JACKSON CO., TN - REVOLUTIONARY WAR PENSION APPLICATION - WILLIAM KERBY Contributed by: Mary Lu Johnson [hellomlu@bellsouth.net] ******************************************************************************** USGENWEB ARCHIVES(tm) 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. http://www.usgwarchives.net ******************************************************************************** KERBY, WILLIAM, NC, Rev War #S4470 Transcribed by Mary Lu Johnson 16 September 1833, State of Tennessee, Jackson County On the 16 day of September 1833 personally appeared before the Honorable Abraham Carothers [Nathaniel W Williams marked through - mlj] Judge of the third Judicial Circuit for the State aforesaid, now presiding in the County of Jackson and State of Tennessee, William Kerby, or as it is sometimes written, William Curbo, a resident of the County and State aforesaid aged being Seventy four years on the 6th of July last 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 Congressed passed June 7, 1832. That he Enlisted in the Army of the united States in the year 1775 as he believes, but being wholly illiterate in this he may be mistaken. He will however proceed with the narration of such facts, or will enable the department without any difficulty to ascertain the justice, or injustice of his application. He enlisted with Captain Thomas Harris and served in the 4th Regiment of the North Carolina line, as he now understands it The Regiment to which he belonged was commanded by Col Thomas Polk who was from the County of Mecklinburg North Carolina - The first Major of the Regiment was George Davidson - Long after this period Major Davidson was killed at Beaty's ford on the Catauba River - in a skirmish with the British, and this declarant is of opinion, and his recollection is so, that at the time of his death he held the rank of General, in the state troops of North Carolina. James Fair was lieutenant in Captain Harris' Company. James Coots was Ensign - when he entered the service he resided in Anson County North Carolina near the Town of Wadesborough - Captain Harris' Company joined the Regiment at Wilmington, N.C. The next day after reaching Wilmington, they set out on their march for Hadley's point, near Charleston South Carolina - where they remained in winter quarters, until the following spring - From Charleston the troops returned to Wilmington, where they remained, he believes, about a month - From Wilmington the troops marched to the town of Halifax North Carolina - There were then at that place, according to his recollection five Regiments - Genl Francis Nash had the Chief command of what troops were there - they remained there, something like a month - from thence they marched to Fredericksburg Virginia where they only remained a few days, and continued their march to "the head of Elk" in Pennsylvania, where they joined Genl Washington's army - From thence they went to Philadelphia, by the way of what was called "the floating bridge" on the Schuylkill - The army remained sometime in Philadelphia, how long, he does not distinctly remember - but according to his recollection, he was in Philadelphia on the day that Independence was declared - He was in the Battle of Brandywine, where he received a wound in the right arm near the shoulder - This wound was given by one of the british dragoons with a sword. The wound is now distinctly to be seen, or rather the scar which the wound produced - and will be visible while he lives: at the same time and as he supposes from the same sword, he received a wound in the right hand, which in like manner has left an indelible mark - After the Battle of Brandywine, he went with the main army into winter quarters at Valley forge - there a great many of the North Carolina troops died, and this declarant, with others, was transferred to the company commanded by Captain John Somers or Summers - The name of the Lieutenant was McGibbony - The name of the Ensign was Blount Whitmil - He states that previously to going into winter quarters at Valley forge he was in the Battle at German Town - The winter of 1776 they occupied Valley forge as winter quarters - The following summer and according to his recollection, on the 17 day of July 1777 he was in the Battle of Monmouth - They remained, he says in Jersey, the winter of 1777 - The following year, the period of his Enlistment which was for three years, expired, and he obtained a discharge signed by General Washington - His fathers house was burt in Anson County North Carolina, at which time his discharge was burnt - This was during the war, and while this declarant was in the Militia Service - He had gone out as a substitute for his brother Joseph Kerby or Curbo, and the discharge had been left with his father, John Kerby - The whole period which he served his country was Six years and three months, but he was only three years in the Regular, or united States army. He experienced many privations and hardships while in the militia, and on occasion, at the Capture of Charleston, was taken prisoner - but here he deems it unnecessary to be more explicit, as he understands the Law of June 7, 1832 allows no larger pension to those who served more than "two years" than it does to those who served for that precise period - were it not for this consideration, he would proceed with a circumstancial account of his services in the militia - He hereby relinquishes every claim to a pension or annuity except the present, and he declares that his name is not on the pension roll of any agency in any state. [Signed] William Kerby Sworn to and Subscribed the day and year aforesaid} James T. Quarles, Clerk And the said Court do hereby declare their opinion that the above named applicant was a revolutionary soldier, and served as he states. [Signed] Ab Carothers, Judge, 3rd Circuit Tennessee September Term 1833, State of Tennessee, Jackson Circuit Court} This day John Kerby personally appeared in open court it being a court of record before the Honorable Abraham Carothers Circuit Judge in the third Judicial Circuit in the State of Tennessee and made oath in due power of law that according to the best information he has obtained he is sixty five years of age past, that he is the brother of William Kerby the applicant for pension under the Act of Congress of the 7th of June 1832 and who has filed his declaration in this court. He states that he was present when his brother William Kerby enlisted and joined the company commanded by Captain Thomas Harris, that his brother marched off in said company and did not return for three years, which was the time for which he enlisted. He often saw his discharge and heard it read. It was burned in his fathers house as stated by his brother William as he has always understood and believes to be the fact. He farther [sic] states that his brother James Kerby enlisted at the same time marched at the same time in the same company, returned at the same time, and always understood from James that they both served out their full term of three years. James died many yeara ago. Sworn to and subscribed the day and year aforesaid [Signed] John Kerby James T. Quarles, Clerk 7 Nov 1833: Memo note in file: 27515, William Kerby or Curbo "Tennessee" from 1776 private 3 yrs $80. Mr Hill will please to give a certificate in this case. Nov 7, 1833. [Signed] J.B. McCormick, Sparta, Tennessee 11 November 1833: State of North Carolina, Secretary of State's Office I William Hill Secretary of State in and for the State aforesaid do certify that it appears from the muster rolls of the Continental line of this State in the revolutionary war, that William Curbo a private in Capt. Harris's Company of the 4th Regiment enlisted on the 20th of April 1776 for three years and was discharged on the 10th of May 1779. Given under my hand this 11th November 1833 [Signed] W. Hill 17 December 1833: Certificate of Pension #25258, $80.00 per annum, Jackson Co., TN Private in company commanded by Capt. Harris, Regt commanded by Col. Polk in the N. Carolina line for 2 years. Inscribed on the Roll of West Tennessee, to commence 4 March 1831. Arrears to 4 Sept of $200.00, semi-annual allowance ending 4 March of $40.00, under act June 7, 1832. 9 August 1841: Record of Payment, Second Comptroller's Office, Treasury Department, confirming William Kerby, Pensioner on Roll of Nashville Agency, was paid from the 4th of September 1831 to the 4th of September 1840. 5 January 1841: Record of Payment, Second Comptroller's Office, Treasury Department, confirming William Kerby was paid from 4 Sept 1840 to 4 March 1841.