was drafted to go on a six weeks tour under Captain George Downs and Colonel Briggs, and had a skirmish with the Indians; in February 1777 was
drafted to go to St. Augustine, Florida; and was  out[crossed out a hand written above]
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Rev. and 1812
Wars Section.
about ten months; in 1778 and 1779 was in scouting
parties against the Tories and Indians; in December
1779 was drafted for six months under Captain Charles
Crawford and Colonel Downs, and was in two skirmishes.
In the summer of 1780 he moved back to Wilkes
County, Georgia, with his wife and one infant child
(no names are stated). 
In 1781 he did garrison duty at Fort Phillips
under Captain Phillips; also served under Captain
William Walker and Colonel Clark at the Siege of
Augusta and was in several skirmishes; and continued to serve at different times under Captain Walker and Colonel Clark at McDougall's Fort, and
in an expeditions against the Indians.
He applied for pension October 27, 1835, while
a resident of Jasper County, Georgia, but the claim
was not allowed, as there was not satisfactory proof
of the alleged service.
Very truly yours,
WINFIELD SCOTT
Commissioner.
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33377 


Wm. Green
Ga

Suspended see Cit.
EY. & J. Hill Jan'y
8 1876 [crossed out] 

4279 [written in pencil]

[Com'r] of Pensions
War Office 
[illegible]
Washington City

Act 7 June 32
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Monticello Nov 3d 1835

To J L Edwards Esq.
Commissioner of Pensions.
Dear Sir
Enclosed I send you the application of Mr. William Green for a pension.  Please to afford it a good examination. The applicant made out his papers five years ago [illegible] with his attorney who is now a [illegible] man. [illegible] [illegible] that is the reason he is [illegible] about doing it. He is a very worthy and infirm old man of excellent character for honesty and veracity. Be good enough to reply to this at an early day.

Very Respectfully,
Yr Ob’t Servants
E Y & J Hill
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1928 - Jan 6
Hist to Hon S. Rutherford -eng

1931 - March 18 - 
Mrs. E.B. Freeman adv. rel. to requirements of law under which sol. applied

REJECTED
4279.
Wm" Green


The printed list of 1852 shows reasons for suspension
"Militia service overrated - 
 further explanation awaited."
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John Lauren Chapter
Daughters of American Revolution
Dublin, Georgia
826 Bellevue Ave.
Dublin, Ga.
Oct. 23, 1930.

Dept. of the Interior
Bureau of Pensions
Washington, D.C. U. OCT 27 1930 Office

Dear Sir: - I am trying to secure sufficient proof that William Green (who was born in Stafford Co. Va. and moved to Wilkes Co. Ga about 1772) rendered services to his country in the Revolutionary War to know if accepted by the National Security D.a.R.
A friend has place in my hands a letter signed by - Winfield Scott, Commissioner of
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John Laurens Chapter
Daughters of American Revolution
Dublin, Georgia

the Bureau of Pension, dated Jan. 6th, 1928 and addressed to Hm. S Rutherford House of Representatives in which a detailed record of the service of William Green in the Revolution is given. This data was taken from claim R4279 yet after giving this full account of services in the last paragraph in the letter the statement is made that the pension was not granted as there was not satisfactory proof of the alleged service. I do not understand just what you mean by this
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John Laurens Chapter
Daughters of American Revolution
Dublin, Georgia

Do you mean that you will
not vouch for the service 
given in the letter from your department or that 
you grant the record of service but that it was not sufficient for a pension to be granted?
Any help that you can render me in proving that William Green was a Revolutionary Soldier will be  sincerely appreciated.
Respectfully,
Mrs. E.B. Freeman, regent
John Lauren Chapter D.A.R.

[Stamped]
U. S. PENSION OFFICE OCT 27 1930
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SEVENTIETH CONGRESS
ALBERT JOHNSON, WASH., CHAIRMAN
J. WILL TAYLOR, TENN.
HAYS B. WHITE, KANS.
ARTHUR M. FREE, CALIF.
BIRD J. VINCENT, MICH.
THOMAS A. JENKINS, OHIO
BENJAMIN M. GOLDER, PA.
CLARENCE MACGREGOR, N.Y
GEORGE J. SCHNEIDER, WIS.
ELBERT S. BRIGHAM, VT.
CARL G. BACHMANN, W.VA.
KATHERINE LANGLEY, KY.
J. MITCHELL CHASE, PA.
ADOLPH J. SABATH, ILL.
JOHN C. BOX, TEX
SAMUEL DICKSTEIN, N.Y.
SAMUEL RUTHERFORD, GA
JOHN W. MOORE, KY.
LINDSAY WARREN, N.C.
JOHN M. EVANS, MONT.
R. A. GREEN, FLA.
P. F. SNYDER, CLERK

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
COMMITTEE ON 
IMMIGRATION AND NATURALIZATION
WASHINGTON, D.C.
JAN 4, 1927
Mr. Winfield Scott, Commissioner, 
Bureau of Pensions, 
Washington, D. C. 

My dear Mr. Scott:
One of my constituents wrote me for information as to Mr. William Green who was a native of Virginia but later moved to Georgia. It seems that he was a Revolutionary Soldier but I am not sure whether he volunteered from Virginia or the state of Georgia in the Revolutionary War. 
If your records show any information that would be helpful I would appreciate any that you may give me. 
Yours very truly,
S. Rutherford [Handwritten signature]

SR/LM

[Stamped]
U. S. PENSION OFFICE A JAN 5 1928
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Georgia | Before me a Justice of the Peace
Jasper County | to & for said County personally
came Jacob Mercer who being first duly sworn
deposeth & saith that ^he is well acquainted with
William Green of said County & had intimately known
his since the year 1766. that he became acquainted
with him & lived a close neighbor to him for
six years in Halifax County North Carolina
That in 1772 his father & mine moved to Georgia
& both settled in what was then called Wilkes
County that I have intimately known him &
sometimes lived with him ever since - That
I am myself a pensioner under the act of 1832
that my application was sent from Court
County in said State & that I now reside in
the County of Newton in the same & cannot
without inconvenience attend the next Superior
^Court in Jasper County where he intends to apply
for a pension - That he is in my opinion
at least eighty years old - That we both assisted
in building Philips Fort in Wilkes County,
that ^he has always been a true whig & reputed
an honest man & is now a worthy & Respectable
minister of the Baptist denomination
& has officiated in that capacity for many
years. I do not know exactly the duration
or particulars of his services as a revolutionary
soldier but know ^he was a soldier &
was with me at the siege of Augusta
as a drafted man, & I can further State
that we have frequently conversed together
of our services at intervals, & he has always
been consistent in his statements as to
his & from my knowledge of the history of
those times I believe all that he says to
be true as to the nature & duration of
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[all handwritten]
his services-
Sworn to and subscribed before me this third day of August 1835.
Jesse Loyall J. P.
Jacob Mercer X his mark
Jacob Mercer Affidavit [handwritten along bottom left side]
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[illegible] will
Jan'y 8, 1836
al
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Depart't [Department] of War
Pension Office
Jan'y. 8 1831

Sir
I have examined the declaration of William Green, and have placed on the files of the office.
Mr Green alleges that he was hence drafted in the Georgia Militia, during the revolutionary war, the first time to go against St Augustine in Florida, and the second time for the ordinary service of the State of Georgia:
that the duration of the first time, alltho they did not succeed in reaching Florida, was ten months, and that the second was six months. This statement is so much at variance with historical fact, connected with the Florida expedition, and also with the general course of the militia service of the State of Georgia, that it cannot be admitted as evidence. The militia engaged in the Florida expedition was in service about three months. The case will remain suspended, awaiting further explanation.
I am- &[c]

E G & J Hill Esq.
Monticello
GA