Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty Land Warrant Application File S. 8885, for Thomas Mc Cuistin, North Carolina
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(3-1776) Number
N.L McCuistin, Thomas S.8885
[carded]
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7132
North Carolina

Thomas McCuiston
of Guilford Co. in the State of No. Carolina
who was a private in the company commanded
by Captain Gillespie of the Regt.
commanded
by Col. Paisely on the No. Ca. [illegible]
for 6 mo 27 days.

Inscribed on the Roll of North Carolina
at the rate of 28 Dollars 75 Cents per annum,
to commence on the 4th day of March, 1831.

Certificate of Pension issued the 5 day of March
1833 and Sent to
Hon. A H Sheppard H of Rep.

Arrears to the 4th of Mar 1833               $ 57.50
Semi-anl. allowance ending 4 Sept 1833. 14. 37
===
                                                                $ 71.87

{ Revolutionary Claim, }
{ Act June 7, 1832. }


Recorded by W L Williams Clerk,
Book [ ? C ]   Vol. [illegible]   Page 48

Order to pay 27 Sept. 1837.
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Thomas McCuistin
Declaration for a Pension.
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State of North Carolina }
Guilford County }
Court of pleas and quarter Sessions
February Term AD 1833
On this 20th day of February personally appeared in open court before the Justices now sitting Thomas McCuistion [McCuistin] a resident of Guilford and state aforesaid aged seventy years on the thirty first
of October last, 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 7th June 1832.
That he entered the service of the United States in the first of the year 1781, that General Green on his retreat from South Carolina
in the first of the year 1781 on to Virginia passed through Guilford and from the general disturbance of the county & the disaffection of the citizens in part of Guilford county this affiant joined General Greens army in its retreat and went on as far as Charlotte Court House Virginia, where he remained for a short time and left the army and returned home to Guilford county. On the return of the army of General Green to North Carolina this affiant volunteered and joined the army, when he was ordered to take charge of a waggon [wagon]
pressed into service belonging to Crawford of Mecklenburg county NC and was principally engaged in attending the foraging parties in
hauling provisions in to the army. That he was thus engaged at the time the two armies met at Guilford old Court House. That he had been
dispatched with his waggon from the army a day or two before the Battle while it was lying between [illegible] & trouble some [Troublesome] creek for the purpose of getting meat at Brashers Mill or on troublesome creek and, on his return, ascertained that the army had marched towards the Court House when he changed his course and arrived in a short distance of the army the night before the Battle & was stationed a little North of the Court House at a place called the race paths: That on the next morning when the firing commenced near the Quaker meetinghouse a general consternation took place, all cooking preparations were dispensed with, & after the firing seemed to approach nearer the waggon master as he was called enquired if any person knew the road to trouble iron works, when the affiant answered that he did: when all the baggage & provision waggons were ordered to repair to that place, that he rendezvoused at that place with the army when General Green expected to be again attacked by the British forces and made preparations for that purpose, while the [illegible] my [illegible] lay stationed at the iron works this declarant together with two armed soldiers as a guard were briefly engaged in collecting provisions from the more fertile country over upon Dan river where the country had not been foraged by the armies, David Allison was the Commissary who pressed provisions & was the cause of this declarants getting many a hearty [ ? scald] [illegible]
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from the stingy and prudent rations
of that section of country. That
after General Green had [illegible] his troops and procured a sufficient supply at the iron- work & learning that Cornwallis had turned to march towards Hillsboro [Hillsborough] then the capital of North Carolina: He immediately marched his army again towards the South and a few days before he reached
Ramsey's Mill on Deep river, the Declarant was released from service by his father, who came down from the neighborhood of the Battle -ground and told General Green that on the Sunday evening before the Battle Lord Cornwallis had marched up to his house, conducted by a parcel, of Tories, some of whom now live in the neighborhood, and expelled his family, out of the house & kitchen, & gave to this Declarants mother & the small
children a Loom - [illegible] have which stood in the yard and stationed his army on the plantation who burnt up nearly all the fencing. & left his plantation wholly unfit for a crop & his family without the necessary means
of subsistence & his furniture [illegible] was taken away or destroyed, upon the
presentation, General Green granted the request & suffered the Declarant to return home with his father: This Declarant states that he was in actual service five weeks in the campaign in the manner above stated:
The Declarant further states that upon his return home from General Greens army, which was the last of March or first of April, he aided his father in putting his plantation in repair & joined some time in the last of April a company of volunteer Light horse which had been formed by the neighbourhood [neighborhood], at an early period of the war commanded by Captain Gillaspie and Colonel Paisley, which company were generally kept
in readiness to suppress the tories [Tories] in the lower part of Guilford and in Orange & also were frequently under the necessity of
crossing [ ? Deep] river passing over into Randolph & Moore county, a section of country lying between the waters of the Cape Fear river and Pee - Dee [Pee Dee], much
imputed by Toryism during the whole war. That he was engaged in serving in the company at various times & was in actual service three months;
That sometime between the 15 and last of August, there was a call made for forces to march from the up country to suppress a strong band of tories [Tories] who had gathered between the Cape Fear river & the
South - Carolina line: when this Declarant joined his company under the command of Captain Gillaspie and marched on either to the lower end of Montgomery or Moore County, where they joined two companies of Light horse, one from Rowan & the other Mecklenburg county
that upon the union of the three companies Colonel Smith of Mecklenburg took command of the horse and General Butler had command
of the Infantry who were dispatched for the same purpose: Colonel Smith marched on his cavalry & left the Infantry behind that they went to a place called the "Rafts Swamp", where they found about three hundred toris [Tories] assembled near the edge of the
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of the swamp, when orders were given by Colonel Smith to charge and spare not upon the charge, the Tories took to flight & sought refuge in the swamp, leaving their horses & little provisions behind, all were killed who could be come at, some sought refuge by a narrow causeway which led through the swamp & in the hurry of flight, many
were thrown from the passage with their horses into the mud & water where the horses were left floundering in mud & their riders shared the fate of war. That after the defeat Colonel Smith marched his troops through the low country in the vicinity of Wilmington and scouted pretty much all the disaffected portions of the lower counties
passed through Elizabethtown and upon the completion of the object of the campaign,
Colonel Smith dismissed each of his respective troops & Captain Gillaspie marched [illegible] his company home to Guilford and dismissed them in November.
That he served in this campaign two months & a half: It was in this town that he learned the Captain of Cornwallis, that the intelligence reached his company while at Elizabethtown.
After the return home in November from the Eastern part of the state, the Declarant was frequently called upon to join his company
under Captain Gillaspie, to suppress the Tories in the south of Guilford & Randolph counties. 
that he served in this character six weeks, at different periods which continued until the British evacuated Charleston when the spirit of Toryism seemed forever to have closed itself in
[illegible] in this state, that he served in [illegible] different campaigns eight months:
This declarant further states that William Ryan whose affidavit is hereto attached, was with him in the greater part of the service herein
set forth, that knows of some one or two other old men who could testify to the same, but who are too aged to attend court without inconvenience.
He states that he was born in the county of Guilford on the thirty first day of October 1762, that there was a record of his age in his fathers family Bible which was carried to the State of
Tennessee about thirty years since by his  Brother James McCuistin. That he
was raised in Guilford county lived there when
called into service & continues still to reside in said county.
That he entered the service as above stated as a volunteer.  That he was with the officers heretofore set forth. That he never received a written discharge as General Green in the first instance gave him up to his father & Captain Gillaspie & Colonel Paisley were not in the habit of giving written discharges:
He states that he is known in his neighbourhood [neighborhood] to the Reverend William Paisly, The Honorable Thomas Little, Dr John A Mebane
almost to every old man in his section county to all of whom he refers as to his character for services & veracity
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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:
Sworn to & subscribed the day & year: aforesaid. Thomas McCuistin
A E Hanner fff

We William Paisley a clergyman, residing in the town of Greensboro in Guilford county and
Thomas Caldwell residing in said county hereby certify that we are well acquainted Thomas McCuistin who has subscribed and sworn to the above declaration: that we believe him to be of seventy 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
Subscribed and sworn to the day & year aforesaid
A E Hanner fff
William Paisley
Tho. Caldwell

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 name applicant was a revolutionary soldier, and served as he states: And the Court
further certifies that it appears to them that William Paisley who has signed the preceding certificate, is a clergyman resident in the county of Guilford and that Thoms {Thomas] Caldwell who has also signed the same is a resident in the said county and
is a credible person and that their statement is entitled to [illegible]
[illegible] Nicks [illegible]
[illegible]
[illegible]
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William Ryan aged Seventy years September last makes oath that he was a soldier in the revolutionary war and that he was in the service with Thomas McCuistin who has signed the preceding Declaration for a pension & that several of the facts therein stated to the knowledge of this affiant are true, & that he can safely state to the best of his recollection that the said McCuistin was with him in several tour against the tours against the Tories [2 words crossed out] and  that he knows of his serving several tours in the year 1781 - 82
Subscribed & sworn to the day & year aforesaid
A E Hanner fff
Wm. Ryan

I certify that William Ryan
is a highly respectable & [illegible]
man & entitled to the fullest credit
[illegible signature]

State of North Carolina
Guilford county
I Alfred E Hanner clerk of the court of
pleas and quarter Sessions for the county
of Guilford and State aforesaid, do hereby
certify that the preceding pages contain the
original proceedings of the said court
in in [sic] the matter of the application of Thomas McCuistin for a pension

In Testimony whereof I have hereunto
set my hand and seal of office this 22d
day of February AD 1833
A. E. Hanner fff
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October 29, 1915.
Ed. H. Mcuistion. Mayor.
Paris. Texas.
Sir:
In response to your letter dated the 25" instant, you are furnished the history of the only soldier name (McCuistin, (Mcuisitian or McCustom) found in the Revolutionary War files of this Bureau.
Sur. File No. 8,885 Rev. War. Thomas McCuistin was allowed pension on his application executed February 20, 1833, while a resident of Guilford County, North Carolina.
He stated that he was born October 31, 1762, in Guilford County, North Carolina, where he always resided, and served in the North Carolina troops as follows. 
In the first of 1781, when General Greene retreated from South Carolina, he joined his army in Guilford County and marched to Charlotte Court House, Virginia, where he remained a short time; upon General Greene's return to North Carolina, he volunteered and took charge of a wagon with which he collected and hauled provisions, pressed into use for the army by David Allison. Commissary.
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During this time his father's plantation was devastated by Cornwallis, and he was released from service by General Greene the last of March or first of April to assist his father whose name is not stated.

He volunteered the last of April in Capatin Gillespie's company of Light Horse under Colonel Paisley, and he served three months.  

Volunteered between August 15 and 31, in Captain Gillespie's company, under Colonel Smith; surprised and routed about 300 Tories at Raft Swamp, and was discharged in November, having served two and one half months.
He was afterwards frequently called out in Captain Gillespie's company to suppress Tories in Guilford and Randolph Counties, amounting to six weeks.
He was still a resident of Guilford in 1852.
The date of his death is not shown in the papers on file.
Soldier's brother James removed to Tennessee about 1803. There is no further data as to family.
Very respectfully,
[ineligible]
Commissioner
McCuistin-2-
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1915 Oct. 29. Hist. to Ed. H.
McCuistion - [symbol 'c' with vertical line through]
1916 Jan. 22. To Mrs. M. T. Norris [symbol 'c' with vertical line through]


Rev War
8885
INVALID.
File No. 8885
Thomas McCuistin
Priv Rev. War
Act: June 7th 1832
Index: -- Vol. 1st, Page 245
[ Arrangement of 1870. ]
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Washington D.C.
August 2nd 1852

Sir
Enclosed I send you a power of Attorney
authorizing an examination of the case, will
you please have the papers in the case got
out so that I can give them an investigation
very respectfully
John Y Bryant
Comr. of Pensions
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[illegible]
from 1781 private
Cavalry 6 months 27 days
$28.75
[2 lines illegible/faded]

certificate

14

Hon. A. H. Sheppard.
H. R.
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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 McCuistin 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 he served?
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?
VI.Has he given the names of the offices 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?
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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 no 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 produce 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 interrogatores prescribed by the War Department answered satisfactorily? And, if no, which of them is not so answered?
EXPLANATORY NOTES
QUERE V. In a case where the applicant cannot, by reason of the loss of the memory, state precisely how long he served, he should amend his declaration by making a affidavit in the following words:
"Personally appeared before me, the undersigned, a Justice of the Peace, &. 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 best of his recolection he served not less than the periods mentioned below, and in the following fgrades; 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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3
It is important in all cases to dertermine with precision the period for which each applicant served, and the particular rank he held, as the law direct 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 the 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.
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 applicants entering the service, and the time and manner of his leaving the same, as well as the regiment, company, and the 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 office, 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 an 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 offical character and signature of the certifying officer should accompany the papers.
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Know all men by these presents that I Thomas McCuiston of the County of Guilford State of North Carolina do hereby irrevocably constitute & appoint John Y Bryant of the City of Washington, District of Columbia my true & lawful Attorney for me & in my name place
& stead, to claim, recover & receive for me any sum or sums of money due & unpaid to me, on account of any arrearages or increase of pension which may be due to me under existing pension laws, to file such evidence as
may be required, make such arguments as may be requisite, to secure & collect such sums of money as may be found to be due as aforesaid & to receipt for the same as my said Attorney. Hereby ratifying & confirming all that my said Attorney may legally do or cause to be done in the premises
In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand & seal this 24 day of July 1852
Thomas his X mark McCuistion [illegible initials]
Witnesses
J. [?]. Laurier
Margery . Caldwell.

State of North Carolina }
Guilford County } ss
Be it known that on the 24th of July 1852, 
before the subscriber a Justice of the Peace in
& for said County, duly authorized by law to administer oaths personally appeared Thomas McCuiston above named & acknowledged the foregoing power of Attorney to be his act & deed.
In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand the day & year last above mentioned.
J A Mebane JP
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State of North Carolina }
Guilford County } ss

I, John M. Logan Clerk of the
County Court of the County & State aforesaid do hereby certify that John A. Mebane is a justice of the peace in & for said County, duly commissioned & qualified; that
his commission was dated on the [blank space]
day of 18 [blank space] and will expire on the
[blank space] day of [blank space] 18 
& that his signature above written is genuine.
Given under my hand & the seal of said
County this 23rd day of July 1852
John M. Logan Clerk
B. B. Graham D.C
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ffH2
3-049
Ex  AH     Div. Record [check mark]

Department of the Interior,
BUREAU OF PENSIONS,
WASHINGTON, D. C., Jan. 12, 1916.

The attached letter is respectfully returned
with the information that the data furnished is
not sufficient to enable this Bureau to make intelligent answer to the queries therein contained.
Please fill out such of the blank spaces below
as the information in your possession will permit, and return to this Bureau.

No. of claim, act 1818-1832 as reported
Name of soldier, Thomas McCuiston.
"McCuistian" or McCuistes"
P. O. address of claimant, Greensboro
Guilford Co. N.C.
Company General Grauce
Regiment Regiment
State where enlisted N.C.
Guilford Co.

If unable to furnish company and regiment
give names of commanding officers.
General Grant
Regt.
Return attached letter with reply.

Commissioner

RETURN THIS LETTER
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Mile Revision office
Kindly give the services
of Thomas McCuiston or
McCuistion
services
McCuistin and
greatly oblige.

Mrs M. T. Norris
421 N. Blount St
Blount St.,
Raleigh N.C.

[stamp] RETURN THIS LETTER

Jany 2 1916
Thomas McCuiston
lived in Guilford Co.
Greensboro N.C.
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The North Star of Texas ED. H. McCuistion, Mayor
Executive Department 
Office of the Mayor
Paris, Texas
October tweny-fifth
Nineeteen-Hundred-Fifteen.
The Bureau of Pensions,
Washington, D.C.
Gentlemen:
I am not familiar enough with your pratice to know what department I should address for the information I wish.
I belong to a family of McCuistion's who lived in North Carolina during the Revolutionary War, and have always understood, through family tradition, that my ancestors participated in the War of the Revolution, but whether as members of the Continental Army or as North Carolina Milia, I am not advised.
Thinking that probably their names might have appeared upon the pension rolls as Revolutionary soldiers, I write to as if such names do appear.
I will greatly appreciate it if you will advise me. For your kindness in so doing, I assure you, I shall be deeply grateful.
Yours very truly,
EHM-KR ED [N] McCuistion
Mayor
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*Most handwritten information is not legible/visible.

In reply to your request of _____, received
for a statement of the military history of Thomas McCuistin a soldier of the REVOLUTIONARY WAR, you will find below the desired information as contained in his application for pension on file in this Bureau.
file in this Bureau.
S. 8.885

DATES OF ENLISTMENT OR APPOINTMENT.

LENGTH OF SERVICE.

RANK.
Wagoner

OFFICERS UNDER WHOM SERVICE WAS RENDERED.
CAPTAIN.
COLONEL.
David Allison

STATE.
N.C. 

Battles engaged in,
Residence of soldier at enlistment,
Date of application for pension,
Residence at date of application,
Age at date of application,
Remarks:

Respectfully,

Commissioner.
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January 22, 1916
Mrs. M. T. Norris
481 North Blount Street,
Haleigh, North Carolina.
Madam:
In response to your letter dated the 2"instant,
you are advised that the papers in claim Sur. File No.8885, Rev. War, show that Thomas Mc Cuistin was allowed pension on his application executed February 30, 1833, while a resident of Guilford County, North Carolina.
He stated that he was born October 31, 1768, in Guilford County, North Carolina, where he always resided, and served in the North Carolina troops as follows.
In the first of 1781, when General Greene retreated from South Carolina, he joined his army in Guilford County and marched to Charlotte Court House, Virginia, where he remained a short time; upon General Greene's return to North Carolina, he volunteered and took charge of a wagon with which he collected and hauled provisions pressed into use for the army of David Allison, [Commissary].
During this time his father's plantation was devastated by Cornwallis, and he was released from service by General
Page 24

Greene the last of March or first of April, to assist his father, whose name is not stated.
He volunteered the last of April in Captain Gillespie's company of Light Horse under Colonel Paisley, and served three months.
Volunteered between August 15 and 31, in Captain Gillespie's company, under Colonel Smith; surprised and routed about 300 Tories at Raft Swamp, and was discharged in November, having served two and one half months.
He was afterwards frequently called out in Captain Gillespie's company, to suppress Tories in Guilford and Randolph Counties, amounting to six weeks.
He was still a resident of Guilford in 1852.
The date of his death is not shown in the papers on file.
Soldier's brother James removed to Tennessee about 1803.
There is no further data as to family.
Very respectfully,
GmSaltzgaber
Commissioner