Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty Land Warrant Application File R. 3865, Levi Gaines, S.C.
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(3-1776)

SERVICE
S.C.

Gaines, Levi
or Goines

NUMBER
R. 3865

-------------------------------
CONTENTS
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Declaration, in order to obtain the benefit of the Act of Congress for the benefit of Revolutionary Soldiers.
State of North Carolina
County of Moore
On this 26th day of April A.D. 1852 personally appeared before the court of Pleas and Quarter Sessions held for the county and State aforesaid, Levi Gaines a resident of said County of Moore, and State of N.C. aged, about Ninety years, who being first duly Sworn according to Law, doth on this oath, make the following 
declaration in order to obtain the benefit of the provision made by the act of Congress for Soldiers who Served in the Revolutionary War.  That he volunteered in Fairfield County, State of South Carolina, and agreed to 
Serve until the end of the War, the time he entered the Service he does not recollect, but believes it was 
about the time that the British took Charleston, that he Served as a private in a Company Commanded
by Captain John Gray and was attached to a Regiment which was Commanded by Col John Winn and 
Gen Richard Winn.  He continued in actual Service for about the term of twelve months* though his recollection is not very distinct as to the time he Served.  That he was honorably discharged as he believes at the Close of Said Revolutionary War by his Said Captain having been marched back to Said Fairfield County, which was also the residence 
of his Captain.  He obtained no written discharge. He was engaged in a battle near the confluence of 
the Congaree and Santee Rivers [Battle of Granby Fort] Gen [Henry] Lee, he 
*He thinks nearly two years, but is determined to be within bounds.
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believes was the commander though his memory as to this is indistinct.
Says the tories surrendered here without much fighting. his service was entirely confined to the State of South Carolina. Marching from Winnsboro to the Congaree Fort
and various other parts of Said State under his officers.
he recollects the name of many officers and Soldiers with whom he Served but does not know many
regulars  the following are some 
of them; Gen [Thomas Sumter]Sumpter, Maj. John Pearson,
[Capt] William W Morris, James Steel, Joseph Kennedy, John Greggs,
Lieut Andrew Gray & Saml. Croslin (the latter was a regular). he knows of no person living whose testimony he can procure who can testify to his Services having removed from the State of South Carolina to North Carolina Moore County soon after the Close of the Revolutionary War where he has resided ever since
he has never been positive until recently that he was entitled to a Pension.  Several years Since a 
Gentleman informed him that he was entitled and he would procure a pension for him but as nothing was done he concluded he was not entitled to anything and made no further effort until now.
He hereby relinquishes every claim whatever to a pension except the present and declares that his name is not on the pension roll of the agency of any State.
Levi Gaines X his mark
Sworn to and Subscribed the day and year aforesaid in Open Court
Test - Hon. A. F. Seawell
Sworn to in open Court this 26th day 
of April A.D. 1852.  
A. C. Curry Clerk
of Moore County Court -
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3865 REJECTED

Levi Gaines
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No
[illegible]
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Levi Gaines 
W. C. Thagard
Carthage
Moore Co.
N.C.

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
PENSION OFFICE
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Carthage N.C.  Apl. 8th 1853
Dear Sir,
Some months Since I presented (through Gen Dockery) to the department the declaration of Levi
Gaines a Soldier in the War of the Revolution asking to be allowed a pension for his Services in Said War
I stated in my letter that the advanced age and feeble health of the old veteran presented strong claims to
the department for an early investigation I have waited with great patience and as yet the department has not seen fit to address me on the subject.  If there is any informality in the declaration or any lack of
testimony that prevents the claim being allowed will the department please to inform me or if it has 
not yet been investigated or has been allowed and no information given I ask respectfully to be 
informed thereof.
Very Respectfully &c.
W. C. Thagard
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August 14/52
Appl. of Levi
Gaines

Mr Gordon

Hon. W. Dockery
House of Reps.

Hon. W Dockery
Dockery's Store
N.C.
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Levi Gaines
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State of North Carolina
Moore County
On this 19th day of February A.D. 1852 personally appeared before me a Justice of the peace, within and for the County and State aforesaid Duncan Murchison, who being duly Sworn according to Law declares that he has been acquainted with Levi Goines for forty five years during which time he has resided in the County and State aforesaid.  that when he came to this county he 
understood and believed that he came from the State of South Carolina.  he is a man of good
character whose oath may be relied on.  he is reputed to have been a Soldier in the Revolutionary
War.  while living in South Carolina of which there is no doubt.
s/ Duncan Murchison

Sworn to and subscribed before me this 19th day of February AD 1852.
s/ Jno. C. Jackson J.P.
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Deposition of 
D. M. R. McIntosh Esqr.
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State of North Carolina
Moore County
Pension office department
The declaration of Levi Gaines
a Revolutionary Soldier, with the proof of his services hereunto annexed is respectfully submitted for your
consideration, it is believed, that under the several acts of Congress he is entitled to a Pension for life from
the 4th of March 1831. To back pay since that time and to bounty land, having volunteered during the war, and served, as he believes until its close, or until discharged by his officers; which several claims he respectfully asks the department to allow him he has no living nor
documentary evidence of his services, but has transmitted
a correct statement under oath Showing as near as frail memory will allow, the time, place, and manner of his service the officers under whom he served, and with whom he was
acquainted, he also produce the certificate of three of the most respectable and intelligent men in his county, who establish, beyond doubt his good character, and general reputation as a soldier and I imagine, there are but five of those veterans who have been mercifully spared until this day that would swear falsely. this proof I trust will be sufficient to establish his claim. time has so reduced the number of these veterans, and of the witnesses of their services and sufferings, that to require of them positive proof, independently of their own statement, would be to deprive them of the benefit of the act. an early investigation of this claim is respectfully Solicited, if consistent with the regulations of the department. his humble condition in life, and very feeble health, require it
all of which is respectfully Submitted. My address is Carthage N.C.
W. C. Thagard
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State of North Carolina
Moore County
On this 28th day of June A.D. 1852 personally appeared before me
a Justice of the peace within and for the County and State aforesaid
Gen. W. D. Dawd who being duly sworn according to law declares
that he is well acquainted with Levi Gaines of said County and from
his general character has no hesitation in saying that he is entitled
to full credit upon his oath that he has recently been requested to examine said Gives relative to his services as a soldier in the Revolutionary war. that he has examined and conversed with him on that subject at various times and with great particularity and has
no doubt that said Gain volunteered in the State of So Carolina for and during the war and continued in actual service in the Revolutionary war for nearly or quite two years, that he enquired of said Gaines when he entered the service, said he could not tell, but it was about the time the British took Charleston, that he enquired what was his age now
he said he was Ninety years this month, that he then discovered
he must have been under twenty one years when Charleston was
surrendered to the British, that without making a single intimation to
said Gaines of that fact (nor can he read a word of history) that he
enquired how old he was, when he volunteered, to which he replied that
he was about Nineteen years old. that he then referred to the history of
the revolution, and found that the time Charleston was surrendered
(12th May 1780) said gaines, was about Nineteen that he then enquired
what general officers he can, he said Green [Gen Nathanael Greene], [Gen Thomas Sumter] Sumpter, [Gen Richard] Wynn, [Gen Henry] Lee, that he then enquired what battles he was in, he said he was in but one, which was at the Congaree fort [Granby] that he again referred to the stars, and finds that this fort was called Mottes near the confluence of Congaree & Santee Rivers, Gen Lee was dispatched to this place that from these facts, together with many other incidents of said war related by said Gaines the conclusion was irresistible that said Gaines is one of these veterans who stood up for his country in the hour of danger and has never received a Pension.
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he said Gaines with his aged companion, are living alone in a very humble condition in life barely able to afford [illegible] the comforts which their advanced age require
that it is the universal opinion of all, who converse with that he was a faithful soldier in the Revolutionary War. s/ W. D. Dawd
Sworn to and subscribed before me the day and year above written.
D. Street JP

By refference to history I find that the battle of Kings Mountain was fought 7th October 1780 after which Lord Cornwallis left Charlotte and fell back to Winnsboro the very place and year that Mr Gaines mentioned in his declaration
W.C. T.
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State of North Carolina
Moore County
I, Alexander C. Curry Clerk of the Court of Pleas and Quarter Sessions
in and for the County and State aforesaid, do hereby certify that the declaration of Levi Goins hereunto
annexed was duly executed and sworn to in open Court by the identical Levi Goins named in said declaration who is reputed and believed to have been a revolutionary Soldier-
I further certify that Duncan Murchison Esq, D.M.R. McIntosh Esq and Gen. W.D. Dawd, whose names appear to the annexed certificates
are citizens of said County of high standing whose veracity for truth
cannot be doubted. Said Murchison is a prominent Elder in the 
Presbyterian Church and each of them have been promoted to distinguished places of trust in their County and State, Said Signatures being in their own proper hand writing.
I further certify that John C. Jackson, William Barrett, and Donald Street whose names appear to the annexed certificate of Duncan Murchison, D. M. R. McIntosh and W.D. Dawd were
at the time of signing the same
acting Justices of the peace in and for the County aforesaid, duly commissioned and qualified according to law, and that their signatures to the same are genuine.
In testimony whereof I have hereunto
affixed my seal of Office and subscribed my name the 6th day of August A.D. 1852. s/AC Curry clerk of Moore County Court
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State of North Carolina
Moore County
On this 16th day of July AD 1852 personally appeared before me a Justice of the peace within and for the County and State aforesaid Duncan M.R. McIntosh Esqr who being duly sworn according to law declares that he has been acquainted with Levi Gaines for about Twenty
five years. that he is a man of good character for truth and veracity, there are but few men whom to be
relied upon on their oath, than he is, he is reputed to have served as a soldier in the Revolutionary war in the State of South Carolina, that he has no doubt of that fact, he is a man of about Ninety years of Age.
s/ DMR McIntosh
Sworn to and subscribed before me the day and year above written
s/ Wm Barrett JP