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Declaration in order to be placed on the pension test under the act of June 2d 1832

On this ninth day of September 1833 personally appeared before the Honorable the Judge of the Circuit Court of Law & Equity for said County within the First Judicial Circuit John Edwards a citizen of said County who being first duly sworn made & subscribed the following declaration in order to obtain the benefits of the act of Congress passed 7th June 1832 that he served under the following named officers at the times & periods herein after stated to wit, that he is now aged Eighty three, was born in September (day unknown) of 1750 in Baltimore County State of Maryland, but has no record of his age but this is the tradition of his Ancestors he believes it true. That His father removed from Maryland when he was very young to McCallister town Pennsylvania & from thence to Shannadoah & thence Bedford County Virginia where he resided when the War of the Revolution broke out and where he resided during the time that he served as a militia man in said War & which was as follows.

1st he in the month of October 1776 Volunteered under Captain Bluford in Bedford County aforesaid, being at the time a sargeant in the Company to perform a tour of duty of six months, & marched to the frontiers against the Cherokee Indians, on the way, Joined Col Christy at the Big Lick marched under sd. Christy to the Long Island of Holstin & from there to the Cherokee Nation, & served under sd Christy for six months as sargeant on said tour well known as Christies expedition against the Cherokee. Was discharged verbally by Capn Bluford, at the Long Islan under promise to give written discharges on return home which he never obtained from him. This service he has proved by the affvidavit of Capn Christopher Taylor hereto annexed.

Again in the month of April 1777 he agai[n] volunteered in the Bedford Militia under Captain Thomas Arthur he being orderly sargeant in the Company was so continued under Capn Arthur,was enrolled at Bedford, and marched for a three months tour of duty to Richmond, from thence to Petersburgh there joined Gl Stubame and served out his three months under said Stubane, at Petersburg and was verbally discharged by Capn Arthur at Petersburg & returned home.

Again in the fall of 1778 he volunteered for a three months tour of duty under Capn William Leftwich to go against the Shawnee Indians & guard the frontier, was marched by Capn Leftwich to Greenbriar, declarant being again orderly Sargeant, of Leftwiches Company. Col Andrew Lewis was the Col who commanded, on said expediti[on] & he on said tour guarded [& ranged] on the frontier his three months and at the expiration of his three months was verbally discharged by Capn Leftwich & returned home.

Again in May 1781 he volunteered under Capn Payte, in Bedford Va. to go a three months tour of duty to the south to join Gl Green when Cornwallis was on his march south again was appointed orderly sargeant to Paytes company. Major Ward commanded the Virginia Militia to South Carolina, where he joind Gl Green at ninety six before the engagement with Lord Rawdon was in said Battle, retreated to Broad river under Gl Gates, when he was discharged by Capn Payte his three months having expired, said discharge was verbal.

Again in the month of August 1781, a general call was made for the Virginia Militia, to go to york Town against Cornwalls enrolled himself under and marched with his equipage to Shingle block on Goose creek, to continue to join Washington at york Town where news reached them that Cornwallis had surrendered & they were allowed to return home, having been a few days about the time now not recollected. That in the four several tours first set forth he served fifteen months, and the last he cannot recollect the time, exactly but could not have been less than half a month, for which fifteen months and half he claims a pension as orderly sargeant having served all the time in that capacity, that he has no documentary evidence in his possession nor can he make any other posative proof of actual service than that annexed, which goes to tweleve of the fifteen & half months service, which proof is annexed, but that Henry Taylor and [intentionally blank] are persons known to him & he to them & by whom he can establish the reputation of his said Services, that there is no minister of the Gospel in his vicinity by whom he can establish the facts required by the instructions of the War Dept. That his name is not on the pension roll of the agency of any state, & He hereby relinquishes every claim whatever to a pension except the present.

Sworn to & subscribed in open Court this day & year first before written.

Test.

his             

John X Edwards

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28732
John Edwards
Pension Declaration

from 1776 Sergeant
15½ months
$77.50/100

Jonesboro agency

By JBlair