Revolutionary War Pension, #S17517, David Jones - Cooper County, Missouri [Transcriber's notes: [According to these pension documents, David Jones was born in Jan. 1761 in Pittsylvania Co., VA. At the time of his enlistment, he resided in Henry Co., VA. He served two tours of duty, the first in 1777 as a private under Capt. Harston and Lt. Furguson, and the second in 1781 (at the Battle of Yorktown) under Capt. Owen Ruble. Following the war, David Jones lived in Virginia, Kentucky, and Cooper Co., MO. The file contains no information about David Jones's family. [David Jones's declaration makes reference to two military engagements that occurred during the Revolutionary War. The first was a campaign against the Cherokee Indians in what is now eastern Tennessee. For many years, white settlers had been encroaching into territories which King George III had granted the Cherokee in 1763. (Restrictions on settlement in Indian lands was one of the colonists' grievances against the British.) The Cherokee began raiding white settlements in North and South Carolina in May 1776. The uprising was soon crushed by colonial forces led by General Griffith Rutherford, Col. Andrew Williamson of South Carolina, and Col. William Christian of Virginia. The Cherokee, overwhelmed and having received no support from their erstwhile allies, the British, were forced to sue for peace. Negotiations took place during the months of May to July 1777 on Long Island in the Holston River. A treaty was signed on July 20, 1777, in which the Cherokee agreed to give up a vast territory east of the Blue Ridge Mountains and along the Watauga, Nolichucky, upper Holston, and New Rivers. [David Jones's second engagement was the Battle of Yorktown, VA. The "Little York" mentioned in his declaration is the former name of Yorktown, later called Williamsburg. British General Charles Cornwallis moved the British army to Yorktown in March 1781 following the inconclusive Battle of Guilford Courthouse, NC. On Oct. 6, 1781, approximately 17,000 American and French troops under Generals George Washington and Jean-Baptiste Rochambeau surrounded Yorktown, while the French navy under Admiral Fran‡ois de Grasse blockaded the York River. Cornwallis surrendered to Washington on Oct. 19, 1781, effectively ending the Revolutionary War. The British government lacked funds to raise another army, although skirmishes continued for another two years.] ========================================================== JONES, DAVID Service: VA Number: S17517 b. Jan 1761 in Pittsylvania Co. Va. res. at enl. Henry Co. Va. res. in 1833 Cooper Co., Mo. See N.A. Acc. No. 874 No. 050094 - Not Half Pay David Jones ========================================================== Missouri 19985 -------------------------------------------------------- DAVID JONES of Cooper Co. in the State of Mo. who was a Pvt. & sgt. in the Co. commanded by Capt. FURGUSON of the Rgt. commanded by Col. SHELBY in the Va. line for 6 mo? 3 Private 10. 3 Sgt. 15. ___________ 25 -------------------------------------------------------- Inscribed on the Roll of Missouri at the rate of 25 Dollars No Cents per annum to commence on the 4th day of March, 1831. -------------------------------------------------------- Certificate of Pension issued to 3rd day of Oct. 1833 and sent to [???] Ashley St. Louis Mo. -------------------------------------------------------- Arrears to the 4th of Sept. 1833 62.50 Semi-anl. allowance ending 4 Jan. 34 12.50 _____ $75.00 Revolutionary Claim Act June 7, 1832 Recorded by WM. K. PALMER, Clerk Book E, Vol. 8, Page 83 ========================================================== State of Missouri County of Cooper On this 6th day of May A.D. 1833 personally appeared in open Court before the Cooper County Court now sitting DAVID JONES a resident of the County and State aforesaid aged seventy two years in January last, 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 entered the service of the United States in the spring of the year 1777 from Henry County in the State of Virginia in the capacity of a private and a volunteer militiaman under the command of WILLIAM FURGUSON Lieut. and PETER HARSTON Capt., that they then marched to the Long Island of the Holsten River where they united the main body of the Militia under the command of Colo. SHELBY and Colo. CHRISTY, where they held a treaty with the Cherokee Indians against whom they marched with whom peace was considered and they were disbanded and returned home after three months service, that he next entered the service from Henry County as well as he can now recollect in the State of Virginia under the command of Capt. RUBLE, Major WALLER [MALLER?], the others not now recollected in the capacity of a second sergeant & a militiaman, from whence they marched to Little York where they joined the regular troops under the Command of Major BAYER Colo. SHIPER [SKIPER?] and Colo. TUCKER, General LAWSON, that he then belonged to General LAWSON's Brigade and all under the command of General GEORGE WASHINGTON, where a battle was fought in which this declarant was engaged; Little York was then seized by the British whence they were all discharged after the surrender of Lord CORN WALLACE at Little York after three months service -- that he thus served six months -- two tours -- three months each -- that he received a written discharge signed by Capt. OWEN RUBLE by order of General LAWSON, that he served three months as a private and three months as a second sergeant as aforesaid -- which discharge he sent unto our representative in Congress to hand unto the War Department with his former declaration -- besides which he has no other documentary evidence and that he knows of no person whose testimony he can procure, that can testify to his service except WILLIAM ROSS whose affidavit is herewith sent. He hereby relinquishes every 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. Subscribed and sworn to this day and year afsd DAVID JONES Questions by the Court Ques. 1st. When and what year were you born? Ans. I was born in Pittsylvania County, Va. in the [year] 1761. Ques. 2nd. Have you any record of your age? Ans. I have a record that I made myself from which my parents told me, now in my possession. Ques. 3rd. Where were you living when called into service, where have you lived since the revolutionary war & where do you now live? Ans. When first called into service I was living in Henry County Va & when I entered the second time I was living in Henry County Va. Since the revolutionary war I have lived in Virginia, Kentucky and Missouri & now live in Cooper County Missouri. Ques. 4. How where you called into service? Ans. The first time I volunteered -- and the second by an allotment of the Militia where it fell to the lot of my company to go. Ques. 5. State the names of some of the regular officers who were with the troops when you served, such Continental and Militia Regiments as you can recollect and the general circumstances of your service. Ans. I can only state the same I have already stated in my Declaration (read it). Ques. 6. Did you ever receive a discharge from the service? did you ever receive a commission. Ans. While a private I was discharged but have lost it. I was not commissioned, but received a written discharge after Little York, which I have given an account of in my Declaration. Ques. 7. State the names of the persons to whom you are known in your present neighborhood, and who can testify to your character for veracity and on behalf of your service as a soldier of the Revolution. Ans. I can state ROB. P. CLARK, SAML. TURLY, CH. BRISCOE and others. DAVID JONES Mr. BENJAMIN PROCTOR of the County and State aforesaid and [blank] of the same, do hereby Certify that we are acquainted with DAVID JONES who had sworn to & subscribed the foregoing Declaration and that we believe him to be seventy two years of age, that he is reputed and believed in the neighborhood where he resides to have been a soldier of the revolution, and that we concur in that opinion. Subscribed and sworn to the day and year aforesaid BENJAMIN PROCTOR ROBT. P. CLARK This day appeared in open Court WILLIAM ROSS a resident of the County and State aforesaid aged Sixty Eight years and being first duly sworn according to law make the oath and sayeth that he has been acquainted with the said DAVID JONES who has subscribed and sworn to the above Declaration ever since he can remember, that he distinctly recollects to have seen said JONES some time in the year 1777 or 1778 marching as a soldier to Capt. HARSTON's who had raised a volunteer company to march against the Cherokee Indians from Henry County in the State of Virginia, that his brother JOHN ROSS was a volunteer belonging to the same company with said JONES, and was intimately acquainted with said JONES during the whole tour, and have since heard his said Brother say that said JONES served the whole three months tour he also spoke in the highest terms of said JONES as a soldier -- that he well recollects also of hearing it said that said JONES was in another campaign under Capt. OWEN RUBLE as a Sergeant; that after the return of the soldiers after Lord Cornwallace's surrender he heard many soldiers who served in that campaign say that said JONES also served a three months tour there also and that his service aforesaid was a matter of public notoriety in the State of Virginia where said JONES afterwards resided. Subscribed and sworn to the day and year afsd WM. ROSS And the said Court do hereby declare their opinion after an investigation of the matter and after putting the interrogatories prescribed by the War Department, and also from the acquaintance each member of the Court has with the high and good standing of said JONES, that above named applicant was a voluntary soldier and served as he states. And the Court further certifies, that it appears to them, that BENJAMIN PROCTOR who has signed the preceding Certificate is a Clergyman resident of the County and State aforesaid and that ROBT. P. CLARK who has also signed the same is a resident of the same and is a credible person, and that their statement is entitled to credit. A.F. READ GREEN SEAT Judges I ROBERT P. CLARK Clerk of the County Court held within and for the County of Cooper aforesaid do hereby certify that the foregoing contains the original proceedings of said Court int he matter of the application of DAVID JONES for a Pension and that WILLIAM ROSS who has subscribed and sworn to the above affidavit is a credible person. In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand a seal of Office this sixth day of May A.D. 1833. ROBT. P. CLARK ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- [Transcriber's note: the file includes correspondence with several descendants concerning David Jones's pension application. The earliest inquiry was from a Mrs. F.G. Sutherlin. The file notes that a response was sent to Mrs. Sutherlin on Dec. 18, 1911. Her letter reads as follows (the first page is missing):] #2 David Jones. born in Richmond Va. Jan. 20th. 1761 died Feb. 7th 1838. He lived for a time in Kentucky and was married there to a Miss Mary Ruble daughter of Dr. Ruble. They moved to Missouri in 1811 where they spent the rest of there days. David Jones aws [sic] part of American Army at surrender of Cornwallis. He possessed a sword (what his rank was I dont know) His Sword was kept by his family and handed down to a Grand-son who carried it to the Civil War. He never returned and this Sword was lost to his family. Please let me hear from at your earliest convenience. Yours Truly, Mrs. F.G. Sutherlin ==================================================================== USGENWEB NOTICE: In keeping with our policy of providing free information on the Internet, data may be used by non-commercial entities, as long as this message remains on all copied material. These electronic pages may NOT be reproduced in any format for profit or for presentation by other persons or organizations. Persons or organizations desiring to use this material for purposes other than stated above must obtain the written consent of the file contributor. 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