Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty Land Warrant Application File S. 5496, James Harrison, Va.
Page 1

Harrison, James
Number: 5496
Page 2

-Virgina 16176
-Harrison... in the State of Virginia who was a ... in the combat commanded by Captain Sheton of the ... commanded by ..... in the Virginia ...
-Inscribed on the Roll of Virginia at the rate of 30 Dollars.... commence on the 4th day of March, 1834
-Certificate of Pension issued on the 16th day of July 33
Page 3

Rockbridge County}
State of Virginia} Sept 3d 1832
On this day personally appeared in open Court, now sitting, said Court, being a Court of Record for the County of Rockbridge, James Harrison, a resident in sd [said] County & State, aged 76 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 into the service of the United States, under the following named officers, and served as herein stated. 
This applicant states that he marched from said County of Rockbridge (then Bottetourt [Botetourt] County as a volunter [volunteer], sometime in the fall of 1777, under Capt. John Paxon then of sd [said] County now dead, to Point Pleasant, against the Shawnie [Shawnee] Indians, that his company rendesvoused [rendezvoused] in sd [said] County at Capt. William Paxtons, in this County near the North River, and about one week afterwards, marched to Capt. John Paxtons, near Lexington, thence through Colliers Town in sd  [said] County, on to Capt. Donallys Fort, in Greenbrier, and thence to Point Pleasant, and met there, after this applicant had arrived, General Hand, from Pittsburgh, whilst there this applicant, witnessed the death of Cornstalk [Chief Keigh-tugh-qua Hokolesqua Cornstalk], the Shawanee [Shawnee] Indian King, and his son Ellenepsico [Elinipsico], and two of his warriors, Red Hawk and Petallo. This applicant can not recollect the length of time he served in this tour. he can only say that he went early in the fall, from his recollection, and from his having slept comfortably in open Barns, when he started, and that he returned a short time before Christmas. he states that when General Hand arrived at Point Pleasant, and found the Indians, already mentioned, slain, and concluding that the weather was too cold to go on against the Indian towns, and on account of a lack of provision, he disbanded the men. Col. Dickinson, from Bath, and Col. Skillern from Bottetort [Botetourt] on James River, both now dead, were officers in this expedition. For evidence of his serving in this expedition, he can refer to no living witness in this County, within his knowledge.
He was discharged by Col. Dickinson from this tour of service,
Page 4

which discharge he has lost - This applicant further States [that crossed out] that he marched from the County of Amherst in said State, drafted as a militia man, under Capt. Shelton, then of Amherst, and now dead, in the spring or summer of 1779, to Albemarle Barracks to guard the British prisoners, the chief commander at the Barracks, was Col. Taylor from Orange. This Tour of service was three months. he received a discharge in this tour, which he has lost. The only evidence, within his knowledge of his having served in this Tour is Capt. John Ware, whose testimony he is now unable to procure, by reason of his absence from the Country. 
This applicant further States, that in his next tour of service, he served three months, was drafted as a Militia man, sometime, he thinks in the winter of the same year 1779. and marched from Amherst, under Capt. Ambrose Rucker, to Albemarle Barracks, Col. Taylor from Orange, was till commander at the Barracks. 
This applicant farther states that in the June following, in the year 1780, about the time Tarlton was about Richmond and Charlottesville, he was called out by Hugh Rose, Col. of Amherst County, to exchange British Prisoners at James Town, and to deliver Deserters from the American ranks then at New Loudon in Bedford County, State of Virginia, to American recruiting officers, he stated that he was above six months engaged in this business, he was also engaged six months longer in Patrolling the County twice a Week, to detect any effort on the part of the tories to disaffect the negroes. This applicant further States that he was born in Culpepper County State of Virginia, the 4th Sept. 1755, the year of Braddocks defeat, he has a record of his age, he was living in the County of Amherst, sd. State when called into service, and for the last 20 years has been living in the sd. [said] County of Rockbridge. This applicant refers to Jefferson Crawford, & Adam Hickman of his neighbourhood [neighborhood] for evidence in his behalf. 
He hereby relinquished every claim whatever to a Pension or annuity, except the present & declares that his name is not on the Pension roll of the Agency of any State--
Sworn to and subscribed the day and year above written - 
[signed] James Harrison
Page 5

No 22018
James Harrison Va
Return J
Admit as private 9 mo $30
12 Reg services
Samuel McD Recd
Clerk Rockbridge Co And Va
Page 6

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 necessiary to be done. These points to which your attention is 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.
Page 7

-Regulations Under the Act of June 7, 1832
Page 8

Document
Page 9

INVALID

James Harrison 
June ...
Page 10

In behalf of James Harrison's widow by ...

-Department of the Interior, Pension Office, Official Business
Page 11

James Harrison 22018
Page 12

We Jefferson Crawford and Adam Hickman, residing in sd. County of Rockbridge, hereby certify, that we are well acquainted with James Harrison, who has sworn to and subscribed the above declaration, that we belive him to be 76 years of age, that he is reputed and believed in the neighbourhood where he resides, to have been a revolutionary soldier. that no doubts, to our knowledge have ever existed upon the subject, and that we concur in that opinion; we further certify, that, from our intimate acquaintance with sd applicant, we believe him incapable of making any statement, but that which he believes to be strictly true.. Sworn to and subscribed the day and year above written. 
[signed] Jefferson Crawford
[signed] Adam Hickman

Virginia
At Rockbridge County court September 3rd 1832
The declaration of James Harrison together with the affidavits of Jefferson Crawford and Adam Hickman of which the foregoing are true copies were produced in court and severally sworn to and subscribed in open court - and the said court declared their opinion after investigating 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 court further certified that Jefferson Crawford and Adam Hickman who singed the preceeding certificate are residents of this county and are creditable persons, and that their statements are entitled to credit -- 
In testimony whereof I Samuel Mc D Reid Clerk of the said county court have hereto subscribed my name and affixed the seal of said county this 4th Day of September 1832 and in the 57th year of the commonwealth
[signed] Saml McD Reid
Page 13

James Harrison
amended declaration
Page 14

Rockbridge County}
State of Virginia} to wit
Personally appeared before me James Johnston-- a Justice of the Peace for the County aforesaid, James Harrisson of sd County, and applicant for a Pension, who being first duly sworn [saith crossed out] deposeth and saith, that by reason old age and a consequent loss of memory he cannot state particularily [illegible] as to the precise length of his service, but according to the best of his recollection he served not less than the period mentioned blow, and in the following grades. He served in his first tour of service in the Fall of 1777 as mentioned in his Declaration Three months / he will only claim for this amount, although he believes he served longer but not being able to recollect how much longer he served, he only claims for 3 months in this tour / He further states that he servd as a pivate in the spring and Summer of 1779 as mentioned in his Declaration Three months -- He further states that he served as a private in the Winter of the same year Three months as mentioned in his Declaration -- He further states that in the spring & summer of the year 1780. he served as a Private Six months as mentioned in his Declaration -- He states that he was engaged Six months in patrolling his County, alleged in his Declaration. He states that he served in all Twenty one months including the time of six months in exchanging Prisoners and six months in patrolling his County. For this period of service he claims a pension (but if the patrolling Tour of Six months be not allowed, he claims for the residue.
Given under my hand this 3d June 1837
[signed] James Johnston J P
Page 15

State of Virginia}
Rockbridge County} sct
I Samuel McD Reid Clerk of the court of said county do hereby certify that James Johnston Gentleman whose genuine signature appears to the within affidavit of James Harrison now is and was at the date thereof an acting Justice of the peace in and for said county duly commissioned and qualified and that all his official acts are entitled to full faith and credit --
[white paper attached to left margin of page]
In testimony whereof I have hereunto subscribed my name and affixe dthe seal of said County this 22nd Day of June 1833 and in the 57th year of the commonwealth --
[signed] Saml McD. Reid