John King's Pension
John King, the Revolutionary soldier, volunteered for service to his
country, in the cause of freedom, at White Plains, Maryland, for the
term of three years 1778-1781. He served as a private under the command
of Captain Stull of the Regiment commanded by Colonel Gunby, in the
Maryland line from April 1778-April 1781. He fought in the Battles of
Ruddy Fork, Alamance and Guilfod in the state of North Carolina. Was
discharged from duty in Canaden, South Carolina, April 1781, When he
arrived in Virginia is uncertain.
The above military record is contrary to a record that has previously
been published. However, the above record is the one recieved from the
Military Archives, Washington, DC., The above record was approved by the
National Society Daughters of the American Revolution who have access to
Military Archives records.
In 1818 the Revolutionary Claims Act was enacted by U.S. Congress
providing a pension to Revolutionary soldiers. John King did not agree
to apply for pension at this time. He felt he would be asking for and
recieving charity of which he was opposed. He fought for freedom and
independence not for monetary gain.
By 1829 John King was experiencing some mifortune and realized he would
come to the point of declining health. He appeared before the court in
Montgomery County, Virginia, in September, 1829, with his sworn
statement of service, record of property ownership and letters of
recommendation from his neighbors, Andrew Lewis, Jonathon Conner, and
son-in-law, Stephen Burnett. Andrew Lewis stated he knew personally that
Jong King had fought bravely in the battles he mentioned. He was in his
neighbor, a man of good character, truthful and honest. However he had
experienced financial difficulty.
In June, 1832, John King signed the following statement:
Known all men by these present, that I, John King, of the County of
Floyd, Revolutionary Pensioner of the United States, do hereby
constitutes and appoint Robert Craig, my true and lawful attorney for me
and in my name, to receive from the Agent of the United States for
paying pensions in Washington City, DC, my pensions from fourth day of
March, 1831., to the fourth of March 1832.
Witness my Hand and Seal, this the 18'th day of June, 1832.
Signed by
Henry D. King as Witness
Signed by
John King
The following statement was signed by Justice of the Peace on same day.
Be it known, "That on the 18'th day of June, 1832, before the
subscriber, John King, above namely and acknowledged the foregoing power
of attorney to his act and deed. In testimony whereof, I have here unto
set my hand, the day and year above mentioned.
George Shelor, J. Peace. Montgomery County (to wit)
This day, Andrew Lewis of lawful age personally appeared before me
Jonathon Conner, a Justice of the Peace in and for the County of
Montgomery in the State of Virginia and made oath that he has for many
years lived a neighbor to John King. That he is an honest inoffensive
old man and as a man of truth he is entitled to full credit, and is from
the information of aforesaid in reduced circumstances and entitled to
the Bounty of his country in the service of which as a soldier in the
Revolutionary War in the Maryland Line. This affiant knows him to be at
the Battle of Allamance, Ruddy Fork, in Guilford County State of North
Carolina, which action took place in the month of February 1781, but a
very short time before the general action took place at Guildford Court
House, in which battle this affiant has every reason to believe said
John King acted his part as a brave soldier, as the regiment he was then
in always was said to act bravely. Since for shortly after the close of
this war I have the greatest part of my time lived a neighbor to said
King, and his aged parents who informed this affiant that their son John
King enlisted in the regtular service, very young some years before of
age...... upward of thirty years. This affiant has lived a neighbour to
said John King and his department has .... good ever been that of a good
citizen subscribed to this 34'th day of September 1829.
Andrew Lewis
Sworn and Subscribed to before me this 24'th day of September 1829.
J. Conner
Virginia
At a Superior Court of Law continued and held for Montgomery County at
the courthouse on Tuesday the 15'th day of September 1829. On this 15'th
day of September 1829, personally appeared in open court being a court
of record for the said county of Montgomery, being of the counties
composing the 12 Judicial circiut, John King resident in said county
aged nearly seventy years, who being first duly sworn according to law,
doth on his oath make the following declaration in order to obtain the
provisions made by the acts of Congress of the 18'th of March 1818, and
the 1'st of May 1820 that he the said John King enlisted for the term of
three years (or during the war) on the ...day of April in the years 1778
in the state of Maryland in the company comanded by Captain Daniel Stull
in the regiment commanded by Colonel John Gunby in the line of the state
of Maryland on continental establishment, that he continued to servce in
the said corps on the 25'th (as he believes) da of April 1781, when he
was discharged from the service near Camden in the state of South
Carolina that he hereby relinquishes every claim whatever to a pension
except the present that his name is not to his knowledge on the roll of
any state except that of Maryland, and that the following are the
reasons for not making earlier application for pension, about eight or
ten years ago, he had a little powder mill blown up, and about three or
four years ago he had a distillery and a smith shop burnt, these
misfortunes produced swuch affects on his circumstances as to make him
gradually more and more sense of his need of succour. Until now, when he
feels satisfied, he must come to want without some aid in addition to
his means he always felt an unwillingness to make this application but
his growing necessities have prevailed over this unwillingness and he
feels himself constrained to ask sharity from his country and in
pursuance of the act of the 1'st of May of 1820, I do solemnly swear
that I was a resident citizen of the United States on the 18'th day of
March 1818 and that I have not since that time by gift sale or in any
manner disposed of my property of any part thereof with intent thereby
so to diminish it as to bring myself within the provisions of any act of
Congress entitled as act of provide for certain persons engaged in land
and naval service of the United States in the Revolutionary War passed
on the 18'th day of March 1818 and that I have not nor has any person in
trust for me any property of securities, contracts, or debts due to me
nor have I any income then than what is contained in the schedule hereto
annexed and by me subscribed.
Schedule of the estate of John King: One hundred and sixteen acres of
poor unimproved mountain land in two tracts one of 45 the other of 71
acres, worth in his opinion not (at any rate) more than $100.00. Two
head of horses, one about seven years old, the other about 25, worth
together in his opinion $10, two head of cattle worth $15, seven head of
hogs running wild in the woods $5.00. Two stills that were burnt in the
still house 8 or 10 years ago very much injured worth $20.00. He has in
addition to these things a little cheap and necessary hoursehold
furniture, his family is composed of himself, two single daughters and
one married with her husband one child, his occupation has been that of
a farmer and powder maker in a small way. The said John King on his oath
further declares that since the 18'th day of March 1818 the following
changes only to the best of his recollection have taken place in his
property. In 1818, he had of lands besides that he has stated in his
schedule a tract of mountain lad comprising 240 acres worth probobly a
dollar per acre which was made the property of one of his sons under the
following circumstances about the year 1820 finding himself to be
growing feeble under.....heproposed to his son, who was then near 21
years of age that if he would live with him and work for him he would at
his marriage give him the said tract of 240 aqcres, and accordingly this
son having worked for him (this applicant) about seven years, and then
got married, he surrendered the premises to him in compliance with his
promise. He has no other .....ses besides those mentioned in his
schedule since 1818 except to which he sold to Samuel Websterboth
together for $50.00 to pay in part a debt of $67.84 due to said Samuel
Webster for the purchasee of one of the stills mentioned in the schedule
with vessells and other furniture for distilling spirits, which were
burn in the still house, that his present stock of hogs and horned
cattle. The remnant of the running stock from 1818, which has been
affected by no disposition of any part thereof except by ordinary family
use and common accidents with the exception of the sale of a heifer made
four or five weeks ago to Charles Reynolds for $7 in part payment of
debt to him of $15. Sworn to and declared on the 15'th day of September
1829 before Superior court of lawfor the county of Montgomery in term.
It is ordered to be certified that it appe3ars to the satisfaction of
the court that the said John King did serve in the Revolutionary War as
stated in porceeding declaration against the common enemy for the term
of three years under one engagement on the continental establishment;
and it is further ordered to be certified that it is the opinion of said
court that the total amount in value of the property established in the
aforesaid schedule is two hundred dollars.
In testimony that the foregoing is truly copied fomr the records of said
court, I Charles Taylor, Clerk, therefore have here under set my hand
and official seal of my office this 14'th day of October of 1829 in the
54'th year of the commonwealth.
Charles Taylor
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