Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty Land Warrant Application File S. 30,458, William Harris, Va.
Page 1

SERVICE
Va

Harris, William

NUMBER
S. 30458

CONTENTS
Page 2

[left hand side of page]
25127

Kentucky

William Harris

Barren Co. in the State of Kentucky
[who] was a private in the com commanded
[by] Captain Bates of the rest. commanded
[edge of page missing] of May in the Virginia
[line] for 11 months

Inscribed on the Roll of Kentucky
[at] the rate of 36 Dollars 66 Cents per annum
[to] commence on the 4th day of March, 1831.

Certificate of Pension issued the 28 day of Nov
1833 and Hon C. Thompkins

Arrears to the 4th of Sept.                     91.67
Semi-anl. allowance ending 4 March    18.33
                                                               $110.00

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

Recorded by Danl Boyd. Clerk,
Book E. Vol. 7. Page 13

[right hand side of page]
Date of death not shown on A.B.
Page 3

28.434

Wm. Harris
Barren Co.
Kentucky

From 1776 private
11 Months

$36.66/100

Bates
May
Va

Hon. C. Thompkins

[written sideways]
Wm. Harris
Page 4


State of Kentucky}
           County} SS

On the 18th day of February 1833 personally appeared in open court before the Justice of the Court of Barren County now sitting William Harris a resident of said County aged 78 years who being first duly sworn according to Law doth on his oath make the following Declaration in order to obtain the benefit of an Act of Congress passed June 7th 1832, That he entered the service of the United States under the following named officers and served as herein stated. He was born on James River in Cumberland County Virginia and in May 1776 volunteered in the Virginia militia under Captain John Bates in the month of May. At the time he volunteered he lived at Buckingham Court house in Buckingham County. Under Bates he guarded prisoners who were taken in the lower part of Virginia; these prisoners he guarded from Buckingham to Amber Marle where he was discharged & went home having served at least one month. He recollects no other officer but Bates. He has lost the discharge, never expecting to have any use for it.

The second time he was drafted in the spring of 1777 under the same Captain Bates & Colonel May, and marched to old Williamsburgh where he joined several thousand troops where he stayed as a minute man to march on service at a moments warning. He does not remember his other officers on this tour. At Williamsburgh he received a discharge, after having served at least four months. He can’t tell now what has become of the discharge, it is lost, he never expecting to have use for it.
Page 5

In March of the year in which Cornwallis capitulated he again volunteered under Captain William Jones, the other company officers he does not remember. And was marched to the South. Green was his commander. Under him he was at the battle of Guilford where his Captain was killed. After the battle of Guilford he went to Ninety Six; he was at that place under Green all the time he stayed there; at which place there were some skirmishes. The enemy killed about 40 of Greens men by blowing up a redoubt. He was discharged in South Carolina not far from Camden, between Ninety Six & Charlestown. He can’t tell what has become of his discharge, never expecting to have any use for it. On this tour he served at least six months. He has no documentary evidence, nor does he know of any person whose testimony he can procure who can testify to his services in answer to the interrogatories prescribed by the War Department he saith. He was born in Cumberland County Virginia in the year 1755 [he does not remember the day & month - this verbiage is crossed out] on the 25th of August. He has no record of his age.
At the time of entering the service he resided in Buckingham. He afterwards lived, after the war in Henry & Patrick counties, thence he moved to Barren where he has lived ever since. The first time he entered the service he volunteered, the 2nd time drafted & the 3rd volunteered. In answer to the 5th he would name Gen. Green, Lieutenant Washington. He can’t remember any Continental & Militia Regiments, his memory is so impaired. He guarded prisoners from Buckingham to Ambermarle Court house, he remained at Williamsburg at least four months, as a minute man, he was at the battle of Guilford, I was at 96 under Gen. Green. The regularly received discharges from the service, but they are now lost. In answer to the 7th he would name, James Burrell, Elijah Shirley, Thos. Shirley, Col. William Anderson, Jos Pedigo.

Sworn & subscribed the day & year aforesaid.

William his “X” mark Harris
Page 6


We Andrew Nuckolds a clergyman residing in the County of Barren and William Anderson residing in the same hereby certify that we are well acquainted with William Harris who has subscribed and sworn to the above and foregoing Declaration; that we believe him to be 78 years of age; that he is reputed & believed in the neighborhood where he resides to have been a soldier of the Revolution and that we concur in that opinion.

Sworn and subscribed the day and year aforesaid.

Andrew Nuckols [signature]
Wm. Anderson [signature]

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 named applicant was a Revolutionary soldier and served as he states; and the said court further certifies that it appears to them that Andrew Nuckols who has signed the proceeding certificate is a clergyman residing in the County of Barren and that William Anderson who has also signed the same is a resident in the same county and a credible person and that their statement is entitled to credit.

I William Logan Clerk of the Court of Barren County do hereby certify that the foregoing contains the original proceedings of the said court in the matter of the application of William Harris for a Pension. In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal of Office this 18th day of February 1833.
  
[seal image]   W.Logan Clerk
                       of the Court of Barren County
Page 7

[left hand side of page]
30 458

Revy INVALID

File No.  30.458
William Harris
Pri. Rev  War

Act:  June 7th 32

Index:  Vol. 2, Page 172

(Arrangement of 1870)

[right hand side of page]
1936 - Mar. 12 - Hist. To Mrs. D. G. Hayes - ILL
Page 8

[letterhead insignia]
NRA
MEMBER
[image of an eagle]
U.S.
WE DO OUR PART

D. G. HAYES GROCERY CO.
WHOLESALE GROCERIES
PROVISIONS, TIRES AND TUBES
GLASGOW, KY. 

[date stamp]
RECEIVED
JAN 20 1936
MAIL SUB DIV
VETS ADM
[the rest is illegible]

Bureau of Pensions
Washington, D.C.
Dear Sirs:

Please send me Revolutionary records of William Harris and Frederick Smith, who made application for pensions from Barren Co., Ky., and oblige

Yours truly
Mrs D? G. Hayes
[handwritten notation - no signature ?]
Page 9

March 12, 1936

Mrs. D. G. Hayes
Glasgow, Kentucky

BA-J/ILL
WILLIAM HARRIS
S. 30458

Dear Madam:

Reference is made to your letter in which you request the Revolutionary War records of William Harris and Frederick Smith, who made application for pension from Barren County, Kentucky.

Because of the great demand for Revolutionary War data and the limited clerical force available for furnishing such information, it is impossible to comply in full with each request pertaining to soldiers of that war. The record of William Harris is given herein as found in the papers of file in his claim for pension, S. 30458, based upon his service in then Revolutionary War.

William Harris was born August 25, 1755 on the James River in Cumberland County, Virginia; the names of his parents are not shown.

While residing at Buckingham Court House, Buckingham County, Virginia he enlisted sometime in May 1776, and served one month as private in Captain John Bates’ Virginia company. He enlisted in the spring of 1777, served four months as private in Captain John Bates’ company, Colonel May’s Virginia regiment, stationed at Williamsburg, Virginia. He enlisted sometime in March 1781, served as private in Captain William Jones’ Virginia company, was in the battle of Guilford, marched from there to Ninety-Six with the troops under General Greene and was in a skirmish there, marched on in South Carolina and was discharged, having served six months.

After the war, the soldier resided in Henry County, Virginia, and in Patrick County, that state, then moved to Barren County,
Page 10

Kentucky.

William Harris was allowed pension on his application executed February 18, 1833, at which time he resided in Barren County, Kentucky.

The soldier made no reference to wife or children at the time he made application for pension.

Very truly yours,

G. H. SWEET
Acting Executive Assistant to the Administrator