REVOLUTIONARY WAR PENSION APPLICATION - ABNER BICKHAM/BECKHAM Submitted for the Louisiana USGenWeb Archives, Military Resources by James Heidlebaugh ................................................................................. ********************************************** Copyright. All rights reserved. http://usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://usgwarchives.net/la/lafiles.htm ********************************************** Abner Beckham (Bickham) has an extensive Revolutionary War Pension record that he filed in Washington Co, LA. He also was previously given a Revolutionary War Land Grant in Baldwin Co, GA prior to his leaving there in 1797. The following record was obtained from the National Archieves in Washington, D.C. ------------------------------------------------------------ ABNER BICKHAM - GA - CASE FILE # S30274 Rg Final payment (2 Oct 1834) filed in this packet. d. 29 Jan 1834. ------------------------------------------------------------ Appeared in court 5 Jul 1832 - Washington Parish, Louisiana age 79 years. Stated he was born in North Carolina 21 Jul 1755. Lived in NC, Burke Co after the war, remained there until 1797. Then moved to Natchez, Mississippi Territory. Remained there until 1807. Then moved to West Florida and remained at said place now state of Louisiana Parish of Washington. ------------------------------------------------------------ Revolutionary Pension Declaration in order to obtain the benefit of the Act of Congress passed June the 7th A.D. 1832. State of Louisiana Parish of Washington Be it known and remembered that on this twenty-fifth day of July in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and thirty two before me, Thomas Warner, Judge of the Parish Court of the Parish and state aforesaid, personally appeared Abner Bickham a resident of said parish and state aged seventy-seven years who first being duly sworn according to law, doth on his oath make the following declaration in order to obtain the benefit of the act aforesaid and the following interogations being provided (to unit). Interogatory 1st. Where and in what year were you born: Answer: I was born in the state of North Carolina July Twenty-sixth A.D. 1755. Inter 2nd Have you any Record of your age & if so where is it: Answer: I have the record here foresent. Inter 3rd Where were you living when called into service where have you lived since the Revolutionary War and where do you now live? Answer: I lived in the State of Georgia, Burke County. After the war I remained in the state till the year 1797. And removed from there to Natchez Mississippi Territory remained there till the year 1807 and I removed into West Florida and remains at said place now state of Louisiana Parish of Washington. Inter 4th How were you called into service? Were you drafted. Did you volunteer, or were you a substitute and if a substitute for whom? Answer: I volunteered. Inter 5th State the names of some of the regular officers who were with the troops where you served such contenetal and Militia Regiments as you can recalled and the causeny circumstances of your service. Answer: I first entered the army under the command of Colonel John Jones and John Houston commander in Chief in the year 1778 as a militia munisions No. of Regiment not recalled. I volunteered the second time under the command of Colonel John Twigs being Militia and No. of Regiment not recalled. Was driven by the enemy from Georgia to South Carolina. I continued in the service till the end of the war under various commanders. Was at the Battle of Lory Lane in South Carolina and Lyge River. I believe that Sumter was an officer there but do not know whether he commanded in chief or not. I was at the Battle of Caropens near the Boundry line of North and South Carolina commanded by General Morgan and Colonel Washington. I was at the fifth seige of Augusta under Colonel Clark and also in several other small fights such as searching parts & particulars not recalled. Inter 6th Did you ever receive a commision and if so by whom was it signed and what has became of it. Answer: I received a militia Captain commission in the year 1779 signed by John Houston the Governor of the State of Georgia. I do not know what became of said commissions but I know that I received and had it for years after the War but it was worn out, lost, or mislaid and I do not know what became of it. Inter 7th State the names of persons to whom you are known in your present neighborhood and who can certify as to your character for verocity and their belief of your source as a soldier of the Revolution. Answer: I am know by William Fuzzell, Sarah Slocum, and Thomas Bickham, Senr. and I the said Abner Bickham on oath as aforesaid hereby relinquish every claim whatever to a pension or annuity except the present and I declare that my name is not on the pension roll of the agency of any state. Sworn to and subscribed the day and year aforesaid before me. Tho. G. Warner, Parish Judge Abner Bickham And said Abner further sworn that he served under said Captains commisions as mentioned in answer to intergatory 6th from the year 1779 until the end of the said war in 1783. And that he had the command of a company of Militia men during that time answered as above before Hon. Thos. L. Warner Parish Judge. Abner Bickham ------------------------------------------------------------ Then appeared William Fuzzell and being sworn as aforesaid depoteth as follows (to wit) that he knew Abner Bickham was in the service of the United States as a milita man during the Revolutionary War that he served with him in the year 1778 in the Florida Expedition and also in part of the year 1779 that after peace was declaired they lived as neighbors in the state of Georgia that in the year 1811 - this apfiant removed to the now State of Louisiana Parish of Washington has lived a neighbor to Capt Abner Bickham ever since that he believed him to be a man of veracity and that he believes the above declaration of said Abner Bickham is true. Wm Fuzsel Sworn to and subscribed the day & year aforesaid before me. Thos G. Warner, Parish Judge ------------------------------------------------------------ War Department Pension Office 26 Sep 1833 Sir, The evidence in support of your claim under the Act of June 7, 1832, has been examined and the papers are herewith returned. The following is a statement of your case in a tabuler form. On comparing these papers with the following rules and the subjoined notes, you will readily perceine that objections exist, which must be removed, before a pension can be allowed. The notes and the regulations will show what is necessary to be done. These points to which your attention is more particularly directed, you will find marked in the margin with a broce (Thus)). You will, when you return your papers to this department, send this printed letter with them; and you by compling with this request, tratly facelitate the investigation of your claim. A statement showing the service of Abner Bickham. 1777-1778 - 6 Months - Private - Served under Capt Davis, Col Jones, Col Twiggs - Present age 77 years - Entered in Service in Georgia - Proof by living witnesses. 1778 - 8 Months - Private - Served under Col Twiggs - Proof by witness not certain. 1779 - l Year - Captain - Served under Col Clark - Proof: to be credible. 1781 - 2 years - Captain - Served under Gen Twiggs - Proof: Note J. AF the Brief. I am respectfully your obedient servant, J.L. Edwards, Commissioner of Pensions ------------------------------------------------------------ Sarah Slocum declaired that she knew Abner Bickham, also that William Young, her brother was a Lieutenant in Captain Abner Bickham's Company; she saw Abner Bickham in actual combat; she now resides in Washington Parish, LA; was about 12 years old when peace was declaired; lived as neighbor to claimant many years, and emigrated to Washington Parish, LA. ------------------------------------------------------------ On a supplimental affadavite 3 Nov 1833, to establish services in Continental Army, he (Abner Bickham) stated that he served 1 year 2 months as Private; 3 years as Captain. ------------------------------------------------------------ On 2 Dec 1833, he made a 3rd declaration age ca. 78, applying under Act 1832; he gave his birth date as July 6, 1755, a difference in day of month from previous declaration. Stephen Ellis of Washington Parish and Martin Gordon Penn of St Tamany Parish testified as character witnesses. ------------------------------------------------------------ Major Thomas Bickham, Washington Parish, LA, depositioned that he was 13 years old at the end of the Revolutionary War and was then and now acquainted with Captain Abner Bickham who served in 1778 under Colonel Asa Emanuel, Captain John Whitaker of Colonel Twiggs' Regiment; that he knew he was at first Seige of Augusta and that American troops were defeated and took refuge in the mountains; part of the troops after being famished for nearly 7 days came to the house of affiant's father (Father not named); Captain Abner Bickham was one of the number; affiant was young but recollected the facts above stated perfectly well; he lived near Abner Bickham. Stephen Ellis and Martin Cordon Penn, St Tammany Parish, LA, District Attorney; Testimony 3 Dec 1833. ------------------------------------------------------------ Abner Bickham, in open court, at end of testimony, produced a payroll which was made by Robert Allen, a Private in his Company. This payroll which is given below is not in pension papers but is found in the Old War Records in the National Archieves. ------------------------------------------------------------ Abner Bickham d. 29 Jan 1834, amount due paid in full to Mrs. Dicy Bickham, Washington Parish, LA, Apr 19, 1834, surviving widow of Abner Bickham; she appointed her son Thomas Bickham, Jr; citizen of Parish as Special Attorney, in presence of William Hays and James S Bickham, witnesses. The date of his death and that he was 78 years of age were sworn to by William Hays and Thomas Bickham Jr; 18 Apr 1934. ------------------------------------------------------------ Branch W Miller, of the City of New Orleans, certified that he had been acquainted many years with the late Abner Bickham, formerly Captain in the Revolutionary War and was well acquainted with his widow, Mrs. Dicy Bickham; had never heard of his having any other wife than said Dicey Bickham; so did William Bagley. ------------------------------------------------------------ James S Bickham certified that he was satisfied that the statement of B.W. Miller was true in every respect, and that Mrs Dicy Bickham was legal wife and surviving widow of Abner Bickham, deceased. Sworn to 23 Apr 1834. ------------------------------------------------------------ On 19 Apr 1834 Mrs Dicy Bickham of Washington Parish, LA, surviving widow of Abner Bickham, Esq., deceased, appointed Thomas Bickham, Jr of Washington Parish as attorney-in-fact to receive and receipt for a pension for Abner Bickham's service as Captain in the Revolutionary War. Receipt for $l,392.25 due Abner Bickham for 2 years 10 Months 25 days (4 Mar 1831 to 29 Jan) was signed by Thomas Bickham for Mrs Dicey Bickham, 23 Apr 1834. ------------------------------------------------------------ The record of the last voucher covering payments to Abner Bickham on his pension for his Revolutionary War services is found in the National Archives. It is recorded in Book G, Louisiana, P. 404, Act 1832 (1831-1850), last entry, 2d. Col. Sept, 1833. Died 29 Jan 1834, Paid in 2d Oct 1834. ------------------------------------------------------------