Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty Land Warrant Application File R. 2,353, George Cotten, N.C.
Page 1

N.C.   Cotten, George  R. 2,353
Page 2

George Cotten 14185.
Page 3

Declaration, in order to obtain the benefit of the Act of Congress, passed June 7, 1832
State of Georgia
County of Warren ) SS.
On this third day of October 1832 personally appeared in open Court, before William H. Crawford, Judge of the Superior Court, for the Northern Circuit of said state.

George Cotten, a resident in the County of Warren and State of Georgia, aged sixty eight 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 y, 1832.
That he entered the service of the United States under the following named Officers and served as herein stated.  He was drafted in the summer of 1780 and went into service with the Militia of Edgecomb County, North Carolina, where he was born and their lived, in the company commanded by Captain Richard Shipp, joined the Regiment of Colonel,        at Kingston on Nuce (Neuse) River, North Carolina, hence marched to Camden, South Carolina, where the army was increased and put under the command of General Gater, and marched out to meet CornWallace.  Went into an engagement with CornWallace sometime in August about day break.  The Americans were soon defeated.  Captain Shipp directed him to take care of himself, which he did in company with about fifteen men, and went to Charlotte in North Carolina, about thirty miles.  At Charlotte the company was increased and march out to Salsbury, North Carolina under (the thirsty) General Sumner.  There is to Colo. Long's this army having been partly discharged, where his father took a discharge for him, which is our loss.  It this tour he served three months as a private.
Page 4

    About three months after, he volunteered or enlisted in the Calvary
for two months, in Colonel Whitekers Regiment, Edgecombe County, North Carolina, and furnished his own house. Marched to a Village in Franklin County, North Carolina, remained there a few days and went to Ham River, North Carolina, then  twenty or thirty miles up the River, then to Hillsborough North Carolina, then to Guilford Courthouse North Carolina, then to Moravian Town all on search of Tories. After which he went to Colonel Whiteker in Franklin County, North Carolina where he was discharged. Took a discharge, but does not know what has become of it. That he has no documentary evidence, and knows of no person whose testimony he can procure, who can testify to his service. He has resided in Warrenton, Warren County, Georgia, and its vicinity the last forty years.
    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.
George Cotten

Sworn to and subscribed in open Court the day
and year aforesaid.
Thomas Gibson Clk
    Mr. Elisha Perryman a clergyman, residing in the County of Warren and State of Georgia
and Jeremiah Butt residing in said County & State hereby certify that we are well
acquainted with George Cotten, who has subscribed and Sworn to the above declaration; that we believe him to be sixty eight 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 that opinion

Elisha Perryman
Elder of Baptist Church
Jeremiah Butt


Sworn and subscribed in open Court the day and year aforesaid
Thomas Gibson, Clk.
Page 5

And the Court do hereby declare their opinion, after https://catalog.archives.gov/images/misc/drag.pngthe
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 Elisha Perryman who has signed the
preceding certificate is a clergyman, resident in the County
of Warren, Georgia and that
Jeremiah Butt who has also signed the same is a resident of the county of Warren aforesaid 
and reliable  persons, and that their statement is entitled to credit.

Wm H Crawford
J S N.C.

I Thomas Gibson Clerk of the Superior Court of Warren
County and State of Georgia, do hereby certify that the
foregoing contains the original proceedings of the said Court in the matter of application of George
Cotten for a pension or annuity.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set
my hand and seal of Office this third day of Sptember 1832. 

Thomas Gibson, Clk
Page 6

No 14185.
George Cotton 
Warren County
Georgia
Request  sent only
5 Mo.
reject - See letter
19 March 1833 to
Thomas Gibson Clerk
Warrenton county Court 
Geo.
Warrenton
Page 7

NRIEF in the case of George Cotten, County of Warren in the State of George (Act 7th June, 1832.)
1. Was the declaration made before a Court or a Judge?   A Court
2. If before a Judge, does it appear that the applicant is disabled by bodily infirmity?
3. How old is he? 68.
4. State his service, as directed in the form annexed.
Period.
Drafted in 1780:  3 months: as a private: Gen Ship. C.L. Long
Vol or Enlisted calvary: 2 months: as a private: Col. Whitaker 

In what battles was he engaged? engagement with Cornwallis
6. Where did he reside when he entered the service? Edgecombe County N. C.
7. Is his statement supported by living witnesses, by documentary proof, by traditionary evidence, by
incidental evidence, or by the rolls? Traditionary evidence
8. Are the papers defective as to form or authentication? and if so, in what respect? Correct

Certify that the foregoing statement and the answers agree with the evidence in the case above mentioned.
Dyer Custor Examining Clerk
Page 8

May 13, 1936
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
George Cotten, R. 2353
BA-J/MCS

Mrs. S. F. Crawford
Byron
Georgia
Dear Madam:

Reference is made to your request for information in regard
to George W. Cotton, a Revolutionary War soldier who died in Warren
County, Georgia.
    The data which follow were obtained from papers on file in
the pension claim, R. 2353, based upon the military service of George
Cotten.
    He was born in Edgecomb County, North Carolina. The date of
his birth and the names of his parents were not given.
    While living in Warren County, Georgia, aged sixty-eight years,
he applied for pension October, 1832, and stated that while living in
Edgecomb County, North Carolina, he enlisted in the summer of 1780
and served three months as private in Captain Richard Ship's North Carolina company and was in the first battle of Camden: he stated
that he enlisted about three months later and served two months in
Colonel Whitiker's North Carolina regiment.
    The claim was not allowed as according to the requirement of
the pension law, the minimum length of service that would entitle
him to pension was six months.
    In 1832 George Cotten stated that he had lived in Warrenton,
Warren County, Georgia, and its vicinity for the last forty years.
    The papers in this claim contain no data relative to wife and
children of this soldier.
Very truly yours
A. D. HILLER
Executive Assistant
to the Administrator
Page 9

No 14185
George Cotton
Ga.
Rejected see let
to Thomas Gibson
of the 19th March 1833
2353
Page 10

1936 May 13, [illegible]
F. Crawford

2353
George Cotton
1852 List gives following reason for rejection. "Did not serve six months."
Page 11

BRIEF objections to the admission of Pension Claims, of which those answered in the negative, in red ink, will apply to the claim of
George Cottin which require further proof or explanation.

I. Does the declaration show where the applicant resides?
II. Did the declarant make the declaration in the county where he resides?
III. If the applicant did not make the declaration in the county where he resides, is there any reason
assigned for his not doing so?
IV. Has the declarant mentioned the period or periods of the war when he served?
V. Has he mentioned with precision the length of his service, and the different grades in which he served, in language so definite as to enable the department to determine to what amount of pension he is entitled?
VI. Has he given the names of the officers under whom he served, in conformity with the regulations?
VII. Has he made a relinquishment of every claim to any other pension than the one under the Act of June 7, 1832?
VIII. Has the Court given their opinion?
 IX. Has the Clerk given his certificate?
X. Is the Clerk's seal affixed? And if so, has it a device or inscription by which it can be distinguished from any other Seal?
Page 12

VIII. If the applicant has no documentary evidence, and has not obtained the testimony of at least one
living witness, has he stated in his declaration that such proof cannot be had?
VIV. If the applicant's name is not found on the rolls of military service, has he produced a witness
or witnesses as to his service?
    If he has produced direct proof as to service, has the magistrate who administered the oath, certified to the credibility of the witness or witnesses?
    Has the proper officer certified to the official character and signature of the magistrate as the regulations direct?
 
XV. Does it appear from any of the papers that the witness was in such a situation, or of such an age,
as to have a personal knowledge of the applicant's service?

XVI. Are the papers authenticated as the regulations direct?

XVII. Are the seven interrogatories prescribed by the War Department answered satisfactorily? And,
if not, which of them is not so answered?
1.2.35

EXPLANATORY NOTES.
QUERE V. In a case where the applicant cannot, by reason of the loss of memory, state precisely how long he served, he should amend his declaration by making an affidavit in the following words:  "Personally appeared before me, the undersigned, a Justice of the Peace, &c. A. B. who, being duly sworn, deposeth and saith, that, by reason of old age, and the consequent loss of memory, he cannot swear positively as to the precise length of his service, but according to the best of his recollection he served not less than the periods mentioned below, and in the following grades; For ______year ___months, and ____days, I served as a_____ For ____ months, ______days, I served as a _____:  and for such service I claim a pension.
Page 13

It is important in all cases to determine with precision the period for which each applicant served, and the particular rank he held, as the law directs the pension to be paid according to the grade of the pensioner and the length of his service. The use of the phrase about the or four months is too indefinite , and all such qualifying expressions are objectionable. Some persons who apply for pensions merely state they served two years in the militia, &c. without specifying the tours; the names of the officers, and other particulars respecting their service. This form of a declaration is highly objection able. It must in every case be clearly shewn under what officers the applicant served; the duration of each term of engagement; the particular place or places where the service was performed; that the applicant served with an embodied corps called into service by competent authority; that he was either
in the field or in garrison; and for the time during which the service was performed, he was not employed in any civil pursuit.
QUERE XIV. Proof of Service.
In a case where the name of the applicant is not found on the records of the Department, he must prove his service by two credible witnesses, who are required to set forth in their affidavits the time of the claimants entering the service, and the time and manner of his leaving the same, as well as the regiment, company, and line to which he belonged. The magistrate who may administer the oaths must certify to the credibility of the witnesses, and the official character and signature of the magistrate must be certified by the proper officer, under his seal of office.
QUERE X in the certificate of the certifying officer who authenticates the papers is not
written on the same sheet of paper which contains the affidavit, or other paper authenticated, the certificate must be attached thereto by a piece of tape or narrow ribbon, the ends of which must pass under the seal of office of the certifying officer, so as to prevent any paper from being improperly attached to the certificate.  In every case where the clerk of the court, or other certifying officer, has no public seal of office, the certificate of a member of congress, proving the official character and signature of the certifying officer, should accompany the papers.
Page 14

Veterans Administration
Washington D.C.
Dear Sir, 
Please send me whatever data you may have of Geo. W. Cotton Sr. (Revolutionary Soldier). Drew land in Cherokee Lottery (Ga) for Rev. services.  Died in Warren Co Ga. 
Respl-
Mrs. S.F. Crawford
Feb 9th
Byron Ga
Page 15

Copy
War Department
Pension Office 
March 19, 1833
Sir:
The declarations of Sterling Gardner, Sampson Welder and George Cotton have been examined and the two first named are herewith returned for amendment, accompanied by briefs showing wherein they are defective.  
The claim of George Cotten has been rejected, as it appears from his statement, that he served only five months.  The Revolutionary pension laws provide for none who did not serve at least six months.  His papers will remain on the files in this office.
I am Sir
J.L.E
Commissioner of Pensions
Thomas Gibson, Esq. 
Clerk of Warren Co.
Warrenton 
Georgia