Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty Land Warrant Application File S. 3136, Joseph Cathcart, S.C.
Page 1

(3 - 1776)
SERVICE
S. C.
Cathcart, Joseph
NUMBER
S. 3136
Carded
CONTENTS
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19058
East Tennessee
Joseph Cathcart
of Monroe in the State of Tennessee
who was a private in the company commanded
by Captain Francis of the regiment commanded
by Col Winn in the S Carolina
line for 1 year
Inscribed on the Roll of East Tennessee
at the rate of 40 Dollars - Cents per annum.
to commence on the 4th day of March, 1831
Certificate of Pension issued the 2 day of Aug
and sent to J A
Coffin Madisonville
Arrears to the 4th of March 80.00
Semi-anl. allowance ending 4 Sep 20.00
-
-
$100.00
{Revolutionary Claim,
Act June 7, 1832.}
Recorded by Dan Boyd Clerk,
Book E Vol. 7 
Page 39

Dead
Letter  to Thomas Green 
Auditor, 14 Nov. 1846
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13.548.
Joseph Cathcart
Direct the certificate to
J. A. Coffin
Madisonville
E. Tens
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Pension Declaration
State of Tennessee
Monroe County
On this 20 day of September 1832 personally
 appeared in open Court, before the Justices of
the Court of Pleas and Quarter Sessions now sitting Joseph Cathcart a resident of the said County and State aged 85 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 7. 1832
That he was born in Ireland, and came to the U.S.
and settled in York County Penna in 1773, in 1778 he moved to
Fairfield So Ca where he shortly after joined the Militia in
Capt John Thurners Company Col Jno Winn's Regiment, under Genl
Sumpter, the first service he did was, that he was marched in
said Turners company to one Caldwell where tories and British were
collected, and had an engagement with them and took them,
(which was about 20 miles below York C. House.) He went on
with the prisoners as for as Hill Iron works when he returned 
home with the company, still however in service, and daily on
the watch, for the Country was full of British or Tories, there
being but those whigs in the neighborhood in whom I could
confide. A few days after he reached home a company of
tories under command of Capt. Rogers took him to Camden about 40
miles, charging him being a rebel spy. When he was taken to Camden
 there was one Capt. Smith, (a tory, but a neighbor of applicant) who took his part and had his trial brot on one day
when the witnesses were absent, which saved his life. While he was
confined in Camden Genl Sumpter (having hand of his confinement
by one James Boyd said he would give two men in exchange for
him. for the charge of spying could have been sustained, as Genl Sumpter had
himself appointed applicant as a spy his position being favor
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able for the purpose, and whigs being scarce in that quarter
He acted as a spy till the end of the war, nearly two years
and lost all his property being considerable, with the enception of two cows which were in the wood. He was in
gaged in various [illegible] and skirmishes of which
he cannot now give a minute account, as it is long since they occurred, and his memory has failed in a great degree. He was when on the watch and immediately
between the adverse parties, again taken prisoner by the 
tories but a liberty party rescued him a few
days afterward. In the summer, not long before the surrender of Cornwallis, he writ out for the last time
in the same company he had been in uniformly before (Capt. Turner's) and was at a battle at the taking
of a fort on the Congane. He can sometimes remember the name of the fort, but cannot now. The British
and tories stacked their arms and surrendered. They
marched the prisoners off he forgets where and this
Applicant cannot at this time tell how often he writ out or how long at each time, but he considered
himself in active and dangruous service and indeed in
constant service for one year; and if the time he
acted as spy under Genl Sumpters command be
taken into account, which was highly dangerous and difficult, he was in service more than two years.
He has no documentary evidence and there is no
person by whom he can prove any service by him rendered
so far as he knows he hereby relinquishes every claim whatever
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to a pension or [illegible] except the present and declares that his name is not on the Pension roll of the Agency of any state. There is no clergyman living in his neighborhood, whom [crossed out] he therefore procures a justice of the peace in his stead.
Sworn to and subscribed,
the day and year aforesaid
Wm. L. Callaway Clerk
---
Joseph Cathcart [X mark]

The William Upton a Justice of the Peace & William Montgomery a [crossed out] Citizens of Monroe County Tennessee, and [crossed out] hereby certify that we are well acquainted with Joseph Cathcart who has subscribed and sworn to the above declaration, that we believe him to be 85 years of age; that he is reputed and believed in the neighborhood where he resides to have been a soldier of the revolution, and that we concur in that opinion.
William Upton
Wm Montgomery
Sworn to and subscribed, the
day and year aforesaid
Wm. L. Callaway Clk
And the said Court do hereby declare their opinion, after the investigation of the matter, and after putting the interrogations prescribed by the War Department, that the above named applicant was a revolutionary soldier, and served as he states. And the Court further certifies, that, that it appears to them that William Upton who has signed the preceding certificate is a justice of the peace for Monroe County aforesaid and that William Montgomery a citizen of said county who has also signed the same is a resident of said County and is a credible person and that their statement is entitled to credit
Tho P. Caldwell
Wm. Bayles
John Moondel
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I William S Callaway Clerk of the County Court of Monroe County do hereby certify that the foregoing contains the original proceedings of the said Court in the matter of the application of Joseph Cathcart for a pension.
In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand and private Seal having no Seal of office in Madisonville September the 20th 1832
Wm. S. Callaway Clerk
[hand-drawn seal]

I, H. L. White Senator in Congress, certify that I verily believe the above to be the genuine signature of Wm. S. Callaway, who was at the above date Clerk of the said court.
H. S. White
June 8th 1833

[vert. text bottom right]
Joseph Cathcart
13.548
Please direct to
James A. Coffin
Madisonville
Monroe County
E. Ten.
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State of Tennessee
Monroe County
Personally appeared before the Subscriber a Justice of the peace for said County of Monroe Joseph Cathcart, who being duly sworn deposeth and saith, that he is the identical individual who made the declaration hereunto attached, before the Court of Pleas & Quarter Sessions, on the 20th day of September 1832, to which he now makes the following
Amended Declaration;
That he was born in Ireland, in as he believes, the month of May A.D. 1768. He has no record of his age. When he was called into Service he resided in Fairfield District So. Carolina, and volunteered each time. He never received, nor applied for any discharge - He states that the following persons are, at present his neighbors, and can testify as to his integrity, and their belief in his services as a soldier of the revolution viz - Michael Naer, Alexander Mullins, Aaron Dean, & Hiram Defrize - 
The period applicant served in the war was the three last years of the Revolution. He was more than two years in service, and, was in the last battle fought in the South - at the taking of the fort on the Congaree River. - He resided in South Carolina ever since the Revolution, until A. D. 1814, when he moved into Knox County Tenn, where he lived till 9 years ago, when he moved into said Monroe County where he now resides. -
Sworn to and subscribed
before me this 18th May 1833.
---
Joseph Cathcart

William James
Justice of the Peace
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I, W. S. Callaway Clerk of the Court of Pleas & Quarter Session, for Monroe County, in the State of Tennessee, do certify that William James before whom the foregoing amended declaration was made, was at the date of the same an acting Justice of the Peace in and for said County of Monroe, and that his name as subscribed to the same is his genuine signature.
Given under my hand, and private seal, (having none official) at office, in Madisonville, June 5th - 1833 -
Wm. S. Callaway Clerk
[hand-drawn seal]

I. H. L. White U.S. Senator, certify that I verily believe the above to be the genuine signature of Wm. S. Callaway who was, at the date above, clerk of the Said Court.
Hu. L. White
June 8th, 1833.
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No. 13548
Joseph Cathcart

from 1778 private 1 year $40 [crossed out]

from 1778 private
1 yr 10/16.17
$40

J.A. Coffin
Madisonville  E. Tene.
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BRIEF in the case of Joseph Cathcart of the County of Monroe in the State of Tenn.
(Act 7th June, 1832.)
1. Was the declaration made before a Court or a Judge? Court
2. If before a Judge, does it appear that the applicant is disabled by bodily infirmity?
3. How old is he? 85 years
4. State his service, as directed in the form annexed.

[table: four column headings]
Period. | Duration of Service. | Rank. | Names of General and Field Officers under whom he served.

In 1778 at various times | 1 year - months - days | As a Private | Col. Jno. Winn, Capt Frances
---
5. In what battles was he engaged? on the Congaree
6. Where did he reside when he entered the service? Fairfield S.C.
7. Is his statement supported by living witnesses, by documentary proof, by traditionary evidence, by incidental evidence, or by the rolls? tradition
8. Are the papers defective as to form or authentication? and if so, in what respect? Regular
I Certify that the foregoing statement and the answers agree with the evidence in the case above mentioned.
Sevin Belt
Examining Clerk.
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Rev War
3136
INVALID.
File No. 3136
Joseph Cathcart
Pvt. S.C. line
Act: June 7th /32
Index: - Vol. A, Page 57
[Arrangement of 1870.]
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No. 13.548
Joseph Cathcart

J. A. Coffin Esqr.
Madisonville  E Ten
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BRIEF objections to the admission of Pension Claims, of which those
answered in the negative, in red ink, will apply to the claim of
Joseph Cathcart
which require further proof or explanation.
I. Does the declaration show where the applicant resides? Yes
II. Did the declarant make the declaration in the county where he resides? Yes
-
III. If the applicant did not make the declaration in the county where he resides, is there any reason assigned for his not doing so?
IV. Has the declarant mentioned the period or periods of the war when he served [illegible]
V. Has he mentioned with precision the length of his service, and the different grades in which he served, in language so definite as to enable the department to determine to what amount of pension he is entitled? yes
VI. Has he given the names of the officers under whom he served, in conformity with the regulations?
yes
VII. Has he made a relinquishment of every claim to any other pension than the one under the Act of
June 7, 1832? yes
VII. Has the Court given their opinion? yes
IX. Has the Clerk given his certificate? Yes
X. Is the Clerk's seal affixed? And if so, has it a device or inscription by which it can be distinguished from any ofhter deal? No


X. Is the Clerk's seal affixed? And if so, has it a device or inscription by which it can be distinguished
from any other seal? No
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2
XI. Has the applicant obtained the evidence of a clergyman and another respectable citizen as to their belief respecting his age and the general belief in his neighborhood relative to his revolutionary service? yes
XII. If the clergyman's affidavit has not been produced, is there any reason assigned for not obtaining it?
XIII. If the applicant has no documentary evidence, and has not obtained the testimony of at least one living witness, has he stated in his declaration that such proof cannot be had? Yes
XIV. If the applicant's name is not found on the rolls of military service, has he produced a witness or witnesses as to his service? [illegible]
If he has produced direct proof as to service, has the magistrate who administered the oath,
certified to the credibility of the witness or witnesses?
Has the proper officer certified to the official character and signature of the magistrate as the regulations direct?
XV. Does it appear from any of the papers that the witness was in such a situation, or of such an age, as to have a personal knowledge of the applicant's service?
XVI. Are the papers authenticated as the regulations direct? No
XVII. Are the seven interrogatories prescribed by the War Department answered satisfactorily? And, if not, which of them is not so answered? no
EXPLANATORY NOTES.
QUERE V. In a case where the applicant cannot, by reason of the loss of memory, state precisely how
long he served, he should amend his declaration by making an affidavit in the following words:
"Personally appeared before me, the undersigned, a Justice of the Peace, &c. A. B. who, being
duly sworn, deposeth and saith, that, by reason of old age, and the consequent loss of memory, he
cannot swear positively as to the precise length of his service, but according to the best of his recollection he served not less than the periods mentioned below, and in the following grades; For ------year --------months, and --- days, I served as a -----. For --------months 
and -----------days, I served as a --------; and for such service I claim a pension.
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It is important in all cases to determine with precision the period for which each applicant served,
and the particular rank he held, as the law directs the pension to be paid according to the grade of the
pensioner and the length of his service. The use of the phrase about three or four months is too indefinite, and all such qualifying expressions are objectionable. Some persons who apply for pensions
merely state they served two years in the militia, &c. without specifying the tours; the names of the
officers, and other particulars respecting their service. This form of a declaration is highly objection
able. It must in every case be clearly shewn under what officers the applicant served; the duration
of each term of engagement; the particular place or places where the service was performed; that the
applicant served with an embodied corps called into service by competent authority; that he was either
in the field or in garrison; and for the time during which the service was performed, he was not employed in any civil pursuit.
QUERE XIV. Proof of Service.
In a case where the name of the applicant is not found on the records of the Department, he must prove his service by two credible witnesses, who are required to set forth in their affidavits the time of
the claimants entering the service, and the time and manner of his leaving the same, as well as the regiment, company, and line to which he belonged. The magistrate who may administer the oaths
must certify to the credibility of the witnesses, and the official character and signature of the magistrate
must be certified by the proper officer, under his seal of office.
QUERE XVI. Mode of authenticating papers.
In every instance where the certificate of the certifying officer who authenticates the papers is not written on the same sheet of paper which contains the affidavit, or other paper authenticated, the certificate
must be attached thereto by a piece of tape or narrow ribbon, the ends of which must pass
under the seal of office of the certifying officer, so as to prevent any paper from being improperly attached to the certificate.
In every case where the clerk of the court, or other certifying officer, has no public seal of
office, the certificate of a member of congress, proving the official character and signature of the certifying officer, should accompany the papers.