Revolutionary War Pension File; Thomas J. Witten, Tazewell County, Virginia

SUBJECT: Thomas J. Witten
SUBMITTER: Wendy Fogelstrom
EMAIL: tidge@home.com
DATE: Jul 27, 1999

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On the 15th day of October 1832 personally appeared in open court before
the county court of Tazewell County in the state of Virginia, now sitting
Thomas Witten a resident of Tazewell County and state of Virginia, aged
80 years in the month of January next, who being first duly sworn according
to law on his oath makes the following declaration in order to obtain the
benefit of the act of Congress passed June 7, 1832. That he entered the
services of the United States under the following named officers, and served
as herein states. That he was a ensign, regularly commissioned and belonged
to the company commanded by Captain Thomas Mastin, and Lt. James Maxwell
when he first entered the service early in the month of June in the year
1776 and was attached to the state regiment commanded by Col. William Presto=
n
and Maj. Walter Croskett?, who was afterward promoted to the appointment
of a Colonel- That the duty which as Ensign aforesaid, during the remainder
of the year 1776, which devolved upon the said Thomas Witten, and the compan=
y
to which he belonged, was to perform frequent scouting expeditions as Indian
spies, to defend the Western frontier of Virginia lying along he valley
of Clinch River from the head water of Blue Stone River to the fork of
the Clinch River within the now limits of Russell County in the state afores=
aid,
from the massacres of the Indians by whom the whole western border was
then infested. That he resided in the now County of Tazewell in the state
of Virginia, then perhaps Montgomery, that he does not remember whether
he was drafted or not, but thinks that he was called out by an order of
the commanding officer Col. William Preston. That he was engaged in no
general battle, or engagement, during his scouting expeditions in the year
1776, but partook in several little skirmishes and was a eyewitness to
some of the many instances of inhuman butchery and massacres committed
upon the frontier families within the range of his marches. That none of
the regular soldiers were guartered in the western frontier for the protecti=
on
and defense of the settlers, but that the militia was occasionally drafted
and sent to the relief of the frontier from the then counties of Montgomery
and Washington embracing all that section of country now comprised in the
counties of Scott, Tazewell, Giles, Grayson and Monroe. The said Thomas
Witten further states, that he continued to act as a Ensign as aforesaid
until the close of the Revolutionary war- That he thinks he was engaged
as a Indian spy fully six monthes in each year, and the balance of each
year, was permitted by their commanding officer to return home to their
families, and remain at home during the winter of each year from 1776 until
the termination of the Revolutionary war, when the Indians ceased to annoy
and murder the settlers upon the said frontier- That he does not now know
what has become of his commission as Ensign, but thinks upon resigning,
he surrendered it to his commanding officer, so that it is not now in his
power to produce it- That he knows of these persons now living who can
testify to his service aforesaid, by William Cecil, Nancy Cecil. He hereby
relinquishes any claim whatever to pension or an annuity, and declares
that his name is not on the pension roll or the agency of any state. Sworn
to and subscribed, to the day and year aforesaid Tho. Witten.