The First Application of                                                                                                                                                       THEOPHILUS SWINSON for the

Pension Granted by the Act of June 7, 1832

 

STATE OF NORTH CAROLINA                    COURT OF PLEAS & QUARTER SESSIONS

DUPLIN COUNTY                                         February Term 1833

 

            On the 26th day of February 1833, personally appeared in open Court before Robert MIDDLETON, Richard MILLER and James LAWSON, Esquires, Justices of the Court aforesaid,

THEOPHILUS SWINSON, a resident of Duplin County in the State of North Carolina aged seventy-

five years & six months, who being first duly sworn according to the law, doth on his oath make the

following declaration in order to obtain the benefit of the act of Congress passed 7th June 1832.

                1. Under Col. John AHSE, Col. James KENAN, Capt. Charles WARD, Hardy HOLMES, Lt., about the last of January or first of February 1776 In a company of Duplin militia and served a fortnight in the expedition to More's Creek Bridge against the Tories, that he resided in Duplin County, NC on Goshen Swamp when he entered the service, that he was a volunteer, that he marched from Duplin Old Court House to Elizabeth Town in Bladen County, thence to Rockfish Creek in Cumberland County about seven or eight miles below Cross Creek now Fayetteville, and, understanding that the Tories had crossed Cape Fear at Fayetteville and were marching for Wilmington (there being  a man-of-war there lying in the River below Wilmington), he marched back to Elizabeth Town at which place he crossed over, and marched for Moore's Creek Bridge to intercept the Tories on their way to Wilmington, that the battle had happened at More's Creek bridge before he arrived there, that he arrived there the day after the battle, that he was discharged at Moore's Creek bridge the day he arrived, that he served with some continentals at Rockfish Creek in Cumberland County, NC, that the regular officers were John WALKER, Kelly GRANGER, Joseph RHODES, and Curtis IVEY, that he has no documentary evidence and knows of no person by whom he can prove his service.

            2.  Under Gen. Lillington, Col. James Kenan, Charles Ward he thinks in the year 1780, can't recollect the month or season of the year, he served three months, was a volunteer militiaman, that he marched from the Cross Roads in Duplin County to the Big Bridge in New Hanover County, where he remained about two months, that while he was at the Big Bridge there was an attack made by the enemy on the American Guard stationed there and some of the guard killed, that from there he marched to Kingston in Lenoir County and there was discharged, that he has no documentary evidence, & knows of no person by whom he can prove his service in this tour.

            3.  Before the service in the last-mentioned tour he entered under Col. James Kenan, Captain Charles Ward, Hardy Holmes Lieutenant (part of the tour) he thinks in the year 1779 or first of 1780 - and served a three months tour, as a volunteer militiaman, that he marched from Duplin into New Hanover County and was stationed below Wilmington where he continued nearly al this tour, the enemy at that time………the population of Wilmington, that he was discharged at the station near Wilmington, that he served with no continental regiments or companies, in this tour, that he has no documentary evidence, and knows of no person by whom he can prove his service in this tour.

 

 

 

 

 

 

__________________________

The original handwritten document may be found on National Archives Microfilm M-804, roll #2333.  The material concerning THEOPHILUS SWINSON is found in images #0357-0390.  At the National Archives, Washington, DC, the film is stored in Cabinet 40, Drawer 2.  Also identified as National Archives and Records Service Pension #S9489.  The original format and line breaks have been changed to facilitate pagination.

 

THEOPHILUS SWINSON

First Application

            4.         Under Col. James Kenan & Capt. Charles Ward in or about the year 1778 or 1779 and served one month.  This applicant believes it was more but is content to claim for that period, that he was a volunteer, that his marches were from Duplin to Wilmington, thence to Town Creek in Brunswick County, thence home, that he was in one battle, that he has no documentary evidence & knows of no person by whom he can prove this service, that in all his services he was a private soldier, that although he cannot prove his actual services by any person who served with him yet he can [produce] the testimony of Jesse Swinson to prove he was out in service

            He hereby relinquishes every claim whatever to a pension or annuity except the present and declares that his name is not on the pension roll of the agency of any State.

            Sworn & subscribed the day & year aforesaid.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                               Theophilus (his mark) Swinson

 

            Answers of Theophilus Swinson to the questions propounded to him by the Court prescribed by the War Department:

 

            1.         I was born in Pitt County, NC, in Aug 1757.

 

            2.         I have a record of my age at home in a Bible.

 

3.         When called into service I was living in Duplin County, NC, where I have ever since lived & now live.

 

            4.         I always volunteered.

 

5.      The regular officers who were with the troops when I served were Capts. John  Walker

& Kelly Granger.  There were some Continental troops at Rockfish in Cumberland          County.  The militia regiments I remember were Gen. Caswell's, Gen. Lillinton's & Col. James Kenan's, the general circumstances of my service are detailed in my declaration.

           

6.                I don’t recollect to have ever received any written discharge.  If I did, I’ve lost them.

 

7.         David Quinn, Robert Sloane, James Pearsall, Jeremiah Pearsall

 

            I, Jesse Swinson, aged seventy four years next spring, hereby certify that Theophilus Swinson, the aforesaid applicant was inservice during the Revolutionary war.  I know he was absent in service for during his absence I attended to his [       ] & business at home, how long he served I can't say; he was at Wilmington, & [     ]and about there, also at Town Creek in Brunswick County to my knowledge & I believe he served as he stated.

 

            Sworn & subscribed the day & year aforesaid.

            [26 Feb 1833]

                                                                                                                                                                                    /s/Jesse Swinson

 

Note: This Jesse Swinson is "Jesse Swinson, Sr.; husband of Nancy Winders and a Revolutionary War veteran.  

This ends the first application for a Revolutionary War pension by Theophilus Swinson

 

The Second Application of                                                                                                                                                THEOPHILUS SWINSON for the

Pension Granted by the Act of June 7, 1832

 

STATE OF NORTH CAROLINA                                            SUPERIOR COURT OF LAW

DUPLIN COUNTY                                                                                       FALL TERM, 1833

 

                On this the 24th day of September A.D. 1833, before the Honourable Thomas Settle, one of the Judges of the Superior Courts of Law & Equity for the State aforesaid now sitting and presiding in the Superior Court of Law & Equity for the County of Duplin.  Theophilus Swinson, a resident of Duplin County in the State of North Carolina, aged seventy nine years the 14th of August, 1833, who being first duly sworn according to law, doth on his oath make the following declaration in order to obtain the benefit of the Act of Congress passed Jun 7th, 1832.

 

            That he entered the service of the United States under the following named officers and served as herein stated.

 

1st.       He volunteered in a company of Duplin militia under Captain Charles Ward, his other company officers he forgets, in a regiment commanded by Cols. Lillington & Ashe in the first of the year 1776 and served two weeks as a private; that he resided in Duplin County, NC, when he entered the service; that he marched from Duplin on across Cape Fear at Elizabeth Town, thence up to Rockfish Creek about seven miles below Cross Creek now Fayetteville, to prevent the Tories from passing that way to Wilmington.  From Rockfish he marched back to Elizabeth Town, having understood that the Tories had crossed Cape Fear higher up & were aiming for Wilmington, thence on to Moore’s Creek bridge to intercept the Tories, and arrived at Moore’s Creek bridge the day after the battle was fought at that place – that there were some troops at Rockfish & were called Continentals; that he has no documentary evidence and he knows of no person by whom he can prove this service.

 

2ndly.   He volunteered again [in] a company of Duplin militia under Captain Charles Ward.  David Murdoch he thinks was Lieutenant in a regiment commanded by Col. James Kenan in the spring of the year 1776 and served three months as a private – he marched from Duplin to Wilmington, thence into Brunswick County on Town Creek, thence back to Wilmington and discharged; that he served with no continental regiments in this tour; the regular officers he knew were Kelly Granger and John Walker, Captains; that he has no documentary evidence and knows of no person by whom he can prove this service. 

 

3rdly.    He again volunteered in a company of Duplin militia under Captain Abram Maultby, Hardy Holmes, Lieutenant, in a regiment commanded by Col. James Kenan in the summer of 1777 and served three months as a private; he marched from Duplin to Wilmington, thence to Jumping Run, just below, and there stationed to prevent the enemy from coming up and taking Wilmington – they being on board a ship of war below – that he has no documentary evidence and knows of no person by whom he can prove this service, except that he thinks he can prove that he was in the service by Jesse Swinson of this county.

 

 

 

 

 

_____________________________

The original handwritten document may be found in national Archives Microfilm M-804, roll #2333.  The material concerning THEOPHILUS SWINSON is found in images #0357-0390.  At the National Archives, Washington, DC, the film is stored in Cabinet 40, Drawer 2.  Also identified as National Archives and Records Service Pension #S9489.  The original format and line breaks have been changed to facilitate pagination.

 

THEOPHILUS SWINSON

Second Application

 

4thly.    He volunteered again in a company of Duplin militia under Captain Charles Ward, Joseph Grimes, Lieutenant, in a regiment under the command of Gen. Lillington in the fall of 1780 and served three months as a private; that he marched from Duplin to the Big Bridge and stationed there to prevent the enemy from crossing and coming up into the country; they then having possession of Wilmington; that while at the Big Bridge he was detached for a company of eight men under the command of a sargeant to guard Gen. Lillington’s dwelling, that he has no documentary evidence and knows of no person by whom he can prove this service except that he can prove by Robert Sloane of this county that he was seen in the service while in this tour.

 

            Answers of THEOPHILUS SWINSON, the aforesaid applicant to the questions propounded to him by the Court aforesaid as prescribed by the War Department:

 

1.       I was born in Pitt County, NC, the 14th Aug 1754.

 

2.       I have a record of my age in a Bible at home.

 

3.       When I was first called into service, I was living in Duplin County on Goshen.  Ever since

the Revolutionary War I’ve lived in Duplin, and I now live there.

 

4.       I always volunteered.

 

5.  The only regular officers with the troops where I served that I recollect are Captains

    Kelly Granger and John Walker.  There were troops at Rockfish and in Wilmington called 

    continentals under the command of Gen. Moore.  The militia regiments I recollect were

    Col. Lillington’s , Col. Kenan’s, Col. Ashe’s & Col. Brown’s of Bladen.  I saw a British

    man of war called the Scorpion in Cape Fear below Wilmington with the enemy on board –

    for other circumstances attending my service I refer to my declaration.

 

6.       I don’t recollect to have ever received a written discharge.  If I did, I’ve lost it.

 

7.    Robert Sloan, Psborne Carr, Alex’r Heath, James Dickson, Dempsey Taylor, Rev. Peter

       Carlton, John Linton, Esq., Gibson Sloan, Esq., & others I could name.

 

            He hereby relinquishes every claim whatsoever to a pension or annuity except the present and declares that his name is not on the pension roll of the agency of any State.

 

Sworn to & subscribed the day & year above written

 

/s/ Jer. Pearsall, C.C.               }                                  Theophilus  (his mark) Swinson

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

THEOPHILUS SWINSON

Second Application

 

On the day & year aforesaid before the Court aforesaid personally appeared ROBERT SLOANE, A resident of Duplin County in the State of North Carolina aged eighty one years last April who being duly sworn doth on his oath depose and say that while this deponent was in service in the first of the year 1781 under Capt. Gillespie he saw Theophilus Swinson the aforesaid applicant in service at the Big Bridge in New Hanover County on several occasions, though he did not serve in the same company with said applicant but this deponent was well acquainted with said applicant and knew him before the Revolutionary War.

 

Sworn to & subscribed the day & year above written

 

/s/ Jer. Pearsall, C.C.               }                                  Robert (his mark) Sloane

 

We PETER CARLTON, a clergyman residing in the County of Duplin and ROBERT SLOANE residing in the same hereby certify that we are well acquainted with Theophilus Swinson the aforesaid applicant, that we believe him to be seventy 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 concur in that opinion.

 

Sworn to & subscribed the day & year above written

 

/s/ Jer. Pearsall, C. C.              }                                              /s/ Peter Carlton

                                                                                               

                                                                                                Robert (his mark) Sloane

 

And the said Court hereby declares this opinion after the investigation of the matter and after putting the interrogations prescribed by the War Department that the above named applicant was a Revolutionary soldier and served as he states.  And the Court further certifies that it appears to him that Peter Carlton who has signed the preceding certificate is a clergyman resident in the County of Duplin and Robert Sloane who has also signed the same, and who has sworn to and subscribed the preceding affidavit is a resident of the County of Duplin and a credible person, and that their statements are entitled to credit

                                                                                                                                                 /s/Thos.Settle,______________

 

On the day and year aforesaid before the Court aforesaid personally appeared JESSE SWINSON a resident of Duplin County in the State of North Carolina aged seventy four years last spring who being first duly sworn doth on his oath depose and say that he served in the Revolutionary war with thw aforesaid applicant THEOPHILUS SWINSON in a company of Duplin militia under Capt. Charles Ward he thinks in the spring or fall of the year 1776 and this deponent served with said applicant in said company three weeks and was relieved; that he thinks he left said applicant in service; that he marched from Duplin to Wilmington, thence over into Brunswick County on Town Creek, thence back to Wilmington, he thinks, and was relieved either there or at Town Creek.  This deponent further deposeth and saith that he served again with said applicant in a company of Duplin militia, he is not certain who was Captain, in a regiment commanded by Col. James Kenan; he is not certain the date but thinks it was in the spring of the year 1777, a fortnight and left said applicant in service at Jumping Run below Wilmington, this deponent having been relieved at that place; that he marched from Duplin to Wilmington, thence to Jumping Run and then stationed and made entrenchments there to defend the town from the assaults of the enemy who were on board ships of war in Cape Fear below and were expected to come up that way to attack the town.

Sworn & subscribed the day & year aforesaid

 

/s/ Jer Pearsall, C.C.                }                                           /s/ Jesse Swinson

 

THEOPHILUS SWINSON

Second Application

 

And the said Court hereby certifies that is is made appear [sic] to him that Jesse Swinson who has sworn to & subscribed the preceding affidavit is a credible witness and that his statement is entitled to credit.  Given under my hand the day and year aforesaid.

 

                                                                                    /s/Thos. Settle, ________________

 

            I JEREMIAH PEARSALL, Clerk of the Court aforesaid hearby certify that the foregoing contains the original proceedings of the said Court in the matter of the application of Theophilus Swinson for a pension.

 

 


                                                                                    In testimony whereof I have

                                                                                    hereunto affixed my seal of of-

fice and subscribed my name

at the Courthouse in Kenansville

this the 25th day of September

A.D. 1833 and in the 58th Year

of American Independence [sic]

                        Seal

/s/ Jer. Pearsall, C.C

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

THEOPHILUS SWINSON

Second Application

 

A barely legible certificate appears on the last page of this application.  It states the following:

 

NORTH CAROLINA                                       23105 [?]

 

“Theophilus Swinson, Duplin County in the State of North Carolina

[Illegible rank and units served in follows]

Col. Ashe in the _______________

For 7 Mo 14 days”

 

 

“_ _scribed on the Roll of N. Carolina

the rate of 24 [?] Dollars 88 Cents per annum,

commence on the 4th day of March, 1834.”

 

 

“Certificate of Pension issued the 7th day of Nov ‘33

                                    and [illegible]

Taylor’s Bridge – N.C.”

 

 

“Arrears to the 4th day of Sept 1833 [?]  -   62.20

[Illegible] allowance ending 4 Mar 1834 – 12.44

                                                              $74.64

                                                {Revolutionary Claim}

                                                 {Act of June 7, 1832}

 

Recorded by Nath. Rice  Clerk

Book E  Vol. [?]  Page 73