Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty Land Warrant Application File R. 5221, William Hopper, N.C.

SERVICE
NUMBER
N.C.
Hopper, William
R 5221.
CONTENTS

Mr Sopper
M 6 6
Rejected
Mr Hendricks M. C

BRIEF in the case of
of Scott C.
Wm Hopper
in the State of
Indiana
(Act 7th June, 1832.)
1. Was the declaration made before a Court or a Judge?
a Court
2. If before a Judge, does it appear that the applicant is disabled by bodily infirmity? —
3. How old is he? 67
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. As a Gen.     Sometime In 1781 — 3 — private Capt Hardin Col Moore   ditto ditto — upward, 2 * Horseman Capt Mullin Genl Butler Col Moore  
* But in consequence of finding his own horse was entitled to and did receive a discharge for 3 months
5. In what battles was he engaged?
Skirmishes
6. Where did he reside when he entered the service?
Caswell Co N.C.
7. Is his statement supported by living witnesses, by documentary proof, by traditionary evidence, by incidental evidence, or by the rolls?
No Clergymen — Tradition —
8. Are the papers defective as to form or authentication? and if so, in what respect?
No seal on declaration which is on two sheets not connected at all
I certify that the foregoing statement and the answers agree with the evidence in the case above mentioned.
H. C. Easton Examining Clerk.
17 Jan 1833

William Kappner Application
W. H. L. - d. i. c. t. z

The State of Indiana
Scott County ss } On this, twelfth day of November in the year 1832 personally appeared in Open Court before the Honorable James Reeve Probate Judge and Judge of the Probate Court of the County of Scott aforesaid now sitting (being a court of record) William Hooper a resident of Scott County aforesaid aged sixty seven years the 21. day of November 1831. who first being 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. 1832.
That he entered the Service of the United States some time in the year 1781, was drafted for three months in a Company of Militia Commanded by Captain Harding of Caswell County in the State of North Carolina who was under the Command of Colonel William Moore, of the Regiment of the North Carolina line under General Butler, at which time he resided in Caswell County North Carolina line aforesaid, and was in no battles during this tour, he was marched from thence through Orange County to Chatham County to Ramsays Mill on Deep river and remained there until his three months tour had nearly expired he was then marched to Hillsborough & discharged by Captain Harding, which dis- charge is lost, Afterwards & sometime in the year 1781 he volunteered in a Company of horse Command- ed by Captain Mullin and Lieutenant or Ensign Mur- phy (not certain which) for two months with his horse and accoutrements (which was to be allowed a three months tour in consequence of his furnishing his horse)

he was then under the command of Colonel William More & General Butler, he with others was called upon this town for the purpose of retaking Governor Burke of North Carolina (who was taken by the Tories at Hillsborough North Carolina) and marched towards Wilmington for that purpose, but before we reached there by about thirty miles, we came to the enemy and had a small skirmish in which there was but little damage done to either party, he then was marched to Marsh Castle on Neuse swamp and while there he and thirteen others were ordered out on an express to carry letters & communications from Genl Butler to Colonel Brown, who was then on Cape Fear river below Cross Creek, which duty & express they performed, he then returned to Marsh Castle, and was then marched to Baldwin's Marsh and the night that they arrived at said last named Marsh, they had a severe battle with the British and was able to maintain their ground, in which engagement he and all his messmates except one lost their horses, and had to perform the balance of their tour on foot, the main body of the army was then marched back to Col! Brown's on Cape Fear river, but his company did not join the army until they reached Cape Fear then was marched across the river and up to Cross Creek, thence to Blount's Bridge on a river called North East river (he thinks) and while there he received the word of the surrender of Cornwallis, he was then marched to a place by the name of Black river (he thinks) and

there discharged  left the army & returning home by Col. Moore and after returning home he received a written discharge from Colonel Moore, this last tour he served upwards of two months and was entitled to and did receive a discharge for a three months tour as aforesaid, and further that he has no documentary evidence, and that he knows of no person (except John Burnside of this county) whose testimony he can procure, who can testify to his services — That in deposition for naturalization  he states that he was born in Guilford County Virginia on the 21 of November 1764 as he is informed and believes, and that he has no record of his age, he was living in Caswell County North Carolina when called into the service and remained in Caswell County North Carolina some time afterwards, he then removed to Madison County Kentucky and has resided in Kentucky  there ever since until about two years since, he then removed to Scott County Indiana where he now resides; he was once drafted and once he volunteered into the service of the United States as he has stated in his declaration, he recollects Colonel Robert Mayben (who was killed by the Tories near Hillsborough North Carolina) Major Wilson of the Army, Elias Evans was a Sargent in the horse company to which he belonged — he received a discharge from Captain Hardin also one from Colonel Moore which discharges are long since lost, he states that John Burnside & William Davis of his neighborhood are acquainted with him and he believes can testify as to his character for veracity & their belief of his services as a Soldier of the revolution &c —

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, as this is his first and only application ever made for a pension &c—
William Hopper
Sworn to and subscribed the day & year aforesaid.
James Ward Clerk " "
We John Burnside & William Davis — residing in the county of Scott and state of Indiana, hereby certify that we are well acquainted with William Hopper who has subscribed and sworn to the above declaration, that we believe him to be sixty seven years of age, 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 that opinion.
William Davis
John his Burnside mark
Sworn to and subscribed the day and year aforesaid—
James Ward Clerk " "
And the said court do hereby declare their opinion after the investigation of matter, and after putting the interrogatories prescribed by the war department, that the above named applicant was a revolutionary soldier and served as he states, And the court further certifies that it appears to them that William Davis

and John Burnside who has signed the preceding Certificate are residents, in the county of Scott & State of Indiana and are credible persons and that their statements are entitled to credit —
I James Ward Clerk of the Probate Court aforesaid do hereby certify that the foregoing contains the original proceedings of the said Court in the matter of the application of William Happer for a pension —
In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand & private seal there being no seal provided for said Court, this 12 day of November 1882 James Ward Clerk P.C.

Indiana
William Hopper
Indiana Act 7 June 1832
Rejected See letter to Hon: W m Hendricks Feby. 5 th 1833 —
5221

Acts of July 14, 1862, and March 3, 1873.
REJECTED
5221.
P. O.
Wm Hooper
Service: _____
Enlisted: _____, 18__
Discharged: _____, 18__
Application filed: _____, 18__
Alleges: _____
Re-enlisted: _____
Attorney: _____
P. O. _____
_____ Recognized. _____ Contract
_____ Cert. of Dis. Searched for _____, 18__

Mr Hopper
Mr Kendrick, M.C.

BRIEF objections to the admission of Pension Claims, of which those answered in the negative, in red ink, will apply to the claim of Mr Hopper 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? Yes 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? [Handwritten line] IV. Has the declarant mentioned the period or periods of the war when he served? Yes 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? Yes 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? No

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?
yes
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? Has the official character and signature of the magistrate been certified by the proper officer under his seal of office?
[Handwritten signature]
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?
[Handwritten underline]
XVI. ‡ Are the papers authenticated as the regulations direct?
no
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 the 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 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 authenticated 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 end 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.