Lewis County West Virginia Military records of George Richards ******************************************************************** USGENWEB NOTICE: Material may be freely used by non-commercial entities, as long as this message remains on all copied material, AND permission is obtained from the contributor of the file. These pages may NOT be reproduced in any format for profit or presentation by other organizations. Persons or organizations desiring to use this material for non-commercial purposes, MUST obtain the written consent of the contributor. Copyright 1999 by Floa Swisher ********************************************************************* This transcription includes what looks like typos or mis-spelled words. It has been transcribed as accurate as humanly possible to keep it close to the original. ============================================================================= National Archives of Washington D.C. Number S.18.572 Military records of George Richards, Indian Spy, Rev. War {6 page handwritten application for pension for participation in the Revolutionary War of 1776} Pg 1 State of Virginia Lewis County Courthous Personally appeared before me the subscriber a Justice of the peace in and for the Said County of Lewis on this 23 day of Sept 1833 George Richards a resident of the County of Lewis and State of Virginia and {74?} years who being first duly Sworn according to Law doth on his oath make the following decleration in order to obtain the benefit of the act of Congress passed Jun 7, 1832. That he entered the Service of the United States under the following named officers and Served as here in Stated. That in the year 1780 on the -2- day of March in the county of Monongalia and the State of Virginia he volunteered for nine months as an indian Spy and was plased under the Command of Capt Joseph Gregory. Ensign John Tommis? other officers names not recollected and was Stationed at powers fort on Simpsons Creek in the county and State aforesaid. Capt. Gregory commanded a Company of Indian Spys and affiant was engaged in Spying the County from Said fort to the River Ohio over this tower. The indians come in to the country and killed a man by the name of Phillip Davy and stoled horse belonging William Rogers - affiant served out the tower for which he Volunteered during which time he acted as orderly Sargeant to which office he was promoted when he first entered the Service as an indian Spy - under the Command of Capt Gregory affiant was discharged some time in the month of december by his Said Capt Gregory in the year 1780 having Service nine months as an indian Spy as an orderly Sergant- again in the Pg2 year of 1781 in march the 8th in the county of "M"onongalia and the State of Virginia affiant Volunteered and was plased under the Command of the Same officers as in his first tower to wit Capt Josep Gregory ensign John Tommis affiant was again promoted to the office of - orderly Sargeant and was Stationed at Powers fort of Simpsons Creek in the county and State aforesaid and was engaged as aforesaid in Spying and watching the enemy {?} prevent there commiting depredations on the then thin Settled country of north western Virginia affiant was engaged in the above named Service untill some time in the month of November 1781 at which time affiant was discharged by his Said Capt Joseph Gregory having Served nine months as an indian Spy during which time affiant acted in the capasity of an order Sargeant and performed all the dutys belonging to said office again in the year 1782 in the month of Aprill he think the 8th day as volunteer in the County of Monongalia and State of Virginia and was marched from Simpsons Creek to Arnolds fort on the west fork River in the county and State aforesaid affiant was marched under the command of Ensign John Tommis from Simpsons Creek to Arnolds and when he arrived there he was plased under the Command of Capt William Lowther, George Jackson, Lieutenant John Tommis ensign the distance from Simpsons Creek to Arnolds affiant thinks is about 18 miles the country from one fort to another was a wilderness affiant was engaged during this tower of Service as in his first and Second under the command of Capt Josep Gregory in Spying the country from "Said fort to the river ohio over the Pg 3 Same Country as mentioned in his first and Second tower under the Command of Capt Joseph Gregory during his tower as in affiants first and Second he was an orderly Sargeant and Continued to act and performed the dutys belonging Said office until some time in the month of November 1782 at which time the affiant was discharged by his Said Capt William Lowther having Served Eight months as an indian spy in the active capasity of an orderly Sargeant the following are the occurences which took place during affiants Several towers of Service in his first Vary little took place of which affiant hase any distinct recollection - during his -2nd- tower under Capt Gregory the indians come into the neighbourhood of Simpsons and killed Capt John Tommis, his wife and To of his children and took one p{?} during his third tower the indians come into the neighbourhood of Arnolds fort, on the west fork river when affiant was Stationed and killed {Paul/Dave?} and Arnold Richards to the Several interogatories prescribed by the War department the Justice proseded- to pronounce to which affiant answers as follows to the first he answers and says. So 1- I was Borned in the county of Rockingham State of Virginia in the year 1759- 2- I have no Record of my age. I have the recollection of my parents who informed me the year I was Borned in- 3- When called in to Service I was living in the county of Monongalia State of Virginia. I have never lived out of the State of Virginia since the Revolutionary War. I have lived in the county of Harrison and the county of Wood and Lewis County where I now reside in the State of Virginia 4) all my towers of Service I volunteered Pg 4 5- during my first tower I became acquainted with Capt Booth who commanded a company of indian Spys as I was informed I also become acquainted with Col. Benjamin Wilson and Capt Trimble who came from Augusta County my servis being that of an indian Spy and confined to the north western part of Virginia I never had an opportunity to become acquainted with any of regular officers. I was regularly discharged by my {?} Capt. - under whom I served but they are lost or mislayed I have no documentary evidence of my service and know of no one by whom I can prove my Service but are known to and acquainted with William L Mitchell and John Cain who can testify to my character my age - to their beliefs of my having bin a Soldier of the Revolutionary War I hereby relinquish every claim what ever to a pention or anuity except the presant and declares that his name is not on the pention Roll of the agency of any State. Sworn to and Subscribed the day and year aforesaid George Richards We William L Mitchell and John Cain residing in the county of Lewis and State of Virginia - hereby certify that we are acquainted with George Richards who has subscribed and sworn to the above declaration that we believe him to be 74 years years of age that he is reputed and believed in the neighbourhood where he resides to have bin a Pg 5 Soldier of the Revolution and that we concede in that opinion. Sworn and Subscribed the day and year aforesaid William L Mitchell John Cain And I the Said Justice of the peace as hereby declare my opinion after the investigation of the matter and after putting the interogatories prescribed by the war department that the above named applicant was a Revolutionary Soldier and served as he States and I the Said Justice further certify that it appears to me that William L. Mitchell and John Cain who have signed the preseding certificate are credible persons and that there statement is entitled to credit and I the Said Justice further certify that there is no Clergiman residing in the neighbourhood of the above named applicant and that he from Boddily infirmity is unable to travel to the Court hous of the Said County of Lewis from which he lives forty miles and I the Said Justice further certify that the foregoing contains the original prosedings of myself in the matter of the application of George Richards for a pention in testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal this 23 day of Sept 1833 Elias Lowther (Seal) J.P. Pg 6 State of Virginia Lewis County S.s. I John Talbott Clerk of the County court of Lewis County aforesaid, do hereby certify that Elias Lowther is a Magistrate as above, and that the foregoing signature purporting to be his is genuine. -- {SEAL} In Testimony where of I have hereunto subscribed my name and affixed my Seal of Office at Weston this 7th day of October 1833. J. Talbott, clk --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 7/1999 Obtained and copied by Donna Parsons Eddy transcribed by Floa Parsons Swisher