Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty Land Warrant Application File S. 39552, Francis Francum, S.C.
Page 1

(3 - 1776)

SERVICE
S. C.

Francum, Francis

NUMBER
S. 39552

CONTENTS
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19440.
R
South Carolina

Francis Francum
St John Parrish in the State of S. Carolina 
was a Private in the Compy commanded
Captain Peter Horry of the regiment commanded
Colonel Moultrie in the S. Carolina 
, for the term of 2 years
om Nov. 4th 1775 to July 21st 1778
==================================
scribed on the Roll of South Carolina
rate of 8 Dollars per month, to commence on
the 9 of May 1825
==================================
Certificate of Pension issued the 17 of May 1825.
and Sent Thomas Lee Esq
Charleston S. Carolina
==================================
Arrears to 4th of
Semi-anl. all'ce ending 4 Sept: $30.99
           3 mo [illedge]                      ======
                 5.95                                   $30.99
                  1.  6
               26.
           ________
             $30.99

Revolutionary claim,
Acts March 18, 1818,
and May 1, 1820. &
March 1823
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19.512
Mr  Edward
Francis Francum,
S.C.
on Roll
James Jewey,
Charleston, S.C.
Recd 24 Dec: 1824
Page 4

On this 14th day of December 1824 personally appeared
in open Court Francis Francum aged about seventy four years who
being first duly sworn according to Law doth on his oath make the
following declaration in order to obtain the provision made by the Act
of Congress of the 18th of March A.D. 1848 and the 1 May 1820. -viz- that
he the said Francis Francum enlisted for the term of 3 years in the
Spring of Summer of the year 1775, in the State of South Carolina in
the Company commanded by Capt. Peter Horry of the regiment command
by Col. Moultrie in the line of the State of South Carolina on the con
tinental establishment - that he continued to serve in the said corps
until the expiration of the said term of 3 years (day or month not recollected)
when he was discharged from the said service in Charleston in the State 
of S. Carolina - That he enlisted a second time in April or May 1779 for
the term of sixteen months in the company commanded by Capt. Carroway Smith
of the regiment commanded by Col. Thompson in the line of the State of S. Carolina
on the continental establishment at Col. Thompson's plantation in said State,
& continued to serve in said corps until he became a prisoner with his regi
ment at the capitulation of Charleston in May A.D. 1780 - That having shortly
afterwards made his escape he was for some time occasionally employed in
Militia service, till the formation of Maham's Cavalry attach'd to Gen. Marion's Brig
ade, when he again enlisted in Stephen's Parish of the said State in the aforesaid
Regiment commanded by Col. Maham for the term of one year some time in the month of
say on 10th July 1781- & continued to serve in said corps under Capt Carroway Smith
until the 10 July 1782 when he was regularly discharged on Peedee River at the 
conclusion of the expedition against Gainey's loyalists- That he was at the Battles of
Fort Moutrie and Stono
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in both of which he was wounded-- (the scars of which are still visible)
and in pursuance of the act of 1 May 1820 I do solemnly swear and affirm
that I was a resident Citizen of the U. States on the 18 day of March 1818
that I have not since that time by gift, sale or in any manner disposed
of my property or any part thereof with intent thereby so to diminish it
as to bring myself within the provisions of an act of Congress, entitled "an
act to provide for certain persons engaged in the land and naval ser=
vice of the U. States in the revolutionary War" - passed on 18 day of March
A.D. 1818 that I have not, nor hath any one in trust for me any
property or securities, debts or contracts due me; nor have I any income
other than what is contained in the schedule hereto annexed and by me
subscribed-

In conformity with the above requisition I swear that I
possess no property of any kind except apparel principally of my own
manufacture, bedding of the same description and a few small iron pots
plates and household articles of immediate necessity, which would be
worth nothing to any other person-- That I live on land of a religious con
gregation by its charitable permission entirely alone, that I have no family
except a son & daughter both married and removed to considerable distance
where their circumstances would not allow them to extend me any support if
so inclined-- that I formerly followed weaving as a trade, but can now bare
ly supply myself in necessary covering & that my subsistence is entirely derived
from the charity others, particularly from the commissioners of the Poor for St John's
Parish (Berkley) who have allowed me the sum of twenty dolls pr annum for six
seven years past as a pauper - That Deponent further states that he hath
evidence in his possession of his services and a very imperfect recollection of
dates
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he being unacquainted with the use of letters and not having preserved
his several discharges; and there is no surviving officer known to him ex
cept Col. Jervis H. Stevens and scarcely any person living in his neigh
bourhood whose recollection extends to the period of his services-

his
Francis X Francum
mark

Sworn to before me this 14th Dec. 1824          }
J. H. Stevens L: W: & P.P. for District aforesaid}

The facts stated in the foregoing petition sworn to before me
The Lee Dist Judge S. Carolina
this 15 Dec. 1824

State of So Carolina}
Charleston District  }

I do hereby certify, having examined the Pay Roll
of the regiment of Cavalry commanded by Lieut: Col: Hezekiah Maham
of State Troops and raised by order of Gen. Green during the revolutionary War, that on said roll, Francis Francom was enlisted as a private Dragoon
for one year from 10. July 1781 to the 10: July 1782 which time he served
faithfully did his duty & was regularly discharged - He was attached to
the First Troop then commanded by Capt. John Carroway Smith, that 
the pay due to F. Fancum, amounting to Fifty six pounds Sterling was
duly paid to him for the Treasury as certified by the auditor General for that purpose-

Given under my hand at Charleston this 3d day of July & in the 48th year of the
sovereignty & Independence of the U. States of America-J H Stevens late Lieut & adjutant in Lieut: Col: H Maham's Regiment of Cavalry- St. John's Parish, Charleston Dist.
SoCarolina- I hereby certify that the Bearer Mr Francis Francum resided in my neigh=
bourhood, that he has borne an upright character, that he is old and infirm & wholly depen=
dent on charity for his support- that he has marks of a severe wound or condition
upon his Leg & that there is no doubt from the concurrence of traditionary testimony
he was an active Soldier throughout the Revolutionary War & the particulars of his affi
davit may be entirely relied upon - Saml Dubose, Clk of the Board Com. Poor
Nov: 24. 1824:
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District Clerk's office   So Ca  Dis't.
I do Certify that the foregoing oath, Certificate are truly copied
for the record of the said Court, and I do further certify that it is
the opinion of the said Court that the total amount in [illegible]
the property exhibited in the aforesaid Schedule cannot exceed
Twenty dollars

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set
my hand and affixed the Seal of the said
Court on this Fifteenth day of December Anno
Domini 1824 - 
James Javey Dist JP [illegible]
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District of Charleston-
On the ninth day of May 1825 personally
appeared in open Court Francis Francum resident in said District
aged about sixty six or seven years who being first duly sworn according to
Law doth on his oath make the following declaration in order to obtain the
provision made by the act of Congress of the 18: March 1818 and the 1 May 1820:
that he the said Francis Francum enlisted for the term of three years on the
day of                                                    in the year 1774 or 1775 in the State of South
Carolina in the company commanded by Captain Peter Horry in the Regiment 
commanded by Colonel [illegible] in the line of the State of South Carolina
in the Continental establishment; that he continued to serve in the said [illegible]
until the expiration of said enlistment when he may discharged from the
service in Charleston in the State of South Carolina that he hereby relinquishes 
is every claim whatever to a pension except the present, that his name
on the roll of any State, except South Carolina, and that the following are the
reasons for not making earlier application for a pension; that he was ignorant
of the passage of any law making provision for revolutionary service
until a very short time before the declaration to which this a supple
ment was forwarded to the war department, being illiterate and unable
to read. And in pursuance of the act of the 1 May 1820 I do solemnly
swear that I was resident Citizen of the United States on the 18 day of March
1818 and that I have not since that time by gift sale or in any manner
disposed of my property or any part thereof with intent thereby so to diminish
it as to bring myself within the provision of an act of Congress entitled "an
act to provide for certain persons engaged in the Land and Naval Service
of the United States in the Revolutionary War" passed on the 18" day of March
1818 and that I have not nor has any person in trust for me any property
or security contract, or debts due to me; nor have I any income other than
what is contained in the Schedule hereto annexed and by the Subscribed-
That since the 18 of March 1818. I have possessed, no property of any description
(clothing and bedding of [illegible] use excepted) either in my own right
or in right of any other person depending entirely upon charity, and the provision made for paupers in the Parish of John Berkeley in the district &State
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& State aforesaid, living alone and being said infirmity unable to labour

Sworn to in open Court
before the this 9 May 1825
Tho Lee D J. SoCa

_Schedule required to be annexed_
I Francis Francum of S. John's Parish Berkely in the District of Charleston 
and State of South Carolina do Solemnly swear that I possess
no property either real or personal - That I now reside and have resided in a Building belonging to the Baptist Congregation in said Parish
continuance  to the Church, which I take care of without receiving any [illegible]
the compensation than permission to occupy the premises without [illegible]
That [illegible] age and infirmity my ability to labour extend only to
weaving the principal part of my  own wearing apparel & necessary
furniture-That I reside entirely alone having no wife living and
my surviving children having removed to the [illegible]
settling in the District of Barnwell in this State, near the State of
Georgia __That none of them are as I believe in circumstance
affrd me any assistance, nor have heard any thing of them
for several years - That I have no other relative near ecept a
Grand daughter who is branded out a pauper, for the benefit
of the Free School by the Commissioner of the Poor for the parish
in which I reside - She is 9 or 10 years of age. That I am and
have been for several years entirely dependent upon charity and
the parish provision for the poor, being allowed Twenty dollars per
annum by the Commissioner of the poor for the same Parish_
his
Francis  X Francum
mark

Sworn to before me
this 9 May 1825

Tho Lee Dist Judge
SoCa.
Page 10

I do certify that it appears to the satisfaction of the
Court that the said Frances Francum did serve in the Revolutionary
War as stated in the preceding declaration against the common enemy
for the term of nine months under one engagement in the continental
establishment. I also certify that the foregoing oath and the Schedule
thereto annexed are truly copied for the record of the said Court, and

I do further certify that it is the opinion of the said Court, that the total
amount in value of the property exhibited in the aforesaid Schedule
is fifteen dollars - 

In testimony whereof I have hereunto
set my hand and affixed the Seal of the said Court on this 9:
day of May 1825 -
James Javey
Dist Clk
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39552
Revy INVALID.

File No. 39,552
Francis Francum
Pri Rev War
Act: 18 March 18
Index: -- Vol. 3 Page 179
[Arrangement of 1870.]
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[illegible stamp]

FREE
Mail.
J L Edwards Esq
Pension Office.
Washington
Dist of Columbia


19. I 512
Recd May 17 1825
Page 13

So Carolina
Charleston  May 9, 1825

Sir

accompany of Mr Francum
documents you will find a
letter to me from Mr Charles
Stevens a very respectable citizen
of this State [illegible]
every satisfaction as to the
character and veracity of Mr 
Francum

Pray transmit
the papers at as early a day
as possible as the old war
may not live to enjoy the
bounty of Government of
much longer delayed

I hope his pension will
commence from the
date of
Page 14

Cur application
respectly
Your obl Servt
Tho Lee
Page 15


Pineville S.C
29th April 1825

Dear Sir
I received your of-- Just covering a letter from
the Clerk of the War Department acknowledging the services
which isthe foundation of Francis Francum's claim
to a pension, but requiring some additional statements of
form-

The old man has just returned from Town (be
ing his second visit for effecting the same object) and has
since walked near twenty miles further to call upon
me (being the third time,) and I am really concerned to
be able to discover no manner by which the necessary
formalities can be completed, without his reappear
ance before the court in Charleston-- as the certificate
of the Court to the fact of his appearance seems
to be peremptory-- Being unable to write his mark
affixed to the Schedule could only be verified in
the same manner
The department seems to desire
more particular information concerning
his property and the transfer of it since the pass
-age of the law as the man has been some
years considered as a parish pauper, and was
still worse off, before he received parish support
the schedule must necessarily be a blank at last
at this distance from the nearest court of Record
(about fifty miles) these formalities are extremely
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inconvenient and in the present instance are rendered
appreciatively so from the infirmities of advanced age
and the ignorance of the Claimant -

In requesting the papers to be returned to you, you
have not expressly stated your opinion of the necessity
of his personal reappearance-- and he is under the
impression you did not consider it expedient. Consider
ing it however indispensable I have directed him to
be himself the barer  of the accompanying package
If you conceive any essential matter omitted
in the declaration you will have the opportunity
to supply it on personal interrogation. Perhaps
it will also be advisable to approve the department
of the hardship attending it requisitions, [illegible]
requiring the Certificate of a Court of record. The
provision in case of infirmity would be unavailing
as the equal inconvenience would devolve upon the
Judge whose residence is so remote
Francum is unable to supply the dates of his enlist
ment and discharge - The printed for does not admit
of more than one enlistment being specified, whereas
he served out the period of three enlistments
as stated in his former declaration. His services
his poverty & his bodily infirmities, as well as his
integrity and veracity, are matter of notoriety
in the limited circle, where his humble fortunes
have placed him-
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Regretting the necessity of troubling you again,
I must rely upon your liberal construction of the
motive; as well as upon you disposition to assist
war worn Veteran in obtaining the benefit of
his country provision

I am with great esteem
and respect you
Chs  Stevens

P.S. It is impossible
that Francum could attend
in person at the bank in Charleston to receive his
pension which I hope will date back at least to
the period of his original application-- as he
must have an agent in town I have recommended that he
take some measure (by power of attorney,) to authorize payment to Majs Ravenel & Stevens  - my copartners, which
would put it into my power to see it regularly paid
without charge or expense. I have not consulted those
Gentlemen, but have no question of their willingness
to act as his agents

The Honorable
Thomas Lee