Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty Land Warrant Application File S. 47,990, Dempsey Wood, S. C.

SERVICE
NUMBER
S.C
Wood, Dempsey
S 47990
CONTENTS

1830
FLORIDA VETERANS
Dempsey Wood
of St. Johns Florida was a Private in the Company commanded by Captain Hutson of the Regt. commanded by Col. Boxley Boxler in the St. Johns Florida Militia for 9 mo.
name not in
Inscribed on the Roll of Florida Veterans at the rate of 30 Dollars Cents per annum commences on the 4th day of March, 1831.
Certificate of Pension issued the 8 day of March 1833 and sent Gen. Call, Florida
  Arrears to 4th of March 1833  60.00    Semi-annual allowance ending 11 Sept  15.00  
$ 75.00
{ Revolutionary Claim, Act June 7, 1832. }
Recorded by Henry H. Schuyler Clerk Book D Vol. 10 Page 207

Territory of Florida } Jefferson County } In the Superior Court Nov. Term 1832.
On this the (27 th ) twenty seventh day of Nov. 1832 personally appeared in open court before the Honorable Thomas Randal Judge of the Middle District of Florida Jefferson & Madison counties now sitting. Dempsey Woods Senior a resident of Jefferson County and Territory aforesaid age thirty five years on the 15 th day of October last who being 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 the 4 th 1832.
I was born in the state of North Carolina on the 15 th day of October 1737 (the Record of my birth was in the family Bible of my Father which was lost during our difficulties with the Indians in Georgia) and raised in the same state Burke County. I entered the United States Service under the following named officers, General Marion, Col. John Baxter, Capt. Joseph Hutson, Capt. James Bragg. I entered the service about the time the British had possession of Charleston S.C. I left the service after the Surrender of Cornwallis. I was never in any engagement. I was once in a skirmish with the Tories on Santa Fe South Carolina under General Marion and I think that Capt. Hutson was with us. About six months after I entered the service I volunteered twice for three months' time, and was drafted once for a three months' tour. I volunteered frequently on tours of a shorter time all under the same officers. We marched and served on the Santa Fe & Black Rivers in South Carolina and were sometimes down about Georgetown.

of Black Mingo in South Carolina - I never served with any continental Regiments or Companies I have no evidence and I know of no person whose testimony I can procure who can testify to my service
Teste W.H. Mathews Jr.
Dempsey Wood
And the said Dempsey Wood do hereby for the particular introduced on the interrogatories prescribed by the War Depart- ment answer that the foregoing Declaration contains all he knows now or recollects on these points, except that the applicant did receive a discharge from the service for lack of rations, which he lost in making his escape from the Indians. I further say, that I William Connell a Sturgeon in a Militia of the State residing in Jefferson County and Territory of residing in Jefferson County and Territory of Florida and known to me to be residing in the same place hereby certify that we are well acquainted with Dempsey Wood who has subscribed, and sworn to the above decl- aration, that We believe him to be ninety five years of age, that he is respected and believed in the neighborhood where he resides to have been a soldier of the revolution, and that we concur in that opinion.
William Connell Lewis Smith
Territory of Florida } Jefferson County } I Thomas Randall Judge of the Superior Court Middle District of Florida do hereby declare my opinion, after the investigation of 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 certifies that it appears to it that William Connell who has signed the preceding

Certificate is a true copy of the original now on file in this County, And that therein who has signed the same is a resident of the same place and is a credible  an credible person and that their statement is entitled to credit.
I do further certify that on putting to said Applicant the interrogatories prescribed by the War Department the said Applicant answered that he could say state nothing further than he had already stated in the foregoing declaration except that he had received but lost his discharge as above stated.
Thomas Randall Judge
I M. H. Mathews, Jr. CLK. of the Superior Court for Jefferson & Madison Counties, Middle Dist. of Florida do hereby certify that the foregoing contains the original proceedings of the said Court in the matter of the Application of Dimpsey Wood for a pension
In Testimony whereof I have hereunto set my Hand, and set private seal (S) this being no seal of office of the day and year already written
M. H. Mathews Jr CLK
I certify that William H Mathews is Clerk of the Superior Court of Jefferson County, Florida. That it was present at the examination of the above named Dimpsey Wood in Court, and that the signature of the said Mathews is genuine to the best of my knowledge and belief.
Washington 7 March 1833 R. K. Ladd

9 This Bill contains the signature of the Clerk of Court, and will also require to accept as a guarantee of good conduct that the sum of £1000 be paid

April 19, 1934
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
Dempsey Wood-S.47990 Thomas Wood-S.1604 BA-J/AWF
Mr. Walter A. Wood 1433-35 Junction Avenue Racine, Wisconsin
Dear Sir:
Reference is made to your request for the Revolutionary War records of Dempsey and Thomas Wood.
The data furnished herein were obtained from papers in pension claims, based upon the Revolutionary War services of Dempsey and Thomas Wood.
Dempsey Wood-S.47990
He was born October 15, 1737 in Bertie County, North Carolina and was reared in that county; the names of his parents are not given.
Dempsey Wood enlisted about the time the "British had possession of Charleston, South Carolina", served under Captains Joseph Hutson, James Gragg and Colonel John Baxter, was in a skirmish with the Tories on Santee in South Carolina, left the service after the "surrender of Cornwallis".
He was allowed pension on his application executed, November 27, 1832, then a resident of the Territory of Florida.
There are no data in the claim relative to the family of Dempsey Wood.

Thomas Wood-S.1604
He was born January 11, 1744 in Henrico County, Virginia; names of his parents are not given.
While residing in Henrico County, Virginia, Thomas Wood volunteered in the militia of that county, served as a private under Captains Thomas Prosser and William Burton in Colonel Ennis' regiment, as follows—three tours of two months each in 1776; five tours of two months each in 1777; three tours of two months each in 1778; two tours of two months each in 1780; two tours of two months each in 1781; he was in several skirmishes with the enemy around Richmond.
Thomas Wood moved the "fall after the War" to Halifax County, Virginia, where he lived about twenty-six years and moved to Wilson County, Tennessee. He was allowed pension on his application executed, September 19, 1832, then a resident of said Wilson County.
There are no data in this claim relative to the family of Thomas Wood.
Very truly yours
A. D. MILLER Assistant to Administrator

THIS SIDE OF CARD IS FOR ADDRESS
Pension Bureau, Washington, D.C.
Rev. War Sec.

Racine, Wis., Oct 21, 1933
Dear Sir:
Please send Family and War records of the following Rev. War Pensioners:
✓ Thomas Wood , Wilson Co., Tenn., pvt. Va. Milit., 1-28-34.
✓ Dempsey Wood, pvt. S.C. Militia, 3-8-33.
Address: 1433-35 Junction Ave.
Yours truly,
Walter A. Wood.
signature ?

47.990 Invalid, etc.
Dempsey Wood Pri Colo Baxter Rev'y G. C.
Act _____
Index: Vol. _____, Page _____
[Arrangement of 1870.]
1934. April 19 - hush to Walter & Wood

BRIEF objections to the admission of Pension Claims , of which those answered in the negative, in red ink, will apply to the claim of Dempsey Words 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? Yes 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 VIII. 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 other seal? The seal is present, but the Clerk of the Court declares there is no official seal

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?
No,
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?
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?
Yes except the last
No. see Quere 16
XVII. Are the seven interrogatories prescribed by the War Department answered satisfactorily? And, if not, which of them is not so answered?
5th, 7th, 8th, 9th, 10th, 11th, 12th
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, deposeh 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.

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 objectionable. 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.

I certify that I have conversed with Dempsey Wood on the subject of his claim to a pension for Revolutionary Service, and that from his age his appearance, and his conversation, as well as from the general beliefs of those with whom I conversed in his neighborhood I have no doubt of the services rendered by him and that he is entitled to a pension. He is very old infirm, and des- titute of the means of support
Washington 25 th Feb 1833
RK'Ball

I accept from the applicant a pension for nine months service.
R. K. Hall