REVOLUTIONARY WAR PENSION APPLICATION - THOMAS BICKNELL

Contributed by: Jen Bawden [jenbawden@home.com]


************************************************************************
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
***********************************************************************


Thomas Bicknell or Becknell

North Carolina - Pension No. S-12985

Thomas Bicknell was born in Albermarle Co., Virginia, in 1763. Later, his family 
moved to Wilkes Co., North Carolina, where he resided during the Revolutionary 
War and where he remained for sometime after the war was over. He moved to 
Georgia, then back to North Carolina and finally to Madison Co., Kentucky, where 
he died.

In 1780, Thomas Bicknell, then just seventeen, lied about his age in order to 
join the Continental Army. He mustered sometime in August 1780, in Wilkes Co., 
North Carolina. His major was Jesse Walton and his Captain was Larkin Cleveland. 
He was at the Battle of King's Mountain, where due to his youth, he was assigned 
the duty of guarding the baggage wagons and guarding prisoners.

Thomas Bicknell married Mary Mathuson of North Carolina, but she died in 1812.

During the War of 1812, Thomas again joined the army. His close friend, a man 
named Reeder, was critically wounded and, as he lay dying, asked Thomas to take 
care of his wife, Nancy, and his four children.

After the war was over, Thomas married Nancy Reeder and they were the parents of 
nine children. They became very devout Christians and were baptised into the 
Baptist faith beneath the famous oak tree at Boonesborough.

Thomas Bicknell was granted a pension when he was sixty-nine years of age for 
his service in the Revolutionary War.