Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty Land Warrant Application File S. 7,637, for Robert Sterling, North Carolina

SERVICE
NUMBER
Nb.
Sterling Robert
87637
CONTENTS
carded.

North Carolina 23.598
Robert Stirling of Newton in the State of N.H. - who was a Fr. in the Army commanded by Captain Lewis of the _____ commanded by _____ in the N.H. - line for 2 months -
Inscribed on the Roll of the Canadica at the rate of 70 - Dollars — Cents per annum, to commence on the 4th day of March, 1831.
Certificate of Pension issued the 8 th day of March and Mr. R. Sanders. Smithville N.C.
{ Revolutionary Claim, } { Act June 7, 1832. }
Recorded by Nath. Rice — Clerk, Book E Vol. 4 Page 73 —

Rob. Sterling
10.304 Declaration etc
[Faint, mirrored bleed-through text from the reverse side of the page]

State of North Carolina } Court of Pleas & Quarter County of Johnston } Sessions Aug. Term 1832
On this 27 day of August 1832 personally appeared in open Court before the Justices of the Court of Pleas & Quarter Sessions now sitting, Robert Sterling, a resident of the County of Johnston and State of North Carolina, aged 72 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, 1832 = That he entered the service of the United States under the following names and officers as served as herein stated.
1st That he was drafted in Wayne Co. N.C. and placed under command of Capt. Sessums for three months service and went down to Wilmington to guard the town against the Scoundrelly British Rebel. The Declarant cannot remember in what year he was drafted, but it was several years after commencement of the war - He spent the whole three months in Wilmington & Brunswick, and at the expiration of said term he was discharged by Capt. Sessums - His lieutenant he believes to be Mr. Grant Lane - He was drafted for a second service of six months - he believes about a year after his first discharge - and served under Capt. Kennedy, Lieut. Willson, Ensign Lapsiter - He was marched through South Carolina to Georgia and passed through Georgia and spent some time at Augusta and marched down the Savannah River to Brim Creek - He was there under command of Gen. Ashe - Col. Capt. Kennedy,

After the Battle of Brim Creek the Declarant was marched to Wilmington N.C. where he received a regular and honorable discharge from his Captain Kennedy after having served fully and faithfully the term of six months - 3rd - A few months after the expiration of this his second term of service he engaged again in the service of his country by ballot and was placed at Farmton N.C. under command of Capt. Armstrong of the Continental Service - He was taken to Greensboro in N.C. thence to Dan River till he was placed under command of Capt. Rhodes in South Carolina - Gen. Green Commanding - Curtis Ivey was Adjutant - He was at the Battle of Eutaw Springs - He was dismissed at the Banks of the Santee after a service of 12 months from the date of his third enlistment - He was honorably discharged by Capt. Rhodes - At the Battle of the Eutaw Springs he remembers Col. Washington of the Light Horse - He has no documentary evidence of his service - and knows no person whose testimony he can procure who can testify to his service.
He hereby relinquishes any 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 and subscribed this day
In answer to the interrogatories prescribed by the War Department - The Declarant states that he is 72 years old - That he knows no record of his age - That he was living in Wayne Co. N.C. when he was called into service, and that he has lived in Wayne until about 14 years ago when he removed to Farmton

where he now resides - The other Answers top of the Interrogatories he deemed answers embodied in his State- ment.
Subscribed to and acknowledged the day & year aforesaid Thos R. Sanders Clk Robert S. Sterling Trustee.
We Wesley J. Willons and Nazareth Sterling residents of the County of Johnston do hereby certify that we are well acquainted with Robert Sterling who has subscribed & sworn to the above Declaration; that we believe him to be about 72 years of age that he is reputed and believed in the neighbourhood where he resides to have been a soldier of the Revolution who has been as he states and that we concur in that opinion.
Sworn to and subscribed the day and year aforesaid -
W. J. Willons Nazareth Sterling
And the said Court do hereby declare their 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 & served as he states. - And the Court further certifies that it appears to them that Wesley J. Willons Esq. who has signed the preceding certificate is a Justice of the Peace, residing in the County of Johnston and that Nazareth Sterling who has also signed the same is a resident in the County of Johnston and is a credible person - and that their statement is entitled to Credit.

I Respectfully  Respectfully  of the Clerk of the Court of Pleas & Inquests do hereby certify that the foregoing contains the original proceedings of the said Court in the matter of the application of Robert Stirling for a pension.
In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand & seal, this 28 August 1853
R. Saunders
[Faint, mirrored bleed-through text from the reverse side of the page]

Rob Sterling 10304 D
1 st Capt. River Rd. (left side) June and 22 nd Sept. 62
June 22 nd 1962

State of North Carolina } County of Johnston }
Personally appeared before me the undersigned a Justice of the peace in and for the County aforesaid Robert Sterling who being duly sworn deposes & saith that by reason of old age and the consequent loss of memory he cannot swear positively to the precise date of his term of service - in his Declaration of 27 August 1832 stated - but according to the best of his recollection the date beginning of his first term of service therein stated was the fall of 1778 or spring of 1779
The beginning of his said second term of service he believes to have been in the winter of 1778
The beginning of his third term of service he believes to have been in the same to have been in the spring of 1780
This affiant further states that he served his three terms as he believes in embodied corps called into service by competent authority - that he was on duty military duty in field the whole time - during which time he was not employed in any civil pursuit -
This affiant further states that he did not enter the service by enlistment in either of his said terms - but the first and second by draft - and the third by what was then called Balloting - He has no reason therefore to believe that any evidence of his said service can be procured by application to the Office of Secretary of State in N.C. - but relies on traditional evidence -
The nearest clergyman resides 12 miles from the residence of the affiant - sworn to and subscribed this 27 Nov. 1833 J. Watson L.P. Robt. his Sterling mark

State of North Carolina } Court of Pleas & Quarter County of Johnston } Sessions Nov. Term 1833
I Ransom Land as clerk of said Court do hereby certify that Josiah O. Watson whose name and seal official are affixed to the preceding affidavit was at the time of signing & subscribing the same an acting Justice of the peace for the county aforesaid — And that the said signature purporting to be his is the proper & genuine signature of said Josiah O. Watson — That by the laws of the State aforesaid he is qualified to administer oaths — and that due faith & credit are due to his official acts —
Given under my hand and seal of office this _____ day of November 1833

Revised
7634 INVALID.
File No. 7634
Robert Sterling
Br. Rev. War.
Act: June 7 th 1862
Index:—Vol. 123 , Page 359
[Arrangement of 1870.]

Admit as private 21 months $70.00

State of North Carolina
Secretary of State's Office
I William Hill Secretary of State in and for the State aforesaid, do certify that it appears from the muster rolls of the continental line of this State in the revolutionary war that Robert Sterling a private in Capt. Rhodes's Company of the 10th Regiment entered the service in 1781, and that his time was out 25 th April 1782. (Served 12 months no doubt.)
Given under my hand this 25 th day of February 1834.
W. Hill

BRIEF objections to the admission of Pension Claims , of which those answered in the negative, in red ink, will apply to the claim of Robert Sterling 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? No 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? Yes

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? No XII. If the clergyman's affidavit has not been produced, is there any reason assigned for not obtaining it? No 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? Yes 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? No 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 XVII. Are the seven interrogatories prescribed by the War Department answered satisfactorily? And, if not, which of them is not so answered? Yes
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, deposeth 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.
X If the applicant entered the service by enlistment, he may possibly find evidence of his service in the Office of the Secretary of State, at Raleigh. N.C.