Orange County NcArchives Military Records.....Neese, George 
Revwar - Pension 
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Nancy Poquette npoq@hotmail.com June 18, 2006, 3:46 pm

Pension Application Of George Neese, Natl Archives Microseries M804, Roll 1805, Application #S7268
GEORGE NEESE, a resident of Guilford County, NC, aged 86 years:
	“That in or about the year 1776, he volunteered in Guilford County, NC, 
in a company commanded by Lieutenant CLAPP, Captain WHITESELL, Colonel MARTIN 
and General RUTHERFORD, and was marched to the western part of the state and 
encamped near a branch making into the Catawba River called ____ [no name 
given] and marched thence to what was called headquarters about 12 miles on 
this side of the Blue Ridge. That he was marched thence over the ridge, crossed 
French Broad River, Pigeon River, to the Watauga towns after the Cherokee 
Indians who had been for some time, making depradations on the whites. That 
after destroying these Indian towns and many others farther west called Over 
Hill or Valley Indians, that he was marched back to a place called Hickory 
Ridge, then the Western Territory, now Tennessee, that he was marched thence 
home, separating from General RUTHERFORD at a ford on the Catawba. That he left 
home in the spring and returned in the fall of the year, after being out on 
service for 4 or 5 months.”
“That after his return, he was engaged with his Whig friends against the Tories 
in the manner stated this day in open court by WILLIAM ALBRIGHT, with whom he 
served. That from 1776 to 1781he was out at least half of his time on short 
expeditions up and down the country, and deems it unnecessary to attempt giving 
any other history of his little tours than that given by said ALBRIGHT, as he 
recollects but few more things than he states, as we have made our statements 
before the same attorney, before going into court. That he performed his last 
mentioned services under Captain WHITESELL, Captain FORBIS, Colonel PAISLEY. 
That he was born in Burke County, Pennsylvania, 1st November, 1744, which is 
written in an old Bible in his own house, and moved in 1769 to North Carolina, 
Guilford County, where he has resided ever since, etc.”

GEORGE NEESE made the following affidavit to amend his preceding declaration, 
the propriety of which was suggested by his representative in Congress, 
Augustus H. Shepherd:
	“That he would have been more particular at first, but that he and his 
old friend and brother in arms, Captain WILLIAM ALBRIGHT made their statement 
before the same attorney and as it was the same in truth, having done service 
much together, that he still requests that reference would be had to said 
ALBRIGHT’s declaration and amendment, which he this day makes before Justice 
McLean. That he performed his Cherokee expedition before Albright moved from 
Pennsylvania into the bounds of his acquaintance and took part with him in 
this, our great and glorious struggle. That the greater portion of his services 
was performed in the manner described by said ALBRIGHT, a few days at one time, 
a few weeks at another, and sometimes something like a month in a tour. That 
there were many Tories living below him and very few Whigs between his section 
of the state and Wilmington. That he lived as it were, between the Whigs and 
Tories, and was compelled either to submit to the insults and ravages of these 
infamous, cowardly and reckless Tories, [and] join their party, or take up his 
arms and fight like a man in defense of himself, his friends, and the freedom 
of his country.”
“That there was one Colonel FANNING, a Tory, who used every effort and 
stratagem to humble and in fact to impoverish and utterly ___ and destroy the 
Whigs. That said FANNING lurked as a place of safety among the Raft Swamps and 
would often venture up among the High Hills of Randolph County, called the 
Caraway Mountains, and send his men often into the immediate neighborhood. That 
there was also one Colonel BRYAN who lived on the Yadkin River who was likewise 
influential among the Tories and for awhile was a source of uneasiness to the 
Whigs.”
“That in order to operate with effect and success on these Tories, there were 
formed two companies in Guilford called minutemen, the one under the command of 
Captain FORBIS and Lieutenant WILEY, the other under Captain WHITESELL and 
Lieutenant CLAPP. That these companies stood always ready to march in a 
minute’s warning when there was invasion from a distance or insurrection among 
Tories of the immediate neighborhood. That it might be said with some degree of 
truth to have been a soldier of the Revolution from its commencement to its 
termination, that nearly as much time was spent in service as he was permitted 
to be at home, and that he was absolutely compelled as well as the Whigs 
generally to go armed at home, and even when at church. That he is a German, 
talks English badly, etc.”

The following affidavit was made by MATTIAS SWING at the suggestion of the 
representative from Congress, Augustus H. Shepherd, to more fully explain how 
he acquired his knowledge of the applicant’s service:
	`”That he [SWING] and NEESE served with each other often from the 
commencement of the Revolutionary War to the end of it, that his first service 
with him was on a tour after the Indians about the commencement of the war. 
That he was out often, very often down the country towards Fayetteville, then 
Cross Creek, down among the High Hills of Randolph County, called the Caraway 
Mountains. That the greater portion of said NEESE’s service was performed 
against the Tories, that these tours were so frequent and made in such a way 
that it would have been, to him, difficult even at the close of the war to have 
stated with accuracy and certainty the particular period, month or year when he 
performed them. That he could not say that said Neese was always with him when 
he was called out himself to do service.”
“That he distinctly recollects the happening of certain events, which convince 
him that NEESE was with him. That once when he was on a tour after the Tories, 
his company heard of a wedding where it was expected many of the Tories would 
be collected. That they marched immediately thither and took possession of both 
the Tories and their viands [edible provisions]. That he recollects him from 
the circumstance of breaking a fiddle.”
“That once on another tour further down the country, it was discovered that 
there were Tories encamped on this side and not very far from a large creek 
called Deep Creek (since called Drowning Creek). That it was supposed that 
these Tories would make for a bridge that was over said creek as soon as the 
Whigs should be discovered to be near. That to prevent their escape over this 
bridge, some of the Whig soldiers were sent with orders to station themselves 
at the other end of the bridge. That these soldiers succeeded in getting round 
the Tories and over the bridge with[out] detection. That when they arrived at 
the farther end of the bridge they tore off the planks of the bridge at their 
end of it and hid themselves. That as soon as the Tories were attacked, they 
fled with great precipitation and confusion and many of them rushed on the 
bridge and were plunged into the creek before it was discovered that the planks 
of the bridge were taken up. That he recollects of NEESE being with him here.”
“That he could go on and mention many other little circumstances that occurred 
on other tours which enable him to recollect with certainty that NEESE was with 
him, but thinks this would be useless. That he is old and owing to his memory’s 
having failed him greatly, he cannot pretend anything like a correct history of 
the fourth of the little tours which he and NEESE were out [on] together, but 
states this, that the people in his section of North Carolina were divided from 
the commencement to the end of the war into two parties, the Whig and the Tory, 
which kept up a continued civil war and that the Whigs who were able to bear 
arms were compelled to be out on service near half their time. That George 
NEESE (aforesaid) was out on a tour towards the south in 1780 or thereabouts, 
in which this affiant was not.”
“That there were two companies of Whigs in his section that done almost 
constant service, one called the Dutch company and the other called the Irish 
company. That the Dutch were under the command of Captain WHITESELL, and the 
English or Irish under Captain FORBIS. That NEESE done the most of his service 
under Captain WHITESELL. That both companies were under the command of Colonel 
JNO. PAISLEY. That he would take it on himself to state the time that said 
NEESE was out on service, but would suppose not less than two years. That NEESE 
has become a very old man and has always been an industrious blacksmith, and 
has always been looked upon as a soldier of the Revolution.”

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