Charity Ward
~ Widow of Henry Ward Declaration State of Georgia On this 29th day of November 1844 personally appeared
before me, the subscriber, a Justice of the Inferior Court in and for said county
and State, the same being a court of record, Mrs. Charity Ward, a resident of
said county and State above written, aged eighty four years past, who being
first duly sworn according to law doth on her oath make the following Declaration
in order to obtain the benefits of the provision made by the acts of Congress
passed July 4 1836. That she is the widow of Henry Ward who was a private soldier
and served in the War of the Revolution in the Northcarolina Malitia as herein
stated (to wit), he volunteered on the 20th day of June seventeen
hundred and eighty in Surry County State of Northcarolina and joined a considerable
number of volunteers in Roan County and became organized. He was attached to
Capt. Reeds Company. Shortly afterwards Maj. Lewis, a Continental officer,
took command of said troops, then within a few miles of a large number of Torys.
The Torys fled ~ he was then marched with said troops in pursuit of them until
coming near Cornwallis army. When it was considered imprudent by the officers
to pursue them further, the troops returned and skirmished through the adjacent
counties until the 24 or 25 of Sept. when his term of service expired and he
returned home. After being out about three months after, to wit, on the 1st
day of October, he joined Lieutenant John Blalock in Captain Gipson Wooldridges
company of County Rangers for the purpose of pursuing the Torys and what was
called delinquents. He marched from Surry County under Lieutenant Blalock to
Salem in Northcarolina, there joined some troops from Virginia and remained
as Rangers for taking the Torys and protecting the country when Cornwallis marched
through NC the said company was attached to Genl Pickens army and pursued
Cornwallis to near the Virginia line when said company was detached to return
for the protection of the country against the Torys, &c, which duty he was
performing as County Ranger under Lieutenant Blalock and Capt. Wooldridge until
the treaty of peace in 1783, leaving this deponent and their three little children
at home. That he followed no other civil pursuit or occupation other than serving
his country. He was in the battle at Shallow Ford on Adkin River and was near
the ground where the battle was fought at Guilford CH but was not engaged in
it. That deponent has no documentary evidence of the said Henry Ward services,
but states the above and foregoing from her knowledge of the facts and as she
was at the time informed and has since heard her husband and others speak of.
That she knows of no person now living who could testify to any of the foregoing
facts other than James Sanders Esqr. of Madison County Ga. And deponent further
declares that she was legally married to the said Henry Ward on the 22nd
day of December seventeen hundred and seventy five in Surry County State of
Northcarolina, from thence removed to Georgia where her husband died leaving
her as his widow, and that she is still a widow, all of which will more fully
appear by reference to proof. Charity (x) Ward Sworn to and subscribed on the day and year first written before
me, a Justice of the Inferior Court of Madison County Georgia. I further certify
that Mrs. Charity Ward, from bodily infirmity, is unable to attend court. In
testimony whereof I have hereunto set me hand this 29th day of Nov
1833. William Sanders, JIC State of Georgia On this 13th day of January 1845 personally appeared before
the Honorable the Inferior Court held in and for said county, James Sanders
Esqr. a resident of said county and State aged Eighty two years past, who being
first duly sworn according to law saith that he formerly lived in Surry County
State of North Carolina and was personally acquainted with Henry Ward and Charity
Ward and that they were legally married on the day of seventeen hundred and
seventy five and that he deponent witnessed the marriage ceremony. And deponent
further states that himself and the said Henry volunteered in Surry County and
marched into Roan County where they joined a considerable number of volunteers
and attached themselves to Capt. Reeds Company of Infantry on the 24th
day of June seventeen hundred and eighty and served as privates in the Northcarolina
Infantry and shortly after they joined Capt. Reeds Company Maj. Lewis
took command of said company and they marched in pursuit of Torys until coming
near Cornwallis army when they returned and skirmished through the adjacent
counties until the 24 of September 1780 when they were discharged and returned
home. And some few days after deponent and the said Henry volunteered and joined
Lieutenant John Blalock in Captain Wooldridge company of horse on the 1st
day of October 1780 and served as privates in Cavalry in a company called County
Rangers raised for the express purpose of suppressing the Torys and guarding
the frontier of the country. The said troops marched to Salem in NC, there joined
some troops from Virginia and continued skirmishing through the country until
Cornwallis marched through North Carolina when said company joined General Pickens
army and pursued Cornwallis to near the Virginia line when Lieutenant Blalocks
company of County Rangers was detached to return for the protection of the country
against the Torys, which duty he continued performing as County Ranger until
peace was made in 1783 under Capt. Wooldridge and Lieutenant Blalock having
no other civil pursuit or occupation other than serving his country. That this
deponent was sick when the battles at Shallowford on Akin and at Guilford Courthouse
was fought. Sworn to and subscribed in open court the day and date first written. James Sanders And the said court do hereby declare in their opinion after the investigation
of the matter Mrs. Charity Ward is the widow of Henry Ward who is said to have
been a soldier in the War of the Revolution. And the said court after having
examining the acts and proceedings of William Sanders, a Justice of the Inferior
Court of Madison County in certifying to the bodily infirmity of Mrs. Charity
Ward doth approve of them. And the said court further certifies that James Sanders
is a respectable person and creditable witness. James Long, JIC State of Georgia Madison County Danielsville Honble Secretary of War Some considerable time past Mrs. Charity Ward by her friend sent
on a declaration for pension and not being aware that to secure an answer she
had to write to that effect ~ at her request I write to obtain some information
in regard to the result of the decision on her papers for pension ~ or whether
a certificate of pension has been issued to her. She is aged and very infirm
and in need and will be of great advantage to her if the Department should think
her case such as to be entitled. As I live in her immediate neighborhood, will
you please to inform me (if not contrary to your rules) the situation of her
claims. Very respectfully James Long
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GAGenWeb Project Team
Revolutionary Pension Application
In order to obtain the benefits of
the third section of the act of Congress of 4 July 1836.
Madison County
Madison County
January Term 1845 Inferior
Court
Attest James Long JIC
John Griffeth, JIC
William Sanders, JIC
Elisha Ware, JIC
John E. Caldwell, JIC
I Walten H. Griffith clerk
of the Inferior court of said county certify that William Sanders is an acting
Justice of said court duly commissioned and legally qualified and that the foregoing
signatures purporting to be his is genuine and that the foregoing are the original
proceedings had in said court.
In testimony whereof I have hereunto subscribed
my name and affixed my personal seal, having no seal of office. Walten H. Griffith,
CIC
8th Janry 1846
Dear Sir,
Your H. Serv.