256.DruryRigsby, born January 15, 1744/45 in Farquier Co., VA; died Aft. 1834 in KY.
Notes for Drury Rigsby:
Born by the Rappahannock River
DRURY RIGSBY ~ PENSION PAPERS FROM THE REVOLUTIONARY WAR:
Drury Rigsby of Lawrence Co. in the State of Kentucky
who was a private in the company commanded
by Captain Hudley of the Regt commanded
by Col._________ in the N.Carolina unit
line for 1 yr for 1779
___________________________________________
Inscribed in the Roll of Kentucky
at the rate of 40 Dollars --- Cents per annum
to commence on the 4th day of March 1831.
___________________________________________
Certificate of Pension issued the 15 day of Febru
ary, 1831 --- and sent to _______________
Johnson _________
___________________________________________
Arrears to the 4th of Sept 1835 - $180.--
Pensions allowance ending 4 March 36 20.--
_________
$200.--
_________
Revolutionary Claim\
Act June 7, 1832\
Recorded by Wm. Williams Clerk,
Book 62 Vol. 7 Page 42
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
WAR DEPARTMENT,
Pension Office,
April 15, 1834
The evidence in support of your claim, under the act of June 7, 1832, has
been examined, and the papers are herewith returned. The following is a statement of
your case in a tabular form. On comparing these papers with the following rules, and
the subjoined notes, you will readily perceive that objections exist, which must be removed,
before a pension can be allowed. The notes and the requlations will show what is
necessary to be done. These points to which your attention is more particularly directed,
you will find marked in the margin with a brace, ( thus: ). You will, when you return\
your papers to this Department, send this printed letter with them; and you will, by
compling with this request, greatly facilitate the investigation of your
claim.
__________________________________________________________________________ _
A Statement, Showing the Service of Drury Rigsby
__________________________________________________________________________ _
Period when Duration of Rank Names and Rank of Age at present Proof by which
the service the claim- of the the Field officers and place of the declaration
was render- ant's ser- Claim. under whom he abode when he is supported.
ed. Yr/Mo/Day served. entered the ser. __________________________________________________________________________ _
1779 6 V~ Cap. Hudley 89 Traditions
1780 1 " Col. Lytle N.C.
1871 9 "
1872 3 "
There were no engagements made to serve in
the militia for as long a period as one year or nine months.
The different expeditions were under engagements to were as
not _____. The time occupied in actual service
should be stated.
I am, respectfully,
Your obediant servant,
JAMES L. EDWARDS,
Commissioner of Pensions.
__________________________________________________________________________
ACCOUNT OF THE REVOLUTIONARY WAR AS GIVEN BY ~ DRURY RIGSBY ~ FOR HIS PENSION:
State of Kentucky
Lawrence County
On this 11th day of March 1834 personally appeared before me a "Justice of the Peace
in and for the county of Lawrence" DRURY RIGSBY, resident in the County of Lawrence and State
of Kentucky aged Eighty nine years, who being first duly sworn according to Law doth under oath
make the following declaration in order to obtain the benefit of the act of congress passed June 7,
1832. That he entered the service of the United States under the following named officers and
served as herein stated. That he entered the service as a common soldier on the 19th day of
April 1779 under CAPTAIN HUDLEY in Rowan County North Carolina COL. LYTLE for six months,
he was drafted for the time aforesaid from Salisbury he marched to through Randolph County,
and to the Hawfields in the month of May he was marched down on the Haw and duck river
during that year, in July he got back to Salisbury the tories had attacked again at the Hawfields
and being assisted by the scotch people the militia under COL. LYTLE, marched and came up
with them at the Hawfields and a smart engagement ensued between the Scotch, and advanced
guards and the tories were at length beaten by the militia, there being no regular officers in the
country or in North Carolina, a few of the tories were killed and some few taken prisoners after
this he was marched down to Guilford at Martinsburg and returned to Rowan County in Sept.
1779. He there staid until he was ordered out on a scouting party against the tories on the
Adkin river his captain being sick his liutanant STOKES took the command of the company
they arrived at the river but the tories had run away the night before and had gone into Burke
County high up on Catawba river he was then marched back to Salisbury the place of rendevous
-- he got back on the fifteenth day of October 1779. he there remained until the 17th day and he
received his discharge from CAPT. HADLEY for six months he was not out of the state during
his service and was in but one battle which was hardly called one in those days.
On the 2nd day of April 1780 he volunteered for one year to go to South Carolina under
CAPTAIN DAVIDSON. he immediately set out in that month for Charleston South Carolina. and
he thinks he crossed the river Adkin and the Catawba also. and marched directly into South
Carolina after getting down on the Congaree information was received that the british moved
all around Charleston and that we could not join them before the regiment got far down into
South Carolina many deserted and went home the whole of us received orders from COL.
DAVIDSON to return to North Carolina which was done, and before we got back the british had
taken Charleston and the whole army in Charleston given up to the british the company to which
he belonged arrived in Salisbury by the way of Charlotte in North Carolina he staid a few days
and then marched to the highlands against the Tories, and was in a battle at Colstars Mills
GENL. DAVIDSON was wounded this was in the summer of 1780 he thinks the men from Camden
most all came back and he staid Salisbury where many of them came and afterwards went to
Charlotte to that place he marched and remained for two weeks he guarded some baggage from
Salisbury then he again returned to Salisbury and here COL. DAVIDSON was wounded and he
served under COL. MALRIDGE, but he went off to Charlotte he still remained at Salisbury, and
militia men were every day coming in from everywhere to join GENL. GREENE and DAVIDSON
he again marched from Rowan to Charlotte to guard ammunition under his quartermasters
orders to the army, from Charlotte this time he marched to the state of South Carolina, and
remained there until the battle of Cowpens he retreated to North Carolina with the army for
a few days, but was sent forward to prepare the country for defense he marched through
Hillsborough, and went to Salisbury he was marched back under COL. DAVIE and GENL.SUMNER
and at the ford of the Catawba the british and this detachment engaged right in the river and
after a long fight, and being greatly outnumbered we was forced to retreat, COL. DAVIDSON was
wounded and he thinks was killed on the ground he knows the troops so, this, was in January
1781. Or may have been in February it was cold raining weather, in this battle there was but a
few hundred on our side and GENL. SUMNER --- DAVIE. From this place he retreated to the army
and got up with them and he marched with the army into Virginia - and then he marched back
over Dan river and was in until the battle of Guilford in which he states he was in; in this battle
many of the militia gave way and many never stoped short of home; he remained in the army
until the british army retreated down to the sea shore and his time having now expired he
received his discharge for twelve months service; and he went down to Chatham Courthouse,
and remained in that county, he was discharged on the 2nd of April 1781, He states that he
substituted for a man by the name of WILLIAM COALES for nine months, under COL.HIGHTOWER,
CAPT. WILLIAM JAMES, he marched to South Carolina to Cheraw Hills but the army had gone
further down the country, he engaged in the above services in June (the day he has forgotten
for he gave COALES the discharge) 1781. from the Cherew Hills he marched back to Chatham,
and from there to a place called Hillsborough in North Carolina, and after staying there
guarding some prisoners that had been taken he then was marched back to Chatham in North
Carolina he remained on duty until his time expried without ever being in a battle and the
tories had generally all left Chatham and the counties surrounding it he served with no
continental officers this time but was entirely in the Militia Service at Chatham COL. HIGHTOWER
was displaced in the command and COL. WADE was his Col. under whose command he
remained until the spring following. he was stationed about a mile from the courthouse he got
back to Chatham in December 1781 and there remained in the barracks which had some sick
and wounded in it and it was in March he was discharged from the service at Chatham, and it
was in March he was discharged by COL.WADE, who signed his discharge which he delivered
to COALES, being his (Coale's own) in order to exempt him from another Tour, In May near the
1st 1782 a call was made for men and was he drafted and compelled to go his former service of
nine months did not exempt him and he was placed under COL. THOMPSON, for three months
this was in the county of Chatham he marched immediately for South Carolina he went by the
way of Camden and from Camden he guarded the baggage clear down to Georgetown he crossed
Peedee river about six miles from Camden; and kept the main road down to Georgetown, in
South Carolina, he arrived a Georgetown, which was then in the possession of the Americans
and remained there until his time expired and he received a discharge from the service he
returned home with some of the men that went out with him, in the time of this service he did
not once fire a single gun he saw british prisoners at Camden and some at Georgetown. There
was many Continental officers, but he served with but few the weather was very warm & it was
very unhealthy in Georgetown, he recd his discharge from his Captain in August 1782. He
moved from Chatham to Wilkes County in the year 1810, and from Wilkes County N.Carolina to
Lawrence County Kentucky in the year 1830. his memory is not now very good but he thinks
that he has given the dates of his services correctly. he has not documentory evidence in his
favor, he took no care of his discharge after the revolution was over, the only time discharges
for which services was kept was to exempt from serving more tours than the law authorized,
he does not now know what has become of his discharges for he is not certain that he has
ever saw either of them for forty years; he has no documentory evidence in his possession
but he can prove the most of his services by some who served with him except the Tour he
went to Georgetown he knows of none living that know positively of his services there but only
circumstances, he knew many Militia officers and many continental ones also, he knew COL.
MORGAN, COL. HOWARD, COL. WILLIAMS, COL. DAVIS. he knew GEN. RUTHERFORD who the
british took he COL. ALLEN, COL. BEN WILLIAMS, COL.WILSON, MAJOR SAMPSON, CAPT.
HINSON, GENL. CASWELL, COL.DAVIDSON, GENL.SUMNER, COL.MALMIDY, GENL. PICKENS
and his own officers he cannot state how they were placed sometimes a militia Captain would
be a continental officer the next day and a Soldier knew very little about other officers then their
own.
He hereby relinquishes every claim whatever to a pension on annuity except, the
present and he declares that his name is not on the pensioner roll of the agency of any state,
Sworn to and Subscribed the day and year aforesaid.
DRURY RIGSBY seal
(his signature)
Mr. Elias Kesee ___________ a clergyman visiting in the county of Lawrence and
state of Kentucky and Wesley Sparks residing in same do certify that we are well acquainted
with Drury Rigsby who has sworn to a subscribed the above declaration that we believe him to
be Eighty nine years of age, that he is reputed and believed in the neighbourhood where he
resides to have been a soldier of the revolution and that we concur in that opinion. Sworn to
and subscribed, the day and year aforesaid.
Elias Kesee seal
Wesley Sparks seal
*******************************************
For State of Kentucky
Lawrence County
I Jas. M. Rice Clerk of the court for the county of
Lawrence do certify that Nathaniel Dawson is a Justice of
the peace, and that the foregoing is his general declaration
In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my
hand and affixed my seal of office. March 17th
1834
Jas. M. Rice
1 - Where and in what year was you born
Ans: I was born in Faquier County on the Rappahannock
river Virginia on the 15th day of January 1745.
2 - Have you any record of your age and if so where is it-
Ans: I once had but I lost it.
3 - Where were you living when called into the Service
where have you lived since the revolutionary war and
where do you now live?
Ans: In Rowan County North Carolina and also in
Chatham County North Carolina. I moved from
Chatham to Wilkes County North Carolina and
from that county to this (Lawrence Ky) where I
now reside.
4 - How were you called into the service were you drafted,
did you volunteer or were you a substitute and if a
substitute for whom?
Ans: I was drafted for six months, I volunteered
again for one year, I substituted for nine
months, in place of William Coales and
was again drafted for three months.
5 - State the names of some of the regular officers who
were with the troops where you served and such
continental and militia regiments as you can recollect
and the general circumstances of your service.
Ans: I knew Genl. Greene, Genl. Gates, Col. Davis,
Genl. Caswell, Col. Pickins, Col. Washington
Col. Davidson, Col. Howard, and many more officers
I was first Drafted for six months and I was in the
battle with the tories at the Hawfields I then
afterwards volunteered for twelve months, I then
substituted for nine months, and lastly was
drafted for three months, he served out all his tours,
he was in the battle of Guilford and I was at the
Bartyford and Genl. Davidson was killed, he
retreated with the army under Genl. Greene; over
into Virginia, he served entirely in the militia
during the whole time he did serve, he then moved
after the revolution over to Wilkes County N. Carolina
and then moved to this County (Lawrence Ky) his
discharges he does not know what has become of them;
he also states that he was in Camden in South Carolina,
and also in Georgetown.
6 - Did you receive a discharge from the service and
if so by whom was it signed and what has become of it.
Ans: I recd a discharge each time, three for myself and
one for another man who I had substituted for which
I gave to him, and what has become of my own three
discharges I cannot say, for I have not seen them for
forty years that I know of as I deemed them of no
value after the revolution and not worth keeping.
7 - State the names of persons to whom you are known
in your present neighbourhood and who can testify as
to character for verasity and their belief of your
services as a soldier of the revolution.
Ans: Wm. Lyon, John Holbrook, Wm. Watters, Dab. Sparks,
Jas. Boggs, John Hale, John Chafin, Mathias Kelly,
Wesley Sparks, Peter Scaggs-Revd. Jas. Wheeler
Elias Kesee, Archibald Rice -
Drury Rigsby here amends his declaration for a pension, heretofore,
submitted He states at the commencement of the first tour of 6
months he entered and served, out the time, without lossing one
day - as to his 1 yr. service that was performed under a Winter
engagement and he has no recollection of having lost one single
day service, every man then in Carolina had to be up a doing,
as to this service he states that he served out his time, Its true that
the expedition did not last all the year, but that made no kind of
difference for it will be remembered that during the periods when
the service was alleged to have been performed, that more
danger was to be aprehended from the tories and their secret
friends than from Great Britain - As to the engagements let
me here explain this he substituted for the 9 months, and he
believes he was a state troop man of North Carolina, the time of
Coales engagements was 9 months, and that he served it out for
him as stated in his original declaration. - There is one mistake
in alleging there was no engagements, out of the continental
service during the Revolution for as longer term as 9 months a
_________being_________when__________would have from what
has been stated, that there was engagements for the term of 9 months,
they were all called enlistments and not drafts as to the last service stated
by him of 3 months he states everyday was not occupied in the
actual service, but was so considered but how much he lacked
to make up he now cannot state - he states he was constantly in
the service for the time he has stated - perhaps he lost some time
as many did, but he has no rememberence of having lost any -
and therefore repeats that the service alleged to be performed in
his original declaration are true that to detail all he suffered, all he
saw when he was in the service would require much labour and a great
effort of his mind, to great to be excercised by so
old a man as himself - he has given in his former statements, a
fair statement of facts, in some of them he may be mistaken, but
in the main after reconsidering them he insists they are true,
He prays the benefits of the act of Congress - and relinquishes,
as before. jc
Drury Rigsby
*************************************************
These documents provided by the National Archives, Washington D.C.
They are pension papers #S30681 for Drury Rigsby
I have transcribed these pages to the best of my ability from the actual
pension documents, not changing the spelling or wording in any manner
other then to capitalize names. dlw 10/22/1997
More About Drury Rigsby:
Buried in: possibly in Rose Cemetary in Lawerence Co., KY
Child of Drury Rigsby is:
