Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty Land Warrant Application File S. 35518, for Thomas Lester, Virginia
Page 1

Lester, Thomas or Lister
S.35518
Page 2

Thomas Lester 
Of Gallatin Co. in the state of Kentucky who was a private in the company commanded by Captain Hawkins of the regiment commanded by Colonel Campbell in the Virginia line, for the term of eighteen months from 1780 t0 1781. 
Inscribed on the roll of Kentucky at the rate of 8 dollars per month, to commence on the 27 day of November 1826. 
Certificate of pension issued the 2nd of January 1827 and sent to William Winslow [unintelligible] 
Appears to 4th of Semi-anl. all’ce ending 2 Mar 1827
$26.09

Revolutionary Claim, Acts March 18, 1818, and May 1, 1820
Page 3

The Lesters Declaration
For to obtain a pension 
April Term 
1826
Page 4

14th Judicial District 
State of Kentucky, Gallatin County
	On this 12th day of April 1826 personally appeared in open court being a court of record for the county and circuit of Gallatin of unlimited jurisdiction in point of amount and proceeding according to the course of the common law with punishment is fine and imprison. Thomas Lester aged sixty-nine years who being first duly sworn according to law doth on his oath make the following declaration in order to obtain the benefits of the provisions made by the acts of Congress 18th of March 1818 and the 1st of May 1820. That he the said Thomas Lester enlisted some time in the year 1780 at the town of Alexandria and State of Virginia in the company commanded by Captain John Hawkins in the regiment commanded by Col. James Campbell in the line of the state of Virginia on the continental establishment and that he continued to serve in the said corps for the full and complete term of eighteen months and that he was discharged from the said service in the state of South Carolina, that he was in several small skirmishes when in said regiment and that he was wounded at the Battle of Guilford by the cut of a broadsword by which he has lost the entire use of three fingers on his left hand. That he was also in the Battle of Germantown but was at that in the volunteer service and that he is unable to provide any evidence of his said services except the accompanying affidavit of John Lester. And I do most solemnly swear that I was a resident citizen in the United States on the 18th day of March 1818. And that I have not since that time, by [unintelligible] sake or any other manner disposed of my property or any part thereof with intent thereby to diminish [unintelligible] so 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 service of the United States in the Revolutionary War, [unintelligible] on the 18th day of March 1818; and that I have not, nor has any person, in trust for me any property, securities, contracts or debts due to me nor have I any income or [unintelligible] whatever other than what is contained in the schedule hereunto annexed.
Page 5

To unit: Five Head of cattle of the value of $17.00
            One old horse of the value of $10.00
            Twelve head of hogs of the value of 12.00
            One plough and gear of the value of 3.00
            Cooking utensils of the value of 10.00

Making in all the amount of $52. 
That he is too old and feeble to labor for support and asks the assistance of his country. He is by occupation a farmer and has one son living with him, the one about sixteen and a daughter of the age of eighteen years. 
									Thomas Lester

Sworn to and subscribed before me in open court this 13th day of April 1826. 		
Henry Davidge, Presiding Judge of the Gallatin Circuit Court

The affidavit of John Lester made in open court on the 12th day of April 1826 at the county and circuit aforesaid. This affidavit being first duly sworn saith that the within name Thomas Lester who has made application for a pension is the younger brother of this applicant. That this applicant [unintelligible] that the said Thomas Lester enlists in the service of the United States some time in the year 1780 in the company of Capt. John Hawkins and in the regiment under the command of Col. James Campbell. He is also well convinced that he served in the same regiment fully eighteen months. He was himself in the Battle of Guilford when he met with his brother and recollects that he was wounded in the manner stated in the foregoing declaration and further. 
						John Lester 

Sworn to and subscribed before me in open court this 13th day of April 1826
Henry Davidge, presiding judge of the Gallatin Circuit Court 

I, William Winslow, clerk of the Gallatin Circuit Court do hereby certify that the foregoing oath and the schedule thereto annexed are truly copied from the record of the said court.
Page 6


I do further certify that it is the opinion of said Court that the total amount in the value of the property inhabited in the [unintelligible] schedule is fifty four dollars. 

In Testimony, whereof I have hereto set my hand and affixed the seat of the said court on the twenty third day of May. Eighteen Hundred Twenty Six. 

Will Winslow 
Clerk of the Court for the Circuit of Gallatin
Page 7

Mrs. George J. Champion 					BA-J/MCS
1205 Frazier Street 			Thomas Lester, S.35518
Baldwin Park, California      Noah Harbour, S.8673

Dear Madam, 
	Reference is made to your request for information relative to Revolutionary War soldiers, Elijah and Noah Harbour, James, John and Samuel Lapsley and Thomas Lester. 
	Because of the large number of requests for the records of Revolutionary War soldiers and the clerical force available for furnishing such information, it has been impossible to comply in full with requests similar to yours. You are furnished herein, the record of Thomas Lester of Gallatin County, Kentucky, and the record of the only Noah Harbour that is found in the Revolutionary War records of this office. 
	The data which follow were obtained from papers on file in the pension claim, S.35518, based on military service of Thomas Lester or Lister. 
	The date and place of his birth and the names of his parents are not shown. 
	He enlisted at Alexandria, Virginia, sometime in 1780 and served eighteen months in Captain John Hawkins’ company in Colonel James Campbell’s Virginia regiment, was in several skirmishes and during the Battle of Guilford Court House he was wounded in the left hand by the cut of a broadsword. He was also in the Battle of Germantown but gave no details of this enlistment. 
	Thomas Lester or Lister was allowed pension on his application executed April 12, 1826, which at the time he was sixty-five years of age and was living in Gallatin County, Kentucky.
Page 8

In 1826, Thomas Lester or Lister was referred to as Thomas Lester, Senior. In this year he stated that his wife was between forty and fifty years of age and he referred to his daughter aged eighteen years, his son aged about sixteen years, two grandchildren who were orphans aged seven and four years, and a nephew. He gave no names other than that of the nephew, James Lester. In 1826, John Lester made an affidavit in Gallatin County, Kentucky, in which he stated that he well remembered that his younger brother, Thomas, was wounded during the battle of Guilford Court House and that he himself was in battle. There are no further data relative to the family of Thomas Lester or Lister. 
The date which follow were obtained from papers on file in the pension claim, S. 8673, based on the military service of Noah Harbour. 
He was born October 23, 1757. The place of his birth and the names of his parents are not shown. 
He enlisted in Hallifax County, Virginia, in April or May, 1776 and served six months as private in Captain James Turner’s company in Colonel Lewis’ Virginia  regiment. He enlisted in April 26, 1781, and served three months as private in Captain James Turner’s company under Major Rose of the Virginia troops and was at the Siege of Ninety Six. 
He was allowed pension on his application executed September 25, 1832, while a resident of Hallifax County, Virginia. He was living there in 1843 with post office at the Hallifax Court House. 
There are no data relative to the family of Noah Harbour. 
				Very truly yours	
					A.D. Hiller 
					Executive Assistant
					To the Administrator
Page 9

JRW 									
I.35518: Rev. War 					June 24, 1904
Madam, 
	In reply to your inquiry, you are advised that Thomas Lester, aged sixty-nine years, residing in Gallatin county, Kentucky, made an application for pension April 12th, 1826. He stated that he enlisted at Alexandria, Virginia, in 1780, served eighteen months in the Virginia Line as a private under Captain John Hawkins and Colonel James Campbell, and was wounded in the left hand by a broadsword at the Battle of Guilford Courthouse. His claim was allowed. 
The name is also spelled “Lister.” 

Very respectfully, 
				Commissioner 
Mrs. J. Lester Dillon, Room 319, Dyer Building, Augusta, GA.
Page 10

1205 Frazier St.,
Baldwin Park, Calif., 
Dec. 1, 1938. 

Veteran’s Administration, 
Washington D.C. 

Please furnish me with all information contained in the papers of the following men who all served in the Revolutionary War:

Lieut. John Lapsley 
And 
Capt. Samuel Lapsley

Who each served 3 years in Virginia and received land grants in Kentucky about 1783 or 1785, I do not know what county of Kentucky. Please tell me that, too, and how many were.
Also James Lapsley.
Page 11

Also, Thomas Lester, private, who received a pension from the Virginia Line, Nov. 27, 1826, in Gallatin County, Kentucky. 
Also Noah Harbour and Elijah Harbour 
Do records give name of county from which each man enlisted, name of parents, term of service, etc.? I thank you sincerely. 
				Very truly yours, 
				Nina H. Champion 
				(Mrs. George J. Champion)
Page 12

35,518
File No. 35,518
Thomas Lester 
Rev War
Act: 18 March 18
Index:- Vol. 8, Page 403
Page 13

20,020
Thomas Lester 
Gallatin KY.
William Winslow
Port William, KY. 

Read 21 Dec 1826
Admitted 
Honorable Secretary of War
City of Washington
Page 14

Port William KY. December 6th, 1826.

The Honorable
Secretary of War

Sir, 
	I enclose you a [unintelligible] declaration of Thomas Lester, as well as his former declaration in order to obtain a pension and so soon as there is a decision in his case. You will please to enclose it to me. Mr. Lester certainly is quite much entitled to a pension in my opinion as any man in the United States and stands in as much need of it. I have personally known him for about twenty years as he has during that time lived within a few miles of this place, and I fully believe his declaration to be substantially true. 

						Yours respectfully,
					Will Winslow, 6th Gal.Ct.
Page 15

Thomas Lester, Declaration
Page 16

State of Kentucky Gallatin County & Circuit Sec.
Fourth Judicial District

On this 25th day of November in the year of our lord 1826. Personally appeared in open court being a court of record for the county and circuit aforesaid of unlimited jurisdiction in point of our court and proceeding according to the course of common law with power to fine and imprison Thomas Lester new resident in said county aged sixty nine years, who being first duly sworn according to law doth as his oath make the following declaration in addition to a former declaration made on the 12th day of April 1826 in order to obtain the provisions made by the acts of Congress of the 18th of March 1818 and the [unintelligible] of May 1820. That he the said Thomas Lester enlisted for the term of eighteen months on the [unintelligible] day of [unintelligible] in the year 1780 in the state of Virginia in the company commanded by Captain John Hawkins in the regiment commanded by Col. James Campbell in the line of the state of Virginia. On the [unintelligible] continental establishment that he continued to serve in the said Corps until the day of [unintelligible] 1781 when he was discharged from the service in [unintelligible] county in the state of North Carolina. That he hereby relinquishes every claim whatever to a pension except the present that his name is not on the role of any state except Kentucky and that the following are the reasons for not making earlier applications for a pension are that he has always been a hard laboring person and did not know the law of Congress upon the subject, and being ignorant and uninformed generally staying at home laboring hard so far as he was able to exert himself in that he was not informed what steps to pursue until a few months past when he was informed by a certain James Lester, a nephew of his, that if he could take the proper steps and could obtain the proper evidence to support his claim that he might obtain a pension under the law.
Page 17

Of Congress and that very shortly after receiving the said information he applied and made the declaration bearing date the 12th of April last in the aforesaid Gallatin Circuit Court, which declaration has been sent out to the War Department and that [unintelligible] first decision hath as yet had are his case as he hath been informed and verily believed in perseverance of the act of the 1st of 1820. I do solemnly swear that I was a resident citizen of the United States on the 18th day of March 1818. And that I have not since that time by gift far as in any manner dispensed of my property as any part thereof with intent thereby so to diminish it as to bring myself within the provisions engaged in the land and navel service of the United States in the Revolutionary War [unintelligible] on the 18th day of March 1818, and that I have not nor has any person in trust for me any property or securities can reach or debt due to me nor have I any income other than what is contained in the schedule hereto annexed and by me subscribed.

[Unintelligible] One horse 21 years of the value of $10.00
Two cows and 2 calves of the value of 14.00
Four hogs of the value each $2        8.00
One ox of the 					    2.30
One [unintelligible]				    1.30
Two old [unintelligible]			    1.00
Household kitchen furniture 		    2.00
One [unintelligible]                   .25  
Plow [unintelligible] made of rope     .25
Ten or twelve [unintelligible]        1.00
One [unintelligible]                   .75
Cash in hand                           .25
Debt owing to me                      2.00
Total Amount                        $46.20
Page 18

On the 15th day of March 1818, the following changes have been made on my property. I have sold an acre for which I got the sum of 10 dollars. An old cow for which I got the sum of 6 dollars, the proceeds of which I applied to the purposes of myself and my family. What I have neither sold or disposed of any other estate either [unintelligible] or personal since the 18th of March 1818 except what I have written, and for the support of my family. That I am too old and decrepit to labour for my support any longer and ask the [unintelligible] of my family. I am by occupation a farmer, and have one son living with me of the age of sixteen years and one daughter of the age of eighteen years, one grandchild aged seven years old, and one aged four years, both orphans together with my wife, who is between forty and fifty years of age, a very [unintelligible] and sickly woman and not able to support herself by labour. 
							Thomas Lester 

Sworn to and declared on the 25th day of November 1826 before me in open court being a court of record.
							Henry Davidge, Ct. Judge

The affidavit of John Lester made in open court on the 25th day of November 1826 at the county and court aforesaid. The applicant going first duly sworn saith that foregoing named Thomas Lester who has made application for a pension is the younger brother of this applicant and well realized that the said Thomas Lester enlisted in the service of the United States sometime in the year of 1780 in the company of Captain John Hawkins and in the regiment of Col. James Campbell and that he verily believes that the said Thomas Lester served in the same Regiment fully eighteen months that he was himself in the Battle of the Guilford Courthouse.
Page 19

As a volunteer in the Virginia regiment militia. And that during the battle he met with his brother and well recollected that he was wounded in the manner stated in the foregoing declaration. And that his said brother has said he received the wound in the battle afterword lost the further use of the three first fingers on his left hand and that his said brother hath not had the ownership or [unintelligible] of any other property than is described in foregoing [unintelligible,] subscribed and sworn to by his said brother Thomas Lester. 
						John Lester
Sworn to and subscribed before me in open court this 25th day of November 1826
				Henry Davidge, Ct. Judge. 

Gallatin Circuit Court Sec. 
							The applicant of John Short [unintelligible] in open court on the 23rd day of November of 1826 in the county and circuit aforesaid. This applicant being first duly sworn saith that he was a private soldier during a part of the Revolutionary War was in a Virginia Regiment on the Continental establishment commanded by Col. James Campbell and  Captain Green’s company that he was at the barracks in Chesterfield County in Virginia that he marched from there with the said company to Guilford Courthouse in the state of North Carolina and arrived at the battleground on the second or third day after two battles fought there between the army commanded by Captain Green and the British army. He continued in service until the full time that [unintelligible]
Page 20

He had unlisted for was fully ended and completed when he obtained an honorable discharge in the form of Galsberry in the state of North Carolina. That during the time he was in service he does not recollect to have been personally acquainted with Thomas Lester who now makes the application for a pension, but he does not believe that the same Thomas Lester was with this applicant in the aforementioned regiment commanded by Col. James Campbell during the time that said regiment was in Virginia from many circumstances which have been related to this applicant by the said Thomas Lester. And which circumstances were personally known to this applicant and that the said Thomas Lester was wounded in said Battle of Guilford Courthouse. And that he has no doubt remaining as his mind that the declaration made by the said Thomas Lester in order to attain a pension [unintelligible] the law of the United States are substantially true and correct. 
							John Short 
Sworn to and subscribed before me in open court this 25th November 1826

Gallatin Circuit Sec. 

	I Henry Davidge Judge of the said court do hereby certify that Thomas Lester and John Short the within and foregoing applicants a creditable and disinterested pension and that they are entitled to full faith and credit as [unintelligible.] And that the valuation of the property set forth in the above schedule is reasonable. And that the same would not sell for more if as much [unintelligible.]
Page 21

By my hand this 25th day of November 1826. 
Henry Davige, Ct. Judge

I William Winslow of the Gallatin Circuit Court- do hereby certify that it appears to the benefactor of the court that the said Thomas Lester did serve in the Revolutionary War as stated in the preceding declaration, against the common enemy. For the term of nine months, under our engagement, [unintelligible] the continental establishment. I also certify that the foregoing Oath and the schedule thereto annexed, are truly copied from the records of the said Court. And I do further certify that it is the opinion of the said Court that the total amount in the value of the -property exhibited in the aforesaid schedule is forty-six dollars and fifty cents. 

In testimony whereof, I have hereto let my hand, and offered the seal of the said court this 27th day of November, 1826. 
William Winslow, clerk of the court for the circuit of Gallatin