Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty Land Warrant Application File S.2,973., Thomas Bell, N.C.

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Bell, Thomas  S 2973
Carded
Contents:
Alive in 1825

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West Tenn... (paper is torn here)
Thomas Bell
Montgomery in the state of Tennessee who was a private in the (illegible) commanded by Captain White of the regt commanded by Col Caswell in the N. Carolina for 6 months. 
Inscribed on the roll of West Tenn in the rate of 20 dollars 0 cents per annum commence on the 4th day of March, 1831.
Certificate of Pension issued the 7 day of Dec..ber
1833 and ___ Johnson 1676
years to the 4th of Sept 20.00
Semi-an. allowance ending 4 March 10.00
$60.00
Revolutionary claim Act June 7, 18
ecorded by Dan Boyd
ook E Vol. 7 page73
Leu. Tom H. Smith may 10/52

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28.323
Thomas Ball 
Tennessee Montgomery Co
e. J. m
From 1780 private
16months $20
West
Hon. Johnson N.R.

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War Department; Pension Office
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. These points to which your attention is more particularly directed, you will find marked in the margin with a brakes (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 facility the investigation of your claim.  You will, when you return your papers to this Department, send this printed letter with them; and you will, by compling with this request, greatly facilitate the investigation of your claim.
A Statement, showing the service of Thomas Bell.
Period when service was rendered
Duration of Service
Rank of Claimant
Name and rank of field officers under whom he service
Age at present and place of abode when he entered service
Proof by which the declaration is supported 
1780 3 month pr Capt White, Col Caswell 72N..C Meditionary
1781 3 months Pr Capt Sherson
enlisted
1781 to oct 1781 period not stated Col. State
Not on Rolls
I am, respectfully, Your obedient servant, James L. Edwards, Commissioner of Pensions

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Regulations under the act of June 7, 1832
The following regulations have been adopted:
This law has been construed to extend, as well 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 to 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. 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 departement, all persons claiming the benefit of this law as officers, non-commissioned officers, mucicians or privtes, 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.

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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 stated will afford one of the principal
means of corroborating the declaration of the applicant, if true, or of detecting the imposition, if one be at-
lempted ; and unless, therefore, these are amply and cleariv set forth, no favorable decision can be ex-
pected. 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 Voluntears, except the Militia 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 itP
S. Where were you living when called'into service; where have you lived since the Revolutionary
war, and where do you now live?
4. How were you called into service; were you drafted, did you volunteer, or were you a substitute?
And if a substitute, for whom?
5. State the names of 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.
To a Soldier.
Did you ever receive a discharge from the service, and if so, by whom was it giv-
6.
en, and what has become of it?
To an Officer.
Did you ever receive a commission, and if so, by whom was it signed, and what
has become of itP
7. State the names of persons to whom you are known in your present neighborhood, and who can tes-
tify 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 applicant.
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 lives in the immediate vicinity of such applicant, who can 1estify, from
their 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 so certify, and they will also certify to the character
and standing of 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
inquiry 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 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 ma le on account of the services of any person, who may have died before
the taking effect of the act of June T. 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 pro-
cure, taken and authenticated before a Court of Record, showing the services 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.
la) The declarant must appear 111 open Court, unicas prevented from doing so by reason of bodily infirmity in which case the declarant will_fol-
low the rule laid down for his guidunee.
(1) The declarant must make bis declaration in the county where he resides. If The should fail to do so, he must assign a suflicient reason for not
conforming to the rule.
(c) The age of the claimant must invoriably be mentioned.
d The declarant must mention the period or periods of the war when he served.
c)
Every continental oficer or soldier must give the name of the Colonel under whom he served; otherwise n satisfactory examination of the
claim
cannot be had. Every claimant mu-t state, 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 umount of pension he is entitled. In case where the applicant cannot, by reason of the
loss
of
memory, state precisely how long he served. lie should amend his declaration by making an affidavitir the following words:
"
Per rsonally appeared before mc. 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 03 to the precise length of his service; but, according to the best of his
recollection, he served not lese than the periods mentioned below and in the following grades:-For year
months, and
days, I served as a
For months and days, served as and for such service I claim a pension."
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 gradeof the petsioner 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 that they served two years
in
the objectionable. It must, in every case, be clearly shown under what officers the applicant served: the duration of each term of engagement
militia, &c. without specifying the thurs,the names of the oflicers, and other particulare respecting their service. This form of a declaration is
the highly particular place or places where the service was performed; that the applicant served with ar embodied corps called into service by competent au-
thority 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.
If
The law makes the relinquishment indispeusable.
The opinion of the Court is always required.
h
The Clerk must give his certificate in every case.
The Clerk must affix his seal, and if it has no device or inscription by which it can be distinguished from any other scal, or if he has no pub-
lic seal of office, the certificate of a Memb or of Congress, proving the official character and signature of the certifying officer, should accompany the
papers.
Mode of authenticating papers.
In the every affidavit, or other papers authenticated, the certificate must be attached thereto by a piece of tape or narrow ribbon, the ends of which
instance where the certificate of the certifying officer who authenticates the papers is not written on the same sheet of paper which con-
must
tains pass under the seal of office of the certifying officer, to as to prevent any paper from being improperly attached to the certificate.
Proof of Service.
1j1 In n case where the name of the applicant is not found on the records of the Department, he must prove his service by two credible witnessses
who are required company, to and line to which he belonged. The magistrate who may administer the oaths must certify to the credibility of the wit-
set forth in their affidavits the time of the claimant's entering the service, and the time and manner of his leaving the same, as well
nesses, as the regiment, the official character and signature of the magistrate must be certified by the proper officer, under his seal of office.
17 and The notes from [a] to (i) are equally applicable to the cases of Militia men, Volunteers and State Troops. The proof required by rulein
note U applies to continental troops ouly.
121 This raditionary evidence is indispensable in militia cases.
111 The answers to the interrogatories must all be written, aud sent to the War Department with the declaration
a witness caunot be found. the declarant must state the fact.
}

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Mr. Hill will please to give a copy in the one
The applicant and will be satisfied with a pension for his services as a militia man for six months. 
E. Johnson

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State of Tennessee Montgomery County
This twenty first day of October in the ear of our lord one thousand eight hundred & thirty three. Thos Bell a citizen of Montgomery county aged 72 years personally appeared before the county court of Montgomery and being duly sworn upon his oath make the following declaration in order to obtain a pension under the Act of 1382 passed the 7th of June as follows that he was born the 3rd of January 1761 in Warren County state of North Carolina as has been informed by his parents believes he has no record of his age & never had - that he continued to reside there until the commencement of the Revolutionary war - that he entered the services of the United States as a drafted militia man in the year 1777 or 1778 under Capt. White in a regiment commanded by Col. Caswell for a tour of three months & was marched into South Carolina toward Camden & was in the neighbourhood of Camden when the battle took place guarding prisoners during the time of the batle - he thinks Genl Gates commanded at the battle that the British went successfully in the battle - after the three months service expended he was discharged returned home - he was then drafted three months was under the service of the U.S. on a company commanded by Capt. Moses Sherron - and marched in the company to Hillsborough & his company was attached to a regiment commanded by some Col. whose name he does not now recollect & who was a stranger to him & also by Maj. Johnson & was in the brigade commanded by Genl Eaton at the battle of Guilford County House after the defeat the company of Capt. Sherron or a great part of there met at Ramseys Mill & continued with his company until the expiration of his term of service _ he then enlisted in the regular service for one year he thinks but does not recollect the length of him or the officer under when he served but was in service when Cornwallis was outrun and was stationed at William Rutherford (?) after the taking of Cornwallis he was discharged - he recieved discharge for all the time served by him but thinking them of no importance. They have long since lost his discharge

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he continued to reside in Warren until he removed to Tennessee in 1819 or 1820 & settled himself in Montgomery County where he has ever since resided – he is not on the pension roll of the agency of any state & hereby relinquishes the claim whole to any pension remaining from the United States Gov the on provided by the law of 1832. 
Thomas Bell Sworn
Sworn to & subscribed in open court 21 Jan 1833 Andrew Vance

State of Tennessee Montgomery County
William Shaw clergyman of the county of Roberton & in the same neighborhood of Thom Bell of Greenville Nicholson personally appeared in open court & hereof duly sworn deposeth & says that they have been many years acquainted with Thomas Bell the applicant for a pension that they believe him to be seventy two years old as stated in the declaration & that he has the reputation with the neighborhood which he resides of having been a revolutionary soldier & they concur in that opinion. 
William Shaw
G. Nicholson

And the said county court after a magistration of the mater & putting them in negotiations major had by the war department certify that they are of an opinion that the same Thomas Bell was a soldier of the Revolution & that he served as stated in the above declaration. The court also certifies that William Shaw is a clergyman in want of the county of Robertson adjoining Montgomery and in the neighborhood of Thomas Bell.

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And that said Greenville Nicholson is a citizen living in the same neighbourhood & are both credible persons & that their testimony given with full credit – written by my hand & sealed this 21st day of October 1833. Williams.
Am. Rogers
Abner Gupton

State of Tennessee Montgomery County
I Andrew Vance clerk of the county court of Montgomery certify that the proceeding in the in the previous application of Thos Bell for a pension before the county court of Montgomery is in open court the 21st Oct 1833
In testimony whereof I have hereto set my hand & affixed the seal of my office at Clarkmadle this 21st October 1833
Andrew Vance

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Pg 11
Thomas Bell
S. 2973
BA—J/AWF
Mrs. A.J. Berger
Box 379
Arkansas City, Kansas
Dear Madam: 
The data furnished herein were obtained from papers in pension claim, S. 2973, based upon the service of Thomas Bell in the Revolutionary War. Thomas Bell was born January 3, 1761 in Warren County, North Carolina. The names of his parents were not stated. While residing in Warrant County, North Carolina, Thomas Bell enlisted and served as a private with the North Carolina troops, as follows – In the year 1777 or 1778, three months in Captain White’s company, Colonel Caswell’s regiment; three months in Captain Moses Sherron’s company, dates of this service not given; in 1761, about one year, was in service when Cornwallis was taken and was discharged immediately after, names of officers not shown. Thomas Bell continued to live in Warren County, until in the year 1819 or 1820, the moved to Montgomery County, Tennessee. He was allowed pension on his application executed, October 21, 1833, at which time he was a resident of Montgomery County, Tennessee. The papers in this claim contain no reference to

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the family of the soldier, Thomas Bell. In order to obtain the date of last payment of pension, name and address of the person paid, and possibly the date of death of this pensioner, you should apply to the Comptroller General, General Accounting Office, Records Division, Washington, D.C. and give the following
Thomas Bell
Certificate 25188
Issued December 7, 1833
Rate $20.00 per annum
Commenced March 4, 1831
Act of June 7, 1832
West Tennessee Agency.
Very truly yours
A.D. Hiller
Executive Assistant to the Administrator

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1922 Sept 23 hist to Mrs. Geneva Allen – Ew
1927, Oct 8 hist to store E.E. Eslick for P.H. Crueler see letting in Samuel Bell S. 6598 AWS
1937 Feb 9 hist to Mrs. A.J. Berger AWS
2973 Invalid
File N. 2973 Thomas Bell Priv N.C. Line
Act: June 7732
Index: Vol A, Page 26
Arrangement of 1870

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J.S. Edwards Esq
Com. of Pensions
War Department

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Hon Ralph 4th Dec
Dear Sir,
I suppose the applicant will be entitled to a pension, 6 mons which he efficiently stated in the declaration than make an endorsement in accordingly
Your friend
C. Johnson

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Harriman, Tenn. 8/24/22
Commissioner of Pensions, Washington, D. C. 
Revolutionary War Division.
Dear Sir: - Won’t you please send me the pension records, and all data pertaining to heir families you have in your office, regarding the following Revolutionary Pensioners? William Bell, Sumner Co. Tenn. Pension began 11/28/1832, age85. Thomas bell, Montgomery Co. Tenn. Pension began 12/7/1933, age 73.
I will appreciate it ff you can forward these records right away. 
Very truly yours, Geneva Allen, Mrs. Geneva Allen,
Box 336.

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Kansas Daughters of the American Revolution
Box 379
Arkansas City, Kansas January 20, 1937
Veterans Administration, Bureau of Pensions, Revolutionary War Section, Washington D. C.
Dear Sir: 
Will you kindly advise me if your records show Revolutionary War pension applied for, or granted to, the following:
1st: Daniel Johnson or Johnston.. probably served from Penn, of Va. And died if Fayette County, nor nearby county, Penn (had son Simon that I know of)
2nd: Thomas Bell who probably served from either North or South Carolina and died in Dickson County, Tenn. (Had sons Thomas, Shade (?); Elisha that I know of.)
3rd:Benjamin or Thomas Coldwell or Caldwell, who served from Va. and in either Va. or Tenn. Had among others a  son name Abiram.
If any of the above named record are filed I am especially interested in learning of family data, as wife; children; service record; place & date of births, deaths etc. Thanking you most kindly for any assistance you may be able to give me.
Repectfully, Nell Berger
Mrs. A.J. Berger

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Record Division Revolutionary War Records Section
S2973
Department of the interior, Bureau of Pensions Washington D.C. 9-23-1922
In reply to your request of ___, received ___ for a statement of military history of Thos. Bell a soldier in 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.
Dates of Enlistment or Appointment: 1777 or 1778; 1781
Length of Service: 3 mos, 3mos
Rank: Pri
Officers under whom service was rendered: Captain White, Colonel Caswell
Captain Moses Sherron
Applicant not remembered
State: NC
Battles engaged in, none stated
Residence of soldier at enlistment, Warren Co N.C.
Date of application for pension, Oct 21, 1833
Residence at date of application, Montgomery Count, Tenn 1819 or 1820
Age at date of application: 6 Jan 3, 1761, Warrant Co NC.
Remarks: No fund date.
Respectfully, Commissioner

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BA-J/ILL
Thomas Bell
S. 2973
Mrs. A.J. Berger
Box 379
Arkansas City, Kansas
Dear Madam: 
Reference is made to your letter in which you request the Revolutionary war records of Benjamin and Thomas Coldwell (Caldwell) who served from Virginia and died in Virginia or Tennessee, Daniel Johnson (Johnston) who served from Pennsylvania or Virginia who died in or near Fayette County, Pennsylvania, and Thomas Bell who served from North or South Carolina and died in Dickson County, Tennessee.
There are no claims for pension on file based upon service in the revolutionary war of the Daniel Johnson and Thomas Coldwell cited by you, nor of any Benjamin Coldwell; similar spellings of the surnames were used in the search of the records. The record of Thomas Bell who applied for pension while a resident of Tennessee is furnished herewith from pension claim. S. 2974. Very truly yours, A.D. Hiller Executive Assistant to the Administrator.

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From the papers in the revolutionary war pension claim s. 2973, it appears that Thomas Bell was born January 3, 1761 in Warren County, North Carolina. While residing in said Warren County, he enlisted and served as a private in the North Carolina Troops, as follows –
In 1777 or 1778, three months in Captain White’s Company, Colonel Caswell’s regiment; forwards, three months in Captain Moses Sherron’s Company; and in 1781, on year (officers not remembered) 
And was discharged after the surrender of Cornwallis. He was allowed pension on his application executed October 31, 1833, while a resident of Montgomery County, Tennessee, having moved there in 1819 or 1820. It is not stated that the soldier was married.