Wilkes-Burke County NcArchives Military Records.....Parks, George April 10, 1833 Revwar - Pension ************************************************ Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/nc/ncfiles.htm ************************************************ File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by: Nancy Poquette npoq@hotmail.com July 4, 2006, 1:30 am Pension Application Of George Parks, Natl Archives Microseries M805, Roll __, Application #W27457 Monroe County, Indiana, April 10, 1833, George Parks, aged 73 years on the 5th day of August, 1832: “That he was born in Amherst County in the state of Virginia August 5th, 1859. When a boy, his father removed with him to Wilkes County NC, and settled on the Yadkin River, where he, the said George Parks continued to reside until the Revolutionary War…” “That in his 15th year, or perhaps he might have been a few months older, being the year 1775 (or thereabouts, he may be a year wrong, his memory having greatly failed in consequence of his years and sickness), the day and month he cannot dare to state, I t was in the early part of summer of said year. He very well recollects that the beef cattle had got in good order in the woods. He entered in the service of the United States as the substitute of Cornelius Sale senior, in the company commanded by Captain William Lenore(the lieutenant’s name was William Gray) in the regiment commanded by Colonel _____ Isaacs (his first name forgotten) in the militia of the state of North Carolina.” “That upon entering the service he obtained the appointment as that sergeant of said company. He was rendezvoused at and marched from said county of Wilkes, and from the Courthouse thereof to the site of, and was employed in the erection, and after completing it, in the defense of Fort Defiance high up on the Yadkin River. Said fort had been commenced and breastworks erected on one side, and shelters for encamping by troops previously there. In erecting and guarding said fort, and in short excursions through the neighboring county, he served out the full period of his said 3 months term of service which he performed faithfully and to the acceptance of his officers. He received no discharge in writing, and believes none of the troops who served with him received any. He was dismissed at said Fort Defiance in the fall of the same said year in which he entered the service. After reflecting, he might have been 16 years old when entering the service.” 2nd tour-In the year 1776 (in his best impression) in the spring season, he was drafted in a company of footmen commanded by Captain Samuel Johnston in a regiment commanded by Colonel Benjamin Cleaveland in the militia of the state of North Carolina. He was drafted and entered the service of the United States at and then lying in the County of Wilkes in said state of North Carolina (for another and 2nd) tour or period of 3 months. He was rendezvoused at and marched from said place in said company under said officers in an expedition against the Cherokee Indians.” “He was marched to the Watauga River (in what is now Tennessee) and was employed in part of his term building Fort Carter near the bank of said River on the south side. He was employed in guard said fort principally, and in almost daily, short scouts. He served out the full period of said term of service of 3 months to the acceptance of his officers and faithfully and was dismissed at said fort at the said end of his term in the early part of the summer of said year. He received no discharge in writing nor did any that served with him, to his knowledge.” 3rd tour-“in the year 1779 (he thinks it was, not confident) the season of the year, nor month or day he cannot recollect (certainly he thinks it was in the fall season), he volunteered in the minute service in the company commanded by Captain William Lenore (being mounted riflemen) in the regiment commanded by Colonel Benjamin Cleaveland in the militia of the state of North Carolina for the period of 18 months and entered the service of the United States and served in various expeditions in various directions, all of which he cannot now enumerate with accuracy. Much of said service consisted during said term in maneuvering and guarding against small bands of Tories.” “His first rendezvous, as well as he recollects, was at Wilkes Courthouse, North Carolina, he then living in said county of Wilkes, where under said officers he was marched and entered said service and from said place marched to new River (or Neuse River?) against outlying Tories, the mountains and canes about new River being ‘full of them.’ They caught many of them and took them to camp, prisoners. After 4 or 5 weeks, they were marched back to Wilkes County, North Carolina.” “Not long after, about 30 Tories being on the passage from the Hollow of the Yadkin River (crossing at Parks Ford) through Wilkes and Rutherford Counties to South Carolina, plundering and doing other mischief on their way, this applicant with a portion of said company guarding said crossing and the said Tories attempting to cross, they were surprised and defeated by this declarant and his comrades. That upon being hailed said Tories retreated back across the river and after being pursued by this applicant and his party some distance, it was ascertained had made good their retreat by jumping their horses down a steep bank. Some of them, though wounded, no prisoners were made.” “After this, a young Whig hunting on a cloudy day discovering a Tory camp and being informed by him of it, this applicant and his party of minute men succeeded in surprising them and capturing 7 of them. Our party of minute men hung 2 of them, William ?Coil, ?Carl? and Lem Jones and whipping the rest nearly to death, let them go. The applicant and his party at another time took a 3rd Tory and hung him, Hugh ?Bottom, ?Rolton?” “Not long after, and all during said 18 months service, he and others of said company of minute men captured old Solomon Sparks, a celebrated Tory. They employed a Whig from a distant neighborhood and a stranger to said old Tory, to decoy him out of his house without his gun under the pretence of being a traveler inquiring of the road. They succeeded admirably. He fought bravely without arms and considerably injured this applicant by kicking him. He was sent down the Yadkin in a canoe. After tied hand and foot on his back he repeatedly bellowed, ‘Hurra for King George!’ This applicant during said service was at the taking of Peter Holt, a Tory.” “Whilst stationed at Wilkes Courthouse, he was in a sham battle which was near terminating seriously when some of the companies losing (by flight ?help? or near it) of their numbers leaving their hats and guns and returning to their homes. This applicant not one of those who fled.” “During the time of 18 months minute service, the applicant under said officers was marched on the expedition to Kings Mountain to meet Colonel Ferguson and arrived near enough to hear the firing, but this applicant and the whole company being then on foot, did not arrive on the mountain in time to engage in the battle. After said battle, the applicant was sent home in charge of his nephew, Henry Parks, who was wounded in the battle. He received the orders of the officers for said purpose and was instructed by them verbally to be, and to consider himself to be discharged upon taking care of said wounded nephew home, which he did at Wilkes County, NC. He served his said 18 months faithfully and to the acceptance of his officers, lacking a few days at the most.” “Besides the foregoing to King’s Mountain, he was marched in said 18 months under said officers several tours against the Tories, in some of which he traversed the county up, about the mountains, and down the country south. He went one tour under said officers in said service to Ramseur’s Mills, after the battle then. At another time into Salem and down into the Deep River Country.” “The last expedition during said 18 months he marched under said officers was designed to reinforce General Greene at Guilford Courthouse, North Carolina, in which, about the time of starting on the march, he was placed under the command of Richard Allen in the regiment commanded by Colonel ?Sack. On the way he joined General Rutherford’s army. Said Battle of Guilford was over before they (this applicant and his troops) arrived.” “He lived (after the said war) 5 or 6 years in Wilkes County, NC. He then removed to Burke County in said state, resided there about 18 years, and then he removed to Washington County, where after residing there one season, he removed to Monroe County in the state of Indiana where he now resides and has resided for 16 years.” Additional Comments: George Parks died December 7, 1837. His widow, Catherine Parks filed claim papers from Dallas County, TX. File at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/nc/wilkes/military/revwar/pensions/parks404gmt.txt This file has been created by a form at http://www.genrecords.org/ncfiles/ File size: 9.1 Kb