Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty Land Warrant Application File S. 8,986, for Joseph Pyatt, Georgia
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Ga.  Pyatt, Joseph  S 8.986
Va.    
carded.
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23.605
North Carolina
Joseph Pyatt
of Burke in the State of N.Car
who was a Pr in the Compy commanded
by Captain Pickens of the ----- commanded
by ------- in the [crossed out] [drawn star]
fine[?] for 1 Mo: 12 days
Ga and Va [drawn star] Nov 22, 1904
Records corrected  [initials?]
Inscribed on the Roll of N.Carolina-
at the rate of 61-Dollars 33 Cents per annum,
to commence on the 4th day of March, 1831.
Certificate of Pension issued the 8th day of Mar:54
and [unintelligible] Hon I Graham H.R.
Arrears to the 4th of March 1834 183"99
Semi-an. allowance ending 4 Sept "  30"67
$214.66
{Revolutionary Claim, Act June 7, 1832}
[bold type] Recorded by Nath Rice [bold type] Clerk,
[bold type] Book [illegible] [bold type] Vol. 0 ye [bold type] Page 69-
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State of North Carolina } Court of Pleas &
Burke County } [crossed out]
April Term 1833 Greater [illegible]
AD1833-
on this 22nd April [crossed out day of March] AD 1833. personally appeared in open court before the  Justices of said court now in session Joseph Pyatt aged about seventy eight 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 on the 7th June 1832 That he entered the service of the United States under the following named officers and served as herein after stated I served for the [illegible] of Six months in the State of Virginia in what was then called the minutemen in the year 1776 under Captain Peter Perkins from the county of Pytsylvania Common-wealth of Virginia at the time that Lord Dunmore fled aboard a British ship of war at a place called Gwnis Island
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my next term of service was an engagement for the regular service in a Georgia regiment for 18 months under one Captain John Dooly in the Last of March or first of April  1777 - I served for the terms of 9 or 10 months first under said Captain John Dooly who disobeyed orders for which he was broken & then Cap-tain Stuart of a Georgia regiment
took command & marched us to Savann-ah & [illegible] ^ upon an ogeechee to watch the motions of the Enemy from Floridas we were in a very sickly country neglec-ted by our commanders & such bad
discipline that we broke up & went home to Virginia.-My third term of service was from two months when I took the place of George Davis who was a private from Pytsylvania. I was taken as a kind of a guard to serve under Gene-ral Cadwalader Holmes of the Quarter masters department and was dis-charged when the two months of George
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Davis had expired. I then took the place of Samuel Stanley for the term of six weeks the balance that he had to serve in the Brigade of General Lawson of the Virginia Malitia who were stationed in the reserve at Williamsburgh at the time Lord Cornwallace was besieged at Little York in Virginia._Part of General Lawson's Delatchment went on to York, but I amongst others remained at Williams-burgh & was discharged about
2 weeks before Cornwallace sur-render my time being out._ That he knows of no person whose testimony he can procure who can testify as to his service _ I hereby relinquish every claim whatsoever to a pension or annuity except the present and declare that my name is not on the pension List Roll of the agency of any State and that I always served as a Private Soldier
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(questions preposed by the Court) 1st Where and in what year were you born? I was born in the city of Coventry in Warwickshire England as I am told in the year 1753. 2nd Have you any record of your age? I have not.
3rd Where were you living when called into service. Where have you lived [illegible] the Revolutionary War & where do you now live? I was living in the County of Pytsylvania Commonwealth of Va- when first called into service & lived there untill about 1793 when I moved to this county where
I now live & have lived here ever since? 4th How were you called int0 service. I was Enlisted the first tour as a Minute man in the service ofthe Com^h of Va. next enlisted 
as a private in regiment of
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Georgia commanded by Major Haber
-shaw and the [illegible] was under General
Elbert who died by breaking of a
Blood veselle _ I was serving in Savannah
at the time of the rejoicing for
the capture of General Burgoin.
I was next a substitue for George
Davis & next for Saml Stanley
5th State the names of the Regu
-lar officers who were with the troops
where you served [illegible] continen
-tal & Militia Regiments as
you recollect and the general
circumstances of your service
Answer The first campaigne we were under
no officer of a higher grade than
Captain Peter Perkins untill
we had gone down to Gwinn Island
& stationed some time when a 
British ship of war lay in the 
Rapahannoch [illegible] to called the 
Roe Buck where we carrie up 
[illegible] we were then called out 
to  go nee
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against the Cherokee Indians under Col Christie to the Long Island of Holston and from there drove pack horses in the service under Col Shelby to the over hill Towns in the Cheroke nation on Sitico and Jelico _ there was no regular officer with us these [illegible] When I went under Captain John Dooly of the Georgia troops after he was broke I fell under Captain John [illegible] of the Georgia Continentals when sickness & on the are part & want of attention on the part of our officers of the other part Broke us & for the safety of ourselves we come home . When I came to serve as a substitute as before stated in the year 1781. I saw General Lafayette Steban General Wayne and a great variety of French officers Joseph Pyatt 
Sum to [illegible] in open court this 23rd Apl 1833
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State of North Carolina ) April Court of Plea &
Burke County ) Greater Sessions April Sessions
(A)  AD 1833
David Fornee a Clergiman resident in the County of Burke State of North Carolina and a regular licensed minister of the gospell [crossed out Mark Britain's citizen of [illegible]] being duly sworn according to law on their oath [illegible] and faith that he [crossed out they are] well acquanted Joseph Pyatt who has made & [illegible] to the [illegible] declaration for the purpose of obtaining a pension or annuity under the act of Congress propsed on the 7th day June 1832 that laid Joseph Pyatt is a man of undoubted truth and veracity & that his general reputation is that he was a soldier of the Revolution & that he affiant believes the same
Sworn to before me in open   David [illegible] Felker
Ct this 23rd Apl 1833
JE [illegible]
William Answorth [illegible]
Mark Brittain swears that they have known Joseph Pyatt who has sworn to the above declaration for at least twenty years that his reputation to truth and veracity is as good as any mans.
Sworn to in open court 23d Arpil 1833  Wm Ainsworth M Brittain J.E M[illegible}
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Joseph Pyatt
Pension declara -tion.
Court of Please and Quarter
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and the ^ court do hereby declare their opinion of [illegible] investigation of the matter; and after putting the inter-rogatories prescribed by the War Department, that the above named applicant Jospeh Pyatt was a private soldier of the Revolution and served as he stated and the court further certifies that it appears to them that David Fornee who also signed the proceding certificate, is a clergyman, resident in this county of Burke and that William Ainsworth & Mark Brittain who have also signed the [illegible] 
are resident citizens in the county and are all credible persons and that their tale merits are entitled to credit 
L James Erwin Clerk of the Court of Pleas and Quarter Sessions for the County of Burke do hereby certify that the fore-going contains the original proceedings of the said of court in the matter of the application of Joseph Pyatt for a pension  In testimony whereof I have herewith let any land and seal of office this 23rd day of April AD 1833 
[illegible signature]
[sideways] Joseph Pyatt Pension declara-tion
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Jos. Pyatt
N.C.

AAMil [illegible] private
18 mo & 12 days
$ 111.33
E: 

Hon. J. Graham
(Sy: [illegible])
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Sir:
The evidence in support of your claim, under the act of June 7, 1832, has been examined, and the papers are herewith returned.  The following is a statement of your case in a tabular form.  On comparing these papers with the following rules, and the subjoined notes, you will readily perceive that objections exist, which must be removed, before a pension can be allowed. The notes and the regulations will show what is necessary to be done.  Those points to which your attention is more is more particularly directed, you will find marked in the margin with a brace, (thus: } ).  You will, when you return your papers to this Department, send this printed letter with them; and you will, by complying with this request, greatly facilitate the investigation of your claim.
A Statement, showing the Service of [signature] Joseph Pyatt
Period when the service was rendered.  1776
Duration of the claimant's service. Years.  0
Months.  6
Days.  0
Rank of the claimant.  Private 
Name and rank of the Field officers under whom he served.  Captain Peter Perkins, names of Field officers not recollected.
Age at present, and place of abode when he entered the service. 78 going on 79 years.
Proof by which the declaration is supported.  David Fornee Clergiman  & Wm Anesworth & Mark Brittain Esquires (A & B)
Period when the service was rendered. 1777
Duration of the claimant's service. Years. 0
Months. 9
Days. 0
Rank of the claimant.  private
Proof by which the declaration is supported. Major Habersham & General Elbert
Age at present, and place of abode when when he entered the service.  ...
Proof by which the declaration is supported. same as above
Period when the service was rendered. 1781
Duration of the claimant's service. Years. 0
Months. 2
Days. 0
Rank of the claimant. private.
Proof by which the declaration is supported.  Cadwalader Jones Quartermaster Department. General Lawson Brigade of Va Malitia 
Age at present, and place of abode when he entered the service. 
Proof by which the declaration is supported.  
Period when service was rendered. 1781
Duration of the claimant's service. Years. 0 / 1
Months. 1 / 6
Days. 12 / 12
Rank of claimant. private
Proof by which the declaration is supported. same officers
Age at present, and place of abode when he entered the service. ...
Proof by which the declaration is supported. same as above.
I am, respectfully, Your obedient servant
No allowances as minute man, }  J.L. Edwards,
unless when [illegible] called out G } Commissioner of Pensions. 
authority, and for the time in actual
 service --
The claimant alledges that when called into service as a 
minute man that they were out at least 8 months from the time they left home till got back.
}
I am, respectfully, Your obedient servant, J.L. Edwards,  Commissioner of Pensions
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2 REGULATIONS UNDER THE ACT OF JUNE 7, 1832.
The following regulations have been adopted: This law has been construed to extend, as well to the line, as to every branch of the Staff of the Army, and to include under the terms "Continental Line," "State troops," "militia," and "volunteers," all persons enlisted, drafted, or who volunteered and who were bound to military service, but not those who- were occasionally employed with the army upon civil contracts, such as Clerks to Commissaries and to- Store Keepers, &c., Teamsters, Boatmen, &c.  Persons who served on board of private armed vessels are- also excluded from the benefits of the law, as well as persons who turned out as patrols, or were engaged in guarding particular places at night, and were not recognized as being in actual military service. Four general classes of cases are embraced in this law: 1. The Regular Troops. 2. The State Troops, Militia, and Volunteers. 3. Persons employed in the Naval Service. 4. Indian Spies. As rolls of the regular troops in the Revolutionary War exist in this Department, all persons claim- ing the benefit of this law as officers, non-commissioned officers, mucicians or privates, will, in the first instance, make application by transmitting the following declaration, which will be made before a Court of Record of the County where such applicant resides.  And every Court having by law a seal and Clerk is- considered a Court of Record. DECLARATION, In order to obtain the benefit of the Act of Congress of the 7th of June 1832. State, Territory, or District of County of } ss. 
On this    day of    personally appeared (a) before 
A.B. a resident (b) of      in the county of      and State, Territory or District     of     aged (c)     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 provision made by the act of Congress, passed June 7th, 1832. That he enlisted in the Army of the United States in the year (d)     , with    and served in the     (e) regiment of the       line, under the following named officers:   
[Here set forth the names and rank of the Field and Company Officers; the time he left the service; (and if her serv- ed under more than one term of enlistment, he must specify the particular period, and rank and names of his officers;) the town or county and State in which he resided when he entered the service; the battles, if any, in which he was engaged, and the country through which he marched. [finger pointing] This form is to be varied so as to apply to the cases of officers and per- sons who belonged to the militia, volunteers, navy, &c.]
He hereby relinquishes every claim (f) whatever to a pension or annuity, except the present, and he declares that his name is not on the Pension Roll of any Agency in any State or (if any) only on that of the Agency oin the State of 
Sworn to and subscribed the day and year aforesaid.        A.B.
[And then will follow the certificate of the Court.]
And the said Court do hereby declare their opinion (g) that the above named applicant was a revolu- nary soldier, and served as he states.
I      of the Court of 
do hereby certify (h) that the foregoing contains the original proceedings of the said Court in the matter of the application of         for a pension.
In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand and seal of office (i) this      day of      &c.
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3
alleged service, as they are known at the Department. A very full account of the services of each person will be indispensable to a favorable action upon his case. The facts stared will afford one of the principal means of corroborating the declaration of the applicant, if true, or of detecting the imposition, if one be attempted; and unless, therefore, these are amply and clearly set forth, no favorable decision can be expected. All applicants will appear before some Court of Record in the County in which they reside, and there subscribe and be sworn to, one of the declarations above provided, according to the nature of his case.
  The Court will propound the following (m) interrogatories to all applicants for a pension, on account of service in the Militia, State troops, or Volunteers, except the Militias of New Hampshire and the State troops of Virginia.
  1. Where and in what year were you born?
  2. Have you any record of your age, and if so, where is it?
  3. Where were you living when called into service; where have you lived since the Revolutionary war, and where do you live now?
  4. How were you called into service; were you drafted, did you volunteer, or where you substitute? And if a substitute, for whom?
  5. State and names some of the Regular Officers, who were with the troops, where you served; such Continental and Militia Regiments as you can recollect, and the general circumstances of your services.
  6. {To a Soldier{ Did you ever receive a discharge from the service, and if so, by whom was it given, and what has become of it?
      {To an Officer{ Did you ever receive a commission, and if so, bu whom was it signed, and what has become of it?
  7. State the names of the person to whom you are known in your present neighborhood, and who can testify as to your character for veracity, and their belief of your services as a soldier of the Revolution.
  The Court will see that the answers to these questions are embodied in the declaration, and they are requested to annex their opinions of the truth of the statement of the application.
  The applicant will further produce in Court, if the same can be done, in the opinion of the Court, without too much expense and inconvenience to him, two respectable persons-one of whom should be the nearest clergyman, if one live in the immediate vicinity of such applicant, who can testify, from the acquaintance with him, that they believe he is of the age he represents, and that he is reputed and believed in the neighborhood to have been a Revolutionary soldier, and that they concur in that opinion. If one of these persons is a Clergyman, the Court will certify, and they will also certify the character and standing of the other persons giving such certificates.
  The traditionary evidence of service is deemed very important, in the absence of any direct proof, except the declaration of the party. And the Courts are requested to be very particular in the enquiry whether the belief is general, and whether any doubts have ever existed upon the subject.
  Applicants unable to appear in Court, by reason of bodily infirmity, may make the declaration before required, and submit to the examination, before a Judge or Justice of a Court of Record of the proper county , and the Judge or Justice will execute the duties, which the Court is herein requested to perform, and will also certify that the applicant cannot, from bodily infirmity, attend the Court.
  Whenever any official act is required to be done by a Judge or Justice of a Court of Record, or by a Justice of the Peace, the certificate of the Secretary of State or Territory, or of the proper Clerk of the Court or County, under his seal of office, will be annexed, stating that such a person is a Judge or Justice of a Court of Record, or a Justice of the Peace, and that the signature annexed is his genuine signature.
  No payments can be made on account of the services of any person, who may have died before the taking effect of the act of June 7, 1832; and in case of death subsequent thereto, and before the declaration herein required is made, the parties interested will transmit such evidence as they can procure, taken and authenticated before a Court. of Record, showing the service of the deceased, the period of his death, the opinion of the neighborhood respecting such services, the title of the claimant, and the opinion of the Court upon the whole matter.

  [a] The declarant must appear in open Court, unle
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REVOLUTIONARY WAR RECORDS SECTION. 
3-525
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR,
BUREAU OF PENSIONS.
Washington, D. C., May 25, 1921

In reply to your request of __________, received_____ for a statement of the military history of [underlined: Jos. Pyatt] a soldier of the REVOLUTIONARY WAR, you will find below the desired information as contained in his (or his widow's) application for pension on file in this Bureau. 
S. 8986 -
[column headings: DATES OF ENLISTMENT OR APPOINTMENT. LENGTH OF SERVICE. RANK. OFFICERS UNDER WHOM SERVICE WAS RENDERED. CAPTAIN. COLONEL. STATE.]
1776. 6 Mos. Min M[illegible]. Peter Perkins. Christie. Va
Mar. or Apr. 1777. 9 or 10 Mos. Pvt. Dooley - Stark, & Billio.  Ga
2 mos. served as guard for Gen. Cadwallader Jones. Va.
1781. 6 wks.  Gen Lawson. "
Battles engaged in, In Cherokee Indian Expedition
Residence of soldier at enlistment, Pittsylvania Co., Va
Date of application for pension, Apr 22, 1833. cl. al. 
Residence at date of application, Burke Co., N.C.
Age at date of application, b. 1755 in Warwickshire, England.
Remarks: No fam. data
Respectfully, 
Commissioner.
6-2856
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1
921, May 25 hist-Lo-W. Thos,        Reoham      8986
smith-eu.                                               INVALID   
                                                       File No.    8986
                                                Joseph Pyatt      
                                                 Priv. Rev. War

                                                Act: June 7th 1832
                                            Index:- Vol. 102, Page 304
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State of North Carolina.  4th day of September
Burke County                       1833
(6)    Personally appered before me, the undersigned
a justice of the Peace for the county of
Burke & State of North Carolina Joseph
Pyatt who being duly sworn according to
laws or his oath deporath saith that
lak=ck of meaning
\by reason of old age, & the consequent
loss of memory, he cannot Swear positive
Grar as to the precise length of
but accordingly to the hot___ for his  recollection\he____send, 
below, and in the following GRADES. For 6
month in 1776 a private,      in the Spring
2 monthy in George Davis, place in 19-81--
Six weeks.  In place of Saruued in1781,
all the time a private leaderlafder
Lues quarter Master Geberal
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State of North Carolina
        Burke County

            I James Erwin Clerk of the Court of [P ????] & quarter legion for the County of Burke & State of North Carolina do hereby certify that Thomas Walton who has made the foregoing certificate & is an acting justice of the peace for the County of Burke & State of North Carolina & that X that [-] is signed in his own proper hand writing.
                 Given under My hand and
                 Seal of office this 7th day
                 September 1833. 

                                 P E [????]
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State of North Carolina   This 24th January
      Burke County              1834

                                      This day Joseph Pyatt
came before me Thomas Walton _____________
justice of the peace for said county and made oath that he served in the american service
in the year 1776 that he never joined the main army at all. that he rendezvoued at a place called
Batchelor Hall from [?] marched tp Petersburgh, then to [?] & [?] to James town, [?] to Williamsburgh & from there marched to little York under Captain Peter Perkins all this time : & then we were marched opposite to [G???] Island where the main army was on the opposite side. we then guarded the shore until Lord Dunmore left at some time in August of the same year. we then marched home & from thence under Col Christie against the Cherokees to the overhill towns. X got home & were discharged on the 22nd day of December the same year. was a minute man enlisted under Captain Christie; discharged by Col Christie: [?] [?] the [?] service he can say no more than that he served Major Habersham of the Georgia line: X  Col Elbert, I served in the militia in the Place of Genge [Do??] under
             for 2 months
General Cadwalader & in the Peace of [?] [?]
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[L---] [S----] in the Brigade of General Laawson for 6 weeks & discharged 2 weeks before Cornwallises Surrender my time being out no [?] [?] to prove the service Sworn to and Subscribed Joseph Pyatt
this 24th January 1834
ThoWalton JP



State of N Carolina
       Burke County
                I  J L Edward Clerk of the Court of Plan & quarter [???] for the County of Burke, do hereby certify that Thomas Walton whom signature (line through signature) certificate is above is and was at the of making the same a Justice of the Pease and a magistrate of this court. that the same is in his own proper hand & [???]

In testimony whereof & hereunto set my hand and afex (affix) the seal of Office at Office this 30 January 1834
                   J L Edward
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                                 Department of War
                                      Pension Office
                                     October 8 - 1833

Sir:
   The claim of Joseph Pyatt has again been exam:
ined and is again returned.
    His claim for 6 months service over minute man, still requires further explanation he must show distinctly what the nature of the service was and the place or places where it was performed.- bearing in mind that being a minute man gives no claim to the applicant
[???] he was called such and joined to the Army of the United States in actual service.
    As the applicant name cannot be found upon the rolls, he will be be required to prove the 9 months service, if in his powers.
                       I am  respectfully
                           Mr: off: servant
                              J L Edward
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(Stamped words in an oval that is upside down)

                            RECORD
                        MAY 10 1921
                           DIVISION
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2 Postage Stamped Env rec'd [???]

Rev Sep (underlined hand written sideway) CW

             IMPERIAL HOTEL. EVANSVILLE, INDIANA
                      MAY 7, 1921
BEREAU OF PENSIONS
REVOLUTIONARY WAR DEPARTMENT
       WASHINGTON, D.C.
IN RE JOSEPH PYATT, PENSIONER, NORTH CAROLINA. I see in Colonial Records of North Carolina above party was a Pensioner. I wish to know the names and addresses of him and all relatives as shown by the records in your file. Kindly let me what the cost of securing this information is and I will remit. Thanking you in advance, I am.
                          Yours truly,
                        W. Thos. Smith