Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty Land Warrant Application File S 32321, Thomas Hight, Va.

SERVICE
Val.
Wight, Thomas
NUMBER _____
S 32321
CONTENTS

Indiana 31,147
Thomas Hight of Counsel in the State of Indiana who was a private in the Company commanded by Captain Colie of the Regt commanded by Col — in the Vols & Militia time for 9 months
Inscribed on the Roll of Indiana at the rate of 30 Dollars — Cents per annum to commence on the 4th day of March, 1831.
Certificate of Pension issued the 30 day of June 1837 and sent to Hon. J. Whiteman Commr Genl Land Office
Arrears to the 4th of March 1837 $180. —
Semi-ant. allowance ending 4 S.P. 37 15. —
$195. —
{ Revolutionary Claim, Act June 7, 1832. }
Recorded by L. M. Wilson Clerk, Book 8. 2 Vol. 7 Page 124,
Letter to 3 d Auditor of P. C. Dec 10. Aug 1839
Paid at the Treasury under the Act of the 6 th April 1838 from 4 th Sept 1837 to 4 th Sept 1838. Age notified 30 Aug. 1839
Letter to Pensioner & 3 d Auditor 25 May 1841.
Paid as above from 4 th Sep 1839 to 4 th Sep 1840. Age notified 8 June 1841.
Letter to H. B. Gratiot 18 Oct 1841. to J. C. Secy of War 27 Aug 1842.
Paid at the Treasury under the Act as above, from 4 th Sep 1840 to 4 th March 1841. Age notified 23 rd Feb 1842.

21:314 Thomas Wright Indiana
admitted for 9 months private #30.
Hon. Jas. Co.

State of Indiana Warrick county ss
On this 18 th day of February in the year of our Lord 1837 personally appeared in open court before me Squilla Rogers sole Judge of the Probate Court aforesaid in and for said County - the said being a court of record and now in session, Thomas Wright a citizen & resident of the county aforesaid aged seventy nine years four months and twenty eight days, 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 7 th 1832.
That some time towards the close of the year seventeen hundred and seventy five (the precise time not recollected) in the county of Charlotte in the State of Virginia where he the declarant resided he volunteered his services as a minute man to aid in the operations of the Revolutionary War whenever needed; that the the precise time not recollected next Spring, which was as he thinks, in seventeen hundred and seventy six his services were required by the United States, and he then for said county entered into the service of the United States Army as a volunteer, under Capt. Thomas Collier to go on a tour against Dunmore the old Colonial Governor of Virginia who had burnt Norfolk some time in January before 1776 . Said Dunmore in addition to the burning of Norfolk in said state took the people, negroes. When this declarant arrived at Norfolk, which is distant from said county of Charlotte something upwards of one hundred miles, as this declarant now recollects, said Dunmore was on Gwyn's Island

Some miles distant from Norfolk but the precise distance not recollected with his fleet & the negroes - the declarant well recollects the following expression then hallowed by the negroes or some person who imitated their voice (after this declarant had marched with the American Army opposite the Island) "All is well,, . Some war operations were there performed by the belligerent powers, whereby we entrenched against the British there to prevent them from landing and threw bombs in which this declarant was engaged - here this declarant recollects one circumstance One of our Captains, a frenchman he thinks, whose name he does not recollect, was killed by the bursting of a hoop off the mortar in this bombardment which struck him on the head. After continuing some short time in these operations, the precise time not recollected said Scummore with his fleet went up the Potomack, we pursued him some distance (the precise distance not recollected), and while thus in the pursuit of Scummore orders were received by this part of the American Army requiring their services against the Cherokee Indians who then were committing depredations upon the frontier, as was reported in camp that we then had to march to the distance of 500 miles. That the command of the same company to which this declarant then belonged was given to the Lieutenant whose name was Watkins (his first name not recollected). That this declarant with said company (except the Captain) together with the residue of said Army immediately after said command reached Camp (the precise time not recollected) set out for the expedition against the said Indians, and we prosecuted the said

3 expedition as far as the long Island of Holstein, distance, as reported in Camp, of 600 miles, (but the precise distance not known by this declarant) — and at Holstein some time in the fall of 1776 we were discharged — my discharge was only a verbal one and not in writing — This declarant recollects that immediately after said discharge he returned home to Charlotte county aforesaid and on his way home, and on his way home at New river he saw & experienced severe frosts. That the length of this tour against Dunmore & the Indians as a volunteer is not precisely recollected, but it was at least five  six months. The name of his Ensign the during the whole of this tour was Joshua Morris & his Lieutenant was said Watkins. This declar- ant recollects that during the Indian part of said tour John Glen was Major & Hargreaves Morgan Lt Colonel, and he believes that said Glen was the Major in that part of said tour against Dunmore from this circumstance that Glen was a large man & he frequently saw him playing Fives which he could not have done in that part of said tour against the Indians — the country being in the woods & brushy — This declarant does not recollect the names of any of the other officers who com- manded in that part of the United States Army in said tour except those he has above named.
After this declarant returned home from said tour he resided in said Charlotte county until some time in the year 1778 or 1779 (the precise time not recollected) he enlisted as a private for three years in the service of the United States under the authority of the State of Virginia (as he now recollects) in a company which was then called the Virginia Artillery Company under

Edward Woody Captain whose first name was then familiarly called "Ched". And according to his best recollection he set out in said company some time in 1778 at said county of Charlotte in the United States Service for Fort Hampton in Virginia a distance of upwards of 100 miles from said county of Charlotte. After we had reached the Fort and had been stationed there some months  few days (the number not recollected) the small pox got into the Army in the Fort. We were then removed to a house on James River called Belair where this declarant was inoculated for the small pox & continued there about 21 days until we were fit for service when we were marched to Fort Portsmouth (which is now a town as this declarant is informed) in Virginia about 18 miles distant from Fort Hampton. The precise time this declarant remained at each of those places in the Service of the United States is not recollected, but the whole length of time from the time he set out from Char- lotte last aforesaid until he left said Fort Portsmouth as hereinafter mentioned was at least ten months. Immediately after this declarant reached Fort Hampton as above mentioned, his Captain (Woody) not getting his quota of men became dissatisfied & resigned. George Mobile succeeded him in the command of our Artillery Company as Captain & remained with us until some time just before the expiration of said ten months when he left the Artillery and applied for the office of Lt Colonel in the Light Infantry and was invested with it & commissioned as such. He then sent to Fort Portsmouth for me & David Man, and had us detached from said company of Artillery and taken to Williamsburg, the time of which

not recollected by this declarant. That immediately 5 after this declarant was appointed Williamsburg he received a written appointment from the then Governor of Virginia (T. Henry) to enlist men as a Lieutenant in a company of Light Infantry. But in a few days and before he commenced his recruiting operations he received a letter from the said Colonel but not in writing, that the Governor allowed & considered that this declarant requested he should go into immediate service as a Lieutenant in the company of Light Infantry with assurances that he should have a Lieutenant's pay as though he had enlisted men and that the commission would in a short time be procured - he does not recollect the date of these transactions, nor of said appointment, but said the Governor's name was to it but he thinks it was from said Governor . He retained said appointment until about seven years ago when supposing it was a useless paper & nearly worn out he threw it away. This declarant remained at Williamsburg in the service of the United States in the command of said company of Light Infantry as Lieutenant training and preparing his men for service at least six months in the said Infantry when he received a commission from the Governor aforesaid as Ensign of said company instead of Lieutenant which he refused to accept & sent it back to the Governor the next day and left the service of the United States. When he was at said Fort Hampton Lt Col George Muster commanded his first name not recollected . When he was at said Fort Portsmouth Major Thomas Mathews commanded. The names of the other officers at said Forts, Belvoir, or at Williamsburg are not recollected. From Williams- burg he returned home to Charlotte County Thence

before the battle at Guilford he removed to Halifax county state of Virginia.
The battle of Guilford occurred 19 th March 1781 as this declarant is informed, and a few days there after he was drafted to aid in the operations of the Southern Army commanded by Genl. Green, and immediately mustered into service of the United States in a company of artillery of the state of Virginia as a private commanded by Captain King his first name he thinks was Edward, and marched with said company directly to the said Guilford battle ground in North Carolina and with said company lay upon said battle ground at the expiration of three weeks after said battle. From Guilford we marched to Camden near to which Genl. Gates had the year before been defeated. There we marched to Fort Ninety Six which was then commanded by Col. Forster a British Officer where we joined the regular army commanded by Genl. Green by Col. Green we besieged the Fort and expected to enter, but the day before fixed for our entrance into the Fort the British received aid from Lord Rawdon by whose force we were compelled to raise the siege & retreat. The British pursued us to Broad river of the distance perhaps of fifty miles but the precise distance not recollected, & the distance between the several places above not recollected, neither the time employed at each of those places nor the dates not recollected. From Broad river we went to the High Hills of Santee where we again joined Genl. Col. Green's Army. Thence we went to Salisbury (North Carolina) where we gave up a number of British prisoners & Tories perhaps 120 persons. This declarant was some

time the first part of the summer of the year 1781 verbally discharged from said service & he then returned home & on his return he recollects that the paper money had fallen and he could not get a cup of milk with his money. During this tour of service he has no recollection of the names of Officers in said Army than those above mentioned.
This declarant served the United States in this tour of service at least three months - he does not recollect the time when he was discharged as last aforesaid nor the other dates of the transactions of this tour than those he has above mentioned.
This declarant remained at home in Halifax County Virginia thirty five days when he was again drafted and immediately went into the service of the United States in a company of militia of the state of Virginia as a private commanded by Captain Rogers - his first name not recollected, and immediately went to aid in the siege against Lord Cornwallis at Yorktown. He was marched to a place then called the Newsome Springs within sight of the light & hearing of the noise occasioned by the firing of Cannon at Yorktown which he saw & heard while there. At said Springs the Sick of the United States Army were placed & the services of this del- arant were required & performed there in taking care of the sick until the surrender of Lord Cornwallis which was some time in October 1781 and the 19th as he thinks when he was discharged and returned home to Halifax County, but his dischar- ge was not in writing. He does not recollect the date of this tour no other than he has given them here. Washington commanded at the siege of

Lord Cornwallis. The names of other officers as further than he has above named he does not recollect. The length of this last tour of service was at least three months . He continued to reside in Halifax county about two years when he emigrated to the state of Kentucky where he continued to reside until about seven years ago, when he removed to this county where he yet continues to reside. He was born in Charlotte county aforesaid on the 12th day of September in the year 1767. There is a record of his age in a bible once owned by his father which he this declarant yet has. He never received a written discharge from any of his tours or services. He cannot owing to the failure of his memory by age recollect anything more about the officers or their names of the United States in said war than he has above stated; neither can he recollect the names of the Continental and Militia Regiments or other things therewith connected than he has above stated. He knows of no person living that knows of his said services as an enlisted private as afore- said or while he was acting in the command of a Lieutenant as aforesaid; nor of any of his other said services; nor of any person by whom he could prove when he enlisted as aforesaid.
He has once before applied for a pension, but owing to some defect of the papers it was not obtained. It may be that his draftsman in his other application might have used terms not expressive of the kind of services performed by him; but in this application he has been careful to class his services as rendered by him to his best recollections: he however, in justice to himself must state that with declining life his memory is rapidly failing, and it has failed much since his other application - some facts may have revived and others forgotten, which

which he finds a daily occurrence with him.
This declarant states that he is known to Genl. Lord B. Lowe and Col. John H. Lee of the neighbourhood in which he now resides who can testify as to his character for veracity and their belief as to his services as a soldier of the Revolution.
He also states that there is no clergyman residing at this time in his immediate neighbourhood whose certificate to whom he is known, to certify.
He hereby relinquishes every claim whatever to a pension or an annuity, except the present, and he declares that his name is not on the Pension Roll of any agency in any state. *
Sworn to and subscribed the day and year aforesaid
Thomas Hight
State of Indiana Monroe county 3/4
We the said Genl. Lowe and the said Col. Lee residing in the neighbourhood of the said Thomas Hight, the subscriber to the above declaration, hereby certify that we are well acquainted with the said Hight, who has subscribed and sworn to the above declaration; that we believe him to be of the age of seventy seven years; that he is reputed and believed in the neighbourhood in the neighbourhood where he resides, to have been a soldier of the Revolution, and that we concur in that opinion.
Sworn & subscribed to the day and year aforesaid
John H. Lee
And the said court do hereby declare its opinion after the investigation of the matter, and after putting the interrogatories prescribed by the War Department, that the above named applicant
is entitled to

was a Revolutionary Soldier, and served as he states. And the said Court do further certify that said Genl. Lowe and said Col. Lee whose names are to the above certificate are residents in the said County and are well known the said Knight & his character for truth; that they are credible persons, and that their said statement is entitled to credit. A Rogers
I, J. B. Lowe Clerk of the County of  of Monroe  State of  Indiana do hereby certify that the foregoing contains the original proceedings of the said Court, in the matter of the application of George  Thomas Knight aforesaid; and that
In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal of Office this 18th day of February A.D. 1837
J. B. Lowe Clerk of The Court of Monroe County Indiana
* This declarant further states that during the time he was at Forts Hampton & Portsmouth aforesaid he was first a Gunner, then a Bombardier, & then an orderly Sergeant in said company of Artillery, but the time he served in these stations he does not recollect but can state he was at least two months an orderly Sergeant as aforesaid. When on said tour at Fort Ninety Six he was orderly Sergeant at least one month. He also states that he was a Sergeant but the said he does not recollect when on the tour last above mentioned. the Yorktown tour During this last tour he was at least two months a Sergeant - and thirty he was second Sergeant. These appointments were only verbal. Thomas Knight
J. B. Lowe Clerk of the Court of the County of Monroe in the

state of Indiana do hereby certify that the foregoing contains the orig- inal proceedings of the said Court in the matter of the application of Thomas Wright aforesaid
In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal of office this 18 th day of Febru- ary A.D. 1831.
Attest the seal of Monroe County Indiana

Rev. and 1812 Wars Section
MEE/HBM
December 3, 1929.
Hon. Noble J. Johnson House of Representatives Washington, D. C.
My dear Mr. Johnson:
Replying to your letter of November 26, 1929, with which you enclosed a request from Mrs. J. C. Stafford, 223 Avon Avenue, Plainfield, Indiana, I have the honor to advise you that this Bureau is unable to furnish the history of a soldier of the Revolution unless a claim for pension or bounty land has been made to the United States on account of his services.
The records fail to show such claims on file on account of the services of Reed or William Hite, or similar spelling.
The following is the history of the only soldier named Thomas Hight, or similar spelling, that is found on the Revolutionary War records of this Bureau.
From the papers in the Revolutionary War pension claim S. 32321, it appears that Thomas Hight was born September 21, 1757 in Charlotte County, Virginia. names & not given
While residing in Charlotte County, Virginia, toward the close of the year 1775, he volunteered as a minute man and stood as such until the spring of 1776 when he enlisted, served as a private in Captain Thomas Collier's Company under Colonel Haynes Morgan in the Virginia Troops in a tour against Lord Dunmore and was in the battle of Gwyn's Island, then marched against the Cherokee Indians on "the long island of the Holston" and was discharged in the fall of 1776.
In 1777 or 1778 he enlisted and served nearly ten months as gunner, bombardier, and sergeant, in Captains Edward Woody's and George Mobile's Company of Virginia Artillery, was transferred to the Light Infantry commanded by Lieutenant Colonel George Mobile (who had been promoted), served about six months as Lieutenant and

then left the service and returned home.
In 1781 he moved to Halifax County, Virginia, and a few days after the battle of Guilford, enlisted, served about three months as private and Orderly Sergeant in Captain Edward King's Virginia Company, was at the Siege of Ninety-six, and at the end of the service returned to his home in Halifax County, Virginia.
About one month later he enlisted, served as private and Sergeant in Captain Rogers' Virginia Company and during the Siege of Yorktown was stationed at Newsome's Springs, not far away, caring for the sick in the army, and after the Siege was discharged, having served three months.
After the Revolution he resided in Halifax County, Virginia, about two years, then in Kentucky until about 1830 when he moved to Monroe County, Indiana where he resided when he was allowed pension on his application executed February 18, 1837.
There are no data concerning wife and children.
The letter of Mrs. J. C. Stafford, addressed to you, is herewith returned.
Very truly yours,
EARL D. CHURCH Commissioner.

TREASURY DEPARTMENT.
Second Comptroller's Office,
August 15 th , 1839.
Sir:
Under the act of the 6th of April, 1838 entitled "An act directing the transfer of money remaining unclaimed by certain Pensioners, and authorizing the payment of the same at the Treasury of the United States," Thomas Wright _____ a Pensioner on the Roll of the Madison, Ind. Agency, at the rate of Thirty — Dollars and _____ Cents per annum, under the law of the 7 th June 1832, has been paid at this Department, from the 4 th of Sept., 1837, to the 4 th Sept., 1838.
Respectfully, yours,
W. B. Harris
Comptroller.
To the Commissioner of Pensions,
Present.

TREASURY DEPARTMENT,
Second Comptroller's Office,
June 2 d . 1841.
Sir :
Under the act of the 6th of April, 1838, entitled "An act directing the transfer of money remaining unclaimed by certain Pensioners, and authorizing the payment of the same at the Treasury of the United States," Thomas Hight ————— a Pensioner on the Roll of the Madison M c Agency, at the rate of Thirty — Dollars and ————— Cents per annum, under the law of the 7 th June 1832, has been paid at this Department, from the 4 th of Sept. 1839. to the 4 th Sept. 1840.
Respectfully yours,
William L. Parris
Comptroller.
To the Commissioner of Pensions,
Present.

TREASURY DEPARTMENT,
Second Comptroller's Office,
Feb'y 2 d , 1842.
Sir:
Under the date of the 6th of April, 1838, entitled "An act directing the transfer of money remaining unclaimed by certain Pensioners, and authorizing the payment of the same at the Treasury of the United States," Thomas H is right — a Pensioner on the Roll of the Madison, Ind. Agency, at the rate of Thirty — Dollars and Cents per annum, under the law of the 7 th June 1832, has been paid at this Department, from the 4 th of Sept. 1841, to the 4 th March 1842.
Respectfully, yours,
Albion P. Parris
Comptroller.
To the Commissioner of Pensions,
Present.

32 321 Rev INVALID.
File No. 32, 321
Thomas Hight
Di Rev 1880
Act: June 1 st 1897
Index: —Vol. 2 , Page 187
[Arrangement of 1870.]
1929. Dec 3, Hist to Hon Noble J. Johnson for Mrs. J. C. Stafford M.E.E. 1933. Apr. 26. In. to Mrs. Ethel P. Brownrigg W. L. S.

New York City, 270 Riverside Drive, April 3, 1933.
Director of Pensions, Colonial Dept, Washington, D.C.
Dear Sirs:
I am trying to verify and get correct data regarding the pension of Thomas Hite , and his father or brothers, of Virginia; and have been referred to your department by the War Department, Adjutant General's office. They state the following: "A list of soldiers of the Virginia Line on Continental Establishment, who have received Certificates for the balance of their full pay, Agreeable to an Act of Assembly for L56, § 8,
D 8, was received by Thomas Aslin (Hite), date received not shown. No record has been found of the service of any other man of this name in that war from Virginia".
The war records being imperfect, I am writing to establish the name of the parents of Thomas Hite, or Thomas Aslin Hite; if it is Jacob Hite , born in Germantown, Pa. 1719, then in the Pension, or War Dept. the

date of the birth of Thomas A.Hite should be 1750, or 1751; It being given as 1757, I am wondering if the handwriting might not have been blurred, or illegible, and if the original signature and dates are procurable?
The history of the case is given as follows:
Thomas Hite, (or Thos.A.) - afterward called Colonel Thomas Hite, regiments , served seven years in Virginia, he married in 1782 Priscilla Hayn, also of Va, moved to Kentucky, Lexington, where he resided until 1837, spent declining years with a daughter, Sarah Hite Johnson, Putnamville, Putnam Co. Indiana, where in 1837, he applied for and was granted a pension, till his death in 1844.
He had a brother, Reid Hite, who lived and died in North Carolina, also serving in the Revolutionary War, and in the Militia of that State. Also other brothers who served in that war., I believe.
There were probably more than one Thomas Hite, all grandsons of the original settler, Jost Hite, of the Shennandoah Valley, 1732, located at what is now Winchester, Va. and it is difficult to determine just

3.
which Thomas Hite is meant from our present data on hand.
Any information you can give, will be appreciated by yours very truly
Signature?
Mrs Ethel Parks Brownrigg, 270 Riverside Drive, New York City.

NOBLE J. JOHNSON 8TH DIST. INDIANA
MEMBER OF COMMITTEE ON INTERSTATE AND FOREIGN COMMERCE
MISS LULA A. METCALFE SECRETARY
Congress of the United States House of Representatives Washington, D. C.
November 26th, 1929
Hon. Earl D. Church, The Commissioner of Pensions, Washington, D.C.
Dear Mr. Commissioner:
With the return of the inclosed letter from Mrs. J. C. Stafford Plainfield, Indiana, will you kindly advise me what your records show in regard to the Revolutionary record of the men she mentions.
Thanking you, I am
Very respectfully yours,
Noble J. Johnson

April 26, 1933
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
Mrs. Ethel Parks Brownrigg 270 Riverside Drive New York City
Thomas Hight, S. 32321 BA-J/MCS
Dear Madam:
Reference is made to your request for information in regard to Revolutionary War soldiers named Jacob, Reid, and Thomas or Thomas Aslin Hite.
Revolutionary War data furnished by this office are obtained from claims made to the United States for pension and bounty land based upon the military service of soldiers in that war. A careful search of the records fails to show such claims on file on account of the services of a Jacob Hite who was born in 1719 or of any Reid Hite, searched under all spellings of the name.
The data which follow were obtained from papers on file in the pension claim, S. 32321, based upon the military service of Thomas Hight, the only soldier by that name, searched under all spellings, that is found in the Revolutionary War records of this office.
He was born September 21, 1757, in Charlotte County, Virginia. The names of his parents were not given.
While residing in that county he volunteered toward the close of the year, 1775, as a minuteman and stood as such until the spring of 1776 when he enlisted, served as private in Captain Thomas Collier's company under Colonel Haynes Morgan of the Virginia troops in a tour against Lord Dunmore and was in the battle of Gwyn's Island, then marched against the Cherokee Indians on "the long island of the Holston" and was discharged in the fall of 1776. In 1777 or 1778 he enlisted and served nearly ten months as gunner, bombardier and sergeant, in Captains Edward Moody's and George Mobile's company of Virginia artillery.

was transferred to the light infantry commanded by Lieutenant Colonel George Mobile (who had been promoted), served about six months as lieutenant and then left the service and returned home. In 1781 he moved to Halifax County, Virginia, and a few days after the battle of Guilford he enlisted, served about three months as private and orderly sergeant in Captain Edward King's Virginia company, was at the siege of Ninety-Six, and at the end of this service returned to his home in Halifax County, Virginia. About one month later he enlisted, served as private and sergeant in Captain Rogers' Virginia company and during the siege of Yorktown was stationed at Newsome Springs, not far away, caring for the sick in the army, and after the siege he was discharged having served three months.
After the Revolution he resided in Halifax County, Virginia, about two years, then in Kentucky until about 1830 when he moved to Monroe County, Indiana, where he resided when he was allowed pension on his application executed February 18, 1837.
The papers in this pension claim contain no data relative to the soldier's family.
Very truly yours
A. D. MILLER Assistant to Administrator

Thomas Hight Indiana
Suspended on 17 March 1837 Rev J. Whitcomb Com Genl 2 d Offic.

FREE
Wm Lloyd Edward  in care Richard Commissioner of Pension Washington D.C.

Green Castle Sept 30 th 1841
Hon. J. D. Edwards Dear Sir
You will confer a favor upon a stranger and upon an old Revolutionary Soldier if you will give some information respecting the paper which in May last in favor of Thomas Wright for arrears of Pension. Yours 27 th Nov. 39 "41" Stated that "they had been referred to the 3 d Auditor for payment." Since that time I have not heard from the Auditor nor from the attorney (Mr. Henderson) at Madison - Excuse me for making this request since it has once been insisted by you and I hope the apology will be received as it is only at the suggestion of the old Soldier North
Respectfully William B. Gwaltney