Affadavit by Patsy M. Pettitt and William Head, 1838 re the pension application by Elizabeth Apperson State of North Carolina, Stokes County. ****************************************************************** File transcribed and contributed for use in the USGenWeb Archives by:"John & Cindy McCachern" ============================================================= 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. ============================================================= Be it known that on this 19th day of March, 1838, before me, Charles Banner, a Justice of the Peace for the Couty aforesaid, personally appeared Patsy M. Pettitt and William Head, aged persons. First, Patsy M. Pettitt saith that she was well acquainted with William Apperson and Elizabeth, his wife, whose maiden name was Carr, before they were married, and was present and saw Martin Armstrong, a Justice of the Peace for Surry County, NC solemnize the rites of matrimony between them on June 6, 1871, at this deponent's father's house in Surry Co, NC, viz, Thomas Poindexter's, and that said William Apperson died the 22d March, 1826, that the aforesaid Elizabeth Apperson has remained a widow ever since that period; that she is of the age she state in the foregoing declaration and, from bodily infirmity, not able to travel without materially injuring her weakness and, further, this deponent declares that she knew that the above named William Apperson was gone as a soldier in the Continental service, as well as other services, several tours, in time of the Revolutionary War, and believes the foregoing statement of the widow, Elizabeth Apperson, is a correct statement. Sworn and Subscribed to the date first above mentioned, before me, C. Banner, J. P. Signed, Patsy M. Pettitt William Head, deposeth and saith that he was well acquainted with William Apperson, alias Epperson, above named, in time of the Revolutionary War; that he knows said Apperson served under Joseph Philips, a Continental Captain in the ARmy of the United States, for two and one half years in the place of a Wm. Harrison, and also three months in the militia for and in this deponant's place, and that he paid him for so doing. Two other tours of three months he has just reason to believe he performed, as stated in the foregoing Declaration, as read to me; that he always understood that Martin Armstrong married said Apperson and Elizabeth Carr together, as stated in the above deposition; the exact date he cannot recollect at present of the different services as a soldier, nor the marriage, but that said Armstrong was an actin magistrate many years before and after that period. Said Apperson has been dead upwards of ten years and the above mentioned Elizabeth, his widow, has remained a widow ever since. Sworn and subscribed, the date above, before me, Signed, C. Banner, J. P. William Head, (X) his mark State of North Carolina, County of Stokes Thomas Sprinkle and Sally Wrodford Kelly, both being sworn according to law, first Thomas Sprinkle declares that he oftentimes heard the within named William Apperson in his lifetime relate the various expeditions that he had performed as a soldier in the Army of the United States in the Revolutionary War; that he heard him say he was under Col. Wm. Shepperd as a Minute Man and Guard at Old Richmond when a certain Robert Tate was hung dead as a Tory and one certain battle, or engagement, when he, wit the rest of the Whigs, retreated in haste from the British and Tories at REdy Creek, lost his gun by hooking in a sapling and droped his knapsack and swam across the creek and made his escape from the enemy, and that he was at the Battle of Monmouth; that said William Apperson died 22 March, 1826; that his widow, Elizabeth Apperson has remained a widow ever since that period, and Sally W. Kelly, on her part declares the same as respects the death of Wm. Apperson and widdowhood of the above named Elizabeth Apperson. Sworn and Subscribed, the date above mentioned, before me. C. Banner, J. P. Signed, Thomas Sprinkle and Sally W. Kelly N. Carolina--Stokes County I, Charles Banner, a Justice of the Peace for the County aforesaid, do hereby certify that the foregoing deposition of Thomas Sprinkle and Sally R. Kelly, was duly sworn to and subscribed at the house of said Sprinkle in said county on the day and date above and that they are respected and honest persons for truth and veracity in the county and neighborhood where they reside and I concur in that opinion, In Testimont whereof, I have hereunto set my hand this 19th day of March, 1838. Signed, C. Banner, J. P. State of North Carolina, County of Stokes Be it known that on the 20th day of March, 1838, before me, Charles Banner, a Justice of the Peace in and for the county aforesaid, personally appeared Noah Bailey and George Kregar, aged men, residents of said county of Stokes and both pensioners of the United States, and they being first sworn according to law, do declare what they knew of services rendered by William Apperson as a soldier in the Army of the United States during the war of the Revolution: Noah Bailey deposith and saith that the first time he ever saw and got acquainted with said Wm. Apperson, (called Epperson), was a short time before the Battle of Monmouth, not far from Philadelphia; a regular soldier, he does not remember his Captains's name, but that he and said Apperson both fought in said Battle and a Battle of White Plains and expects they both conversed together concerning the circunstances since the war. The dates of those battles this desponant does not recollect but perhaps he stated some of the dates in his own Declaration for a pension a few years past, tho from lapse of memory he cannot now recollect. He further states that it was a mere chance that he happened to settle and reside in the same neighborhood of said Apperson a few years previous to his death, which happened ten or twelve years past; that he left a widdow, Elizabeth, who is yet a widdow and has remained unmarried ever since her husband, William Apperson died. Sworn to and subscribed the day and year first above mentioned, before me, C. Banner, J. P. Noah Bailey (X) his mark Next, the aforesaid George Kregar, deposeth and saith on his oath that he was well acquainted with the above named William Apperson of Surry County, NC, and served as a private soldier with him six months in the Militia of the United States and he was one of his Mess Mates with him under Capt. Joseph Phillips in Richmond, Surry Court House, in the spring of the year 1780, to the lead mines on New River and guarded and brought lead back to Richmond, a distance in the route of ninety miles, or a hundred miles, two trips. Next, went in pursuit of a company of Tories commanded by a Tory, a captian named Roberts, who was ranging near the Blue Ridge of mountains. We searched the mountains, then to the Mulberry Fields in Wilkes County, then to the Brushy Mountains; from there to near a place called Ramsaurs Mills, when we received information that a part of our Army had met with and defeated the same Tories that we were in pursuit of. Then we returned to Surry again and remained at home some length of time when order was given to meet again at Richmond where we convened accordingly and from there marched various windings to Salisbury and down to Anson County, North Carolina, and near a place called Colson's we had a skirmish with a party of Tories who we defeated and took them prisoners, having killed some of them; returned to salisbury and was discharged for a six month's tour in all the different expeditions that said Apperson and this deponent had each performed. He further declares that he understood from the chat that his Captain Phillips and William Apperson aforesaid had between them that they had served together three years in the Continental service of the United States previous to the above six months and had been under Col. John Armstrong, a regular officer, and had fought in Battles to the north at Monmouth and Brandywine and others he does not recollect at present. The said William Apperson has been dead upwards of ten years and his widdow, Elizabeth, is now living and has remained a widdow ever since his death. Sworn to and subscribed the date first above mentioned, before me, C. Banner, J. P. Signed George Kregar (X) his mark