Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty Land Warrant Application File S. 31307, for Benjamin Poe, North Carolina

SERVICE
Al.
Poe, Benjamin
NUMBER
S. 31307
CONTENTS

Kentucky 2539
253 43
Benjamin Poe
of Allen Co in the State of Kentucky who was a private in the company commanded by Captain Belock of the reg t commanded by Col Griffith in the Kentucky line for 3 mos s private of Infantry 9 " " " Cavalry
Enrolled on the Roll of Kentucky at the rate of 17 Dollars 50 Cents per annum, to commence on the 14th day of March, 1834.
Certificate of Pension issued the 28 day of Dec r 1833, and 16 th June 1834 Tompkins H B
Arrears to the 14th of Sept r 118.75 Pens ant. allowance ending 4 March 23.75 $139.50
{ Revolutionary Claim, } { Act June 7, 1832. }
Recorded by Sam Boyd Clerk Book 8 Vol. 7 Page 23

Declaration
In Order to obtain the benefit of the Act of Congress passed the 7 th of June 1832.
State of Kentucky County of Allen } Set.
On this the 9 th day of December 1833 personally appeared in Open court before Saml Henson Clerk of Court & Comptroller in presence of the Honorable Fitzpatrick Wellborn Thos S. Telford & James Davis Justices of the County Court in and for said County then in the Court-house thereof in the town of Scottville in Court Sitting; Benjamin Poe a resident of Allen County State of Kentucky aged 84 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 th 1832.
That he entered into the service of the United States under the following named Officers and served in the War of the Revolution as herein after stated.
That This Declarant, some time in December 1775, as is his best recollection, volunteered as a private of Infantry (North Carolina) militia, in the Infantry militia Company, Miles Kerlock Capt. Roger Griffith Lieutenant, William Melone Ensign, James Thackston of North Carolina militia Col. Com. and Ambrose Ramsey General: and at a place known as Brazzell's old field near Ramsey's mill on Deep river in Chatham County in the State of North Carolina. In pursuance of his engagement having entered the army as aforesaid he served in the Army of the United States in the revolutionary War as a private of Infantry and under the Officers above named, the particulars of which service will be given in his answer to 5 th question prescribed by the War Department, and the time herein stated below to the best of his recollection.
That having served the full term of service under said engagement, and discharged therefrom he returned to Chatham County (N.C.) and from thence moved to Randolph County (N.C.) and whilst he lived there, in September 1781, as is his best recollection he again entered into the service of the United States in the Revolutionary War at Chatham Courthouse (N.C.) as a volunteer private minute man, in the Company of mounted Infantry or horsemen Tascawer Marsh (or Mash) Captain, John Forshee Lieutenant, Stephen Lee Ensign (or Cornet) and the Regiment under the command of Col. Roger Griffith, the detail of his services under last mentioned engagement and Officers is deferred for his answer to the 5 th interrogatory prescribed by the War Department and the length of his service according to his best recollection, herein after stated.
That having served the term of service under the last mentioned engagement and discharged therefrom, he returned to his residence in Randolph County North Carolina. The Tories were now the strongest party in Randolph County, finding himself exposed to the hazard of being taken by the Tories and by them butchered, in a few days after his return he again entered the service of the United States a private Soldier in the Army of the Revolution in December 1781, a volunteer minuteman of mounted Infantry or horsemen at
in Randolph County (N.C.) in the volunteer Company of mounted Infantry or Horsemen Charles Boulston Captain, James Garner Lieutenant, James Whittle Ensign or Cornet and John Collier Col. Commandant; he refers to his answer to the 5 th question prescribed by the War Department, for the particulars as nearly as he recollects them of his Service as a volunteer private minute man of mounted Infantry in virtue of the last mentioned engagement and the length of his service under the same and under the last named Officers.

That having served out, and being discharged from his last mentioned engagement he returned to Randolph County (N. C.) He there found his dwelling house reduced to ashes, his property destroyed, his wife and children driven away by the Tories, and cast upon the charity of the world for protection and support. Finding no safety for himself, his family and what little property remained to him, from the wretched Tories of Randolph County, he moved with his wife and children into Chatham County (N. C.) The Tories still waging a war of extermination against the Whigs whilst he lived in Chatham County, at Chatham Courthouse on or about the middle of March 1782 to the best of his recollection, he again entered the service of the United States as a volunteer private in the Army of the United States in the company of mounted infantry or Horse-men, Joseph Rosser Captain, and William Goulston Colonel Commandant. The other officers are not remembered. His services as a private soldier in virtue of the last mentioned engagement will, as far as are remembered, be detailed in his answer to the 5 th Interrogatory propounded by the department of War, and the length of the time of the same, as is his best recollection, given below.
This Declarant upon his said Oath declareth 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 as a Soldier of the Revolutionary War; but according to the best of his recollection he served not less than the periods mentioned below and in the following grades. For Three months I served as a private of infantry militia (N. C.) in the years 1775 & 1776 under Captain Miles Kerlock and other Officers named in the first part of this declaration. For Three months I served as a private minuteman of mounted infantry or horsemen in 1781 under Captain Taverner Marsh (or Mash) and other Officers named in a former part of this Declaration. For Three months I served as a private minute man of mounted infantry or horsemen in the years 1781 and 1782 under Captain Charles Goulston and other officers named in a former part of this declaration. For Three months I served as a private of mounted infantry or horsemen in the year 1782 under Captain Joseph Rosser and the officers named with him in a former part of this Declaration. In all One Year, and for such service I claim a Pension. To the questions put by the War Department this Declarant upon his said Oath answers as followeth. To Question the 1 st That he was born on the 14 th day of August 1749 (Old Style) in Guilford County State of Virginia as from the best information he believes. To question the 2 nd That he has no record of his age. To question the 3 rd That when he entered the service of the United States in the Revolutionary War he lived in the counties of Chatham and Randolph in North Carolina, That since the war he has resided in the counties of Chatham and Wake North Carolina and in the counties of Barren, Monroe and Allen where he now lives in the State of Kentucky. To Question the 4 th That he entered the service as a Volunteer. To Question the 5 th That he does not remember having served with any of the regular troops of the United States, he recollects that Colonel Lee's corps of dragoons was with the troops with which he served for a few hours only. Of North Carolina militia and volunteers he served with and under General Ambrose

Ramsey, Colo: James Thackston, Colo: Roger Griffith, Colo. Collier and Colo. William Gouldston Gouldston, Captains Miles Kerlock, Taverner Marsh (or Mash) Captain Charles Gouldston and Joseph Rosser, Lieutenants John Forshee, James Garner Ensigns William Melone Stephen Lee and James Whittle and many others.
The circumstances of his service are as follows. Shortly after he entered the service in 1775 at Bragg's old field in Chatham County (N.C.) he was marched by Capt. Kerlock and the other Officers with him before mentioned therein in the direction for Cross Creek against the British and Tories under General McDonald and McLeod, they were halted for some time, waiting an addition to their force, and at length reached Cross Creek and were detained several weeks at Cape Fear, he recollects that the day before he reached Cross Creek, the engagement between the American United States troops under Colonels Pettigrew and Easwell and the British troops under McDonald and McLeod was said to have been fought. He recollects that the troops with which he served interposed and took many of the Tories on their retreat from the S. Battle which took place at Moore's Creek bridge, having served the term for which he had engaged he was discharged about the first of June 1776 at Cape Fear, as is his best recollection.
This declarant further states, that shortly after he entered the service at Chatham Courthouse under Captain Marsh (or Mash) in September 1781 he was marched by Captain Marsh and the Officers before mentioned as commanding with him against the Tories, the principal object being the protection of the Whigs and their families and property from the assaults and pillage of the Tories, that the troops with which he served traversed the country through the Counties of Chatham, Orange, Guilford, Anson Cumberland, Randolph and Wake in pursuit of the Tories, that there were many engage- ments between the detached parties but no general engagement. That the troops with which he served were marched back to Chatham Courthouse and there discharged by Colo Griffith in December 1781 as is his best recollection.
That a short time after the last mentioned discharge, having entered the service again at the in Randolph County under Captain Charles Gouldston, Captain Gouldston and the other Officers with him commanding as before mentioned marched the troops under their command from thence through the same section of country mentioned in the last state- ment of service and against the same restless Enemy The Tories, the nature of the service and the country being the same as the statement above, the troop was discharged at Randolph Courthouse in March 1782 as is his best recollection.
That finding the Tories still waging a war the most murderous against the Whigs, having within a few days after the last mentioned discharge from the service again entered the same at Chatham Courthouse under Capt. Joseph Rosser and Colo: Gouldston, Declarant and those under their command were again led in pursuit of the Tories in Randolph, Wake, Cumberland, Guilford Anson & other Counties of North Carolina, after many partial engagements between small parties, declarant was, with the rest of the troops who served with him discharged at Chatham

Courthouse in June 1782, as is his best recollection. Declarant was in no general battle whilst in the service, but was in many skirmishes with detached parties. To Question the 6 th he answers, that all the discharges from service mentioned herein with the exception of his discharge from the Infantry Militia service in 1776 at Cape Fear were verbal, That at Cape Fear Colo. Shackleton gave him a written discharge which was consumed or destroyed by the Tories when they burned his house in Randolph County as before mentioned.
To Question the 7 th That he is known to John Dyson Levi Roark, Robert F. Pulliam, Johnson J. Cockrell Robert H. Paris Walter Thomas Isaac Tracey Lovel Stenson and many others in his present neighbourhood, who can testify as to his character for veracity and their belief of his services as a Soldier of the Revolution.
This Declarant further states that he has no documentary or other evidence, to prove his said service nor does he know any person by whom he can establish the same. He hereby relinquishes every 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 or territory.
Sworn to and Subscribed the day and year aforesaid in Open Court. - - - - - Benjamin Poe his mark
State of Kentucky County of Allen ss. We Levi Roark a clergyman residing in the County of Allen and State of Kentucky and Walter Thomas Johnson J. Cockrell Thomas Caruth Robert H. Paris, Matthew Johnson, Asa Roark, and William Johnston
residing in the same hereby certify that we are well acquainted with Benjamin Poe who has Subscribed and sworn to the above Declaration and that we believe him to be 84 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 to and Subscribed in Open Court the day and year last aforesaid
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 abovenamed applicant was a Revolutionary Soldier and served as he states. And the said Court further certify that it appears to them that Levi Roark who signed the preceding Certificate is a Clergyman resident in Allen County Kentucky and that Robert H. Paris Johnson J. Cockrell Thomas Caruth, Walter Thomas Matthew Johnson Asa Roark and William Johnson who have also signed the same are residents of the same County and state last aforesaid and that their statement is well entitled to credit.
Signed M c Kammon J. P. Presiding Judge 3 d Court I David Walker clerk of the Court of Allen County, Kentucky, do hereby certify that the foregoing contains the Original proceedings of the said Court in the matter of the application of Benjamin Poe for a pension. In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal of Office this 2 nd day of December 1835. W. D. McAlister Clerk Allen Ky

31 307 Rwy INVALID.
1907 Aug. 13. Heir. to Cornelius Matthews. Au 1922, Feb. 25 heir to J. R. Cooper. En
File No. 31,307
Benjamin Poe Dis Reo War
Act: June 1 st 32 nd
Index:—Vol. 2 , Page 326
[Arrangement of 1870.]

Owensville, Indiana,
Aug. 7 '1907.
Commissioner of Pensions, Washington, D.C.
Dear Sir:-
In a field near here is an unmarked grave beleived to be that of, Benjamin Poe, a revolutionary war soldier. If it is I desire to have the body removed to the local I.O.O.F. cemetery. Poe at one time, so it is said, owned the farm and is supposed to have been buried there after his death. A letter from the War Department failed to discover any military record of the man and I was referred to you. It is probable that Poe received a land warrant or pension.
Yours Truly,
Cornelous Mathews.

information as contained in his (or his widow's) application for pension on file in this Bureau.
Benjamin Poe. S. 31307
   DATES OF ENLISTMENT OR APPOINTMENT. LENGTH OF SERVICE. RANK. OFFICERS UNDER WHOM SERVICE WAS RENDERED. STATE.   CAPTAIN. COLONEL.     Dec 74- 3 mos Pvt. Miles Kenlock James Shackleton NC   Sept 81. 3 " " Lawrence Marsh of Me. Roger Griffith "   Dec 81. 3 " " Chas. Gouston John Collins "   Mar 82. 3 " " Joseph Roser Wm. Gouston "  
Battles engaged in, in many skirmishes. Residence of soldier at enlistment, Chatham & Randolph Co NC Date of application for pension, Dec. 9 1833  claim ok. Residence at date of application, Allen Co Ky. Age at date of application, to Aug 14 1749 O.S. Culpeper Co. Va. Remarks: Lot had wife & children in 1782; names not stated. For date of death ask to read + (No fam data Ev Feb. 25 1922)

17113 Shreveport - Louisiana , Jan 27 th 1922
Dept of the Interior Bureau of Pensions Washington D.C.
Gentlemen!
Will you kindly furnish me with the war records of the following Revolutionary Soldiers, viz
Andrew Por (Va. line) died Medina Co. Ohio
Adam Por (Va or Penn line) " " " "
Virgil Por (Va line) " in Kentucky
Benjamin Por (N. Carolina line)
Thanking you for same
I remain Very Truly yours
J. R. Cooper
Address Box 16
Shreveport - Louisiana