DeKALB COUNTY, TN - MILITARY - John Puckett, Revolutionary War Pension Application ============================================================================ 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 Tennessee USGenWeb Archives by: Rebecca Moon Moonietunes@aol.com ============================================================================ Revolutionary War Pension Application of John Puckett of White Co., TN National Archives and Records Administration File No. R8511 ========================================================= West Tennessee JOHN PUCKETT of White Co. in the State of Tennessee who was a private in the com. commanded by Captain PRICE of the reg. commanded by [blank] in the [blank] line for 6 months. Inscribed on the Roll of West Tennessee at the rate of 20 Dollars -- Cents per annum to commence on the 4th day of March, 1831. Certificate of Pension issued the 10 day of Feby 1834 and Nov. 21st FORESTER N.[?] R.[?] Arrears to the 4th of Sept. 50.00 Semi-anl. allowance ending 4 March 20.00 ______ $60.00 Revolutionary Claim Act June 7, 1832 Recorded by DAN BOYD, Clerk Book E, Vol. 7, Page 92 ------------------------------------- Copy of Declaration made and sent by GEORGE SMITH Sparta Ten. as agt. requested to [???] [???] 8 Apr. 1834. See letter to GEORGE SMITH 31 May 1834. ------------------------------------- Suspension removed. See letter to J.B. FORESTER H.R. & P. Agt. Dec. 20 1834. ========================================================= State of Tennessee White County On this 16 day of January A.D. 1834 personally appeared on open court before the Justices of the Court of Pleas and Quarter Sessions of said County and State now sitting in the town of Sparta JOHN PUCKETT a resident of White County Tennessee aged sixty nine years past, who being first duly sworn according to Law, doth on his oath make the following Declaration in order to obtain the benefit of the Act of Congress passed June 7th 1832. In the year 1779 as well as he now recollects he resided in Washington County in that portion of it which is now Russell County, in the Western part of Virginia, which was then a frontier settlement. He entered the service of the United States under the following circumstances. The Indians, about the period above mentioned became remarkably troublesome and dangerous to the inhabitants. The county contained four forts to wit: Richland, Elk Garden, Glade Hollow and Castlewoods. The depredations of the Indians rendered it necessary to guard these forts into which the inhabitants had fled for safety. There was also a fort called Ricofort, further west that any of the others. This Declarant among others volunteered his services under Captain Thomas Price and went to Ricofort under Charles Hays, who had a temporary command of the troops who went to that fort. Captain Price had the regular command at Elk Garden fort. At Ricofort this Declarant and the little band to which he belonged only remained a very short time -- He thinks about two weeks -- when he returned to Elk Garden fort where he was stationed under Captain Price and remained guarding the fort in all about seven years to the best of his recollection. During the whole of this period, it was customary for Captain Price to send out scouting parties every week or nearly so all the soldiers taking that service in turns. There were something like three hundred families in that fort. In the Winter Season, they could return to their homes, the Indians being generally at those periods far removed, and no danger being apprehended. In the summer season occasionally some would work in raising crops, while others would guard those at work. They were however required to hold themselves ready for service at a minutes warning. This Declarant can say with entire certainty that during this period, he was in actual and active service, either guarding the frontier or on scouting parties, two years. He hereby relinquishes every claim to a pension or annuity except the present and declares that his name is not on the pension roll of any agency in any State. He has no documentary evidence, nor does he know of any living witness whose testimony he can procure to prove his service. Answers to the interrogatories prescribed by the War Department and propounded by the Court-- 1st. He was born in Bottetourt County Virginia in the year 1764 on the 26th day of February. 2nd. He has a record of his age. 3rd. He was living in Washington County Virginia when called into service as above stated. Since the Revolutionary War he has resided in Knox County Kentucky, Pulaski County Kentucky, and White County Tennessee where he now resides and where he has resided for twenty three years past. 4th. He volunteered when called into service. 5th. He has stated the name of the only officer who was with the troops where he served. He was in no Battle during his service. Nor was there anything very remarkable that occurred, except what was usual on the frontier. 6th. He received no written discharge but what dismissed from service, as were all the remaining troops by Captain Price. 7th. He refers to the following individuals to whom he is known in his present neighborhood and who can testify as to his character for veracity and their belief of his service as a soldier of the Revolution, to wit. Turner Law Esq. William Glenn. James Davis Esq. Rev. Henry Burton. JOHN PUCKETT {seal} Sworn to in open Court, 16th January A.D. 1834 JACOB LAW, clerk of White County Court We HENRY BURTON a clergyman residing in the County of White and JOHN JETT residing in the same County hereby certify that we are well acquainted with JOHN PUCKETT who has subscribed and sworn to the foregoing Declaration, that we believe him to be sixty nine years of age, that we believe him to have been a soldier of the Revolution. We have never heard it even disputed or doubted. HENRY BURTON {seal} JOHN JETT {seal} Sworn to in open Court, 16th January A.D. 1834 JACOB LAW, clerk White County Court And the said Court do hereby declare their opinion after the investigation of the matter and after putting the questions prescribed by the War Department that the above named applicant was a soldier of the Revolution and served as he states. And the Court further certifies that it appears to them that HENRY BURTON who has signed the preceding certificate is a clergyman resident in the County of White and that JOHN JETT who has also signed the same is a resident of the same County and is a credible person and that their statement is entitled to full credit. HOS. EASTLAND {seal} DAVID SNODGRASS {seal} JOSEPH CUMMINGS {seal} State of Tennessee White County I JACOB A. LAW clerk of the Court of Pleas and Quarter Sessions in and for the County of White aforesaid Do hereby certify that the foregoing contains the original proceedings of said Court in the matter of the application of JOHN PUCKETT for a pension under the act of Congress of the United States of the 7th June A.D. 1832. In Testimony whereof I have hereunto subscribed my name and affixed the seal of said County on this the 17th day of January A.D. 1834 and of the Independence of the United States the fifty eighth. JACOB A. LAW, Clerk As the service is [???] I will accept six months and relinquish the same for the present this 7th of Feb 1834. JOHN B. FORESTER. ========================================================= Sparta Township 27 March 1834 To the Hon. S. CASS Secretary of War Sir, I am informed that a Mr. JOHN PUCKET of White County Tennessee has made application now to the Department of War for a pension and that he has obtained a certificate for a pension. I am correctly informed and know if of my own knowledge that he is not entitled to any pension of the government and for the purpose of getting at him by suit to show that he has obtained this pension by fraud, I want you to send me a certified copy a certified copy of his declaration so as to get him by the first Monday in May next so as to be in time for the Circuit Court. I have not a doubt that he has misstated things in order to obtain a small pension and if so it ought to be [???] and exposed. Very Respectfully yours, GEORGE (X) SMITH his mark Witness N. OLDHAM Please send to GEORGE SMITH White County Tennessee Sparta Post Office. ========================================================= Pension Agency, West Tennessee Office D[???] U. States Nashville 20th April 1834 Sir, Your list of new pensions under the act of June 1832, under date of the 9th [??] came to hand today. Your instructions of the 8th [??] to suspend the payment of the Pension in the name of JOHN PUCKETT came to hand yesterday -- fortunately he has not yet applied for the Pension -- therefore there will be nothing to it by his fraud -- if fraud he has committed. I am most respectfully Your ob. svt. THOS. H. FLETCHER Pen.R.A.[?] by [illegible] Clk. J.L. EDWARDS Esq. Administrator[?] of Pensions Washington City ========================================================= Sparta Township 19 May 1834 Sir, I am requested by the attorney Gen'l to ask you to inform me what kind of evidence and what kind of proceedings are necessary to stop the a genl from paying the pension of service JOHN PUCKETT -- I have received the certificate of his pension Declaration from you in due time and shall proceed. Yours Respectfully, GEORGE (X) SMITH his mark ========================================================= Sparta Nov. 27th 1834 Honorable J.S. Edwards Sir, In relation to the claim of PUCKETT I have enclosed you two affidavits. They are very confident on the subject. As to credit, I would say I have known SMITH for several years, I do not recollect that I have ever heard his credibility called in question. As to PUCKETT, I have no acquaintance. I think he is known by Col. FORESTER (our member) I am told that his affidavit could be procured in Kentucky. As to the whole case I suppose its fraudulent character could be placed beyond all doubt. More testimony could not be gotten without considerable trouble and expense. With [???] of the [???] respect, Your obt sevt, J.B. McCORMICK ========================================================= State of Tennessee Smith County This day EDWIN PICKET personally appeared before me an acting justice of the peace for the county of Smith aforesaid and made within due form of law that he is intimately acquainted with JOHN PUCKETT who now resides in the northwestern part of White county in the State of Tennessee -- That he knew him in the County of Washington in the State of Virginia during the revolutionary war and that he can speak with great confidence and say that he was not a soldier of the revolution. In this he says he cannot be mistaken. JEREMIAH E. (X) PUCKETT his mark {SS} Sworn to and subscribed before me this 5th October 1834 JOHN P. WILLIAMS {SS} Justice of the Peace State of Tennessee Smith County I JONATHAN PICKETT Clerk of the Court of Pleas and Quarter Sessions for said county do hereby certify that JOHN L. WILLIAMS before whom the within affidavit was made, now is and was at the time said affidavit was made, one of the acting Justice of the Peace in and for the county aforesaid, duly commissioned and qualified according to law. In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand and affixed the seal of said Court at office in [???] this 7th day of November 1834 and 59th year of our Independence. J. PICKETT Clk ========================================================= State of Tennessee White County On this 27th day of November 1834 GEORGE SMITH personally appeared before me the undersigned justice of the peace for White County and made oath in due form of law that he is well acquainted with JOHN PUCKETT who now resides in the county of White and who appears to be placed on the pension roll of the United States. He states he has known JOHN PUCKETT since a boy was raised in the same neighborhood in the state of Virginia, and from that knowledge can say with the utmost confidence that he never was a soldier of the revolutionary war. Their acquaintance and conversation since said war confirms this opinion. GEORGE SMITH Sworn to and subscribed before me this 27th day of November 1834 JOHN JETT Justice of the Peace State of Tennessee White County I do hereby certify that GEORGE SMITH personally appeared before me the undersigned justice of the peace and made oath in due form of law that the foregoing affidavit is just and true. Given under my hand and seal this 27th day of November 1834. JOHN JETT {seal} Justice of the Peace State of Tennessee White County I JACOB A. LAW clerk of the county court for the County of White do hereby certify that JOHN JETT whose name appears to the foregoing certificate is an acting justice of the peace for said county of White and member of the county Court of said county the same being a court of record and that his signature is genuine. Given under my hand and the seal of my office at office this 27th day of November 1834. JACOB A. LAW Clerk By TRENT C. CONNOR Dep Clk ========================================================= In the case of JOHN PUCKETT pension JOHN JETT is one of the witnesses who establishes his claim GEORGE SMITH & JEREMIAH PICKET impeach it. I would believe JOHN JETT statement in preference to two thousand of the other as to everything he may state. Dec. 13th 1834. JOHN B. FORESTER M. Congress ========================================================= War Dept. Pension Office Dec. 20th 1834 Sir, The suspension in the case of JOHN PUCKETT has been removed, and he will be paid his pension as formerly. [Illegible signature] J.B. FORESTER Home copy ========================================================= State of Tennessee Decalb County On the 16th day of May 1855 personally appeared before the undersigned a Justice of the Peace and Justice of the County Court of said County (which is a Court of record) RHODA PUCKETT a Resident of Decalb County State of Tennessee age Seventy one years who being duly sworn according to law doth as her oath make the following Declaration in order to obtain the benefit of the provisions made by the act of Congress passed 3rd Feby 1853 2nd Session. That she is the widow of JOHN PUCKETT dec'd who was a Revolutionary Pensioner of the United States at the rate of Twenty dollars per annum under act of 7th June 1832 and drew his pension at the Nashville Tennessee agency. She further declares, that she was married to the said JOHN PUCKETT on the 25 of December in the year Eighteen hundred and nine in White County in the State of Tennessee by one Isaac Glenn a Justice of the Peace. That her name before marriage was RHODA LIDA. That her husband the aforesaid JOHN PUCKETT died on the 30th day of September 1844. 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 and is still a widow and that she has never before made application for a Pension under said Act and that she has in her possession no record or other documentary Evidence in support of her claim. RHODA (X) PUCKETT her mark {seal} Sworn to and subscribed on the and year above written before me W.H.MEGGERSON J.P. De Kalb County I do hereby certify that I am well acquainted with RHODA PUCKETT who has this day sworn to and subscribed the foregoing Declaration before me that she is a woman of veracity and good repute and from bodily infirmity and old age she is unable to attend Court for the purpose of making her Declaration in open Court. I further certify that I was well acquainted with JOHN PUCKETT the above named RHODA PUCKETT that they lived together as man and wife up to the day of his death and were Regarded as such by all the neighbors. Said JOHN PUCKETT was a Revolutionary pensioner and RHODA PUCKETT is the widow. I further certify that I am not concerned in the prosecution of her claim nor interested in the Result thereof. W.H. MEGGERSON J.P. Know all men by these presents that I RHODA PUCKETT of Dekalb County State of Tennessee widow of JOHN PUCKETT a deceast Pensioner do hereby constitute and appoint Smith & Jones of Nashville Tennessee my true and lawful Attorneys for me and in my name to present and prosecute my claim to a Pension under Act of 3rd February 1853 and to secure any certificate therefore hereby ratifying and confirming all their lawful acts in the process is witness my hand and seal the 16 of May 1855. RHODA (X) PUCKETT her mark {seal} Acknowledged before me the 16 day of May 1855 W.H. MEGGERSON J.P. State of Tennessee Decalb County On the 16th day of May 1855 personally appeared before the undersigned an acting Justice of the Peace SAMUEL MEIRDOC & ZACARIAH KIRKLAND residents of DeKalb County men of undoubted veracity and made oath in due form of law that they were well acquainted with JOHN PUCKETT and his wife RHODA PUCKETT in the lifetime of said JOHN PUCKETT that they lived together as man and wife up to the death of said JOHN PUCKETT and that his wife RHODA still remains his widow. SAMUEL MURDOCK ZACARIAH (X) KIRLAND his mark Sworn to and subscribed before me the day and date above W.H. MEGGERSON J.P. of DeKalb County State of Tennessee County of DeKalb I WASHINGTON J. ISBELL Clerk of the County Court of said County do hereby certify that W.H. MEGGERSON Esq. whose signatures appears to the foregoing Declaration affidavits certificate and acknowledgment is and was at the time of signing the same an acting Justice of the Peace in and for said County duly confirmed and qualified and that the signatures thereto purporting to be his are genuine. In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand and affixed my seal of office the 8 day of June 1855. W.J. ISBELL CLERK of DeKalb County Court By JOHN B. TUBB his deputy clk ========================================================= Know all men by these presents that we JOHN PUCKETT and CALEB FRALEY all of the county of White and state of Tennessee our heirs etc. are jointly and severally held and firmly bound unto his excellency Willie Blount Esq. Governor and Commander in Chief in and over the state of Tennessee aforesaid in the penal sum of Twelve Hundred and fifty dollars, void on consideration there be no lawful objection why JOHN PUCKETT and RHODY LYDA should not be joined together as man and wife in holy matrimony. Witness our hands and seals this 4 day of December 1809. JOHN PUCKETT {seal} CALEB (X) FRALEY his mark {seal} attest JOHN M CARRICK State of Tennessee White County I GEORGE G. DIBRELL Clerk of White County Court hereby certify that the above is a true and perfect copy of the original Marriage Bond of JOHN PUCKETT and CALEB FRALEY as appears upon file now in my office. I also certify that I have made diligent search for the license but cannot find them, at that date their was no Register of Marriages kept in this state, and the license may have been misplaced in the office. In Testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand & seal of office at office in Sparta the 23rd day of April A.D. 1853. G.G. DIBRELL Clerk of White County Court =========================================================