Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty Land Warrant Application File S. 31419, for Elisha Thomas, Virginia

SERVICE
NUMBER
Va.
Thomas, Elisha
S. 31419
CONTENTS

June 16. 1834 dup, certif. issued and sent to Geo. D. Waugh Esq. Hanoverburg Kentucky. — on the 18
7333 Kentucky
Elisha Thomas
of Mercer Co. in the State of Kentucky who was a private in the company commanded by Captain Hambach of the Regt commanded by Col. Nevil in the Va line for 8 months
Inscribed on the Roll of Kentucky at the rate of 26 Dollars 66 Cents per annum to commence on the 14th day of March, 1831.
Certificate of Pension issued the 30 day of March 1832 and sent to Geo. D. McCree Present
Arrears to the 14th of March 1833. 53 32 Semi-ant. allowance ending 4/1/33 — 13.33
$66.65
{ Revolutionary Claim, Act June 7, 1832.
Recorded by Daniel Bays Clerk Book 6 Vol. 7 Page 29

Eliza Thomas
from 1777 p ri w th 8 m th
$26. 66
Me afe

State of Kentucky } On this 14 th day of March New County } 1833 personally appeared before a justice of the peace and judge of the New County Court Elisha Thomas and who informs me that his attesting & court being aged seventy years, a resident citizen of said county who having made a solemn affirmation (he being of the denomination called Believers or Shakers) according to law doth make the following declaration in order to obtain the benefit of the act of Congress passed the 7 th day of June 1832. viz I solemnly affirm in answer to the several interrogatories directed to be put to me by the War Department, I declare that I was in the county of Chester in the state of Pennsylvania and resided in said county until the year 1777 and then removed to Hampshire county in the state of Virginia where I lived when I was called into the service of my country in the revolutionary war as follows - in April 1781 I volunteered on a tour of three months in said county of Hampshire in Capt. Sam Horn back's company in the regiment commanded by Col Joseph Vail when we discovered at Synches Mill, and marched to Cape Carter River against the Tories when we were repulsed and I was sent express to Col Calmes for assistance, and Col Morgan marched to our relief and we defeated the Tories and dispersed

then - and I was honorably discharged at the end of my term, and again I immediately volunteered in Capt  company under Col Calhoun and marched back to Cape Fear where we marched through the country and dispersed and killed some of  all the Tories who we encountered and I was honorably discharged at the end of my time which was two months and again about the last of August I volunteered in Capt Thomas Neal's company and in Col Calhoun for three months at Lynch's Mill and we marched to Little York where I aided in capturing Lord Cornwallis, when the combined armies of France and America acted in concert, I further state that I have named all the officers who commanded in the two first towns, - I also have a record of my age in my family Bible which is 23 d of September 1762 - I have long since lost my discharge and I have no documentary evidence of my services and I do not recollect any person by whom I can prove my services who I can now procure except John Denny and he is now very old and childish but I can prove by Samuel Harris and Zachariah Burnett that I have many years since related my services in the revolutionary war, I further state that I am not now a prisoner of the united states or of any state and I hereby relinquish all

all claim to any other pension except the present and I entered the service of my country as I have stated each tour, and lived first in Pennsylvania & then Virginia where I resided until the close of the war and in the year 1787 I removed to Kentucky Mason County where I have resided ever since I never held any commission in the army and I have given the names of my officers as far as I can recollect at the time I was with Col Calhoun I was selected as a spy and Pilot and acted un- der the immediate command of the Colonel as I was acquainted with the country. Witness my hand this 12 th day of March 1833 Elisha Thomas
Mason County Ky s We the undersigned Samuel Harris and Zachariah Burnett, residents of Pleasant Hill do hereby solemnly affirm, the said Harris that he well recollects of Elisha Thomas (who has signed and made affirmation to the above decla- ration) at least twenty years ago telling him of his revolutionary services as he has related them above and the said Burnett recollects of hearing the same at least fifteen years since, especially the time when Lord Cornwallis was captured, and said Thomas has always been reported in his neighborhood as a re- volutionary soldier, and we consider him a man of credibility Witness our hands, this 11 th day of March 1833 Samuel Harris Zachariah Burnett

Mercer County Pa This is to Certify That Elisha Thomas Wit - Samuel Harris and Zachariah Burnett came before me a justice of the peace and judge of the county court of Mercer and signed and made solemn affirmation, to their respective statements and I further Certify that they are all credible men and Witnesses and that the sd Thomas is infirm and so much frail and indisposed that he cannot attend in court without great inconvenience, given under my hand this 14 th day of March 1833 - Wm Wood J.P.
Mercer County Pa We Samuel Turner a clergyman residing in Pleasant Hill in sd county and Peter Voris and Emley Runyan - residing in the same county do hereby Certify that we are well acquainted with Elisha Thomas who has subscribed and made affirmation to the above declaration that we believe him to be of the age he has stated and that he is respected and beloved in the neighborhood in which he resides to have been a soldier of the revolution and we concur in this opinion and that he is a credible person Witness our hands and the 14 th day of March 1833 Samuel Turner
Peter Voris
Emley Runyan
Sworn to this day of March 1833 and submitted before me a justice of the peace and judge of sd county court, and I declare it as my opinion after the investigation of the matter and putting the questions presented by the war department that the above named applicant was a revolutionary soldier and served as he has stated and I further Certify that it appears to me

That Samuel Turner who has signed the preceding Certificate is a clergyman resident of said county and that Peter Voss and Emily Newman who have also signed the same are residents of the same county and are credible persons and that their state- ments are entitled to credit. Given under my hand the 14 th day of March 1833 -
Wm Wood P.P.
State of Kentucky } Mercer County Set. } Thomas Allin Jr Clerk of the Court for the County as I do certify that William Wood Esq whose name is af- fixed to the foregoing Certificate is an acting Justice of the Peace in and for the County as I and one of the Judges of the Mercer County Court duly Commissioned and qual- ified and as such give faith and Credit is ought to be given to every of his official acts as such
In Testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal of Office this 15 th day of March 1833
Thos Allin Jr

September 29, 1939
BA-J/MCS
Elisha Thomas, W.2974
Elisha Thomas, S.31419
Mr. Graves Thomas Richmond, Box 153 Virginia
Dear Sir:
Reference is made to your request for abstracts of the information given in the Revolutionary War pensions claims of Elisha Thomas of Mercer County, Kentucky, and Elisha Thomas of Wayne County, Kentucky.
The data which follow were taken from papers on file in the pension claim, W.2974, based on the military service of Elisha Thomas.
The date and place of birth of Elisha Thomas and the names of his parents are not shown.
While a resident of Fauquier County, Virginia, Elisha Thomas enlisted January 12, 1777, and served three years, one month and twenty days as private in Captain Robert Bell's company in Colonel George Gibson's Virginia regiment and was in the battles of Brandywine and Germantown.
He was allowed pension on his application executed October 24, 1818, at which time he was fifty-eight years of age and was a resident of Wayne County, Kentucky.
Elisha Thomas died December 24, 1834, in Wayne County, Kentucky.
This soldier married in Fauquier County, Virginia, Alice or Alcy Glasscock. She stated they were married in June, 1788. The marriage license bond was dated May 24, 1788, and was signed by Elisha Thomas and Benjamin Glasscock (relationship of Benjamin Glasscock to Alice or Alcy not shown).

As the widow of Elisha Thomas, Alice or Alcy Thomas was allowed pension on her application executed March 28, 1839, at which time she was seventy-three years of age and was a resident of Wayne County, Kentucky. She was living there in 1848.
In 1839 their son, Travis, was twenty-eight years of age and was living in Wayne County, Kentucky. He then stated that his oldest brother (name not given) was forty-eight years of age.
The papers on this claim contain no further data relative to the soldier's family.
In order to obtain the date of last payment of the pension of Alice or Alcy Thomas, the name and address of the person to whom it was paid and possibly the date of widow's death, it is suggested that you address the Comptroller General, General Accounting Office, Records Division, this city, giving the following data:
Alice or Alcy Thomas, widow of Elisha Thomas, Certificate 2356, issued December 13, 1848, rate $80 per annum, commenced March 4, 1848, Act of February 2, 1848, Kentucky Agency. *****
The data which follow were taken from papers on file in the pension claim, S.31419, based on the military service of Elisha Thomas. (Shaker)
Elisha Thomas was born September 23, 1762. The place of his birth and the names of his parents are not shown.
He stated that he lived in Chester County, Pennsylvania, until 1777 when he moved to Hampshire County, Virginia, where he lived during his service in the Revolution.
He volunteered in April, 1781, and served three months as private in Captain Samuel Hornback's company in Colonel Joseph Nevil's Virginia regiment. Immediately after this service, he volunteered and served two months as private in Colonel Calmes' (probably meant for Calmes') Virginia regiment. He volunteered /about the last of August, 1781, and served Calmes'

three months as private in Captain Thomas Neal's company in Colonel Calimes' or Calmes' Virginia regiment and was at the capture of Cornwallis at Yorktown. Elisha Thomas' service was as spy and pilot.
He was allowed pension on his application executed March 14, 1833, while living in Mercer County, Kentucky, having moved there in 1787 from Virginia.
The papers in this claim contain no data relative to soldier's family.
In order to obtain the date of last payment of pension of Elisha Thomas and the name and address of the person to whom it was paid and possibly the date of death of the soldier, it is suggested that you address the same official as in the case of Elisha Thomas, W.2974, and give the following data:
Elisha Thomas, Certificate 7333, issued March 30, 1833, rate $26.66 per annum, commenced March 4, 1831, Act of June 7, 1832, Kentucky Agency.
Very truly yours
A. D. HILLER Executive Assistant to the Administrator

31 419 Rev INVALID.
1939. Sept. 29. In at to Mrs Grave Thomas. See letter in Rev. ch. Elisha Thomas 10-29-79 ms
File No. 31, 419
Elisha Thomas
Rev War
Act: June 1 st 32 nd
Index: —Vol. 2 , Page 431
[Arrangement of 1870.]

Remittance
for
Rec. 7 June 1834
Elisha Thomas Kentucky.
App. for new certificate - Act. 7 th June 1834.
to Secy of War. Washington City etc.
Free

Elisha Thomas Pension
Application for new Certificate
Address to Geo L. Strought Harrisburg Ky

State of Kentucky } McCreary County } sub
The affidavit of Elisha Thomas aged seventy seven years being duly sworn according to Law, do hereby solemnly declare that he employed Genl Robert B McCue (now in South America) to obtain for him a pension under the act of June 7 th 1832 for his services as a private in the war of the Revolution, which was obtained and his pay Certificate forwarded to him in this County, upon the receipt of the same, he put it into the hands of John R Bryant his agent and Attorney to draw the money due him under the act of Congress passed as aforesaid; he furnished his said Attorney with the necessary power, and he succeeded in drawing the money from the Branch Bank of the United States at Lexington Kentucky up to the 4 th day of Last March. and some how or other his pay Certificate is lost or destroyed. he can't say how or in what way. He further states that he has the highest confidence in the integrity honesty and good conduct of his Attorney John R Bryant, and if lost while in his possession which he thinks it was, must have been entirely accidental, for he is well convinced that he had no motive to do any thing that would in any way be calculated to do him an injury - He prays that the Honble Secretary of War will cause to be issued a new Certificate in accordance with the first, that his declaration drawn up by Genl McCue is on file in the office of the Secretary of War to which reference can be had, and he hereby binds will pay the signed and sealed the 27 th day of May A.D. 1834.
Elisha Thomas

The Deposition of John R. Bryant The agent and Attorney spoken of in the foregoing affidavits, taken at the clerk's Office of Mercer County on the 27 th day of May 1834. This Deponent being first duly sworn according to Law deposes and saith - That he acted as the Attorney of the aff d Elisha Thomas in drawing the money due him as a pensioner, on the Roll of the Kentucky as an en- up to the 4 th day of March 1834. That he received the pay therefor Certificate from Elisha Thomas and carried it with him to Handsburg with the power of Attorney in order to get the Certificate of the Clerk and County seal several times after having done so he generally puts them in his pocket when they would be safe in the case he may have neglected to take them and returned home , He thinks it probable it was destroyed in washing his cloth, at all events it is lost and he can't tell certainly in what way, Thomas & himself belong to the same Society, To wit, the Shaker Society, and he solemnly swears that the loss of the certificate was wholly accidental in him, he feels confident the Certificate was lost through him, He further states that he is one of the principal agents belonging to the society, and he hereby obligates himself should the said Certificate be found which he thinks not at all probable, he will forward it to the Secretary of war with out delay, He further states that there has been no transfer of s d Certificate in any shape way or form, but that it "lost or destroyed" and he does not certainly know how but thinks it most probable it was destroyed in washing his cloth.
Subscribed and sworn to
This day & year after said.
John R. Bryant (Seal)

State of Kentucky Mercer County ss
I Isaac Pearson a Justice of the peace for the state and county aforesaid, hereby Certify the foregoing affidavits of Elisha Thomas and also the Depositions of John R Bryant were taken subscribed and sworn to before me at the clerks office for the county aforesaid the 27 th day of May 1834 and I further certify that the said Elisha Thomas and John R Bryant are highly credible persons
Isaac Pearson Clerk
State of Kentucky Mercer County ss I Thomas Allen Clerk of the Court for the County aforesaid do Certify that Isaac Pearson whose name is subscribed to the foregoing Certificate is an Acting Justice of the peace in and for the County aforesaid duly Commissioned and qualified & as such full faith and Credit is and ought to be given to every of his official acts as such & I do further Certify that Elisha Thomas & John R Bryant whose names are subscribed to their Respec- tive Statements are men of Truth and Credibil- ity & entitled to full Credit
In Testimony whereof I have here- unto set my hand and affixed my Seal of office this 27 th day of May 1834 Thos Allen C.L.P.