Pension Application of John Carpenter S8160
Transcribed and annotated by C. Leon Harris
State of Virginia } S.S.
County of Lewis }
On this 7th day of August A.D. 1832 personally appeared in open Court before the Justices of the County Court of Lewis County now sitting John Carpenter a resident of Hackers Creek Settlement in said County of Lewis and State of Virginia aged 68 years. Who being first duly Sworn according to Law doth on his Oath make the following decleration in order to obtain the benefit of the act of Congress passed June 7th 1832
That he entered the Service of the United States under the following named officers and served as herein stated That he Volenteered in Botetout [sic: Botetourt] County Virginia as a private in the Fall of 1780 for a Tour of six months under Captain John Bowler [sic: John Bollar], who commanded a Riffle Company raised from the County. was marched by way of Albemarle Court House in Virginia State to Head quarter in North Carolina near Gilford Court House, there joined the main Army commanded by Genl — Green [sic: Nathanael Greene], in March 1781 the British made an attack on the american army [Battle of Guilford Courthouse, 15 Mar 1781] who was (affiant recollects) commanded by Generals Green, and Morgan [sic: see note below], and by confusion produced in the american line of Troops they were after a close conflict forced to retreat. this was the principal event which took place during the period for which affiant volenteered, that he was marched and halted, or made stays at many places that he cannot recollect and that he seen a great many officers, whose names he has forgotten, for a reason he affiant was only 16 years old when he volenteered, and did not pay that attention that a man would with the Cares of the world and Interest of the Country more deeply at heart. that he remembers the names only of the two General Green and Morgan and his Capt. John Bowler. affiant was discharged in April 1781 after having served this Tour of six months (for which he volenteered) by his Captain John Bowler and Returned to his residence in Virginia, Botetout County. Then in May 1781 he again volenteered as a private in a Company of Virginia Militia Commanded by Capt. David May from Botetout County Virginia for six months was marched by way of Richmond and Williams Burg [sic: Williamsburg] Va to Little York, then was at the Capture of Lord Cornwallis in October [19th] following. there saw Genls Washington, LaFayette, [Benjamin] Lincoln, [Henry] Knox, [Anthony] Wayne and Muhlenburgh [sic: Peter Muhlenberg]. Seen, and heard the names of many officers of an Inferior Grade whose names he has forgotten, that his Captains Lieutenant was named Wallace Astel [sic: Wallace Estill], and that after the Surrender of Lord Cornwallas affiant was one that aided in guarding British prisoners to the (then known by the name of Winchester) Barrax near Winchester Frederick County Virginia, was there engaged guarding till time was up for which he volenteered, and was then discharged by his Captain May’s Lieutenant Wallace Astel, at said Barracks and returned home. Affiant then in Augusta County Virginia in December 1781 Volenteered his services under Captain John McCoy to march to and defend the fronteers of Virginia above Ohio River as a private for twelve months. Was marched forthwith to Wests Fort on Hackers Creek now in the County of Lewis Virginia [near present Jane Lew], was from thence ordered by Col. [William] Lowther to Spie through the Counties of now Lewis, Harrison, Wood &c in Virginia, and was some times at Neels Station at mouth of Little Kenhawa River now in Wood County Virginia [sic: Neal's Station or Fort Neal 1 mi from the mouth of Little Kanawha River nearly opposite Parkersburg] Sometimes at Bushes Fort now in Lewis County Virginia [Fort Bush on the W side of Buckhannon River just above the mouth of Turkey Run, now in Upshur County] and from thence to Wests Fort on Hackers Creek same County. was moved by orders of different officers alternately as the necessity of the Country at that time demanded. Sometimes by orders of Col. Lowther, at others by orders of Capt. [Benjamin] Wilson and other subaltern officers whose names affiant has forgotten, during which period of service he affiant was frequently engaged in rescuing stolen property carried off by the Savages. And succeeded in many cases a perilous undertaking. was in January 1783 discharged by Col Lowther and returned to his home in Botetout County Virginia. He was then in March 1783 ordered out as an Indian Spie to the place where Lewisburg now stands in what is now Greenbriar [sic: Greenbrier] County there he marched to and continued to act as an Indian Spie in the adjacent county for six months during which time the treaty of peace with England arrived. Affiants six months having expired he received his discharge from Captain Peter Hull He performed many services subsequently as an Indian Spie which is not now deemed necessary as it happened after September 1783. That he did not serve less than two years and three months as a private soldier during the war of the revolution that is between September 1780 and June 1783 and not less than 7 months afterwards He has lost all his discharges. Has no documentary evidence. Nor does he know of any person living by whom he can prove his services or whose testimony he can procure who can testify as to his services
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 to and subscribed this day and year aforesaid. John hisXmark Carpenter
The court propounded the seven several interrogatories prescribed by the war department to the applicant to which he gave the following answers Viz.
1st. That he was born in the year 1764 in Boutetort county in Virginia according to the accounts of his parents.
2nd. That he has no record of his age
3rd. That he was living in Boutetort county in Virginia. That he lived a short time in Greenbriar county and then gone to the neighborhood of where he now lives in Lewis county and has remained there and thereabouts ever since
4th. That he volunteered the first time. He volunteered the 2nd time. He volunteered the third time That the 4th time he was ordered out as an Indian Spie and continued six months
5th. That he saw at or near Guilford Courthouse Generals Greene and Morgan, at Yorktown he saw Generals Washington, L Fayette, Lincoln, Knox and Muhlenburg, and General Wayne and many other officers whose names he then heard the names of whom he has now forgotten. he particularly remembers General Wayne who met the Virginia troops at Rackoon Ford [Raccoon Ford on Rapidan River, 8 Jun 1781]. Wayne commanded the Pensylvania troops. The Virginians were retreating untill they were met by Wayne and then they became pursuers back to Richmond. Thence to Williamsburg. thence to Yorktown. after the surrender of Cornwallis marched to barracks near Winchester. the guarded prisoners till his turn of six months was expired. Thence home. Then again volunteered as an Indian Spie on the western waters Spied between Wests fort and Neals Station at mouth of little Kenhawa under Col. Lowther as above stated for 12 months. Then again as an Indian Spie in Greenbriar County as before stated.
6th. That he was first discharged by Captain Bowler. Then 2nd time discharged by Lieutenant Wallace Astell. 3rd by Col. Lowther 4th by Captain Peter Hull all those discharges he believes he lost but it may be that they were all burnt in his house which was burnt by the Indians in 1792.
7. That he is known in his present neighborhood to Martin Life and James Brown [pension application S6718] who can testify as to his character for veracity and their belief of his services as a soldier of the revolution. That there is no clergyman residing in his neighborhood. John hisXmark Carpenter
[The following report is by District Attorney Washington G. Singleton who investigated many pensioners from Lewis and other counties of present West Virginia. For details see pension application S6111 of David W. Sleeth and notes below.]
John Carpenter, aged 68 yrs. Serv’d. 2 yrs. (Lewis County)
Samuel Bennett [probably Samuel Bonnet] aged 65 says John Carpenter has removed to the State of Ohio. has heard Carpenter say before the passage of the Pension Law that he had been a soldier in the Revo. War.
Nicholas Carpenter says that John Carpenter & himself are about the same age (65 yrs.) first knew him after the close of the Revolutionary War. he was then quite a young man.
Isaac Washburn aged 59 yrs. says John Carpenter and himself were boys together. Carpenter was two or three years older than himself.
Wm Powers [S18164] aged 70 says that John Carpenter came to Harrison County in the year 1790 then a young man could not have exceeded 21 yrs – Powers further states that has left the country “has fled from Justice” Respectfully Reported W. G Singleton
Special Agent July 1834
Ripley Jackson County Virginia October 6th 1838
Sir A certificate has Lately been placed in my hands by an old gentleman by the name of John Carpenter of his service in the Revolutionary War which is as follows to wit
“War Department.
Revolutionary Claim I certify that in conformity with the Law of the United States of the 7th June 1832 John Carpenter of the State of Virginia who was a private in the army of the revolution is to receive Eighty Dollars & [blank] cents per annum During his natural Life commencing on the 4th of March 1831 & payable Semiannually on the 4th of March & 4th of September in every year
Given at the War office of the United States this 16 day of May one thousand eight
hundred & thirty three Lew Cass Secretary of War
Examined & Countersigned} J L Edwards Commissioner of Pensions
Mr Carpenter informs me that he has never received but forty Dollars on the above claim & wishes me to inquire of you why the payment has been stopped
Oct 22, 1838
Sir In answer to your letter of the 6th inst in the case of John Carpenter, I have to inform you John Carpenter of Lewis County Virginia was inscribed on the Roll of Virginia under the Act of the 7th June 1832 at $80 per annum, and was stricken therefrom on the 13th March 1835
A L Kinnard Esq Pocatoligo Kanawa County Virginia [sic: Pocatalico, Kanawha County]
NOTES:
Many pension applicants stated that Gen. Daniel Morgan was at Guilford Courthouse, but he had in fact resigned shortly after the Battle of Cowpens on 17 Jan 1781.
On the cover of his report on Carpenter, Singleton wrote “Fraud.” This is one of several instances in which Singleton reached such a conclusion based on nothing more than other’s estimates of age. In the federal census of Lewis County taken in 1830 before passage of the pension act, John Carpenter was listed as between 60 and 70. The 1840 census of Jackson County listed John Carpenter as 77 and a pensioner.