PENSION: Joshua Bird, 1819, Nelson Co, KY -------------------------------------------- Contributed for use in USGENWEB Archives by: From: Gene Bird Date: Fri, 22 Mar 2002 21:18:08 --------------------------------------------- **************************************************************************** USGENWEB NOTICE: In keeping with our policy of providing free genealogical information on the Internet, data may be freely used for personal research and by non-commercial entities as long as this message remains on all copied material. These electronic pages may not be reproduced in any format or presentation by other organizations or persons. Persons or organizations desiring to use this material for profit or any form of presentation, must obtain the written consent of the file submitter, or his legal representative and then 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. ***************************************************************************** Subject: Chaplin, Nelson County. Chaplin, Kentucky was the home of Joshua Bird, a soldier of the Revolutionary War. Joshua applied for and received a pension for his service in the Revolutionary War. His claim is number S. 36416. At the time of his enlistment, at age 43, he resided in King George County, Virginia. He enlisted for duty in 1776 for the duration of the war, which lasted until 1782. He was a Private In Captain Richard Barrett’s and Fauntleroy’s Companies, Colonel Josiah Parker’s 5th Virginia Regiment. This is the Virginia line on the Continental Establishment. He was in the battles of Trenton, Princeton, Brandywine, Monmouth, siege of Charleston, and the siege of Yorktown. At the end of the war he was discharged from service in Williamsburg, Virginia. His deposition on his application was taken in the Circuit Court in Bardstown, Kentucky. His pension was allowed and executed October 4, 1819, at the time he was 75 years old and a resident of Nelson County, Kentucky. His pension amount was eight dollars per month payable semi-annually and payable in arrears. The pension act of 1818 allowed him, on March 1820 the $40.23 in arrears. the next payment was due to him on September 4, 1820 in the amount of $ 48.00. Joshua got military land for his service in the war, he received 100 acres of land, the standard stipend for the rank of Private, in the Continental Forces. His land warrant number is 3593 and was approved 12/21/1784. Captain Henry Fauntleroy, above, commanded the 10th Company of the 5th Regt. Fauntleroy died at the battle of Monmoth, NJ. The 10th Company was raised mostly out of Richmond, Virginia. Richmond Va. was founded by William Bird II. At Whiteplains, NY on Sept. 14, 1778 what was left of the 5th regt. was absorbed into the 3rd regt. Joshua was discharged from service out of the 3rd Va. Regt. For decades, the falls of the James River was the wild, wild west to white men. Englishman William Bird/Byrd II was able to thrive there in those days. He built an empire above the James and Appomattox Rivers and carved out pieces of it to create the cities of Richmond and Petersburg. It was 1737 when Colonel William Bird laid out the city he would call Richmond. In 1742 its status became official. The little trading village already had a church by that time, St. John's, built in 1741. There were only 250 people living in Richmond when it became a town in 1742. In May, 1782, about two and half years after the British surrendered at Yorktown, the General Assembly wanted a central location less exposed than Williamsburg to British incursions and moved the State Capitol to Richmond. On July 19, 1782, Richmond's first City Charter was legalized. As a boy, George Washington, our first president, grew up in King George County at Ferry Farms, now in Stafford County, Virginia. His father’s will is filed in King George County Circuit Court. Joshua Bird may have grown up with, and even been friends with George Washington. They might have chased frogs down on the Rappahannock River, or climbed cherry trees together. The southeastern section of King George County from the Richmond County border to the present Westmoreland County line was given to Westmoreland County after the Revolution. Joshua Bird can not be found in 1840 and must have died. The 1839 tax list for Nelson County is the last time his name is mentioned in county records. Joshua was born in 1744 and would have been well into his 90's had he made the 1840 census. Joshua's wife is unknown, but rumored to be named Drucilla. She may be the sister Jesse Davis' wife Nancy Milton/Melton. Joshua gave a deposition in Shelby County, Kentucky for the Revolutionary War pension application of Jesse Davis in 1836.