Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty Land Warrant Application File R. 280, John Ashur, N.C.
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N.C.
Ashur,John
R.280
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The declaration of John Ashur for the purpose of obtaining a pension under the act of [ineligible] paper Jan 7 1852 
State of North Gardina 6 [ineligible] pleas [ineligible] [ineligible]
[ineligible] county November [ineligible] 1852
On this 13 day of November A.D. 1852 personally appeared before the parties of the [ineligible] court, in open course, now selling John Ashur a [ineligible] of said stake
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of men against the Cherokee Indians as far as Johnston
in Washington County, but the alarm which occasioned
the call of the men subsiding, we returned to our
homes, after having been in the service about three weeks
In the latter part of the same summer AD 1781
marched as a volunteer under the same Captain Roddy
with several hundred men collected ┃
from the waters
Whobson, Watauga NC all under the command
John Sevier we crossed from the head of the Watauga
ever the Stone Mountain, & Blue Ridge, into the Glade on
Johns River marched down lower Creek, crossed
the Catawba at the [illegible] ford of [illegible]
recrossing the River

to the High Hills of Santee. After a short delay on
the South side of Santee River we crossed that in [illegible]
General Marion in the Swamp if the river
that
who had just returned from the Battle of the
Eutaw Springs & on our way
we had met with [illegible]

of that Battle who were proceeding to  Camden

Our party remained with General Marion, at his
Camp in the swamp and done no other service than
to scour the country to [illegible] the Tories and keep the 
British in check. The only prospect of a battle
when same of Marion army had taken a party
of the British & were in turn pursued
to the verge of
the swamp. I served the whole sum of three months
and returned home-- Sevier a Roddy did not return the same
time but went down the Country as volunteers
upon some service not now
recollected
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In the following spring sent 1782. I marched as a volunteer
from the Watauga against the Chickamauga Indians 
below the lookout mountain on the Tennessee River, but
before we reached and destination the Indian offenders [illegible]
and we went no further than a days march below
the long Island of [illegible] our Company was
the command of sent to Ford. However Sevier was to

have the chief command of the affair and
either he or Captain Roddy came
and ordered us
back, This tour endured about one month
In the fall of the same year. Col Sevier commanded
an
expedition against the
Cherokee Indians, and I with a party 
of not more than twenty men
marched 
on the [illegible] about half a day
in the [illegible] of principal body of the [illegible]

When Sevier crossed the French Broad
which he did at
the Island
ford, he wrote upon a tree if we were more than a certain distance in the [illegible] to retreat. That night we
year
encamped upon
the 
River but found the Indians upon us and retreated.
this trip was about three or four weeks.
In the following spring I volunteered and 
marched under Ford who was now Captain and
Chickamauga Indians on the same [illegible] River -
Sevier was again the chief command
the expedition. It was in the campaign that the
Battle of Lookout mountain was found the
Indians defeated. I did not accompany the
expedition because my captain ordered me to range
over the country about the heads of Watauga, [illegible] Creek
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In the following spring [illegible] 1782. I marched as a volunteer
from the Watauga against the Chickamauga Indians 
below the lookout mountain on the Tennessee River, but
before we reached our destination the Indians offered peace
and we went no further than a days march below
the
long Island of [illegible] our Company was under
the command of [illegible] Ford. However Sevier was
to have the chief command of the affair and
either he or Captain Roddy came
and ordered us
back, This tour endured about one month
In the fall of the same year, Colonel Sevier commanded 
an expedition against
the
Cherokee Indians and
I with party of not more then twenty men marched 
on the inpedition about
half a day in the [illegible]
of the principal of the [illegible]

When Sevier
Crossed the French Broad
which he did at
the Island
ford

he wrote upon a tree if we 
were more than a certain distance in the [illegible] 
to retreat. That night we encamped 
 upon
under
as
found the Indians upon us and we retreated. 
This trip was about three or four
weeks
In the following Spring and I volunteered and
Marched under 
Ford who was now captain against the Chickamauga Indians on the Tennessee River.

Sevier was again the chief command of
the expedition. It was in this Campaign that the
Battle of Lookout mountain was fought &
Indian defeated-- I did not accompany the
expedition because my captain ordered me to are range
over the country about the heads of Watauga, [illegible] creek

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Doe River & Cranberry as an Indian spy so that
during the absence of the troops secret attacks
might not be made on the settlements by the
Indians I was constantly engaged in this service
during the whole time of the expedition which
was three or four months - I am eighty one years of
age. A record of my age was made
in a book containing the form of service of
service for the Episcopalian church is destroyed.  Written discharge was granted me
by Roddy & Ford  for all my tours of service
but not appreciating their materially. I offered
them to be destroyed or lost the through neglect
Joseph Wilson, John Wilson & others of Carter County
Tennessee & Sam Hire of Burke County in this
State and living witnesses of the facts relative to
my revolutionary services herein stated, the Wilsons
as to the whole,  Hire as to part; I applied to William Wilson for the benefit of his evidence who is a living witness of all the
services of which I have herein made a declaration
& resides in Carter County & he said that he was
unable for the want of a horse. All the other
more inconveniently situated as to their ability
to attend wait - I myself have walked to court
forty miles to make this application I hereby relinquish
every claim whatever to a pension or annuity exceptthe
present, and declare that my name is not on the pension roll
of the agency of any state. I could procure no
from the distance of thirty mile
his
Clergyman to certify in my case, without calling on from the distance of thirty miles. 
Sworn to & subscribed
John  X Asher his mark
the day & year above written

T. Callaway, Clerk 
of {illegible]


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Amendments to the declaration of John Asher
for the purpose of obtaining a pension under the
act of Congress passed June 7. 1832.
State of North Carolina Ashe County
on this 26th day of August AD 1833 personally
appeared John Asher a resident of Ashe County &
said State, who being duly sworn, according to
law, make the following statement by way
of amendment to his declaration herewith
annexed-
That he was born in the year 1752 in the County
of Spotsylvania, at the town  of Fredericksburg & in the State
Virginia, I believe my birth took place in the month of June - my age
was entered in a book of forms of religious service for the
Episcopalian church; that book remained in the possession of my mother until it was worn out & destroyed which was
twenty years ago, from seeing the entry & from hearing the statement relative 
thereto in my fathers family, acknowledge of my age
(as above stated, was acquired:  In the month of May or June
the year 1781 the service was performed by me as a private & volunteer under 
Captain  Roddy & Colonel Sevier in the expedition against the Cherokee
as far as Jonesboro, as
Stated in my former declaration. Jonesboro was
the place appointed for [illegible] of the men 
of Washington - & we assembled and remained there until an account of pacific reports from the Cherokees. We were
discharged I am confidant that I was
the public's
service subject to the authority of my officers two weeks in this tour. 
My former statement that said I had a written discharge
for the time an action, I believe to be erroneous and that
my discharge
was nothing more than a general [illegible] for us
to go home, as the occasion of our expedition had ceased
my next term of service was performed as stated in


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my former declaration, and was performed by me as a
private & volunteer: and its duration was three months, as well
I can now recollect, it commenced about the first of September 1781. A
discharge was granted me for this term, which I believe was
done by Captain Roddy, but has been lost as before stated
My next toor performed in the spring of 1782, was as well as can
now recollect in
the month of March & April and endured according
the best of my recollection I believe one month - I here make the 
Correction respecting my
written discharge as I did above
our discharge was nothing more than a dismission from the service 
as the objects
of our expedition were terminated - this
term was performed by me as a volunteer or private
my next tour was performed about the last of August or first
of September of the same year as a volunteer or private and
endured three weeks. As to my next Term during which
 I acted Indian Spy, & was performed by me as a private volunteer
soldier, I am compelled to make a correction as to the [illegible]  of
the year - I formerly stated that it took place in the spring - upon
reflection I recollect that the deer were grey & that it was
the season for digging gingseng and must have been
the fall it was as before stated in the year 1783 and
endured three months. Here again I had no other discharge
than the general dismission of the troops, & have no kind of
written document
to establish it-- I before stated that I
could procure
the certificate of no clergyman without procuring
the attendance of and from thirty miles. I have [illegible] in Ashe
County about seven years  but it, my evidence is at least forty miles from this place
the Court houses
from this place in a remote & scattered
settlement, where I could
not possibly receive proper advise & directions in the preparation
of evidence to support my declaration. I came on to the
Court (on account of my poverty my travelling is all on [illegible])
at the time when my declaration was made; found at court


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two of my respectable neighbors-- As I had not before
been informed of the necessity of a clergyman's certificate, and as
I could not procure it without incurring a journey which
I was unable to perform, I believed, for I was so advised,
that such particular proof would not be required - Living in
a remote & mountainous section of the County enjoying only occasional
communication with the Courthouse I did not learn until today
what defects in my former declaration required amendment
The family of the clergyman whose certificate would be
proper for my case is now
sick & he would
be unwilling
to leave them to a
such a distance, even if I had
the means of sending for him-- which I have
not without
the danger of postponing this statement three months longer
Samuel Hin of Burke
County, Joseph Wilson  and John
Wilson & William Wilson all
witnesses
living
of the greater part of my service as been stated.
Hin resides in the county of Burke five miles from this place a part of this distance there is no road without following a circuitous route of more than
hundred miles, except on an almost
impassable path over mountains -moreover  his evidence when procured on account of his bad general character, is unworthy of credit. The Wilsons reside in the county of Carter of state of Tennessee- William Wilson lives within twenty five miles of this place & I endeavored to procure his attendance here in order to make a certificate for me - 
But on account of his age, his frailty and want of money & travelling I could not procure his attendance
 I did procure
his affidavit before a magistrate of Tennessee but because it was not duly authorized it was not transmitted with my former declaration-

Then where I reside to where the Wilsons reside is a  continuous bed of mountains & from where the Wilsons reside to the courthouse of Carter County where the  clerks of the county of Carter reside is forty miles also through a mountainous country.

I am known to John Rose & Isaac Hagerman who reside in


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my neighborhood and made the certificate annexed to my 
former declaration and to Dudly Farthing Esqr one of the [illegible]
of 
Court of Pleas & quarter Sessions for [illegible] county 
before whom my former declaration was made, [illegible] [illegible] on to
my neighborhood 
Bargellar McBride, to William Grayson & John Most
residents of my neighborhood
John Ashur  X his mark

State of North Carolina J. Thomas Calloway

Ashe County Court 
of pleas and quarter sessions for the County
& said State hereby certify that the foregoing statement
was subscribed & sworn to in due form of Law in open 
Court his individual testimony whereof I hereunto set my hand
and & affix the seal of my office this the
day 26th
of August AD 1833
Thomas Calloway 
Clerk of Ashe Court of
pleas & quarter session

I Joseph Sutherland Chief Justice of the Court of pleas
and quarter Sessions for Ashe County & State of

North Carolina duly certify that Thomas Calloway
whose name is affixed to the foregoing certificate
is the Clerk of said Court & that credit is
due to his acts as such. In testimony
whereof
subscribe my name this 26th of August 1833
Joseph Sutherland J P┃
Chief
Justice of the County Court
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REJECTED
John Ashur
O. ___________
Service:_____________
enlisted:____________
discharged:___________
application filed:
alleges: ________
re-enlisted: _________
Attorney:_________
O. ____________
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NC
Harold Lewis Cap
Secy of War
Washington

D. C
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Nov. 23
 
[illegible]
14th
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We John
Reese and Isaac Hagerman
hereby certify, that we are well acquainted with
John Asher who has subscribed and sworn to the above
declaration, that we believe him to be eighty one
years of
age, that he is reputed and believed in their
neighborhood where he resides to have been a soldier of
the revolution
and that we concur in
that
opinion
Sworn to and 
the day & year above written
 John Reese  X his mark
Isaac Hagerman
T. Callaway Clerk
by R. Gentry D. 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
abovenamed applicant was a revolutionary soldier and served
as he states. And the court further certifies, that it appears
to them that Isaac Hagerman
John
Reese whose
names and
subscribed to the foregoing certificate are
residents in Ashe county & State of North Carolina and
are credible persons and their statements is entitled to
merit-
A McMillan Cham Clerk
D. Farthing J P 
Gideon Lewis JP

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State of North Carolina
Ashe County
Thomas Calloway
Clerk of the count of
the Court of pleas and quarter Sessions for
said County do hereby certify that the foregoing
contains the original proceeding in the matter
of the application of John Ashur for
a pension
In Testimony whereof I have
hereunto set my hand and seal
of office, this 13th day November 1832
T. Callaway Clerk
by R. Gentry D Clerk


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