Guilford-Rockingham County NcArchives Military Records.....Jester, Nimrod 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 June 17, 2006, 1:45 am Pension Application Of Nimrod Jester, Nat’l Archives Series M804, Roll 1414, Application #W27599 Wayne County, Indiana, NIMROD JESTER, aged 70 years on the 15th of October, 1833: “Sometime in April, I think the 12th or 13th day, 1780, I entered the service as a volunteer, I then being a citizen of Guilford County, NC, in a militia company commanded by Captain JOHN MCADOW, Lieutenant Hugh FORBES [or FORBIS], JOHN FINDLEY, for the term of three months, which time I served out.” “We rendezvoused at Guilford Courthouse and marched from thence to Camden, SC. At Salisbury in NC, we were joined by three other companies of militia, of something upwards of fifty privates each and the command of the whole was assumed by General RUTHERFORD of the NC militia. At the Cheraw Hills, we were joined by General HORATIO GATES with nine thousand men [his estimate was wildly high. Most estimates today range around 2,000] of the regular service. I was in the Battle of Camden in the left wing of the army, and was commanded during the engagement by a regular colonel by the name of ADAMS. His given name I do not recollect. We were defeated and dispersed and such of us as remained, returned home. Consequently, I received no discharge for my service.” “The next tour of service I performed was a six-weeks tour commencing in the month of September, 1780 as a volunteer in the NC militia (I then still residing in the County of Guilford, NC), Colonel DANIEL GILLESPIE, in the company commanded by Captain JOHN GILLESPIE, Lieutenant GEORGE PARKS, Ensign FINDLEY SHAW. We marched from there towards the Cheraw Hills to reconnoitre the Tories, with whom we had several skirmishes and took a number of them prisoners. The names of three of them I still recollect: John Huntsucker, David Edwards and James Glass. At the end of the time, we returned and were disbanded by the colonel without any discharges.” “The next tour of service I performed was a three months tour, I then residing in Guilford County, NC. In the latter part of the year, 1780, the day or month I cannot now recollect, I volunteered in a militia company commanded by a Captain PHILIPS of Rockingham County, NC, whose given name I have forgotten, Lieutenant JOHN JAMES (to the best of my recollection), ensign forgotten. This company was composed of forty privates and was raised in an adjoining county to the one in which I lived, which accounts for my want of recollection of the names of the officers, I not being acquainted with them before nor since. We were marched from thence to the Shallow Ford of the Yadkin River and from thence to Salisbury, NC to suppress the Tories that were embodying on the line between North and South Carolina. From Salisbury we marched southward towards the line between North and South Carolina, and from thence towards the Big Peedee, from thence we returned to Salisbury and were stationed there about a month, and at the end of about two months from the time I volunteered, we were disbanded without any discharges. During this tour we were passed by Colonel LEE and Colonel WASHINGTON with their troops of Light Horse.” Amended Declaration: “That by reason of old age and the great lapse of time and the consequent loss of memory, he cannot swear positively as to the precise length of his service, but according to the best of his recollection, he served not less than the periods mentioned below and in the following grades, to wit: “I served as a private in the NC militia for 3 months commencing, I think, on the 12th or 13th day of April, 1780 under Captain JOHN MCDOW, Lieutenant HUGH FORBES, Ensign JOHN FINDLEY.” “In 2nd, I served six weeks as a private in the NC militia commencing in the month of September 1780 under Captain JOHN GILLESPIE, Lieutenant GEORGE PARKS, Ensign FINDLEY SHAW. The company aforesaid was also commanded by Colonel DANIEL GILLESPIE.” “3rd, I served at least two months as a private in the NC militia commencing sometime in the latter part of the year 1780, in a company commanded by one Captain PHILIPS of Rockingham County, an adjoining county to the one in which I then resided. JOHN JAMES, to the best of my belief, ensign’s name I also have forgotten.” “4th, I served at least one month as a private in the North carolina militia under Captain SALATHIEL MARTIN, Lieutenant DANIEL MARTIN, Ensign JOHN HAMBY, to the best of my recollection and belief.” 5th, I served as a private one year in the North Carolina state troops under Captain CHARLES GORDON, Lieutenant’s name I do not recollect, Ensign JOHN LOLLER. The regiment was commanded by General RUTHERFORD, Colonel ARMSTRONG, and Major JOEL LEWIS of the NC State line.” “6th, I also served three months as a private volunteer militia man in Rowan County, NC, in guarding prisoners that were taken by one Colonel CAMPBELL, and stationed at Salisbury in said county of Rowan, to the number of three hundred or thereabouts. During last mentioned term I served under Major ARMSTRONG, a regular officer, to the best of my recollection. This last term of service is not embraced in my original application for a pension, as it was not thought of by me when my application was drawn up “In the month of October or November 1781, the day I cannot recollect, I then being on a visit n Surrey County, NC, and there being a requisition for men, I entered as a volunteer for a three months tour in the NC militia in a company commanded by Captain SALATHIEL MARTIN, Lieutenant DANIEL MARTIN, (Ensign JOHN HEMBY, I think). We marched from thence about 25 miles in the direction of the Eutaw Springs when we received the news of the battle there, when we were halted and lay in camp for some time. At the end of about a month form the time I volunteered, there being no further need of us in that direction, we were disbanded without any discharges.” “On the first day of March, 1782, I enlisted for a term of twelve months (I then being at Salisbury in Rowan County, NC) in the state legion of the NC State troops, composed of ten companies of fifty privates each. I served in the company commanded by Captain CHARLES GORDON, Lieutenant’s name I do not recollect, Ensign JOHN LOLLER. The regiment was commanded by General RUTHERFORD, Colonel ARMSTRONG and Major JOEL LEWIS, who was a militia colonel, but only ranked as a major in the army. We were marched from thence to the Cheraw Hills, from thence to the head of the Black Mingo River, from thence South Carolina, from thence to the creek known by the name of ?Gramm’s Creek, and were near two months between the latter stages, reconnoitering the Tories, during which time I frequently saw General Marion. From thence we marched to Belluses Bridge, where we had an engagement with about five hundred Tories and British and were victorious. We killed about eighty of their men and took about one hundred prisoners, principally Tories. During the engagement I received a slight wound in the left leg from a buckshot which passed through the same, coming out within about an inch and a half from where it entered, the scar of which wound I now carry. From thence we proceeded to Hillsborough in Orange County, NC where I obtained a furlough for two months, and on the 1st day of March, 1783, I received a written discharge from the service, signed by JAMES GILLESPIE, then a colonel commandant, which discharge I kept until about a year ago, when it was accidentally lost or mislaid. Testimony for NIMROD JESTER, from JESSE COOK: “I am acquainted with the said NIMROD JESTER and served with him in the same mess, a three months tour in the NC militia during the Revolutionary War under the command of Captain JOHN MCDOW [or MCADOW], Lieutenant HUGH FORBES. We marched together and were in the Battle of Camden at Gates’ Defeat and returned home together. I know of said JESTER afterwards serving in the war, as he (JESTER) was often gone in the service, but the precise length of said Jester’s service I cannot recollect. I know that said JESTER was at home on furlough at the time I (witness) was married and know of his returning to the army again.” File at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/nc/guilford/military/revwar/pensions/jester199gmt.txt This file has been created by a form at http://www.genrecords.org/ncfiles/ File size: 8.7 Kb