Pension Application of Thomas and Frances Howard: S45796
Transcribed and annotated by C. Leon Harris
State of Kentucky}
Perry County Sct} SS.
On this 24th day of December 1833 personally appeared before me a Justice of the peace for Perry County now sitting Thomas Howard a resident in the county of Perry and state of Kentucky aged eighty three years who being first duly sworn according to law doth on his oath make the following declaration in order to obtain the benefit of the act of Congress passed June 7. 1832 that he entered the service of the United States under the following named officers and served as herein stated, under Col John Mongomery [sic: Montgomery] Captain Jesse Evans Leuietenant Anthony Crockett in the state of Virginia in the county of Montgomery on the – day of June in the year 1778 for three years – from Mong’y the army all met at the Long Isl’ds of Holstien [sic: Long Islands of the Holston River at present Kingsport TN], and went down that river to the Tennessee, to the Ohio to the Mississippi, up to the mouth of the Illinois river and up it to Kaskascia [sic: Kaskaskia] river. remained there for some time. we marched to Vincennes on the Wabash river, &[?] this applicant remained till the Spring of 1779. during which time, the portion of the troops had several small fights with the Indians, and in the month of July 1779. we marched across to the falls where Col Clarkes [sic: George Rogers Clark’s] Regiment had assembled and was stationed he was some times called Gen Clark, he remained here until next year at the falls, and remained here until during that summer he accompanied the army to Piccaway [sic: Piqua] where the battle ensued between Gen Clark and the Indians [8 Aug 1780] Gen Clarks Regt and the Kentucky forces entirely overcame them during this year 1780. the Indians had attacked Bonsboro [sic: Boonesborough KY], had killed several men, one near Lexington and one on Licking River, and had taken riddle fort [sic: Ruddle’s Station]., he forgot to mention that during the year 1778. over on the waters of the Miamis [sic: Great and Little Miami rivers in Ohio] we took an Indian Town the name of which this applicant cant remember. after the battle at Piccaway this applicant went back with the most of the troops to the falls and here staid until next April 1781. four companies then marched up on the Kentucky side to where cincinnatti now stands and the Americans built two block houses on the Cincinnati side and two or rather repaired one & built one on the other during the battle at Piccay he deems it proper to state that A Crockett receiv’d several wounds from the Indians – he will not swear as to dates but believes it was in June 1781 he received his discharge – during 1780. 1779. many small affairs took place between the Indians and the Kentucky settlements and often the troops were attacked on passing between Hardonburg [sic: probably Harrodsburg KY] and some killed, the Cannadians and french creoles, and Indians all joined to lay waste the settlements in Kentucky – [See note below.] after receiving his discharge for three years he returned with his brother, and several to Mongomery county Va where he lived until he came to Licking where he now resides. He lost his discharge, or done something with it, it has been fifty years since he seen it. in fact and truth he does not know what has become of it – he was promised land when he enlisted which he never got. He has no documentary evidence in his favor, but is certain his name his name is on the pay roll at the board of war. He knew he thinks one or two Regular officers in the continental service, To wit Col. Crockett from Shaneydoy [sic: Shenandoah] county Va I allways understood he was a regular officer, he came to the falls from Fort Pitt, during the year 1779. or 80. with a Regt from Va, he knew Col Benj. Logan of Kentucky, Col Mongomery Gen Clark, Col Bomar and Major Bomar. Major Hugh McGany of Ky, Col Canniday Capt Benton and Col Hart, he knew Col [William] Preston of Va, He hereby relinquishes every claim whatever to a pension or annuity except the present and declares his name is not on the pension roll of the agency of any state – Sworn to and subscribed the day and year afores’d [signed] Thomas Howard
Qu’t 1st
Where and in what year were you born?
Ans. I was born in Georgia (in Wilkes county now) on the 8th day of June 1750.
2d Qu
Have you any record of your age and if so where is it
Ans I have now record at my house or elsewhere that I know of but know my age from my father having set down my age in a book and having seen it often
3rd Qus.
Where were you living when called into service; where have you lived since the Revolutionary war, and where do you now live?
Ans. In Montgomery County Virginia – and moved here thirty seven years since the Revolutionary war and I now live in Perry county Kentucky it was a new county formed out of Floyd, and Clay counties. the place where I now live on was formed in Floyd –
4th.
How were you called into service, where you drafted did you volunteer or were you a substitute and if a substitute for whom?
Ans. I was enlisted for three years and promised land when I enlisted which I never got in my life–
5th
State the names of some of the Regular officers who were with the troops when you served, such continental and militia Regiments as you can recollect, and the general circumstances of your service.
Ans. I know many officers’s names that served but cannot distinguish who were regulars and who were not. fifty years or more has passed by since the service was rendered by me and being physically defective and very old I may be easily mistaken. There was Gen Clarke who was commander, Col. Bomar he was a militia Col. for I knew him in Virginia before he came to Kentucky. Col Mongomery also there was a Col Crockett from Shamedoah perhaps was a regular officer. Col. Logan lived in Ky not far from Harodsburg as I understood and Hugh McGairy a Maij. and in Ky some where. There was several Millitia Regiments along when I first went to Kaskascia, and when the army took an indian town called ofost[?]. I however was not along when the main fight took place. and also when we whipt the Indians at piccway on the Miamis–
the general circumstances of my service are fully stated in the declaration it is a matter of impossibility to remember everything or is it necessary to mention every account that occured during the service, a minute detail would swell this statement to many pages – However my self and Brother James agreed to enlist for three years in Virginia and done so under the promise of land &[?] our father having been murdered by the indians and everything taken from us we went from low down on New River, and enlisted. neither of us having families, we marched from Mongomery to the Long Islands of [The rest is missing from the HeritageQuest file.]
NOTES:
“The Cannadians and French creoles, and Indians all joined to lay waste the settlements in Kentucky” probably refers to attacks in 1780 by an army mostly of Indians but possibly including French Canadians, all under the command of British Col. Alexander McKee from Detroit.
Compare the application of Thomas Howard’s brother, James (S31139).
On 2 Dec 1871 in Magoffin County KY Mrs. Frances Howard, 90, applied for a pension declaring that she married Thomas Howard on or about 15 Aug 1796 and that he died on 27 Jan 1853. A typed summary states that Thomas Howard died in Morgan County KY, and it cites conflicting dates and places of the marriage.