Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty Land Warrant Application File R. 8762, for William Richards, Virginia
Page 1

(3 - 1776)
SERVICE NUMBER
Va
Richards, William
R. 8762
CONTENTS
Page 2

Declaration
A F Richards
Application for
Pension of his father
W. Richards
[illegible] Greenville S Carolina
Page 3

State of South Carolina
Greenville District
In the Court
of Ordinary
Personally appears Archibald F
Richards before me L M. McBee Judge
of the Court of Ordinary for said district
of Greenville & State aforesaid and
being duly sworn makes before me the
following declaration in order to obtain
for himself and the other heirs of
William Richards deced, the pension
money due to said William Richards
[illegibel declared] who was a private soldier
in the Revolutionary war. He makes this
declaration to obtain the same under the
act of Congress of
the said Archibald F Richards States
that he is the son of said William Richards
who was a private in the war of the
Revolution and was enlisted or volunteered
in the Virginia Continental line in
the County of, and that he served on it appears
from evidence three years and
months as such, during which
time of service he was in the Battle
at Milford Court House, and other
engagement of this deponent has heard
from the said Wm Richards, but he relief
when the written evidence therewith [for illegible]
that after the Revolutionary War the
said Wm Richards married Ermon Lester
in
County - Virginia and in the
year 1808 removed to Greenville District South Carolina
when he died on the twenty fourth
day of February
1846 his wife died
Page 4

Some years before him. The said
William Richards left living at his
death the issue [illegible] of said marriage
The Deponet Archibald F. Richards
Wm Taylor Richards, [Wm 914 crossed out] Richards
Hartwell Richard three sons and one
daughter Mrs Sarah Bowe wife of
Nephews Rowe, Ms Rowe lives in
Franklin County - Georgia. Hartwell
Richards in      County - Alabama
& Wm Taylor Richards in Shartauburg
district S Carolina & Archibald F
Richards lives in Greenville District, there
was also living at the time of the death
said Wm Richard Ms Letitia Sheppard, a
daughter wife of James Shephard she has since
died leaving children, prior to his death
John Richards a son died leaving no 
[pre illegible]
Sister Richards also son of said Wm Richard
died before his father leaving a widow and
Children, his widow since married [illegible]
and bore his father said Wm Richards leaving one child
the evidence of the death of said Wm
Richards and other evidence of the facts
Stated in this declaration is furnished herewith
Sworn to and subscribed before
me. This 14 Septenter 1854
[illegible Witness] my hand seal of office A. F. Richards
L M McBee, Judge of the Court of Probate
for said District
& mag Ex office
Page 5

Wm. Richards
Pension
P L Lester
affidavit
Greenville S. Carolina
Page 6

State of South Carolina
Greenville District
Personally
appeared before me the [smudge illegible]
Magistrate Philip C Lester of said
district who being duly sworn says
that he was well acquainted in the
William Richards late of Greenville
district aforesaid. That he always had the
reputation of having been a revolutionary
Soldier, that he has heard him speak
of being at Ninety Six S.Ca & probably
other places not remembered, in the army
of the United States.
The said William
Richards was a Citizen of Virginia, and
moved from that State in the year of
1806 from the County of Lunenburg and
settled in Greenville District S. Carolina where
he lived till his death which took place
24th February 1846
The deponent further states that the said
William Richards married Ermin Lester
an aunt of this Deponent of which marriage
all his children were born, and he left living
at his death Archibald F Richards, William
T Richards the former of Greenville, the latter
Spartanburg. And Ms Letitia Sheppard wife
James Sheppard, Ms Sheppard has since died
leaving children, Ms Sarah W Rowe wife
of [Nephews spelling] Rowe, now living in Franklin
County Georgia, and Hartwell Richards
in          County - Alabama. There were
sons of said William Richards who
died before him leaving children
by Lester Richards & Josephus Richards
Page 7


The wife of said William Richards
died many years before he and
This deponent is well satisfied of the identity
of the said William Richards as this
Deponent knew said William Richards
before he left Virginia, having moved
from that State with his father in the
latter part of 1803, the father of this
Deponent having lived in the same
County in Virgina with said Wm Richards
This Deponent says that said William Richard
moved from Virginia to S Carolina as he
thinks in 1806 thoug it may have been in
1807, he is satisfied and certain as to the
time of the death of said William Richards
from a reference to a Will which he wrote
for said William Richards said William
Richards having died the day after the
date of the said will now on record in
the Ordinary office for this district.
Sworn to and subscribed
before me Sept 14, 1854.
W. H. Campbell
Not. Pub
P.C. Lester
I hereby certify that I am well acquainted with
Philip C Lester and that his [marks] the said
Deponent is a gentleman of good character
and his statements entitled to the highest
audit - Sept 14. 1854
W. H. Campbell
Not. Pub
Page 8

State of South Carolina
Greenville District
I David Hoke
Clerk of the Court of Sessions & Common
Pleas for the district and in the state aforesaid
do certify that W H Campbell is a
notary public & Ex officio a magistrate for
said district lawfully qualified and
acting as such, and that the signatures
to the foregoing affidavits & certificates
purporting to be his are genuine
given under my hand and
seal of office this 18th September
1854
D Hoke
C.C.P
Page 9

August 30, 1938

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

WILLIAM RICHARDS
R. 8762
BA-J/MLB

Miss Mary Ellen Richards
Franklin
Kentucky

Dear Madam:

You are furnished herein the record of William Richards as found
in the papers of pension claim, R. 8762, based upon his service in the
Revolutionary War.
William Richards was the son of John Richards (both father and son
reported to have served in the Revolutionary War). The date and place
of birth and name of the mother of William were not given.
William Richards married in Virginia, date not stated, Ermon Lester.
The date and place of her birth and names of parents were not given. The
soldier and his wife moved about 1806 or 1808 from Lunenburg County,
Virginia, to Greenville District, South Carolina. Ermon Richards died
"some years" prior to the death of her husband, William Richards, which
occurred February 24, 1846.
The following names of children of William Richards and his wife,
Ermon, are shown in the claim, with places of residence of those still
living in 1854, also shown:
Archibald F. Richards, of Greenville District, South Carolina
William Taylor " of Spartanburgh District, South Carolina
Hartwell " of Alabama
Mrs. Sarah W. Rowe " Franklin County, Georgia, wife of Nephews-Rowe.
Mrs. Letitia Sheppard wife of James Sheppard. She died after her father died, leaving children whose names were not shown.
John " who died before his father's death, leaving no issue.
Lester " who died before his father died leaving a widow and
children, their names not given. Lester's widow
remarried, no further details given.
Josephus " who died prior to his father's death, leaving one child,
whose name was not designated.
Page 10

September 14, 1854, Archibald F. Richards applied in Greenville
District, South Carolina, in behalf of himself and the other surviving
heirs, for pension which might have been due on account of the service
of his father, William Richards, in the Revolutionary War. He alleged
that William Richards volunteered in Virginia and served three years as a
private in the Virginia Continental Line, during which time he was in the battles of Guildford Court House, Ninety Six and other engagements. No other details of service were given.

The claim for pension was not allowed as proof of William Richards'
service was not furnished in accordance with the requirements of the
pension law.

In 1850, Philip C. Lester, nephew of Ermon Richards, soldier's wife,
was a resident of Greenville District, South Carolina. In the same year,
one Peter Nunnelly, Junior, who was born August 27, 1768, twenty miles from
Petersburgh, Virginia, was then living in Greenville District, and
stated that he became acquainted with the soldier, William Richards, in
Prince Edward County, Virginia, and that he (Peter Nunnelly) married a
sister of William Richards and moved about the same time as he, to
Greenville District, South Carolina, and lived near him to the time of
William's death in 1846.

Very truly yours

A. D. HILLER
Executive Assistant
to the Administrator
Page 11

[illegible Seal]

Pention office
Department
affixed
Washington
City

[the following is vertically placed]

William Richards
S.C. - sus [illegible 1842]
Page 12

James B. Johnson
Power of Attorney
William Richards
S.C. sus 1832

[the following are vertically placed]

[illegible] Dist So. Ca
[illegible] 1857     Free

Hon J.D. Ashman
Washington City
D.C.
Page 13

No 38,816
William Richards
decd. So. Ca.

[following lines crossed out]
G.F. Townes Sep 27 1852
Same Dec 81835-
Hon. J.D. Ashmore
Dec. 8/59

8762
June 7 1832
Page 14


Nov 17-1855 ⎬ Greenville South carolina

Dear Sir,
referred papers to your
office by G H Towns respecting afrention
clam of Wm. Richards my father
whitch wish you to return as underten
you think them insufficiently & please
State the insepincese

yours & [scratch]
A. F. Richards
Page 15


Wm Richards
Pension 
affidavit
Page 16

The State of South Carolina
Greenville District
Personally appeared
before me Josiah Kilgore a Magistrate in said
State and District, Philip C Lester of said
District and being duly sworn saith that he
was well acquainted with William Richards
late of said district that said Richard married
his and that he said Richards moved from
Lunenburg County in Virginia to Greenville South
Carolina about 1806 where remained until his death
1846 or 1847; That he was very old and reputed to have
served in the Revolutionary War that he had heard
said Richards speak of being at Ninety Six S.C. in the
Army of the U States
Sworn to before me
this 22 Nov 1850
Josiah Kilgore
M.G.D.
P. C. Lester
Page 17


The State of South Carolina
Greenville District
Before me Josiah
Kilgore a Magistrate in
said State & District, Personally appeared Peter
Nannelly [illegible] of said District, and being duly sworn
saith on Oath that he was born as he is informed [illegible]
20 miles of Petersburg, Virginia on the 27 Aug
1768 that soon afterwards he moved with his father
to Prince Edward County, Virginia & then became
acquainted with John Richards and his son William
Richards both of whom served in the Revolutionary War; that this deponent married the Sister of the said
William Richards that they both removed to Greenville District South Carolina upwards of thirty years
past and that he was well acquainted & lived
near him to his death about 3 or 4 years past
that he was generally esteemed as a soldier of the
War with Great Brittain; that the said William
left several children to [illegible] Hartwell Richards,
Lester Richards children, Letitia Sheppard wife of
James Sheppard, Sarah Rowe, wife of N. Rowe
William T. Richards, Archibald Richards and
Josephus Richards Child
Sworn to before me
this 23 Nov 1850
Josiah Kilgore
M.G.D
Peter Nannelly

I Josiah Kilgore an acting Magistrate for said
District do certify that I have been well acquainted with P. C. Lester & Peter Nannelly for more than
30 years and have confident in their
Veracity
Josiah Kilgore
M.G. D
Page 18

State of South Carolina
Greenville District
I David Hoke
Clerk of the Court
of Sessions & Common Pleas for said district
as hereby certify that Josiah Kilgore was a
magistrate for said district lawfully qualified
and acting as such at the date of the signatures
to the foregoing affidavits & certificates, and
the signatures purporting to be his are genuine
given under my hand and
seal of office this Septeber 18th
1854
D Hoke
C.C.P.
Page 19

[Vertical along left side]
1938, Aug. 30 Hist to Miss Mary Ellen Richards (See [illegible] Miscl Files of R-Aug 30, 1938
[illegible]

[Back to horizontal lines]
[The following line was crossed out]
Acts of July 14, 1862, and March 3, 1873


8762
P.O.
William Richards
Service:

[on an angle stamped]
REJECTED

Enlisted: , 18
Discharged: , 18
Application filed: , 18
Alleges:
Re-enlisted:

Attorney:
P. O.
---
Recognized.  Contra
---
Cert. of Dis.   Searched for  , 18
Page 20

[This is an envelope having a Seal on the top left side]
[Seal states]
GREENVILLE, [illegible] S.C. SEP 18

Department of the Interior
Washington City, DC
FREE

[Vertical on right side]
William Richards
S.C. [illegible +Conginal]


[Vertial on left side]
Pension Office
Page 21

Evidence &
Letter from
Executive Department
Virginia
Page 22

Executor [illegible]
lasmond Aug 2 1852
for
It appears [illegible Mae} Wm Richards was
allowed Land Bond of [illegible 320] acres for his service as 
a private in the Va Continental [illegible] [illegible] of [illegible]
in 1808 to [illegibe Mar] M Bailey of [illegible Accomack
assignee] It also appears that Wm Richards [illegible rest a warrant]
for ["2" crossed out] 4.16-
balance of full pay under the act of 1787- which
certificate of [illegible] for Col Cropper of Accomack.
This is all the information
I can give you - there
is no evidence of his service with [illegible intent]
that upon which the law [illegible but] - was allowed
cannot & now W fame
[illegible]
Msajt Riches for JC
Page 23

Wm Richards Pension
letter from
G.F Lourdes

[Following vertical]
Of Department of the Interior
Washington
Page 24


Greenville S Carolina
Sept 18. 1854
To the Department of the Interior
Washington City
Enclosed I have forwarded
the pension claim of William
Richards who was a soldier in the
Revolution, together with the
evidence of Identity, and the
date of his death 24 February 1846
and the surviving heirs,
The evidence of service in the
Revolution is the reputation, but
that is not relied on, but the
Certificate of the Executive deposant
Richmond Virginia contained
in a letter A F Richards, one of the
sons and heirs of William
Richards who makes the Declaration
This pension claim has been in
my hands some time & the application
delayed from-- my overlooking it till
recently, early attention from the
department is respectfully requested
G F. Touries
Page 25

Pension Office Dec. 8, 1859
Sir,

In response to the enclosed letter of
Mr A. F. Richards, I have the honor
to state that the application of the heirs of
William Richards for arrears of pension
alleged to be due their father in virtue of
his revolutionary services was originally disallowed by the office in 1855 for the
reasons assigned in a letter addressed
to G. F. Townes Esq, under date of Sept
27. 1834, a copy of which is
accompanies this. Since then, however
the Department has decided, in diference
to the opinion of the Attorney General
that claims of this kind cannot
be legally established and
covered
by the children or other representing
of deceased revolutionary soilders-
they are only entitled to such arrears
of pension, as may be due their
Page 26


parents or pensioners
with great respect
Hon J. D. Ashmore
case of J. B. Ezell Esq
Washington,
D. C

M. [Smith illegible] will please give the copy &c
to chase, soon or 93

Hon J. D. Ashmore
Dec 8
Page 27

Pension Office
Dec 8 1853
Sir
It is contrary to our Regulations to return
papers once filed in this office. I must therefore
decline a compliance with your request to 
return you the application for a pension in the
case of William Richards of So Caroline
Nor do I presume there would be any utility in
it, as defects may be as well supplied with
out having the papers before you as with
them
The objections to the admission of the claim
have been made known to the attorney, Mr
G F Towns, who has been employed to prosecute
 the case. I have no doubt he will
furnish you with a copy of the letter
stating the grounds upon which the [refers illegible]
as to admit it is based.
A. T. Richarns, Esq
Greenville, So Carlin

18321
Page 28

G F Tounes
Sept 27 /54
Page 29

129
Pension Office
Sep 27 1854
Sir
The application of the children of William Richards
decd of So Ca has been examined and filed. The
service of said Richard should be proved by witness
as who know that he rendered it. It appears by
a letter from the Executive Department of VA to one of the
children of Wm Richards of S.C. that in
1808, A William Richards received Land for
his services from the State of Va. of [illegible Musse] if
that Richards was the father of the applicants
there can be no difficulty in tracing the Land,
and placing all the evidence upon which it
was obtained before this office, which must
be done, Application for this evidence should
be made at the Executive Department
at Richmond Va ⎬ G. F. Townes Esq
Granville CH. S.C.
Page 30

August 30, 1938

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

BA-J/MMHF:MLB

Miss Mary Ellen Richards
Franklin
Kentucky

Dear Madam:

Reference is made to your letters in which you request the
Revolutionary War records of Jordan Jackson, George W. Clark of one of the
Carolinas, John Dixon who served in Colonel John Gibson's
Virginia regiment, Christian Miller, sergeant in the Virginia
militia and pensioned in 1832, Griffith Mathias, 2" Virginia Regiment,
and William Richards who served from Virginia and who later lived in
North Carolina.

There are no claims for pension on file based upon service in the
Revolutionary War of John Dixon described above, nor of a Jordan Jackson
or Griffith Mathias. With the data furnished in regard to George Clark,
no record could be identified as the one you seek. The record has been
found of one William Richards, only, of any southern state. His record,
and that of Christian Miller, the sergeant of Virginia who was pensioned,
are furnished you herewith as found in the respective claims for pension,
R. 8762 and W. 18515, based upon their service in the Revolutionary War.

Very truly yours
A. D. HILLER
Executive Assistant
to the Administrator


[The above was a typed letter, while the below was hand written on that letter]

Adv. Jan 11, 1935,
no rec. of any action 
of [illegible] of any Southern
State
See misc files
under Richards
and
Wm. Richards
R.8762