Bedford County, VA - Revolutionary War Pension Application of William Tracey (S7751) **************************************************************** USGENWEB NOTICE: These electronic pages may NOT be reproduced in any format for profit or presentation by any other organization or persons. Persons or organizations desiring to use this material, must obtain the written consent of the contributor, or the legal representative of the submitter, and contact the listed USGenWeb archivist with proof of this consent. Files may be printed or copied for personal use only. **************************************************************** Submitted by Cheryl Chasin Revolutionary War Pension Application of William Tracey (S7751) State of Virginia, County of Bedford This declaration of William Tracey of Bedford County made in Bedford County Court this 22nd day of April 1833 to enable him to draw a pension from the Government of the United States under the Act of Congress passed June the 7th 1832. Said William Tracey after being duly sworn in open court sayeth. He was born in Bedford County Virginia 1761 agreeable to his fathers register now lost to him for he does not know where it is, where he has resided ever since and now resides, and was seventy-one years old the 8th day of July last agreeable to his father's register, & that he enlisted as a private and volunteer in August, 1777 in this county for twelve months under Cap. Charles Gwatkin and was marched by said Captain to old Boonsborough in Kentucky to protect the fort and frontier settlers against the Indians and British. was under Lieutenant Milam and part of his time when Boon was absent under Col. Richard Callaway, he thinks one adjutant was by name May. That in February, 1778 at the big Blue Lick in Kentucky he was with twenty odd others taken prisoners by the Indians. Col. Boon was taken prisoner the day before by them. we were at the licks making salt for the Garrison at the fort; this deponent enlisted for twelve months. He was kept as a prisoner of war by the Indians over five years, was carried to Chilicothe [--?--]then high up said river, then to Pickaway and many other places on big miama to their towns then to Detroit and was released as prisoner of war after the close of the war with Great Britain. He enlisted in August 1777 during said time he underwent great hardships dangers and distress. John Hargis, Thomas Isaacs, Adam Ore, John Seveier had been taken prisoners at different times & were discharged with him. That he was sold by the Indians to the British before his discharge and was finally discharged on Lake Erie, place not recollected. Those who were taken prisoner with him were scattered abroad many of them he never saw afterwards. Since the close of the war he saw Col. Boon since in Kentucky who gave him a certificate of the whole affair that he made us surrender & to save his own life he being first taken, but have lost his said certificate not considering it of any particular value. He does not know of any surviving soldier or officer who knows of his services or enlistment but John Holley. He hereby relinquishes every claim to a pension or annuity whatever except the present and declares that his name is not on the pension roll of the agency of any state. That there was not regular army or officers about where he served or known to him during his service. Sworn to an subscribed the day and year first aforesaid. William Tracey William Harris a clergyman and John C. Noell residing in said county hereby certify that we are well acquainted with William Tracey who has subscribed and sworn to the above declaration and that we believe him to be seventy one years of age, that he is respected and believed in the neighborhood where he resides to have been a soldier of the Revolution for some time and a prisoner of war for some five years and that we concur in that opinion. William Harris John C. Noell [Transcriber's note: William Harris was indeed a Baptist minister. A fact not mentioned in his affidavit is that he was also William Tracey's son-in-law.] This day John Holley of lawful age came personally before me a Justice of the peace for the county aforesaid and made oath that he knows the fact having been present at the time that William Tracey who is about making a declaration in Bedford County Court to try to get a pension from the United States, enlisted as a private soldier in August, 1777 in Bedford under Cap. Charles Gwatkin of Bedford County for twelve months and marched to Boonsborough now in Kentucky that during his said service said William Tracey with Col. Boon was as he has no doubt taken prisoner at the Big Blue Licks and was retained as a prisoner by the Indians about five years as he has always understood. That this deponent had an uncle also taken at some time and was over five years retained as a prisoner. Subscribed and sworn to before me this 22nd day of April 1833, said Holley is a very credible witness. David Saunders, J.P. And the said Court do hereby declare their opinion after the investigation of the matter that the above named applicant was a Revolutionary soldier and served as he states. We [?] do further certify that it appears to [--?--] that William Harris who has signed the foregoing certificate is a Clergyman & resident in said county and that John C. Noell who has also signed the same is resident in said county is a credible person also.