John McWhorter, Revolutionary War Pension Application, Lawrence, Alabama http://files.usgwarchives.net/al/lawrence/military/revwar/pension/jmcwhorter.txt ================================================================================ USGENWEB NOTICE: All documents placed in the USGenWeb Archives remain the property of the contributors, who retain publication rights in accordance with US Copyright Laws and Regulations. In keeping with our policy of providing free information on the Internet, these documents may be used by anyone for their personal research. They may be used by non-commercial entities so long as all notices and submitter information is included. These electronic pages may NOT be reproduced in any format for profit. Any other use, including copying files to other sites, requires permission from the contributors PRIOR to uploading to the other sites. The submitter has given permission to the USGenWeb Archives to store the file permanently for free access. This file was contributed and copyrighted by: Robert H. McClain, Jr. ================================================================================ September 2001 The State of Alabama ) Lawrence County SS. ) On this 28th day of June 1833 personally appeared in open court before me James B. Wallace Judge of the County Court for said County now sitting, John McWhorter a resident of Lawrence County State of Alabama aged about sixty-nine years who being first duly sworn according to law doth on his oath make the following declarations in order to obtain the benefit of the act of Congress passed June 7th 1832. That he entered the service of the United States under the following named officers and served as herein stated -- That he does not know his age precisely having no record of it, but he was about sixteen years of age, when he first entered the service, which was in the month of February 1780 in York County State of South Carolina he volunteered in a troop of horse under Captain James Martin, and commanded by Major Frank Ross -- The South Carolina Army then lay on the opposite side of the Savanna River from Augusta; and in the State of South Carolina, which was under the command of General Williamson, when we joined the Army.--We remained but a short time in camp when Maj. Ross was ordered to join General Ashe who was then encamped on Briar Creek in Georgia between Augusta and Savanna, the enemy being below a short distance. The next morning after our arrival there, we were ordered out on a scout. We went to the Brittish camp, took seven prisoners,- among them was the celebrated tory Bill Cunningham; during that day the Brittish attack surprised and defeated General Ashe, and when we returned in the evening to the camp, being ignorant of the events of the day then we were fired on by the Brittish sentry and with difficulty our party made thin escape to the camp of General Williamson, having leaving behind about twenty-five killed and prisoners. We were in the camp one night only and consequently I cannot state the names of the Continental officers with General Ashe.----A short time after this Major Ross was ordered on an expedition to Georgia against the Indians and tories, we encamped at a place called Rocky comfort, defeated the Tories and Indians, returned to camp were discharged and returned home, having served this tour, two months. Immediately after the surrender of Charleston, which took place in May 1780, I joined the army of General Sumpter as a volunteer at a place called Clains Branch on the Catawba lands, attached myself to the company commanded by Captain Robert Thompson. From this time until the surrender of Cornwallis I was one of General Sumpter's men and continued in service until the close of the War. I cannot recollect the order of the engagements in which I was during this tour, but I will state that I was with General Sumpter at Fish dam ford on Broad River when the Brittish were handled roughly but kept the field. Their commander Maj. Weems was killed. While we were encamped on Clains Branch, some of us concluded to go down the country to see how our friends were doing -- just after we had crossed the Cataba River we met a man who informed us that one Captain Hook, with some Brittish Regulars and tories, was at White's Mills. We solicited Col. Bratton to take the command of us, with Hugh McClure as Lieutenant. -- After pursuing them all one day & night, and about cock crow we overtook them, attacked and defeated them. Killed Hook their commander and took their Lieutenant prisoner. --- At the time Lord Cornwallace was marching his army from South Carolina to Virginia, I was detached by General Sumpter with a waggon and team under a guard commanded by Captain Gibbons, at Newbern, North Carolina for military stores, to be procured by Richard Hampton. On our return near the Yadkin River we were near falling in with Cornwallis, but we joined the baggage of General Morgan and remained with him until we got into Virginia. We then went South and delivered the stores to General Sumpter. In this last tour I was in actual service three months and ten days. I was discharged but if it was a written one it is long since lost. Immediately after I returned home from the last mentioned tour, I again volunteered under Captain John Henderson in York County South Carolina and joined General Green's Army at a placed called Round O, when he was encamped. I cannot recollect the precise period of time of the War when this last tour was performed, but I am confident it was immediately preceding the close of the War. I obtained a discharge but it is lost and I do not recollect by whom it was signed, if indeed it was writing. In my former declaration it is stated that I was attached to Captain Byars company but on more reflection, and conversing with some of my old comrades, I am satisfied of the mistake and that Captain Martin commanded the company. --- He states that in the first tour under Captain Martin he served two months as stated above. And that from a short time after the fall of Charleston in May 1780 he served under General Sumpter & Green until after the surrender of Lord Cornwallis in October 1781 -- and after the South Carolina, when were numerous then, were chastized & peace restored to the country all the time as a private soldier. I resided in York County South Carolina when I entered the Army as above stated & continued to view that as my place of residence during the War, then I moved to Buncombe County North Carolina lived there four years, then moved to Knox County State of Tennessee lived there seven years, then moved to Madison County, now Alabama where he lived about eight years & moved to Lawrence County where he has resided ever since. He knows of no living witness within his reach by whom he can prove his actual services, except the testimony of Captain John Henderson, Hugh B. and Hugh W. Stevenson, whose depositions accompany this declaration and to which he begs leave to refer. --- Crockett McDonald a clergyman, and Argyle Campbell and Samuel Goode ciizens of repute live near him, and can bear testimony to his character for veracity and probity. 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. /s/ John McWhorter /s/ J. B. Wallace Judge Cty Court And the said Court do hereby declare their opinion that the above named applicant was a Revolutionary Soldier and served as he states. /s/ James B. Wallace Judge County Court ________________________________________________________________________ The following interrogations were propounded by the Court to the aforesaid applicant to wit __ 1 Where and in what year were you born Answer My parents informed me that I was born in Rowan County North Carolina but in what year I cannot state. 2nd Have you any record of your age and if so where is it Answer I have none, nor do I know that there ever was one. I can only state my age from the circumstances that, shortly before I entered the service I was put on the muster list at about sixteen years of age. 3 Where were you living when called into service, where have you lived since the Revolutionary War and where do you now live Answer I have stated specifically all I know on that subject in my foregoing declaration. 4th How were you called into service, were you drafted, did you volunteer or were you a substitute & if a substitute for whom. Answer I have stated as particularly in my declaration all I recollect on that subject, as I can. 5 State the names of some of the Regular officers who were with the troups when you served, such Continental and Militia regiments as you can recollect and the general circumstances of your services. Answer I have stated in my declaration all I recollect on those subjects. 6th Did you ever receive a discharge from the service and if so, by whom was it given and was has become of it. Answer I got a discharge I believe from Captain Martin but whether it was a written one or not I do not recollect. i have no recollection of receiving a written discharge from any officer, and when I speak of getting a discharge in my declaration I only mean that our company was discharged from service for the time. If however I ever did get a written discharge it has been lost. I have none now. 7 State the names of persons to whom you are known in your present neighborhood and who can testify as to your character for veracity and their belief of your services as a Soldier of the Revolution. Answer I am known to most of the public men of the County, but can refer particularly to Crockett McDonald, Argyle Campbell and Samuel Goode whose certificate accompanies my declaration. /s/ John McWhorter Sworn to subscribed. J. B. Wallace, Judge County Court ________________________________________________________________________ Captain John Henderson appeared in open court and states on oath that he was raised in the same neighborhood with John McWhorter, was with him & in the same company under Ross in the first tour, we were discharged at the same time, that from the fall of Charleston in May 1780 until the peace affiant was in actual service under General Sumpter and he was generally in company with said McWhorter who was also in service. He recollects that said McWhorter was a faithful and brave soldier. He was on tour in a company commanded by affiant himself. Affiant is confident in the belief that said McWhorter was in actual service more than two years. Sworn to subscribed. /s/ John Henderson J. B. Wallace Judge County Court _______________________________________________________________________ State of Alabama ) Lawrence County ) Hugh B. Stevenson states on oath that he was acquainted with John McWhorter during the Revolutionary War who has applied for a pension, that he was frequently called on to & did serve as a private soldier, that he has frequently heard his (affiants) father say that Mr McWhorter was with him in the capms and in many battles, and that he was a true patriot and a brave and undaunted soldier. Sworn to & subscribed in open court. /s/ Hugh B. Stevenson J. B. Wallace, Judge Cty Court Hugh W. Stevenson states that he lived in the neighborhood of John McWhirter during the Revolutionary War and knows that said [Mc}Whirter was in the service, and was reputed to have been a faithful friend to American liberty and a brave and courageous soldier. Sworn to & subscribed in open court. /s/ Hugh W. Stevenson J. B. Wallace, Judge Cty Court ___________________________________________________________ We Crockett McDonald a clergyman residing in the County of Lawrence State of Alabama, and Argyle Campbell and Samuel Goode residing in the same hereby certify that we are well acquainted with John McWhorter who has subscribed and sworn to the above declaration, that we beleve him to be sixty-nine years of age that he is reputed and believed in the neighborhood where he lives, to have been a soldier of the Revolution and that we concur in that opinion. Sworn & subscribed /s/ C McDonald the day & year aforesaid Argyle Campbell /s/ J. B. Wallace Saml Goode Judge Cty Court _______________________________________________________________________ Personally appeared in open court, John McWhorter who being duly sworn deposeth and saith that by reason of old age and the consequent loss of memory he cannot swear positively to the length of his service, but according to the best of his recollection he served not less than the period mentioned below and in the following grades. From February 1780 he served a period as a private soldier in the army of the Revolution, until the peace. And for such services he claims a pension. Sworn to & subscribed /s/ John McWhorter the day & year aforesaid. J. B. Wallace Judge Cty Court And the said court do hereby declare in their opinion after the investigation of the matter and after putting the interrogations 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 Crockett McDonald who has signed the preceding certificat is a clergyman residing in said County of Lawrence and that Argyle Campbell and Samuel Good who have also signed the same are residents in same County and that their statement is entitled to credit and further that John Henderson Hugh B and Hugh W Stevenson who have signed the accompanying deposition respectively are credible persons and that their said staments are entitled to credit. /s/ J. B. Wallace Judge Cty Court I John Gregg, Clerk of the County Court of Lawrence County, Alabama, do hereby certify that the foregoing contains the original pro- ceedings of said Court in the matter of the application of John McWhorter for a pension. Given under my hand and seal of office this 28 day of June, 1833. /s/ John Gregg ________________________________________________________________________ James B. Wallace Agent Moulton, Ala. I am personally acquainted with the above named James B. Wallace, Judge of Lawrence County Court; also with John Gregg clerk of said Court; also with C. McDonald, one of the affiants and with their respective handwriting --- and, from my knwledge, have no hesitancy in say the foregoing declaration & accompanying papers are genuine. I am also personally acquainted with John McWhorter the applicant. Dec. 20, 1833 /s/ C. C. Clay,. M. C. ________________________________________________________________________ Papers in the National Archives, Washington, D.C., submitted in support of the pension request of John McWhorter, which was granted [S32400].