Revolutionary War Pension Application
18 Nov 1833
State of Virginia Tazwell
On the 18th day of November, 1833 personally appeared in open court before the justice of the County of Tazwell now sitting Lyles Dolsberry a resident of the county of Tazwell & State of Virginia aged seventy three on the 11th day of May last past, who being first duly Sworn according to law doth on his oath make the following declaration in order to attain the benefit of the act of Congrefs pafsed the 7th Jun.1832 that he enlisted to serve of the United States in March 1775 as a volunteer and served under Genl. Nelson & Genl. Andrew Lewis for about six weeks, and marched to Williamsburg and from there to Gwins Island where Dunmore was stationed and was in the battle there at the Long Bridge. after the battle Stuben came thru and bombarded Dunmore out and he sailed from there to Norfolk, and the declarant then returned home.
Afterword, in 1775 october this declarent volunteered again and marched to Norfolk and joined Genl Nelson but when the volunteers got there Dunmore was gone, and they with this declarant returned home, but received one written discharge, and was gone about one month.
In 1776 in August this delcarant while a citizen of Bedford County Virginia, where he resided where he volunteered as above, enlisted under Capt Christopher Ervin for two years in a campaign against the Cherokees, under Genl Christin, and was marched to the Cherokee towns, in the Indian Nation and was attached to the fifth Regiment of minute men under Col Charles Lewis and remained there through the month of September once there being no further call for the troops they returned to the Long Islands of Holston either in October or November. This declarant does not precisely recollect xxxx they remained for some time for some time [sic], and then Col Lewis returned inland to New London xxxx xxxx xxxx this declarant was discharged in December [Page 2, MF 436] about christmas, making about four months service rendered these tours. he then received a written discharge from Capt Ervin which has since been lost by the burning of his home.
Afterword in 1777 in April the declarant again enlisted under Capt. James Dickerson, he then being a citizen of Washington County Virginia & was marched to the frontier of Clinch in the Rye Cove, where he remained until they was called to the treaty, which was in August at the Long Island of Holston, and remained there until the treaty broke which was some time in September 1777 and was then and there discharged by Capt Dickson by a written discharge which was lost also as above stated. This declarant served that time six months which was the full term of his enlistment. Afterword, immediately after his discharge the declarant again enlisted under Capt Evan Shelby for six months and served the full term under Genl Shelby on the frontier of Clinch, and was discharged he thinks in April or May in 1778 on the frontier of Clinch by his Capt and rece’d a written discharge but was lost as said. he was still a citizen of Washington Cty as above.
Afterwards in 1778 about the 1st of August while still a citizen of Washington as above this declarant again enlisted under Capt Joseph Lock for the Detroit Campaign and served until the 22 February 1779 when he was discharged at the foot on the foot of the Laurel Hill, now Pittsburg. he was marched to the Muskingum River and there built a fort, and then marched back to fort McIntosh where he remained until he was discharged at the time above stated. he served during that tour six months.
Afterward, in March 1779 he again enlisted under Capt Thomas Martin for the Chickahomany Campaign, while still a citizen as xxxx above, and was again marched to the Long Island and there joined Capt Shelby, and from [Page 3, MF 437] there were taken by water to the Chickamaugua towns where he remained some time, and then returned to the Rye Cove where he was discharged in may 1779 but received no written discharge. he served in that tour about three months.
In 1781 in February while still a citizen as xxxx above this declarant was drafted under Capt. James Dansey in Genrl Greens army under Col William Campbell, & Col Daniel Smith and was marched to a small watercourse called troublesome below Guilford C House in North Carolina, where Green’s Army lay and there joined the army, and was then in the Battle of Guilford, and also in the battle of Reedy Fork on the Allamance River, and from there returned home with Col. Daniel Smith and was discharged in Washington county, the county of his residence, in June 1781. he served in that tour five months, under the officer above stated.
This declarant further states that he was born on the Mowhawk River, on the 11th of May 1760. he has no record of his age, to which he can remit as must. he was living at the places stated in the forgoing declaration, and was called into service as above stated, and as to the whom he served and the general circumstances of his service he refers to his forgoing declaration. he hereby relinquishes any claim whether to a pension or annuity except the present, and declares that his name is not on the pension Role of the aging of any state or county whatever. Sworn to and Subscribed this day as was aforesaid.
his
Lyles X Dolesberry
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State of Virginia Tazwell County
This day personally appeared in open court Hezekiah White who being duly sworn according to Law, state [Page 4, MF 438] that he was with the written applicant for a pension in the service of the United States under Capt Shelby and known of his own knowledge that the said Lyles Dolsburry did serve in the service of the United States for six months or perhaps more, that he served time and that he was a good solider and did faithfully give under my honor the 18th day of August 1833
Hezekiah White
Mr Hezekiah White and Aaron Higginbotham
residing in the county of Tazwell and in the neighborhood of Lyles Dolsbury (there being no clergyman to be had) hereby certify that we are well acquainted with the said Lyles Dolsbury who has xxxx and sworn to the above declaration and that we believe him to be seventy three years of age as xxxx that he is respected and [smudged] in the neighborhood when he served, to have been a solider of the Revolution and that we concur in that opinion. Sworn to and declared this day and year aforesaid.
18th Aug 1833
Hezekiah White
Arron Higgenbotham
And the said court do hereby and on this opinion open the investiagation of the matter, and after putting the investigation, particularly by the war department, the above mentioned applicant was a Revolutionary Soldier and served as he stated. And the court further certifie that it appears to them that Hezekiah White and Aaron Higginbotham who has signed the foregoing certificate, are credible persons and that this declarent is entitled to xxxx, and the court further certifies that there is no clergyman to be had conveniently.
I John Crockett, Clerk of the County Court of Tazwell, do hereby certify that the foregoing contains xxxx xxxx proceedings of the said court in the matter of the application of Lyles Dolesbury for [Page 5, MF 438] a pension.
In testimony whereof shown unto subscribe my name, and set my priests seal (there being no public seal of office xxxx) this 20 day of November 1833.
John Crockett
Clerk of the County
County of Tazwell
I John H Fulton the member to Congrefs dist four the District in Virginia of which Tazwell County is a part do hereby certify that John Crockett who has signed the forgoing certificate as clerk of the county court of Tazewell, is clerk of said county, and that his signature is genuine, and he had no public seat of office. Given under my hand this 22 day of Novber 1833.