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Revolutionary War Veterans in 1840

The United States Census of 1840 shows that in York District there were 26 living Revolutionary War veterans.

Pensioner Age Head of Household
Daniel Gilmore 76 Daniel Gilmore
Daniel Quinn 82 Daniel Quinn
J. B. Fulton 75 A. Fulton
John McElwee 75 John McElwee
John Barber 80 John Barber
Gilly Moss 76 Samuel Moss
Samuel Turner, Esq. 77 Samuel Turner, Esq.
William Carson 77 ------
James Campbell 86 James Campbell
James Brian, Sr. 80 James Brian, Sen.
Thomas Boggs 95 J. W.Jennings
John Starr 70 Mary Boggs
Robert Hannah 80 Eli More
Samuel McElhenny 81 Allen Robertson

[Editors Note: The Revolutionary War reached the Carolina upcountry in 1780. The Battle of Yorktown (Va.), the last battle of the war, was fought October 17, 1781. The 1840 Census, then, is 39 or 40 years after the veterans could possibly have participated in military action. Are the ages accurate? If so, John Starr was only 10 or 11 years of age when he fought. The 1840 was the first census taken after the United States began awarding pensions to Revolutionary War veterans under the Pension Act of 1832. No earlier censuses identified veterans. If any of our readers have copies of the pension papers of any Revolutionary veterans that they would like to share, we would appreciate receiving them.]

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