Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty Land Warrant Application File S. 9512, William Viars, N.C.

SERVICE
NUMBER
N.6.
Viars, William
S.9512
carded
CONTENTS

29.967 North Carolina
William Viers
Wilkes Co in the State of N.C.
was a private in the Company commanded by Captain Cleveland of the A.P. commanded
by _____ in the Mountain Battery multi f 7 mts 20 days
Inscribed on the Roll of North Carolina at the rate of 25 Dollars 55 Cents per annum, to commence on the 14th day of March, 1834.
Certificate of Pension issued the 16. day of June 1835 and sent S. F. Patterson Raleigh N.C.
Arrears to the 14th of March 1835 102.20 Semi-ant. allowance ending 4 Sept " 12.78 $ 114.98
{ Revolutionary Claim, } { Act June 7, 1832. }
Recorded by Henry H. Sylph Clerk, Book 8 Vol. 11 Page 78
Paid at the Treasury under the Act of the 16 th April 1838 from 4 Sept 1836 to the 16 July 1837. the day of his death. Age Notified 125 July 1838.

William Viars
7.20
32.468

State of North Carolina } ss. County of Wilkes }
On this 11 th day of November 1834 personally appeared in open court before the Court of Pleas & Quarter Sessions for the County & State aforesaid, now sitting, William Hays a resident of the County of Wilkes & State of North Carolina, aged seventy seven 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 th 1832
That he entered the service of the United States under the following named officers, and served as herein stated - That about the last of May or first of June 1776 this declarant volunteered himself to go against the Cherokee Indians who at that time were committing great depredations upon the whites on the waters of New River on the north western side of the Blue Ridge in that section of country now principally embraced within the boundaries of Ashe County N.C. - That he joined a company of Volunteer Militia commanded by Captain Robert Gerdland, & Lieutenant Heathcote  Van Buren Owens & Ensign Nathaniel Vannoy - That the company rendezvoused at Wilkes Court House and thence marched to the north western side of the Blue Ridge to a station known by the name of Baker's Station, where a number of white families had collected together to protect themselves against the depredations of the Indians - From this point they made excursions through the country in various directions in search of the Indians, occasionally crossing the Blue Ridge to the south side, and also visiting a station on the waters of the Yadkin at Herndon's Mill, but did not succeed in meeting with the any of the Indians - This declarant was employed in this service until the fourth day latter part of July 1776, making not less than One Month - Soon after the declaration of Independence as this declarant believes some time in the latter part of July, preparations were made for a general expedition against the Cherokee Indians - He again volunteered his services and was

attached to the company of Capt Benjamin Cleveland which met at Wilkes Court House preparatory to their intended campaign - In the organization of the company and making the necessary preparations, this declarant, having a good horse, was detailed by Captain Cleveland to take charge of a portion of the baggage, it being ne- -cessary to transport it by means of pack horses - He accordingly set out with the troops and proceeded with them to the Pleasant Gardens in the County of Burke, where they joined the main army under Genl. Ruther- -ford - After joining Genl. Rutherford, this declarant was continued in the pack horse service, and marched with the army by the most direct route to the Cherokee Nation - Upon arriving at the Middle Town of the Cherokee Indians - they found them entirely abandoned, the Indians having all fled - at that place Genl. Ruth- -erford divided the troops, leaving a small portion together with all the baggage & provisions (except a few days rations, which the troops who proceeded took with them) at that place, while he advanced with the main body of the army to the Valley Town - This declarant was left of course at the Middle Town with the baggage and there remained until the return of the troops to that place, after which, and after destroying the Towns and such other property of the Indians as they could find, they set out upon their return to North Carolina, and having advanced on their return as far as Wilkes C.H., this declarant was discharged by Captain Cleveland, or Col Armstrong he does not recollect which, and returned to his home - having served in this expedition not less than three months .
From the time of the return of this declarant in the fall of 1776, until the summer of 1780 this declarant performed several short tours of duty against the Tories but as he cannot recollect the length of each nor the particular circumstances under which they were per- -formed, he declines setting up any claim on their account -
About the month of August 1780, preparations were

made by Col Benjamin Cleveland and other active and distinguished Whigs in Wilkes County for raising volunteer troops to defend the South Western section of the State against the invasion of the British and Tories from South Carolina - This declarant again turned out as a volunteer and joined the company of Captain Jesse Franklin at Wilkes CtH where they remained some time making the necessary preparations for their intended expedition - In the final organization of the troops, Captain Franklin was promoted to the appointment of Majr. and David Nair the brother of this declarant was appointed Captain in his stead - As soon as they were fully organized they set out upon their march toward the upper part of South Carolina, when having advanced some distance into Burke County they were joined by a regiment of Militia from Virginia under Col Campbell, and some troops from that section of Country now called East Tennessee under Col Sevier - The whole then moved forward until they reached a point not now recollected by this declarant, when intelligence was received that Majr. Ferguson was advancing from South Carolina with a large body of British and Tories - upon and that he was about occupying a favorable position on Kings Mountain - a proposition was immediately made for all the troops who had horses or who could procure them, to advance with all possible speed to meet him - This declarant having no horse, was unable to proceed, and was consequently left behind with a large number of the troops who were similarly situated - They proceeded however with as much expedition as possible, but did not reach the battle ground in time - The engagement being over, and the Americans with their prisoners being on their return some distance, when they met with them - Upon rejoining the Army this declarant assisted in guarding the prisoners until they marched back as far as Wilkes CtH, where other

troops were ordered out to take charge of the prisoners, and this declarant was discharged - Having served in this expedition not less than two and a half months , -
In the spring of the year following this declarant believes about the last of January or first of February intelligence was received of the approach of Lord Cornwallis from South Carolina, and a call was immediately made for volunteers to reinforce Genl. Green who was then known to be in advance of Lord Cornwallis - This declarant again turned out under Captain Benjamin Herndon, and rendezvoused at Major Lewis' on the Yadkin in the lower end of Wilkes County where they joined several other companies - the whole being placed under the command of Major Richard Allen - They set out upon their march to join Genl. Green whom they expected to meet somewhere in the County of Guilford, but upon advancing as far as Salem in Stokes County they discovered that Lord Cornwallis'  Genl. Greene's army was between them and Genl. Green, and that a considerable body of the British Light Horse had been despatched to intercept them - Upon meeting the Light Horse, they dispersed and retreated to Hamer Town, where they rallied and had a slight engagement with them in which they killed one man, but escaped without loss or injury on their part - The detachment then made various efforts to join Genl. Green by making circuitous marches but found themselves intercepted at every point, so that they were compelled finally to abandon the attempt, but remained in the country watching the first favorable opportunity of co-operating with Genl. Green until after the battle of Guilford was fought, and the British marched off towards Wilmington, where they returned home and was discharged - In this expedition, this declarant is satisfied he served not less than five weeks
This declarant was born in the County of King

born in the State of Virginia in the year 1756, as he is informed, but has no record of his age - He was living in Surry County N.C. now Wilkes when he entered the service of the United States, and has lived in the same county ever since - All the services performed by this declarant were performed as a volunteer - His answer to the fifth interrogatory is contained generally in the body of this declaration as well as he can now recollect - He never received any written discharge from the service, nor has he any documentary evidence of any kind to prove it but refers to the testimony of John Yates hereto annexed who served with him during two of the tours mentioned in the foregoing declaration - He also refers to the Rev. Thomas Fletcher & Joseph McNeil as persons to whom he is well acquainted in his present neighborhood, and who can testify as to his character for veracity, and their belief of his services as a soldier of the revolution, as he knows of no person living whose testimony he could procure who can testify as to that portion not proven by Mr. Yates -
He hereby relinquishes every claim whatever to a 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 & Subscribed, the day & year aforesaid
Wm. Meastlin C.C.C.
William his Kiars mark
On the day and year aforesaid personally appeared in open Court before the Court aforesaid, John Yates and after having been duly sworn according to law deposeth and saith that he served with William Kiars the above applicant during two of the tours of duty mentioned in the foregoing declaration

now, to Wit, the three months tour performed under Genl. Rutherford to the Cherokee Nation, and the tour of two and a half months performed under Col Gervason to Kings Mountain, and that the said two tours of duty as set forth & specified in the above declaration as having been performed by the said William Vias during the revolutionary war, were performed by him —
Sworn to & subscribed the day & year aforesaid
W m Meastin Cole
John his Yates mark
We Thomas Fletcher, a clergyman, residing in the county of Wilkes and Joseph M c Neil residing in the same hereby certify that we are well acquaint- -ed with William Vias who has subscribed and sworn to the above declaration; that we believe him to be seventy seven years of age; that he is re- -puted & believed in the neighborhood where he re- -sides to have been a soldier of the revolution, and that we concur in that opinion —
Sworn & subscribed, the day & year aforesaid —
W m Meastin Cole
Thomas Fletcher to
Joseph M c Neil
And the said Court do hereby declare their opinion, after the investigation of the matter, and after put- -ting the interrogatories prescribed by the War De- -partment, that the above named applicant was a revolutionary soldier, and served as he states — and the Court further certify, that it appears to them that Thomas Fletcher who has signed the pre- -ceding certificate, is a clergyman resident in the County of Wilkes and that Joseph M c Neil who has also signed the same is a resident in the County of Wilkes, and is a credible person

and that their statement is entitled to credit—
William Lloyd J.P. James Johnson J.P. Daniel Field J.P.
I William Martin Clerk of the Court of Pleas & Quarter Sessions of the County & State aforesaid, do hereby certify that the foregoing contains the original proceedings of the said Court in the matter of the application of William Vass for a pension—
In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand & Seal of Office this 7 th day of November 1834
W. Martin Clerk

William Viars
North Carolina
Suspended
Letter 6- Jan. 4, 1835.
Hon: Lewis Williams
Adm't in parish
72 2/3 mo. — 23 33 2 22 25 15
S. F. Patterson Esq.
Raleigh

Revtran
9512
INVALID.
File No. 9512
William Viars
Bri New War
Act: June 7 th 32
Index:—Vol. 1 , Page 388
[Arrangement of 1870.]

Treasury Department,
Second Comptroller's Office,
July 10. 1838.
Sir:
Under the act of the 6th of April, 1838, entitled "An act directing the transfer of money remaining unclaimed by certain Pensioners, and authorizing the payment of the same at the Treasury of the United States," John Viars son of William Viars deceased, a Pensioner on the Roll of the N. Carolina Agency, at the rate of twenty five Dollars and fifty five Cents per annum, under the law of the 7 th June 1832 has been paid at this Department, from the 4 th of Sept. 1836 to the 31 st of July 1837, the day of his death -
Respectfully, yours,
Wilson K. Parrish Comptroller
To the Commissioner of Pensions, Present.

Memorandum from S. J. Patterson

In the month of November 1834 I forwarded to the Pension Office the declarations of John Yates, William Brookshire & William Kiars, claiming pension, under the act of 1832 - In the month of January 1835 I received communication from the Department stating that for the reasons therein assigned, further action on all pension applications had been suspended - that there was no want of evidence in the above named cases, and that as soon as the causes of suspension were removed they would be acted on - since that time I have heard nothing from them -
Mr Sylvester will oblige me very much, if on his return to Washington he will have these three cases examined, and if allowed, will please forward the certificates to me at this place -
J. P. Patterson
Raleigh N.C. May 29 th 1835.