Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty Land Warrant Application File R. 7024, for John Matthews, North Carolina

SERVICE
NUMBER
96.
Mathews, John
P. 7024
CONTENTS
Y ✓

State of Alabama Circuit Court vs Do Mil
Simpson County ss On this the fourteenth day of October in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and thirty three personally app- eared in open Court before the Honorable Simon P. Perry one of the Judges of the Circuit Court of the State of Alabama Now in session, in the County aforesaid John Matthews a resident of Simpson County in the State of Alabama aged seventy three 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 provision made by the act of Congress passed June 7th 1832. This affiant was born in what was then called Cumberland County (since Moore County) in the State of North Carolina in the month of December 1760. This affiant was regularly drafted in March of the year 1779, he being then 19 years of age - General Butler Commanded the brigade of which he served the regi- ment was Commanded by Col. Johnson and affiant served under Captain Nathan King. This affiant was at the battle at Hobson which as well as he now recollects was fought on the 30th of June 1779 - and this affiant received a written discharge on the 10th of July following having served five months - and this affiant declares that he has lost or mislaid his discharge so that he cannot lay his hands upon it - This affiant further avers that shortly after his discharge he was made prisoner by a detachment of

Donivalis' army then on their march to Hillsboro in North Carolina that after remaining for some time a prisoner, officer was discharged on parole.
Interrogatories and answers
1 st When and where were you born?
Answer I was born on the 30 th December 1760 in Cumberland County North Carolina.
2 nd Have you any record of your age and if so where is it? ans. I have my age recorded in the family bible of my father in his hand writing.
3 rd Where were you living when called into service - where have you lived since the Revolutionary war and where do you now live?
ans I was living in what was then called Cumberland County the part of the county in which I lived has since been attached to Moore County in North Carolina. Then moved to Randolph District in North Carolina where I knew Elias Earle Esq d & Genl John Bailes Earle. I afterwards moved to Hall County in Georgia where I remained for two years from thence to Alabama where I now live to wit in Sumter County.
5 th State the names of some of the regular officers who were with the troops when you served.
ans 6 th General Lincoln was Chief in Command. Generals Butts, Brigades Genl Johnson's Regiment Captain Nathan King Lieutenant Gibbs. I was as before stated at the battle of Stone where Major Dickson was wounded.

6 th I did Receive a mullen discharge from the service but have lost or mislaid
7 th I am known to Zachariah Graham Esq. Jasper J. A. Bates, Jasper P. Sanders and John Erwin Esq. Senator from Green County State aforesaid who can testify to my character for veracity and their belief in my services as a soldier of the Revolution. This affiant can not produce a clergyman to make affidavit to his character for veracity because the only clergyman to whom he is known is absent from the County. This affiant hereby relinquishes every claim whatever to a pension or an annuity except the present and he declares that his name is not on the Pension Roll of any agency in any state.
Sworn to and subscribed the day & year aforesaid
John Matthews
We James A. Bates & Jasper P. Sanders residing in the County of Sumter hereby certify that we are well acquainted with John Matthews who has sworn to and subscribed the foregoing declaration that we believe him to be seventy three years of age that he is reputed and believed in the neighbourhood where he lives to have been a soldier of the Revolution and that we concur in that opinion.
Sworn to & subscribed the day & year aforesaid J. A. Bates J. P. Sanders

And the said Court do hereby declare that their opinion after the investigation of the mat- ter and after putting the interrogatories presented by the War department that the above named applicant was a Revolutionary soldier and served as he states and the court for this certifies that it appears to them that the said Sam Bates and Ipea D Saunders are credible persons and that their statement is entitled to credit
I James Savage Clerk of the Circuit Court of Sumpter County State of Alabama do hereby cer- tify that the foregoing contains the original proceedings of the said Court in the matter of appli- cation of John Matthews for a pension —
In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand and private seal Having no Seal of Office this the 16 th day of October 1833
James Savage Clerk of the Court aforesaid

See letter to Hon W. R. King 14 June 1836.
Oct 7 June 1832
John Matthews Alabama
7024 Repealed prior to the 11th
See letter 14 Jan 1836
Dear Mr Mardis
So of Rep see letter 30 of Sept to C. C. Scott no 16 Oct 35

M Matthews Ala
Am. W. R. King Senate U.S.

John Matthews act 1832 - alabama Report to Hon. W. R. King, Senate U. S.

March 21, 1862, and March 3, 1873.
REJECTED
71124
O.
John Matthews
Service: _____
Enlisted: _____, 18
Discharged: _____, 18
Application filed: _____, 18
Alleges: _____
Re-enlisted: _____
Attorney: _____
O. _____
Recognized. _____
Contract. _____
Cert. of Dis. _____
Searched for _____
, 18

STATE OF ALABAMA. JOHN GAYLE, GOVERNOR OF SAID STATE,
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME.
Know Ye, That James Savage was on the 15 th day March 1893 Clerk of the Circuit Court of Sumter County duly commissioned & authorized and is now Clerk of the Circuit Court of Sumter as aforesaid
THEREFORE, all due faith, credit, and authority are, and ought to be had and given. to all his official acts as such
In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand and caused the Seal of the State to be affixed. Done at the Capitol in Tuscaloosa, this 4 th day of December in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and thirty- Three and of the Independence of the United States of America the fifty-eighth
BY THE GOVERNOR.
Jas I Thornton
John Gayle SECRETARY OF STATE.

Gainesville Ala { March 21 st 1835. { " " " "
Free
apl. 11 To The Hon ble J. L. Edwards -
Commissio r of Pensions War. Department Washington City District of Columbia
ala -
March {

State of Alabama Gainesville Sumter county
Sir
Enclosed you will find the Declaration of John Matthews made with the hope of procuring a Pension - he is an extremely poor man but remarkably sober and industrious and has been brought to poverty in his old age by Standing Security -
He made a declaration in the fall of 1833 by the assistance of a Mr. O'Kelther who about that time moved into this county and set up for a Lawyer - from this declaration he heard nothing until you did me the honour to answer a letter of inquiry which I wrote to your Office at the instance of Old Mr. Matthews and which you informed me that his claim "was rejected on account of the service alleged having been a service of five months only when the act requires six months to bring any one within its provisions"
And it was with no little surprise that the Old man heard that his declaration had been so written out as to lead to this result when he certainly intended to prove Seven months service besides the time which he passed as a prisoner of war  under parole - He has accordingly made another declaration in which he has attempted to set out the circumstances of his service more particularly and has moreover been so fortunate as to find one of his Revolutionary acquaintances whose affidavit will be found, next after the declaration - This witness corroborates

the Statement of Mr. Matthews in every important particular - and is personally known to Judge Doty who certifies that his "Character for veracity is unimpeachable." I trust that any mistake made in the first declaration as to the length of the service will not be permitted to operate against this application. For it never was the intention of any person concerned in that declaration to set out less than 7 months service as it was well known to Mr. Matthews and to his attorney that less than 6 months would not avail him and it could not have been otherwise than a mistake in Mr. O'Leary in drafting the declaration which was not observed either by Mr. Matthews or the Court at the time of making it -
If Your department should require further proof as to the standing of Mr. Matthews or of his witness Mr. Graham it can be readily obtained & forwarded to you.
Be pleased to address your answer to me at this place
Very Respectfully Christopher C. Smith

Gainesville Ala Sept 9th 1834 }
Free
To his Excellency
The Secretary of War Washington City
Mail }
District of Columbia
Pension Office 29 August 1834
ala
Pension Office

Gainesville
Sumter county Alabama
August 7 th 1836,
Dr Sir
In behalf of a Revolutionary Soldier - and a very deserving and poor one - I beg to make the enquiry whether or not his application for a pension has even yet been acted on -
His name is John Matthews he served in the the  Militia and  Volunteers of North Carolina for an aggregate period of about seven months
He made his declaration before the Circuit Court for this county last October since which time he has heard nothing from it -
He employed a lawyer of this county by the name of Wm B Schultree to attend to it for him but Schultree says that he has heard nothing from it -
The old man is very desirous to hear and I trust your Excellency will direct an answer to be given to him -
Very Respectfully Christopher C. Scott

Declaration in order to obtain the benefit of the act of Congress passed June 7 th 1832 -
State of Alabama } County of Sumter } S.S.
On the 18 th day of February A D 1835 personally appeared in open court before Peter Doty the presiding Judge of the County Court of Sumter County now sitting John Matthew a resident of Sumter County and State of Alabama aged Seventy four 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 -
I Was born on the 30 th day of December A D 1760 in Cumberland County (now Moore County) in the State of North Carolina where I was raised. I have no record of my age in my Josephine the family Bible in which my father recorded my age is or was in the possession of one of my brothers.
I was living in said Cumberland County when sometime in the month of March A D 1779 I was drafted into the service of the United States for a three months  tour ; to commence from the time of our crossing the South Carolina line - We crossed this line on the 10 th day April (on the road to Camden) from whence we marched through Orangeburg.
and on the 20 th day of June fought the Battle at Stono - on the 10 th day of July following I was discharged - took a written discharge but have lost it -
In this tour of duty I served in Capt. Kings company (who was an Uncle of our Senator in Congress the Hon. Wm. R. King) - our Majors name was Richardson from Bladen County - our Regiment

was commanded by Colonel Johnston — our brigade by Genl Butler And General Lincoln was our Commander in Chief —
I then returned home to Cumberland County but in a short time afterwards Volunteered to guard a Public Store called "Obeys Place" in the County of Cumberland and in this service, served out a term of three months under Capt Patrick Travis (who was an Irishman) — but when my term of service expired I did not take any written discharge not regarding it of any importance —
Frank Danly and James Dobbins, one or both of whom were sergeants had the management of this "Public Store" —
About this time the Tories became very troublesome and I frequently turned out against them under Captain Heard and Colonel Alston
I will instance one of these expeditions — I think it was in the fall of 1779 or else in the summer of 1780 (I have nothing but my memory to rely on for the date of this transaction) a general Muster was held at Chatham Court house and the next day afterwards there was a Court Martial —
And during the sitting of this Court Martial Colonel Fanning (a Tory Colonel) appeared with his Tory command and made all of the Officers composing the Court Martial prisoners
As soon as the event was known I turned out under Captain Heard and Colonel Alston and pursued Colonel Fanning as far as the Raft Swamp but we could not overtake him
I went out on many other similar expeditions under these Officers and am sure that I could not have consumed less than one month in this kind of service — Making in all Seven Months Service —

After this time Lord Cornwallis Marched from South Carolina to Guilford Court house where General Greene Gave him battle and turned his course for Wilmington and soon after the two Loyal Colonels (one of them Col d Fanning and the other called Sadler Hector McNeil) with some British officers collected their forces and marched on Hillsborough where they took Governor Burke and a number of officers and soldiers prisoners on their way thither I was myself taken prisoner by them and after using threats and promises to induce me to join with them, an officer by the name of McKay at the end of the second day after my capture wrote and gave me what he called a Parole and when he gave it to me he said "Now take care of yourself" - I remained in this situation under parole until the end of the war a period to the best of my recollection of near two years
I have no documentary evidence to establish my services and I know of no person whose testimony I can procure who can testify to my said services, and imprisonment under parole with the exception of Jackson Gresham whose affidavit is here annexed -
I hereby relinquish every claim whatsoever to a pension or annuity except the present and declare that my name is not on the pension roll of the agency of any State -
Interrogatories propounded by the court to the applicant and his answers thereto - Interrog 1 st When and in what year were you born Answer I was born in Cumberland county (now Moore County) in the State of North Carolina - on the 30 th day of December

AD 1760 -
Interrogatory 2 o Have you any record of your age, and if so where is it -
Answer 2 o I have no record of my age in my profession the family Bible in which my father recorded my name was or is in the possession of one of my brothers
Interrogatory 3 o When were you living when called into service; when have you lived since the Revolutionary war and when did you move here
Answer 3 o I was living in Cumberland County (now called Moore County) State of North Carolina when I was called into service I have since lived in Penderleaton District South Carolina - then in Hall County Georgia & then to Mobile and I now live in Sumter County Alabama
Interrogatory 4 th How were you called into service, were you drafted, did you volunteer or were you a substitute and if a substitute for whom
Answer 4 th
I was first drafted into service - I afterwards volunteered
Interrogatory 5 th State the names of some of the Regimental officers who were with the troops when you served such Continental and State Regiments as you can recollect and the general circumstances of your services? -
Answer 5 th
I recollect a Maj r Bowey with the regular troops of South Carolina - I recollect a Maj r Dickson whom I saw wounded in the neck by a bullet
Interrogatory 6 th Did you ever receive a discharge from the service, and if so by whom was it given and what has become of it -
Answer 6 th I received a discharge at the end of

of the three months for which I was drafted, and have long since lost it. It was given to me by Genl Johnson. I never received any other discharge —
In answer to 7th State the names of persons to whom you are known in your present neighbourhood and who can testify as to your character for veracity and their belief of your services as a soldier of the Revolution.
Answer 7th John Thompson and Christ C Scott and of Sumter County know me and can testify to my character as a man of veracity — & I have stated the circumstances of my services and imprisonment as nearly as I can now recollect —
Sworn to and subscribed in open court the 18th day of February 1835 — John Matthews
Dan Womack Blk
We John Thompson & Christopher C Scott hereby certify that we are well acquainted with John Matthews who has subscribed and sworn to the above declaration, that we believe him to be seventy four years of age; that he is reputed and believed in the neighbourhood where he now resides to have been a soldier of the revolution and are convinced in that opinion and that we have never heard the slightest doubt expressed on the subject —
Sworn to & subscribed in open court and your affiant
Dan Womack Blk
Chas C Scott J Thompson

Also personally appeared in open court in like manner Zachariah Graham of Sumter county aged Seventy years who after having been duly sworn according to law upon his oath said that the  the applicant lived in the neighborhood with the applicant in Cumberland county (now Moore county) in the State of North Carolina - That this applicant distinctly recollects that said Matthews went out into the service & recollects his return and recollects to have heard it said that he was in the battle of Stones -
That he recollects the gathering of the public store at Obscure place and that said Matthews the applicant was one of the guards - And that he recollects that said Matthews the applicant was frequently out in the war on other occasions against the forces -
And he recollects to have then then heard it generally spoken of in the neighborhood that said applicant was made a prisoner some where towards Hillsborough & was let go on parole -
Sworn to & subscribed in open court Zachariah Graham Danhomack Clk
And the said court do hereby declare their opinion after the investigation of the matter and after following 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

That it appears to them that John Thompson and Christopher C Scott are residents of the county of Sumter - and are creditable persons and that their statements are entitled to full credit - And that said Graham is known to the court & believed to be fully of the age he states & that his character for veracity is unimpeachable -
Peter Doby Judge Presiding
I Daniel Wamack, Clerk of the county Court for Sumter county in the State of Alabama do hereby certify that the foregoing contains fully and perfectly all the original proceedings of the said court in the matter of the application of John Matthews for a pension and that all the signatures appearing on the same are genuine -
In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand and affixed my seal of office in my said county of Sumter in the State of Alabama this 18 th day of February A D 1835 - Anno of American Independence the fifty ninth year -
Dan. Wamack Clerk of Court

BOUNTY LAND WARRANT RECORD CARD*
NAME Matthews, John GRADE Private LINE Pennsylvania
WARRANT NUMBER 9970 ACREAGE 100 ISSUED February 14, 1791 To Alexander Packer, assignee of Murdoch Sullivan, Adm or .
*The information concerning the issuance of warrants carded on this form is found in volumes 2 to 4 of "Land Warrants Issued Prior to 1800" which are registers of bounty land warrants issued to non-commissioned officers and privates under congressional resolutions of September 16, 1776, and subsequent dates. Other records relative to the applications for warrants appear to have been destroyed in the War Department fire of November 9, 1800. Information concerning warrants surrendered to the Federal Government is to be found in General Land Office records in The National Archives.