Guilford-Lincoln County NcArchives Military Records.....Altorn, James October 1832 Revwar - Pension ************************************************ Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/nc/ncfiles.htm ************************************************ File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by: Nancy Poquette npoq@hotmail.com January 22, 2007, 12:38 pm Pension Application Of James Altorn, Nat’l Archives Series M804, Roll __, Application #W21611 Greenville District, South Carolina “On this __ day of October, 1832, personally appeared…James Altorn…who was born in Baltimore County in the state of Maryland on the 25th, 1752 and who will be 80 years of age on the 25th day of next December…That he does not remember with minuteness the dates, but he first was drafted for three months in Guilford County, state of North Carolina, where he then resided, and under the command of General Rutherford and Colonel Martin ____ ____ were marched to the west against the Indians, crossed the Savannah River, went on to Wautauga, then down to the big bend of Tennessee, and Scott and Hicks were taken prisoners with many Indians. Served out the three months and was discharged at the fort on Catawba River, North Carolina on his return home. That he was frequently under arms upon active duty in pursuit of Tories and Indians, the particulars of which, time has almost entirely taken from his memory.” “That afterwards he volunteered and entered the service of the United States for a term of nine months under the command of Captain John Nelson of the new Levy troops, as they were called, in the latter part of the year 1778, and marched to Moon’s [or Moore’s] Creek near Dixon’s Ferry on Dan River, then received orders and marched south and joined headquarters at Purysburg on the Savannah River, not far above the city of Savannah, where the New Levee troops, or that portion to which this applicant belonged, was put under command of Captain Chapman, an officer of the regular army. From this place, he was marched up to Augusta, crossed the Savannah River and went down on the Georgia side, and after spending some time scouring the lower parts of Georgia, returned by way of Augusta to the neighborhood of Purysburg, to a place called the Two Sisters on the Savannah River, where headquarters were established for awhile, occasionally marching out to support and defend other points on the river supposed to be vulnerable and liable to attack by the enemy.” “That when he joined headquarters at Purysburg, General Lincoln had the command, assisted by Colonels Lytle and Thackston, and Majors Dixon and Armstrong. That in the spring of 1779, he was marched from the Savannah, and was, on the 20th of June, 1779, in the Battle at Stono in the state of South Carolina, where Colonel Thackston had one of his fingers shot off. During all this period, he was commanded by the said Captain Chapman of the regular army. That he served out the whole term of nine months faithfully and was honorably discharged at Salisbury, North Carolina by Major John Armstrong. That he has lost or mislaid his said discharge, if he ever had one, so that he has no documentary evidence now at his command to testify for said services, nor is there, within reach any person that he knows of, by whom his said services could be proved in open court…” State of South Carolina, district of Pickens December 9, 1845 “On this 24th day of April, 1845, personally appeared before me…Mrs. Sarah Altorn [whom I certify is unable, by age and infirmity, to attend at Greenville Courthouse, a distance of 17 or 18 miles, but living within 2 or 3 miles of the Picken’s line, was coming over there], a resident of Greenville District, aged 85 years, last May, who being first duly sworn…make the following declaration: “That she is the widow of James Altorn who was a private in the militia of North Carolina during the Revolutionary War. That she recollects to have heard her said husband say that he enlisted and served nine months under Colonel Lytle and General Lincoln. Was in the Battle at Stono. That he then resided in Guilford County, North Carolina and probably done most of his service there, but she cannot now recollect to state much of his service as she was not then married to him and can only state what she recollects to have heard him say. She supposes however, that he made sufficient proof of his services, as he was placed on the pension list at the rate of $40 per annum on the 18th April, 1833…which proof may be referred to in the investigation of her claim.” “She further states that she was married to the said James Altorn on the 9th day of September, 1781, which she recollects well from the fact of it being the fall after the Battle of Guilford. That the marriage took place in Guilford County, North Carolina by Charles Bruce, Esquire and that a license was obtained by her said husband for the purpose. Her maiden name was Sarah Spurlin, and that after her marriage, she had 13 children, viz.: Richard, Elizabeth, John, Mary, Jane, ?Ana, Sarah, Joseph, Hyram, Patsey, Thomas, Mahala, Jesse. That if her oldest child was alive, he would be 61 years old last January, and that the youngest was 42 years old the 26th day of December last. That her husband, the said James Altorn died on the 15th day of April, 1833.” “That she was not married to him previous to his last period of service but that the marriage took previous to the 1st day of January, 1794, at the time above stated. That after the marriage they lived in Guilford until her fifth child was born, she thinks about 12 years, and moved from there to Lincoln Co, NC, where they resided about 32 years, and then moved to Greenville District, where she has resided ever since. That she has no record of her marriage or the births of her children, nor does she know by whom she could prove the marriage…Sarah Altorn, her mark. 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