Souern Campaign American Revolution Pension Statements & Rosters Pension Application of William Harris S5441 Transcribed and annotated by C. Leon Harris. Revised 28 March 2012. [Capitalization partly corrected] Aug Term 1848 of e Sumner County } County Court of said County On is e 7 of Aug 1848 personally appeared in open Court before e County Court of Sumner County now siting, William Harris a resident of e above County and State aged Eighty eight years who being first duly sworn according to Law do on his oa make e following Declaration in order to obtain e benefits of an act Congress passed June 7 1832 at entered e service of e United States and served as herein stated he enlisted in Franklin County Nor Carolina [formed from Bute County in 1779] in e year Seventeen hundred and seventysix under Capt. Martin whose given name is not recollected Col John Hogan commanded e Regiment He enlisted as a private for 3 years which time he served out he was in e Battle of Monmou [28 June 1778] and was wounded slightly in e left knee in at action marks of which wound are now to be seen he was near e Battle of Brandywine [11 Sep 1777] but was not actively engaged in at battle he was discharge in e year 1779 at Trenton New Jersey He has no discharge now in his possession he continued to reside in Nor Carolina for several years after e war I ink nearly Twenty years after which I moved to Florida Burk County and lived ere two years and from ence to e State of Tennessee in e year 1806 and have been living in Tennessee Sumner County up to e present time. He hereby relinquishes every Claim to a pension or anuity except e present and declares at his name is not on e pension roll of e agency of any state or if any only on at of e State of [blank] for proof of his services see e attached certificate from e secretary of State of Nor Carolina William hisxmark Harris d Smi County } On is e 3 day of April 1849 personally appeared in open court before e Hon William B Campbell Judge of e four Judicial Circuit in and for e State of Tennessee now sitting William Harris a resident of said County formerly resident of Sumner County Tennessee aged eighty nine years in october next who being first duly sworn according to law do on his oa make e following declaration in order to obtain e benefit of e provissions made by e act of Congress of e 7 June 1832. That he enlisted in e army of e United States in e early part of e year seventeen hundred and seventy seven in Captain John Martins Company for a Tour of ree years at at is time declarant lived in Franklin County Nor Carolina near e line of Nash county at he entered e service in said company as a private at he belonged to e four Regiment of e Nor Carolina line which regement declarant inks was commanded by Col. John Hogen at we were marched ence rough e State of Virginia to Trenton in New jersey where we joined General Washingtons Army by way of Philadelphia. at we were marched ence to Brandywine where in September seventeen hundred and seventy seven we had a battle wi e enemy from ence we were marched to Menmou Courouse where in June seventeen hundred and seventy eight we again engaged e enemy in battle at by is time declarant had been taken from e ranks by General Washington as an attendant for e purpose of taking care of his horses. at during is battle while declarant was holding one of e horses of General Washington he was slightly wounded by being shot in e left knee at during e previous winter while stationed wi General Washington at Valley forge in Pennsylvania declarant wi e rest of said troops suffered much. declarant furer states at he remained in said service still acting in e capacity of Ostler [sic:
hostler] for General Washington and was marched in e direction of White plains where we were stationed for some time near at place after which declarant remained in said service until his term of service had near expired. When General [Horatio] Gates was ordered to e sou wi his army declarant applied to General Washington to be discharged in order at he might return home to Nor Carolina wi General Gate s army to which request General Washington consented and discharged declarant and he returned home where declarant remained until e mon of august or September seventeen hundred and eighty. ere was a light horse company raised in Franklin county Nor Carolina by Captain Samuel Jones to serve twelve mons at declarant again enlisted in said company and was appointed first Lieutenant in said company. at we marched ence to Salsbury [sic: Salisbury] ence to Charlotte. at we were en under Col. Sewall. at we remained in Nor Carolina for someing near six mons when we were ordered to give up our horses and march across to Sou Carolina to e hanging rock ence to e High Hills of Santee where we fell in wi e army under General Green [sic: Naanael Greene] at we were marched ence to Monks Corner and ence to e Eutaw Springs [sic: Moncks Corner after Eutaw Springs] where out twelve mons tour expired which was a few days before e battle of e Eutaw Springs [8 Sep 1781] but we were kept in said service until after said battle was fought in which engagement declarant was slightly wounded in his right ancle at declarant farer states at he faifully performed said twelve mons tour of service acting all e time as first Lieutenant of said company at immediately after said battle we were discharged and returned home haveing in his possession e muster roll of said company which he was directed to make return of to General Clinch but before declarant returned said roll it was accidentally destroyed by fire by e buring of his Faers house shortly after his return home; declarant furer states at e first tour of ree years service as above mentioned he performed faifully as above specified at he was honourably discharged by Genl Washington but which discharge he cannot now produce having lost or mislaid it many years since and at his commission as Lieutenant was burnt wi e muster roll as above stated, at he knows of no one at is late day by whoom he could prove his said service at he has no oer documentary or record proof in support of his claim, unless it can be found in e old records at Washington city or at Rawleigh [sic: Raleigh] Nor Carolina but of which he now knows noing. at for a corobaration of facts relative to his last tour of service as Lieutenant he refers to his own affidavits which he made some years ago in support of e claims of Isaac Henry and John Lane for a pension which he supposes is on file at e department [not found] ey bo being members of said Jones Company declarant furer states at someing near six mons since before e county court of Sumner county Tennessee he did make and was qualified to a declaration for a pension which was drawn up he inks by a Mr Key of said county but in which he is of opinion he omitted to specify his last tour of twelve mons service as Lieutenant under Captain Jones as herein claimed being en informed at e first tour was sufficient to entitle him to a pension at he erefore makes is declaration in order to amend his first application and claims to be allowed a pension for his services as an officer as well as a private. at he hereby relinquishes every claim whatever to a pension or annuity except e present and he declares at his name is not on e pension roll of any agency in any state at e reason why he makes is declaration in Smi county is at he has removed from Sumner county to Smi County where he is residing wi his grandson at e reason why he has not applied for a pension previous hereto was at he was in easy circumstances and did not consider at he needed it. nor did he ever expect to apply had he not e luck to loose e most of his property and is now poor and needy and so regards declarants standing for veracity and credibility. he respectfully refers to Genl. William Hall and Elijah Boddie and Col Alfred Wynn all of Sumner county Tennessee in which declarant has livied for e last forty seven years. Sworn to and subscribed e day and year above mentioned [signed] William Harris Interrogatories propounded. st 1. Where and in what year were you born (answer) I was born in Edgecomb [sic: Edgecombe] County Nor Carolina in e year seventeen hundred and sixty.
d 2. Have you any record of your age. (answer) I have a record of my age but do not now know where it is. d 3. Where were you liveing when called into service where have you lived since e Revolutionary War and where do you now live. (answer) When called into service I lived in e state of Nor Carolina. after e Revolutionary war I removed to Sumner County Tennessee where I remained forty seven years and I now live in Smi County Tennessee 4. How were you called into service. was you drafted did you volunteer or were you a substitute & for whoom answer. I refer you to at part of my declaration 5. State e name of some of e Regular officers who were wi you or e troops where you served such continental and militia regiments as you can recollect and e general circumstances of your service. (answer) I refer you to e statements made in my declaration [signed] W Harris on is e seven day of August 1849 Smi County } Personally appeared before e under signed an Acting Justice of e peace in and for said County William Harris a resident of said County aged eighty nine years or wiin a few mons of at who on his oa makes e following amended declaration in order to obtain e benefit of e act of Congress of e 7 of June 1832 at he is e identical William hoo in August 1848 made a declaration before e County Court of Sumner County claiming a pension in which he Alledged ree years service as stated in said declaration and which declaration was drawn up by a Mr Kee[?] hoo informed declarant at e time at it was not necessary to alledge e service as a Lieutenant as e ree years service would entitle him to a full pension but afterwards being informed at he should have Alledged his services as a lieutenant as it would entitle him to a higher grade of pension he erefore did make a second declaration in April 1849 before e Circuit Court of Smi County in which he alledges his services as a lieutenant under Capt Samuel Jones [pension application W230] at he did actually perform e services alledged in his former declaration at his first declaration as made out by Mr Kee was not made out to coberate wi any certificate which might have been procured by Mr Kee from e Secretary of Nor Carolina nor does affiant recollect of seein gor hearing of any such certificate at e time he made said declaration at he has many years ago spoke of his said services to various persons at when he entered e service for twelve mons under Capt Jones he done so rough e persuasal of Col Ben Sewell who told affiant if he would join said company he should have e first Lieutenants place for e reason at he had been out in e regular army under Washington at he ought him best qualified. Affiant erefore joined said comapny and remained in service in Nor carolina about six mons when we were ordered to e Sou on foot at we did give up our horses and marched to e Sou and joined General Greens army at e Hanging Rock [in SC] affiant erefore considered his company as belonging to e Continental Army as ey remained under General Green twill after e battle at e Utau Springs where he was discharged as stated in his former declarations Affiant also recollects e meeting of e board of commissioners at Halifax and at ey met at e house of Col Zang s[?] said commissioners settle a part of his account for his his services and recollects being present receiving from said commissioners a surtificate as a part of his pay which he let go afterwards for Continental money which proved to be worless affiant also rec d various small certificates not only for his services but for payments by [illegible word] made for e government whilst acting as commissary which he done a part of his time whilst a lieutenant he also recolects at on one occasion whilst under Capt Samuel Jones he purchased a hors and paid his own money for him and let one of e soldiers by e name of Michael Savage have said horse which money was refunded to him by surtificates after wards by e State of Nor carolina e said Savage was a member of said Company at e horse he started out on died and at affiant is of opinion at he received surtificates from e State of Nor carolina for e whole amount of his services as a private and as an officer at he is certain at he performed all of e services alleged in his former
declaration but to give all of e partikulars in relation to e various certificates or amounts of em he cannot not recollect but at he recollects at he was entitled to bounty land for his ree years service as a private but at at time it was looked upon as not being wor but little he did not erefore apply for his warrant for some ree or four years after e close of e war at when he did apply for it he was informed at e warrant had been drawn which I en informed em had been done by forged papers at I had not nor did not give any bodd any auority to receive my land warrant affiant inks e warrant was deliverd to one John Bands shortly after is time ere was various charges pressed against said bands and Mr Berry & a Mr Glascow and proberably several oers for having forged powers of attorney and drawd various warrants of e soldiers and for which ey were indited and affiant having lost his warrant in is way was summonsed as a witness for e State against em at he attended as a witness against em two courts propably as much as a week at a time at before e suit was determined e said bands and Berry and proberably oers of e said company runaway and left e Country affiant erefor was deprived of his land warrant which he never recoverd but e papers uppon which it was isude was forged affiant furer states at e reason why he did not apply for his pension hertofore or imediately after e Act of 32 is given in my declaration of April 1849 at he was en a man of property and was able to live wiout it and in fact had too much pride as he en ought to ask for a pension Wm hisxmark Harris Smi County } On is 8 day of August 1849 personally appeared before e undersigned an acting Justice of e peace in and for said County Wm Harris Jr a resident of said County aged twenty six years and makes oa in due form of Law at he is well acquainted wi William Harris who is his grand faer and who in August 1848 made a declaration for a pension in Sumner County Tennessee affiant has been living eier wi or in e immediate neighborhood of his grand faer all his life, and from affiants earlies recoliction he has heard e said Wm Harris speak repeatedly of his having been in e service of e United States under General Washington also speak of his Captain name being Martin and also repeatedly have heard him speak of being a Lieutenant under Captain Samuel Jones at he was always called Captain Rid Eyed [sic: Red Eyed] Sam Jones has heard him frequently tell his neighbors when in conversation about e Revolutionary war at he served under Capt Jones as an officer at he was at e battle of e Eutaw Spring at he was wounded in his knee and upwards of twenty years ago affiant distinctly recolicts seeing him show where he was wounded in e knee which he allways heard e old man say was done while he was under Genl. Washington affiant furer states at e conversation and circumstances as above given and which he has frequently heard e said Wm Harris detail is not only of recent date but at he has heard him speak and give repeated accounts of His services in said revolutionary war from his earlies recoliction he has also heard him repeatedly speak of having been in titled to a Land Warrant for his services but at he was by some means dissentitled out of it in some way but affiant cannot now recolict e particulars as to how or by whom, affiant furer states at he has repeatedly heard his grand faer asked e reason why he did not apply for a pension and his reply was at his sons was so proud at ey was oppose to his asking for it at he was able to live wiout and untill a few years ago he has always been in easy circumstances erefore seemed to care but little about a pension affiant of course could know noing of his own knowledge of any of his grand faer s services but is certain he has known e conversation as above given Sworn to and subs before me e date above given [signed] William Harris Robertson County } On is 7 day of November 1850 personally appeard before e undersigned a Justice of e peace in and for said County Wiley [sic] Jones a resident of said County aged seventy nine years and makes oa in due form of law at he is a nephew of old Capt Samuel Jones who was a
Captain in e Revolutionary war from Franklin County Nor Carolina at his said uncle was called Red Eyed Sam Jones at he knew him will from his earliest recolection as affiants faer & his uncle Samuel Jones lived wi in one half mile of each oer in said Franklin County Nor Carolina and while his uncle was out in e Service in e Revolutionary war o affiant was verry young he recolects at his faer took charge of his uncle Samuel Jones business and farm and attended to it untill e close of e said Revolutionary War whin his uncle Samuel returned home from e Service affiants faer en lived wi in a few miles of Lewisburg [sic: Louisburg] in said Franklin County affiant furer states at he was also will acquainted wi William Harris who en lived in said county or near e county line between Franklin & Nash Counties some 12 miles from Lewisburg and affiant distinctly recolects at when his uncle Samuel Jones returned home from e Service on a visit to see his relations in Franklin County in e year 1779 seventeen hundred & seventy nine he raised a light Horse Company of Volenteers who enlisted for twelve mons This Company affiant is certain was raised in e early parte of e year seventeen hundred & eighty and affiant is also certain at e said William Harris was a d Lieutenant in said Company but wheer he was first or 2 Lieutenant affiant dose not now recolect and while said Company was raising & after it was raised affiant recolects at ey mit at Colonel Benjamin Sewells who live some 4 miles from Lewisburg and after said company was raised and met at Sewells ey marched to Lewisburg and are got are Horses Shod by a black smi by e name of Benjam Williams Said company en marched off under e command of e said Colonel Benjam Sewill after is affiant seen noing more of said Company untill e next year 1781 seventeen hundred & eighty one whin affiant distinctly recolects when e news reached at Lieutenant William Harris had returned home having left affiants uncle e said captain Samel Jones in e service in Sou Carolina and in a few days affiants faer went to Lewisburg to see said Harris and to here from his broer e said Capt Samel Jones who as affiant has above stated did not return home wi said company but was left in e service whare he remained untill e close of e war affeant en undestood and distinctly recolects at when his faer returned from Lewisburg he was telling e familey and giving e various details of e Service as he had lernt from e said William Harris and more particularly affiant recolects in relation to e battle at was fought at e Ewtaw Springs in Sou Carolina which was fought just before said Harris left e Service and some short time after Lieutenant Harris returned home affiant recolects hering at said Wm Harris faers house got burnt and affiant en undrstood and frequently afterwards heard Harris speake of and tell at he had got his musteroll [sic: muster roll] and commission &c burt whin his faers House was burnt at he had been directed by his Captain affiants uncle to return e musteroll to General Clinch but which he could not en do e above facts affiant distinctly recolects o he was young say ten years or between ten & eleven years of age and shortly after or about is time affiant was placed by his faer under e above mentioned Benjamin Williams to learn e black smis trade and after e close of e revolutionary war when affiants uncle reternd home he recolects will of hering his uncle e said capt Samuel Jones tell of various events which took place while he was in e Service and more particularly in relation to e companey which was raised as above spokin of from Franklin County and he always spoke in e highest terms of Lieutenant Harris said at he was as brave an officer as any man and in which affiant fully concurs from e fact at shortly after e said Lieutenant Wm Harris reterned home he kild as affiant undestood a tory who in his absence in e Service had misstreated Harris moer & had cut her across e hear wi a sword affiant was not knowing to is but recolects will of hering of e circumstance and is satisfied at said Harris was as brave a man as any having undestood at he had previous to 1779 served tour in e regular armey affiant furer states at s d Harris some time after e close of e war removed from Franklin county to Sumner County Tennessee and afterward affiant removed from said Franklin County to Wilson County Tennessee which was adjoining to Sumner County he again met wi e said William Harris and affiant is certain at he is e identical William Harris who was Lieutenant in said Capt Samuel Jones Companey as above mentioned at e said Harris is still living affiat removed to Wilson County Tennessee in e year 1826 and from
are he came to is Robertson County Tennessee and is residing amoung his children first wi one en wi e oer affiant would furer state at as regard e service of e said Wm Harris as a private in e regular army as above interlined affiant cannot give e particulars of said service furer an he has repeatedly heard e said Harris before he left nor Carolina which was upwards of forty years ago speake of and tell at he served a tour of service in e regular army under General Washington in e early parte of e revolutionay and at he was marched to e Nor and was takin as a hoister [sic: hostler] or waiter of Genl Washington but e leng of is tour affiant dose not recolect nor dose he recolect wheer e said Harris ever told him how long he served is tour Sworn to and subscribed before me e date above written [signed] Willie Jones T. H. Gardner JP [On 1 Nov 1850 Jesse Hunt, 81, of Wilson County gave a statement repeating many of ese details and adding at his faer spent a goodeal of his time wi his family at Colonel Sewels House in order to keep out of e way of e tories and about is time [1780] or afterwards affiant recolects at e noted Tory Captain Beard was taken by e Whigs & was Hanged. ] Wilson County } On is 24 day of April AD 1855 personally appeared before me an acting Justice of e Peace wiin and for e County and State aforesaid William Harris aged about 98 years, a resident of said County and State a Revolutionary Soldier who being duly sworn according to law, declares at he is e identical William Harris who was a Lieut in Capt Saml Jones Company of Cavalry in e Regiment commanded by Col Benjamin Seawell in e war wi Great Britton declared by e United States on e 4 day of July 1776. That he volunteered in Franklin County in e State of Nor Carolina about e year 1781 or 1782 and continued in actual service in said war about 12 mons. He served several oer Campaigns was in e Battle at York-town, Utah Springs [sic: Eutaw Springs SC, 8 Sep 1781], Guilford Courouse [15 March 1781] & oers. He makes is declaration for e purpose of obtaining e bounty land to which he may be entitled under e Act approved March 3, 1855. He also declares at he has not received a warrant for bounty land under is or any oer act of Congress nor made any oer application erefore. He applied for and obtained a pension, in which e proof of his services is on file in e pension office he supposes. His pension certificate was granted under e law of e United States of e 7 June 1832 was issued on e 30 day of January 1851 by Alex r H H Stuart Secretary of e Interior and is recorded in e Pension office in book E2 vol 7, page 92, to which testimony he refers as e only record testimony at he can now make William hisxmark Harris [Certified by William Harris, Jr.]