Family:Elijah Bankston and Elizabeth Morris (1)

First, Elijah's description of his military service in the Revolutionary War in giving testimony before a legal hearing to determine his qualification for a pension:

"State of Georgia County of Butts. On this Twenty first day of September Personally appeared in open Court before the Superior Court of said County now sitting Elijah Bankston. a resident of said State and County. aged Eighty one years the twenty sixth day of September Instant who being first duly sworn according to law doth on his oath make the following Declaration in order to obtain. the benefit of the provisions made by the Act of Congress passed June the 7th 1832. That he volunteered in the Army. at the call of Colonel Elijah Clarke, and in the company of Captain Micajah Williamson in the month of February in the year 1779. in the County of Wilkes and said State. the regiment was Georgia Volunteers commanded by Colonel Elijah Clarke, and Captains in said regiment were Micajah Williamson. John Awtry. John Clarke. and George Barber. and David Madden and Joshua Welch, were Lieutenants the former belonged to the same Company that this declarent did the other Officers names has Slipped the memory of this declarent, that this declarent resided at the time of his Volunteering in the County of Wilkes and State aforesaid. After Volunteering I was stationed at a fort in Wilkes County called Williamsons Fort to guard it and remained there until we were called upon to go to Augusta to dislodge Colonel Grayson a Tory Col. who had possession of the fort in Augusta Col. Clarke had command of the regiment that I was in. In said expedition, This took place in the latter part of the year 1780, as well as I recollect In a few days I think the Second day after Col. Grayson was dislodged our spies brought in inteligence of the march of a number of the British troops toward Augusta under the command of Col. Brown, a British Officer Col. Clarke believing himself not able to meet successfully the forces of Col. Brown, gave orders to leave the Fort and Augusta which we had rescued from Col. Grayson, which we did and fled to the wilderness In the course of a few weeks Col. Clarke, hearing that Genl. Lee was in South Carolina and Col. Clarke sent for him to come and assist him to dislodge Col. Brown of the British Army who had taken possession of Augusta and its fort this Genl. Lee did and we marched against Col. Brown and besieged the fort and forced him to Surrender with all his troops this took place in the early part of the year 1781 as well as I now recollect. we remained in Augusta after the surrender of Col. Brown, but a few days when Col. Clark was requested by Genl Lee to go with and assist him in dislodging the British and Tories who had possession of Ninety Six in South Carolina we took up the line of march for the last mentioned place, but before we reached it Col. Clarke received an express that Shannons Fort on Savannah river on the South Carolina side was in danger of being attacked by the Indians. Col. Clarke immediately dispatched twenty five men to said Fort for its defence and I was one of that number and remaind there three months during which time I acted as an Indian Spie I was then marchd to Barbers Fort on Long Creek in Wilkes County, Georgia. where I remained some four or five weeks I was then marched to and stationed at Waters Plantation in the fork of Brown and Savannah Rivers where I remained some five or six weeks. from there I was marched to Williamsons Fort in Wilkes County, Georgia. where I remained untill I received my discharge as well as I now recollect Captain Gunnells had the command of Shannons Fort on Savannah River during the time I was stationed there; at Barbers Fort at long Creek I was under the command of Capt. Barber. and at Waterss plantation I was under the command of Capt. John Awtry and at Williamsons Fort in Wilkes County. I was under the command of Capt. Awtry and Capt Micajah Williamson who had the command of the Fort. The whole length of time I served in the Armey as a Volunteer was two years and four months. I received my discharge, as well as I recollect in June 1781: during the whole time I was not employed in any civil pursuit, I know of no person now living by whom I can establish my claim as a Revolutionary Pensioner as the last Solder that I knew of with whom I served was one David Madden, who was a Lieutenant in one of the Companies in which I served who died a few years ago and whose affidavit I obtained I think in the year 1837. Setting forth the Services that I rendered as a Revolutionary Soldier Said affidavit was forwarded to the Pension Office at Washington City. and since that time I have not saw it and that it is lost or mislaid by some one so that I cannot get hold of it.

answers to questions propounded by the Court:

To the first he answers, He was born in Guilford County North Carolina in the year of our Lord 1765 on the 26th day of September

To the second. He has the original record of his age which is at his residence.

To the 3rd. He answers he was living in Wilkes County when he was called into Service and has lived Since the Revolutionary War in the Counties of Wilkes Hancock, Clarke, Walton, DeKalb and and now resides in the County of Butts, all of the State of Georgia.

To the 4th. He answers he entered into the Service as a Volunteer at the call of Col. Elijah Clarke in the County of Wilkes and State of Georgia.

To the 5th. He answers Col. Elijah Clarke had the command of the regiment he first entered and that Bama Hurd [or Hunt] was a Major in the same regiment as for the other officers who he was acquainted with and who he was under at various times and places he refers to his Declaration above for the answers. The names of many of the officers who he was with he has forgotten.

To the 6th. He answers he did receive a discharge from the Service from Capt. Micajah Williamson as well as he now recollects which was afterwards Stolen by a band of Robbers who entered his Fathers House and carried away a Trunk which contained his own and his Fathers discharge together with a number of other papers none of which was ever obtained afterwards.

To the 7th. He answers can refer to all his neighbors and refers particularly to Willis Jarrell and John S Irby

I Elijah Bankston do hereby relinquish every claim whatever to a Pension or Annuity except the present and declares that his name is not on the Pension role of the agency of any State or Territory Sworn to and subscribed the day and year first aforesaid} Elijah Bankston

Mr. Willis Jarrell a clergiman residing in the County of Butts and John S. Irby residing in the same county hereby certify that we are well acquainted with Elijah Bankston who has subscribed and sworn to the above declaration and that we believe him to be the age he represents himself to be in his declaration that he is reputed and believed in the neighborhood where he resides to have been a Soldier of the Revolution, and that we concur in that opinion. Sworn to and subscribed the day and year aforesaid} Willis Jarrell Minister of Gospel, John S. Irby

[Reflect] the said Court does hereby declare its opinion after its investigation of the matter and after putting the Interrogatories prescribed by the War department that the above named applicant was a Revolutionary Soldier and served as he states and the further certifies that it appears to said court that Willis Jarrell who has signed the preceding certificate is a clergiman resident in the County of Butts and that John S. Irby is a credible person and that their statement is entitled to credit. John J Floyd Judge Superior Court First [?] District Georgia

I William R Bankston Clerk of the Superior Court of Butts County do hereby certify that the forgoing contains the original proceedings of the said Court in the matter of the application of Elijah Bankston for a Pension In testimony whereof I have herenuto set my hand and seal of office this 21st day of September Eighteen hundred and forty six. [signed] William R. Bankston Clerk Superior Court Butts County Georgia"

National Archives Revolutionary War pension papers, Elijah Banckston #27650, act 7 Jun 1832 no. 478 A.

(Thanks to Rev. Cynthia Vold Forde for the copy)

Next the bounty land deposition of Elijah's widow, Elizabeth Bankston nee Morris.

"State of Georgia, County of Butts} SS. On this the third day of April A.D. one thousand Eight hundred and fifty five personally appeared before me James R. McCord a Justice of the peace within and for said state and county Elizabeth Bankston aged Eighty seven years a resident of said state and county who being duly sworn according to law declares that she is the widow of Elijah Bankston deceased who was a private in a company commanded by Elijah Clark in the War with Great Britton called the Revolutionary War that the said Elijah volunteered in the county of wilks and state aforesaid, that he was at the siege of Augusta Georgia and that he was in actual service in said War fourteen days. She further states that she was married to the said Elijah Bankston on the first day of February in either the year 1787 or 1788 by James Knox a Justice of the peace and that her name before her marriage was Elizabeth Morris, that her said husband died in the County of Butts and state aforesaid on the 22nd day of February AD 1848 and that she is a widow at the date of executing this her declaration. She makes this declaration for the purpose of obtaining the bounty land to which she may be entitled under an act of Congress aproved 3rd March 1855. She also declares that she has never received nor applied for bounty land under this or any other act of Congress. She refirs to the declaration of the said Elijah Bankston which is on file in the pension office at Washington made by him while in life for the purpose of obtaining a pension under act of Congress for the particulars of his service- Elizabeth Bankston, X her mark."

"State of Georgia, County of Butts } SS. On this the third day of April A.D. Eighteen hundred and fifty five personally appeared before me a Justice of the peace within and for said state & county, Britton Butrill and William B. Harkness residents of said state and county who being duly sworn according to law, declare they are personally acquainted Mrs Elizabeth Bankston who saw her make her mark to the foregoing declaration that they know her to be the identical person she represents herself to be and that she is now a widow and that they were acquainted with Elijah Bankston while in life and knew the said Elijah Bankston & Elizabeth Bankston for a number of years to live together as man and wife that they lived in the same neighbourhood with the said Elijah & Elizabeth, and allways understood them to be man & wife & never heard it doubted. W.B. Harkness, Briton Buttrill" William R. Bankston was clerk of the Inferior court, and signed another paper in this file on 3 Apr 1855.

On 2 Jul 1784, Col. Elijah Clarke confirmed the service of Elijah Bankston and his eligibility for 250 acres of good land, free from taxes for ten years.

"State of Georgia, This is to certify, that Elijah Bankston hath steadfastly done his duty, from the time of passing an Act at Augusta, to wit. on the 20th of August, 1781 until the total Expulsion of the British from this State; and the said Elijah Bankston cannot, to my knowledge or belief, be convicted of plundering or distressing the Country; and is therefore, under the said act entitled to a Bounty of two hundred and Fifty acres of good Land, free from Taxes for ten years. Given under my hand, at Savannah the 2nd day of July 1784 Elijah Clarke, Col."

287 1/2 acres was warranted on 10 Sep 1784, and surveyed on 16 Nov 1784. Elija Bankston was granted 287 1/2 acres in Wilks Co. on 13 Oct 1785 according to the Georgia Governor's Office, Secretary of State's Register of Grants book HHH:716 and Surveyor General's Office Record Book G:37,59. (Southern boundary line S70 W37 92, eastern boundary S20 E75 84, oak & hickory mixed with pine, on bounty #51)

National Archives Bounty Land Files, act of 1853 rejected #63994, Elijah Bankston pvt. case no. 1694, bundle no. 74, microfilm copy pages numbered 330-350.

(Thanks to Rev. Cynthia Vold Forde for these copies)

Marriage 1 Elizabeth Morris b: 1768 Married: 1 FEB 1787

Sources: Title: Peter S. Craig, the Genealogist of the Swedish Colonial Society, letter to the Reverend Cynthia Forde, 18 January 2001, which she shared with me. Title: See notes for transcription of this record of his birth Title: His wife's statement-- see Elijah's notes Title: Or 1788: see her statement under her husband's notes

Link for info regarding another possible son - Elijah - http://worldconnect.rootsweb.ancestry.com/cgi-bin/igm.cgi?op=GET&db=gelf2&id=I163482

1.   Born 26 September 1765 in Guilford County, North Carolina. Resided in the counties of Wilkes (1779), Hancock, Clarke, Walton (1820 census), DeKalb (1827), & Butts (1840 census), Georgia
2.   During the Revolutionary War, served in the Georgia Volunteers commanded by Colonel Elijah Clarke - volunteered February 1779 & received his discharge in June 1781.
3. ↑ Elijah Bankston was born September 26, 1756 in Guilford County, NC, and died February 22, 1849 in GA. He married ELIZABETH MORRIS 1 February 1787 in Chester, SC.