Pittsylvania County, VA - Revolutionary War Pension - Joseph T. Williams

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REVOLUTIONARY WAR PENSION S32604 

State of Illinois, Jackson County 

On the 3rd day of September, 1832, personally appeared in open court 
before 
the County Commissioners Court of Jackson County now sitting, Joseph T 
Williams, a resident of the said county in the state of Illinois, aged 
76 
years, who being first duly sworn according to law doth on his oath 
make the 
following declarations in order to obtain the benefit of the Act of 
Congress 
passed June 7, 1832.  That in the year 1776 as near as he the deponant 
can 
recollect, he was a resident of Pittsylvania County in the State of 
Virginia 
and on the 2nd day of April of said year he turned out as a volunteer 
to go 
against the Cherokee Indians.  The Captain of the company to which he 
belonged was of the name of John Donelson under the command of Irwin 
(?) 
Shelby on a tour of three months.  The force marched to the Long 
Islands in 
the River Holston.  To this place a great many of the Cherokees came 
and 
there they made a treaty with the Americans, then the force was 
discharged 
and sent home.  In this expedition against the Indians his assignment 
was an 
orderly sergent. 

In the month of February 1779 this deponant was called out for a five 
months tour as a drafted militia man in a company commanded by Captain 
William Witcher in a regiment commanded by David Mason and was 
immediately 
marched ---?--- south and joined the 
continental troops under General Linkhon at a place called --?- a place 
southwest of Charleston not long before the battle at ---?---.  He and 
the 
militia with him were attached to and served 
with the regular troops during the whole campagn.  He was discharged at 
Camden SC by a written discharge by his captain which said discharge he 
still has, of which the following is a 
true copy--- 
  "Camden SC 
  "This is to certify that Joseph Terry Williams a 
  "Sergeant in my company of militia from 
  "Pittsylvania has served his tour of duty and is 
  "discharged.   Given under my hand this 23rd 
  "day of July 1779. 
                Wm Witcher, Capt. 

In the winter of 1780 and of which Gen Green was retreating through the 
country before the approaching British under the command of Lord 
Cornwallis, 
Green called on the militia for a 
tour of duty.  This deponant turned out as a volunteer in a company 
commanded by Capt Steven Coleman under the command of Col Peter Perkins 
and 
joined the army of regulars under Gen Green at Davis (?) River in the 
state 
of Virginia.  Green continued close to the enemy during the whole tour 
but 
saw no battle but some slight skirmishes and as the one Whitsill's Mill 
and 
was 
discharged a copy of which is as follows and the original still remains 
in 
his hands.  "Jos Terry Williams is hereby discharged from my company of 
militia - given at Camden, Guilford County 
North Carolina 12 Mar 1781---Stephen Coleman, Capt. 

During the last mentioned tour this deponant served as quarter master 
sergent. 

During the year 1781 or 1782 this deponant was called out on a tour of 
duty 
and put to driving public wagons and teams transporting public stores 
to and 
from Halifax old town, was 
regular and constant in the said employment, subject to the order of 
the 
deputy quartermaster in the regular service, served the tour out of 
three 
months as he believes and was regularly 
discharged by Wm McGraw the said deputy quartermaster but whether he 
received from said officer a written discharge or not the deponant 
cannot 
say.  If he did it has been lost.  It might have been in this as in his 
first tour that he never thought it worth his while to apply for a 
written 
discharge as the officer who would give it lives in his immediate 
neighborhood.  This is all the service this deponant did and he has no 
documentary testimony then to offer in proof of such service.  The 
original 
of the discharges he has herein copied are still in his hands subject 
to 
the inspection of anyone and the deponant says he has no one now within 
his 
power by whom he could prove his actual service as there are so few of 
the 
old Revolutionary soldiers yet living and 
they so scattered over this widely extended country. 

He hereby relinquishes every claim whatever to a pension or annuity 
except 
the present and declares that his name is not on the pension roll of 
any 
agency of any state. 

Interrogatories propounded by the court: 

QUESTION 1  Where and in what year were you born? 

ANSWER  I was born in the county that was afterward Pittsylvania but at 
the 
time it was Halifax Co, in the year 1756. 

QUESTION 2  Have you any record of your age and if so where is it? 

ANSWER  I have it was on a leaf of my father's Bible and the book was 
about 
to fall pieces.  I took out the said leaf and now have it in my 
possession. 
It is in my father's handwriting and I have no doubt it is correct. 

QUESTION 3  Where were you living when called into service?   Where 
have you 
lived since the Revolutionary war and where do you now live? 

ANSWER  In the county of Pittsylvania Virginia when first called out.  
From 
thence he moved to Tennessee, Sumner Co.  Thence to Wilson Tennessee  
thence 
to Jackson Co Illinois where I now live. 

QUESTION 4  How were you called into service, were you drafted, did you 
volunteer or were you a substitute and is so for whom? 

ANSWER He volunteered three tours and was drafted for one to wit his 
tour of 
five months above mentioned. 

QUESTION 5  State the names of some of the regular officers who were 
with 
the troops where you served such Continental and militia regiments as 
you 
can recollect] and the general 
circumstances of you service. 

ANSWER  General Green commanded in the west before Lord Cornwallis in 
his 
tour.  In his second tour his commander-in-chief was General Linkhon.  
He 
was at Salsberry soon after the defeat at Briar Creek and saw some of 
the 
men who were in the battle one by the name of Frost a citizen of 
Salsbery. 

QUESTION 6  Did you ever receive a discharge from the service, if so by 
whom 
was it given and what has become of it. 

ANSWER  He refers to the former part of this his declaration in answer 
to 
this question. 

QUESTION 7th  State the names of persons to whom you are known in your 
present neighborhood and who can testify as to your character for 
veracity 
and their belief of your services as a soldier of the Revolution. 

ANSWER  He refers to and gives up Green Lindsey a clergyman and Conrad 
Will 
a citizen of this county. 

Subscribed and sworn to in open court the day and year aforesaid. 

                     Joseph T Williams 

attest J Manning, clerk 


We Green Lindsey, a clergyman residing in the county of Jackson and 
Conrad 
Will, residing in the same place hereby certify that we are all well 
acquainted with Joseph Terry Williams who has subscribed and sworn to 
the 
above declaration and that we believe him to be seventy-six years of 
age and 
that he is respected and believed in the neighborhood where he resides 
to 
have been a soldier of the Revolution and that we concur with the 
deposition. 
Sworn to and subscribed 

                          Green Lindsey 
                          Conrad Will 

In open court the day and year aforesaid.  Attest 

                          J Manning, clk 

And the said court do hereby declare their opinion after the 
interrogation 
of the matter and after fielding the interrogation prescribed by the 
war 
department that the above named applicant was a Revolutionary soldier 
and 
served as he states and the court further certifies that it appears to 
them 
that Green Lindsey who has signed the foregoing certificate is a 
clergyman, 
resident in the county of Jackson and that Conrad Will who has also 
signed 
the same is a resident in the same county and is a reliable person and 
the 
their statement is entitled to belief. 

                           Benj H Conner 
                           George Creath 
                           Alexander Cochran 

State of Illinois Jackson County.   I Joel Manning, clerk of the county 
commissioners and of Jackson County Illinois do hereby certify that the 
foregoing contains the original proceedings of the said court in the 
matter 
of the application of Joseph T. Williams for a pension.  On testimony 
of 
which I have hereunto set my name and seal of office this twenty third 
day 
of August one thousand eight hundred and twenty three. 

                         Joel Manning, clerk 

State of Illinois Jackson County 

I Joel Manning, clerk of the county commissioners court of Jackson 
County 
do hereby testify that George Creath, Alexander Cochran and Benjamin F 
Conner who have signed the foregoing certificate , were at the time of 
signing the same and still are the three judges of the said court duly 
elected and qualified.   Given under my hand and seal of office at 
Brownsville in the said county this twenty third day of September one 
thousand eight hundred and thirty three 

                     J Manning, clerk 

From Rev War Pension Application Film at the National Archives, 
Federal Center, Denver CO 






Brownsville Oct 19 1833 



Sire, 

I send enclosed the original discharges of Joseph T Williams hoping 
that 
this will remove every objection to the allowance of his claim.  An 
early 
attention to the subject desirable as the old gentlemen is in a low 
state of 
health probably the effects of old age and hard labour and really is in 
much 
need of the discharge of that debt which the country has so long owed 
the 
Revolutionary soldiers. 

There is a case in this neighborhood of the following description: 

Peter Golliher was drafted to stand in readiness for a six months tour 
of 
duty and greatly often was called out and was marched toward Yorktown 
(at 
the time Cornwallis was there) to join the army at that place and when 
within a few miles of the army was taken sick (of the scarlet fever) 
and so 
---?--- for some time 
then not fit for duty received a furlough on account of his ill health 
and 
was by his friend taken home before the expiration of the six months 
for 
which he was drafted but remained sick and unable to perform any 
business 
for nearly a year. Without putting the department to the trouble of 
investigating a claim which can be of no benefit to the claimant I wish 
you 
to inform me whether in case the facts were made out as above stated 
the 
said Peter Golliher couldbe allowed as for six months service. 

With much respect, your obedient servant 

                   Joel Manning 

Rev War Pension File of Joseph T Williams 
Viewed at National Archives, Federal Center, Denver CO 




Brownsville Jackson Co Illinois 
                               Feb 7, 1834 

Dear Sir, 

You will recollect that sometime since I made an application for a 
pension 
for an old gentlemen of our county by the name of Joseph T Williams. 

This declaration was in the first instance returned with objections.  
These 
were obviated or attempted to be and the Declaration returned to the 
Department.  I then received a communication requiring that his 
original 
discharges from service mentioned in his declaration should be sent to 
the 
Department.  I 
accordingly obtained them from the old man, copied them, enclosed the 
originals and directed them to the Department.  This was about the 
middle of 
October last since which time I have heard nothing upon the subject.  I 
however expected mail after mail a communication supposing the delay 
was 
---?--- by the press of business until the last mail brought me the 
allowance of the pension of ---?--- Lipe whose declaration was sent 
long 
after the original discharges of Mr Williams.  This circumstance incurs 
me 
to think that the delay cannot be occasioned by the theory of business 
as I 
before supposed.  I therefore write this for 
information upon the subject. 

I wish to make an inquiry concerning the application for a pension of 
Jesse 
Gordan also of our county.  His declaration was just returned with 
objections, was amended and sent back.  It as a second time returned 
with 
the note --"The claimant must produce or at least make an effort to 
produce 
some evidence of his service as a non-commissioned officer and as to 
his 
service as a Lieut.  The regulation of the department is imperative.  
Must 
produce his commission or satisfactory evidence he was duly 
commissioned and served in that capacity for the time alleged. 

Mr Gordon claims to have served ---?--- or nearly so as a Lieut and 
also a 
long time in the capacity of sergent ---?---.  He has not given up his 
claim 
but is still searching for evidence.  He has found where a brother of 
his 
resides of whom he has not heard for many years.  By him he hopes to be 
able 
to make satisfactory proof of his services as a non-commissioned 
officer. 
Now the question I wish to ask is this, in case he able to make such 
proof 
by his brother and should wave for the present his claim for service as 
Lieut and be allowed a pension as non-commissioned officer whether 
hereafter 
after making satisfactory proof of his service as Lieut his pension 
could be 
increased to what it would have been in case he had made such proof in 
the 
first instance. 

His age, infirmity and poverty will at once suggest the reason for this 
inquiry. 

I mentioned in a former communication a case of a person of this county 
by 
the name of Peter Golliher.  Will you please in our answer to this to 
answer 
my inquiry in that case also. 

Your servant with much regard 

                          Joel Manning 

To J L Edwards, Esq 
Commissioner of Pensions 


Rev War Pension File of Joseph Terry Williams 
Viewed at National Archives, Federal Center, Denver CO 












Camden South Carolina 

This is to certify that Joseph Terry Williams a sergant in my 
company of militia from Pittsylvania has served his tour of duty 
and is discharged.  Given under my hand this 23rd day of July 
1779. 

                      Wm Witcher, Capt 







Joseph Terry Williams is hereby discharged from my company of 
militia given at Camden, Guilford County North Carolina 12th 
month 1781. 

                    Stephen Coleman  Capt --?-- 


Joseph Terry Williams Rev War Pension File 
Viewed at National Archives, Federal Center, Denver CO 








Brownsville Jackson County Illinois 

Sir, 
I return to the department the application of Joseph T Williams, 
Robert Hiatt (?) and Hesekiah Davis with the accompanying briefs 
after having made such amendments as appeared to me to be 
sufficient from instructions.  I have altogether refrained from 
medling with any other part of the application as that would 
disarrange the examination which has been made by the department. 

I drew the conclusion that the only defect in the ---?--- 
referred to in Ques XVI was that the sheet of paper which 
contained the seals was not attached in the manner subscribed in 
the explanatory note to the said ques and I was confirmed in this 
opinion by the particular direction in the brief accompanying 
Joseph T Williams application.  If I have misapprehended the 
objection, I shall of course be informed. 

The other applications will probably be returned after the next 
term of our court. 

The delay in this matter has been occassioned by my absence for a 
long time and it is hoped that the department has by this time so 
far relieved itself from the great throng of business that has 
been thrown upon it as to be able to soon to act upon these 
applications. 
              Your obedient servant 
                Joel Manning 

J L Edwards, Esq. 


Rev War Pension File of Joseph Terry Williams 
Viewed National Archives, Federal Center, Denver CO