Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty Land Warrant Application File R. 11,894, John Wright, N. C.
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NC                      Wright. John.                   R.11894
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                        Declaration
In order to obtain the benefit of the act of congress passed June 7th 1832

The State of Alabama 
Montgomery County

	On this the 24th day of December A.D. 1846; personally appeared before me, S. Boyd an acting Justice of the Peace in & for said County of Montgomery, John Wright; a resident of said County of Montgomery; in the said County and State; aged eighty five 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 7th 1832.
That he entered the service of the United States under the following named officers, and served as herein stated: That about fifteen or twenty days after he was sixteen years old, he was drafted in the County of Granville, in the State of North Carolina: where he then resided; to serve a tour of three months in the Militia of the State of North Carolina; then on account of his youth, his Father William Wright, hired a man, by the name of Bailey (his Christian name not now recollected) his Father gave Bailey one thousand dollars Continental money, to serve as a substitute for Applicant John Wright.
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He does not now recollect the names of the company officers under whom he was drafted, or the field or company officers under whom his substitute Bailey went; but does recollect that Thomas Featherwhite was the Colonel of the County of Granville at that time; and after he had furnished his substitute, gave him applicant his discharge.

That he entered the service of the United States the second time, under the following named officers, and served as herein stated. That he was drafted in said County of Granville, in the militia of the State of N. Carolina, to serve a tour of three months; which tour he served fully out, in person; the day, month or year that he was drafted he does not now recollect, but thinks that it was in the year one thousand seven hundred and seventy eight; his officers were first Richard Harrison who was captain at the time we turned out, but was soon promoted to the rank of Major, and William Hicks, made captain in his place, who continued Captain as long as I remained in that tour. William Hester was first Lieutenant under Hicks, & his brother Benjamin Hester Ensign; Colo Joseph Taylor commanded the regiment to which our company belonged; that in this tour he was in the Battle of Guilford Court-House; that after the Battle
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...of Guilford Court House he was out to bury the dead and carry the wounded to the Hospital; that he was detained at the Hospital attending to the sick & wounded until his term of service expired; he does not now recollect the Continental regiment to which he belonged or was attached; that Genl. Green was the Commander in Chief in the Battle; that Genl. Butler was the head commander before he joined General Green; that Colonel Washington was in the Battle & commanded the Horse; that Colo. Lee arrived upon the ground soon after the Battle was over; that the Hospital in which he served was at Guilford old Court House where the Battle was fought; that he does not know through what country the army marched through after the Battle as he was detained at the Hospital. That in this tour he might as properly be called a Volunteer as a drafted Militiaman; as when the draft was about to take place, he with the ballance of his company, in order to choose their officers, agreed to volunteer, and did so, and elected Richard Horraldon Captain; & then marched to Guilford Court; & in order to avoid the enemy before we joined Genl. Green we marched a very circuitous route through the counties of Wake, Orange & Caswell & joined Genl. Green on Haw river at a time noted...
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place called the High Rock some eighteen or twenty miles from the Battle ground that he received his discharge after the expiration of his time of service from Port Wallis as well as he now recollects. That he entered the service of the United States the third time under the following named officer, and served as herein stated. That he volunteered under Colonel Long, who put him to work in a public work shop at a village called Harrisburgh near Oxford in Granville County; where he was employed principally in sawing with a whip saw, getting out timbers for wagons for the United States; and he served three months in this public shop; and received no discharge from that but believes, either in his own name or in the name of Col. Long, he does not now recollect. That he served three tours in all of three months each; first by substitute, the other two in person, making in all nine months, six in person and three by substitute. He does not recollect in what year his name was in the workshop. That during the two tours which he served personally he was not engaged in any civil pursuit. That he never received a commission; but was a soldier in the ranks during each of his terms of service. That he has no documentary evidence of his service. That the several discharges that he
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that he received are lost or destroyed he thinks that they were probably burned, at the time that his Father's house was burned in Granville County North Carolina.  That he knows of no 
person now living, whose testimony he can procure, who can testify to his service, except two females who reside in the State of Georgia; and their testimony would only be from hearsay; that is from what they heard others say. That he was a resident citizen of Granville County North Carolina during all of his several tours of service above set forth. 
He said John Wright the Applicant 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.  That he has never applied for a Pension until this time; for the reason that he has always been of the opinion that pensions were granted by Congress, only to those who were wounded in battle or 
unable to support themselves that heretofore he has always been able to live comfortably without resorting to his Pension; but now his circumstances all reversed he claims his Pension. The following interrogatories being propounded to the Applicant, by the Magistrate to which he gives the annexed answers.  Interrogatory the first
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first When and in what year were you born? 
Answer: That he was born in Louisa County in the State of Virginia: in the year 1762. 
Inty 2nd  Have you any record of your age and if so where is it? 
Answer: That he has no record of it but to the best of his recollection he was born in the year 
1762. 
Inty 3rd  Where were you living when called into service: where have you lived since the Revolutionary War and where do you now live? 
Answer: He was living in the County of Granville State of North Carolina when he was called into service: that he removed to the State of South Carolina York District about the year 1789 or 90 he lived there about 15 years then moved to Wilkes County in the State of Georgia where he lived about five years; he moved from Wilkes to Jasper County Georgia where he lived up to the year 1821 he then 
moved to the said County of Montgomery in said State of Alabama where he has resided up to the present time 
Inty 4th  How were you called into service; were you drafted; did you volunteer or were you a substitute, and if in substitute, for whom? 
Answer:  He was not substituted but was drafted as stated above. 
July 5th
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Inty 5th  State the names of some of the regular officers who were with the troops when you served, such Continental and militia regiments as you can recollect and the general circumstances of your service. 
Answer: That can now recollect no more than he has already stated. 
Inty 6th  Did you ever receive a discharge from the service, and if so, by whom was it given and what has become of it? 
Answer: That he received a discharge three times as above stated: but they are all lost or 
destroyed as stated above. 
Inty 7th  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 in your services as a soldier in the revolution. 
Answer: That Dennis Allen, Caleb Moncrief [?], Franklin Armstrong, Isaac Willith, James G. 
Turner, the Honorable Dixon H. Lewis Senator in Congress from Alabama Honorable Henry W. Hilliard Representative in Congress from Alabama are all acquainted with Applicant and to whom he refers for his character &c. 
Sworn to & subscribed before me this day & year above written.
                        John X Wright
                         (X his mark)
William S. Boyd J.P.
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                        Franklin Armstrong
We Dennis Allen and Caleb Moncreif resident citizens of said county of Montgomery and in the   immediate neighbourhood of said John Wright whose name is subscribed and sworn to the above declaration;  do hereby certify that we are well acquainted with said John Wright that we believe him to be at least eighty five years old;  that he is reported and believed in the neighbourhood where he resides to have been a soldier of the Revolution and that we concur in that opinion:  that his character for truth & veracity, in his neighbourhood, is as good as, any man.                  
                          D. Allen
                          Caleb Moncrief
                          Franklin Armstrong
William S. Boyd JP

And I William S. Boyd the said acting Justice of the Peace do hereby declare my 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 I the said Justice do further certify that Dennis Allen and Caleb Moncrief Franklin Armstrong are resident citizens of the neighbourhood of the said Applicant and are credible persons
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9
persons and that their statements are entitled to credit.  And I do further certify that it is my believe that said Applicant from old age and disability is unable to ride to the Court House to make this Declaration.
     Given under my hand andSeal the day and year first above written.
                 William L Boyd JP  (seal)

And I said John Wright Applicant for pension as above set forth & declared do further state on oath that the reason that this Declaration was not made in open Court as required by law is that i am not able from old age & affliction to ride to the Court House and that I would not have been able to make it unless the magistrate had come to my House.
               John X Wright
                 (X his mark)
Sworn to & subscribed before me the day & date above written.
William S. Boyd JP

The State of Alabama
Montgomery County
     I Joseph D. Hopper Clerk of the County Court of said County do hereby certify that William S. Boyd whose name & signature appears in four different instances on the
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annexed & foregoing pages numbering from one to nine inclusive containing the Declaration certificates & several affidavits of John Wright of said county of Montgomery applicant for a pension from the United States for services rendered as a Soldier in the Revolutionary War with Great Britain - is - & was at the date of making each of aid signatures an acting Justice of the Peace for said County of Montgomery duly elected commissioned & qualified and full faith & credit are due to all his official acts - And I do further certify that the said William S. Boyd personally appeared before me and acknowledged each of said signatures to be genuine and in his own proper handwriting.
     In witness whereof I hereunto set my hand and seal of office this 7th April 1847 -
              Jos. D. Hopper Clerk
                       C.C.M.C.

The State of Alabama
Montgomery County
     I Thomas S. Mays Judge of the county Court of said county do hereby certify that Joseph d. Hopper whose signature appears to the foregoing
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certification is the clerk of our said county court and the Keeper of the records thereof duly commissioned and qualified (and that said Court is a Court of Record) that all his official acts and attestations are and ought to be entitled to full faith and credit - and that he was such clerk on the 7th day of April 1847 - 
     Witness my hand and seal this 11th day May AD 1847
                     Thos. S. Mays (seal)
                     Judge C.C.M.C.
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No 37629
John Wright
Ala
Act 7 June 1832

11894
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Georgia 
Polk County 
On this 17th day of March 1854 personally appeared before me Thomas A. Chisolm an acting Justice of the Peace in and for said county William B. Wright a resident of said county and state, aged about sixty seven, who 
being duly sworn deposed and says and makes the following declaration.  That his father was a soldier in the war of the revolution that he served as a soldier in said war nine month in all as he is informed and believes that his father, John Wright died in the year 1847 in Montgomery County Alabama and that he left no widow, but that he left him the said William B. Wright surviving heir as his only surviving child.  That application was made claiming a pension and his papers filed in the pension office soon after his death by Charles B. Pearson of Tuskegee Alabama and a report made on the application September 14th 1848. In said report it is stated that his father employed a substitute in one of the tours for which he was drafted, which he thinks is a mistake.  That his father was a substitute himself in said tour as he was informed by his father and by his grandfather and that he the said William B. Wright makes the forgoing declaration in order to obtain the benefit of the provision of the pension laws of the United States. 
Sworn to and subscribed on the day and year above written before me. 
                      William B. Wright

Thomas A. Chisolm J.P.
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Georgia
Polk County
     Before me Thomas A Chisolm an acting justice of the peace in and for said County personally came Harbert Fields and Benjamin F. Bigelow both of said county and state who being duly sworn say that William B Wright whose genuine signature appears to the foregoing declaration is to them well known and that they saw him sign the said declaration.  
                                        Harbert Fields
                                        Benjamin F. Bigelow
Said declaration sworn to & subscribed before me this 17th day of March 1854
Thomas A Chisolm J.P.

Georgia
Polk County
     I Thomas A Chisolm a Justice of the Peace in and for said county do hereby certify that Harbert Fields and Benjamin F. Bigelow whose names appear to the above affidavit are to me well known and that they are credible witnesses.
     Given under my hand and official signature this 17th day of March 1854.
               Thomas A Chisolm J.P.

Georgia
Polk County
     I Albert G Love Clerk of the Superior court of said County do certify that Thomas A Chisolm whose name appears to the above certificate is an acting Justice of the peace in and for said county fully entitled and qualified and that said Superior Court is a court of Record.
     Given under my hand and seal of said court this 18th of March 1854.
(seal)         Albert G. Love  C.S.C.
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Georgia
County
I David Irwin Judge of the Superior Court of said County do hereby certify that albert G. Love whose name as Clerk of the Superior Court of said county, is Clerk of the Superior in and for said duly commissioned elected and qualified as such Clerk, ant that his acts as such is entitled to full faith and credit and that his signature to the foregoing certificate as such Clerk is genuine and that said certificate is in due form of law.  Given under my hand and private seal there being no seal of office this the 23rd day of March 1854.
                    David Irwin JSCBRC (?)
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State of Georgia, 
Meriwether County 
Personally appeared before me, Thomas Walton, J.P., an acting Justice of the Peace for said county. Sarah Reevs (sic), who being duly sworn, deposeth and says that she is eight-three years old, that she is the sister of 
the late John Wright, a soldier of the Revolutionary War. That she knows of the said John Wright being drafted in the North Carolina Militia in said war of the Revolution, that he served as a soldier in said war for the space of nine months in all, that he first served a tour as a substitute in the place of his father for the space of three months, that he was afterwards drafted and served a tour of three months and was at the Battle of Guilford; 
that she has often heard him speak of his service in said war and at the Battle of Guilford, and also that he worked at the whip saw in getting out timber for gun carriages for some of the time he was drafted for; that she thinks he was drafted twice in said Militia during said war, and thinks he served out the time for which he was drafted each time and was regularly discharged. That he removed from Granville County, North Carolina, soon after the Revolution to York District, S.C.,
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and from thence to Wilkes County, Georgia, afterwards to Jasper County, Georgia, and thence to Montgomery County, Alabama, where he died in the fall of 1847; that while living in Montgomery County he had his house burnt and has heard him say all his papers were burnt 
with it and William B. Wright is the son of the said John Wright and the only heir of the said John Wright.  
                  Sarah (X) Reevs 
                    (X her mark) 
Sworn to and subscribed before me, 
                 Thomas Walton, J.P.

State of Georgia
Meriwether County
     I Abdias M Webb clerk of the Inferior Court of said County and State certify that Thomas Walton whose name appears to the above and foregoing affidavit is and was a Justice of the Peace of said County at the time of signing the same, that his signature is genuine and said Inferior Court is a Court of Record, having general jurisdiction
     Given under my hand and seal of office this 27th day of August 1853
          
                 August 26, 1853.
                 Abdias M Webb C.O.L.
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Jany 18 '48
Cl John Wright

Hon J.L. Edwards
Comr. of Pensions
Pension Office
Washington City
D.C.
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                   Tuskegee Jany 10th 1848

Sir
     Enclosed I send you the Declaration, in behalf of John Wright of Montgomery County Alabama for a Pension as a Soldier in the revolutionary war with Great Britain.
     Should any explanation be required or reasons assigned why it has been this long delayed it will be cheerfully and I trust satisfactorily given.
     Please call on the Honbl. D.H. Lewis Senator and H.W. Hilliard Representatives from this State for any further information required.
                       Yours &c,
                       Chas R. Pearson
                       Atty for John Wright
                       Applicant

To 
J.L. Edwards Esq
Comr of Pensions
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No 37629
John Wright
Ala
Let to C.R. Pearson
Sept 14th '48
Hon AH Stevens
May 17 1853
Hon E.W. Chastain May 25/54
Let Wm Williams July 25/54
Act 7 June 1832
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11,8984
OWN
John Wright
Service:
Enlisted:, 18
Discharged: REJECTED, 18
Application filed:, 18
Alleges List of rejected claims printed in 1852 shows cause
Re-enlisted: of rejection as follows:
"Service getting out timber for gun carriages no regarded as military service, & his other tours are under six months."
Attorney:
P.O.
Recognized.
Contracted
Cert. of dis. Searched for, 18
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                         Pension Office
                         September 14 1848
     The papers in the case of John Wright claiming a pension under the Act of 7 June 1832 have been examined and filed.
     Applicant in his declaration alleges that he was drafted 3 times in the North Carolina Militia, the first tour he states was rendered by a substitute, in the second he was engaged in the battle of Guilford and in the third he was employed at the whip saw in getting out timber for gun carriages.  The pension laws provide for actual service only consequently the tour rendered by a substitute cannot be computed in the adjustment of this claim.  It is known also that the militia who were engaged in the battle of Guilford did not continue in service for the full term for which they were drafted.  And from the value of his employment in the last term of his service
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appear to be an engagement under civil contract and not military service.  No evidence to establish either tour has been presented but should he be able to satisfy the Department that he performed the last tour terms set forth by law and that they were both military service, they would not amount to as much as 6 months, consequently he would not be entitled to a pension.  If his claim be further prosecuted he should produce the Certificate of the completion of North Carolina showing what evidence the record in his possession of militia service and (illegible) show by the testimony of witnesses who were his comrades the character and amount of the service he performed he should also file a declaration made before a court of Record, as required by the (illegible).

Chs. R. Pearson Esq.
Tuskegee
Alabama
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211
Pension Office
May 17 1858

Sir
     I herewith return the letter of Mr Bigelow and have the honor to inform you that the condition of the claim of John Wright of Ala was reported to CR Pearson Esq Sep 16 18848.  I enclose a copy of the report.  No additional evidence has been filed since that time.

Hon A.H. Stevens
Crawfordville
Ga
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John Wright
M Cole
Honl A.H. Stephens
H Reps

Free
Alexander H Stephens

J.E. Heath
Comr. Pensions
Washington 
D.C.
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July 25/54
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            155
            Pension Office
            July 25, 1854.

Sir,
     In answer to your communication of the 7th instant, I have to state that no person of the name of "John Rite" appears to have been placed on the Alabama pension rolls.  "John Wright" applied for pension in 1828, but his claim was rejected - he, by his own showing, not having performed six months service in the revolutionary war.
                  Very respectfully,
                     &c

Wm. Williams, Esq.
Wedowee
Randolph Co
Alabama
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Hon. E.W. Chastain
May 25/54
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                                    461
                      Pension Office
                      May 25 1954

Sir
     I herewith enclose the letter of Mr Bigelow together with the copy of a letter of the 11th of Sept 1848, to CT Pearson Esq., and have to inform you that that letter (to Pearson) contain, a correct expose of the condition of the claim of John Wright of Alabama.  According to his own showing he did not serve as much as six months, in the War of the Revolution.  instead of serving as a substitute for his father, his father hired a substitute for him.  The case can not be allowed.

Hon E Chastain
H of R
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State of Alabama Randolph County
July the 7 1854
Dear Sir
     I drop a line to you for information.  I want you to examine your office In 1835 or 1836 and see if one John McBurny did or not receive a penshion for one John Rite a Revolutioner in the old ware (sic)-  Imployd John Rite imployed one John McBurny of Jasper County Georgia as I am imployd by the heares of John Rite to collect the same and if John McBurney has not received the money I want to know who I may appoint my attorny or agent in your citty as I may have it attended to.  Please to give me some infermation in said mater if you please.  Dyrect your letter to Wedowee Randolph County Alabama -
         Your most obdiant servant & Sv
                         Wm Williams

To the pension office
Washington 
Sitty