Revolutionary War Pension Application:
RevolutionaryWar Pension Application:
George Connolly VA 27888
NorthumberlandCounty, VA was a private under the command of Col. Davis in VA for 2years. $80 per year beginning on3/4/1831.
Stateof Virginia, Northumberland County.
On this 11th day ofAugust 1834, personally appeared in open court George Connolly, a soldier ofthe Revolution, aged 72 years, who being first duly sworn according to Law,doth on his oath make the following declaration, in order to obtain the benefitof the pension made by the act of Congress passed June 7, 1832. That he enlisted for 3 years in April, 1779in the town of Fredericksburg, Virginia, under one Capt. Lovely and receivedthe bounty of the said Capt. Lovely. That he stayed there with the other soldiers who had enlisted about 2weeks, was then marched to Richmond Virginia and there joined the 4thRegiment commanded by Col. William Davis, where he stayed a few days and wasthen marched to the coal mines in Henrico County where he stayed fourmonths. The British then came intoRichmond where he with the troops was marched to give them battle. When they got to Richmond, the British hadgone down the River to their shipping. Our troops pursued them by land down the river, but did not overtakethem; they were marched back to Richmond and stayed a few days, after whichthey were marched to Chesterfield Court House where they wintered and stayed inall six months.
From there the troops were marchedto Petersburg and where they stayed four months, and in April 1781, accordingto expectation the Enemy appeared across the creek opposite of them andcommenced firing upon our Army which had found access then along the streetupon the opposite side of the creek after firing 23 rounds himself fell woundedboth in his arm and his leg, the scars are now upon him. Our Army were compelled to retreat leavinghim and John Johnson and about 18 others prisoners. They were taken by the British and carried on board theirshipping, where the ball that lodged in his leg was extracted by one of theirsurgeons. They were then sent on to NewYork and put in the Hospital there, and upon his getting well was confined inclose prison with about 300 other American prisoners, where we stayed untilClinton evacuated the town, and as he supposed, went to England, which movementwas subsequent to Cornwallis’ defeat at Yorktown in Oct 1781 and at which place(New York) he was in the Hospital and prison together seven months.
When the prisoners were set atliberty I went home having been in the service or in confinement of the enemyfrom the time of my enlistment to discharge as a (Pvt.?). He doth hereby relinquish every claimwhatever to a pension or annuity except the present and any agency in any stateexcept the present.
(Signed) George Connolly
Interrogatories prescribed by the War Department andpropounded by the Court as follows viz:
1st Where and in what year were you born?
Answer by thedeclarant. I was born in LancasterCounty the 20th May 1761.
2nd Have you any record of your age; ifso, where it is.
Answer. Therecord of my age was made by my father and is now in my possession.
3rd Where were you living when called into service; where have you livedsince the Revolutionary War; and where do you now live?
Answer. Ilived when called into service in Richmond County of this state and returned tothe same county after the war, where I lived 18 years; then removed to HarrisonCounty and stayed 16 years; then to Lewis County and stayed 2 years, and thento Kenawha County all in this state where I now reside and have done so for 9years having left there for the special purpose of coming down in the lowercounties where I first lived to get testimony by which the present claim can beestablished.
4th How were you called into service; wereyou drafted, did you volunteer, or were you a substitute, and if so, for whom?
Answer. Ienlisted as stated in my declaration for 3 years.
5th. State the names of some of the Regular officers who were with thetroops, where you served such continental and militia Regiments as you canrecollect; such circumstances of your services.
Answer. Besides my captain & colonel stated in this declaration, I rememberto have known in the Army Captain Thomas Edmonds, Capt. Samuel Jones andothers. I will add that I was in ____with 5 soldiers viz: Jno. Burnett,Michael Brady, Joseph Crummy, Chas. Charity, and John Doughty.
6th. Did you receive a discharge?
Answer. Ibecame a prisoner as here stated, of course got no discharge.
7th. State the names of persons to whom you are known in your presentneighbourhood who can testify to your character for veracity and their beliefof your services as a Soldier of the Revolution?
Answer. I have been well known in Richmond County asa Militia Captain, where I served in that capacity for 8 or 10 years, and amdoubtless well known by the old citizens of Richmond County adjoining this, fortruth and veracity. I deem it unnecessary to refer to my present acquaintances in Kenawha County, asI presume they would not be known by this court.
(Signed) George Connolly
Sworn and subscribed, the day and year abovewritten.
And the court do hereby declare their opinion afterthe investigation of the matter, and putting the interrogatories prescribed bythe War Department that the above named applicant was a Revolutionary Soldierand served as he states.
Northumberland County Court 11 August 1834
This day George Connolly came into court and madeoath to the truth of the foregoing declaration and interrogatories proving hisservices as a soldier in the revolutionary. In testimony whereas I have hereunto set my hand & affixed the sealof said county the 12th day of August 1834
M.B. Cralle(?)
State of Virginia
Lewis County Court on this 31st day ofMarch 1838 before me the subscriber a Justice of the Peace in and for the saidCounty of Lewis personally appeared George Connolly who on his oath declaresthat he is the same person who formerly belonged to the Company commanded byCaptain Lovely in the Regiment commanded by Col. Davis in the service of theUnited States that his name was placed on the pension roll of the State ofVirginia that he resided in Kenhawa County in the said state of Virginia at thetime he was placed on the pension list. From whence he has lately removed to Lewis County in said state ofVirginia where he intends to remain and wishes his pension to be there payablein future.
Thereasons of signed for changing his residence from Kenhawa County to LewisCounty are as follows: That the saidGeorge Connolly is now old and infirm and has lately lost his wife, and wascompelled to break up housekeeping, in consequence of which he removed to LewisCounty to live with his daughter.
(Signed) GeorgeConnolly
Sworn and subscribed to before me the day and yearaforesaid
(Signed) Warden (?) Huffman J.Peace
The word “removed” inserted (?) before signing
Warden Huffman J.Peace
State of Virginia Richmond County
Personallyappeared before me a Justice of the Peace in and for the said County ofRichmond and State of Virginia Ann Geatman (Yeatman?) age 76 and made oath thatshe knew and was well acquainted with George Connolly formerly a resident ofRichmond County, but now of Kenawha, that she knew when he went into theRevolutionary Service in 1779 and was absent upwards of three years; that they lived not more than 2 ½ milesapart at the time of the said Conolly’s going into service. That she has often heard the old soldiersspeak of the said Connolly, and of his being with them in the service.
And I the said Justice of the Peace do hereby certify thatthe said Ann Geatman is a credible person, and that her testimony is entitledto full credit. In testimony whereof, Ihave hereunto set my hand and seal this 5th day of August 1834. Jno.W. Belfield (?)
State of Virginia Richmond County to wit.
George Saunders, clerk of the County aforesaid do herebycertify that John W Belfield Esquire whose hand and seal is affixed to the foregoing certificate is and wasat the time of signing the same a magistrate of the county of Richmond and thatdue faith and credit ought to be paid to all his acts and deeds as such.
In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand and causedthe seal of my office to be hereunto affixed the 13th day of August1834 and in the 59th year of the commonwealth.
Geo.Saunders
State of Virginia Richmond County
Personally appeared before me a Justice of the Peace in andfor the said county of Richmond and state of Virginia, Elizabeth Jones, aged 71years and made oath that she was well acquainted with George Connolly formerlya resident of Richmond County and now of Kenawha, that she knows when heenlisted in the Revolutionary Services in 1779. And that he was gone upwards of three years. That she lived in the same house with him upto the time of his going into services; and that he returned, and lived in thesame family until he got married.
And I the said Justice of the Peace do hereby certify thatthe said Elizabeth Jones is a credible person, and that her testimony isentitled to the fullest confidence. Intestimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand and seal this 5th dayof August 1834.
JnoW Belfield
George Saunders, clerk of the County aforesaid do herebycertify that John W Belfield Esquire whose hand and seal is affixed to the foregoing certificate is and wasat the time of signing the same a magistrate of the county of Richmond and thatdue faith and credit ought to be paid to all his acts and deeds as such.
In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand and causedthe seal of my office to be hereunto affixed the 13th day of August1834 and in the 59th year of the commonwealth.
Geo.Saunders
State of Virginia Lewis County Court
Elijah Flesher personally appeared before me the subscribera Justice of the Peace in and for said County, that the _____ named George Connolly is the identicalperson alluded to in the _______ affidavit.
Sworn to and subscribed before me this 31st dayof March 1838
(Signed) Elijah Flesher
WeedenHuffman J Peace Lewis County Court Virginia
(Further statements as to veracity of persons signing)
.