JESSE FULCHER WAR OF 1812
JESSE FULCHER WAR OF 1812
PENSION APPLICATION OF WIDOW
ELIZABETH A. FULCHER
1887
Transcribed by Ellen F. Cloud
There were two Jesse FULCHERS in Carteret County that served with Capt. Pinkhams Co. in the War of 1812. The Jesse in these records was listed as a Jr. when in fact he was not. The use of Jr. was often only to distinguish a younger man with the same name. Jesse "Jr". resided in Carteret County after the war, as records will show. The other Jesse moved to Hyde County where his widow Dorcus was awarded a land grant for his service in the war. Because of this Elizabeth, the widow of Jesse "Jr" had to submit many documents to prove that her husband had not received any benefits as a result of serving in the war.
In his pension file found in the National Archives are some ninety-four documents. (Possibly the largest I have found in my research). These records unfold an enormous amount of information about Jesse and his family not found anywhere else. Since the records also refer to other residents of the county, I have chosen selected items to reprint here for genealogy purposes.
The earliest document dated Dec. 12, 1883 a commissioner Dudley reported;
"In previous claims of Elizabeth A., widow of Jesse FULCHER it appears from a report from this office July 1, 1858, that Jesse FULCHER and Jesse FULCHER, JR. served in Capt. Nathaniel Pinkhams, Co, NC Militia from Jan. 24th to 19th of April 1814. Please give the service of each and trace the signatures of both their names."
August 25, 1884
Elizabeth states her husband Jesse was 1st married to Mary LEWIS, who died 21 July 1855. That they had nine children.
Two are dead, Rebecca and William.
Seven living, John Thomas, Ambrose Jones, Levi, Louis Henry, Josephus, Halsey, and Jane.
On July 2, 1886
The pension office wanted "proof to establish the identity of the claimant as the widow of Jesse FULCHER or Jesse FULCHER, JR. who served in Capt. Pinkhams Co. as alleged. She is also requested to whether she was acquainted with William HANCOCK, Samuel LEFFERS, Samuel BELL, Calvin J. DAVIS, or David W. WELLS of Carteret County, and if so and they are still living give their present address- If not living state where they were living at the time of their death."
CLAIMANT’S TESTIMONY
Elizabeth A. FULCHER, after being sworn in says: That Jesse FULCHER her deceased husband died near Beaufort, Carteret Co. NC on the 6th day of April 1879. That she has no knowledge or information that he ever received any Bounty Land. That she was married to her said husband in April 1866. That if he received any Bounty Land prior to their marriage, that she does not know it. That she was never acquainted with any of his commanders, except James WARD who died at Beaufort, NC about three years ago and believes that James WARD did not belong to Pinkhams Co. but some other Co. in the war of 1812.
Sept. 18, 1886
The Pension Board states:
Jesse FULCHER and Jesse FULCHER, JR. are both reported by 3 Auditors as having served in Capt. Pinkhams Co. NC Militia, War 1812.
Evidence on file shows Bounty Land Warrant #82022.160- 55 to have issued to one Deloras FULCHER,
Of Capt. Pinkhams Co. NC Mil. War 1812, and who at the time resided in Hyde County, NC. The signatures of both men appear similar.
March 9, 1887
John Thomas FULCHER states that he was the son of Jesse FULCHER and his grandfather was Thomas FULCHER.
Deposition (A)
Feb. 22, 1887
Elizabeth A. FULCHER age 63 states that she was married to Jesse FULCHER on April 26, 1866, by James WARD, J.P. and lived with him until his death April 6, 1879. She was previously married to Lemuel
SWAIN, who died in Oct. 1864 in Beaufort. Jesse had also been married to Mary LEWIS. Jesse may have been eighty or older when he died. I do not know how old he was when we got married, but he had a child nearly as old as I am.
He kept a family Bible but his age is not mentioned. Jesse’s father was Thomas FULCHER. I only heard of one other Jesse FULCHER and he use to live in Morehead City. He was a much younger man and not born yet when that war took place. I think Jesse use to say that his brother John was with him in the Army.
The Jesse in Morehead may be a distant relative. No relatives in Hyde County that I know of.
Deposition (B)
Feb. 22, 1887
Ambrose J. FULCHER, Merchant. I am 59 years old, the son of Jesse FULCHER and the claimant is my step-mother. My mother’s name was Mary FULCHER. She died in 1865. I can not give exact date but it was warm weather. I lived here at the time and attended her funeral. I can not say how old she was.
My father always told me that he had served in Captain PINKHAMS Co. in the war of 1812. I heard my father say that James WARD served in same company, also William HANCOCK. HANCOCK lived down about Smyrna and died there. Dr. LEFFERS lived and died on the Straits. He talked about a pension and land warrant, but said it cost too much to apply.
I did not see his father, but his name was Thomas. He was born and lived in Hunting Quarters in lower county. He was born there but he moved up on North River, about eight miles from here and for about the last forty years of his life he lived about the same. Father was about eighty when he died. He use to say his brother John was in the war with him. A distant relative of my father, named Jesse lived at Morehead City. He is about fifty-five years old.
I never heard my father add "Jr." to his name. I never heard that there had been another Jesse FULCHER in our family.
Deposition (C)
Feb. 12, 1887
John Thomas FULCHER, farmer, Beaufort, 62 years old, son of Jesse FULCHER.
I heard my father say that while the British Troops were down on the sound, he had helped drive them out
And that while the British were going out he saw them throw bags onboard. That he thought they were bags of money. I did not hear him say he was enlisted in service, but he did say he drove them out the inlet. It was somewhere down there where my father lived. I also remember my father say that Dr. Samuel Leffers was with him at the time.
My father’s father’s name was Thomas. I was named after him. I never knew of any other Jesse in our family. Lemuel SWAIN, my stepmother’s former husband died here and is buried in the graveyard back of town.
Deposition (D)
Feb. 22, 1887
David W. MORSE, age 75, Beaufort.
I knew Jesse FULCHER 60 years. Jesse told me 20 or 40 years ago that he was in the war of 1812. His Capt. Was PINKHAM. He said they were stationed here at Beaufort. I don’t know how old he was but he told me he was about 12 or 13 when he enlisted.
General Affidavit
Ex. (E)
Jacob NATHANIEL, 84 Beaufort
David W. MORSE 74 Beaufort
Knew Jesse FULCHER 20 years before he died and lived within 5 miles of him. Jesse was born and lived all his life in this county. He was married only twice. First he married Mary LEWIS, by whom he had a family. Three of his sons are now living in this county, all of whom are married and have families
That his 2nd wife was Elizabeth A. SWAIN who is now his widow. That Deloras Fulcher was not the wife of Jesse Fulcher. That Jesse was a young lad of 12 or 13 years of age and his parents persuaded him not to enlist in the army on account of being so young. His parents were too patriotic to make any objections after they were informed that he had become a soldier.
They believe there were two Jesse FULCHERS in PINKHAMS Co. as evidence by an old roll of said company.
Deposition (F)
Feb. 22, 1887
Jas. H. MARSHALL, age 56 years, Beaufort
I knew Jesse FULCHER almost all my boyhood. He lived in my neighborhood. He often told me that he had served in Capt. PINKHAM’S Co. in war 1812. He use to speak of Lieut. MARSHALL (Thomas) as having been his Lieut. Thomas MARSHALL was my uncle and he often told me that Jesse FULCHER has served in his Company.
Deposition (I)
Feb. 23, 1887
J.T. GUTHRIE, 53 years old, Beaufort
I knew Jesse FULCHER from1850 up to his death. I met him in Beaufort; he felt sorta good since he had taken several drinks and he sang a song. When he finished the song he told me that he had learned the song while in the war of 1812. I think he was over 80 when he died, but he was a man who did not show his age.
Note Attached:
States length of service 73 days.
March 7, 1888
GENERAL AFFIDAVIT
J.M. PARSONS age 55 Beaufort, NC & J.B. JONES age 39, Beaufort, NC State the following:
That they are well acquainted with this applicant, Elizabeth A. FULCHER, and were also acquainted with her late husband, Jesse FULCHER. That they knew them well from March 4, 1861 to May 9th 1965, living in the same neighborhood and can therefore say from their own knowledge that neither the claimant or her late husband in any manner aided or abetted the Confederate Government, but that on the contrary they were both opposed to the rebellion and distinctly in favor of its suppression.
That the P.O. address of witnesses from March 4th 1861 to May 9th 1865 was Beaufort, Carteret County, NC.
Mar 16, 1907
War of 1812 pension dropped.
Certificate No. 34902 WIDOW, War 1812, Elizabeth A. FULCHER, soldier, Jesse, service Capt. Pinkham’s Co. NC Militia.
Above named pensioner was last paid at $12.00 to Aug. 4, 1907.
Was dropped because of death on Oct. 14, 1907.