thomas clark rev war pension application

Thomas and Jane Clark
W 2920  
Bounty Land Warrant 2492   160-55  Virginia

 

The above named soldier born in Fairfax County Virginia 1755, residence Kentucky 1839.

 

Thomas Clark made oath that he is the identical person named in the original certificate in his possession of which the following is a copy. That Thomas  Clark, aged about 26 years, late a sergeant in the 10th Virginia Regiment and was disabled while in service by a wound in the left arm and which has occasioned the use of it and that he is allowed the sum of 18 pounds annually beginning 1st Jan 1786 - given under my hand, as Governor of the Commonwealth of Virginia, Richmond, this 17th day of March 1787 - signed Edmond Randolph.
Declaration made Fayette Co, Kentucky Aug 26-1840

 

Personally appeared Thomas Clark, a resident of Fayette Co, Ky, aged 85 on the 28th instant who being duly sworn according to law, states that in the year 1775 he was residing in the county of Gloucester, Co, Va and was an apprentice to the ship carpenters trade being then about 20 years old, that during the summer or fall of said year 1775 upon a rumor or apprehension, that Lord Dunmore entended to return to Williamsburg and burn the city, he volunteered under Col Buckner, and marched to Williamsburg after their arrival. They continued there until relieved by Col. Jefferson, that as was said 500 men. How long this affiant was in service at this time, he cannot state, but this probably two months, after the return of applicant from Williamsburg, he returned to his father's residence in Fairfax Co, Va, and during the spring or summer of 1776 on the ascent of the British fleet up the Potomac he again volunteered under Capt Deneal and marched to Mt. Vernon to protect the property of General Washington - the length of the service at this time, he cannot distinctly state, but thinks it ought not exceed one month. That in the later part of the fall of the same year 1776, the month, not recollected, he enlisted in the army of the U.S. for three years, or during the war and served in the 10th regiment of the Va line under the following named officers, viz: Col Edward Stephens, Major George Nichols, Captain Thomas West, Lt. John Cofer, Charles S Broadwater, and Ensign Thomas Pierson, said enlistment took place in the county of Fairfax Va, he marched from there to Baltimore, thence to Philadelphia, thence to New Jersey, where in the spring of 1777, he joined the main army under the command of General George Washington and there remained under the same officers until he was wounded at the Battle of Brandywine, previous to which time, he was marched through various parts of New Jersey to Trenton, Princeton, Morristown, and at one time the army made a move  to the north perhaps to Boston but upon arrival of the army in or near the state of New York, information was received that the British were approaching Chesapeake which changed the movement and the army returned and afterwards was fought the Battle of Brandywine, where this applicant was wounded as aforesaid, he was placed in the hospital at Bethlehem in the state of Pennsylvania, where he remained until discharged sometime in the month of June 1778. Applicant thought his discharge was recorded in the clerk's office of Fairfax Co, Va, and got his son to write for it which was not obtained, but in lieu of it he received from a friend an affidavit of one of his lieutenants, Charles S Broadwater, now on file in the pension department of Washington - he knows no other surviving witness by whom he can prove his services and did not know of Lieutenant Broadwater at the time he made his original declaration to which this is an amended application. Applicant further states that by reason of the lapse of the old age and the consequent loss of memory he cannot swear positively as to the precise length of the service he believes he served about 21 months.

 

     Mrs. Jane Clark made application April 14-1843 in Fayette Co, Ky, aged 75 the 9th July last, past, states that she is the widow of Thomas Clark, deceased, who was a private in the company of Captain Thomas West during the war of the revolution made Edward Stevens that she was ____ to the said Thomas Clark, January 28th 1788; that her husband Thomas Clark died 2-7-1842; that she was not married to him prior to his leaving the service before the marriage took place prior to the first of January179_.

 

   Affidavit of James Clark of Fayette Co, Ky made affidavit that he is the son of Thomas Clark, deceased, has lived in his father's house all of his life (nearly), up to the death of said Thomas Clark who died 2-7-1842 and states that the family Bible records have been in this affiant's possession since his father's death and is attaching said records hereunto which was this day cut from the Bible by this affiant, which is in the hand writing of his father Thomas Clark. This 1843 April 14.

 

     Affidavit: I do certify that I have been personally acquainted with the above named Mrs. Jane Clark and James Clark her son. For many years, this 1843, signed James L. Hickman Justice of Peace, Fayette County

 

Bible Records
Marriages:
Thomas and Jane Clark married 1-28-1788
Edward F and Hannah Clark Sept 27-1814
Charles and Jane Clark 5-1-1822
James and Lysham Clark 1-24-1828 

Births:
Thomas Clark  8-28-1755
Jane Clark  7-9-1787
Edward Clark  5-2-1791
Richard Clark  7-14-1793
Jefferson Clark born  6-9-17__
James Clark  born 12-12-1803
Thomas Clark son of Edward and Hannah Clark born 6-30-1815
Nancy Clark  4-17-1817
William Clark  7-31-1818
Charles Clark  born  4-20-182_
David Clark  born  3-8-1822
John Thomas Clark  born 4-__-____
James William Clark  ________

 

Affidavit of L Broadwater, an officer and soldier in the Revolutionary War aged 88 states he was well acquainted with Thomas Clark and as he is now living in Kentucky and that he was formerly a native of Fairfax County Virginia and enlisted here as a soldier in the revolution, to the best of his knowledge 1776, the deponent was First Lieut and Thomas Clark was in active service and was wounded at the Battle of Brandywine.

 

     Declaration of Mrs. Jane Clark was made June 7-1843 aged __ widow of Thomas Clark.

 

     In a letter from James L Hickman of Lexington, Kentucky 9-12-1840, concerning Thomas Clark, he wrote a postscript as follows: To the pension department: My grand father lieutenant John Wilson of the revolutionary army was killed in the battle at the Eutaw Springs, leaving two orphaned children. My mother is the only one now living. Her brother having died in 1815. They were placed upon the pension list in that State of Virginia at the rate of 20 L. per annum to commence on the 1st January 1788 about which time my mother moved to Kentucky bringing with her the certificate of the government of the pension. She has never received one dollar of the pension, the object of this note is to inquire whether the government of the U.S. has ever allowed pension to persons entitled to pensions from Virginia. Application was made to Virginia some ten years since for the pension, which was refused. Respectfully. James L. Hickman

 

[in an interview between James L Hickman and Thomas Clark] The old gentleman told Mr. Hickman to tell Mr. Edwards (the pension commissioner) to take his horse and ride over to Fairfax, about 10 or 12 miles from Washington and see Charles Broadwater, who made affidavit about the service of the said Thomas Clark. 

 

Source: Records of Revolutionary War Pensions of Soldiers who Settled in Fayette County Kentucky

Annie Walker Burns, compiler, Washington DC, 1936

Copy held by the Kentucky Room, Lexington Public Library

Call number: R976.947 B4128r KY1936