Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty Land Warrant Application File S. 7,885, Hezekiah Whitt, Va.
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(3—1776)
SERVICE Va. 
Whitt, Hezekiah
NUMBER S. 7885
carded
CONTENTS
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32.322.
Virginia
Hezekiah Whitt
of Tazewell Co in the State of Virginia who was a private in the [blank] commanded by Captain Patton of the Reg commanded by Col. Preston in the Virginia [crossed out: line for] Militia for 8. months and 20. days.

Inscribed on the Roll of Virginia at the rate of 28 Dollars 88. Cents per annum, to commence on the 4th day of March, 1831.
Certificate of Pension issued the 7th day of May 1845 and sent to John W. Johnston  Tazewell C.H. Va.
Arrears to the 4th of March 1845.  $404.32.
Semi-annual allowance ending 4 Sep "  14 44
[=] $418..78
{Revolutionary Claim, Act June 7, 1832.}
Recorded by F. S. Evans, Clerk,
Book E  Vol. 6 1/2  Page 39.

Rep
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State of Virginia  County of Tazwell} ss
On this 27th day of March eighteen hundred & forty four personally appeared in open court. Hezekiah Whit a resident of the County of Tazwell and state Virginia aged eighty four 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 the 7th 1832
That he entered the service of the United States under the following named officers and served as herein stated.
The declarant states that he was born in the state of South Carolina in the year 1760, that from thence his father removed to stewards Creek North Carolina and afterwards to Montgomery County Virginia  
That on the June of 1776 or 1777 (he is not clear in his recollection which) he was drafted to go to the relief of Galand Creek fort, against the indians.  This fort stood upon New River, and an express was sent to Col. William Preston informing him of the danger from the presence of the Indians.  The declarant marched under the command of Lieutenant Izrael Sorton, and entered the fort which was then commanded by Captain Henry Patton  This draught was ordered by the Col commandant William Preston: of Montgomery County_ owing to the necessity of cultivating the growing crop, the service only was ordered for the space of one month for which space of time this declarant served.  In the month of March & he thinks in the year 1779, he went as a volunteer under Capt Thomas Mastín, upon the expedition against the Cherokee Indians to Tennessee, called then the "Chickamaugy expedition"
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The point of rendezvous was at Coln Campbell's in the County of Washington Va.  The men were marched to the big Island Holston, where they were incorporated into the regiment of General Evan Shelby.  From thence they marched against the Indian towns: but found upon entering them that they had already been abandoned by the Indians.  This declarant was three months in this service: having left home in the early part of March & returning after the troops were disbanded sometime in June.
On this expedition there was a regiment of regular troops, declarant thinks of the "state line" destined for service in the Illenois country.  The Coln who commanded them was Montgomery. and the Major he thinks was Quirk.  These troops continued their march westward after the militia returned home
This declarant got a regular discharge for his services under Shelby; which was signed by Captain Aaron Lewis, who had been sent to New Dublin in Montgomery, for the purpose of paying off the men and giving them discharges
In the following October this declarant was draughted to serve as guard in a fort on Back Creek in Montgomery County, in which service he continued until the next March: under the command of Captain James Thompson, an officer serving in the militia of Va.  Coln William Thompson held the chief command of this fort.  After the expiration of this service this declarant was regularly discharged by Coln William Thompson
In the early part of the summer of 1780 (as this declarant thinks, for at this distance of time he cannot pretend to strict accuracy in dates) he was draughted by the order of Coln William Preston, to go into Carolina for the purpose of joining the army under the command of General Gates.  The lead mines in Montgomery
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County, was designated as the place of rendezvous for the troops.  Then Coln Lloyd took command: he marched with the main body of the men into Carolina.  It was determined however to leave a strong guard at the lead mines, which was accordingly done, under Coln Saunders of this guard, this declarant was one; & remained one month.  In August afterwards, there was much excitement & alarm in the country least [lest] a large body of Tories & deserters should embody themselves and harass the inhabitants.  Coln William Preston ordered out the militia, and in the company of Capt Daniel Frigg this declarant served twenty days 
From this time until the close of the Revolution This declarant always held himself ready to go upon any service, to which he might be ordered, either in the militia or as Indian Spy.
He further states that except in the instances mentioned, he never received a regular discharge: and that those he did receive have long since been lost.  Declarant supposing after the close of the war that a discharge was of no value.  This declarant states that he has [not?] the documentary evidence to prove the facts he has stated, nor does he know of any living witness by whom he can prove his service except those rendered in the Chickamaugy or Tennessee campaign, that he can prove by the testimony of a witness who was on the expedition
He hereby relinquishes every claim whatsoever 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
Sworn to & subscribed the day & year aforesaid
Hezekiah Whitt
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We William McGuire a clergyman residing in the County of Tazwell and Thomas Christian residing in the same County hereby certify that we are well acquainted with Hezekiah Whit, who has subscribed & sworn to the above declaration.  That we believe him to be eighty four 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 the opinion
Sworn & subscribed the day and year aforesaid
William Mcguire 
Thomas Christian

And the said court do hereby declare their opinion after investigating 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 William McGuire who has signed the preceding certificate is a clergyman resident in the County of Tazwell and that Thomas Christian who has also signed the same is a resident in the County of Tazwell and is a credible person, and that their statement is intitled to credit

I George W G Browne Clerk of the Court of Tazwell County do hereby certify that the foregoing contains the orriginal proceedings of the said Court in the matter of the application of Hezekiah Whit for a pension
In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal of office this 27th day of March 1844
Geo. W G. Browne
Clk of Tazewell C. C.
[seal affixed]
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Rev War  7885  INVALID.
File No. 7885 
Hezekiah Whitt
Priv Rev. War
Act: June 7th 1832
Index:—Vol. 1st, Page 403
[Arrangement of 1870.]
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Hezekiah Whit.  Tazewell County Va.
Born in S. Carolina 1760.
June 1776 or 1777.— entered in Montgomery Co. Va  
1. month.  Cap. Patton.  Col Preston.
March 1779. 3. " " Martin "
" 4 " " James Thompson
1780. 1 " " Col Cloyd
20. day Cap Trigg.—
Supported by testimony 2 witnesses, service in accordance with the history of the time
10. months 20 days. 
* Could not have exceeded 3 months.
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[Illegible] N. Novr. 
[Illegible]h 7th
Free
James L. Edwards 
Commissioner of Pensions 
Washington City
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Tazewell C.H. Va March 4th 1845
Dear Sir
Enclosed I send the declaration of Hezekiah Whitt for a pension.  I did not think it necessary to send the interrogatories of the War Department as the answers are included in the declaration & the certificate of the court shows that they were propounded.
Your Obt Sevt
John W Johnston

James L. Edwards
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37.006.
Virginia
Act 7. June 1832.
Hezekiah Whitt  private
8. months $26.66
20 days. 2 22
$28.88

John W. Johnston 
Tazewell C.H.  Virginia
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Pension Office  May. 3rd 1845.
Sir.
In answer to your letter [crossed out: of the of the 3d March last,] in the care of James Brayhill, decd I have to inform you that [crossed out: that] the affidavit of his son, as to the death of his father and that his [crossed out: mother] widow is still living is insufficient.
My letter of the 25th of Jany last required the certificate of the court, as to the name of the widow of James Brayhill whether she is [crossed out: sworn] living, and the day on which the said James Brayhill departed this life.
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Tazwell County to wit.  March 27th 1844.
This day personally appeared In open Court [crossed out: before me the undersigned justice of the peace in and for the county aforesaid] Lyles Dolsbury a witness of lawful age who being first duly sworn deposeth & saith, 
That when the expedition against the Cherokee Indians in Tennessee marched; he was himself a soldier under the command of Captain Thomas Mastín: That the rendezvous for the troops before they started on the march was at Coln Campbells in Washington County Va  Deponent further states that he was three months on this expedition during which time he well knew Hezekiah Whit & was also upon the same expedition, under the same officers and was during the whole time, a mess mate of this affiant.  They returned from the service together, and this affiant has known the said Whit ever since.  This is all the service he remembers to have met Whit in; and knows nothing farther of them personally.  But this affiant has always understood & believes that the said Hezekiah Whit did perform active service as he states, until the close of the Revolutionary War
Lyles his x mark Dolsbury
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In addition to the certificate given by this affiant, he would state that, this affiant was reared from childhood (being left an orphan) by Capt Thomas Mastin, whom he has often heard say, That Hezekiah Whit, the applicant for a pension in the foregoing declaration, was a soldier under him in the Cherokee expedition into Tennessee.  This affiant knew the said Whit at that time & has known him ever since.  This affiant knows nothing of any other service stated by the said Whit, but he believes them to have been performed as stated.  Sworn to & subscribed the day & year above written in Open Court
Thoms Christain