MONTGOMERY COUNTY, NC - WILLS - James Duke Pension - 1831 ============================================================= 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. The submitter has given permission to the USGenWeb Archives to store the file permanently for free access. This file was contributed for use in the USGenWeb Archives by: Audrey Michaels earthmother@dialpoint.net ============================================================== Transcription of REVOLUTIONARY WAR RECORDS OF JAMES DUKE Pensioned Mar. 4, 1831 No. S 8358 Dawson's Co., NC Militia Enlisted Dec. 25, 1777 State of North Carolina, July Session 1833 Montgomery County On this 2nd day of July 1883, personally appeared in open court for the County of Montgomery, now sitting; James Duke, a resident of said county of Montgomery State of North Carolina, age sixty-nine years, who being first duly sworn according to law doth on his oath, makes the following declaration, in order to obtain the benefit of the Acts of Congress passed June the 7th, 1832. That he entered the service of the United States under the following named officers and served as herein stated: He states that he first entered service in Northampton County North Carolina for nine months. He volunteered, or enlisted, and marched to Halifax town North Carolina under Capt. James Bradley. He was under the command of Major Thomas Short in Col. Ethirington's Regiment , and marched to Lewisburg; then to Hillsborough then to a place called the Ridge or Pine Tree House in South Carolina, between the Water Ree & Congo Ree Rivers; expecting to march to join General Green but for some cause, was discharged at the Pine Tree House when Maj. Thomas Short and Col. Ethirington, having been taken sick at Halifax, now overtook the army about the 15th day of November 1781, having served six weeks. He further says that he entered the second engagement immediately after discharge, that he volunteered or joined the army as a volunteer under Capt. Samuel Thornton at the Pine Tree House in South Carolina for six months, to march against the Indians and Tories. He says that he volunteered in the dragoon or light horse service and that he brought his own horse and was told that he would get 200 acres of land as a bounty. He volunteered as a horseman, and marched under Capt. Thornton and Col. Arnold Watley to Augusta, Georgia; then to a small town called Rightsburg, then to Phillip's Fort, which was commanded by Col. Phillips where "we continued a short time and then went in pursuit of the Indians on the Frontiers of Georgia and had several different engagements with them, and killed some of them and put the others to flight." He then returned to Phillips's Fort and was discharged there about the 15th day of May 1782 by Captain Thornton having served six months. He further states that he bought another horse and returned home to Northampton County North Carolina having lost his first horse in Little River, about twelve miles from Phillips's Fort. He further states that in both said engagements that he served seven months and two weeks. He states he received discharges in both said engagements, but has lost them or has no recollection whatever became of them and says that he has no documentary evidence, or knows of no person living in this part of the country whose evidence he can procure to prove his service. He hereby relinquishes any 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 and Subscribed the day and year aforesaid. James Duke (Signed by James Duke) We, Benj. Kendall, a Clergyman residing in the County of Montgomery, State of North Carolina and Frederick Randle, residing in the said County of Montgomery hereby certify that we are well acquainted with James Duke , who have subscribed and sworn to the above declaration that we believe him to be sixty nine years of age that he is reputed and believed in the neighborhood where he resides to have been a Revolutionary soldier and that we concur in the opinion sworn to and furnished that day and year aforesaid. Fr.Randle Benj Kendall Interrogatories by the Court. Q1: Where and in what year were you born? Ans: In Northampton County N. Carolina, sometime on the date of 1764. Q2: Have you any records of your age? Ans: I have none. I have understood that my father died when I was about I8 months and if he left any I never saw it. Q3: Where were you living when called into Service? Where have you lived since the revolutionary war and where do you now live? Ans. In Northampton County when called into the Service and continued there till about two years after the war and then moved to Franklin County and continued there about four years and then I came to Montgomery County, where I now live. Q4: How were you called into the service? Where you drafted or were you a volunteer or were you a Substitute and if a substitute for who. Ans: I was in both engagements, a volunteer. Q5: State the names of some of the regular officers who were with the troops where you served such Continental Regiments and Militia Regiments as you can recollect and the General circumstances of your service. Ans. I did not march with any Continental officers or Regiments as I recollect, in either Engagement. Col. Ethirington had with him about three hundred men when in Halifax and that marched under Maj. Short to the Pine Tree House in S. Carolina, though I think they were militia there were no other troops with us. In my second trip there was about fifty men who marched with us under Capt. Thornton & Col. Watley. We arrived near Phillips Fort and were joined by others but I think they were all militia. Q6: Did you ever receive a discharge from the Service and if so by whom was it given and what has become of it. Ans. I think that I received discharges in both said engagements but have lost them. State the names of persons to whom you are known in your present neighborhood and who can testify as to your character for veracity and their belief of your services as a Revolutionary Soldier. Ans: Benj. Kendall and Fredrick Randle Esq. or any of my neighbors can testify as to my character and veracity and that Reputation says I have been a soldier tho there is no man living in this part of the country that was acquainted with me then. James Duke (He signed) And the said Court do hereby declare their opinion after investigation of the matter and after putting the interragationery furnished by the War department that the above named applicant was a revolutionary Soldier and served as he states and said court further certifies that it appears to them that Benj. Kendall, who has signed the presenting certificate, is a Clergyman, and resident of the county of Montgomery, and that Frederick Randle, a fore holder who has also signed the same is a resident in the said county of Montgomery and is a creditable person and that their statement is initialed to credit. John Dockery, J.P. E. B. Harris, J.P. M. Harward, J.P. I, John B. Martin, Clerk of the Court of Montgomery County, do hereby certify that the foregoing contains the personal proceedings of said Court in the matter of the application of James Duke for a pension as a revolutionary Soldier in testimony where of I have here unto set my hand and seal of Office, this 2nd. day of July 1833. J. B. Martin (Clerk) James Duke - Rev. War Pension Records National Archives, Washington, D.C. **Researchers please note. I have taken the liberty in correcting obvious misspellings, and reformatting for easier reading.**