REVOLUTIONARY WAR PENSION APPLICATION - JOHN ETHERTON/EDENTON Contributed by: Janice L. Abercrombie (jla@nexet.net) ************************************************************************ USGENWEB ARCHIVES 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. The submitter has given permission to the USGenWeb Archives to store the file permanently for free access. http://www.usgwarchives.net *********************************************************************** Revolutionary Pension Claim of John Etherton/Edenton At a court continued and held for Spotsylvania County the 7th day of June 1820 District of Virginia On this 7th day of June 1820 personally appeared in open court being a court of record by the laws of this state John Etherington aged sixty-eight years resident in Spotsylvania County in said District who being first duly sworn according to law doth on his oath declare that he served in the Revolutionary War as follows. That about the month of August 1777 he enlisted as a soldier for the term of three years in Captain Gustavus B. Wallace's Company in the Third Virginia Regiment commanded by John Heath of the Virginia Line that he faithfully served his time and was discharged by Col. Gustavus B. Wallace at Charlestown in the month of July 1781. That he was in the battle at Charlestown, his original declaration was made before the court of Spotsylvania County in the sate aforesaid on the 6th day of April 1818 his pension certificate is No. 1352 and dated the 24th day of July 1818 and I do solemnly swear that I was a resident citizen of the United States on the 18th day of March 1818 and that I have not since that time by gift sale or in any manner disposed of my property or any part thereof with intent thereby so to diminish it as to bring myself under the provisions of an act of Congress entitled "An act to provide for certain persons engaged in the land and naval service of the United States in the Revolutionary War" passed on the 18th day of March 1818 and that I have not nor has any person in trust for me any property or securities contracts or debts due to me nor have I any income other than what is contained in the schedule hereto annexed and by me subscribed to wit" One hundred and thirty acres of poor land, one horse, three cows and two yearlings, nine sheep, one plow and one harrow, four hoes, one axe, one [?] , one sow and six shoats. My occupation is cultivating the aforesaid land. My family consists of my wife only who is about fifty seven years of age. Sig. John Etherington (his mark) Subscribed and sworn to in open Court. I Richard S. Stevenson, Clerk of the County Court of Spotsylvania do hereby certify that the foregoing oath and the schedule thereto annexed are truly copied from the record of the said county and I do further certify that it is the opinion of the said court that the total amount in value of the property in the aforesaid schedule as four hundred and thirty dollars ($430.00) In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand and affixed the seal of the said court on this 17th day of June 1820. Richard S. Stevenson Clerk of the Court for the County of Spotsylvania. AT a court continued and held for Spotsylvania County is 4th day of November 1823. On this 4th day of November 1823 personally appeared in open Court being a Court aforesaid for the County aforesaid John Etherington resident in said County aged seventy-one years (71) who being first duly sworn according to law doth on his oath make the following declaration in order to obtain the provisions made by the acts of Congress of the 18th of March 1818 and the 1st of May 1820 that he the said John Etherington enlisted for the term of three years on the day of August in the year 1777 in the state of Virginia in the company commanded by Captain Gustavus B. Wallace in the regiment commanded by Colo. Heth in the line of the State of Virginia on the Continental establishment that the continued to serve in the said corps until July 1781 when he was discharged from the said service in Charleston in the state of South Carolina. That his name has been placed on the pension list and dropt therefrom on account of his property and in pursuance of the act of the 1t of May 1820. I do solemnly swear that I was a resident citizen of the United States on the 18th day of March 1818 and that I have not since that time by gift sale or in any manner disposed of my property or any part thereof with intent thereby so to diminish it as to bring myself within the provisions of an act of Congress entitled "An act to provide for certain persons engaged in the land and naval service of the United States in the Revolutionary War" passed on the 18th day of March 1818 and that I have not nor has any person in trust for me any property or securities contracts or debts due to me nor have I any income other than what is contained in the schedule hereto annexed and by me subscribed to wit: 130 acres of poor land, one horse, one cow and calf, one sow and six shoats three sheep one [?], two hoes, one plow, one harrow, one old cart since the exhibition of my first schedule the following changes have been made in my property viz: Description of property Time of sale amt. of money or Description of property received In return One cow to Ed. Halladay fall of 1822 $14 One yearling to butcher do $10 laid out in corn One cow to Austin Sandidge do $15 Six shoats killed for the use of myself and wife at different times., Six sheep three killed for same use and three died. Two hoes paid to a man for cutting firewood and further that the occupation of him the said Etherington is that of a farmer. S. E. Etherington his wife aged about sixty years resides with him that from their old age and infirmities they are unable to support themselves by cultivation of the land before described and that the value of the property now held by him is as follows: 130 aces of land $260; 1 horse $20; cow and calf $27; sow and 6 shoats $4, 3 sheep $3; plantation tools for a total of #304.00 Amounting in the whole to Three hundred and four dollars and further that from the effect of his wound and infirmities he is at times unable to get his firewood without the assistance of his neighbors. Sworn to and declared on the 4th day of Nov. 1823 in open court. Sit. John Etherington (his Mark) State of Virginia Spotsylvania County to wit, I Richard S. Stevenson, clerk of the County Court of Spotsylvania do hereby certify that it appears to the satisfaction of the Court that the said John Etherington did serve in the Revolutionary War as stated in the preceding declaration [?] the common enemy for the term of three years under one engagement on the Continental regiment. I also certify that the foregoing oath and the schedule thereto annexed are truly copies. From the records of the said Court and further certify that it is the opinion of the said court that the total amount in real value of the property exhibited in the aforesaid schedule is $304. In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hands and affixed the seal of the said Court on this 4th day of November 1823. Richard S. Stevenson Clerk of the Court of the County of Spotsylvania. State of Virginia Spotsylvania County; On this the 24th day of April 1841 personally appeared before me Claiborne Duvall a justice of the peace in and for the county aforesaid Susan Etherington a resident of the county and state aforesaid aged seventy seven years, widow of John Etherington, deceased, who being first duly sworn according to law doth on her oath make the following declaration in order to obtain the benefit of the provision made by the act of Congress passed July 4th 1836. That she is the widow of John Etherington who was a private in the War of the Revolution, she is unable to speak definitely of the service rendered by her husband but can say that he was in the service of his county before marriage and then again after marriage, that he was placed on the pension roll, afterwards dropped and again put on and drew at the rate of ninety-six dollars per annum until he died, that she was married to the above mentioned John Etherington in the county of Culpeper by a parson (whose name she has forgot) in the early part of the year seventeen hundred and eighty-one making the calculation by the age of her oldest child Benjamin who was born Jany. 6th, 1682. She having been married previous to that time, some 11 or 12 months. That her husband the aforesaid John died the last of 1830 or the first of '31 and that she has remained a widow ever since that period as will appear more fully by reference to the proof hereto annexed. Sig. Susan Etherington (her mark). Sworn to and subscribed on the 24th day of April 1841 before Claiborne Duvall, J. Peace. I furthermore certify that Mrs. Susan Etherington before mentioned widow of John Etherington deceased who was a Revolutionary Pensioner is a lady of respectability and that I have entire confidence in the truth of her declaration respecting her marriage and that I have seen in her old new testament the time of the birth of her son Benjamin (6 day of January 1782) with whom I am well acquainted and from appearances have not the smallest doubt of the correctness of the record. I also certify that I was acquainted with John and Henry Eatherton or Etherington whose ages I see recorded in the above mentioned testament and I believe the same to be correct that Mrs. Susan Etherington is from old age and bodily infirmity unable to attend Court and that her husband the aforesaid John died about nine or ten years ago and that she has remained a widow ever since that period. Given under my hand this 24th day of April 1841. Sig. Claiborn Duvall J. Peace. At a court held for Spotsylvania County at the Court House of said County the 3rd day of May 1841. The court having examined the certificate of Claiborne Duvall a member of their body, respecting the declaration of Susan Etherington approve of the proceedings of said Duvall and order the same to be certified to the War Department, Virginia. Spotsylvania County to wit: I Staple. Crutchfield, Clerk of the county of Spotsylvania. [actual pages of the family Bible were torn out and sent in with this deposition but are very difficult to read on the copy sent to me although you can read where the births of colts were recorded] Benjamin Eatherton son of John Eatherton and Suckkey his wife was born January 6 , 1789. [?] Eatherton son of John Eatherton and Suckey his wife was born Dec. [2?] 17 [?] [?] Eatherton was married 2 day of June 1808 Sally Blades his wife John Eatherton Letter addressed to Hon. E. E. Denison, Marion Illinois, 23 Sept. 1923 from Washington Gardner, Commissioner of Rev. War Section. Dear Mr. Denison, In response to your letter of the 20' instant, I have the honor to advise you that the Revolutionary War records of this Bureau fail to afford information in regard to any soldier named Etherton and the following is the only soldier of a similar name found on said records. From the papers in the pension claim, widow 4670, it appears that John Etherington who signed by mark, served as a private in Captains John Blackwell and Gustavus B. Wallace's Companies of the Third Virginia Regiment from October 1777 to July 1781, and was taken prisoner at the surrender of Charleston, S. C. He enlisted form Spotsylvania County, VA and was living there when he was allowed pension on his application executed April 16, 1818 at which time he was about sixty-six years old. He died December 31, 1830. He married in Culpeper County, Virginia in 1781, Susan, whose maiden name is not stated. She also signed by mark, when she applied for pension April 24, 1841, at which time she was living in Spotsylvania Co., VA aged seventy-seven years. Her claim was allowed. They had children Benjamin, John Henry, James and Frances. In said claim the name was also spelled Eatherton and Edenton. Sincerely Washington Gardner. Pay vouchers for John Etherington Virginia 1352 John Etherington, Private Virginia Line Inscribed on the roll of Virginia at the rate of eight dollars per month to commence the 16th of April 1818. Certificate of Pension issued the 24th day of July 1818 and send to Edwd. Herndon, Esquire, Spotsylvania. Arrears to 4th of Sept. 1818 $37.07 3596 Richmond Virginia Susan Etherington widow of John Etherington who died on the 31st Dec. 1830 of Spotsylvania in the state of Virginia who was a private in the company commanded by Captain Wallace of the [?] commanded by Col. Heath in the Va. Line 2 years. Inscribed on the roll of Richmond at the rate of 80 dollars per annum to commence on the 4th of March 1831. Certificate of Pension issued the 7th day of Sept 1841 and sent to Jas. F. Sutton, Bowling Green, VA. Arrears to the 4th of March 1841 $800. Semi-annual allowance ending 4 Sept. $40. Total $840 Revolutionary Claim act July 4, 1836 section 3. Recorded by D. D. Addison clerk. Letter to Pen. Agent and J. T. Sutton J. P. Sept 1841 P. M. Andrews and Fredericksburg Mattapony and Mr. Pleasants, VA E 3 & 4 VA John Ethrington Private Capt. John Blackwell's Co. of the 3rd Virginia Regiment commanded by Col. John Nevill Revolutionary War Appears on Company Pay Roll of the organization named above for the month of Oct 1779 commence of pay Oct. 1, 1779, pay per month 6 2/3 subsistence 10 dollars per month. Amt. of pay and subsistence 16 2/3 dollars. Sept. 9, 1778 term 3 years, remarks sick Brunswick July 1778 roll dated White Plains Aug. 4; term of enlistment 3 year; remarks left sick Brunswick Sept. 1778 Oct 28 New Ark, remarks Brunswick Aug. 1778 White Plains remarks sick Brunswick Nov. 1778 Pompton enlisted Feb. 12, 1778 for 3 years April 1779 Middlebrook sick Brunswick Oct. 1778 Pumpton remarks Brunswick June 1778 remarks sick Brunswick Man. 1779 Middlebrook remarks sick Brunswick Dec. 1778 Middlebrook remarks sick Brunswick March 1779 Middlebrook remarks sick Brunswick May 1779 Smiths Clove remarks prison Feb. 1779 Middlebrook remarks sick Brunswick July 1779 Ramabough remarks on guard May 1779 casualties omitted from 1 May 78 June 1779 pay per month 6 2/3 Sept. 1779 Ramabough Jan. 1779 Smiths Clove July 1779 1 months pay Aug. 1779 Nov. 1779 Camp near Morristown Aug. 1779 Ramabough remarks guard Nov. 1779 Sept. 1779 Oct. 1779 Haverstram