Guilford-Rockingham County NcArchives Military Records.....Matlock, John August 27, 1823 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 February 25, 2007, 8:06 pm Pension Application Of John Matlock, Nat’l Archives Series M804, Roll __, Application #W4723 State of North Carolina} On this 27th day of August, 1823, personally appeared in open court of the Court of Pleas and Quarter Sessions of the County of Rockingham and the state aforesaid [which is a court of record], John Matlock, aged 70 years, residing in Rockingham County and state aforesaid, and he being first duly sworn according to law, declare that he served in the Revolutionary War as follows: He enlisted under Captain John Nelson as a sergeant in the County of Guilford, now Rockingham, state of North Carolina in the 1st regiment of North Carolina troops on Continental establishment in the month of May 1776. The regiment was commanded by Colonel Alexander Martin. I enlisted for the service a number of soldiers in the county, until the month of April, 1777 at which time I marched with the men I enlisted by order of my superior officers and joined troops under the command of Colonel Thomas Polk in Granville. From that place we marched to Georgetown, that is in the state of Maryland; from thence to Philadelphia, and thence up the Delaware; from this place he marched to meet Lord Cornwallis near the Head of Elk. That any __ line near Iron Hill at which place he had a severe skirmish. I was selected in this affair as one of the light infantry to march in front and was commanded by Colonel Martin? I was then in the Battle of Brandywine, and was one of the ?number of soldiers who ___ ____ on? this? battle. After this battle, went into winter quarters of the Schuykill. The spring following, I was in the Battle of Germantown. After this, we pursued the army to Sandy Hook, and we had another severe skirmish. After this I was in the Battle of Stony Point; at this time was taken under the command of General Wayne. After this, the army marched to a little town in Jersey, I think called Paramus, of which place after a service of three years and some months I was discharged by Colonel Thomas Clark and returned to what was then called Guilford County [now Rockingham]. About a month after I had returned home the Tories and British being troublesome in this state, I again volunteered my services under Colonel Washington, and we had a severe skirmish at Whitesell’s Mills. After this I was sent home to recruit more, and had persuaded several, and was on my way to join the army again at the time of the Battle of Guilford. After this, I was discharged from the service. At both times of my leaving the army, I received from the commanding officer, an honorable discharge, but having been for twenty- five years and more concerned in a great deal of ?personal business, I have lost or mislaid them. During the whole time I was in the service I served as a sergeant. I know of no person in particular, nor residing in this vicinity who were with me in the six battles in which I fought, but many persons in this county can testify that I was a considerable time in the Revolutionary service. I do also solemnly swear that I am a resident citizen of the United States on the 18th day of march, 1818, and that I have not since that time, by gift, sale or in any manner disposed of my property, any part thereof, with intent thereby so to ____ as to bring myself within the provisions of an act of congress entitled “An Act to Provide for Certain Persons Engaged in the Land and Naval Service of the United States in the Revolutionary War passed on the 18th day of March, 1818,” and that I have not, nor has any person in ____ _____ any property or security, contracts or debts due to me, no have I any income other than what is contained in the schedule hereunto annexed and by me subscribed: I have a small crop of corn growing and ____ [inkblot] it may make 5 to 10 bushels. I have a very small quantity of provisions on hand for the support of my family; I have had a number of small debts due me, but having been sheriff of the County of Rockingham for 26 years in succession, and having been unfortunate in the pecuniary matters of my office, and my _____ having paid for me considerable sums of money, I have _____ to them, honestly and in good faith, all the debts and the property that are belong to me, all of which will be for ___ for paying to them the money which they have paid and will have to pay for me. My occupation at this time is ___ of tilling in the earth, has little ability to do __; I am upwards of 70 years of age, have a second wife, have small boys, am poor and stand in need of the assistance of the County for support, and have not ____ or otherwise transferred any portion of my property to defraud the government of the United States, or to bring myself into the provisions of the law for the relief of Revolutionary soldiers. Jno. Matlock. State of Rockingham County, North Carolina} On this 23rd day of November, 1844, personally appeared before me, R. Reid, one of the acting justices of the peace for the county and state aforesaid, Mary Matlock, a resident of the county and state aforesaid, aged 70 years, who being first duly sworn according to law, doth on her oath make the following declaration…: That she is the widow of John Matlock, who was a private and sergeant in the army of the Revolution, and who, she understood, served under John Griffith ?McCray. The time he entered the service or how long he served, she does not recollect, but she knows that he drew a pension of $96 per annum for a number of years before his death and that he resided in this county at the time his name was entered on the pension roll. For further proof as to his service she refers to the records of the War Department. She further declares that she was married to the said John Matlock in the year 1792, she thinks in the month of November, but does not recollect the day of the month. She is not even certain that it was in the month of November. She has had careful examination made in the Clerk’s office of this county where the marriage bonds ought to be, but it is not to be found, and she is informed that many marriages took place in this county about the same period, the bonds of which cannot now be found. The Bible which contains the family record was carried to the west many years ago by a relative but she does not now know where it is, or whether it contained a record of the marriage. She understands that one of her sons has a copy of the record of the ages of her children taken from the Bible that was carried to the west, but she learns that it does not embrace the date of the marriage. The marriage took place at William Bethell’s in this county, and she knows that she was married to the before mentioned John Matlock, and that they lived together as man and wife up to the time of his death and that the legality of the marriage was never questioned. Her husband, John Matlock was High Sheriff of the county for upwards of twenty years and she feels confidant that he had this marriage legally celebrated. She does not now recollect of any person now alive who saw them married. Her eldest son, Charles Matlock was born in 1793 and he is now living. She further swears that her husband, the aforesaid John Matlock, died on the 1st day of September, 1838. That she was not married to him prior to his leaving the service, but the marriage took place previous to the 1st day of January, 1794; that she is now a widow and has remained so ever since the death of her husband, John Matlock. And she further declares, that in consequence of bodily infirmity she is unable to attend court to make her declaration. Sworn to and subscribed, this 23rd day of November, 1844, before R. Reid. Mary Matlock, her mark. State of North Carolina, Rockingham County} This day, personally appeared John Matlock before me, Joseph W. ?Neil a justice of the peace for the county and state aforesaid, who after being duly sworn according to law, deposeth and sayeth as follows: That he is the son of John Matlock, who was a soldier of the Revolution by his wife, Mary Matlock, who is an applicant for a pension under the Acts of Congress; that the accompanying record hereunto annexed was taken from a Bible formerly in the possession of his father, and that the said record as annexed is in the proper and genuine handwriting of deponent’s father, John Matlock, who was the husband of Mary Matlock. That his father, John Matlock, and his wife Mary, the deponent’s mother, lived together as man and wife, up to the time of his father’s death, which occurred on the 1st day of September, 1838. The deponent does and has always believed that his father and mother were legally married in the year 1792. Sworn and subscribed to on this 31st day of December, 1844. John Matlock. Additional Comments: According to other documents contained in the file for John Matlock, Mary Matlock’s maiden name was Settle or Suttle; She was his second wife and the first wife was not named. The following is a list of the names of their children. Whether the children of the first wife are included is unknown. Charles born December 1, 1793 Sallay born April 21, 1797 Abishay born November 18, 1800 [record is torn] born August 12, 1803 or 1805 John born March __ 1808 David born March __ 1811 File at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/nc/guilford/military/revwar/pensions/matlock468gmt.txt This file has been created by a form at http://www.genrecords.org/ncfiles/ File size: 9.9 Kb