Revolutionary War Pension Records of Joseph Guess,1841,1853,1854,Princeton,Caldwell County,KY Number W8878 (Nonselected Records) Contributed for use in USGENWEB Archives by Julia Newman ************************************************************************** USGENWEB ARCHIVES NOTICE: These electronic pages may NOT be reproduced in any format for profit or presentation by any other organization or persons. Persons or organizations desiring to use this material, must obtain the written consent of the contributor, or the legal representative of the submitter, and contact the listed USGenWeb archivist with proof of this consent. The submitter has given permission to the USGenWeb Archives to store the file permanently for free access. ************************************************************************** http://www.usgwarchives.net State of Kentucky,Caldwell County On this 20th day of August 1832 personally appeared in open court before Morton A.RUCKER,James C.WELLER,J.H.MARSHALL,the county court of said county now sitting,Joseph Guess,a resident of said county and State aforesaid,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 7th 1832: That he was born in Fairfax County,Virginia,the precise month and year he does not know,as he has been informed by his parents,that the record of his age was lost;that when young his parents moved to Orange County,North Carolina,that at the proper age he was drafted in the militia of the State of N.Carolina in Orange County for six months,and was attached to the Brigade commanded by Genl.RUTHERFORD,and Regiment commanded by Colo.LYTLE;that the company to which he belonged was commanded by Capt.Wm.JAMISON,and Abraham ALLEN was Lieutenant;that they marched directly to Salisbury,thence Charlotte,thence to Charleston,South Carolina,and thence to Perrysburg where some regulars were stationed;and from thence to the Two Sisters;thence to Turkey Hill on the Savannah River. At this time a battle was fought at Brier Creek and a detachment from the command of Genl.RUTHERFORD was ordered to march to the aid of the Americans,but was stopped on the way by the order of Genl.NASH,as he thinks,and consequently did not reach the battle ground. That he served out this six months as a private,and was discharged at a place called Stono. That shortly after this expedition he was again drafted as a private from the same county for three months to go against the Tories down on Pedee River. That in this expedition he was under the command of Colonel Thomas TAYLOR,and of Capt.Davis GRISHAM,that during this expedition he had various skirmishes with the tories and reconnoitered the country,and protected the inhabitants as much as possible from the incursions of the tories;that in this expedition he belonged to a light horse company commanded by the officers above mentioned; that the prisoners which they took were sent to Genl.ARRINGTON who was then in the field not far distant. That he is now above seventy years of age as he is convinced from various circumstances viz-The tradition of his parents-the time he entered the service and the time of the battle at Bryer Creek he was about seventeen-that the was born in Fairfax County Virginia and arrived from there when quite young-that he was living in Orange County North Carolina-that he was drafted into the service as a private-that he did receive a discharge which has long since been lost-that he is acquainted with many in his private neighborhood who could testify as to his character for veracity and their belief of his having been a Soldier of the Revolution to wit: James CLINTON,James NEELY,James MAXWELL and many others. He hereby relinquishes any claim whatever to a pension or annuity except the present and declares that his name is not on the pension roll of the agency of any State. Sworn to and subscribed the day and year aforesaid. Joseph Guess We John BARNETT a clergyman,and J? GUESS,Zachariah KENADY,Alexander MAXWELL residing in the County of Caldwell & State of Kentucky,hereby certify that we are well acquainted with Joseph Guess who has subscribed and sworn to the above declaration,that we believe him to be seventy years of age,that he is generally reputed and believed in the neighborhood in which he resides to have been a soldier of the Revolution and that we concur in that opinion. Sworn to & subscribed the day and year aforesaid.Att Chas.B.DALLAM John BARNETT Z.KENADY Alexander MAXWELL Princeton,Kentucky June 19th 1841 Sir: Enclosed you will receive the declaration of Mrs.Constance Guess,relict of Joseph Guess,formerly a pensioner on the Kentucky roll,and such proof as could be adduced before the Court,to show that she is entitled to claim the benefit of the act of Congress of the 7th of July 1838. I trust she has substantially made out her claim under the provision of that humane law of our National Legislature. The declarant is old,and infirm,and much in need of the bounty which the humanity of our Nation has provided in such cases. It is possible there may be some informality in the mode of this application:If there is,it results from the want of familiarity with the laws of Congress,and the practice of your particular department upon this subject. I hope however,it will not prejudice the rights of the claimant. She has applied to me to aid her in making known her claims upon the Government. In compliance with her wishes therefore,I make this communication,ardently hoping that her application may receive a favorable response. Your obt.Sevt. Lev.LINDSAY Commonwealth of Kentucky County of Caldwell Monday,May term 1841 Be it remembered that at a County Court began and held for said County at the Court house in Princeton on Monday the 17th day of May 1841. Constance Guess came personally into Court and made oath that she was married to Joseph Guess on the 11th day of January 1785? in the County of Caswell State of North Carolina,that she lived with said Guess as his wife until his death which took place on the 14th day of January 1835 in the County of Caldwell and State of Kentucky. That she is now the widow of said Guess and has never been married since his death,that said Guess at the time of his death was a pensioner of the United States,and his name was in the pension roll of the Kentucky agency under the Act of Congress passed in June 1832,that she is now 74 years of age and resides in the said County of Caldwell and State aforesaid,and claims the benefit of the act of Congress of July 1838,that her husband was a private of Cavalry in the North Carolina Militia,that the pension certificate since the death of said Joseph was returned to the pension office or to the agency as she believes. Mr.John C.Guess also appeared in open Court and being duly sworn stated that he knew the above named Constance Guess and her late husband Joseph Guess,that he knows they were married in Caswell County North Carolina and lived together as man and wife until the death of said Joseph which he states took place in January 1835,that said marriage took place some fifty two or three years ago,that this deponent was not present at the marriage,but lived with said Joseph at deponent's father's at the time of the marriage,that said Joseph left his father's house to get married,and returned in about a week with his wife the said Constance and lived with her as his wife till his death and that they had seven children,five of whom are now living. James Guess was called and sworn according to law and deposed that his father Joseph Guess late a pensioner under the act of 7th June 1832 departed this life in this County on the 14th day of January 1835. That at the time of his death he left a widow named Constance Guess who is still living and unmarried,that the said Constance is the mother of this deponent,that the deponentis fifty two years of age,that his said father and mother lived together as husband and wife ever since his recollection,that there was once in the family a Bible containing a register of the births,deaths and marriages of all the members of the family,and particularly the marriage of his said parents, which the deponent has often seen but which was lost and destroyed about twenty five years ago in the State of Tennessee where my father and the family then lived. The loss happened by a sister carrying the Bible to school to read in,where she left it for the night and during the night the School house was broken open and the book carried off and destroyed. And the Court doth certify that the said witnesses,John C.Guess and James Guess are known to be persons of good character,credible and entitled to credit,and the Court further Certify that the said Constance Guess is a person of good character and repute. In Testimony whereof and that the foregoing is truly copied from the Record,in his office,the undersigned as Clerk of said Court doth hereunto subscribe his name and affix the Seal of said Court at office in Princeton this 4th day of June 1841 and in the 50th year of the Commonwealth. Chas.B.DALLAM Clk. State of Kentucky, Caldwell County On this the 15th day of August 1843 personally appeared before me,a Justice of Peace in and for said County and State (my court being a court of record),Constance Guess,a resident of said County and State,aged 77 years,and also personally known to me as of credibility,who being first duly sworn according to law,doth on her oath declare in order that she may obtain the benefit of the provision made by the Act of Congress July 7th 1838,entitled "an act granting half pay and pensions to certain widows";The resolution of the "16th of August 1842",and the "Act of 23rd August 1842"; that she is the widow of the late Joseph Guess of the County of Caldwell and State of Kentucky,deceased,who was a private in the War of the Revolution. She states that she has often heard her deceased husband speak of his services,officers,etc.,but her recollection on the subject is too imperfect to enable her,at this late day,to give a minute detail of the same and she deems such detail on her part the more unnecessary as her said husband was for several years previous to his death a pensioner under the Act of 7th June 1832,on the roll of the Kentucky agency and consequently his own declaration of his services,officers,etc.,and the testimony adduced by him in support of his said declaration are on file,in the War Office at Washington City;and to them she begs leave to refer and to make the same,a part of this,her declaration. She states that at the time of her said husband's application,he was a citizen of the United States and a resident of Caldwell County,State of Kentucky. She further states that she was married by ____ ____? to the said Joseph Guess deceased on the 11th day of January 1787 in Caswell County North Carolina by Squire SWIFT at Mrs.Mary TAYLOR's. That her husband,the aforesaid Joseph Guess died on the 13th day of January 1835 in Caldwell County Ky;that she was not married to him prior to his leaving the service;but the marriage took place previous to the "1st day of January 1794",at the time above stated;that she is still single,having never married since the death of her said husband Joseph Guess deceased. Witness John BOYLE Constance Guess her mark Sworn and signed by her name before me on the day & year aforesaid. __? BROOKS J.P. Justice of the Peace for Caldwell County,Kentucky Caldwell County,Kentucky William Guess of said County aged 33 years past being sworn says he was very well acquainted with Joseph Guess (his grandfather) who died in said County many years since and who at the time of his death (Viz) January 13th 1835 was a Revolutionary Pensioner of the United States on the Kentucky Agency. The said Joseph Guess left Constance Guess his widow who survived him and remained his widow and never married again after his death but remained his widow and died in this County on the 26th day of August 1843. I have very recently carefully examined the entries in the Family Record of my father's Bible and find the entries there from which I state the dates of the death of Joseph and Constance Guess and the said Record I have always regarded as genuine. I have always heard and believed that my father had and I expect I have frequently seen as I grew up the Record of his own birth and those of his brothers and sisters set down on a sheet of paper and have no doubt that the annexed is the genuine document as he represents it. The following are the names of the only present surviving children of the above named Joseph Guess and Constance Guess his wife (Viz) 1. James Guess 2. Peggy Hooker,a widow 3. Polly Guess 4. Frances,wife of Mason T.(?)Moss 5. Jinny,wife of George R.Guess As I have always heard and believed that my Uncle William died before I was born and I knew my Aunt Nancy and she has been dead some five or six years as I have ever since heard and believed although I was not at her funeral. And I am disinterested. Caldwell County,Kentucky this 6th day of March 1854. Witnesses Stephen RILEY Thos.M.McGOUGH William Guess (Seal) James Guess Son of Joseph & Conny Guess was bornd December the 11th day 1787 Peggy Guess their daughter was bornd January the 20th day 1792 Polly Guess their daughter was bornd May the 11th day 1795 Frances Guess their daughter was bornd February the 14th day 1799 William Guess their son was bornd February the 13th day 1803 Jinny Guess their daughter was bornd December the 8th day 1806 Nancy Guess their daughter was bornd September the 8th day 1810 State of Kentucky Caldwell County On this 10th day of May 1853 before me,E.P.?WATKINS,an acting Justice of the Peace within and for the county and State aforesaid,personally appeared John Guess,aged fifty-three(53)years,a resident of the aforesaid county and State who,being sworn according to law,on his oath makes the following declaration to wit:That in the year one thousand eight hundred and ten (1810),he lived in the county of Orange,and State of North Carolina,and was acquainted with Joseph Guess dec'd late of Caldwell Co.and State of Kentucky,then a resident of that county,and with his wife,Constance Guess,dec'd. That he lived near them and was well acquainted with their children. That the said Joseph and Constance Guess then and from that time until his death,lived together as husband and wife,and were generally reputed and believed to be so by all who knew them. That they always sustained characters without reproach,and he has no doubts that they were lawfully married. He further declares that his own age is fifty-three (53) years.That when about ten (10) years of age he was an associate and playmate of the children of the said Joseph and Constance Guess,and that James Guess,their oldest child,was then at least twelve (12) years older than himself. That the said Joseph Guess and his family removed to the State of Kentucky and settled in Caldwell County,and that subsequently he himself removed to the same county and settled near them,and continued to live near them until the death of the said Joseph Guess,on the ( )day of ______one thousand eight hundred and _____. That he left Constance Guess his widow,who survived him,and did not again marry,but remained a widow until she died in the county of Caldwell and State of Kentucky on the ____ day of ____,one thousand eight hundred and ____. He further declares that he is a disinterested witness. John N.?Guess Subscribed and sworn to before me this 10th day of May 1853.And I hereby certify that John Guess is a reliable witness. E.P.WATKINS,J.P. State of Kentucky Caldwell County I,James C.WELLER,Clerk of the county court within and for the county and State aforesaid hereby certify that E.P.WATKINS,before whom the foregoing declaration was subscribed and sworn to,is and was at the time of signing the same,an acting Justice of the Peace within and for the county aforesaid, duly commissioned and sworn,and that his official acts are entitled to credit.Given under my hand and seal of office this 17th day of May,1853.James C.WELLER,Clk. (Copy) James Guess,Son of Joseph & Conny Guess was bornd December the 11th day 1787 Peggy Guess their Daughter was bornd January the 20th day 1792 Polly Guess their Daughter was bornd May the 11th day 1795 Frances Guess their Daughter was bornd February the 14th day 1799 William Guess their Son was bornd February the 13th day 1803 Jinny Guess their Daughter was bornd December the 8th day 1806 Nancy Guess their Daughter was bornd September the 8th day 1810 Caldwell County Kentucky Sct. I James Guess of said County aged past 66 years do hereby state on my oath that the annexed Record (copied above adding dates of years in words)is the oldest Family Record known to me of the births of the Children of my parents Joseph and Constance Guess both now deceased.Said Joseph Guess my Father was a Revolutionary Pensioner of the United States on the Kentucky Agency and died in this County January 13th,1835.The first entry on the above named annexed Record is that of my own birth as I have always believed.We once had a Bible Record of our birth but the Bible got stolen while we lived in Rutherford County Tennessee,(having been left one night at the school house which was broken open and that and many other books stolen at the same time) and my parents got some one while we lived there to write down the above named Record and I believe it is in the handwriting of one STRINGFELLOW our School Teacher(or perhaps his name was STRINGER,I forget which). There was one child between me and my sister Peggy but it died in infancy and its name is not on the list. I have always heard and believed that my parents above named were lawfully married in Caswell(I think)County,North Carolina by a Justice of the Peace named SWIFT about a year previous to my birth and that my mother's name before said marriage was Constance TAYLOR. The memorandum on the back of the above named Record "Children's Ages 1825" I made (as well as I remember) myself at that date:but the Record itself is several years older than that date. Witness my hand and seal in Caldwell County Kentucky on this 6th day of March 1854. Witnesses James Guess Stephen RILEY Thos.M.McGOUGH Sworn to and subscribed before me a justice of the peace in and for Caldwell County Kentucky on this 6th day of March 1854 and I do certify that at the same time I carefully examined the annexed Family Record. I believe it to be original and genuine and the bona fide Family Record of the births of the children of the above named Joseph and Constance Guess deceased. I also certify that the foregoing is a correct copy of said Family Record with the addition that the dates in the years in the Copy are put down in words but in the original they appear only in figures. I further Certify that the words "about a year previous to my birth" were interlined before signing.In Testimony of which I do hereby Subscribe my name. Thos.M.McGOUGH,P.C,C