Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty Land Warrant Application File R. 7020, for Hugh Mathews, North Carolina

SERVICE
NUMBER _____
16. 16.
Mathews, Hugh
R 7020
CONTENTS

State of South Carolina } Sumter District }
On this eighth - day of April in the year of our Lord eighteen hundred & forty two, personally appeared in open Court, before the Court of Sessions & Common Pleas now sitting, Hugh Matthews, a resident of said District & State, aged seventy nine 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 was born in the year 1762 near Dan River in Guilford County North Carolina & removed at about five years of age with his parents South Carolina in Craven County on the Wateree river, where he remained until the winter before the fall of Charleston, S. C. when he removed back to North Carolina to get out of the way of the British Troops, & resided in Guilford & Randolph Counties. His services in the Revolutionary War, were as follows. Upon the passage of Gen. Gates' Troops towards South Carolina, I was pressed by Capt. Brown of Col. Armon's Legion of Cavalry of the Regulars to carry express from Randolph County, from the camp near Cox's mills, on Deep Creek or River to Lieut. DeCatur who was stationed at Crook Creek (now Fayette) I remained in that employment about a month & received no pay & was discharged when the Troops moved on towards South Carolina & left me to find my way home near a hundred miles without a cent. A few days previous to the battle of Guilford Court House, (I was then living in Guilford County) Col. Litterell of the Militia collected together on horseback the County Militia to participate in the expected fight. - I Hugh Matthews volunteered & was in service about ten days, we found ourselves in every thing. We had gotten in hearing of the battle when it occurred - say five miles -
Mr. J. D. Sumter 1832

we joined Gen. Green at the Iron works, the day after the battle & stayed with him about ten days, marched under him to Guilford Court House - then to Belles Mill & then to Coxes Mill on Deep River where Col. Litterell discharged us. The winter follow- ing I volunteered under Capt. John Raines of the Militia of Randolph County - Col. Isaacks commanding - and served as a Trooper for three months, the term for which we volunteered. We found our own horses & accoutrements of every description, except provisions, which were taken by Capt. Raines wherever they could be found, & gave receipts for them to be paid by the Public - we drew no pay. The particular object of this volunteering was to take Col. Hanning a Tory Col. of considerable notoriety - Col. Hanning went down into South Carolina & I believe left the United States, with the British Troops.
Afterwards in 1782 troops were re- quired for eighteen months service to go down into South Carolina - I was then living in Randolph County under Captain Jebidiah Woods - Four men had to be furnished by this Company - we assembled and were balloted - and it fell upon deponent to go as one of the four. We were placed under the command of Capt. Thomas Clarke of the Regulars. - I do not recollect the higher officers as I did not see them. - We were to rendezvous at Guil- ford Court House and to go South from that place. Waggoners and Teams were very much wanted to transport the Troops & provisions; & the offer was made to the Troops, that any four of them who would join together & find a waggon & team, for the use of the army, it would be deemed equiv- alent to the 18 months service & they should re- ceive a regular discharge therefor. Relying on this offer, this deponent with three other soldiers, viz. Henry Hopkins, Robert Moore & Ralph Lowe amongst us provided a waggon & team, & delivered the same to Captain Thomas Clarke, who thereupon gave each of us a discharge. That dis- charge I have preserved ever since, & tho' now much mutilated is still legible & is in the following words.

"State of North Carolina } "Randolph Cty -
This is to certify that Hugh Matthews has furnished his
"part of one waggon & team for the use of the North Caro- "lina Continental Line, for eighteen months, & is hereby "discharged - certifyed by me this 15 th day of "septr. A. D. 1782. Thos. Clark Captn.
The original discharge is herewith filed. — Two or three years after the Revolutionary war this deponent returned to South Carolina & settled on the High Hills of Santee in Braven County (now Sumter District,) where he has remained ever since with little exception. This deponent is residing some hundred miles from the scene of his services - he has no means of going there in search of living witnesses to the truth of his statements, and there are none residing in South Carolina within his knowledge, and he has no documentary evidence to es- tablish his claim other than the discharge herewith appended. This deponent says that the discharge herewith filed signed by Thomas Clarke Captn. is genuine & in the proper hand writing of said Captn. Thomas Clarke. This deponent hereby relinguish- es every claim whatever to a pension or an- nuity except the present and declares that his name is not on the Pension Roll of the agency of any state. —
Sworn to & subscribed } Hugh Matthews the day & year aforesaid
In open Court Oswald G. Brindley Pres Jas. Parson
U. S. for Sumter Dist
We Noah Graham a clergyman residing in the District of Sumter & Morris Murphy residing in the same hereby certify that we are well acquainted with Hugh Matthews who has subscribed & sworn to the above declaration: that we be- lieve him to be of the age he has stated (seventy nine years); that he is reputed & believed in the neighborhood where he resides to have been a soldier of the

Revolution, & that we concur in that opinion — Sworn & subscribed the day & year aforesaid In open Court
} Noah Graham. Morris Murphy
Before J. H. Ward Law Jas Parsons Presiding Judge Clerk
And the said Court do hereby declare their opinion after the investigation of the matter & after putting the Interrogatories prescribed by the War Department, that the above applicant was a Revolutionary soldier and served as he states. And the Court further certify, that it appears to them that Noah Graham ————— who has signed the preceding certificate, is a clergyman resident in Sumter District & that Morris Murphy ————— who has also signed the same is likewise a resident of said District & that they, the said Noah Graham and Morris Murphy are credible persons & that their statement is entitled to credit. —
J. H. Ward Law
Presiding Judge
I James Parsons Clerk of the Court of Common Pleas for the District of Sumter do hereby certify that the foregoing contains the original proceedings of the said Court in the matter of the application of Hugh Matthews for a pension In Testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal of Office this 8 th day of April eighteen hundred, and forty two
Jas Parsons Clerk of the Court of Common Pleas

State of North Carolina, Randolph County
This is to certify that Hugh Mathews has furnished his part of one Waggon & Team for the use of the North Carolina Continental Line, for eighteen months, and is hereby discharg- ed - Certify. by me this 15 day of Sept. A. D. 1782.
Thos. Clark, Capt.
Recorded 7 March 1833.
State of South Carolina, Sumter District
Registers Office
J. James Parsons, Register and Clerk of the Court of Common Pleas
in and for the said District, in the state aforesaid, do hereby certify that the above is a correct copy from the records of my office, and that the original certificate hereunto appended was produced in open Court before D. L. Wardlaw Esq. Presiding Judge - Given under my hand and the seal of the said Court, this 8 day of April A. D. 1842.
Jas Parsons Clerk of the Court of Common Pleas

4 Jas Parsons Clerk of the Court of Common Pleas

This is to certify that Hugh Matthews has been admitted to the practice of law in the District of Columbia and is hereby admitted to the bar of this court. Given under my hand this 15th day of August 1870.
Hugh Matthews R. 7020 76.

Hugh Matthews South Carolina
Rejected
See letter 28 April 1842 Hon. T. D. Sumpter to Hon. J. A. Woodward Dec 27 '44
did not serve six months in a military capacity.
7020
Act 7 June 1832

REJECTED
7020
P. O. Hugh Matthews Service: _____
Enlisted: _____, 18
Discharged: _____, 18
Application filed: _____, 18
Alleges: _____ _____ _____
Re-enlisted: _____ _____ _____
Attorney: _____
P. O. _____ _____ _____
_____ Recognized. _____ Cont
_____ Cert. of Dis. Searched for _____, 18

House of Reps. 21. April 1842
Sir,
I enclose you the petition of Hugh Matthews for a revolutionary pension, which I beg of you to examine and inform me what can be done in the case.
Your ab t Serv t Thos D. Sinton
A. L. Edwards Esq.

House Rep.
Dec. 28 1844.
Sir:
I am requested to ascertain whether there is to be found in your office, the papers of Hugh Mathis (a soldier of the Revolution, residing in Sumter District, S. C.) directed to be placed in your hands, with the view of obtaining a pension. These papers were put in charge of the Honorable Thos. D. Sumter, my predecessor.
If I be not greatly misled by his friends and neighbors, Mr. Mathis suffers great injustice in being disappointed of his pension. No blame, however, is attached to you. It is supposed Mr. Sumter suffered the matter to escape his memory.
I have the honor to be &c.
J. L. Edwards Esq -
J. A. Woodward