Rowan Co. NC - Revolutionary War Pension - Elias Baker Transcription of Military Records Revolutionary War Veteran Elias Baker - National Archives file W. 5773 Transcribed by William L. Stephenson, Jr. - November, 1999. Elias Baker was born in MD. He migrated south with his family through VA, spent some time in Rowan county NC. After the war he lived in Elbert County, GA, then lived for a number of years in Franklin County GA, migrated to Madison County IL, then migrated to Gwinnett County GA, and lastly settled in Chattooga County GA where he died. As a descendant of Elias Baker, I have been researching his lineage. These documents provide some information, which in conjunction with other documents, help in understanding the genealogy. A copy of the Revolutionary War files of Elias Baker was requested from the National Archives. The copy of the documents is, at best, a poor copy which the National Archives attributes to the age of the original documents. A clean copy machine and better care in making the copies would certainly improve the results. Following is a transcription of the materials, using a best effort approach. ------------------- N. C. Baker, Elias W5773 Sarah ------------------- Georgia 16.675 Elias Baker Gwinnette in the state of Georgia who was a private in the ----- commanded by Captain ------------ of the Regt commanded by Col. McDowell in the No. Car. line for 9 months. Inscribed on the Roll of Georgia at the rate of 30 dollars and -----cents per annum, to commence on the 4th day of March, 1834. Certificate of Pension issued the 13 day of Sept. '33 and Senth Tom Maltbie Lawrenceville, Ga. Arrears to the 4th day of Sept, 1833 75 Semi-ann. Allowance ending March '34 15 -------- $90 Revolutionary Claim Act June 7, 1832 Recorded by A Rice clerk, Book E Vol. 6 Page 86 ------------------- State of Georgia Gwinnette County Inferior Court Sept Term 1832 On this 25th day of September 1832, personally appeared in open Court (it being a Court of Records) now sitting, Elias Baker a resident of the said County of Gwinnett, & State aforesaid aged seventy-two years who being first duly sworn according to Law doth on his oath make the follow declaration in order to obtain the benefits of the act of Congress passed June 7, 1832. That he entered the service of the United States under the following named officer and served as herein stated (to wit) that he entered the service in Rowan County & State of North Carolina where he then resided as a Volunteer under the command of Capt. John Graham & Lieutenant Frances Ross under the Command of Genl. Rutherford for the Term of three months & was afterwards discharged by said Capt. Graham in this tour who were fighting against the Cherokee Indians and the service was rendered in the year 1777. Afterwards That he entered the service on a Tour of three Months under Capt. Joseph White and Lieutenant Benjamin Knox attached to Col. Madison Inf. Regiment & was commanded by Genl. Lincoln and was in the Battle of Stone under said officers & discharged by Genl Rutherford, afterwards entered the army again for three months more under Capt. Hasselbury & Lieutenant George Ligman attached to Col. McDowell's Regiment commanded by Genl. Rutherford & was regularly discharged by Col. McDowell at Wilmington N.Ca. that he was a resident of Rowan County & State of NCarolina during all of the before mentioned Three service Tours. That all three of his discharges are mislaid or such that he cannot find them that he recollects of no person living who can prove the before several services except Joshua Baker who can prove our living neither has he any documenting evidence by which he can prove said several Tours of service that since the Revolutionary War he removed to the State of Georgia then to the State of Illinois thence back to the State of Georgia again where he now is a resident of Gwinnett County as above mentioned. He hereby relinquishes every 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 & Subscribed (signed) Elias Baker the day & year aforesaid [document has actual signature] in open Court. Wm. Maltbie C.I.C. ------------------- State of Georgia Gwinnett County Bro James Williams a Clergyman residing in the state & county aforesaid and Thomas Worthing residing in the same do hereby certify that we are well acquainted with the Elias Baker who has described & sworn to the above declaration that we believe him to be Seventy-two years of age that he is reputed & believed in the neighborhood where he resides to have been a soldier of the revolution and that we concur in that opinion. Sworn to and Subscribed (signed) James Williams the day and year aforesaid Thomas Worthing in open Court Wm. Maltbie C.I. C. ------------------- Brief in the case of Elias Baker County of Gwinnett in the State of Georgia (Act 7th June, 1832) 1. Was the declaration made before a Court or a judge? A Court 2. If before a Judge does it appear that the applicant is disabled by bodily infirmity? --------- 3. How old is he? 72 4. State his service as directed in the form annexed. Names of General and Field Officers Period Duration of Service Rank under whom he served Vol. In 1777 3 months Private Capt Graham, Genl Rutherford 3 months " Capt White Col Malmody 3 months " Capt Hasselbury Col McDowell 5. In what battles was he engaged? Stone 6. Where did he reside when he entered the service? Rowan County, N.C. 7. Is his statement supported by living witnesses, by documentary proof, by traditionary evidence, by incidental evidence, of by the rolls? Traditionary evidence 8. Are the papers defective as to form or authentication? And if so, in what respect? Correction Certify that the foregoing statement and the answers agree with the evidence in the case above mentioned. (signed) Dyer Castor examining clerk ------------------- Georgia Gwinnett County Benjamin T. Undersgrand a justice of the peace of said County personally appeared Elias Baker & after being duly sworn makes the following statement & amendment of his annexed Declaration in order to obtain a Pension to wit that in the year 1779 he entered the service of his second tour as a drafted man & served as stated in his declaration. That in the year 1781 he served his third tour under the officers stated in his said declaration as a drafted militiaman & he recollects the date of this last tour from the fact that at that time the battle was fought at Guilford & Cornwallis marched on toward Virginia and that in each service he was a private soldier that he was living in Rowand County North Carolina each time he entered the service. after the War he removed to Elbert County Georgia from there to Franklin County Georgia there to Madison County Illinois there remanded to Gwinnett County where he still resides. That Thomas Laning, John Laning, and William Frizzall knew of his wife in the first service - that Beall Baker, Benjamin Baker, & Capt Joseph White knew of his wife in the second service - and that Beall Baker & Samuel Killian knew of his wife in the third service - That he was born in Baltimore County State of Maryland on the 22 day of January 1760- That he has a record of his age in an old Book entitled "Saints visit" - That James Williams a clergyman - Thomas Worthing Esq. William Guien Esq. Samuel Maloney & Col. Nathaniel Burge four of whom he has been long know & many others of his neighbors can testify to his character for veracity & of their belief on his service as a soldier of the revolution was and that since his former declaration he has found Beall Baker by whom he can know last of his service. Sworn to and Subscribed (signed) Elias Baker on this 5 August 1833 [document has actual signature] (signed) John Mills J.P. ------------------- Georgia Gwinnett County I William Maltbie Clerk of the Inferior Court for said County hereby certify that John Mills whose name appears in the foregoing affidavit as a subscribing witness is and was at the time of subscribing the same an acting Justice of the Peace for said County and that full faith & credit ought to be had & given to his attenuation as such and that the same is in due form. Given under my hand & seal of Office this 24th day of August 1833 (signed) Wm. Maltbie C.I.C. ------------------- 4978 Georgia Sarah Baker widow of Elias Baker NC who served in the Revolutionary war, as a Private Inscribed on the Roll at the rate of 30 dollars 00 cents per annum, to commence on the 4th day of March 1848. Certificate of Pension issued the 26 day of July, 1849 and sent to Col. J. Knoxhlalker. Present Recorded on Roll of Pensioners under act February 2, 1848, Page 208 vol. 3 ------------------- State of Georgia Forsyth County On this the 7th day of October one thousand eight hundred and forty eight before me the undersigned a Justice of the Peace in and for said County and State personally appeared Nicholas Sewell and after being duly sworn according to law Declares that he is in his 82nd year from the 4th of March last that he was born in Rowan County North Carolina and was well acquainted with Elias Baker and Sarah Holebrook in said county of Rowan and state of North Carolina before the said Elias Baker and Sarah Holebrook were married he states from his best recollection that they were marryed just before or about the close of the Revolutionary War and that he lived in the same neighborhood when said marriage took place in one & a half or two miles of John Holebrook the father of Sarah Holebrook now the widow Baker and since that time lived a neighbour to Elias Baker & wife in Franklin County in this State for the space of 20 years of more since that time Elias Baker moved to Illinois and back to Gwinnette County in this State and from that County to Walker or Chattooga Counties where he died some 3 or 4 years ago as he has been informed leaving his widow Sarah Baker. Sworn to and subscribed (signed) Nicholas Sewell before me this the 7th of his mark October 1848 (signed) Oliver Sewell (signed) David Talant J.Peace I David Talant do hereby certify that the foregoing Declaration was carefully read before & the said Nicholas Sewell was qualified to it and signed the same. (signed) David TalantJ.P. I also certify that Mr. Sewells statements are certified to full faith and credit. October 7 - 1848 (signed) David Talant J. P. ------------------- State of Georgia Chattooga County On this the 12th day of October one thousand eight hundred and forty eight before me the undersigned Justice of the Peace in & for said County and State personally appeared Sarah Baker Widow of Elias Baker, deceased, who being duly sword according to law declares that she is the lawful Widow of Elias Baker who was a Revolutionary Soldier and a pensioner of the United States in Gwinnett County in this State at the rate of 30 dollars per Annum and that she makes this Declaration in order to obtain a pension from the United States as the widow of said deceased Elias Baker from the date of his death which occurred on the 18th day of November 1843 during her life time as provided by a Resolution passed & approved by Congress on the first day of July 1848 and all other resolutions and acts passed and approved for the benefit of Widows of Revolutionary Soldiers who were married previous to the first day of Jan 1794. She states that she was married to her late husband Elias Baker in Rowan County N.C. by Esqr. Fifer in the 15th day of June 1780 and had in lawful wedloc ten children six of which were alive when last heard from. The enclosed record is a record of the ages of her children as put down by her late husband in his own handwriting taken from his family register some forty odd years ago owing to the mutilation of said original record. She states that she knows of no persons living that was present at her husbands marriage but knows of some individuals that were alive when last heard from that was acquainted with her & her husband as husband and wife previous to the first day of January 1794 to wit Sarah Baker of Hall County, Nicholas Sewell of Forsyth County and James Sewell of Merriweather County Ga and deponent further declares that she has not married since the death of said Elias Baker but still remains a widow. (signed) Sarah Baker Sworn and subscribed the day and year aforesaid before me her mark (signed) J. S. Chastain John Montgomery J. Peace I John Montgomery do certify that the foregoing Declaration was carefully read before Mrs. Baker swore to same and made her crop and that she is not able from infirmity and old age to go before the Court of said County to make her Declaration before said Court and that her statements are entitled to full faith and credit. (signed) John Montgomery J. Peace ------------------- State of Georgia Hall County I John Dorsey an acting Justice of the Peace in and for said County do certify that I have been acquainted with Mrs. Sarah Baker widow of Elias Baker who was a Revolutionary Pensioner of the United States in Gwinnette County in this State for the last forty two years and was well acquainted with her husband Elias Baker from the fall of the year 1807 up to the death of said Elias Baker which occurred in Chattooga County a few years ago. I well recollect of knowing the said Elias and Sarah Baker as husband and wife as far back as 1807 as I went to live with them in that year and remained with them about 14 years at the end of that time I left them in the State of Illinois and returned to Georgia as I was then twenty one years of age and in a short time after I left them they moved back to Gwinnette Co. thence to Cass Co. and thence to Chattooga County where they remained until he died leaving said widow and I also certify that from the apparent ages of their oldest children and from the statements of the said Elias and Sarah Baker that they were married about the year 1790 in the State of North Carolina. I have frequently heard Elias Baker speak of his oldest child Charles Baker being six months old when he was in the Army at the battle at Guilford Court House. Given under my hand and seal this twenty first day of June one thousand eight hundred and forty nine (signed) John Dorsey J. Peace ------------------- State of Georgia Hall County I Joseph Dunagan one of the Judges of the Inferior Court of said County do certify that John Dorsey whose name appears to the foregoing certificate is an acting Justice of the Peace duly commissioned and certify that his statements are entitled to full faith and credit as a respectable and worthy citizen. Given under my hand and seal this the 21st day of June 1894 (signed) Joseph Dunagan Justice of the Inferior Court ------------------- [Following transcription is of what appears to be a page about 4" x 7" from a book - perhaps the book referenced by Elias Baker in an above declaration.] James Baker was Born July 7th 1797 Charlette Baker was Born September 19th 1798 Sarah Baker was Born August 7th 1804 ==================================================================== 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: William L. Stephenson, Jr. woodart@one.net ====================================================================