State of Alabama ]
   County of Sumter ]   S.S.

           On the 18th day of February A D 1835 personally appeared in open Court before Peter Doty
the presiding Judge of the County Court of Sumter County now sitting John Matthews a resident of Sumter County and State of Alabama aged Seventy four 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 7th, 1832—

   I was born on the 30th day of December A D 1760 in Cumberland County (now Moore County)
in the State of North Carolina where I was raised. I have no record of my age in my possession the
family Bible in which my father recorded my age is or was in the possession of one of my brothers.

   I was living in said Cumberland County when sometime in the month of March A D 1779 I was
drafted into the service of the United States for a three month tour to commence from the time
of our crossing the South Carolina Line—We crossed this line on the 10th day April (on the road
to Anndin??) from whence we marched through Orangeburg. And on the 20th day of  I.. fought
the Battle at Stono-on the 10th Day of July following I was discharged—took a written discharge
but have lost it—

   In this Tour of duty I served in Capt Kings Company ( who was an Uncle of our Senator in
Congress The Honorab WMR ? King)- our Majors name was Richardson from Bladen County-
Our regiment was commanded by Colonel Johnston—Our brigade by Genl Butler And
General Lincoln was our Commander in Chief—

   I then returned home to Cumberland County but in a short time afterwards volunteered to
guard a Public Store called “Obears Place” in the County of Cumberland and in this service,
served out a term of three months under Capt Patrick Travis (who was an Irishman) –but
when my term of service expired I did not take any written discharge not regarding it of any
importance-

   Frank Danly and James Dobbins, one or both of whom were sergents had the management
of this “Public Store”—   About this time the Toreys became very troublesome and I frequently
turned out against them under Captain Heard and Colonel Alston.   I will … one of these
expeditions—I think it was in the fall of 1779 or elce in the summer of 1780 (I have nothing but
my memory to rely on for the date of this transaction) a general muster was held at Chatham
Court house and the next day afterwards there was a Court Martial and during the setting of
this Court Martial Colonel Fanning ( a Tory Colonel) appeared with his torey command and
made all  of the officers composing the Court Martial prissioners.

As soon as the event was known I turned out under Captain Heard and Colonel Alston and
pursued Colonel Fanning as far as the Raft Swamp but we could not overtake him.   I went out
on many other similar expeditions under these officers and am sure that I could not have
served less than ONE MONTH  in this kind of service—making in all Seven Months Service—

   After this time Lord Cornwallis Marched from South Carolina to Guilford Court House
where General Grene ? gave him battle and turned his course for Wilmington and soon after
this two Torey Coonels (one of them Col Fanning and the other called Ladlel Hector McNeil)
with wome British officers collected their forces and marched on Hillsborough where they
took Governor Burk and a number of officers and Soldiers prissioners On their way … I was
myself taken prisoner by them and after using threats and penw… to induce me to join
with them, an officer by the name of McKay at the end of the second day after my capture …
and gave me what he called a Parole and when he gave it to me he said “Now take care of
yourself”—   I remained in this situation under parol until the end of the war a period to the
best of my recollection of near two years—

 I have no documenting evidence to establish my service and I know of no person whose
testimony I can procure who can testify to my said service and imprisonment under parole
with the exception of Zachariah J….. whose affidavit is here annexed ?

   I hereby relinquish every claim whatever to a pension in amnesty in u… presen and declair
that my name is not on the pension role of the agency of any State—

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  Interrogations ? p….by the court to the applicant and his answer  ……

1st
When and in what year were you born

Answer
I was born in Cumberland County ( now Moore County) in the State of North Carolina-
on the 30th day of December 1760

Interog… 2
Have you any record of your age and if so where is it-

Answer
I have no record of my age in my possession  the family Bible in which my father recorded my
name was or is in the possession of one of my brothers

Inter…3
Where were you living when called into service; where have you lived since the
Revolutionary war and where do you now live

Answer 3
I was living in Cumberland County (Now called Moore County) State of North Carolina
When I was called into service I have since lived in Pendleton District Sough Carolina –
then in Hall County …?? ……and I now live in Sumter County Alabama

Inte….4
How were you called into service, were you drafted, did you volunteer or were you a
substitute and if a substitute for whom

Answer 4th
I was first drafted into service – I afterwards volunteered

Int… 5th
State the names of some of the Regiment officers who were with the troops where you
served such Continental and Malitia Regiments or you can recollect and the general
circumstances of your service –

Answer 5th
I recollect a Major Borway with the   … troops of South Carolina.  I recollect a Major
Dickson whom I saw sounded in the neck by a bullet

Inte…. 6th
Did you ever receive a discharge from the service, and if so by whom  was it given and what
has become of it—

Answer 6th
I received a discharge at the end of the three months for which I was drafted, and have long
since lost it- It was given to me by Col Ivhnson ?? or Johnson??    I never received any other
discharge—

Inte…7th
State the names of persons to whom you are know in your present ……and who can testify
as to your character for veracity and their belief of your service as a soldier of the Revolution

Answer 7th
John Thompson and Chris C Scott … of Sumter County know me and can testify
to my character as a man of veracity--…I have … the circumstances of my serving and
important??  As nearly as I can now recollect

Sworn to and Subscribed in]
Open court the 18th day of February 1835-]       John Matthews (signature)
Dan Womack Clk]

We John Thompson & Christopher C Scott hereby certify that we are well acquainted with
John Matthews who has subscribed and sworn to the above declaration, that we believe
him to be seventy four years of age: That he is … and believed in the … where he now …
to have been a soldier of the revolution and we concur in that opinion and that we have
never heard the slytest doubt …. On the subject—

Sworn and subscribed in open Court… … aforesaid

 Cris C Scott                   Dan Womack Clk                    JA Thompson
 
 

State of Alabama
     Gainesville Sumter County

****************

Sir

   Enclosed you will find the declaration of John Matthews made with the hope of procuring a
pension—he is an extremely poor man but remarkably sober and industrious and has been
brought to poverty in his old age by S??landing Security—   He made a declaration in the fall
of 1833 by the assistance of a W. ? Mr.? Ochiltree who about that time moved into this county
and set up for a Lawyer—from this declaration he heard nothing until you did me the favor
to answer a letter of inquiry which I wrote to your office at the insistence of Old Mr. Matthews
in which you informed me that his claim “was rejected on account of the service alleged
having been a Service of five months only when the act requires six months to bring any
one within its p accessions?????”
   And it was with … …. Sussass???that the old man learned that his declaration had been so
written out as to lead to this result when he certainly enlisted to  … Seven months Service
besides the time which he passed as a prisoner of war under parole---He has accordingly
made another declaration in which he has attempted to set out the circumstances of his
service more particularly and has moreover been so fortunate as to find one of his
Revolutionary acquaintances whose affidavit will be found next after the Declaration—
This witness …..the statement of Mr. Matthews in every important particular-and is
personally known to Judge Doty who certifies that his “character for veracity is
unimpeachable”—

 I trust that any mistake made in the first Declaration is to the length of the service will not
be … … … against this application for-For it never was the intention of any person concerned
in that Declaration to set out less that 7 months service as it was well known to Mr. Matthews
and to his attorney that less than 6 months would not avail him and it could not have been
otherwise than a mistake in Mr. Ochiltree in drafting the Declaration which was not observed
….by Mr. Matthews or the Court at the time of making it—   If your department should require
further proof as to the standing of Mr. Matthews or of his witness Mr. Graham it can be readily
ablated & forwarded to you.

   Be …. To address your answer to me at this place

                                                       Very Respectfully,
                                                         Christopher C Livtt

*********************

   Also personally appeared in open court in like manner Zachirah Graham of Sumter
County aged Seventy     years who after having been duly sworn according to law upon
his oath said that….. ….. affiant lives in the neighbourhood with this applicant in
Cumberland County (now Moore County) in the State of North Carolina- That this
affiant distantly ? recollects that said Matthews went out into the service  and recollects
his return and recollects to have heard it said that he was in the battle of Stono—

   That he recollects the guarding of the Public Store at Obears Place and that said Matthews
the applicant was one of the guard—And that he recollects that said Matthews the applicant
was for…. Out in the war on other occasions against the Tores?-hears it generally spoken of
in the neighbourhood that said applicant was made a prisoner when … Hillsborough & was
let go on parole—

Sworn to & subscribed]  Zachariah Graham

In open court]   Dan Womack Clk

And the said court do hereby declare this opinion after the ………… of the matter and after
putting the ….. presented by the War Department, that the above named applicant was a
revolutionary soldier and served as he states—   And the court further certifies that that it
appears to them that John John Thompson and Christopher C Scott are residents of the
county of Sumter—and are creditable persons and that their …. Are … to full credit—
And that said Graham is known to the Court & believed to be fully of the age he stats &
that his character for veracity is unimpeachable----

                                                                                           Peter Doty
                                                                                          Judge Presiding

  I Daniel Womack Clerk of the County Court for Sumter County in the State of Alabama do
hereby certify that the foregoing contains fully and … all the original proceedings of the said
court in the matter of the application of John Matthews for a pension and that all the
signatures appearing on the …. Are genuine----

In Testamony where I have … unto let my Hand and affirmed my seal of office in my said
county of Sumter in the State of Alabama this 18th day of February A D 1835  And of
American In……… the fifty ninth year---
                                            Dan Womack  Clerk of Court

*********************

                        State of Alabama

Circuit Court

     To Wit

 Sumter County on this fourteenth day of October one thousand eight hundred and thirty-
three personally appeared in open court before the Honorable Lione L Perry, one of the
Judges of the Circuit Court of the State aforesaid

 Now in session in the county aforesaid John Matthews a resident of Sumter County in
the State of Alabama aged Seventy-three years who being first duly sworn a … to … doth
on his  ……1832.

 This affidavit was borned in what was then called Cumberland County (since Moore County)
in the State of North Carolina in the month of December 1760.  This affant // was …. Drafted in
March of the year 1779 to being then 19 years of age—General Butler commanded the brigade
which he served-- the regiment was commanded by Col. Johnson and affiant served under
Captain Nathan King.  This affiant was at the battle of Stono which well as he now recalled was
fought on the 20th day of June 1779 and the affiant received a written discharge on the 10th
of July following having served five months and the affiant declares that he has lost or mislaid
his discharge so that he cannot lay his hand upon it.  This affiant further …. That shortly after
his discharge he was made prisoner by a detachment of Cornwalis army then and there march
to Hillsboro in North Carolina that after remaining sometime a prisoner affiant was discharged
on parol.

   Interrogations and Answers

1) When and where were you born
Answer:  I was born on the 30th December 1760 in Cumberland County North Carolina
2) Have you any ……. Of your age and if so where is it
Answer:  I have my age recorded in the family bible of my father in his handwriting.
3) Where were you living when called into service  Where have you lived since the
Revolutionary war and where do you live now
       Answer:  I was living in what was then called Cumberland County the part of the county
in which I lived had since been attached to Moore County in North Carolina  I then moved to
Pendleton District in ( North South ?? ) Carolina where I knew Elias Earle…… When Elias Earle..
I afterwards moved to Hall County in Georgia where I remained for two years   from there to
Alabama where I remained to wit in Sumter County
5)???   State the names of some of the … officers who were with the troops where you served
answet"  6th General Lincoln was Chief in Command  …..Butlar’s brigade   Cnl Johnsons  ……
Captain Nathan King  …….Lieutenant Gibbs.   I was as before ….. at the battle of Stono where
Major Dickson was wounded
6th  I did receive a written discharge from the service but have lost or mislaid it
7th  I am known to Zachariah Graham  ……..Cooper??  James A Bates,  Jipee???
Landers  Sanders???   ……… Esq   senator?  From Green County??  To State aforesaid who can
testify to my character for veracity and then …… for my service as a Soldier of the Revolution.
This affiant can not find? a clergyman to make affectant to his character for veracity because
the only clergyman to whom he is known is absent from the county.
 This affiant hereby relinquished every claim whatever to a pension or an …… the present
and he declares that he is not on the pension roll of any agency in any State.
 Sworn to and subscribed the day and year aforesaid.

      John Matthews

   We James A Bates & Jessee  P Sanders?… residing in the County of Sumter hereby certify
that …. Well acquainted with John Matthews who has sworn to and subscribed the foregoing
Declaration ….. believe him to be seventy three years of age that he is reputed and believed
in the neighbourhood where he lives to have been a soldier of the Revolution and that we
concur in that opinion
                                     …………..the day … aforesaid    Ja… A Bates
                                                     J…. Sanders or Landers???

*****************

Gainesville
Sumter County Alabama

                                                August ?, 1834

D. Sir

In behalf of a Revolutionary Soldier-and a very deserving and poor one- I beg to make the
enquery whether or not his application for a pension has …yet been acted upon—   His name
is John Matthews he served in the Malitia and volunteers of North Carolina for an … …
of about seven months He made his declaration before the Circuit Court for this County
last October since which time he has heard nothing from it—  He employed a lawyer of this
county by the name of HMB??? Ochiltree to attend to it for him but Ochiltree says that he
has heard nothing from it—   The old man is very desirous to hear and I trust your Excellency
will direct an answer to be given to him—
                                                          Very Respectfuly
                                                         Christopher C Scott