Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty Land Warrant Application File S. 31,107, Overton Harris, Va.

SERVICE
NUMBER
Va.
Harris, Overton
S. 31,107
CONTENTS

25,281 Kentucky
Overton Harris
Todd Co., in the State of Kentucky, who was a private in the company commanded by Captain Mosby of his reg t commanded Col. in the Ky a militia for 8 months from 1778.
Inscribed on the Roll of Kentucky the rate of 26. Dollars 66 Cents per annum commence on the 4th day of March, 1831.
Certificate of Pension issued the 20 day of Dec r 1833 — and sent to Hon. L. Syon. N. R.
Arrears to the 4th of Sept r 1833 $66.66 Pens ant. allowance ending March '34 13. 33
$ 80. 00
{ Revolutionary Claim, } { Act June 7, 1832. }
Recorded by Wm Allison Clerk
Book 6 Vol. 7 Page 13

Declaration
In order to obtain the benefit of the act of Congress passed June 7 th 1832      State of Kentucky County of Todd      § 18
On the 10 th day of December 1832 personally appeared in open court before the County Court of Todd County now sitting Overton Harris a resident of Todd County Kentucky aged seventy one years the 14 th day of next January who being first duly sworn according to law cloth 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 the service of the United States under the following named officers and served as herein stated. In January 1778 I went to Athemarle Barracks where Burgoyne's men were stationed and there entered the service as a substitute for my stepfather Elias Thomason a former lieutenant under Captain Phillips Lieutenant Wm Smith Benjamin Clark. The company were from Louisa County Va Capt Robert Mosby commanded an other Company of militia from said County. The Guard consisted of about six militia companies. I served this time only 18 days we had no higher officer there Captain but I was very young at the time and can not remember who was principal officer of the Guard at the end of 18 days we were relieved by the state troops who were the regular guard. I again entered the service in July 1778 to my best recollection but can not recollect the day of the month and was discharged some time in the August after having served one month I was drafted and marched directly to the same Barracks to guard the same prisoners and there continued until my month expired I served this month with the regulars who guarded the prisoners constantly. I am not able to say what the name of the command- ing officer of the Guard was, but he was a Colonel of a troop of horse belonging to the United States service, and I was acquainted with the regulars Captains who served with us to wit

Robert Barret a state huss captain and Benjamin Tinker like both from Louisa county Va Anderson Thompson and Richard White their Lieut. Captain Holleman Recd from Goochland county Va Capt Roberts from Culpepper C. Va who was advanced to Maj at the end of the month I was discharged and went home home having served the whole time at said Barracks. In January 1779 I entered the service as a substituted in the place of John Thompson I was marched directly from Bonwells Tavern in Louisa C. Va to the above named Barracks where I performed my months tour in guarding the above named prisoners with the above named regulars. I can not remember my captain or company officers. They were total strangers not being the officers that mustered me at home. I was discharged in February 1779. I again entered the service in the next July 1779 being drafted and were again marched to the barrack before mentioned again served one more month with the same regulars before mentioned and all the time guarding the same prisoners. We had a new set of Company officers each term, and serving so short a time under them can not remember their names, we never had any one a title officer higher than captain. Col. Taylor a regular took command of the guard and Commanded during my three tour and Col. Fountain commanded during my last mentioned term and Maj. Roberts under them About the last of October 1780 I entered the service as a drafter militia man under Captain Philips the same a served under the first service above stated. Lieut. Davis Militia we were marched from Louisa to Richmond Va having no militia field officers and were given to a part of a state regiment commanded by Majors McGill & Maj. state Decherman, regulars Decherman a frenchman

We were marched from Richmond to Fort Pocahontah then to Flood then crossed James River then marched to Meherrin Mills in Isle of Wight County from there after the British had quit the Virginia coast we were ordered to retreat to Petersburg and were there discharged after the battle of Sept December 1781, I again in April 1781 about the middle of the month was drafted into the service under the same company officers and served under them in the regiment of militia commanded by Col Charles Gabrey Maj Campbell both regular officer but the middle regiment of General Nelsons Brigade who commanded us and was a militia officer, we marched from Louisa to Richmond from there to the Norvan Hills we then retreated to Richmond from there we marched to Danbridge, there I was discharged the 20th of May. This time we were under the command of Gen La Fayette who retreated to the Raccoon Ford on the Rap- idam river where he met Gen Wayne, I'm gone about the middle of the month I entered the service as a substitute in the place of James Dickerson under Capt John John Sanders who was very soon after relieved by Capt Gen Pollett who took command of our company in Col Gabreys regiment and General Nelsons Brigade and served one month , we marched from Louisa to Han- over from there Henrico from there to New Kent from there to James City County and there was discharged the 20th of July 1781. About the middle of Sept. after I was again drafted into the service under Captain Simmsden and went in company with two other militia companies one commanded by Captain White the other by Capt Harris my Captain was soon relieved by Capt O. Pettis his lieut

was Samuel Terrill we had no other officer higher than Captain until we got to Poplar Spring Church in Gloucester County where Col. Thomas Bayton took comm of us, but we were afterwar put under the command of Maj. John Bayton who commanded a militia regi- ment, and Lieut Genl. Horford and General Weedon a regular officer, we marched from Louisa through Hanover King William King & Queen Yo Francis Ferry there crossed Mattaponi, from there to Poplar Spring Church from there to Sowels Tavern there in the neighborhood of the river of York there we we stayed until after Genl. Cornwallis surrender in Oct 19th 1781 and then were discharged, I served at least eight months during the revolutionary war
 1st I was born in Hanover County Virginia 4th day of January 1762  2nd I have a record of my age, in an old family prayer book now in the possession. Ben Harris in Louisa Co. Va  3rd I was living when called into the service in Louisa County Virginia, where I lived until 15th of Oct 1819 then moved to Decatur County Kentucky where I now live and have lived ever since  4th I was drafted as set forth and substituted as set forth and for whom I have set forth  5th I was acquainted with the following regular 
officers, Capt Thomas Johnson Wm White his Lieut Anderson Thompson his ensign, Col. Dabney Col Meriwether Col. Thom. Matthews, Col. Holt. Richison Col Maj. Armstead, Brigade inspector, Maj. Reynolds Maj. McCallum Maj. Dick Maj. Bayon Maj. McRae De Clermont Maj. Frazar Genl. Muhlenburg inspector, Generals Weedon Muhlenburg Morgan Wayne La Fayette, I was acquainted with the regular troops at the Albemarle Barracks and I have stated the regular officers I served with in the foregoing part of this declaration & I never received any discharge

7th, I am acquainted in my present neighbourhood with the following persons who can testify as to my character for veracity and their belief as to my military services to wit, Wm M. Terry Wm Logan Richard W Burton Reuben Grady Gabriel Roach Samuel Toliver and Leroy Toliver, Wm Willis and others
I hereby declare my name is not on the pension roll of the agency of any state and I hereby relinquish every claim whatever to a pension except the present. I never was in any engagement except being in the neighbourhood during the siege of York at Cornwallis Capture. I know of no person whom evidence I can procure who can testify as to my service further than is proven by the accompanying affidavit of Martin Walton a resident of Robison county Tennessee. I cannot procure a claim sworn to and subscribed the day & year aforesaid
Overton Harris
We William M Terry a member of Tockel county court a resident of Tockel county Kentucky, and Presly N Pollock also a resident of Tockel county do certify that we are well acquainted with Overton Harris who has subscribed and sworn to the foregoing declaration, and that he is reputed and believed in the neighbourhood where he resides to have been a soldier of the revolution and we concur in that opinion subscribed and sworn to the day & year aforesaid
Wm M Terry
Presly N Pollock

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 above named App- licant was a soldier of the revolution and served in the states, and the court further certifies that it appears to them that William M. Terry is a member of this court and that he and Presly N. Pollock who have both subscribed and sworn to the foregoing certificate are residents of Todd county Kentucky and are credible persons and their statement is entitled to credit
I Willis L Rivers Clerk of the Todd County Court do Certify that the foregoing contains the original proceedings of the said court in the matter of the application of Overton Harris for a pension.
In Testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand as clerk and affixed the seal of my Office this 10 th day of December. 1832. (Willis L Rivers clk)

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR,
BUREAU OF PENSIONS.
Washington, D. C., _____, 19_____
In reply to your request of _____, received _____ for a statement of the military history of Overton Harris , a soldier of the REVOLUTIONARY WAR, you will find below the desired information as contained in his ( or his widow's ) application for pen- sion on file in this Bureau. 831107
   DATES OF ENLISTMENT OR APPOINTMENT. LENGTH OF SERVICE. RANK. OFFICERS UNDER WHOM SERVICE WAS RENDERED. STATE.   CAPTAIN. COLONEL.     Jan. 1778 18 days Pvt Philips Jaylor Va.   July 1778 2 mos Jaylor   July 1779 1 mo Fontaine   Oct 1780 Dec 4 1780 Philips Major M c Gehee   Apr 1781 May 20 1781 Philips Charles Gabbey   June 1781 July 20 1781 John Sanders & Jesse Pollett Gabbey   Sept 1781 1 mo Summers & O'Pellis Thomas Baytop  
Battles engaged in, _____ Residence of soldier at enlistment, Giles Co. Va. Date of application for pension, Dec. 10. 1832. His claim was allowed. Residence at date of application, Todd Co. Ky. Age at date of application, b. Jan. 4. 1762 in Hanover Co. Va.
Remarks: There is no family data on file
Respectfully,
Commissioner.

Rev. Sec. 1112 Lamont St. N.W. Wash, D.C.
H.S. H.
August 2 nd 1916
Commissioner of Pensions:-
Dear Sir:-
I wish to ask you for the following information. Please advise me if the Rev. Soldier, Overton Harris, of Va, (residing in Todd co Ky about 1835 & drawing a pension), ever made a declaration, when he applied for a pension, & if so, please kindly send me a copy of same. Also please advise

me if Daniel Hart, of N.J. (near Hopewell) a son of John Hart (signer of the Declaration of Independence) was in the Rev. & on the pension roll of Va (or West Va now ) near Beverly, Barbour Pa .
I find a Daniel Hart in Rev. records, but do not know whether it was this one or not, do you?
If so, did he make a declaration when applying for a pension?
If he did, I shall thank you to send me

a copy of this declaration likewise. Thanking you for an early reply,
I am
Very Truly Yours,
Mrs C. C. Ennis.

31 107 INVALID. Rev
1916 Aug. 12: History to Mrs. C.C. Ennis M.B.H.
File No. 31,107
Overton Harris
Sci Rev War
Act: June 7 th 32 nd
Index:—Vol. 2 , Page 113
[Arrangement of 1870.]

I  James  W. Harris - an acting justice of the peace in and for the County of Robison and State of Tennessee do hereby certify that Martin Walton a resident of Robison County and State of Tennessee, This the 9 th day of January 1833 personally appeared before me and made Oath that he said Martin knows of his own actual knowledge that Overton Harris a resident of Floyd County Kentucky served one month if not longer at the Albemarle Barracks in the revolution in the year 1778 or 9 and that he said Walton served with him, and further that he the said Martin Walton served with the said Overton Harris in 1780 in the fall under Captain Philips joined to a part of a regiment of regular commanded by Maj. McGill and Maj. Dechmon a Frenchman and that he said Walton knows of his own actual knowledge that the said Overton Harris served in this war one month if no more, and that he said Walton knows of his own knowledge that said Harris served one month if no more in the fall of 1781 during the siege of Little York, and that the said Harris resided at the time he performed these services in Louisa County Virginia and further that he the said Walton verily believes that the said Harris performed all the services he has set forth in his declaration to wit 8 months actual service, and this from the information he

The said Walton held at the time and about the time the services are said to have been rendered to wit about from 1777 to 1781 and from the knowledge he has had of the character of said Harris since his youth he has no doubt that whatever he would state in relation to his services is true and of the series
Justice as aforesaid further certify that the said Martin Walton is a respectable
Martin Walton (P)
Clergyman or resident of the County of Robison & State of Tennessee and that his statement is entitled to credit and that the foregoing affidavit was subscribed and sworn to before me the day and year aforesaid
By B. Kirby
D.R.C.
Justice of the peace for & in Robertson County.
William Seal, The Clerk of the County Court of Robison County State of Tennessee hereby certify that Benjamin Kirby who has subscribed the foregoing certificate is an acting Justice of the peace for Robison County Tennessee and his signature thereto is genuine given under my hand and seal of office the 9 th day of January 1833 W. Seal

Should these papers not be examined before Congress they add up. Overton Harris Hadensville Todd County Ky. if found entitled, send him a check for the amount due on the M s . Branch Bank Nashville Ky
Chas W Lyon

Overton Harris
Rev
for 1778 prints of parents
$26.66 100
W. H. ...
Washington
Hon. L. Lyon N. R.