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John Watson Revolutionary War PensionCompiled by Annie Walker Burns Bell 1933
On this Sept. 21, 1832, personally appeared in open court before BENJAMIN MONROE, Judge of the Circuit Court for Barren County aforesaid, now sitting, JOHN WATSON, a resident of the said county of Barren in the State aforesaid, aged 69 years, who being first duly sworn according to law, doth on his oath make the follwoing declaration in order to obtain the benefit of the Act of Congress passed June 7, 1832. That he entered the service of the U.S. in the War of the Revolution, under the following named officers, and served as herein stated. That he entered the service of the Revolution in the year 1780, he was drafted in the Va. Militia for a tour of six months, and served under Capt. WM. MAYHO, in the Regiment, commanded by Col. FAULKNER, in the Brigade commanded by Gen.STEPHEN, THOS. HUBBARD was a Lieutenant of the Company commanded by Capt. MAYHO, but afterwards served as adjutant of the regiment. The said WATSON, further states, that at the time he was drafted as aforesaid, he resided in Powhatan, Co., Va., that he entered the service at Scottsville, (Powhatan Court house) and marched with the troops from thence to Hillsborough in North Carolina, from Hillsborough he marched with the troops to S.C. and joined the army of Gen. GATES at Wateree? Mills (as he understood the place was called) said to be about 12 miles from Camden, that they marched immediately to to Camden, and the battle at that place in which Gen. GATES was defeated, commenced in the same night, the said WATSON served in the said battle in the company commanded by Capt. MAYHO, but he understood Col. PORTERFIELD commanded the regiment to which said company was then attached. Col. PORTERFIELD was wounded in said battle and the said WATSON understood from report died of his wounds. The said WATSON further states, that after the battle he was marched back to Hillsborough, from Hillsborough he went with his company to New Garden where he was stationed sometime, and afterwards, proceeded to Hogan's Creek, where the Troops were disbanded, the said WATSON among the rest and permitted to return home, a few days before the expiration of six months from the time of his entering the service. After he got home, he received a written discharge, which was sent to him by Capt. MAYHO, but said WATSON, does not recollect whose name was subscribed to said discharge, but thinks it was that of Col. FAULKER.He has lost the discharge and can not now produce it. The said WATSON further declares on oath, that he afterwards enlisted in the army of the Revolution in the year 1781 for one year with Capt. SLAUGHTER, and served in (to the best of his recollection) the sixth regiment of the Va. State Line, under the following named officers: Col. CHARLES DABNEY commanded the Regiment, Major DICK, the Batalion and Capt. SLAUGHTER first and afterwards, Capt. BROWN, the company to which said WATSON belonged. The said WATSON resided in the said circuit of Powhatan at the time he enlisted as aforesaid. He further declares that he joined the troops at Goochland Court House, and marched thence to Williamsburgh, where he remained with the troops, until the arrival of Gen. WASHINGTON and then marched with the army to Little York, and continued at the siege thereof, until the surrender of CORNWALLIS and his army in Oct. 1781. After the surrender, the said WATSON marched with his regiment to Hampton crossed Hampton Roads and went into winter quarters at Portsmouth, where in Feb. or March 1782, a few weeks before expiration of 12 months from the time of his entering the service, the said WATSON obtained his discharge, signed as well as he recollects, by Major DICK. The said WATSON, saith that he recollects that he afterwards gave said discharge to his father for the purpose of drawing his pay and he does not recollect ever seeing it since. The said WATSON further states that he has now no documentary evidence, that he knows of no person whose testimony he can procure, who can testify to his service. The said JOHN WATSON hereby relinquishes every claim whatever to a pension annuity except the present, and declares that his name is not on the pension roll of the agency of any state. Sworn to and subscribed the day and year aforesaid. /s/ JOHN WATSON We, GEORGE P. SMITH, residing in the county of Barren aforesaid and DAVID GARVIN residing also in the said county, do hereby certify that we are well acquainted with JOHN WATSON, who has subscribed and sworn to the foregoing declaration, that we believe him to be sixty-nine years of age, that he is reputed and believed in the neighborhood where he resides to have been a soldeir of the Revolution, that we concur in that opinion. Sworn to and subscribed the day and year aforesaid. And the said court do hereby declare their opinion after the investigation of the matter and after putting the interrogatories prescribed by the War Department, that the above named JOHN WATSON, was a Revolutionary soldier and served as he states. And the court furher certifies taht it appears the same are residents of the county of Barren and are credible persons and that their statement is entitled to credit. STATE OF KENTUCKY F.H. WINFREY, J.P. STATE OF KENTUCKY That he heretofore to wit, on the 21st Sept. 1832, appeared before BENJAMIN MONROE, Judge of the Circuit Court for Barren County and made out his declaration for a pension and transmitted it on the War Department and the same has been reutnre with objections "V" for want of precision in setting out his service, objection "XII" that there is not on the rolls and no witness, and objections "XVII" that Questions 1,2,7, are not answered. For the purpose of amending this objection applicant now makes this amemded declaration; Objection V by reason of old age and consequent loss of memory he cannot swera positively as to the precise length of his service but according to his best recollection he served not less than the periods mentioned below and the following grades; in the year 1780 he entered the service, the last week of April and returned to there in November having served six months as a private soldier. He would further state in this declaration that he served a tour of six weeks which is not set forth in his former declaration as he did not then think of it. On the 10th December he was called out being (perhaps) drafted as he thinks for a tour of two months at Powhatan Court House under Capt. CRUMP? or CAMP or CRAMP? Lt. HUGHES and marched to Chesterfield Court House and joined the regiment commanded by Col. GOODE and Major DeCLOSEMAN, and marched on the river to Cabin Point where they were released and discharged, having served full six weeks as a private and discharged, having served full six weeks as a private soldier. From this six weeks, service, he received no written discharge but was simply disbanded. As to his twelve months service, he states that he enlisted in April 1781, and served until April 1782, the full period of twelve months as a private soldier, and for such (the above) service, he claims a pension. As to Objection "XII" he refers to what follows for its amendment and to the proof now offered which it is concerived? will dispense with the necessity of Compurgators. As to Objection "XIV" not on the roll, he refers to JAMES RADFORD's affidavit, herewith sent marked "A" which evidence he was not aware of when he made out his former declaration. As to Objection "XVII" he would say he was born on the 18th day of Novmember 1783, in Powhatan County and State of Virginia. He has a copy of his age taken from the record of his father, which was taken from the records of the Church of England in Powhatan County. He would name in anwer to question 7, ZACHEUS QUISENBERRY, BARTLETT, L. GRAVES, JOHN GILLASPIE, JOHN INNES, JACOB SMITH, JAMES JAMESON, Esq., and DAVID GARVIN. He claims a pension for the above service. /s/ JOHN WATSON We, ZACHEUS QUISENBERRY, a clergyman residing in the County of Barren, Ky. and BARTLETT, L. GRAVES residing in the same county, do hereby certify that we are well acquainted with JOHN WATSON, who has subscribed and sworn to the above declaration that we believe him to be 70 years of age, the 18th day of Nov. 1833, next, that he is reputed and believed in the neighborhood where he resided to have been a soldier of the Revolution and that we concur in that opinion. Sworn to and subscribed the day and year aforesaid. /s/ Z. QUESENBERRY by BARTLETT I. GRAVES And the said Court do hereby declare their opinion after an investigation of the matter, and after putting the interrogatories 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 ZACHEUS QUISENBERRY, who has signed the preceeding certificate is a clergyman resident in th County of Barren and taht BARTLETT, L. GRAVES, who also signed the same is a resident in the same county and a credible person and that their statement is intitled to credit. I, WILLIAM LOGAN, Clerk of the County Court of Barren County, Kentucky so hereby certify that the foregoing contains the original proceeding of the said Court in the matter of the application of JOHN WATSON for a pension. In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand and affixed my seal of office, this 20th day of May, 1833. /s/ W. LOGAN, Clerk of Barren County Court Covering Jacket: 19161, Kentucky. John Watson, Barren Co., State of Ky. who was a private in the company commanded by Capt. Slaughter of the Regt. commanded by Col. Porterfield in the Va. Line for 18 months from 1780. Inscribed on the Roll of Ky. at the rate of $60 per annum to commence 4th March 1831, certificate of Pension, issued 6th Aug. 1833 and sent ot Hon. C. Tompkins, Glasgow.
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