BLADEN COUNTY, NC - MILITARY - Pension Application for Thomas Hester - 1832 ************************************************************** USGENWEB NOTICE: In keeping with our policy of providing free information on the Internet, material may be freely used by non-commercial entities, as long as this message remains on all copied material AND permission is obtained from the contributor of the file. These electronic pages may NOT be reproduced in any format for profit or presentation by other organizations. Persons or organizations desiring to use this material for non-commercial purposes, 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. This file was contributed for use in the USGenWeb Archives by: Beth Snyder bsnyder@nc.rr.com *************************************************************** Pension Application for Thomas Hester North Carolina Thomas Hester of Bladen in the State of N.C. who was a pr. In the_______ commanded by Captain ____________of the Regt. Commanded by Alfred, Richardson & Brown in the North Carolina line for militia, for nine months, from 1778. Inscribed on the roll of North Carolina at the rate of 30 dollars ___ cents per annun to commence on the 4th day of March 1831. Certificate of Pension issued the 3rd day of Jany 1833 and ???? William J. Cowan, Elizabethtown, NC Arrears to 4th of Sept. 1832, $45.00 Semi-anl. Allowance ending 4 March 1833, $15.00 Total $60.00 Revolutionary Claim Act June 7, 1832. Recorded by Henry H. Sylvester, Clerk, Book D, Vol 8, Page 32 State of North Carolina Superior Court of Law Bladen County Fall Term 1832 On the 11th day of October, 1832, personally appeared in open Court before the Honourable Robert Strange one of the Judges of the Superior Courts of Law and Equity for said State, presiding in the Superior Court of Law now sitting - Thomas Hester, a resident of the County of Bladen, State of North Carolina, aged seventy five years, 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, under the following named Officers, and served as herein stated. That about the 10th November in the year 1778, (as well as he can recollect)Then residing in Bladen County NC, he became a substitute for a man by the name of Kimbrel, for a service of five months, in a company of Bladen militia under the command of Lieutenant Allen, he joined the Company at Fair Bluff on Drowning Creek or Lumber River, which was shortly after placed under the Command of Capt. Joseph Wood and attached to a regiment of Militia commanded by Col. Alston. At the same place there were three other Regiments of Militia under the command of Cols. Williams, Perkins, and Eaton. They all marched thence to the Ten Mile House near Charleston, thence through Dorchester & Masonborough to the White House near the Two Sister Ferry. Thence to Augusta, on the Savannah River, (the British having just left that place on their march to Savannah), thence to the mouth of Brier Creek, where they joined the Troops under the command of General Ash, and General Bryan, the Artillery being commanded by a General or Colonel Alberd or Albert; after they had been encamped at that place about a week, they were surprised and defeated by the British; who had marched back and crossed Brier Creek above the place where the Americans were encamped; It was on the 2nd day of March. The troops under General Ashe were completely surprised-were immediately thrown into the utmost disorder & confusion, and fled, some of them (he Hester being one) swam the River, (leaving their clothes and baggage behind) and embodied again on the North side of the River and marched back to the White House near the Two Sister Ferry. At that place an alarm was given that the British were in pursuit and the remnant of Genl Ashe’s army that collected at the Two Sister Ferry (he Hester being one) marched thence at night about ten miles to Bee Creek, thence back again to Dugler's Ferry on the Savannah River and were encamped there about one week. Just below at Punysburgh were stationed about seven thousand regulars (as it was said) under the command of General Lincoln; they broke up their encampment and marched by the Troops, to which he was attached, where a junction took place; thence the whole army marched under General Lincoln to the Black Swamp near the Two Sister Ferry, and remained there till the 10th of April, when the North Carolina Militia were discharged. He received a discharge in writing, which has been lost long since. 2. Previously to the performance of the above service, shortly after the commencement of hostilities with Great Britain (the year not recollected, but either in the years 1775 or 1776) he performed a Tour of one month’s service, then residing in Bladen County, in a company of Militia under the command of Capt Hendon, attached to some other Militia commanded by Col. Thomas Robeson. They marched from Elizabethtown, Bladen County. They marched from that place to Caswell’s Camps, near Jumping Run, about two miles below Wilmington and remained there a month. He received only a verbal discharge. 3. He served another tour of one month’s service, in the Fall of the Year (but the Year not recollected), in a body of Militia under the command of Colonel James Richardson & Major Anderson, on an expedition against the Tories in Robeson (then Bladen) County, and marched to Ashpole & Bear Swamp near the South Carolina line. In Ashpole & Bear Swamp, about two hours at night, the Tories made an attack on our force & were repulsed. Major Anderson was wounded in the thigh and Barfield, a Tory who was under guard, was wounded. Capt. Raiford a Regular Officer and Capt Brown who it was said was a regular officer (having been engaged in recruiting for the Continental Army) were in the expedition. He was permitted to return home a few days before his term of service expired, on account of severe indisposition. Received no discharge. He was then residing in Bladen County. 4. He served another Tour of two or three weeks (the precise time nor the month or year not recollected) under Col. Thomas Brown and Capt. Peter Robeson in a body of Bladen Militia, on a scouting expedition into Columbus & Robeson Counties (then Bladen) against the Tories. They marched from Elizabethtown, Bladen County, to the plantation of Thomas Amy in Columbus (then Bladen) County; where having understood that the Tories were collected at Ford’s Plantation on little Peedee, they marched to that place, on arriving there ascertained that the Tories had retired, marches thence in pursuit of them to Amy’s again, and thence, crossing Drowning Creek to Barnes’ plantation in Robeson County, where they were verbally discharged. He then resided in Bladen County. 5. He served another tour of two or three weeks but the precise time or day and year not recollected, under Capt Jared Irwin who commanded a Troop of Volunteer Light Horse on another expedition against the Tories. Did not meet with the Tories, & at the expiration of the time above mentioned were discharged & returned home. 5. He served another tour of three months as a Volunteer in a Company of Bladen Militia, commanded by Capt. Thomas Haynes. Col. Thomas Owen accompanying us-in the fall of the Year 1781 Marched from Elizabethtown to Bluford Bridge on the North East River. Capt. Haynes there took command of a company called a light infantry Company and the Bladen Company was placed under the command of a Capt. Horton, they were marched thence to Jones Old Field on the NoEast River, and there joined previously to arriving at Blueford Bridge-the Company had joined the Back Country Militia under General Butler. At Jones’ Old Field information of the surrender of Cornwalis was received. Whereupon the Back Country Militia were discharged. The Bladen Company were ordered to take the prisoners and deliver them into the Prevot. That duty having been performed Col. Owen directed the men to return home. On this tour, he served six weeks, the time for which he engaged not having expired-received no written discharge. He then resided in Bladen County. He has no documentary evidence, nor knows of no living witnesses of the services above detailed. 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. Sworn to & subscribed the day & year aforesaid Thomas (his mark) Hester The following are the answers to the Questions prescribed by the War Department propounded to Thomas Hester, the aforesaid Applicant for a Pension on account of Revolutionary services. Answer 1. I was born April 2nd, 1757. Answer 2. I have my age is recorded in an old English Prayer Book in my possession. Answer 3. I was born in Bladen, resided in the same, during the Revolutionary War, and ever since. Answer 4. I volunteered in every instance, except in the instance which I became a substitute for Kimbrel, in the tour of 5 months, as above detailed. Answer 5. I recollect none except the Officers mentioned in the declaration, to wit Capts. Raiford & Brown, and an Officer by the name of Albert or Albend, who commanded the Artillery at the Battle of Brier Creek. Answer 6. I received a written discharge from Capt. Wood as above stated, and I don’t know what has become of it since; in every other instance I received verbal discharges. Answer 7. Col. Richard M. Lewis, Robert Lyon, Esq., Mr. David Singletary, Mr. Robert Johnston, Mr. James Bryan. We Richard M. Lewis and David Singletary residing in the County of Bladen, NC hereby certify that we are well acquainted with Thomas Hester, who has subscribed and sworn to the above declaration; that we believe him to be seventy five years of age; that he is reported and believed in the neighborhood where he resides, to have been a soldier of the Revolution and that we concur in that opinion. Sworn and Subscribed the day & year aforesaid: Richard M. Lewis David Singletary And the said Court hereby declares its opinion, after the investigation of the matter and after putting the interrogations prescribed by the War Department, that the above named applicant was a Revolutionary soldier and served as he states. And the Court further certifies that it appears to them that Richard M. Lewis and David Singletary who have signed the preceding certificate are resident in the County of Bladen, NC, are credible persons and that their statement is entitled to credit. The Court further certifies that it appears to him that there is no clergyman residing in the neighbourhood of the said applicant. I, Alexander McDowell, Clerk of the Superior Court of Law for the County of Bladen, do hereby certify that the foregoing contained the original proceedings of the said Court in the matter of the application of Thomas Hester for a Pension. In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand and seal of Office the 11th day of October 1832. Alex. McDowell