Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty Land Warrant Application File S. 16,540, for Thomas Slay, South Carolina
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(3-1776)
SERVICE
S.C.
Slay, Thomas
NUMBER
S. 16.540
carded
CONTENTS
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Georgia 23.285
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Thomas Slay of DeKalb in the State of Ga. who was a pri in the commanded by Captain of the Regt commanded by Col. Malmay in the So. Car. line for 15 months
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Inscribed in the Roll of Georgia at the rate of 50 Dollars - Cents per annum, to commence on the 4th day of March, 1831.
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Certificate of Pension issued the 18 day of Decr 34 and sent Wm. Ezzard Decatur, Ga
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Arrears to the 4th of Sept 1833- 125.00
Semi-anl. allowance ending 4 Mar 34 25
[total] $150.

{Revolutionary Claim, Act June 7, 1832}
Recorded by Nathl. Rice Clerk
Book E. Vol. 6 Page 103
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Declaration in order to obtain the benefit of the Act of Congress passed June 7th 1832
State of Georgia
DeKalb County
On this day personally appeared in open Court before the superior Court of the said County of Dekalb now sitting Thomas Slay a resident of said County and State aged seventy five 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 7th 1832
That he enlisted in the service of the United States as a volunteer soldier under the following named officers and served as herein stated:
As well as he recollects in a short time after the commencement of the revolutionary war the date not recollected he entered as a volunteer in the militia service under Capt James Fair and marched from his residence in North Carolina Anson County to Charleston in the State of South Carolina where he was in a siege of what was called forty days and nights under the following officers Capt George Lowman & Col. Malmady who were officers in the regular service under which officers he enlisted for six months as a regular soldier Genl Lincoln was chief commander, he then returned home and remained thereabouts for three months
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after which time he joined Genl Francis Marion's army at Culps Ferry and big Peedee in Marlborough district and served two three months tours and under officers whose names are not recollected and was in many skirmishes from Charleston to Georgetown and from there to Wilmington. He served under Capt Bogan an officer in the militia service under the command of Col Thomas Made in pursuit of the tories for three months then under Capt James Fair which was the second three months tour under him he served six months as a regular soldier under Capt George Lowman and Col. Malmady officers of the regular service during which time he was taken a prisoner the first general engagement he was in was at Charleston and the second was at Eutaw Springs now Camden and Charleston on the high hills of Santee, under the command of Genl. Green He also served under several other militia officers whose names are not recollected, the last general engagement he was at was at Eutaw Springs. He further states that he supposes he served about six years as a regular soldier and volunteer together, he states that he has no documentary evidence of his service having had his house consume with fire. He further
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states that he can prove part of his services by John Dabbs a resident of said State and County. 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.
Thomas Slay his mark T
Sworn to & subscribed in open court this 10th Oct 1832
W. T. Colquitt J.J.C

We Isaiah Parker a clergyman residing in the said County of DeKalb and James T. Baker residing in the same hereby certify that we are well acquainted with Thomas Slay who has subscribed and sworn to the above declaration that we believe him to be seventy five years of age, 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
Isaiah Parker
James T. Baker
Sworn to & subscribed the day & year aforesaid
W T Colquitt J.J.C

And the said Court do hereby declare their opinion after the investigation of the matter & 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 Isaiah Parker who has signed the preceeding certificate is a clergyman resident in said
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County, and that James T. Baker who has also signed the same is a resident in the said County of DeKalb and is a credible person and that their statement is entitled to credit
W. T. Colquitt J.J.C

Personally appeared in open court on the day aforesaid John Dabbs a resident of said County who after having been duly sworn deposeth & saith that he was acquainted with Thomas Slay who has sworn to & subscribed the foregoing declaration, in the service of the United States during the Revolutionary war, the said Slay served in our company & he deponent in another and they were frequently together & he knows of his own knowledge of the said Slays having served about six months in the army, in the States of South Carolina & North Carolina And he has been informed & has reason to believe that the said Slay served time a considerable time afterwards, and was in the battle of Eutaw Springs
John Dabbs his mark D
Sworn to & subscribed in open court
W T Colquitt J.J.C

I, Charles Murphey Clerk of the Superior Court in & for the County of Dekalb & State aforesaid do hereby certify that the foregoing contains the original proceedings of the said

[sideways print]
Thos. Slay 7808
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John Dabbs his mark D
Sworn to & subscribed in open court
W T Colquitt J.J.C

I Charles Murphey Clerk of the Superior Court in & for the County of Dekalb & State aforesaid do hereby certify that the foregoing contains the original proceedings of the said court in the matter of the application of Thomas Slay for a pension and I do hereby certify that Walter T Colquitt whose name is subscribed to the foregoing certificate is the presiding Judge of said court,
In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand and private seal there being no seal this 30th day of October 1832
C Murphey {Clk}
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16540
INVALID.
File No. 16,540
Thomas Slay
Priv Rev War
Act: June 7" 32
Index: - Vol. 1, Page 362
{Arrangement of 1870.}
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Thos. Slay
not ex
admit as private
15 mo $50
Thomas Slay

Wm Ezzard
Decatur Ga

[upside down] Thos. Slay
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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 Thomas Slay 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? No

# 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? No

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? No
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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?

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? No
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? 2. 6. 7 not answered

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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 [blank] year [blank] months, and [blank] days, I served as a [blank] For [blank] year [blank] months, and [blank] days, I served as a [blank]; 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 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 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 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.

The applicant must specify his services as required above.
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Decatur DeKalb County
6th Nov. 1833
Sir,
I send you herewith enclosed the pension claims of John Hays Robert McDowell Thomas Slay John Landers & Ellit Wood the three first of which have been amend by making an affidavit before a Justice of the peace according to your instructions - the other two have been amended
by making additional declarations before the court, all of which I hope will now be found to be satisfactory
Yours very Respectfully
William Ezzard

J.L. Edwards
Commissioner &c
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Georgia
DeKalb County
Personally appeared before me the undersigned a Justice of the peace in & for said County Thomas Slay who being duly sworn deposeth and saith that by reason of old age & 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 three months in the year 1780 I served as a private volunteer in the militia of North Carolina and in the same year I enlisted at Charleston in the regular army for the Term of six months three months of which service I performed and was then take prisoner by the British, and got off on parol For six months in the year 1781 I served as a volunteer & private in the militia of North Carolina said service being performed in two tours of three months each. For six months in the year 1782 I served as a volunteer & private in the militia of North Carolina this service also having been performed in two tours of three months each. For three months in the latter part of 1782 or for part of 1783 I served as a volunteer & private in the militia of North Carolina. He further states that the whole of the above service was performed in North Carolina & South Carolina that during the above periods he was in actual service with the army called out by authority of the State, and that during said periods he was not engaged in any civil pursuit and for this service he claims a pension
Thomas Slay his mark T
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The within affidavit sworn to and subscribed before me this the 4th day of November 1833
H. B. Latimer J.P.

Georgia
Dekalb County
I, Elzy B. Reynolds Clerk of the Inferior Court in & for said County do hereby certify that Henry B. Latimer whose name appears to the foregoing affidavit is an acting Justice of the peace in & for said County & that the annexed signature is his genuine signature
In Witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand and affixed my seal this 4th day of November 1833
E. B. Reynolds Clk
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Declaration in order to obtain the benefit of the act of Congress passed June 7th 1832
State of Georgia
DeKalb County
On this ninth day of July in the year Eighteen hundred & thirty three personally appeared in open Court before the Inferior Court now sitting in and for the said County of DeKalb Thomas Slay a resident of said County and State aged Eighty years who being first duly sworn according to law doth on his oath make the following declaration in addition to the one made in October last in order to obtain the benefit of the act of Congress passed June the 7th 1832 - That he entered the service of the United States as a volunteer and a private under the following named officers and served as herein stated. Shortly after the commencement of the revolution he enlisted as a volunteer in the militia service under Capt James Fair for a three month tour and marched from his residence in North Carolina to Charleston in the State of South Carolina, where he was in a siege of what was called forty days & nights under the following named officers Capt George Lowman & Col. Malmady who were officers in the regular service & after the first three months had expired he then volunteered for six months under Capt George Lowman & Col. Malmady and under a regular discipline Genl Lincoln chief commander and as soon as he entitled for six months under the above named officers he returned home to his residence in North Carolina Anson County and remained there and thereabouts for three months after which time he states he joined Genl Francis Marions
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company or army at Culps Ferry on big Peedee River in Marlborough District in South Carolina and there volunteer under Capt James Fair for two three months tours and he states he was in many skirmishes during that service from Charleston to Georgetown & from there Wilmington he states that after the expiration of the above named tours under Capt James Fair he volunteered under Capt Patrick Bogan an officer of the militia and under the special command of Col Thomas Wade for a three months tour he states he served that time entirely in pursuit of the tories he states he also served under Capt Brackin for some considerable time but how long he does not recollect, and under the special command of Genl Marion. he states that during the time for which he enlisted under Capt George Lowman & Col. Malmady Genl Lincoln chief commander he was taken prisoner by the British at Charleston South Carolina and was imprisoned about a week, he states the first general engagement he was in was at Charleston & the second was at Eutaw Springs between Camden & Charleston on the high hills of Santee under the command of Genl Green he states that that was the last general engagement he was in but was at the taking of Wilmington after that time he states he served generally through the whole war he further states he served at least six years he states he received several written discharges but have long since been consumed by fire and does not by what officers they were signed and states at this time he has no documentary evidence of his having served but can prove part of his service by John Dabbs a resident of said state & county whose certificate is amended to this declaration he states he has no record of his age. he states he was born on the Eastern shores
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of Maryland in Pennsylvania Quenans County [Queen Anne's?]. he states he was living in North Carolina when he was called into service and lived there ever since until he removed to the County of Dekalb & State of Georgia where he now lives he states all the services he performed was as a volunteer & a private he states he is well known to John Dabbs Trussy Garmon Silar McGrady Tully Choin & William Ezzard all of whom can testify as to his character for truth & veracity and also of their belief of his having served in the revolution and also all of whom unite is said [illegible]. He hereby relinquishes every claim whatever to a pension or annuity except the present and declares his name is not on the pension roll of the agency of any state. He further state that it is inconvenient for him to procure the certificate of a clergyman as there is no one at the court who is acquainted with him
Thomas Slay his mark T
Sworn to and subscribed the day and year aforesaid
Thomas Ray J.J.C
John Dobbs JJC
Edward Jones JJC

We Stephen Hightower residing in the State and County aforesaid and Silas McGrady residing in the same do hereby certify that we are well acquainted with Thomas Slay who has subscribed & sworn to the above declaration that we believe him to be eighty 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
Stephen Hightower
Silas McGrady
Sworn to and subscribed the day and year aforesaid
Thomas Ray J.J.C
John Dobbs J.J.C
Edward Jones JJC

And the said court do hereby declare their opinion after the investigation of the matter and after putting the interrogatives prescribed by the war department that the above named applicant was a revolutionary soldier and served as he states. And the Court further
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certifies that it appears to them that Stephen Hightower who has signed the preceding certificate is a resident in the state and County and State aforesaid and that Silas McGrady who has also signed the same is a resident of the same state and County and that they are creditable persons and that the statement is entitled to credit
Thomas Ray JJC
John Dobbs J.JC
Edward Jones JJC

I Elzy B. Reynolds Clerk of the Inferior Court of said County of Dekalb do hereby certify that the foregoing contains the original preceedings of the said Court in the matter of the application of Thomas Slay for a pension. I do further certify that Thomas Ray John Dobbs and Edward Jones whose names appear to the foregoing certificate and the acting Justices of said Court
In Witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand and affixed my seal of office this 19th day of July 1833
E.B. Reynolds clk

Thomas Slay
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Georgia
Dekalb County
I Elzy B Reynolds Clerk of the Inferior Court for said County do hereby certify that William Cochran whose name appears to the within certificate is an acting Justice of the peace in and for said County & that due faith & credit ought to be given to his attestation as such
Given under my hand & seal this 19th day of July 1833
E.B. Reynolds Clk

John Dabbs affidavit
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Georgia
Dekalb County
Personally appeared before me John Dabbs who after being duly sworn deposeth & saith that whilst he deponent was a soldier of the Revolutionary war he was acquainted with Thomas Slay who has made the foregoing declaration that said Slay served in one company and he deponent in another that he saw him frequently, and believes the said Slay to have been at the battle at Eutaw Springs & believes he was taken prisoner at Charleston but does not know it of his own knowledge deponent cannot say how long he served
Sworn to and subscribed this 12th July 1833 before me
William Cochran J. P.
John Dabbs his mark D {LS}

I William Cochran an acting Justice of the peace in & for said County do certify that John Dabbs whose name appears to the foregoing affidavit is a person of veracity and entitled to credit - witness my hand and seal this 12th of July 1833
William Cockran JP {seal}