Samuel Walker of South Carolina: Three Revolutionary Soldiers

Reprinted with permission of the South Carolina Magazine of Ancestral Research, this article appeared in the Winter 2003 issue, Volume XXI, Number 1.

Judith F. Russell

Data gathered by Frances Bateman, Martha Easter, John Griffin W. Rountree, and Judith F. Russell

A frequent problem for researchers interested in South Carolina's Revolutionary soldiers is correctly linking a particular document to one of several individuals with identical names. This difficulty is especially apparent with the use of the Accounts Audited Files for Claims Growing out of the Revolution. The whole set of files was moved several times for safe-keeping during the Civil War and, during the process, the records for all men with the same name were usually combined into one file. As one begins to sort out the records, a review of the existing compilations of service records (e.g., Bockstruck, Moss, White) might be extremely useful, since the earlier works might point out other source documents which can be reviewed. But examination of the original documents is always critical, especially where there is conflicting evidence.

After as many records as possible have been gathered, the researcher may review each document for evidence of internal and external associations which will help link the document with a particular soldier. When looking at the Accounts Audited files themselves, it is very helpful to review each page (or frame of the microfilm) and to note not only the stub indent numbers which may appear, but also the various amounts of payment indicated. Stub indent numbers were similar to our modern check stub numbers and were used to keep track of accounts. But, even when the stub indent number in not on the page, identical payment amounts might be matched

Second, one should note any names found in addition to that of the soldier. Frequently there are names of witnesses, justices of the peace, or people to whom the indents were signed over. The names may be matched on the pages of the Accounts Audited files, but may also be used to link the document to a specific area of the state. Neighbors often joined and fought in the same regiments, so external evidence may be found for the assignment of a Accounts Audited document by comparing the names found in the file with muster rolls, early census materials or other legal documents such as deeds.

In the case of the Revolutionary records for Samuel Walker of South Carolina, earlier assessments as to the number of soldiers of that name differed. Although the Andrea File (1951,1974) on the Walker families of South Carolina states that four men named Samuel Walker fought in the Revolution, Moss (1983) provides only three groupings. This review of the internal and external evidence in the Accounts Audited files and other Revolutionary documents suggests that there were three Samuel Walkers, but differs from the earlier researchers in the assignment of specific records to each of the soldiers. There is one stub indent which cannot be assigned with confidence. Using the remaining stub indent numbers and other internal financial clues for cross reference and early census records to verify the names of neighbors, the three are:

Samuel Walker of Edgefield, South Carolina. His will was probated in Edgefield, South Carolina, 24 October1813. See: South Carolina Stub Indent 91U, South Carolina Accounts Audited File 6703, John Ryan, and Andreas Walker File 932.

He served, with many other Edgefield District men, under Lt. Lacon Ryan in Captain John Ryan's Company, doing "duty in the Camps near Stono on horse back by orders of General Williamson from the 20^th of April til the 18^th of July 1779." (AA 6703, RW 2813, Frame 501).

In 1785 he signed his indent number 91 Book U over to Lacon Ryan for his service in Col. Anderson's Militia. This conveyance was signed before John Ryan, J.P. (AA 8140, RW 2835, Frames 429, 430, 431, 436)

Because of the association with the Ryan family (next door neighbors of Samuel Walker in the 1790 Census of Population for Edgefield), Andreas (Walker File 932, p. 10) states that this is the Samuel Walker of Edgefield whose will was probated on 4 October 1813 (Edgefield South Carolina, Will Box 2015, Packet 47).

Samuel Walker of Greenville, South Carolina. He died 19 Sept 1826, Greenville SC. See: Draper, 2DD p. 295, South Carolina Stub Indent 698X.

He served as a Captain in Ninety Six District (Draper, 2DD, p. 295).

Stub Indent 698 Book X was issued for service and provisions. The provisions were not certified to be paid. This indent, part of which was used for the purchase of land, was signed over to Benjamin Rainey and collected. (AA 8140, RW 2835, Frames 433, 434, 435, 437, 438)

Samuel Walker of Fishing Creek, Chester County, South Carolina. He lived some period of time "with one of his sons" in Georgia and Tennessee and he died after 27 July 1837 when an amendment to his pension application was submitted. See: Revolutionary Pension Application S 3448, Salley 1908, South Carolina Stub Indent 284M, South Carolina Stub Indent 388Q, South Carolina Stub Indent 3853X.

From Revolutionary Pension application S 3448 He was born about 1760 in Ballamera, Ireland.

In the Revolution he served in a company of mounted riflemen under Captain John McClure, Lt. Samuel Adams, Ensign Own Evans of Fishing Creek in Chester County, and General Thomas Sumpter.

He fought at engagements at Mobley's Meeting House, Ramsour's Mill, Rocky Mount, Hanging Rock, Charlotte, and Blackstock.

He was given a certificate for 94 pounds sterling for ten months service in Captain Barnetts' troops.

He had more than one son.

He was living in Bradley County, Tennessee, on 26 July 1837 when he filed his amended pension application.

Samuel Walker's pay for his 10 months of service in Barnett's Troop, Lt. Col. Henry Hampton's Regiment of Light Dragoons commanded by Brigadier Genl Sumpter was one grown Negro (Salley, 1908, p. 53). His Chester County neighbor with the unusual name of Major Grisson is listed next to him on the pay roll.

On 2 February 1782, he signed over the rights to the Negro, previously accepted by General Sumpter, to Captain James Jack for 40 pounds sterling. (AA 8140, RW 2835, Frames, 419 - 422)

Stub indent 284 Book M is for 94 lbs sterling. The published list of stub indents follows exactly the list of Barnett's Troops in Salley (1908).

He signed Stub Indent 388 Book Q ( 24 pounds, 15 shillings, 4 pense with 1 pound, 13 shillings, 9 pense per year interest) for service under Captain McClure in the Horse Service, Captain Phillip Walker, Lt Hugh Steward, and Captain Hugh Whiteside over to John Turner, who collected the full amount. (AA 8140, RW 2835, Frames 423 - 427)

Stub Indent 3853 Book X issued 28 June 1787 was to Samuel Walker for 7 pounds 2 shillings and 10 pense with interest of 0 pounds 9 shillings and 11 pence per year for duty as a Horseman. This indent is tentatively assigned to Samuel Walker of Chester, but the original record is not in the Accounts Audited file and corroborating evidence is lacking.

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References

Accounts Audited of Revolutionary Claims against South Carolina. Columbia, SC: Department of History and Archives

John Ryan Account Audited Number 6703 (Film: RW 2813, frames 494 to 502)

Samuel Walker Account Audited Number 8140 (Film: RW 2835, frames 418 to 438)

Andrea, Leonardo. (1951, filmed in 1974) Genealogical folders in the Leonardo Andrea collection: collection of the late Leonardo Andrea. Microfilm Number 0954241. Walker File, Number 932. Salt Lake City, UT: Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints.

Bockstruck, Lloyd DeWitt. (1996) Revolutionary War Bounty Grants Awarded by State Governments. Baltimore, MD.: Genealogical Publishing Company.

Draper, Lyman. (18- -) Draper Manuscript Collection/State Historical Society of Wisconsin. Madison, WI.: Wisconsin State Historical Society.

Moss, Bobby Gilmer. (1983) Roster of South Carolina Patriots in the American Revolution. Baltimore, MD: The Genealogical Publishing Company.

Revolutionary Pension Application Number S-3448. (1838) Samuel Walker of Bradley and McMinn Co., TN. Transcribed by Teri Summers on the Polk County TN web site <http://www.tngennet.org/polk/p_pensns.htm#Samuel>.

Salley, A.S., Jr. (1908) Documents relating to the History of South Carolina during the Revolutionary War. Columbia, SC: The Historical Commission of South Carolina.

Salley, A.S., Jr. (1910, 1925, 1927) Stub Entries to Indents issued in Payment of Claims Against South Carolina Growing Out of the Revolution. (Reference especially to Book B, Books L - N

Books O - Q, Book U, Book X - Part I, Book X - Part II, and Books Y -Z.) Columbia, SC.: The Historical Commission of South Carolina.

Walker, Samuel. Will Box 2015, Packet 47. Probated Oct 1813. Edgefield County, South Carolina.

Walker, Samuel. Will Apt 8, File 570. Probated 7 May 1827. Greenville County, South Carolina.

White, Virgil D. (1990- 1994) Genealogical Abstracts of Revolutionary War Pension Files. Waynesboro, TN: National Historical Publishing Company.

[Note: The author, along with several others, is actively researching the ancestry of Samuel Walker of Edgefield, South Carolina. Please send comments to: Dr. Judith Russell, 1051 Forrest Hills Drive, Bogart GA, 30622-2442.]