Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty Land Warrant Application File R. 4661, John Harris, N.C.

SERVICE
NUMBER _____
N 6
Harris, John
R. 4661
CONTENTS

John Harris Declaration in order to obtain the benefit of the act of Congress of the 7. of June 1832.
Repealed
June 7 1832
No. 27413
W. D. Shepard Eliz. City N.C.

State of North Carolina Pascquotank County ss
On this third day of September in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and thirty three, personally appeared John Harris, a resident of the said county of Pascquotank in open court, being the court of Pleas & Quarter Sessions, then sitting & held for the said county of Pascquotank, aged years, who being 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 the 7 th 1832, that he was drafted in the Army of the United States in the year 1780, served under Captain Williams, in the second Regiment of drafts, raised in the District of Edenton I st Branch I st Col., that he served three months, and was dis- -charged on the 11 th day of December 1780, the certificate of which discharge under the hands of I st Branch I st Col. and Henry Dixon Col. Command d G th B th Brigade, is herunto annexed, that he was again drafted in the year 1781 and served an other tour of duty of two months and obtained his discharge on the 27 th day of August 1781 from John Gray which discharge is also herunto annexed. which latter service he performed at Great Bridge in Virginia & part of the time as a Sergeant.

And the said John Harris hereby relinquishes every claim whatever to a pension, or an annuity, except the present, & he declares, that his name is not on the pension roll of any agency in any State.
Sworn to and subscribed in open board, the day & year aforesaid. his John X. Harris ren mark
And the said board do hereby declare their opinion, that the above named applicant was a revolutionary soldier, served as he states, and is a credible person, and that his statement is entitled to credit.
I the undersigned Clerk of the board of Pensions & Grants Sessions for the County of Fayette, do hereby certify, that the foregoing contains the original pro- -ceedings of said board in the matter of the application of John Harris for a pension. In testimony whereof
I have hereunto set my hand and seal of office this third day of September in the 58 th Year of our Independence AD 1833.
James M c Ginn Clerk

State of North Carolina County of Pasquotank
Be it Known, that on this first day of February A. D. 185 3 before me, the undersigned, a Justice of the Peace, in and for the County and State aforesaid, personally appeared Ephraim Hearnis Executor of John Hearnis dec d and one of his heirs at Law resident of Elizabeth City in said County, and made oath according to law that he is the Executor & son of John Hearnis who was a soldier in the war of the Revolution, and who has heretofore made application for the benefit of the Pension Act of 1841 . That he is directly interested as a claimant in said Pension, and makes this affidavit to be filed with such additional evidence or arguments as my Agent may use in prosecuting said claim.
Countermanding and revoking all Powers of Attorney and authority heretofore given, I hereby constitute and appoint SAMUEL M. KNIGHT , of Washington City, my true and lawful Attorney to prosecute the claim of John Hearnis for any amount of Revolutionary Pension, or increase of Pension that may be due; and I hereby authorize my said Attorney to examine all papers or documents in relation to said claim, on file in the Department at Washington City or elsewhere, to file additional evidence or arguments, and to receive for my exclusive benefit, the certificate which may be issued for said claim, which certificate I wish made payable at the Pension Agency of this State, to appoint one or more substitutes under him for the purposes herein expressed, and to do all things that I might or could do were I personally present. Hereby ratifying and confirming all that my said Attorney and Agent shall lawfully do in the premises. Saving & excepting that my said Attorney shall not receive the money for said Pension should the same be allowed until further empowered nor appoint any one to receive the same.  Ephraim Hearnis
Sworn to, Subscribed and Acknowledged before me the day and year above written, and I hereby certify that I believe the said Ephraim Hearnis to be directly interested in said claim as set forth, and to be the identical party therein alleged. and that I Joseph H. Pool am not in any way interested in this claim - J. H. Pool J.P.
State of North Carolina County of Pasquotank County
It is Hereby Certified, that satisfactory evidence has been exhibited before me, Clerk of the Court of Plas & Quarter Sessions for Pasquotank County that Ephraim Hearnis the party who has sworn to, and acknowledged the foregoing Declaration and Power of Attorney, is the Executor & Son of the reputed soldier aforesaid . I further certify, that Joseph H. Pool Esq. before whom the preceding affidavit and Power of Attorney were made and acknowledged, of so doing, a Justice of the Peace, in and for said County, and that the signature purporting to be his, I believe to be genuine.
In Testimony Whereof, I have hereunto set my hand and affixed my seal of Office, this 1st day of February 185 3
James M. Clinton C.R.
1. Claimant's name or names in full.—2. Post Office address. 3. "That he is the identical man," or, "that she is the widow of the identical man," or, "that he or she is the legal heir of the identical man," &c., &c. 4. Leave this line blank.—5. "He is," or, "she is," or "they are."—6. Revolutionary soldier's full name.—7. Claimant's signature.—8. Claimant's name.—9. Magistrate's signature. 10. "Identical," "widow of," or, "child of."—11. Magistrate's name.—12. Clerk's signature.
N. B. It is not necessary that all the heirs execute this instrument, any one of them may give the requisite authority.

State of North Carolina Pasquotank County
I James W. Reinton Clerk of the Court of Pleas & Quarter Sessions for the County of Pasquotank do hereby certify that John Harris a reputed Soldier of the Revolution, according to report in the community died in the month of August A D 1846, that his last Will and Testament was admitted to Probate at September Term of the Court of Pleas & Quarter Sessions of said County - that by it Ephraim Harris & Martin Harris were appointed his Executors & duly qualified as such - that Martin Harris has left the State - that Ephraim Harris whose name is affixed to the Power of Attorney herewith sent is the same who was appointed and qualified as Executor - that he is also one of the children of said John Harris - that said John Harris left no widow surviving him - that his children living at his death were James, Reuben & Ephraim Harris & Fanny Clark born Harris - Harris - In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal of Office this the 1 st day of February A D 1853 -
James W. Reinton C. C. C.

No. 27.443. John Harris. N.C. Let to Hon. Asa Biggs. June 17. 1846. Same July 20. 1846. Rejected. Hon. W. L. Underwood Dec 12/56
Not y t June 1832.
John Harris R. 4661 N.C.

August the 27th Day 1781 this may certify that John Lawrence had a power of attorney given to Lawrence is here By Richard Wythe John Lang

Hm. S. J. Sanya NOR

State of North Carolina } Court of Pleas and Quarter Sessions Pasquotank County. } June Term 1838.
On the 5 day of June A D 1838 personally appeared in open Court before the Worshipful Justices for the Court of Pleas & Quarter Sessions for the County of Pasquotank State of North Carolina, John Harris a resident of said State & County aged 77 years (Seventy Seven years) who being first duly sworn according to Law, took an oath and made the following declaration, in order to obtain the benefit of the provision made by act of Congress passed the 7th June 1832.
That he was drafted in the Militia in the year 1777 & served under this draft three months under the command of Capt. Rufus Williams, during this term of service this affiant says he served in the Western part of North Carolina in pursuit of Cornwallis, and was present at the capture of a few English troops and about three hundred Tories. at the end of this term of service this affiant was discharged and returned home, and this affiant asserts that this discharge was delivered to Mr Shepard the former member of Congress from this District.
This affiant declares that soon after he returned home and made a crop, sometime about the first of August in 1778 he was drafted again for three months which three months he served under the command of Lieutenant & Paylie Jackson and Genl Gregory of Camden County. During this service this affiant declares that he served at the Great Swamp, and at Edmund's Mills near the Great Bridge in the State of Virginia, this affiant asserts that he served out the time for which he was drafted and received his discharge which discharge he delivered to said Shepard the member of Congress from this District.
This affiant hereby relinquishes every claim whatever to a pension except the present, & he declares that his name is not on the pension roll of any agency in any State.
Sworn to & subscribed this day (signed) John his Harris mark
and year aforesaid in open Court Jute. Stephen Charles. Clk
John Pool being duly sworn in open Court declares that he is a native of Pasquotank County born in 1774

that he has known said Harris for many years & he has always heard that he served in the revolutionary war. Sworn to in open Court. (signed) John Pool
Certs. Stephen Charles. clk.
William Gregory being duly sworn declares that he is the son of the Genl. Gregory mentioned in the above declaration that he has known the said Harris for many years, & that it has been the universal belief of the community that said Harris served during the revolution. Sworn to in open Court. (signed) Wm Gregory
Certs. Stephen Charles. clk.
William Davis being duly sworn says that he is aged 79 years, that he is a pensioner of the United States for revolutionary services, that he is now very infirm and incapable of going about from a cancer, he declares that he served in the revolutionary war in company with John Harris during one campaign, and that the foregoing of said Harris is true. Signed & sworn to before (signed) William his Davis me. (signed) Elliott Whitehurst marks
one of the Justices of the Court aforesaid
William B Shepard being duly sworn deposeth & saith that while representing this district in Congress he recollects receiving two papers purporting to be the discharges of John Harris from the Militia service during the revolutionary war, which discharges he enclosed to the pension office at Washington City together with the declaration of John Harris, that in reply to his communication, he was informed by the pension officer, that there was some informality in the papers, what that infor- mality was this deponent does not now distinctly recollect, nor does this deponent remember that the certificates of discharge were returned together with the other papers, if they were this deponent does not know what has become of them. He is however possi- bly sure of having sent them to the pension office. Sworn to in open Court. (signed) Wm B Shepard
Certs. Stephen Charles. clk.
And the said Court do hereby

declare their opinion that the above applicant was a Revolutionary soldier and served as he states.
I Stephen Chaeles Clerk of the County Court of Pleas and Quarter Sessions for the County of Paisley and State of North Carolina do hereby certify that the foregoing contains the original pro- ceedings of the said Court in the matter of application of John Harris for a pension. In Testimony whereof I have herein my hand and affixed the seal of the said Court at Pictou City this 7 day of June A.D. 1838 & 62 nd year of our Independence
Stephen Chaeles Clerk
Gen

W. Dr. Griffith C.M.
2443 37.888
John Harris
N.C.
Act of June '32
Act of June 1832.

State of North Carolina
Pasquotank county {
On this the 3 rd
day of June in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and forty six, personally appeared before me Stephen D. Pool one of the Justices of the Peace for the county aforesaid, John Harris a resident of the county of Pasquotank and State of North Carolina, aged about ninety 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.
From lack of memory he does not remember the years in which he entered into the service, remembers that he was always drafted for service, and that he was drafted three several times, and served three months under each draft, but under the last engagement he thinks he was discharged before the lapse of three months. He further declares, that he received his discharges from his several Captains, two of them he preserved, and the third by some accident he lost. He thinks that he gave the two to some person, after the passage of the law of the 7 th of June 1832, for the purpose of enabling that person, to procure the pension to which he was entitled under that Act. He further says that under one engagement, he was near the battle fought on Briers Creek, but he does not recollect in what State, that battle was fought. He further states

that under one engagement, the captain of his Company was named Rufus Williams, but does not remember the names of the other Captains under whom he served. He further states that under one of these Leisey engagements, he was under the command of Gen Gregory and he thinks that at that time he was at Great Bridge, in Virginia. He further says that there is no person living that he knows of, by whom he can prove these things.
He was born in the County of Pasquotank State of North Carolina, being the same in which he now lives. He has no record of his age.
He hereby relinquishes every claim whether to a Pension or Annuity except the present, and declares his name is not on the Pension Roll, of the Agency of any State. Subscribed & sworn to before me June 3 rd 1846. John H. his Harrif Mark
S. D. Pool J.P.
I Stephen D. Pool a Justice of the Peace for the County of Pasquotank, before whom the above declaration of John Harrif, was made, do certify that the said John Harrif was unable from old age and bodily infirmity to make his appearance in open court. Stephen D. Pool J.P.
I W m W Griffin do certify that Clerk of the County Court of the County of Pasquotank do certify that S. D. Pool is one of the Justices of the Peace for said County and that the signature annexed is his genuine signature.
W m W Griffin CLK

We Joseph Turner a clergyman residing in the county of Pasquotank and Joshua A Pool residing in the same county do hereby certify that we are acquainted with John Harris who has subscribed and sworn to the foregoing declaration; that we believe him to be ninety years of age; that he is reputed and believed in the neighborhood where he resides to have been a soldier of the Revolution and that we concur in that opinion.
Sworn to & subscribed June 6 th 1846
Jos A Turner Joshua A Pool
These Proceedings being exhibited in Open Court in the county of Pasquotank at June Term 1846 the undersigned Justices of the Peace holding the court for said county; they do declare their opinion after investigation of the matter, 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 Jos A Turner who has signed the preceding certificate is a clergyman resident in the county of Pasquotank and that Joshua A Pool who has also signed the same is a resident in the same county and is a credible person, and that their statement is entitled to credit.
Asa H. Turner J.P. Zion Gulliver J.P. Geo. H. Gulliver J.P.

I W m W. Griffin clerk of the court of Pleas and Quarter Sessions for the County of Pasquotank do hereby certify that the foregoing contains the original proce- edings of the said court in the matter of the application of John Harris for a pension.
In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal of office, this the 6 th day of June 1846.
W. W. Griffin clerk
27443 37.888 John Harris N.C. Act of June 32
Act of June 1852

John Harris R.4661 N.E.

Whereas to certify that the Burial of John Harris Private soldier of Capt. Williams Company of the Second Regiment of Dragoons killed in the district of Edenton has since three months agreeable to law and here by is discharged given under my hand this 11 th day of April 1780
To all whom it may concern both Civil & Military
Francis Lee Henry Dixon Col Command g of a Brigade

Acts of July 14, 1862, and March 3, 1873.
4661.
P. O. _____
John Harris
Service: _____
Enlisted: _____, 18 .
Discharged: REJECTED _____, 18 .
Application filed: _____, 18 .
Alleges: _____
Re-enlisted: _____
Attorney: _____
P. O. _____
_____ Recognized. _____ Contract.

John Harris - N. Car
Rejected, Letter 9 Dec. 1832 to Hon. Wm. B. Shepard
22 Mar '36 Same n March 38 M c G. Sawyer Same 15 June 1838 do 3 July Oct 7 June 1839

H. of Reps June 11. 1840
Sir
I herewith transmit the declaration of John Harris made to obtain a pension. I am informed it is probable the Hon. Mr. B. Shepard some time since transmitted to your office the discharges referred to in the declaration -
Ans June 11 40
I have not yet rec d any answer from your office to my enquiry about the revolutionary claim of Solomon Smith of Northampton Co. N. C.
Very respectfully Yr obed servt Asa Briggs
J. L. Edwards Esq
Comm d . of Pensions

W. P. D. P. of John Harris
Thomas Cox
Rev. J. P. Martin

hi
I am desirous of presenting a petition to Congress on behalf of John Harris, whom claim for a pension has lately been rejected by you. I wish you would send to me the papers in relation to his application which are on file in your office.
Yours truly W B Chapman

27,443 John Harris 8 th N.C.
Rejected
Served only 5. Monthly Papers sent to him W. B. Shepard W.R. Feb 12 th 1834.

Stone Petition of John Harris
ref d to com. on Rev. pensions
Feb y 17 1834
Ref d to the Committee on Revolutionary Pensions
Feb y 25 1834
Report ag t to lie
4661
WTS Stafford 79. Penn

To the Honorable the Senate and Representatives of the United States in Congress assembled.
The petition of John Harris a citizen of the United States residing in the County of Pasquotank and State of North Carolina, respectfully represents to your Honorable Bodies; that he enlisted and served in the Revolutionary war, two tours, at the completion of each, he obtained his written discharge from his superior Officer; that your petitioner applied to the proper Officers for a pension under the act passed by your Honorable Bodies June 7 th 1832, attaching to his application the discharges and evidences of his services; that one of the discharges specifies the time of service to have been three months, the other discharge simply states that your petitioner had served a tour or term of service; that the Commissioner of pensions required your petitioner to state the length of time he served in this last tour or term, and that your petitioner not recollecting precisely the length of time he then served, fearful to say longer than it possibly might have been, stated the time to be two months, thus making five months of service rendered by him to his country as a soldier during the Revolutionary

war, and that upon this statement, the Commission of Pensions declined issuing to him a certificate.
Your petitioner further sheweth to your Honorable Body, that the last time he served, he continued in the Service, until all the troops were discharged, and his services as a Soldier were no longer required, and he thinks, that admitting even, that he served but five months (of which he is no way certain), that as he served to the end of the time, he in justice ought to be entitled with his other Brethren in arms, to a pension. Under these circumstances your petitioner humbly prays & hopes, that your Honorable Bodies will consider his case & grant him such relief as to your Honorable Bodies shall seem just and right. And Your petitioner as in duty bound will ever pray. Witness my hand & seal this John X Harris mark Witness my hand & seal this Charles Birmingham

BOUNTY LAND WARRANT RECORD CARD*
NAME Harris, John GRADE Private LINE Pennsylvania
WARRANT NUMBER 9564 ACREAGE 100 ISSUED March 12, 1792
To — not shown —
*The information concerning the issuance of warrants carded on this form is found in volumes 2 to 4 of "Land Warrants Issued Prior to 1800" which are registers of bounty land warrants issued to non-commissioned officers and privates under congressional resolutions of September 16, 1776, and subsequent dates. Other records relative to the applications for warrants appear to have been destroyed in the War Department fire of November 9, 1800. Information concerning warrants surrendered to the Federal Government is to be found in General Land Office records in The National Archives.

BOUNTY LAND WARRANT RECORD CARD*
NAME Harris, John GRADE Private LINE Pennsylvania
WARRANT NUMBER 9600 ACREAGE 100 ISSUED January 17, 1792 to George Moore, assignee
*The information concerning the issuance of warrants carded on this form is found in volumes 2 to 4 of "Land Warrants Issued Prior to 1800" which are registers of bounty land warrants issued to non-commissioned officers and privates under congressional resolutions of September 16, 1776, and subsequent dates. Other records relative to the applications for warrants appear to have been destroyed in the War Department fire of November 9, 1800. Information concerning warrants surrendered to the Federal Government is to be found in General Land Office records in The National Archives.

BOUNTY LAND WARRANT RECORD CARD*
NAME John Harris GRADE Bombardier LINE Pennsylvania
WARRANT NUMBER 9628 ACREAGE 100 ISSUED April 15, 1796 to not shown
*The information concerning the issuance of warrants carded on this form is found in volumes 2 to 4 of "Land Warrants Issued Prior to 1800" which are registers of bounty land warrants issued to non-commissioned officers and privates under congressional resolutions of September 16, 1776, and subsequent dates. Other records relative to the applications for warrants appear to have been destroyed in the War Department fire of November 9, 1800. Information concerning warrants surrendered to the Federal Government is to be found in General Land Office records in The National Archives.