Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty Land Warrant Application File R. 10,293, for John Suddarth, Virginia
Page 1

SERVICE
Va.

Suddarth, John

NUMBER
R. 10,293

CONTENTS
Page 2

W Henry Harris & Thomas Harris, both
Elders of the Church and residing in the
County of Sampson & State of Kentucky
hereby certify that - we are well acquainted with
John Suddarth who has subscribed
and sworn to the above Declaration; that
we believe him to be of the age he states
that he is reputed & believed in the
neighbourhood where he resides to
have been a soldier of the Revolution
and that we concur in that
opinion-
Thos Harris
Henry Harris
Sworn and subscribed
the day and year aforesaid
A G Hobson Clerk
And the said Court 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 Thomas
Harris and Henry Harris who have signed the preceeding
Certificate are Elders of the church and that John
Suddarth is a credible person, and that their statements
are entitled to credit
Asher W. Graham
Judge of Warren Circuit Court
I Atwood G Hobson Clerk of the Court of the Warren
Circuirt, do hereby certify that the foregoing contains the Original
proceedings of the said Court in the matter of the application
of John Suddarth for a pension. In
Testimony whereof, I have hereunto set
my hand and seal of Office this 28th
day of August in the year 1839
A G Hobson
Page 3

Kentucky Warren County SS
On this 28th day of August One thousand Eight teen hundred & thirty nine personally appeared in open Court before the Circuit Court in & for sd County, now sitting John Suddarth, a resident of the County of Simpson and State aforesaid, aged seventy five years on the 16th of February next, 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 of the 7th June 1832
that he volunteered in the army of the United States about the last of June (he recollects it was just before harvest) 1778 as a substitute for his brother James Suddarth under the command and in the company of Capt John Burley or Burleigh and in the Regiment of Col Bland, of the Virginia Troops, but he can not state whether of the State or Continental Line - In the command
of these officer he was engaged as a Private
in guarding the Prisoners, in the County of
Albemarle about four miles westwardly
of Charlottsville,Va which previous had been taken by Gen Gates in the defeat of Gen Bergoyne - He continued in this service, until the last of September, (a period of three months) ---he was relieved by the return of his brother, for whom he had substituted as afore and who had been compelled to leave the service, in consequence of sickness ---
This declarant at the time of joining the
service, resided in the County of Albemarle, Va. He recollect that Capt Holeman
Rice & Capt Garland were [illegible]  this service
Page 4


at the same time with this Declarant - and that Capt. Garland was shot by a centry, whilst there
this declarant again joined the army of
Revolution from sd County of Albemarle
State of Va about the middle of July 1781 in
Company of Capt Benjamin Harris and
joined a portion of the main army at Williamsburg, which to the best of his recollection was
under the command of Maj Meryweather (sic) He will not say that the Meryweather was the highest officer in command there,  [confused]but from his indistinct recollection it now
me to him to have been so. From Williamsburg we marched to Travis Point, at the month Queens Creek into York River, where we remained a few days guarding a number of beeves do belonging to the American Army -- From thence in were marched down to the main encampment before York Town
We were here immediately placed to work in raising the breast work around the towns
We were put on duty during this time at
8 O'clock in the morning and not relieved
until the succeeding morning at 8 o'clock
only taking time to get our meals -
We then rested  the succeeding 24 hours until the work we finished -- He was present at the taking the two British redoubts, the one stormed by the French & the other by the Americans
He was not a participant in the storm except so far as that he was drawn out with a large body of other troops to render aid
as might become necessary Each man
of the troops with him, has a facie and
as soon as the redoubt surrendered they were
Page 5

thrown down and the work of circumsallation was recommenced --- your declarant during the progress of these works witnessed a deed of personal daring & coolness in Gen Washington
which he never saw equaled. During a
tremendous cannonade from the British in
order to demolish our breast work for
days prior to the surrender, Gen Washington
visited that part of our fortification behind
which yr declarant was posted, and whilst
having discovered that the enemy were destroying the property & drowning the horses. That however entirely assured of what they were doing, he took his glass & mounted the highest most prominent & most exposed point of one fortification, and there stood afored to the enemy's fire, where shot sum
flying almost as thick as hail, & were
instantly demolishing portion of the embankment around him, for ten or fifteen
min, until he had completely satisfied
for himself of the purposes of the
enemy - during this time his aids were
remonstrating with him with all the
earnestness [?] this exposure of his person, and once or twice drew him down
He severely reprimanded them & resumed his position. When satisfied he dispatched a Fla to the enemy & they desisted from their purpose
Yr declarant continued at Yorktown till the
surrender of Cornwallis. He then marched
as a guard to the prisoners, as far as Nolan's
ferry on the Potomac, where we delivered them to the Maryland troops - then he returned and was discharged about Christmas of that
Page 6

year, making this period of his service five
---
months & a half - thus making the entire period
---
of his service eight months & a half-
He hereby relinquishes every claim to a pen
sion except the present and he declares that his
name is not on the pension roll of any agency
in any State. ye declarant received no discharge
the war was ended & he this Capt did not their
regard it useful if necessary. He makes this
application in the County of Warren, because
he resides almost as near to the Court House
of Warren as Simpson (the County being a
Juant) and because it is more convenent
for his agent to transact the busing in
Warren then in Simpson- there is no
Revester of the Gospel in his neighborhood
to whom the reputation of his service is
known-- This Declarant was born in Amherst
County Va. He has not the original record
of his age. this in the family bible of his
father, which is now in the possession of the
family of an uncle, long died. He state be
is known in his present neighbourhood to John Copland
Col: Daily L Carter, Carter Herry
Harris & Thomas Harris who can testify as to his
character for veracity and then belief of his
services as a soldier of the Revolution
He knows of no living witness whose testimony he can
procure, who can testify as to his service
his
John J Suddarth
mark
Sworn & subscribed the day
& year aforesaid
A G Hobson Clerk
Page 7

VETERANS ADMINISTRATION
WASHINGTON April 5, 1934

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
NA-J/EEL
John Suddarth-R.10293

Honorable J. L. Milligan
1331 House Office Building
Washington, D.C.

My dear Mr. Milligan:

Reference is made to your letter of March 28, with which you
enclosed one from Doctor C.W. Suddarth, of Excelsior Springs, 
Misssouri, Doctor Suddarth states that the information furnished you
on February 27, 1934, in his behalf, is not what he wants, and refers
to records he once received from the War Department in regard
to a number of soldiers with his surname, who served in the Revolutionary
War from Albemarle County, Virginia.

It is suggested that the names he desires are possibly recorded
in the old Records Division, Adjutant General's Office, War
Department, this city.

The records of this office have again been searched and only
one record found of a Suddarth, or other spelling, in whose papers
it is shown he resided in Albemarle County, Virginia. It is the
record of John and is given herein as found in pension claim, R.10293,
based upon his service in the Revolutionary War.

John Suddarth was born February 16, 1765, in Amherst County,
Virginia. The names of his parents are not shown in the papers
in the pension claim.

While a resident of Simpson County, Kentucky, John Suddarth
applied [inserted by hand: Aug 28 1839,] for pension and stated that while residing in Albemarle County,
Virginia, he volunteered about the last of June, 1778, as a substitute
for his brother, James Suddarth, who had been taken sick, served
as a private in Captain John Furley's or Burleigh's Company, Colonel
Eland's Virginia Regiment, was stationed in Albemarle County, Virginia,
guarding prisoners taken at the defeat of General Burgoyne, and served
until his brother returned, about three months: that he enlistened the
middle of July, 1781, served as a private in Captain Benjamin Harris'
Company, under Major Merriwether, was at the siege of Yorktown, and
Page 8

guarded the prisoners taken at Yorktown to Nolan's Ferry on the
Potomac River; length of service five and one-half moths.

John Suddarth's claim for pension was not allowed as he failed
to furnish proof of service of six months as required by the pension
laws.

There is no reference is wife or children in the papaers in
the claim.

Very truly yours

A. D. HILLER
Assistant to Administrater.
Page 9

John Suddarth
Kentucky

Rejected

See letter 25 Nov,
1839 W. L. Underwood

did not serve
six months.

10293

Act 7 June 1832
Page 10

4
34.903

n Suddarth
Kentucky

J? Suddarth
Act '32

34,903 Sept 16

[All other notations are faint or cut off]
Page 11

Bowling Green Sept 6. 1839

J L Edwards Esq

D Sir
You receive herewith the application
of John Suddarth for a pension _
He is a worthy old soldier _ and allow me
to commend it to yr favorable consideration

I am very resfly yrs

M. L. Underwood
Page 12

279
War Dept. Pen Office
Nov. 25, 1839

Sir,
The declaration of John
Suddarth has been examined. He
alleges that he served a tour [inserted: of three months] in 1778
from June to September in guarding prisoners
taken at the surrender of Burgoyne and
a tour of five and a half months, at
the time of the siege of York Town, Those
prisoners who were taken at the surrender
of Burgoyne, were not carried into Virginia,
until September 1778, at which time
the Virginia militia were called out
to guard them on their route through the
state to their place of destination where they
were discharged, after serving a term of considerably
less the three months, and those who
were called out to assist at the siege of York
Town were called to serve a tour of three
months only unless sooner discharged. None of
the militia served at that time more than
three months, and a great portion were
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discharged before the termination of three months.
The clamant could not therefore have
served six months [crossed out: and is not] The
act of 7th June 1832, does not provide
for any one who did not serve six
months. The claim has consequently been
rejected and the papers filed

W.S. Underwood Esq
Nov 25
A. C

W. S. Underwood Esqr
Bowling Green
Ken
Page 14

1912 Dec. 16 Hist. to W. E Suddarth. V. Line
1920 Apr. 20 W. E. Suddarth
infd Service record not
given twice. AN

1934 - apr 5 - Hist to
Hon. JL. Milligan for
Dr D. W. Suddarth. EEL
Letter of Dr Suddarth returned
to Hon. Milligan

REJECTED

10.293.
P.O. ____
John Suddarth
Service: ____

Enlisted: ____, 18
Discharged: ____, 18
Printed list of 1852
shows cause of rejection
"Not six months' service".
Application filed: ____, 18

Alleges: ____
Re-enlisted: ____

Attorney: ____
P. O. ____
____Recognized. ____Contra[text missing]
____Cert. of Dis. Searched for ____, 18
Page 15

Rev. War Section.

April 20, 1920.

W. E. Suddarth,
327 Federal Building,
Chicago, Ills.

Sir:

In reply to your letter of the 29"" ultimo, you are
herewith furnished the histories of the Revolutionary War
pensioners Benjamin Suddoth and Jared Sudduth and also advised
that owing to the lack of a clerical force available
for the purpose this Bureau does not furnish the same
cord twice to the same person and you were given the history
of the Revolutionary War claim of John Suddarth
Dec. 16, 1912.

Very respectfully,
Commissioner

[Note handwritten in margin:]
See letter in
Benj. Suddarth S4015
Page 16

December 16, 1912.

Mr. W. E. Suddarth,
c/o Isthmian Canal Commission
Washington, D. C.

Sir:

In reply to your letter dated the 7"" and received the
9" instant, you are advised that in the claim R. File No. 
10,293, Rev. War, it is alleged that John Suddarth was born
February 16, 1765, in Amherst County, Virginia, and while residing
in Albemarle County, Virginia, volunteered about the
last of June 1778, as a substitute for his brother James
Suddarth, as private under Captain John Burley or Burleigh,
in Colonel Bland's regiment of Virginia troops, and served
three months, when he was relieved by the return of his brother.
in July 1781, he joined Captain Benjamin Harris' company
under Major Merewether, and served 5½ months.
He applied for pension August 28, 1839, while a resident
of Simpson County, Kentucky, but his claim was rejected on the
ground of insufficient proof of service as required by the
Act of June 7, 1832, under which he applied.

Very respectfully,
JL Davenport
Commissioner.
Page 17

J.L. MILLIGAN
3D. DIST. Missouri

Congress of the United States
House of Representatives
Washington, D.C.
March 28, 1934

INTERSTATE AND FOREIGN COMMERCE
ADDRESSES:
OFFICE
1331 HOUSE OFFICE BUILDING
WASHINGTON, D.C
HOME
HIGHLAND, MISSOURI

R. E. LAMBERT
SECRETARY
PRINCETON, MO.

Revolutionary Section
Bureau of Pensions
Veterans Administration
Washington, D. C.

Dear Sir:

I am enclosing herewith a letter I have received from
Dr. C. H. Suddarth of Excelsior Springs, Missouri,
asking for certain information. Will you kindly make
a further investigation in an attempt to give him the
information he desires.

With kind regards, I remain

Very truly yours,
J. G Milligan

LMB,b
Page 18

MAJOR F. C. BOGGS
CORPS OF ENGINEERS, U. S. ARMY
CHIEF OF OFFICE

ISTHMIAN CANAL COMMISSION
WASHINGTON OFFICE

December 7th, 1912.

Commissioner of Pensions,
Department of the Interior,
Washington, D. C.

Sir:

I would be pleased to receive a copy of the military record
of John Suddarth of Kentucky, a soldier in the Revolutionary War
who later received a pension. I was informed some years ago that
his file number in the Pension Office was RF 10293. I will appreciate
complete information relative to himself and family as shown
by his papers.

Very respectfully,
W.E. Suddarth

Address:
c/o Isthmian Canal Commission,
Washington, D. C.