NC, Greene Co., PENSION, LUCRETIA GARRIS HARDISON, WIDOW OF JAMES ================================================================= 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, 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. This file was contributed by Billy Markland, August 2000. ================================================================= PENSION RECORDS OF LUCRETIA GARRIS HARDISON, WIDOW OF JAMES Transcribed by Billy Markland from the original folder at the US Archives. File number R4596. James Hardison was born in Hyde County, NC, son of Jasper III and Alice Evans as best it can be determined. He and his family moved to Contentnea Creek, Greene County, NC where he died. Lucretia then moved to Duplin County with all her children except for Harmon who stayed in Greene County, then moved to Edgecombe and then to Duplin. Her son William married Polly Dail who was born in Greene County but moved with her family to Duplin County. They had several children, among them, Thomas who married his first cousin, Margaret Dail and they moved to Lenoir County where many of their descendants still live. The application of Lucretia was not approved due to a lack of proof for her husband's service, but the application provides a wealth of information on the family. James Hardison also read this application and I am adding a few notes he sent to me. Martha Mewborn Marble JAMES HARDISON/LUCRETIA HARDISON PENSION APPLICATION LUCRETIA HARDISON AFFIDAVIT State of North Carolina Duplin County On this the 21st day of January A.D. 1853 personally appeared before the Undersigned a Justice of the Peace in and for said County Lucretia Hardison a resident Glisson [Glesson?] district in the County of Duplin and State of North Carolina aged ninety one years the 17th instant, who being duly sworn according to law doth on her oath make the following declaration in order to obtain the benefit of the provision made by the Act of Congress-passed July 7th 1838 and other acts subsequent thereto containing pensions to widows of soldiers who served in the war of the Revolution: That she is the widow of James Hardison who was a private of militia in the war of the revolution and served five tours of duty. 1st In a company of Beaufort militia and served three months-the Officers names unknown-he her husband resided in Hyde County when he entered the last toure of servise-was drafted this or some of his tour-drafted twice & served three tours as a substitute for his brother Isaac Hardison. In one of his tours he marched through South Carolina and into Georgia and in the army at Briar Creek and was detached across the River just before the engagement. John Sitgraves was Captain of {his-crossed out-BJM] some Company in the expedition into Georgia and thinks this tour was for five months. Sitgraves was some officer but She is not certain what office he held. From her extreme old age and defective memory she is unable to specify any further particulars of her husband's services. She is satisfied that her husband performed five several tours of service as a private of militia-has no discharge. She further declares that she was married to the said James Hardison on the 3rd day of August (1785) in the year seventeen hundred and eighty five in Pitt County N.C. by Thomas Ringold a Justice of the Peace; that her husband the aforesaid James Hardison died on the 13th day of Nov A.D. (1792) seventeen hundred and ninety two. That she was not married to him prior to his leaving the service but the marriage tookplace privious to the 1st day of January 1794 vis at the time above stated. And that she has remained a widow ever since the death of her said husband as will more fully appear by reference to the proof hereto annexed-Her name before marriage was Lucretia Garris. Sheannexs a family record of her children's ages, taken from an old testament by Daniel Webber a schoolmaster -in whose handwriting this is-and it has been in mine & children's possession ever since drawn off by Mr. Webber. Sworn to & subscribed before me the day and year aforesaid and I certify that said Lucretia cannot from old age, weakness and bodily infirmity attend Court-Erased and entered lines before signed in the 3rd and last lines of 2nd page-Enter line on the first page 20 & 21 lines. N.B. Whitfield J.P Lucretia (her mark) Hardison We Mark [?] and Dennis Sumerlin being first duly sworn make oath that they are well acquainted with the aforesaid applicant and certify that she has continued a widow ever since she removed into this County for the last forty years-and is acredible and respectable old lady- Sworn to & subscribed the 21st day of Jany A.D. 1853 before me and I certify that said Mark Kithly [?] and Denis Sumerlin are well known to me and entitled to full faith and credit. N.B. Whitfield J.P. M Kithly Dennis (his mark) Sumerlin JAMES & LUCRETIA HARDISON FAMILY RECORD FRAGMENT LUCRETIA HARDISON REVOLUTIONARY WAR WIDOW'S PENSION APPLICATION TRANSCRIBED BY BILLY MARKLAND My daughter Hanna was born {torn}ch {torn} 1786 Harmon my son was Born January 9 1788 My daughter {unreadable} was {torn} William {unreadable} was Born January 1791 NOTE: James Hardison had this additional information. He read the 3rd entry as Martha but he also based that on the Census Records given the difficulty of reading the original document. He had the birth date of Hanna as 24 March 1786 and Martha as CA 1789. B.F. GRADY AFFIDAVIT LUCRETIA HARDISON REVOLUTIONARY WAR WIDOW'S PENSION APPLICATION TRANSCRIBED BY BILLY MARKLAND North Carolina Duplin County I Benjamin F. Grady Clerk of the Court of Pleas & Quarter Sessions of Duplin County aforesaid certify that Needham B. Whitfield is a Magistrate as above andthat the foregoing signatures purporting to be his are genuine. In testimony whereof I have here unto set my {smudged} and seal of Office {smudge} the 22nd day of January 1853. B.F. Grady clk H. SHEPPARD LETTER LUCRETIA HARDISON REVOLUTIONARY WAR WIDOW'S PENSION APPLICATION TRANSCRIBED BY BILLY MARKLAND Greenville N.C. Jany 25 1853 In compliance with your request I have made a search in my office for the Marriage License bond of James Hardison & wife Lucretia and have to inform you that no such bond is on file in my office. There are but very few bonds of that description filed in this office previous to the year 1795. I will make the necessary enquiries and if I find anybody that knew the parties and of Mr. Hardison's being in the war I will inform you of the particulars. Respectfully (yours?) H. Sheppard JAMES HARDISON/LUCRETIA HARDISON PENSION APPLICATION WILLIAM CREECH AFFIDAVIT State of North Carolina Duplin County On this the 29th day of March A.D. 1853 personally appeared before the Undersigned a Justice of the Peace in and for said County William Creech a resident of said County aged seventy three years last Septr who being duly sworn according to law maketh oath that he resides in the neighbourhood of Lucretia Hardison widow of James Hardison deceased an applicant for a pension and hath resided in her neighbourhood ever since she removed into the County of Duplin aforesaid which was about forty fouryears ago, that she is generally reputed and believed to be the widow of a Revolutionary soldier-that he has frequently heard the old lady Mrs. Lucretia Hardison state the fact tobe so as long ago as thirty years or upwards, that he has never heard it contradicted that she is a lady of unblemished character and of good reputation and a professor of religion of undoubted veracity. Wm Creech (his signature) Sworn to & subscribed before me the day and year aforesaid and I hereby certify that said affiant William Creech is well known to me-is a credible witness and that full faith and credit is due to his testimony- N.B. Whitfield J.P. (his signature) North Carolina-Duplin County On this day & year above written before the undersigned a Justice of the Peace in & for said County personally appeared Harmon Hardison son of Lucretia Hardison an applicant for a pension a resident of said County aged sixty five years last January who being duly sworn according to law maketh oath that his mother aforesaid removed to this County in March 1809 from Greene County N.C. that this affiant removed hither in or about 1822 from Edgecomb County N.C. that his mother had four children two daughters and two sons-the eldest Hannah who intermarried with James Somerlin, & deceased about five years ago last January-this affiant is the second-third Martha who never married & is still alive-& William who deceased eleven years ago last Novr the fourth-his father died when he was between four and five years of age-that as long ago as about the year 1800 or before he has heard his mother relate that her husband his father had served in the War of the Revolution five tours of duty, in one tour was at Briar Creek in Georgia-that one or two of the tours were for five months, the hardships that he suffered that having lost his shoes upon one occasion viz at the Briar Creek defeat{crossed out-and} that the rock or stones cut his feet badly while barefoot-that he has been shown by his mother a bottle in which his father carried water brought fifty miles beyond Charleston S.C. to whither he then resided in Hyde County N.C. that he served upon Neuse {River-BJM} about Kinston-that he resided in Beaufort County N.C. when he first entered the service or performed his first tour of duty-& removed to Hyde County N.C. where he resided when he entered his last tours of service-that five or six years ago Dennis Somerlin a grandson of his mother resident then in Cumberland County N.C. understanding that the widows of Revolutionary soldiers were entitled to pension set about examining into the case of his Grandmother and ascertain if his Grandfather's name was on the rolls-and the person spoken to, to find out about the matter reported that the name of James Hardison did not appear and the matter remained still for a season and about four years ago one of our neighbors Needham B. Whitfield when coming to some term of the Court of this County was requested to make further inquiry into the matter who reported that he had stated the case of his, this affiant's, mother first to Wm B. Wright Esq. An attorney of the Court who referred him to Patrick Murphy who had more experience in such business and that he had mentioned the case to Mr. Murphy who promised to make some investigation into the case-and it remained so until last October's Court of this County this affiant renewed the application to Mr. Murphy to attend the case of his mother-that this affiant and his said mother live about fifteen miles from Kenansville the County seat in rather a secluded part of the County and where men qualified to manage such business never resort-and that his mother was aged-infirm-in rather destitute circumstances and without the means of getting about to have her business attended to altho very needy of relief and the bounty of the government. Harmon Hardison {his signature} Sworn to & Subscribed before me the 29th day of March A.D. 1853 and I certify that said affiant Harmon Hardison is a respected and credible man and that his statements are entitled to full faith & credit-Given under my hand the day & year aforesaid N.B. Whitfield {his signature} James/Lucretia Revolutionary War Widow's Pension Application-R4596 Needham B. Whitfield Affidavit National Archives & Records Administration M804-1188 North Carolina-Duplin County On the 29th March A.D. 1853 before the Undersigned a Justice of the Peace in & for said County personally appeared Needham B. Whitfield Esquire a residentof said County of Duplin aged thirty two years who being first duly sworn according to law maketh oath that he is well acquainted with Lucretia Hardison widow of James Hardison deceased an applicant for a pension-hath known her for about ten years-that about four years ago he was requested to make inquiry into her right to a pension and accordingly did so first of Wm B. Wright Esq who referred him to Patrick Murphy as having more experience in such matters-and mentioned the case of Mrs. Lucretia Hardison to Mr. Murphy who promised to examine into the matter-she is reputed & believed to be in her neighborhood the widow of a Revolutionary soldier-of strict integrity & piety & unimpeachable character-this affiant concurs in the opinion. N.B. Whitfield {his signature} Sworn to & subscribed before me the day and year aforesaid and I hereby certify that said affiant Needham B. Whitfield Esq is a credible witness well known to me-one of the acting Justices of the Peace of said County and that his statements are entitled to full faith and credit Alsa Sutherland JP {his signature} State of North Carolina Duplin County I Benjamin F. Grady clerk of the Court of Pleas & Quarter Sessions of Duplin County aforesaid do certify that Needham B. Whitfield & Alsa Southerland whose genuine Signatures appears to the foregoing certificates where at the time of Signing {?} acting Justices of the Peace within & for said County duly commissioned and sworn. In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand and affixed the Seal of my said office at Kenansville, the 29th day of March A.D. 1853 B.F. Grady Clk {his signature} James/Lucretia Revolutionary War Widow's Pension Application-R4596 James Sumerlin Affidavit National Archives & Records Administration M804-1188 North Carolina Duplin County On this the 26th day of Septr A.D. 1853 before the Undersigned, a Justice of the Peace in and for said County personally appeared James Sumerlin a resident of said County of Duplin aged eighty two years the 4th of next month to me well known and entitled to full faith and credit who being first duly sworn according tolaw maketh oath that he is well acquainted with Lucretia Hardison of this County widow of James Hardison deceased and an applicant for a pension-has known her for about 50, fifty years, that her husband has always been reputed and believed to have been a soldier in the revolutionary war, and that she is the widow of a Revolutionary soldier. He has no doubt of these facts. His James X Sumerlin Mark Sworn to & Subscribed before me the day & year aforesaid. N.B. Whitfield JP {his signature} I Benj. F. Grady Clerk of the Court of Pleas & Quarter Sessions of Duplin County certify that Needham B. Whitfield is a Magistrate as above and that the foregoingsignature purporting to be his is genuine. In testimony whereof I have hereunto setmy hand & seal of office this the 27th day of Septr A.D. 1853. B.F. Grady Clk {his