Stephen S. Jones Sr. 1750 - 1844/Revolutionary War Pension Petition

Stephen Jones Sr. Revolutionary War Pension Petition #S-38092 April 16, 1834 Harlan County, Kentucky.

Below are copies of the original Rev War Pension Petition #38092 submitted by Stephen Jones Sr.. It includes many high value points of interest in researching Stephen Jones Sr.

Also included is the transposed document in PDF format by Mr. Will Graves .

Names Mentioned

Judge Joseph Eversole - Harlan County, Captain Richard Cook, Colonel William Moore, General Thomas Parsons (Thomas Person) and Lieutenant __ Briant (or Brent) Colonel Daniel Morgan, Captain John Nall and Lieutenant Robert Baker, Zachariah Jones, George Brittain and James Blanton

Images

Photostat images of original pension document

       

Transposed To PDF by Will Graves

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Transposed To Text

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Southern Campaigns American Revolution Pension Statements & Rosters

Pension application of Stephen Jones S38092

Transcribed by Will Graves

f17NC1 - 11/8/08 rev'd 11/3/14

[Methodology: Spelling, punctuation and/or grammar have been corrected in some instances for ease of reading and to facilitate searches of the database. Where the meaning is not compromised by adhering to the spelling, punctuation or grammar, no change has been made. Corrections or additional notes have been inserted within brackets or footnotes. Blanks appearing in the transcripts reflect blanks in the original. A bracketed question mark indicates that the word or words preceding it represent(s) a guess by me. The word 'illegible' or 'indecipherable' appearing in brackets indicates that at the time I made the transcription, I was unable to decipher the word or phrase in question. Only materials pertinent to the military service of the veteran and to contemporary events have been transcribed. Affidavits that provide additional information on these events are included and genealogical information is abstracted, while standard, 'boilerplate' affidavits and attestations related solely to the application, and later nineteenth and twentieth century research requests for information have been omitted. I use speech recognition software to make all my transcriptions. Such software misinterprets my southern accent with unfortunate regularity and my poor proofreading skills fail to catch all misinterpretations. Also, dates or numbers which the software treats as numerals rather than words are not corrected: for example, the software transcribes "the eighth of June one thousand eighty six" as "the 8th of June 1786." Please call material errors or omissions to my attention.]

[Kentucky, Harlan County]

 On this 16th day of April 1834 personally appeared before Joseph Eversole, Judge of the Harlan Circuit Court, Stephen Jones a resident of the Clover Fork of Cumberland River in the County of Harlan and State of Kentucky aged 83 years the 15th August next who being first duly sworn according to law doth on his oath make the following statement declaration in order to obtain the benefit of the provision made by the act of Congress passed June 7th, 1832.

 That he entered the service of the United States as a militia soldier in Granville County, North Carolina where he then resided, as a volunteer for a tour of three months in the year 1779 as well as he now remembers, under the following officers -- Richard Cook Captain, William Moore Colonel, Thomas Parsons [Thomas Person] General and –Briant [? or Brent] Lieutenant.

 We marched from Granville County to Hillsborough [Hillsboro], thence to Salsberry [Salisbury] in Rowan County. Thence we marched for the Indian nation, fell upon the Catawba [River] and up the same as far as Silver Creek. There we were met by our General (Parsons), who as we understood, had by a near route crossed the Blue Ridge to the Garrison and brought back word that our services were not wanting and ordered a retreat which we obeyed. We reached Granville before our three months was out but continued there under the command of our officers until our three months was out. I received no written discharge for this service.

 Afterwards, in the year 1781 as well as I remember, I was drafted in Surry County where I had removed for a tour of three months under Colonel William Moore, Captain John Nall and Lieutenant Robert Baker. We marched from Surry and joined Colonel Morgan [Daniel Morgan] on the Catawba. I believe it was in the month of February. We had to wade the Catawba. Colonel Morgan ordered us to Salisbury to guard some British prisoners. Whilst we were guarding these prisoners, Morgan whipped Tarleton [Battle of Cowpens, January 17, 1781] and brought his prisoners to Salisbury. With all the prisoners now together, we commenced a retreat. The rain fell upon us and we were forced to march across the Adkin [sic, Yadkin River]. Many of the soldiers, I among the number, low as I am of stature had to wade the River. The British opened a fire upon our baggage wagons as they were crossing the River. Thence to the Virginia line. There, other troops took the prisoners into custody and our time being near out, that we had not time to reach home before it would expire. We were ordered home. When I got home I received a written discharge for this service having fully performed the three months and a few days over.

 He states that in the year 1780 as well as I remember -- I know it was before the last Tour I have mentioned, I was drafted to go a Tour to Cross Creek against the British, I do not remember how long I was drafted for nor do I know how long I served -- I only know -- we marched to Cross Creek but before we got there -- understanding that the British had left the place we returned home -- from old age and the consequent loss of memory I cannot tell precisely how long I served in this Tour but from the best of my knowledge and recollection not less than 1 month.

I state that I performed other services which I cannot from the loss of memory describe so as to entitle me to pay -- I further state that since the act of 1832 allowing me a pension I found one of my discharges for a three months Tour which I placed in the hands of my son Zachariah Jones for safekeeping -- he is now present and states that after a diligent search he has been unable to find said discharge I have no written evidence of my service that I can find nor do I know of any person living by whom I can prove the fact of my service

Answer to Question

• 1st -- I was born in St. Mary's County Maryland on the 15th3 August 1750
• 2nd I have no record of my age -- my Father’s register stated my birth as above
• 3rd I was living in Granville County NC when first called into service -- afterwards in Surry County NC -- I. lived in Kentucky where I now live near forty years
• 4. I volunteered for a tour of three months -- I was drafted twice once I served three months -- the other Tour one month
• 5th Colonel Morgan was with the troops where I served -- I do not know the number of any of the Regiments with whom I served
• 6th I received several written discharges -- one of them was signed by Captain William Nall -- I cannot remember who the others were signed by they are all lost
• 7th I am known to Bailes Shumaker -- Carr Bailey, William Turner, James Huff and many others in my present neighborhood who I doubt not if present would testify to my character for veracity and their belief of my services as a soldier of the revolution

I hereby relinquish every claim whatever to a pension or annuity except the present and I declare that my name is not on the pension Roll of any agency in any State that he Sworn to and subscribed the day and year last above named S/ Stephen Jones

4

[Zachariah Jones, George Brittain and James Blanton gave the standard supporting affidavit. "Zachariah Jones certifies that the applicant who is his Father handed to him some months ago for safekeeping a discharge from the service for a tour of 3 months during the revolutionary war – he states that he placed it in a 10 box with his other papers that he has made a diligent search

In its summary of the contents of this file, the War Department read this as the '19th' .

This signature looks too much like the handwriting of the scribe to be the actual signature of the veteran, in my opinion. for said discharge but has been unable to find it."

5

[Veteran was pensioned at the rate of $23.33 per annum commencing March 4th, 1831 for service as a private for 7 months in the North Carolina militia.]

These signatures appear to be too much like the handwriting of the scribe, consequently, in my opinion, they are not the actual signatures of the affiants.