JACKSON COUNTY, TN - REVOLUTIONARY WAR PENSION APPLICATION - RICHARD GORDON http://files.usgwarchives.net/tn/jackson/military/gordonr.txt ************************************************************************ USGENWEB NOTICE: All documents placed in the USGenWeb Archives remain the property of the contributors, who retain publication rights in accordance with US Copyright Laws and Regulations. In keeping with our policy of providing free information on the Internet, these documents may be used by anyone for their personal research. They may be used by non-commercial entities so long as all notices and submitter information is included. These electronic pages may NOT be reproduced in any format for profit. Any other use, including copying files to other sites, requires permission from the contributors PRIOR to uploading to the other sites. 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: Joyce Blocker (cbstark@aol.com) *********************************************************************** Transcribed by Ron Sanders and Joyce Stark Blocker, August 1998 Pension File #26625 West Tennessee Richard Gordon of Jackson County in the State of Tennessee who was a private in the said(?) command by Captain Beverly of the 119th(?) command by Col Hearn (should be Herndon) in the N. Carolina line for 18 months and 10 days N.C. and Ga. Line..Records corrected =========================================== Inserted on the Roll of West Tennessee March 3, 1834 at the rate of 34 Dollars 44 Cents per annum to commence on the 4th day of March, 1834 =============================================== Certificate of Pension issued the 9th day of April 1834 and Hon. John B. Forester ___ Re =============================================== Arrears to the 4th of March 103.32 ____ allowance ending 4 Sep 17.22 120.54 ======== Revolutionary Claim Act June 7, 1838 Recorded by Danl Boyd Clerk Book C Vol. 7 Page 80 State of Tennessee Jackson County On this 15th day of February 1834 personally appeared before the worshipful court of Pleas and Quarter Sessions in open court Richard Gordon, a resident of Jackson County, State of Tennessee, aged sixty-eight years in April 1834, who being first duly sworn according to law, doth on his oath make the following declaration in order to obtain the benefit of the provision made by the Act of Congress passed June 7th 1832. That he enlisted in the army of the United States as a volunteer and serve as herein stated under the following named officers. That he volunteered in the service of the U. States the 16th of August 1781 in Wilkes County North Carolina in an expedition against the Indians for three months under Capt John Beverly & Col. Hearn [Herndon] and marched to Pleasant Garden near the head of Kataboo [Catawba] River when we joined Genl McDowels army, was principally engaged in the Cherokee nation, what was called the middle settlements, scouring the country destroying Indian houses, towns, crops, etc. There were two companies that went in this expedition making near four hundred men that marched from Wilkes Court House to Pleasant Garden, one commanded by Capt Sloan & the other by Capt Berry(?), the latter to which I belonged. At the expiration of two months was discharged by Col. Hearn. I went home as we could without receiving any written discharge, was in actual service as a private soldier on this tour just two months. As soon as applicant returned home from the above mentioned tour his father moved to Wilkes County in the State of Georgia. On the 1st of May 1782 he again volunteered as a private soldier at Knox Station in said county for forty days under Capt. Knox who had a station on his farm & was chiefly in fact wholly engaged in scouting & ranging the surrounding country to drive off the Indians. This was a station when the Government allowed Knox a few men as guards against the Indians, when his time was out he was dismissed and went home without receiving any written discharge, served out his forty days which was considered one month & ten days, on Indian expedition. In August of the same year (to wit) 1782 applicant went to Franklin County on Tugula [Tugaloo] River, & in September was employed by Major Jesse Walton as a spy who applicant understood was authorized to employ such men in service, there built a fort called Walton Fort. At this fort we remained or were stationed & sent out by Major Walton on spying expeditions for seven months in every direction through the country as directed by Maj. Walton, generally sent out in certain boundarie & performed a tour every week, his tour was allways performed with a son of Major Walton who was assigned with applicant & went together throughout; this was against the Creek Indians, was retained longer than seven months, & was held in actual service this tour nine months ~ during the whole of the above mentioned service applicant was in actual service of the revolutionary war twelve months & ten days. After the year 1783, applicant was again in the United States service which he will here set forth for which service he claims & leaves it with the Department to say whether he is entitled to a pension for it to wit When he was discharged from his service as a spy under Walton he remained at the station two years or longer & in Dec. 1785 he enlisted at that place under Capt. Wm. Martin for two years who was destined for Bledsoes Lick in Cumberland now Sumner County Tennessee, was ordered on by Martin from Waltons station to the frontier of Virginia, Powels Valley, where he remained until August 1786 when Martin came on, applicant was then married & substituted a man in his place in this expedition was in service eleven months making in addition to his previous service one year, eleven months & ten days. Applicant would further state that from Powels Valley he moved to what is now Kentucky & in Sept 1791 was drafted for three months in Madison County at Milford under Capt. Wm. Cavinor & was marched to Cincinnati Ohio under Col Oldham in Genl St. Clairs army, then on to the point of battle where St. Clair was defeated in Nov 1791. His Col Oldham and Genl Butler were both killed in this battle. Applicant belonged to Oldhams Regiment as we went on to the place of the battle built a fort called Fort Jefferson. After we were defeated the soldiers came off pretty much in confusion, applicant with others travelled twenty-nine miles to Fort Jefferson the day of the battle through the snow barefoot having loaned his shoes to a companion & friend Wm. Carlish to stand guard, applicant was shot through the arm in this battle. When we got to Cincinnati were mustered out of service, got no written discharge except something like a certificate to the paymaster, in this expedition was in service two months & 20 days. His whole service was as follows -- the tour previous to 1782 twelve months & ten days - on the frontier of VA eleven months, and in St. Clairs expedition two months & 20 days, making in all three years ----- which is for the department how long he is entitled to a pension -- Has no documentary evidence to show his service as a soldier of the revolution nor can he procure any, & no living witness by whom he can prove it --- William Carlisle can prove his service in St. Clairs army. Although applicant does not claim it, he would state that he served a tour in the late creek war under Genl Jackson as a volunteer. Answers to the interrogations prescribed by the War Department. 1st. Was born on the 17 April 1766 in Henry County, Virginia. 2nd. Have no record of my age my father had one but cannot tell what became of it. 3rd. When first called into service lived in Wilkes County N.C. -- then in Wilkes Cty Geo., then in Franklin Cty, Geo. Then Powels Valley Va., then to Madison County Ky, then in the state of Va, from there moved to Cumberland Cty Ky & then to Jackson [Co.] Tenn. where I have lived there for the last 23 years. 4th. I volunteered as a private in all my service except in St. Clairs army, in that expedition was drafted. 5th. I know nothing of the officers of the regular army. Knew Capt Butler, Col Butler, Genl Butler, Major Hamtramck & Genl St. Clair & others as stated in the above declaration, the general circumstances as above. 6th. I never received a written discharge for any of my service. 7th Am acquainted with many persons in my neighborhood who will give me credit for veracity & their belief of my services as a soldier of the revolution ~ the Revd Phillip Mulkey and Robert Jennings will so certify it. He hereby relinquishes any claim whatever to a pension or annuity except the present, & he declares that his name is not on the pension roll of any agency in any state except the present, Sworn to & subscribed this day & year aforesead } s/Richard Gordon s/William Galbreath clerk Rev Phillip Mulkey a clergyman residing in the county of Jackson & state of Tennessee and Robert Jennings in the same county & state hereby certify that we are well acquainted with Richard Gordon who has subscribed & sworn to the above declaration that believe him to be sixty-eight. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ WAR DEPARTMENT PENSION OFFICE Sir: The evidence in support of your claim, under the act of June 7, 1832, has been examined, and the papers are herewith returned. The following is a statement of your case in a tabular form. On comparing these papers with the following rules, and the subjoined notes, you will readily perceive that objections exist, which must be removed, before a pension can be allowed. The notes and the regulations will shew what is necessary to be done. Those points to which your attention is more particularly directed, you will find marked in the margin with a brace, (thus: } ). You will, when you return your papers to this Deparatment, send this printed letter with them, and you will, by compling with this request, greatly facilitate the investigation of your claim. 1781.......2 Mo...................Rank Pv.........Cap Beverly............................... .....................................................Present Age:..68..Proof: .....Traditionery ...................................................................Col Hearn 1782.......1 Mo. 10 Days.....Rank Pv......Cap Knox 1782..........................................................Maj Walton The applicant states that he performed a tour of duty every week. the time in actual service during each tour is required. He is in an error in his statement of his being in service in this way for 9 months. In the winter season the Indians retired from the frontier thereby rendering it unnecessary during that season to scout after them. Not more than six months can be allowed including his first services. I am, respectfullly, Your obedient servant, James L. Edwards Commissioner of Pensions ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~