Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty Land Warrant Application File S. 30,454, John Harper, Va.
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Va   Harper, John   S. 30.454
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32728
Kentucky
John Harper
of Woodford Co in the State of Kentucky who was a private in the Company commanded by Captain Stratton of the Regt commanded by ___ in the Va line for 6 months.

Inscribed in the Roll of Louisville at the rate of 20 Dollars 00 Cents per annum to commence on the 4th day of March, 1831.

Certificate of Pension issued the 10th day of May 1850, and sent to Hon C. S. Morehead, Clk
Arrears to the 4th of
Semi-annual allowance ending

Revolutionary Claim, Act June 7, 1832
Recoded by J B Chase Clerk Book E2 Vol. 7 Page 24
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State of Kentucky
Woodford County
     On this the 25 day of February Eighteen Hundred and forty three personally appeared before me Goodlow Carter as acting Justice of the Peace in and for the county and state aforesaid and Mr John Harper resident of the county of Woodford, state of Kentucky is who is by reason of bodily infirmity prevented from appearing in open court - being aged upwords of eighty years, 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 June 7th 1832: That he entered the service of the United States during the Revolutionary War, in the month of March Seventeen Hundred and Eighty and left the same in October thereafter, and that he entered as a draughted militia private and draughted under Captain Stratton and John Harpole was the sergeant and marched from the south fork or branch of the  Potomac River in Pendleton County Virginia to the South Fork about fifteen miles - where the indians had been and just killed some of the white people and burnt houses and at this place he remained weeks guarding this portion of the country from the ravages of the Indians: and Sergeant John Warpole was an officer by the name of Abraham Winkle were the commanding officers at station as Captain Stratton returned back to South Fork, and at the termination of said four weeks Captain Cravins from Rockinham County Virginia arrived with more men and took the command of the whole troops and then marched them to what was called the West Fork on the extreme frontier about one hundred and thirty miles he thinks west of North Fork, and that they remained at West Fork until the tour for which he was draughted being for three months had terminated, and at the termination of the same they were about to start home when the  Indians again appeared and commenced depredation and he then volunteered for another tour of three months and did continue in active service until it terminated, and during which he continued at said West Fork as a guard, or guarding the frontiers from the inroads of the merciless savages - and would in company of two, [illegible] go out hunting to kill deer, yet the men would not venture out far from the
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fort on account of the great danger to which they were exposed of being killed or taken by the Indians, and that he frequently had hunts of this character, & in this way he was engaged until the last [illegible] tour had terminated, and afterwards they returned back to South fork in Pendleton County Virginia, which was the first of October or after - and declares that he was in actual and arduous service from the time he was draughted as of until he returned home at the finish just mentioned. He further Declares that he resided in Pendleton County Virginia when he entered the service afs as draughted Private & that he served out the tour & then volunteered for another as afs and after serving out the same marched back to Pendleton County Virginia from fort West Fork. He further declares that he has no documentary evidence in support of his claim and knows of no one whose testimony he can procure, who can testify to his service except his Brother Adam Harper who is now his nearest neighbor and who was with him in all this aforesaid service. He hereby relinquishes every claim whatever to 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 and subscribed the day and year aforesaid before me 
Goodloe Carter J Peace      John his X mark Harper 

Mr Joseph Gwyn an Elder of the Presbyterian Church and for Woodford County resident in the same and James Ford Jr also a resident in the same hereby certify that we were all well acquainted with and have long known John Harper who has subscribed and sworn to the above declaration that we believe him to be upwards of eighty years of age, that he is reputed and believed in the neighborhood where he resides to have been a soldier of the Revolution; and we concur in that opinion.
Sworn and subscribed the day and year aforesaid before me
Goodloe Carter J Peace      Joseph his X mark Gwyn  James ford jr
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And I Goodlow Carter the Justice in & for Woodford County Kentucky hereby certify or declare my opinion after an investigation of the matter and after putting the interrogation prescribed by the War Department that the above named applicant was a Revolutionary soldier and served under as he states. I also certify that  Joseph Gwyn and James Ford Jr who has signed the preceding certificate are credible persons and the afsd Joseph Gwyn has been for the last thirty years an Elder of the Presbyterian Church - and both their statements is entitled to the fullest credit. I also certify that the above declarant John Harper is and long has been a member of the Presbyterian Church - and a man of undoubted respectability.
     In testimony where of I have hereunto subscribed my name.
     Goodloe Carter J Peace
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I Goodlow Carter an acting Justice of the Peace in & for the County of Woodford state of Kentucky thereby certify that I [illegible] the following interrogatories to the foregoing declarant John Harper who answered them as herein after set forth
 Question 1st Where and in what year were you born?
Ans.  I was born in Pendleton County Virginia in the year seventeen thousand and sixty two (1762)
Question 2nd: Have you any record of your age & if so where is it?
Ans.  My age was recorded in our Bible or the Bible of my Father but the [illegible] has become lost and in what manner not known other were I have had none
Question 3rd  Where were you living when called into service: where have you lived since the Revolutionary war; and where do you now live?
Ans.  I resided in Pendleton County Virginia when called into service and resided thre after the close of said war until the year 1794 at which time I removed to Kentucky Woodford County & have continued to reside in Woodford County unto this day
Question 4th  How were you called into service: were you draughted, did you volunteer, or were you a substitute, and if a substitute for whom?
Ans. I was draughted for the first tour of service of three months and volunteered for the second tour of service.
Question 5th  State the names of some of the Regular officers who were with the troops where you served; such continental and militia Regimens as you can recollect; and the general  circumstances of your service.
Ans.  Captain Cravins militia men of Rockingham County Virginia formed their function with the men from Pendleton County Virginia at North fork. I cannot say particularly in relation to other militia companies. I was draughted in March 1780 and served three months as a draughted militia Private & then volunteered for another tour of three months when said tour terminated & then continued until it terminated after which I returned to my house in Pendleton County Virginia and during the afsd tours was marched to Northfork where we remained about four weeks and then marched to Fort West Fork on the western
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frontiers of Virginia and remained until the second tour termination and then would defend the frontiers from in our [illegible] of the Indians & would go out in tours of hunting but would keep close to the fort or not extend our chase too far from the fort.
Question 6th Did you ever receive a discharge from the service & if so by whom was it given: and what has become of it?
Ans.  If ever I received a discharge I don't now remember it & if I did it has been lost.
Question 7th  State the names of persons to whom you are known in your neighborhood & who can testify as to your character for veracity and their belief of your service as a soldier of the Revolution.
Ans.  Joseph Guinn  Richard Ship  Hillery Offult G E Gulaspie  James Ford Jr & Robert Adams
     We Declare that the reason he did not apply for a pension at an earlier date is that he did not know that he was embraced or his case was embraced by virtue of any existing law until late & he now humbly prays to be enrolled on the roll of Revolutionary Pensioners by virtue of the Act of the 7th June 1832. 
Give to and subscribed before me this 25 day of February 1840. Then is [illegible] intestation above which were done before signed  
  Goodloe Carter J Peace
   John his X mark Harper 

I Adam Harper resident of Woodford County Kentucky hereby certify that I am the Brother of John Harper of the same county & that my said Brother is upwards of eighty years of age and was a soldier in the Revolutionary war for I myself was with him and an eye witness to his service. I and my said Brother were draughted in March 1780 to serve a three months tour against the Indians. we set out immediately to serve out said tour and did so and when it was completed we volunteered for another tour of the same duration & completed it and then returned
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and back to Pendleton County Virginia where we resided when we returned the service and in which we were draughted and we returned back to Pendleton County in October 1780 and was in actual and arduous service from the time we were draughted until about the first of October after the was was over we lived in said Pendleton County until we removed to Woodford County Kentucky where we now live. I further certify that the statements made by my afore Brother in relation to his service in the Revolution war are strictly true for I myself was an eye witness to the same being in company with him. 
sworn and subscribed before me
Coodloe Carter JPeace  Adam his X mark Harper

State of Kentucky Woodford County 
     I Herman Bowmar Clerk of the Court of Woodford County State of Kentucky, certify that Goodloe Carter before whom the foregoing Declaration of John Harper was taken and before whom the foregoing affidavit of Joseph Gwyn James Ford Fr and Adam Harper was made is an acting Justice of the Peace in and for the County of Woodford State of Kentucky duly commissioned and qualified, and the several foregoing signatures purporting to be his are his own genuine signatures.
   In testimony whereof I have hereunto subscribed m name and affixed my seal of office this the 1st day of March 1843
   Herman Bowmar [illegible]
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30454
Revy INVALID
File No.. 30,454
John Harper
Pri Rev war

Act: June 7th 32
Index: Vol 2, Page 172
[Arrangement of 1870]
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No. 35476
John Harper
Kentucky
Act of June 32

Adm to nu
$20
per 4 March 1837

Hon C S Morehad
House of Rps
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Frankfort Kentucky 1843

Sir
     I here with enclose you the declarations of John Harper and the evidence in favor of his application for the benefit of the act of Congress of 7 June 1832. Upon the allowance of his claim please transmit to me at Frankfort Ky. the certificate thereof.
     I am very respectfully your Obt Servt C H Trabue
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No. 35476
John Harper
Kentucky
$20 per am.

[line marked through] to C H Travue April 3rd 43
Hon C. S. Morehead H. R.
Act 7th June 32
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John Harper
suspended
See letter 29 
Dec 35 R French
let 16 Sep 37th R H
[illegible]
Kentucky
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10 Hen Page 389.
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I certify that I am personally acquainted with Adam and John Harper of Woodford County Kentucky, and take pleasure in saying that they are Gentleman of the highest standing in society and whose statements in all matters are entitled to the fullest credit. This 15th April 1850
   A K Marshall
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Washington April 15th 1850
Col. J. L. Edwards [illegible]
Dear Sir,
     There are two applications before you for pensions for revolutionary service. Adam & John Harper. I am personally well acquainted with both of these venerable gentlemen. They are both men of high and unblemished character and I do not hesitate to say that the most implicit confidence may be reposed in whatever they say. I also knew Goodloe Carter the Justice of the peace before whom the declaration was made. He is now dead. I never knew a more correct, honest and upright man.
     Respectfully
     C S Morehead
P S Send me the certificates May 10th 1850
     C S Morehead