Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty Land Warrant Application File S. 21290, James Hollis, N.C.
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[Printed document with handwritten entries]

(3-1776)
SERVICE | NUMBER
N.C. | Hollis, James | S. 21290
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[Left page]Order to pay 13 c April 1839

[Right page]
12871
South Carolina
Union in the State of South Car:
who was a musician in the company commanded
by Captain Rudgers of the Regt commanded
by Col. Lytle in the North Car:
for 18 months

Inscribed on the Roll of South Car:
at the rate of 66 Dollars ___Cents per annum, 
to commence on the 4th day of March, 1831.

Certificate of Pension issued the 6th day of June '33
Union Co So. Ca. and sent Jno Rodgers

Arrears to the 4th of March '33-132
Semi-anl. allowance ending 4 Sept"-33
$165
{Revolutionary Claim, Act June 7, 1832}
Recorded by Wm Miller, Clerk,
Book E. Vol. C. Page 69
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Application of Jas. Hollis
23779
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State of North Carolina } to wit
Union District

On this thirteenth day of November in the year of our lord one thousand eight hundred and thirty two personally appeared in open court before John J. Pratt
our of the Judges of the Court of Ordinary of the said state. now sitting James Hollis a resident of Union District in the State of aforesaid aged seventy-five years who being first duly sworn according to law with 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 service as herein stated-
This applicant was born according to the information derived from his parents (having no record of his age himself) on the nineteenth day of August in the year A. D. 1757, in the Parish of Wentworth Surry county on the river Thames about five miles above the city of London in England. He passed over to Charleston with a portion of the sixty third regiment of the British Army & there joined the troops under the command of Lord Bowdon, marched with him to the relief of ninety six and was
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Also at the Battle of Eutaw. After this he was stationed at Hadrels point in the harbour of Charleston where he deserted the British army and took protection with general Marion at that time encamped at the high hills of Santee in S Carolina. From this place he proceeded to Georgetown, thence to Wilmington in No Carolina and finally to Duplin County in No Carolina Where he volunteered or enlisted as a fifer in a company of No Carolina State troops under the command of Capt Rhodes. This was about eighteen months before the peace. From Duplin County in No Carolina this applicant proceed with Capt. Rhodes company to Ediston in N Carolina where his company was attached to or joined the regiment of North Carolina troops under the command of Col. Little at that time encamped on the ediston with the main army of Gen'l Green. He proceed in the same
company and regiment with Gen'l Green accessed by river and was stationed on
James Isle and near Charleston where the city was evacuated by the British troops.
after this event this Gen'ls headquarters was rendered to the city, but the troops to
which this applicant was attached still remained on James Island, untill sometime  after the news of peace. When this applicant under the command of Capt
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Hall of NoCarolina was marched back to Wilmington in NoCarolina and discharged late in the fall after the peace. He received a written discharge signed by Col. Litle the commander of his regiment which [illegible] & [illegible] of no value he has long since lost.  He settled in Chattam County in No Carolina where he lived for about three years after the war, where he removed to the state and District aforesaid where he has lived ever since.
This applicant has no documentary evidence nor does he know of any of his former acquaintances in the army in this part of the country who can testify as to his services as above set forth, but he refers to the Revere & Thomas Ray and John Norman Esq. as persons to whom he has long known in his present neighbourhood and who came testify as to his character for verasity and their belief of his services as a soldier of the revolution.
He hereby relinquishes his 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.
Sworn to & subscribed in open court the day and year aforesaid before me } James Hollis
J. J. Pratt
Judge of the Court
of Ordy for Union Dist.
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State of South Carolina
Union District } To Wit.
We Thomas Ray a clergyman residing in the District and State aforesaid, and John Norman Esqr. residing in the same do hereby certify that we are well acquainted with James Hollis who has subscribed and sworn to the above
declaration that we beliege him to be seventy five years of age , that he is reputed and believed in the neighbourhood where he resides to have been a soldier of the revolution, and that we concur in that opinion.
Sworn to and subsribed the 
day and year aforesaid. } 
Thomas Ray
Jno Norman
J. J. Pratt Judge
of the Court of Prdy.
for Union District

And the said Court do hereby declare their opinion after the investigation of the matter and after putting the interogatories 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 Thomas Ray who has subscribed the proceeding certificate is a clergyman resident in the District & State aforesaid, and that John Norman Esqr. who has also signed the same is a resident in the same state and district, and is a credible person & that their statement is entitled to credit and the said court do the hereby further certify that the foregoing contains the original proceedings of the said court in the matter of the application of James Hollis for a pension. I testimony where of I have hereunto set my hand and private seal the seal of my office not being at hand J. J. Pratt Jud
of the Court of Ordy fo [folded]
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State of South Carolina
Union District} I John Rogers Clerk of the Court of Common Pleas do hereby Certify that the foregoing contains the original proceedings of the Court of Ordinary in the matter of the application of James Hollis for a pension & that John I. Pratt Esqr. is the ordinary for said district & that signature affixed hereto is genuine
In Testimony whereof I have 
hereunto set my hand and seal
of office this 4th day of Jany. 1833
J Rogers, Clk
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23779
James Hollis
Union District
South Carolina

M Hall
Admit as Musician
18 mo $66.00

John Rogers Clk
Union ty
South Carolina
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The evidence is support of your claim, under the act of June 7, 1832, has
been examined, and the papers are herewith returned. The following is a statement of your case in a tabular form. On comparing theses papers with the following rules, and the subjoined notes, you will readily perceive that objections exist, which must be removed, before a pension can be allowed. The notes and the regulations will show what is necessary to be done. Those points to which your attention is more particularly directed, you will find marked in the margin with a brace, (thus: }). You will, when you return your papers to this Department, send this printed letter with them; and you will, by complying with this request, greatly facilitate the investigation of your  claim.

A Statement, Showing the Service of James Hollis, Union District South Carolina
Period when the service was rendered. 
Deserted from the British, Joined Gen Marion and was enlisted as fifer 1751
Duration of the claimant's service
1 year 6 Months - Days

Rank of the Claimant
Fifer

Names and rank of the Field officers under whom he served.
Capt Rhodes
Col Lytle

Age at present, and place of abode when he entered  the service. 
75 
Deserter

Proof by which the declaration is supported.
Tradition

I am, respectfully,
Your obedient servant,
J. L. EDWARDS, Commissioner of Pensions.
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REGULATIONS UNDER THE ACT OF JUNE 7, 1832.
The following regulations have been adopted:
This law has been construed to extend, as well to the line, as to every branch of the Staff of the Army, and to include under the terms "Continental Line," "State troops," "militia" and "volunteers," all persons enlisted, drafted, or who volunteered and who were bound to military service, but not those who were occasionally employed with the army upon civil contracts, such as Clerks to Commissaries and to Store Keepers, &c., Teamsters, Boatmen, &c. Persons who served on board of private armed vessels are also excluded from the benefits of the law, as well as persons who turned out as patrols, or were engaged in guarding particular places at night, and were not recognized as being in actual military service.

Four general classes of cases are embraced in this law:

1. The Regular Troops.
2. The State Troops, Militia, and Volunteers.
3. Persons employed in the Naval Service.
4. Indian Spies.

As rolls of the regular troops in the Revolutionary War exist in this Department, all persons claiming the benefit of this law as officers, non-commissioned officers, mucicians or privates, will, in the first instance, make application by transmitting the following declaration, which will be made before a Court of Record of the County where such applicant resides. And every Court having by law a seal and Clerk is considered a Court of Record.

DECLARATION.
In order to obtain the benefit of the Act of Congress of the 7th of June, 1832.
State, Territory, or District of}
County of} ss.

On this ___ day of ___ personally appeared (a) before ___ A.B. a resident (b) of ___ in the county of ___ and State, Territory or District
of ___ aged (c) ___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 7th, 1832. That he enlisted in the Army of the United States in the year (d)___, with ___ and served in the ___ (e) regiment of the ___ line under the following named officers: 

[Here set forth the names and rank of the Field and Company Officers; the time he left the service; (and if he served under more than one term of enlistment, he must specify the particular period, and rank and names of his officers;) the town or county and State in which he resided when he entered the service; the battles, if any, in which he was engaged,
and the country through which he marched. This form is to be varied so as to apply to the cases of officers and persons who belonged to the militia, volunteers, navy, &c.]

He hereby relinquishes every claim (f) whatever to a pension or an annuity, except the present, and he declares that his name is not on the Pension Roll of any Agency in any State, or (if any) only on that of the Agency in the State of ___ 

Sworn to and subscribed the day and year aforesaid  A. B.

[And then will follow the certificate of the Court.]

And the said Court do hereby declare their opinion (g) that the above named applicant was a revolutionary soldier, and served as he states.
I ___ of the Court of ___ do hereby certify (h) that the foregoing contains the original proceedings of the said Court in the matter of
the application of ___ for a pension.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand and seal of office (i) this___  day of ___
& c.

If, on examination of the proper record, the names of applicants, making such declaration, cannot be found, they will produce such proof as the rule given in note (j) points out.
Every applicant who claims a pension by virtue of service in the State Troops, Volunteers or Militia, except those who belonged to the New Hampshire Militia and State Troops of Virginia, will make and subscribe a declaration similar to the foregoing, with the following additions, viz:
(k) We, A. B., a Clergyman, residing in the ___
hereby certify, that we are well acquainted with ___ and C. D. residing in (the same)
subscribed and sworn to the above  declaration; that we believe him to be ___ 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.
Sworn and subscribed the days and year aforesaid.
And then will follow the certificate of the Court.

And the said Co rt do hereby declare their 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 the Court further certifies, that it appears to them that A.B.
who has signed the preceding certificate is a clergyman, resident in the ___ and that C.D., who has also signed the same is a resident in the ___ and is a credible person, and that their statement is entitled to credit.
I, ___ Clerk of the Court of ___ do hereby certify that the foregoing contains the original proceedings of the said Court, in the matter of the application of ___ for a pension.
In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand and seal of office, this ___ day of ___
& c.

Every applicant will produce the best proof in his power. This s the original discharge or commission; but if neither of these can be obtained, the party will so state under oath, and will then procure, if possible, the testimony of at least one credible witness, stating in detail his personal knowledge of the services of the applicant, and such circumstances connected therewith, as may have a tendency to throw light upon the transaction.
If such surviving witness cannot be found, the applicant will so state in his declaration, (l) and he will on whether he produce such evidence or not, proceed to relate all the material facts, which can be useful in the investigation of his claim, and in the comparison of his narrative with the events of the period of his alleged service, as they are known at the Department. A very full account of the services of each person
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will be indispensable to a favorable action upon his case The facts stated will afford one of the principal means of corroborating the declaration of the applicant, if true, or of detecting the imposition, if one be attempted; and unless, therefore, these are amply and clearly set forth, no favorable decision can be expected. All applicants will appear before some Court of Record in the County in which they reside, and there subscribe and be sworn to, one of the declarations above provided, according to the nature of his case.

The Court will propound the following (m) interrogatories to all applicants for a pension, on account of service in the Militia, State troops, or Volunteers, except the Militia of New Hampshire and the State troops of Virginia.
1. Where and in what year were you born?
2. Have you any record of your age, and if so, where is it?
3. Where were you living when called into service; where have you lived since the Revolutionary war,, and where do you now live?
4. How were you called into service; were you drafted, did you volunteer, or were you a substitute?
And if a substitute, for whom?
5. State the names of some of the Regular Officers, who were with the troops, where you served; such Continental and Militia Regiments as you can recollect, and the general circumstances of your services.
6. {To a Soldier {Did you ever receive a discharge from the service, and if so, by whom was it given, and what has become of it?
{To an Offcer {Did you ever receive a commission, and if so, by whom was it signed, and what has become of it?
7. 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 of your services as a soldier of the Revolution.
The Court will see that the answers to these questions are embodied in the declaration, and they are requested to annex their opinions of the truth of the statement of the applicant.
The applicant will further produce in Court, if the same can be done, in the opinion of the Court, without too much expense and inconvenience to him, two respectable persons--one of whom should be the nearest clergyman, if one lives in the immediate vicinity of such applicant, who can testify, from
their acquaintance with him, that they believe he is of the age he represents, and that he is reputed and believed in the neighborhood to have been a Revolutionary soldier, and that they concur in that opinion. If one of these persons is a Clergyman, the Court will so certify, and they will also certify to the character and standing of other persons giving such certificates.
The traditionary evidence of service is deemed very important, in the absence of any direct
proof, except the declaration of the party. And the Courts are requested to be very particular in the enquiry whether the belief is general, and whether any doubts have ever existed upon the subject.
Applicants unable to appear in Court, by reason of bodily infirmity, may make the declaration before required, and submit to the examination, before a Judge or Justice of a Court of Record of the proper county, and the Judge or Justice will execute the duties, which the Court is herein requested to perform,
and will also certify that the applicant cannot, from bodily infirmity, attend the Court.
Whenever any official act is required to be done by a Judge or Justice of a Court of Record, or by a Justice of the Peace, the certificate of the Secretary of State or Territory, or of the proper Clerk of the Court or County, under his seal of office, will be annexed, stating that such person is a Judge or Justice of a Court of Record, or a Justice of the Peace, and that the signature annexed is his genuine signature.
No payments can be made on account of the services of any person, who may have died before the taking effect of the act of June 7, 1832; and in case of death subsequent thereto, and before the declaration herein required is made, the parties interested will transmit such evidence as they can procure, taken and authenticated before a Court of Record, showing the services of the deceased, the period of his death, the opinion of the neighborhood respecting such services, the title of the claimant, and the opinion of the Court upon the whole matter.

(a) The declarant must appear in open Court, unless prevented from doing so by reason of bodily infirmity; in which case the declarant will follow the rule laid down for his guidance.
(b) The declarant must make his declaration in the county where he resides. If he should fail to do so, he must assign a sufficient reason for not conforming to the rule.
(c) The age of the claimant must invariably be mentioned.
[d] The declarant must mention the period or periods of the war when he served.
[e] Every continental officer or soldier must give the name of the Colonel under whom he served; otherwise a satisfactory examination of the claim cannot be had. Every claimant must state, with precision, the length of his service, and the different grades in which he served, in language so to enable the Department to determine to what amount of pension he is entitled. 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:
, the undersigned, a Justice of the Peace, &c. A. B. who, being duly sworn, deposeth and saith, that, by reason or positively as to the precise length of his service; but, according to the best of his collect, he served not less than the periods mentioned below, and in the following grades:--For---year----months, and
days, I served as he served as and for such service I claim a pension." 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 three or four months,
too indefinite, and all such qualifying expressions are objectionable. Some persons who apply for pensions merely state that 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 objectionable. It must in every case, be clearly shown 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.
[f] The law makes the relinquishment indispensable.
[g] The opinion of the Court is always required.
[h] The Clerk must give his certificate in every case.
[i] The Clerk must affix his seal, and it has no device or inscription by which it can be distinguished from any other seal, or if he 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.

Mode of authenticating papers.
[J] In every instance where 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 papers 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.

Proof of Service.
[j] 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 claimant's 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 be certified by the proper officer, under his seal of office.
[image of a finger pointing to the right] The notes from [a] to [illegible] are equally applicable to the cases of Militia  men, Volunteers and State Troops. The proof required by rule in note [j]  applies to continental troops only.
[k] This traditionary evidence is indispensable in militia cases.
[l] If a witness cannot be found, the declarant must state the fact.
[m] The answers to the interrogatories must all be written, and sent to the War Department, with the declaration.

T E Bradford
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Mrs. Susan B. Hill,
Edgefield, N. C.

Madam:-
In response to your letter received February 23, 1928, you are advised that from the papers the Revolutionary War claim S. file No. 21290, it appears that James Hollis was born August 12, 1757, in the parish of Wanworth, Surrey county, England. He was a soldier in the British Army, and with it in the battles of Ninety-six and Eutaw. After this he deserted at Charleston, South Carolina, and took protection under General Marion. About eighteen months before the Declaration of Peace, he enlisted as a Fifer in North Carolina State Troops under Captain
Rhodes and Colonel Lytle, and later Captain Hall, and served until the close of the war.
He was allowed pension on an application executed November 13, 1838, while a resident of Union District, South Carolina.
There is no family data on file.
Very respectfully,
Commissioner.
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[Printed document with handwritten entries]

[Left side of document]
Revolution
21 290 
INVLAID.

File No. 21,290 James Hollis Musician Rev War
Act: June 7" 32"
Index-Vol. 2, Page 189
[Arrangement of 1870]

[Right side of document]
1922 mailed hist to Mrs Susan B Hill EW-
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State of North Carolina
Secretary of State's Office
I William Hill Secretary of State in and for the State aforesaid do certify that it appears from the musterrolls of the Continental line of this State in the revolutionary war, that James Hollis a musician in Capt. Rhodes company of the 10th Regiment enlisted.
.....that he was mustered in December 1782, and that nothing more is said of him or said rolls
Given under my hand this
21st day of May 1833.
W. Hill
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Commissioner of Pensions
Pension Bureau
Wash. D. C.

Dear Sir-
Will you give me details of the service of James Hollis as presented in his application for a pension. he was a pensioner from Union Co. S. C. in
1840-
Yours Respt-
Mrs Susan B. Hill
Edgewood, SC

Stamp:
PENSION
Feb
28
1922
OFFICE

Stamp:
RECPRDS
FEB  28 1922
DIVISION