Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty Land Warrant Application File S. 16930, for Samuel Mayfield, South Carolina
Page 1

(3 - 1776)
SERVICE
S. C.

Mayfield, Samuel

NUMBER
S.16930

Born in N. C.

Carded

CONTENTS
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Alabama 7.906
==================================
Samuel Mayfield
of Tuscaloosa Co in the State of Alabama
who was a Private in the Company commanded
by Captain Jeffriers of the Brigade commanded
by Gen Green on the South Carolina
line for Eight months
$26.66/100
=================================
Inscribed on the Roll of Alabama
at the rate of 26  Dollars 66 Cents per annum
to commence on the 4th day of March, 1831.
==================================
Certificate of Pension issued the 18 day of April
1833 and sent to
E. Shortrige Agt.  Tuscaloosa, Alabama
==================================
Arrears to the 4th of March 1833                 53.32
Semi-anl. allowance ending 4 September 13.33
                                                      1833 
                                                                               ======
                                                                                $66.65
                                                                                ======

{Revolutionary Claim,}
{Act June 7, 1832.      }
Recorded by Wm R. [illegible] Clerk
Book   E     Vol. 8.   Page 481

[right side]
let: Nov 15, 1838 to
Charles Lewis,
======
Letter to Pent & 3d Auditor 30 May
1839.
======

Paid at the Treasury under
the act of the 6th April 1838
from 4 Sept 1836 to 4 Sept
1838 agt Notified 10 June 1839
----
Page 3

A
Declaration in order to obtain the benefit of the act of Congress of June 7th 1832
State of Alabama
Tuscaloosa County & circuit
On this thirteenth day of October A D 1832
personally appeared in Open Court before 
Anderson Crenshaw Judge of the Tuscaloosa
circuit Court now sitting Samuel Mayfield resident of the
said circuit in the County of Tuscaloosa and State of 
Alabama aged 73 on the 23rd day of May last who
being duly sworn according to Law doth on his
oath make the following declaration in order to 
obtain the benefits of the act of Congress passed June 7th 1832
That he entered the service of the Unite States under the
following named officers and served as herein stated
that he was born in North Carolina
near the Virginia line, he thinks
in the county of Halifax - when a small boy his father
removed to South Carolina, Union County  he lived there until he was about twenty five or thirty years of age and it was during this last mentioned time while a resident of
South Carolina he was called into service when in his 17th year you was drafted upon a two months tour against the Cherokees
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to protect the frontier. The captain commanding
was Nathaniel Jeffries Lieutenant John Thompson 
Ensign not remembered On this service he completed 
all that was required of him though he was not out
the full two months- the Indians not presenting
so much danger as required their staying the 
whole two months - Your affiant thinks the American
Revolution was only in its beginning at that time. The
Cherokees were hindered [?] and often he returned home
- he was not again called upon for service 
for about two or three years and then he was
called upon to fight against the British on a draft of three
months,- the expedition was to repair to Savannah
for the purpose of expelling the British who then
had the occupation of that city, and he was one of the soldiers engaged in the courageous but unsuccessful attempt to recover it under the commanders of the American forces Genl Greene, Genl Pickens & General Sumpter, he conceived the  superior officers. -The Captain that commanded him at the Battle was [illegible] Gilky [?] (he thinks his first name Jonathan) - this happened from several company or parts of it being drafted from head quarters to form a company for her home  for while [illegible] left home he was
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commanded  Capt Montgomery, who in
detailing [?] out the men lost his command
and the captain returned home - In this attack of
Savannah he received no wounds but many
of his comrades fell around him - After the service was over he was disbanded in and went home
He was afterwards drafted for three months
Capt Montgomery, Lieutenant [illegible]
Montgomery also & Hugh Taylor Ensign
were the officers of the company to which
he belonged-- this three months tour was
existing during the siege of Ninety Six
and he was at that siege from the beginning
to the end.
After this he removed from Union into Fairfield County, and there he was drafted for two months to keep back the British & Tories, and was
stationed at Four Holes Bridges [Swamp?] - this
service he performed,- be received no discharge
Between the times when thus engaged under
a specific draft he was many times out
against the Tories,- Rather as minute proceedings and a few days would accomplish the
object of the expedition
After the siege of Ninety-six he removed to
Fairfield County South Carolina, & lived there
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until the war was closed- He then removed again to Union County where he had formerly
resided & from thence to this State, about seven years ago last October & settled in this county
where yet he resides

That there is no one in this Country that he know of could prove his services there is an old lady Squire Jones Mother who knows of her husband having gone to the wars along with this affiant, but would not be capable of proving any thing more

As to his age he has no Register thereof he has known his age, by learning from his father information that he was twenty years old when he married since which time his own family Register of the birth of his children & make him now the age he has above stated

He hereby relinquishes every claim what ever 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.
[signed] Samuel X Mayfield his mark

Sworn to in open Court this 13th day of October 1832
John W. Perkins Clerk

We, Joab Pratt clergyman residing in the County of Bibb State of Alabama and George Cobb
& Robert Garner of the Tuscaloosa County, hereby certify that we are well acquainted with
Samuel Mayfield who has subscribed and sworn to the above declara[tion]
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[deposi]tion; that we believe him to be 73 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
[signed] Joab Pratt
George Cobb
Robert V Garner

Sworn to & Subscribed in open Court this 13th day of October 1832
John W. Perkins Clerk

And the said Court does hereby declares 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 Joab Pratt who has signed the preceding certificate is a clergyman resident in the county of Bibb and that George Cobb and Robert Garner who have also Signed the same are residents of Tuscaloosa County and are credible persons & that their statements are entitled to credit
Anderson Richard
Judge presiding-

I John M Jenkins clerk of the Court of the Tuscaloosa circuit do hereby certify that the foregoing contains the original proceedings of the said Court in the
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matter of the application of Samuel Mayfield for a pension.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal of office this
the 13th day of October 1832
John W. Perkins Clerk
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7.906
17599
Saml Mayfield
Admitted for 8 month

By E Shortrige
Tuscaloosa
Tuscaloosa County
Ala
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BRIEF in the case of Samuel Mayfield
County of Tuscaloosa in the State of Alabama
(Act 7th June, 1832.)
1. Was the declaration made before a Court or a Judge? In open Court
2. If before a Judge, does it appear that the applicant is disabled by bodily infirmity?
3. How old is he? Seventy three years
4. State his service, as directed in the form annexed.
Period.
drafted In 17
1796 drafted

Duration of Service.
Years, Months, Days.
3 months
3 months
2 months

Rank.
As a --

Names of General and Field Officers under whom he served.
Gen. Green & Sumpter
Capt Nathaniel Jeffries
Capt Montgomery

5. In what battles was he engaged? Savannah
6. Where did he reside when he entered the service? Union County S. Carolina
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? Not properly
attached

I Certify that the foregoing statement and the answers agree with the evidence in the case above
mentioned.

John L. Watson Examining Clerk
24 Feb -
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Samuel Mayfield Ala Act 7 June 1832
to what time paid
Pen: Office
Nov 15, 1838

P of 4 Sep 1836
Jh
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16930
INVALID.

File No. 16930
Samuel Mayfield
Pri Rev War
---
-
Act: June 7 '32
lex: -- Vol. 1 , Page 240
{Arrangement of 1870.}
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TREASURY DEPARTMENT
Second Comptroller's Office
June 1st 1839

Sir:
Under the act of the 6th of April, 1838, entitled "An act directing the transfer of money remaining unclaimed by certain Pensioners, and authorizing the payment of the same at the Treasury of the United States, Samuel Mayfield a Pensioner on the Roll of the Mobile, Ala, Agency, at the rate of Twenty Six Dollars and sixty six Cents per annum, under the law of the 7th June 1832, has been paid at this Department, from the 4th of Sept. 1836 to the 4th Sept. 1838

Respectfully, yours,
Albion K. Parris
Comptroller.

To the Commissioner of Pensions,
Present.
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[envelope]
[postmark]
TUSCA A
OCT 21

Nov 2
Ala
17599

[sideways]
FREE
Honorable Lewis Cass Secretary of War
Washington DC
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Tuscaloosa October 18th 1832

Sir
The enclosed when acted upon your Department. Please inform at the Post Office & direct to myself

your obt svt
E. Shortridge
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BRIEF objections to the admission of Pension Claims, of which those answered in the negative, in red ink, will apply to the claim of Samuel Mayfield which require of which those further proof or explanation.

1. Does the declaration show where the applicant resides? Yes

II. Did the declarant make the declaration in the county where he resides? Yes

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? yes

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 amout of pension he is entitled?

VI. Has he given the names of the officers under whom he served, in conformity with the regulations? Yes

VII. Has he made a relinquishment of every claim to any other pension than the one under the Act of June 7, 1832? Yes

VIII. Has the Court given their opinion? Yes

IX. Has the Clerk given his certificate? Yes

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? yes
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2
XI. Has the applicant obtained the evidence of a clergyman and another respectable citizen as to
their belief respecting his age and the general belief in his neighborhood relative to his revolutionary service? yes

XII. If the clergyman's affidavit has not been produced, is there any reason assigned for not obtaining it?

XIII. 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?

XIV. 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? No

XVII. Are the seven interrogatories prescribed by the War answered satisfactorilly: and if not, which of them is not so answered? yes

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 and ______  days, I served as a _____ ; and for such service I claim a pension,
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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 three 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 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 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 XVI. Mode of authenticating papers.
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 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.
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17599
Sam Mayfield
Petition for pension
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[envelope]
[postmark]
JACKSONVILLE ALA
[illegible date]

FREE

Pension office

J.L. Edwards Esq
Commissioner of Pensions
Washington City
Dist of Columbia

[sideways]
[illegible] Nov 10
Ala
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Jacksonvill Octr 28th 1838
Benton County Ala

J. L. Edwards Esq
Commr &c

Dear Sir
During the last winter, or spring, amongst other pension papers, directed to your office, some belonging to one Samuel Mayfield formerly of Tuscaloosa County were enclosed - By letter from the Hon Reuben I was informed of the Reception-- Such a length of time has now intervened. that fears may be entertained, either of their being lost or misplaced - information is asked upon the subject. Mayfield is very old & being needy. & dependent on his children for daily support and it would therefore be a great favor if an answer would be given from the Department as soon as you can make it practicable

Most Respectfully yours
Charles Lewis