Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty Land Warrant Application File S. 3679, for Thomas Pearcy, Virginia

SERVICE
NUMBER
Iva .....
Pearcy, Thomas .....
S 3679 .....
CONTENTS
carded

13823 West Tennessee
Thomas Peacy of Rutherford in the State of Tennessee who was a private in the company commanded by Captain Pegram of the Army & commanded by Col. in the North Carolina line for 6 months
Va. Service Records corrected Mar 21 '34
Inscribed on the Roll of West Tennessee at the rate of 20 Dollars & Cents per annum, to commence on the 4th day of March, 1831.
Certificate of Pension issued the 10th day of June  1833 and Seventh  Wm  Leitch  Murphy Arrears to the 4th of March 46 875 Semi-ant. allowance ending 4 Sept 10 9375 $50 8125
{ Revolutionary Claim, } { Act June 7, 1832. }
Recorded by Dani  Day Clerk, Book 8 Vol. 7 Page 92

153-18
Thomas Pierce
[Faint, mirrored handwritten text, likely bleed-through from the reverse side of the page]

Amended declaration of Thomas Pearcy for a pension.
On this 6th day of April, 1833, before me James C. Mitchell one of the Judges of the circuit courts in & for the state of Tennessee, now sitting for the County of Rutherford, personally appeared in open court Thomas Pearcy, who made his original declaration for a pension at last October term of said court, who being duly sworn deposeth & 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; For two months & ten days, I served as a private in Capt Jones' company, being my first service mentioned in my original declaration; For two months & three weeks I served as a private in Capt Pegram's company in the campaign in which Gates was defeated near Camden; For one month I served as a private in Capt Nicholas' company before I was taken sick, as mentioned in my original declaration, and for such service or six months  in  the months, three weeks & ten days, I claim a pension.
The said Thomas Pearcy states, that he never received any written discharge from service, that he has no documentary evidence by which to prove his service as a soldier of the revolution, and that he knows of no person, whose testimony, he can procure, who can testify to such his service.
Applicant was born in Dinwiddie county, Virginia, on the 5th of May 1758 as appears from a record of his age now in his possession, & which was taken from his father's record of ages. He lived in Dinwiddie county until the year 1806 when he moved to Tennessee, Sumner county, lived there one year, thence moved to Wilson county lived there about 13 years, thence moved to Rutherford County to his present residence.

Applicant names Jacob Hall, Stephen Spain, George Smith, Ambrose McKee, William Johns, Joseph B. Johns, Jacob Johns, Col John Dance, Maj. Ruffel Dance, Abram Overall, N. Overall & James Griffin, as persons to whom he is known in his present neighbourhood, & who can testify as to his character for veracity, & their belief of his services as a soldier of the revolution.
Sworn to & subscribed in open court this 6th of April, 1833.
Thomas Pearcy
W. H. Mitchell Clerk
We Nace Overall a clergyman of Russell Dance both residing in the county of Rutherford & state of Tennessee, hereby certify, that we are well acquainted with Thomas Pearcy who has subscribed & sworn to the above amended declaration, that we believe him to be seventy four years of age; that he is reputed and believed in the neighbourhood where he resides, to have been a soldier of the revolution, and that we concur in that opinion.
Sworn & subscribed the day & year last aforesaid
W. H. Mitchell Clerk
Nace Overall Russell Dance
And the said James C. Mitchell, judge as aforesaid, after the investigation of the matter, and after putting the interrogatories prescribed by the War Department, hereby declares his opinion, that the above named applicant was a revolutionary soldier, and served as he states in both his declarations. And the said Court further certifies, that it appears to him that Nace Overall who has signed the preceding certificate, is a clergyman and that Russell Dance who has also signed the same is a credible person, that they both reside in the county of Rutherford and state of Tennessee.

see, & that their statement is entitled to credit.
J. Mitchell
Presiding Judge
O, William Ledbetter, clerk of the Circuit Court of Rutherford County, do hereby certify, that the foregoing, after my certificate & seal of office given the 9th of October last, contains the annexed proceedings of said court in the matter of the application of Thomas Pearcy for pension. In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand & seal of office the day & year last aforesaid.
Wm. Ledbetter Clerk

State of Tennessee } Rutherford County }
Circuit Court,
October term, 1832.
On this 8th day of October in the year of our Lord 1832 before James C. Mitchell one of the judges of the circuit courts in & for the State of Tennessee now sitting for said County of Rutherford at Murfreesborough, personally appeared Thomas Peasey a resident of said County & State, aged 74 years the 5th of May last, 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. That he entered the service of the United States, in the spring or summer of the year 1776 or 77, he can not recollect the time precisely, as a volunteer under Capt Joseph Jones who commanded a company of drafted Virginia militia from the County of Dinwiddie. He does not remember the names of the inferior officers of the company. They were called together & organized into a company at Petersburg, thence they marched to Williamsburgh & there encamped until other companies came up, at which time the British lay in Chesapeake Bay. From thence Capt Jones company marched to Hampton by the way of Little York. Thence they went on board an armed vessel to Portsmouth, & there joined some other companies. On the British leaving the Bay, they were discharged, drawing provisions to last them home. Applicant joined Jones' company for the term of three months, but believes the time had not quite expired when he was discharged. He does not recollect the names of the superior officer or officers in this campaign, as he had but little intercourse with any other company besides his own, & as his memory has very much failed him. He thinks Gen. Steuben was at Williamsburgh, Adjutant Fogg was the acting officer in mustering them. Sometime in the year 1780, perhaps in June, he was called upon & entered the service under George Pegram, Capt. the inferior officers of the company were Peter Epps William Walker, & Boswell Hutchings, at Dinwiddie court

house, thence marched to Hillsborough, North Carolina, & there joined Falkners regiment. Stephens was general. On the arrival of Gen. Gates they marched to South Carolina near Camden where the memorable battle was fought. After the defeat, part of the army collected at Hillsborough where applicant was discharged & returned to his home. He believes he was not in service quite three months in this campaign, though that or six months was the term for which he entered service. He was one of Gates' life guard from Hillsborough to Deep river, where the regulars lay.
When the British came up James river, he thinks in the fall of 1780, the whole county of Dinwiddie that could bear arms was called out, rendezvoused at Petersburg & there organised into companies. Applicant served in Capt John Nicholas' company; he does not recollect all the inferior officers of the company, but Baswell Hutchings was one. On hearing the British were coming up Appomattox river Nicholas' company went down & fired on the vessel that came up. Two of our men were wounded in the engagement. Col d Bannister, Gibson & Smallwood were present. They thence returned to Petersburg. In a few days Nicholas' company marched alone down the river to Mark's old field, & there joined other companies. At this place there was a special company selected from the different companies to watch the movements of the British down the river. Applicant was in this select company, which followed the British down to Ballin point where he was taken sick & remained until furloughed by Col d Bannister until he should be able to serve again. He did not recover so as to be able to enter on duty before the end of the three months for which he entered service. In these three campaigns, each entered for 3 months term, one perhaps for six months he was in actual service at least six months. When he entered the service he lived in Dinwiddie county, Virginia. He does not remember, who at that time, was Colonel in the county, but Bannister was afterwards Colonel. The number of the regiment he does not remember.

He can not now recollect the names of the other field officers besides Bannister. The furlough received from him has been lost. His residence was in Dinwiddie county during the whole time of the revolutionary war.
He hereby relinquishes every claim whatever to a pension or annuity except the present, & he declares his name is not on the pension roll of any agency in any state.
Sworn to & subscribed } Thomas Peasey the day & year first aforesaid } in open Court. Wm. Ledbetter Clerk
And the said James C. Mitchell, Judge as aforesaid, hereby declares his opinion that the above named applicant was a revolutionary soldier & served as he states.
J. C. Mitchell
I, William Ledbetter clerk of the court aforesaid do hereby certify, that the foregoing contains the original proceedings of the said court in the matter of the application of Thomas Peasey for a pension.
In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand & seal of office this 9 th day of October 1832.
Wm. Ledbetter, Clerk

Rev. H. M.
3679.
INVALID.
File No. 3679
Thomas Pearce
Port. A. G. line
Act: June 17/33
Index:—Vol. 24 , Page 251
[Arrangement of 1870.]
Va. Service Records corrected Mar 21 '04 A.

Thomas Peasey
From 1777 private 6 months! $20
West Bull
W m Ledbetter Clk. Newfreesborough Ten.

Thomas Pea
long he served, he should amend his declaration by making an affidavit in the following words:
"Personally
A. Ledra

BRIEF objections to the admission of Pension Claims, of which those answered in the negative, in red ink, will apply to the claim of Thomas Searcy which require further proof or explanation.
I. Does the declaration show where the applicant resides? II. Did the declarant make the declaration in the county where he resides? 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? 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 VI. Has he given the names of the officers under whom he served, in conformity with the regulations? VII. Has he made a relinquishment of every claim to any other pension than the one under the Act of June 7, 1832? VIII. Has the Court given their opinion? IX. Has the Clerk given his certificate? 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?

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? No
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?
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?
XVII. Are the seven interrogatories prescribed by the War Department answered satisfactorily? And, if not, which of them is not so answered?
2. 7.
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. 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?

Revolutionary Claims
H 10
Apr. 20
Yes,
Rev.
The Honorable Louis Camp, Secretary of War, Washington City

I enclose you the declaration, & amendments, of William Mitchell, David Williams, Michael Sorane, Joshua Ford and Thomas Peasey, for Peninsulas under the Act of Congress of June 7 th 1832 -
Reference as before -
Very respectfully,
Commissioner of Peninsulas, Washington.
W. H. Wirt 6 Apr 1833