Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty Land Warrant Application File S. 1977, for Richard Keele, North Carolina

SERVICE
NUMBER
M. b. _____
Keefe, Richard _____
S 1977 _____
Va. _____
CONTENTS
Carded.
1

7498 West Tennessee Richard Steele
of Rutherford in the State of Tenn who was a private in the company commanded by Captain Lyon of the Regt commanded by Col Sevier in the line for N. Mts
Va and Mo Line Records corrected
Inscribed on the Roll of West Tenn Tenn at the rate of 40 Dollars - Cents per annum to commence on the 4th day of March, 1831.
Certificate of Pension issued the 16 day of April 1833 1837 and sent to McKenick Shelbyville
Arrears to the 4th of March 80.00 Semi-ant. allowance ending Sept 20.00
{ Revolutionary Claim } { Act June 7, 1832 }
Recorded by Daniel Page Clerk Book Vol. 7 Page 86
Order to pay 28 Oct 1837. Letter to Mr. Hoover Same
rate of stock and on 42 -

4752
Richard Keele Tennessee.
from 1776 private 12 months.
$40.
P-13.
2. 3. 4. 5. 13.
See letter Nov 1. 1832
to J. M. Kisick Shelbyville Tenn.

4752
BRIEF in the case of Richard Keele of Rutherford County in the State of Tennessee (Act 7 June, 1832.)
 1. Was the declaration made before a Court or a Judge? In Open Court  2. If before a Judge, does it appear that the applicant is disabled by bodily infirmity?  3. How old is he? about 74 years  4. State his service, as directed in the form annexed. 
   Period. Duration of Service. Rank. Names of General and Field Officers under whom he served.   Years, Months, Days.     thinks in the Spring of the year In 1776 — thinks he served at least 12 months As a Gen. Capt James Lyon Saml Williams' Comp y Volt. Colo. Service  
 5. In what battles was he engaged? in the Battle at Kings Mountain  6. Where did he reside when he entered the service? Henry Co ty Virginia  7. Is his statement supported by living witnesses, by documentary proof, by traditional evidence, by incidental evidence, or by the rolls? by traditional evidence, & by document s proof as to faithful service, but duration of service not stated.  8. Are the papers defective as to form or authentication? and if so, in what respect? 
I Certify that the foregoing statement and the answers agree with the evidence in the case above mentioned.
Examining Clerk.

4 Richard Reece Declaration.

State of Tennessee 3
Bedford county } Court of Pleas & quarter sessions of said county.
On this day personally appeared in open court now sitting before the Justices presiding therein Richard Keer a resident citizen of Bedford county in the State of Tennessee aged about seventy four years who being duly sworn according to law doth on his oath make the following declarations in order to obtain the benefit of the act of bankruptcy passed Decr 7 th 1832.
That he thinks in the spring of the year 1776 he enlisted in a company of rangers to guard the frontiers of Virginia - That it was in Henry county in Virginia where he enlisted - That he marched soon afterwards to the frontiers under his captain James Lyon that after serving out his time he (which authority accompanies this his declaration) got a discharge from P. Harrison who had taken the command since James Lyon the captain under whom he first enlisted having resigned. - That after wards he married and removed to the frontiers of North Carolina on Holston river - That soon after the Tories and British force taking into the country - he joined a volunteer company under Lieut. Williams after Washington county - That they joined the volunteers under Col. Greene & was in the battle of Kings mountain when Ferguson was taken - That he served he thinks at least 12 months.
He further states that he has no documentary testimony except what accompanies this his declaration - That he knows of no person whose testimony he can procure who can testify to his service.
He hereby relinquishes all & every claim to a pension or annuity except the present and declares his name is not on the pension roll or agency of any state.
Sworn to & subscribed in open court the day & year aforesaid.
Richard his Keer
John W. Wood clerk
mark

We John Rushing a clergyman of the Baptist order residing in Bedford county and state of Tennessee and Tho. F. Bradford at the time a Senator in the legislature of the state of Tennessee, both of whom have long known Richard Keen whose name is signed to the above declaration - That we believe him to be about the age he represents - That he is respected and beloved in the neighborhood where he resides to have been a soldier of the revolution and that we concur in said opinion. John Rushing Sworn to & subscribed in open court. Thos F Bradford 7th August 1832
Attest Wm Dobbins
We the undersigned members of the county court of pleas & quarter sessions of the county of Bedford certify that John Rushing the clergyman who certifies above is of good standing, that Theodore F Bradford another witness is at present a Senator in the legislature of the state of Tennessee and that their statements are entitled to full faith & credit. - And we do further certify that the above testimony proposed in the institution of the war department and dated the 27th day of June 1832 was pronounced & as we agreeably to the declaration of the said Richard Keen. Samuel Phillips J. O'Neill John B. Spence

State of Tennessee
I James M. Russell Clerk of the Court of pleas and quarter sessions of the county of Bedford in the State of Tennessee do hereby certify that the foregoing contains the original proceedings of the said Court in the matter of the application of Richard Rule for a pension in testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand and affixed the seal of the said Court at office in Shelbyville this 20th day of August 1832
J. M. Russell
Henry County Virginia I DO hereby certify, that Richard Rule subscribed the oath or affirmation of allegiance General Assembly intitled An act to oblige the certain age to give assurance of allegiance to the my hand and seal, this twenty third
This is to certify that Richard Rule served as a good soldier in my company and agreeable to order are discharged the 19 Day of July 1777 D. Marston

January 4, 1937
Richard Keele S. 1977 BA-J/AWF Clare
The Quartermaster General Memorial Branch War Department Washington, D. C.
Dear Sir:
Reference is made to your request for information in regard to Richard Keele, who served in the War of the Revolution in Captains James Lyon's and P. Hartson's company of Rangers, and died in 1849 in Rutherford County, Tennessee.
The data which follow were obtained from papers on file in pension claim, S. 1977, based upon the service of Richard Keele in the Revolutionary War.
The date and place of birth of Richard Keele were not given, nor were the names of his parents stated.
Richard Keele enlisted in Henry County, Virginia, in the spring of 1776, served at various times as a private in Captains James Lyon's and P. Hartson's company of Rangers, guarding the frontiers of Virginia, and was discharged July 19, 1777, having served eleven months.
After the expiration of this service he married and moved to the frontiers of North Carolina, on the "Nolachucky River", and volunteered in Washington County, served in Captain Samuel Williams' company, in Colonel Sevier's North Carolina regiment, was in the battle of King's Mountain, length of this service one month.
He was allowed pension on his application ex-

cuted August 7, 1832, at which time he was aged about seventy-four years and living in Rutherford County, Tennessee, with one of his sons, where he had lived "only a short time", having moved there from Bedford County, Tennessee, where he had lived about seventeen years.
Names of his wife and children were not given, and there are no further data relative to his family.
The application for headstone for Richard Keele is returned herewith, as is, also, a letter addressed to your office, from Rebekah Jetton of Murfreesboro, Tennessee.
Very truly yours
A. D. HILLER Executive Assistant to the Administrator

Union Bank of Tennessee Nashville 11 th October 1837 J. L. Edwards Esq. Dear Sir
At the request of Matthias Hoover the attorney of Richard Keck a Revolutionary Pensioner under the act of the 7 th June 1832 and to whom there is one year's pension due up to the 4 th Sept. 1837. I herewith transmit you his pension Identity for your examination and permission of his payment, I am advised that Mr. Keck's health has been bad for some time is the reason for his not applying for his money.
Please to return his claim to him or his attorney to Stokely Post Office Rutherford County Tennessee with your instructions
I am Respectfully Sir
Y o b st Serv t John M. Bais P.A. By S. Cantrell

Buck Grove July 30 th 1832
We whose names are hereunto annexed do with pleasure certify that we have been acquainted and have lived a Neighbour to Richard Thiele Esq - Some of us from ten to twenty years and that he has always sustained the character of a honest and upright man in all his acts and doings therefor and that we have the utmost confidence in any thing he might say or do the date above written -
William Thiele
Mr J Watterson
George Wetton
Seroc Burkes
Abraham Rushing
William Morlan
Wm Sutton
Saw of Wood Jacob Hoover
Joseph Garney
Smith Garney
Sanders "K" Garney
Wm Sharp
James Morris James McGuire Robert Davis John Morlan James Stillowapacher of the gospel

Richard Keele
probably referred to the English... here under the seal of which the... contemptuous and contemptuous... action on the same... In order to... 1676-1677. May 1. ...
1676-1677. May 1. ... the name of the... most... In a... 1676-1677. May 1. ...
1676-1677. May 1. ... the... and the... 1676-1677. May 1. ...

BRIEF objections to the admission of Pension Claims, of which those answered in the negative, in red ink, will apply to the claim of Richard Keele 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? No 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? No 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? No. He must state as nearly as can be the time of his entering upon his different services, and time at which they ended. 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 & has a device.

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? has documentary evidence as to his faithful service but term of service not specified XIV. † If the applicant has produced a witness or witnesses as to his service, has the magistrate who administered the oath certified that he, she, or they are persons of credibility? 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.
† 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 affidavits must be properly authenticated, as above directed.
‡ 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.

AW Rev. War Section.
April 7, 1920.
Hon. Joseph W. Byrns, House of Representatives.
My dear Mr Byrns:
In reply to your letter of the fifth instant, I have the honor to advise you, that from the papers in the claim, Survivor File No. 1977, it appears that Richard Keele enlisted in Henry County, Virginia, in the spring of 1776 and served until July 18, 1777, in Captains James Lyon and P. Harston's Company of Rangers, guarding the frontiers. After this he married, name of wife not stated and moved to the frontiers of North Carolina, on the Nolachucky River, where he entered in Washington County, a volunteer company under Samuel Williams, which joined with Colonel Sevier and was at the battle of Kings Mountain, he served one month.
He was allowed pension on his application executed August 7, 1832, at which time he was seventy-four years old, and was living in Rutherford County, Tennessee, with one of his sons. Names of children not stated, nor is there further data on file as to his family.
Very truly yours,
G. M. Sugg
Commissioner.

SIXTY-SIXTH CONGRESS.
JAMES W. GOOD, IOWA, CHAIRMAN. CHARLES R. DAVIS, MINN. JOSEPH W. BYRNE, TENN. WILLIAM S. VARE, PA. THOMAS UPTON SISSON, MISS. JOSEPH G. CANNON, ILL. JAMES MCANDREWS, ILL. C. BASCOM SLEMP, VA. JOHN M. EVANS, MONT. WILLIAM R. WOOD, IND. JOHN J. EAGAN, N. J. LOUIS C. CRAMTON, MICH. JAMES P. BUCHANAN, TEX. EDWARD H. WATSON, N. H. JAMES A. GALLIVAN, MASS. WALTER W. MAGEE, N. Y. JAMES F. BYRNES, S. C. GEORGE H. TINKHAM, MASS. BURTON L. FRENCH, IDAHO. MILTON W. SHREVE, PA. CHARLES F. OGDEN, KY.
MARCELLUS C. SHELD, CLERK.
Committee on Appropriations House of Representatives Washington, D. C.
April 5, 1920
Pension Commissioner, Washington, D.C.
My dear sir:
Will you kindly furnish me with the revolutionary record of Richard Keele, who is said to have been a pensioner, and enlisted in either Virginia or North Carolina.
Thanking you for your attention to this request, I am,
Yours very truly,
A handwritten signature in cursive, appearing to read "Joseph W. Byrnes".

1925 Apr 2. T. Hon. Joseph W. Byrns m.c. Gen. history - Calif 1938. Jan 4 - list to Mexico. Branch 2/23
Rev
1977
INVALID.
File No. 1977
Richard Keele
Ret. War. line
Act: June 7, 1832
Index: - Vol. A , Page 201
[Arrangement of 1870.]
Nov 20 '03 Va. Nat. War Line. Records corrected. a

An affidavit to the declaration of Richard Steele made & sworn to on the 7th. August 1832 in order to ob- -tain the benefit of the act of Congress passed June 7. 1833.
State of Tennessee Rutherford County
Personally appeared before me William Galbreath a Justice of the Peace for said County. Richard Steele, who being duly sworn, deposes & saith, that by reason of old age and the consequent loss of memory he can not 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, & in the following grades. (Viz) to the best of his recollection he entered the service in the Spring of 1776 and served as a private soldier as a ranger until the time of his discharge (which ac- -companies his declaration) but during the time he was suffered to go home to recruit but returned and that he was in that service eleven months, and that he served one month as a volunteer private under the officers named in his decla- -ration in the expedition in which Ferguson was taken in all making twelve months for which he claims a pension; He also swears that at the time he made his declaration he was not aware that it would make any difference in what county he made his declaration that it was but a short time before he made his decla- -ration that he removed into Rutherford the county in which he

now residing, and that he is poor living with one of his sons whose house is not more than half mile from the Bedford County line, that the majority of his friends & acquaintances live in Bedford where he also lived sixteen or seventeen years previous to his removal into Rutherford.
Sworn to & subscribed before Richard D. Rule mark on this 11 th February 1833
W. Galbreath (P)
State of Tennessee § I, James M c Keick clerk of the Bedford County Court of Pleas and Quarter Sessions for the County aforesaid, do hereby certify that William Galbreath, Esquire, before whom the foregoing amended declaration of Richard Rule was sworn to is now an acting Justice of the Peace for said County, and that he has been duly Commissioned & qualified as such
In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand and affixed the seal of Bedford County Court at office in Shelbyville this 12 th day of February 1833
J. M c Keick clerk