Pension Application of Edward and Nancy Haily Mitchell: W23991
Transcribed and annotated by C. Leon Harris
State of Illinois}
St. Clair County}
On this [blank] day of January A.D. eighteen-hundred and thirty-five, personally appeared before me, John Hay, judge of the county probate of the said county of St. Clair, State aforesaid, at a special session, holden on the day and year aforesaid, Edward Mitchell, a resident of the said county and State aforesaid, who being first duly sworn according to law, doth on his oath make the following declaration in order to obtain the benefit of the pensions made by the act of Congress, passed June 7th 1832, That I was born in Hanover county state of Virginia on the 3d day of August A.D. 1760 this date I copied from my father’s Bible into my own many years ago, the original is now worn out, that in the year 1775 I joined a company of Volenteers, which was raised in said county, under captain Samuel Meredith. we mustered, three days [several words illegible] the number of [word illegible] not less than three making nine days; the company was called to Williamsburg against Governor Dunmore who had robbed the magazine in that place [on 20 April 1775] and had fled on board an English vessel which lay in York river; there being no hopes of his coming on shore we were discharged. In this expedition I was in service six days. we all rode our own horses and bore our own expenses.
In the year 1775 or 1776 two companies of Volenteers were ordered to be raised in Hanover County aforesaid and were called minute men, perhaps the reason why they were called so was because the understanding was at the time of enlistment, that they should be ready to march at a day’s warning. In this service I was appointed ensign, I believe under Capt. Dabney, the month, not recollected but the company not being raised in time it was not called into service, I then joined the same volenteer corps as a private under Capt. John Winsten and acted as a corporal in a Batallion under Colonel Samuel Meredith and we marched in May 1776 from Hanover county Va. to Hampton in the same state. In October we were ordered to Portsmouth (Norfolk having previously burnt [by Lord Dunmore on 1 Jan 1776]) and the troops remained there I think until December when the troops were disbanded, that tour was at least, six months, this was also a volenteer service, no bounty was given nor no drafts had taken place at this time, but I [sic] wages were paid (I think every three months) in Continental paper, and I recollected that while at hampton I gave five continental dollars for four silver dollars. I recollect the following officers in the Batallion in which I served as above (for there were no troops at hampton but our Batallion) to wit, Col. Meredith, Capt. John Winsten, Capt. James Dabney, Lieut. Overton who was our adjutant ensign Kimber[?] & I also knew the two captains Richard & James Barren who then commanded two small schooners and were daily employed as look out Boats. While we remained at Hampton an U. S. vessel of War called a row galley came up and invited the officers & soldiers to come on board and take a cruise; Capt. Winsten and myself and several others went on board and remained there three days on a cruise. As this was the first vessel of war which I had seen, I recollect my impression, which was she could neither overtake an enemy or run away from them.
As I am now between 800 and a thousand miles from Hanover county where I performed the above service and it is now 56 years since I moved from there I do not believe I can procure a living witness to prove the above facts. I think at the time of the above transactions, the business of the state was conducted at Williamsburg by what was called a committee of safety, and business of the counties by county committees. My father moved to Botetourt county in Virginia in the year 1778. I was twice called out from this county after Indians: at one of these times the Indians had attacked Donallies [sic: Donally’s] fort in Greenbrier County Va. in this tour I served 6 days under Col. [George] Skillern, the other time a report came that the Indians were coming on our frontiers and myself and three other men were stationed 10 days at Col. William Christians as a guard. In the year 1781 I was appointed Quartermaster to a Batallion of Volenteer Riflemen from Botetourt county Va. under Col. Crockett on the 25th of February 1781 we fought Lord Cornwallace in which action he was near Allimance creek in North Carolina; the Americans were commanded by Genl. Green.
On the 6th of march we fought Cornwallace at Haw river.
On the 11th of march 1781 the time of our service as a rifle corps expired, it having been raised for, time not recollected. [See note below.]
[The rest of Mitchel’s deposition is not available.]
NOTES:
The bottom of the first page of Edward Mitchell’s deposition was torn at a fold and reattached by transparent tape, but with the two sides of the fragment reversed and the bottom trimmed off. The fragment was microfilmed before this attempt at restoration, however.
Mitchell refers to a skirmish involving the Botetourt Riflemen near Alamance Creek in North Carolina, apparently the skirmish at Clapp’s Mill. The date of the skirmish is variously given as the 1st, 2nd, or 4th of March 1781 rather than February 25. Generals Nathanael Greene and Lord Cornwallis were overall commanders of their respective armies in the South, but the commanders of the detachments engaged in this skirmish were Lt. Col. Henry Lee and Lt. Col. Banastre Tarleton. The second skirmish referred to was at Wetzel’s Mill on Reedy Fork, a branch of Haw River. Mitchell implies that he served until his term expired on March 11. Most members of the Botetourt Riflemen returned home before then, soon after the skirmish at Wetzel’s Mill. See the pension applications of John Tate (S6191) and William Brooks (R1259). Those who left early were tried by court martial and acquitted. Isaac Robinson (R8900) appears to have been with the Botetourt Riflemen and remained through the Battle of Guilford Court House on March 15.
Being called on by the Revd. Edward Mitchell of St. Clair county State of Illinois, to state what I know and remember of his services in the revolutionary war; I do hereby certify that I recollect his going into service as what was then called a minute man and that he was a considerable time from home, but cannot recollect the exact length of time being then only turned of 12 years of age. At that time my father lived in the county of Hanover State of Virginia, this was in the year 1776. In 1778 my father removed to the county of Botetourt in the same state and in the fore part of the year 1781, he served a tour in North Carolina about the time of the battle of Gilford between Genls Green & Cornwallace, but as to the time he left home I can not say being at that time in the army myself and I always distinctly understood that in his tour to the South he acted as quartermaster.
Sworn to & subscribed in open Court [signed] Sam Mitchell
before me this 17th Jan’y 1835 [signed] John Hay Judge of Probate
State of Illinois}
St. Clair County} On this eighth day of June A.D. 1850 personally appeared before William H. Underwood, judge of the Circuit Court of St. Clair County, state of Illinois, Nancy Mitchell, otherwise called Ann Mitchell, a resident of St. Clair County, Illinois state, aged eighty five years, who being first duly sworn, according to law, doth on her oath, make the following declaration, in order to obtain the benefit of the provision made by the act of Congress, passed July 7th 1838, entitled “an act granting half pay and pensions to certain widows;” That she is the widow of Edward Mitchell who was a Revolutionary pensioner of the United States, resided near Belleville in the County of St. Clair and State of Illinois, drew his pension from the pension agent at Mount Carmel in the state of Illinois for the last time in the month of March A.D. 1837, to the best of her recollection.
She further declares that she was married to the said Edward Mitchell on the twenty sixth day of August in the year seventeen hundred and eighty four, that her husband the aforesaid Edward Mitchell died on the third day of December eighteen hundred and thirty seven, that she was not married to him prior to his leaving the service, but the marriage took place previous to the first of January, seventeen hundred and ninety-four, viz. at the time above stated. She further swears that she is now a widow, and that she has never before made any application for a pension.
Sworn to and subscribed, on the day and ear above written, [signed] Ann Mitchell
Subscribed and sworn to before me this 18th day of June A.D. 1850 at her dwelling house in St. Clair County Illinois; and I hereby certify that she cannot attend court from bodily infirmity.
W. H. Underwood, Judge of St. Clair Circuit Court, Illinois
Reverend Edward Mitchell my Father resided at his death upon his farm five miles east of this place.
He died 3d December 1837.
My mother his [sic] resided since the death of my Father upon the farm owned since the death of Father by Dr. Mitchell & with my Brother in law & Sister one mile distant.
The following is taken from my Fathers old family Bible by myself and copied into my own Bible.
Edward Mitchell was born 3d August 1760
Nancy Haily was born 21[?] Sept. 1763
Edward and Nancy Hail were married 26 Aug 1784
My mother has been called by the family since my recollection Ann, and usually signs her name Ann, while the older members of the family called her Nancy. She is called and more familiarly known as Ann.
Belleville S.Clair County Ill
18 June 1850 [signed] J. Mitchell
State of Illinois} SS
St Clair County}
Personally appeared before the undersigned judge of the St. Clair Circuit Court in the state of Illinois, James Mitchell, who produced a family Bible in which is the following registry, to wit:
“Edward Mitchell &
“Ann Haley were married 26th August 1784.”
And the said James Mitchell having been duly sworn says that the said registry is in the proper hand writing of Edward Mitchell, deceased and that the said registry is the original family register of the said Edward Mitchell. He further testifies that this is the only record of the said marriage that can now be produced.
In witness whereof I have hereto set my hand this 23 July A.D. 1850.
[signed] Wm. C. Underwood Judge of St. Clair Circuit Court, Illinois