Lumpkin Co., GA - Miliatary - WILLIAM CAVINDER *********************************************** This file was contributed for use in the USGenWeb Archives by: Mary Lu Johnson Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/ga/gafiles.htm *********************************************** REVOLUTIONARY WAR PENSION APPLICATION - WILLIAM CAVINDER Transcribed and Extracted by Mary Lu Johnson, Trafford, AL CAVINDER, WILLIAM, NC Line, W6903 Abstracted/transcribed by Mary Lu Johnson Widow, Margaret [nee COX] Cavinder 9 August, 1850: State of Georgia, Lumpkin County} Declaration of Widow before William Martin, Judge of the Inferior Court of Lumpkins co. Maiden name Margaret Cox, born 12 May 1750, "now consequently a little over one hundred [100] years of age". "I was born in the State of Virginia near James River; I do not recollect the name of the county; When I was yet a child my father, whose name was George Cox, removed with his family to the upper part of North Carolina, do not recollect the name of the County. I there became acquainted with William Cavinder. Several years before the commencement of the Revolutionary War a Short time before the breaking out of hostilities, we bacame engaged to be married. The War caused a postponement of the marriage. My father and the said William Cavinder joined the North Carolina Militia, and repaired to the Standard of Gen. Gates, After that general's defeat at Camden my father and said Cavinder returned home, where they remained some time I do not recollect precisely how long they then joined a Col Cleaveland and were at the battle of King's Mountain; I have frequently heard said Cavinder relate the incidents of that battle, but by reason of extreme old age and consequent failure of memory, most of them have escaped my recollections; In speaking of said battle, he invariably mentioned the names of the American Officers, among whom the name of Campbell is familiar to me, he also spoke of the Tories and Tory officers, he particularly mentioned a British Officer by the name of Ferguson whom he said was killed; Said Cavinder was with the troops who marched with Gen Morgan into South Carolina and was in the Battle of the Cowpens where he was wounded three times one Bayonet wound, in the thigh, one bayonet wound in the leg just above the ankle, and a shot wound in the calf of the leg; I heard said Cavidner frequently speak of Col Washington of the Light horse, I do not know for certain, that Cavinder served in the Light horse, but do know, from the following circumstances related to her by Cavinder, that he was in possession of a horse immediately after the battle of the Cowpens; Which circumstances is as follows. That after said battle, the Americans were pursued by a superior force of British and Tories under the Brithish General Cornwallis, the Americans proceeded by forced marches to the Catawba River; That said Cavinder being on horseback, and observing a friend of his on foot, bare footed his feet, torn sore and bleeding, was feeling a temporary relief from the wounds in his leg, he felt a desire to permit his friend to ride, consequently dismounting, he assisted his friend on the horse; After proceeding two or three hundred yards, his wounds became so painful, he could go no farther on foot and was reluctantly compelled to resume his horse; I have frequently heard Cavinder mention this circumstance, and relate the particulars of the retreat of the American Army; it's hardships, fatigue and want of provisions; and that on the evening the Americans crossed the Catawba, the British Army arrived on the opposite bank of the river Where they encamped for the night; on the next morning the River had risen so high that the British could not cross. The Americans pushed for the Yadkin River; Whilst crossing when the British came in sight, they again encamped for the night and on the next morning, the Yadkin, like the Catawba, was so high that the British could not cross; the Americans pursued their route to Dan river. They were joined by Gen Greene but when or where I do not know, and whilst under his command, according to Cavinder's Statement, the Americans crossed Dan river, where they remained sometime; The frequency, with which Cavinder would talk of the retreat, has impressed many of the incidents firmly on my mind, many of the officers names, on both sides, were always mentioned by Cavinder in relating the circumstances, but have escaped my memory and a large majority of these incidents mentioned by Cavinder, are either entirely forgotten or only indistinctly remembered. In consequence of hard marching, exposure, and unavoidable neglect, Cavinder's wounds became so much inflamed that he was left on the other side of Dan river when the Americans regrouped. I have heard him allude to the Battle of Guilford Old Court House, and express his regret that he was not in it for the reason above Stated. The facts above stated are distinctly remembered tho not the dates, but from the frequent ?allecations made by Cavinder to the cold weather, ice, snow, and frozen ground, I take it for granted that the circumstances herein before related must have occurred in the winter time. Cavinders wounds having partially healed, he rejoined Gen Green's Army at the Ramsay's [?Ramsour's] mills, and was in a battle near Camden, where the Americans were defeated. Cavinder remained with Green's Army and was at the siege of Ninety Six was also in the battle of Eutaw Springs. I shall now State that my Father, who was with the Army, and being sick, sent for his family who joined him in Edgefield District, South Carolina and having sufficiently recovered my father rejoined the Army in time to be at the battle of Eutaw Springs where he was killed; Cavinder was a witness to his death; My Mother, so soon as she learned my father's death, removed with her family to Wilkes County State of Georgia. Sometime in the early part of the Spring of Seventeen hundred and eighty three (1783) William Cavinder herein before so often mentioned, arrived at my mother's house in Wilkes County, Georgia, his wounds heretofore described, except the gunshot wound, were open running sores, the gunshot wound had healed up, with the lead still in it, apparent to the touch, supposed to have been a Buck shot. The Banns of Marriage having been previously published according to Law, I was married by Henry Ware Esqr a justice of the peace for the county and state last above mentioned, to the said William Cavinder on the twelth (12th) day of May, Seventeen hundred and eighty three (1783) at my mother's house in Wilkes County, Georgia; The month and date thereof is so paarticularly remembered because it was my birth day; the year in consequence of being the same in which peace was proclaimed; I was not married to said Cavinder previous to the expiration of his last term of service, but was married to him previous to the year Seventeen hundred and ninety (1790) That is to say on the 12th day of May 1783, hereinbefore more specifically written. I know of no record evidence of my marriage as aforesaid; My Brother James Cox, who now resides in Forsythe County, Georgia, then a boy about ten (10) or eleven years of age, was present and witnessed the ceremony, and is the only living witness I have any knowledge of. Sometime in the Spring of the year seventeen hundred and ninety one (1791) my husband, the said Cavinder, heard of the death of his parents, in North Carolina, he immediately left home in Wilkes County Georgia where we have resided ever since our marriage, in order to proceed to North Carolina to receive his portion of his parents property; The wounds above described had continued open and running sores, until within a few weeks of his departure, by the application of some medicine, they had been suddenly closed up, and apparently healing in a short time after his departure I received a letter from my husband's Sister, who resided in South Carolina (I do not recollect the name of the District) stating that my husband the said Cavinder had died at her house, it appeared from the letter which I saw and heard read, I can neither read nor write myself, that my husband was taken sick on the road, but succeeded in reaching his sister's house, where he died, the Doctor who attended him attributed his death to the sudden stoppage of his wounds; I do not know the precise date of my husbands death, but do know that it took place sometime in the year, the spring part thereof, of seventeen hundred and ninety one (1791) The letter above alluded to my husband's discharge and other important papers which would have corroborated this Declaration, were burnt up with my house, about four (4) years after my husbands death. I remained in Wilkes County Georgia, until the year Seventeen hundred and ninety nine (1799) when I removed to Franklin County, Georgia where I remained until the year eighteen hundred and four (1804) when I removed to that part of Georgia, now Hall County, then called the four mile purchase, where I remained about eight (8) years, when I removed to Roane County Tennessee, remained about four (4) weeks, and returned to Georgia the Cherokee Nation, that portion now known as Lumpkin County, where I remained twenty one (21) years. Then removed to Cass county Georgia where I remained six (6) years, the [sic] removed to Murray County, Georgia, where I remained three (3) years, when I returned to Lumpkin County Georgia, where I have lived ever since and where I now live. I have never intermarried since the death of my husband the said William Cavinder, but have remained and still remain a widow. I know of no record evidence of my husband's Revolutionary Services, that I have been informed that the Archives of North Carolina might possibly furnish such, nor do I know of any living witness..." Margaret [her X mark] Cavinder 16 August 1850: Forsyth County, Georgia, deposition of James Cox, born 1772 and is now about seventy eight years of age, brother of Margaret Cavinder, widow of William Cavinder; that he was present and witnessed their marriage, which took place when deponent was about eleven years of age at deponent's mother's house in Wilkes County, Georgia, performed by Henry Ware, an acting Justice of the Peace for said County and State. "Deponent saw said Cavinder pay said Ware two ($2.00) dollars for performing said marriage ceremony...and to the best of deponent's knowledge and belief said marriage took place sometime in the Spring of the year Seventeen hundred and eighty three (1783) Deponent recollects that the banns of marriage had been previously published. Deponent was informed and believes, that the said William Cavinder and Deponent's Father, George Cox, joined the Army together, at the commencement of hostilities in North Carolina...That his father the said George Cox, was killed in the battle of Eutaw Springs...His Sister Margaret, widow as aforesaid is one hundred (100) years old, That his parents had five (5) other children older than himself and younger than his Sister, the said Margaret Cavinder. [Acknowledged: William W. Vaughan, acting J.P.] James [his X mark] Cox ?? March 1853: Cherokee County, Georgia, Margaret Cavender aged about 102 or 103, before Joseph Knox, J.P., states "she employed one John L. Watson to make out a declaration for her for a pension for the Revolutionary services of her deceased husband, William Cavinder that said Watson made out and filed a declaration and some evidence in support of said claim, and by the intemperate use of ardent spirits, failed to attend to said claim and finally died from the effect of same. She applied to James Roberts of Hall County and employed him to make out additional evidence in support of said claim, and if successfully prosecuted he ws to have one half of said Pension, and he was to pay all necessary expense in the prosecution of the same, and he informed deponent he had employed Charles C. Tucker, Esqr of Washington City as attorney to prosecute said claim and deponent gave a power of attorney to the said Charles C. Tucker to prosecute said claim and received a certificate for the same, and that she has not since knowingly given a power of attorney to any other person, nor employed any other person to prosecute said claim or receive the certificate therefor. Margaret [her X mark] Cavinder Joseph Knox, J.P., Ira R. Foster [NOTE: Margaret Cavender executed affidavit for Elizabeth McDonald/McDaniel to receive pension on Elizabeth's husband Daniel's service. 1 Sep 1853, affidavit of Margaret Cavender, aged about 103, states she moved to Edgefield Dist, SC with her father's family and she became acquainted with Daniel McDonald and Elizabeth Tharpe in the fall of 1780 after Charleston was taken by the British. That McDaniel lived in Abbeville Dist a few miles from where her father's family resided. George Cox her father, and William Cavender her intended husband whom she later married, served North Carolina Militia, and the SC Militia and NC Militia was frequently together. Daniel McDonald was in the Battle of Eutaw Springs and said he saw the corpse of George Cox shortly after said Battle. Said she knew when they married because it was about twelve months prior to her mother and family moved from South Carolina to Wilkes County in the State of Georgia. States there was no record of marriage in SC but married by the publication of banns].