James Spilman or Spelmon Revolutionary War Pension

Compiled by Annie Walker Burns Bell 1933

Virginia S 14549

SPILMAN, JAMES, aged 35 years, this 28th of April, 1818, personally appears in the County Court of Green Co., Ky. and designing to take the benefit of the law of the Congress of the U.S. makes oath that in the year 1779 in Culpepper, State of Va. he enlisted for two years as a soldier in the Cavalry in the American Continental army, in the Revolutionary War, with Great Britain, in the company of Capt. JOHN RODGERS, and under teh command and in the regiment of Col. GEORGE ROGERS CLARK and of the Va. Line. He was marched in the first place after his enlistment to Fort Pitt and from there to the Illinois country and there he was employed until not long before the expiration of the said two years he was marched back to the Fort Pitt, where he was discharge by the Lieutenant his Captain not being present. This was at the end or expiration of the term of his enlistment, afterwards he obtained his discharge in writing herewith filed marked on the back for JAMES SPILMAN Aug. 18, 1781. He further makes oath that he is now a citizen of Green Co., Ky. and taht from his reduced circumstances he stands in need of the assistance of his country for support. Note; the discharge above referred to is not including among the papers contituting his record.

STATE OF KENTUCKY
COUNTY OF BARREN, SCT
On this 20th day of Aug. 1832, personally appeared before the Justices of the County Court, for Barren County, in the state aforesaid, JAMES SPILMAN, a resident of the twon of Glasgow, in the County of Barren and State of Ky., age 69 years, who being first duly sworn according to law, doth on his oath make the following declaration, in order to obtain the benefit of the provision made by the Act of Congress passed June 7, 1832, that he enlisted in the army of the Revolution in the year 1779 with Capt. JOHN ROGERS and served in the regiment, called the Illinois Regiment of the Virginia State Line, under the following named officers. Col. GEORGE ROGERS CLARK commanded the regiment and Capt. GEORGE ROGERS the company in which he served. JAMES MERIWETHER was Lieut. and JOHN THURSTON comment of the company, which was raised for a company of Light Horse, but though otherwise equipped for that service, were not furnished with horses, the said JAMES SPILMAN further states, that at the time he enlisted, he resided in Culpepper Co., Va., that he joined the company of Capt. ROGERS at Farquier Court House, Va. and marched by the way of Winchester, Va. and Oldtown Maryland, to Pittsburgh (or Fort Pitt) and thence descended the Ohio River to Louisville, where they joined Col. CLARK and in the Spring of the year 1780, went down the river under the command of said CLARK to the Iron Banks on the Mississippi River, from theIron Banks Capt. ROGERS' Company was ordered and including the said JAMES SPILMAN, marched to Kaskaskia, in the now state of Illinois, from which place, they marched to and were stationed sometime at Copikia? also in the new state of Ill. From Cohokia? the said JAMES SPILMAN and part of Capt. ROGERS Company went, under the command of said Capt. ROGERS, on an expedition commanded by Col. MONTGOMERY against the Indians up the Ill. River. They did not encounter the enemy, but destroyed some of their villages and returned to Cohokia. The said SPILLMAN and the company of said Capt. ROGERS afterwards returned to the Iron Banks by the way of Kaskia, from the Iron Banks, they returned to Louisville and from this last named place was ordered to Pitsburgh with some artillery. On their animal at Pittsburgh, the term of the said JAMES SPILMAN's enlistment which was for two years, had expired and he was set at liberty and directed, with others, to attend at Fredericksburgh, Va. to receive a discharge, which was not given at Pittsburgh, for want of the proper officer, the said SPILMAN accordingly went to Fredericksburgh, but did not get his discharge until he afterwards went to see Capt. ROGERS at his fathers and he then received a discharge, having served two years agreeably to his enlistment, signed by the said Capt. ROGERS. The said JAMES SPILMAN further states that his said discharge together with other papers which he confided last autumn to CHRISTOPHER TOMPKINS, was by him desposted in the pension office at Wasington. The said JAMES SPILMAN hereby relinquished every claim whatever to a pension or annuity, except the present and he declares that his name is not on the pension roll of any agency in any state. Sworn to and subscribed the day and year aforesaid. /s/ JAMES SPILMAN

And the said Court do hereby declare their opinion, that the above named JAMES SPILMAN was a Revolutionary soldier and served as he states.
I, WILLIAM LOGAN, Clerk of the County Court for the County of Barren in the State of Kentucky, do hereby certify taht the foregoing contains the original proceedings fo the said court in the matter of the application of JAMES SPILMNA for a pension. In testimony whereof, I ahve hereunto set my hand and seal of office, this 20th day of Aug. 1832. /s/ W. LOGAN, Clerk

Notation on reverse of this application #5956. JAMES SPILMAN, On roll as JAMES SMILMAN, C. TOMPKINS, Glasgow, KY.
TO THE HON. JOHN C. CALHOUN: SECRETARY OF THE DEPARTMENT OF WAR. I, CHRISTOPHER TOMPKINS, sole Judge of the eighth Judician district, do hereby certify that on this day to wit; 26th August 1818, JAMES SHIRREL? proved by his own oather before me that he knew JAMES SPILLMAN, when in the service of the U.S. in the Revolutionary War, under the command of Capt. JOHN ROGERS, he further proved that he is now well acquainted with said SPILLMAN and that he is in low and reduced circumstances. /s/ CHRISTOPHER TOMPKINS.

STATE OF KY., SCT
I, JOHN BARRET, Clerk of the Green Circuit Court, certify that the Hon. CHRISTOPHER TOMPKINS, before whom the foregoing affidavits of JAMES SPLIMAN and JAMES SHIRREL were made, was at the time of making the same, and now is Judge of the county aforesaid duly commissioned and qualified as such and therefore full fuaith and credit is to be given to all of this official acts. in testimony whereof, I have hereunto se tmy hand and affixed the seal of my office this 28th Aug. 1818 and 27th yar of the Commonwealth. /s/ JOHN BARRET, C.C.C.

On reverse of sheet is this notation: JAS. SPLIMAN, Private, Col. GEORGE ROGERS CLARK, commanded a regiment of Cavalry in the service of the State of Va. in making the cession of the Illinois Country to the General Government. This case, therefore does not come under the provisions of the Act of Congress of the 18th March 1818, and is consequenstly rejected.

WAR DEPARTMENT: REVOLUTIONARY CLAIM DUPLICATE
I, certify that, in conformity with the law of the U.S. of the 7th June 1832, JAMES SPILMAN of the State of Kentucky, who was a private in the army of the Revolution is entitled to receive eighty dollars, per annum, during his natural life, commencing on the 4th of March 1831, and payable semi-annually on the 4th of March and 4th of Sept. in every year.
Given at the War Office of the U.S. this 11th day fo June 1833.
/s/ JOHN ROBB, Acting Secy. of War
Examined and countersigned
/s/ J.L. EDWARDS, Commissioner of Pensions

Notation on reverse: Payments to be made at Lexington, Ky. by the President of the U.S. Branch Bank, agent for paying pensionioners in the agency of Ky. This certificate is issued in Lieu of one dated Nov. 6, 1832. Supposed to be lost of destroyed, which should it hereafter be presented for payment the agent will please to transmit to this office.

Recorded in the Pension Office in Book D, Vol. 9, Page 60 by NATHAN RICE, Clerk. This pension is claimed by JAMES SPILLMAN of Barren County and has been drawn by him for 18 months on the original certificate of which this is duplicate. Cancelled. See JAMES SPILLMAN's papers, No. 6827, and later to Hon. C. ATTAN or ALLAN? Oct. 3, 1833.

Covering Jacket: 1541 KY. James Spillman of Barren County in the State of Ky. who was a private in the company commanded by Capt. Robers of the Regiment commanded by Col. Clark in the Va. Line for 2 years from 1779. Inscribed on the Roll of Ky. at the rate of $80 per annum to commence the 4th march 1831. Certificate of Pension issued the 5th day of Nov. 1832, and sent to C. Tompkins, Glasgow, Ky.
Arrears to Sept. 4, 1832-----------------------------------------------$120.00
Semi-annual allowance ending March 4, 1833-------------------$ 40.00
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------$160.00