Randolph County NcArchives Military Records.....Reed, John June 1832
Revwar - Pension 
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File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by:
Nancy Poquette npoq@hotmail.com July 4, 2006, 9:38 pm

Pension Application Of John Reed, Natl Archives Microseries M805, Roll __, Application #R8674
Bedford County, Tennessee, June 16, 1832, John Reed, aged 68 years: “He states 
that he was born in Randolph County, NC on the waters of Deep River, but the 
year and month he does not recollect. He states that he has no record of his 
age and to the best of his recollection  never had any and all the information 
he had in regard to his age he received from his father.”

	“He was living in Randolph County, NC when he first entered the service 
of the United States in the Revolutionary War. He first volunteered in the 
service between the ages of 16 and 17 for a term of 3 months under Captain John 
Knight, who raised a company of volunteers at that time in Randolph County. 
Knight’s company served as minute men and were generally engaged in this term 
of service in scouting and ranging about in Randolph County after the Tories, 
endeavoring to put a stop to their plundering and ravages. Knight’s company was 
frequently along with Edward Williams, which was also a volunteer company, 
performing like service with Knight’s. This applicant that during this term of 
service his company had several skirmishes with the Tories, one of which was at 
Drowning Creek.”

	“At the expiration of this 3 months tour of service he again 
volunteered for 3 months more under Captain Knight. At the expiration of this 3 
months term of service, he again volunteered under said Knight and so continued 
to volunteer under him immediately after the close of each of these 3 months 
terms of service, until he had served 18 months from the time he first 
volunteered. During all these terms of service comprising 18 months, he states 
that Knight’s company principally engaged in scouting, ranging and subduing the 
Tories in Randolph and occasionally in Guilford County, NC and had a good many 
little engagements or skirmishes with these, but none of any importance. He 
further states that during all of these 3 months terms of service, colonel 
Belford [most typically referred to as Balfour these days] was the colonel in 
command of Captain Knight’s and Captain Edwards’ companies, and probably of 
others, but of this he is not certain, but just about the close of this 
applicant’s last term of 3 months service which comprised the 18 months, the 
above mentioned Colonel Belford [Balfour} was killed by the Tories.”

	“This applicant states that at the expiration of the last mentioned 3 
month tour of service, he again volunteered under the same Captain Knight and 
served under him for 6 months before he was discharged. During this term of 
service, Knight’s company was still engaged in ranging and subduing the Tories 
in the county of Randolph and occasionally in Guilford. Part of this term, this 
applicant was, among others, employed in guarding two courts which sat at the 
Cross Roads in Randolph County, against the Tories who were numerous and 
troublesome.”

	“At the expiration of  this term of service this applicant was 
discharged and never served any more. He states that after the death of Colonel 
Balfour and during this last 6 months term,  Colonel Dougan was his colonel in 
command. He further states that at the expiration of each and every term of his 
service, he received a written discharge from his captain. These discharges 
were, by him, returned to the board of war. This applicant states that he knows 
of no person now living by whom he can prove his services except the one whose 
affidavit is hereto annexed..”

	“He also states that it was about 6 months after the Battle of Yorktown 
and the surrender of Cornwallis, that he was finally discharged from the 
service. He further states that at the close of the war, he continued in 
Randolph County, NC for about 12 years. He then removed to Washington County,  
Virginia, from thence he removed to Blount County, TN, from thence to Franklin 
County,  and from thence to Rutherford County,  and lastly from thence to 
Bedford County, TN where he has lived 10 years or more, and still continues to 
reside. He was acquainted with no officers of the Revolutionary War except 
those whose names are mentioned in this declaration.”

Caution: there are several contradictions in the following widow’s pension, 
causing this transcriber to wonder whether she is the widow of this John Reed 
above, or not.

	Bedford County, Tennessee, 1845, Sarah Reed, aged 80 years: “That she 
is the widow of John Reed who was a soldier of the Revolutionary War. That in 
the year 1780 or 1781, her husband the said John Reed, in Randolph County, NC, 
went into the service of the United States as a volunteer and private soldier, 
and went into Captain Knight’s company, a foot company. That Belford [Balfour] 
was his colonel. She does not recollect his general’s name. That soon after he 
went into service he marched from Randolph County in NC to what was then called 
the Sand Hills near Cross Creek. That after he arrived in the Sand Hills, he 
was there stationed in the army a few weeks. At the expiration of which time he 
was in a battle with the Tories in the Sand Hills near said station, in which 
battle the Whigs were victorious. And after a battle was fought, he was marched 
through different parts of North Carolina and continued in service until his 
first tour ended. That his first tour was 5 months, at the expiration of which 
time she does not know whether he ever received any written discharge from his 
proper officer or not.”

	“That a few days after his first tour ended, he again went out in the 
service of the United States as a Light Horseman and private soldier. That when 
he went into service the 2nd time he was a volunteer. That Knight was his 
captain the 2nd time he went into service. Belford was his colonel. She does 
not recollect his general’s name. That he joined Captain Knight’s company in 
Randolph County, NC the 2nd time he went into service and then marched from 
Randolph county into different parts of North Carolina in service against the 
British and Tories till his 2nd tour expired. That his 2nd tour was 6 months. 
That he served 11 months. At the expiration of 2nd said tour, he was 
discharged, but whether he received any written discharge or not, she does not 
recollect. That when the said John Reed went into service the 1st and 2nd time, 
he resided in Randolph County, NC."

Additional Comments:
He died November 17, 1831, and she did not recollect the date of her own 
marriage.

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