WAKE COUNTY, NC - MILITARY - Revolutionary War Pension for Allen Jones Bridges ==================================================================== 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: Anne S. Wise mwise@prodigy.net ==================================================================== Allen Jones Bridges Revolutionary War Pension File :::::::Transcribed by : Anne Simmons Wise; 21 February 1998::::::::::: State of Illinois; Greene County On this sixth day of March, A.D. 1834, personally appeared before the County Commisioners' Court of Greene County, Illinois, (being a Court of record), Allen J. Bridges, aged seventy seven years, who being first duly sworn according to law, doth on his oath make the following Declarartion in order to obtain the benefit of the provision made by the act of Congress passed June 7th 1832. That he was born in the County of Wake in the State of North Carolina, near the Falls of Nuse? River, in the year 1756. He volunteered and entered into the service of the United States, as a private in the North Carolina Militia when he was very young, the precise year he cannot recollect? under the Command of Captain Alexander?, attached to Colonel McDowell's REgiment under the Command of General McDowell -- his first employment was in guarding the fords and landings on the Catawba River to keep the British and Tories from crossing -- he was in the battle commonly called Ramcour's? battle near the Catawba River-- he was in the battle of Salsbury also. From Catawba we were marched with the prisoners to Salsbury where we guarded the prisoners three months -- that he served in all between seven and eight months for their share of seven months he is confident. He hereby reliquishes every claim whatever to a pension or an annuity , except the prospect and he ceclares that his name is not on the pension Roll of any army in any state or territory. Sworn to and subscribed in open court this 4th day of March 1834 Signed:: Allen J. Bridges::: Moses Bledsoe (clerk) The courts propounded the following interrogatories::: 1st::: Where and in what year were you born? I cannot recollect what year I was born in but I shall be seventy eight years of age next December the 29th day. I was born in the State of North Carolina. 2nd::: Have you any record of your age,name if so ?herewith? I have no record of my age, it was set down in my mothers old Bible, but has long been lost. 3rd::: Where were you living when called into service, where have you living since the revolutionary war, and where do you now live? I was living in the State of North Carolina, Roan County, when I volunteered, from thence to Wilkes County in the State of Georgia, from thence to Oglethorpe County, Georgia, from thence to Jackson County, from thence to Tennessee, from Tennessee to Greene County, Illinois, where I now live 4th::: How were you called into service? were you drafted, did you volunteer, or were you a substitute and if a substitute, for whom? I never was drafted or served as a substitute. My father entered the service and I volunteered to go along with him and serve my country. 5th::: State the names of the regular officers who were with the troops where you served, such continental and militia regiments as you can recollect and the general circumstances of the service? I do not recollect that I was acquainted with or saw any of the regular officers during the time I was in service, nor do I recollect an events except what have been alluded to in my narrative in the foregoing declaration. 6th::: Did you ever receive discharge from services? I never received any discharge for my services during the revolutionary war 7th::: State the name of persons to whom you are known in your present neighbourhood and who can testify as to your character for veracity and their belief of your services as a soldier of the revolution. I would refer to John Green, James Whittock, Thomas Rallan, Alexander Smith, Enoch Barnes, the Rev. Elijah Dotson and many others Signed in open court on the 6th day of March A.D. 1834 ::::signed Allen J. Bridges:::::: Subscribed and swortn to in open court Moses A. Bledsoe [clerk] We, Elijah Dotson, Clergyman residing in the County of Greene and state of Illinois, and John Greene and Thomas Ratton, also citizens of Greene County, hereby certify that we are well acquainted with Allen J. Bridges who has signed and sworn to the foregoing declaration, that we believe him to be the age he has stated , that he is reputed and believed in the neighbourhood where he resides to have been a soldier of the revolutionary war, and that we concur in that opinion, and that his oath is entitled to full forth and order :::::Signed, Elijah Dodson, Clergyman, John Green, Tho Rattan::::::::: Subscribed and sworn to in open court 6th of March 1834 by Moses Bledsoe[clerk] In the said County Commsioner's Court of Greene County, do hearby declare their opinion , after offering an investigation and careful examination of the applicant and the matters touching his personal application by purtting the interrogatories prescribed by the war department that the applicant , allen J. Bridges, was a revolutionary soldier and same as he states. And the said Court further certify that it appears to them that Elijah Dodson is a Clergyman, resident in our said County of Greene, and John Green and Thomas Rattan, who have signed the foregoing certificate and were sworn to the same in open court, are citizens of our said County, that they are credible persons and their statement is entitled to full credit given 6th day of March 1834 ::::signed J. Lsrton? , Cyrus Johnson, Jesse V. Morin?::::: State of Illinois , Greene County I, Moses Bledsoe, Clerk of the County Commissioners Court of Greene County dod hereby certify that the foregoing contains the original proceedings of the said court in the matter of the application of Allen J. Bridges for a pension on testimony whereof I have hereunto set my name and caused my seal of office to be affixed this 6th day of March 1834 :::Signed: Moses C. Bledsoe, Clerk::::: State of Illinois; County of Jersey On this twenty sixt day of February A.D. one thousand eight hundred and fifty three, personally appeared before the County Court in and for the County and State aforesaid, Elizabeth Bridges, aged sixty one years , a resident of the County of Jersey and State of Illinois who being duly sworn according to law declares on her oath make the following declaration in order to obtain the benefit of the provisions made by the act of Conress passed February 3rd 1853; that she is the Widow of Allen J. Bridges who was a pensioner of the United States and drew his pension at Springfield in the State of Illinois, that her said Husband was a resident of the County of Greene and State of Illinois and drew teh same twenty three dollars and thirty three cents per annum. She further states that she was married to the said Allen J. Bridges on the thirteenth day of July A.D. one thousand eight hundred and thirty six; that her husband the aforesaid Allen J. Bridges died on the second day of August , A.D. one thousand eight hundred and forty six in the Count yof Greene and State of Illinois , that she was married to him at the time above stated , she further swears that she was a Widow at the passage of the act of February A.D. 1853 and is still a Widow and that she never before made application for a pension ::::signed: Elizabeth Bridges::::: ::::Attest: J. Havin; J. Campbell;:::: Subscribed and sworn to before me Judge of said Court the day and year frst above written :::::signed George E . Warren [County Judge] ::::::::: State of Illinois; County of Jersey I George W. Sowder, Clerk in and for the County and State aforesaid do hereby certify that Geoge E. Warren ? before whom the foregoing declaration was made and who has hereunto subscribed his name awas at the time of so doing a Judge of the County Court aforesaid duly commissioned and sworn The testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand and affixed the seal of my office as Clerk of the county Court of said County this twenty sixth day of February A.D. 1853 :::signed, George W. Sowder [Clerk]:::::: State of Illinois; Greene County; I, Francis P. Vidder? Clerk of the County Court in and for said County do hereby certify that Mr. Allen J. Bridges and Miss Elizabeth Irvin was joined in the holy bands of matrimony on the 13th day of July A.D. 1836 by Abraham Enslow, Esqr. and acting Justice of the peace in and for said Court, all of which appear of Record in my said office In testimon whereof I have hereunto set my hand and affixed the seal of said Court at Carrollton this 25th day of February A.D. 1853 ::::signed Francis P. Veddim?, Clerk:::::: State of Illinois; Greene County, I Francis P. Veddim? Clerk of the County Court in and for said County do hereby certify that from satisfactory evidence on file and made? of kind in my said office that Mr. Allen J. Bridges died in the County of Greene and State of Illinois in or about the 5 day of August A.D. 1846 In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand and affixed the seal of said court at Carrollton this 25th day of Feburary A.D. 1853 :::signed Francis P. Veddim? , Clerk:::: Pension Office: October 6th 1853 Sir, The paper filed as additional evidence in the case of Mrs. Elizabeth Bridges, does not meet th requirements of my ltter of the 16th May last. Competent and satisfactory evidence of disinterested aprties must be adduced, fully identifying her as the widow of the pensioner described in her declaration before her claim can be allowed. Her own affidavit is not suficiet, even if it were unobjectional in other respects. That filed by her in answer to my letter however, is mutilated by an erasure, which renders it entirely inadmissable, even were it competent testimony. Very Respectfully, :::signed, unreadable name::: Commissioner N.A. Uund, Esqr. Jerrysville, Illinois State of Illinois County of Madison On this fifteenth day of May A.D. one thousand eight hundred and fifty three personally appeared before me the undersigned a Justice of the peace in and for said county George Muirhead and Ann Skidmore who being first duly sworn according to law declare that Elizabeth Bridges is the widow of Allen J. Bridges, loate of Green County ,Illinois who was a pensioner of the united States for services in the revolution htat the name of the said Elizabeth Bridges before her said marriage to the said Allen J. Bridges was Elizabethe Irvin, they further state tha they were well acquainted with the said Elizabeht Bridges before her marriage and have known her up to this time, They swear that they are not interested :::::signed George Muirhead, Ann Skidmore? :::: Subscribed and sworn to before me the day and year first above written and I certify that George Muirhead and Ann Skidmore are credible persons well known to me, and I farther certify that I am not interested nor con in the presentation of this claim. :::::signed F.B. Winship, J.P. :::::: State of Illinois County of Madison I John A Prickett, Clerk of the County Court in and for the County aforesaid do certify that J.B. Winship Esqr. whose genuine signature appears to above proceedings is and was at the time of signing the same an active Justice of the Peace duly commissioned and certified in testimony whereof I have herunto set my hand and seal of office this fifteenth day of May A.D. 1854 :::::signed, John A. Prickett [clerk]::::: ?Vermillion?, Illinois, Oct 1st ??????? Dear Sir, I beg leave to invite your attention to the case of Allen J. Bridges of Green County, Ill. who is a Revolutionary Pensioner ,receives, I believe, $22.33 per annum. He says that his papers in the first instance was not made out right. That this represented him to be a volunteer and did not state the fact that he volunteered as a continental soldier during the Revolutionary War and served I believe seven months before Peace was made and then guarded the British Prisoners in Salsbury three months until they were _______.He thinks that inasmuch as he was a soldier for the war whether long or short , he is entitled to a larger Pension. He says the man who drew up his papers did not discover that to volunteer is a continental soldier according to was volunteering during the war and only used the ward as we now most generally accept it. Please sir, give me your opinion on the subject and if his Pension can be enlarged , ___ some directions how to,____ and also ____ of all instruments a ___ necessary With me us ___ I am yours, ???unreadable signature???? Pension Office May 16th 1853 Sirs, Before Mrs. Elizabeth Bridges can be allowed a pension, as the widow of Allen J. Bridges, a revolutionary soldier satisfactory evidence must be filed, identifying her as the same person who under the name of Elizabeth Irvin is certified to have been married to said soldier on the 13th day of July 1836 Her declaration does not state her maiden name nor is there any proof on file of her said identity. I am, respectfully Your Obt. Svt. :::????::: Commissioner N.A. Hurd, Esqr., Jerseyville, Illinois State of Illinois County of Jersey On this sixth day of September A.D. one thousand eight hundred and fifty three personally appeared before me the undersigned and made oath in due form of Law, Elizabeth Bridges, and States on her oath that she is the widow of Allen J. Bridges who was a sodier of the Revolution and a pensioner of the United States and that her name before her said marriage was Elizabeth Irvin That she is still a widow signed:::: by mark, Elizabeth Bridges Allen John Boyle subscribed and sworn to before me George W. Sowder, Clerk of the County Court in and for the county of Jersey and State of Illinois the day and year first above written In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand and official seal this the 6th day of September A.D. 1853 ::::signed George W. Sowder, Clerk of county Court::::::::