Pension application of Hugh Simpson S31363 f25VA
Transcribed by Will Graves 2/17/12
State of Kentucky Warren County Sct.
On this 5th day of September 1832 personally appeared in open Court before Asher W Graham Judge of the Warren Circuit Court now sitting Hugh Simpson a resident of said County and State aforesaid aged seventy-one the 23rd March 1832, 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
That he entered the service of the United States in the year 1776 and served four months in the fall season thereof under Captain David Trigg, there were no superior officers whilst we were out on this expedition, this trip was up on the frontiers of Virginia to defend it from the Indians, we were sent about at the head of Clinch and Bluestone [rivers], he then resided in Montgomery County Virginia as did Captain Trigg also. In the spring of 1777 he served two months under Captain Frederick Edwards, we were here in pursuit of deserters and caught two of them and sent them on to the armory. There were no superior officers on this expedition.
In the fall of 1777 he served six months commencing from the first of the fall and they did not return until after the first of March 1778 under Captain James Thompson, we were ordered out on this expedition to guard a garrison near the mouth of New River, where there was a battle with the Shawnee Indians in 1774 Captain Thompson was from Washington County Virginia but took command of us, Captain Edwards was from Montgomery, and was there a Captain of the militia under whom this applicant mustered when at home. In 1778 this applicant served at one time three months under Colonel William Campbell on New River, against the Tories, who were raising in arms, we took some of them, killed some and hung one of them, he served under the same Colonel two other expeditions of four months in 1779. They were also against the Tories to keep them down and was sometimes in South Carolina, about the Moravian towns.
In the year 1780, This applicant served three months under Captain Joseph Cloyd on this expedition we fought and whipped the Tories not far from the Shallow Ford [October 14, 1780] in North Carolina on the Yadkin River, Colonel Cloyd was from Montgomery and Colonel Campbell was from Washington County Colonel Campbell was the oldest officer and was a brave man.
In 1781 This applicant served five months under Colonel William Preston who was from Montgomery County Virginia and the oldest Colonel in the County. Captain Edwards was his Captain in this expedition at this time all the captains were all ordered out this trip was to go against the British in South Carolina. We had to battles with the British on this expedition one battle was on the Alamance the other was at a place then called Whitesell's mill [Wetzel's Mill, March 6, 1781] on the Reedy fork of New River. There were several of our men wounded, one was the Lieutenant by the name of John Thompson Sawyer, he was shot through, he selected this applicant to wait upon him which this applicant did till he went home, he was a near neighbor of this applicant. The applicant also served five months or so as Lieutenant against the Indians, this was up about [indecipherable word or words] County South Carolina, he has his commission from Governor Pinckney now in his possession and now before the Court, dated 1787, a brother of this applicant was the Captain [John Simpson]. They would have stayed longer on this trip but could not get provisions, – This applicant was a volunteer in all his expeditions, he has a certificate of good character now exhibited in Court signed by several persons in Virginia when he left there dated September 14, 1796, to wit by Colonel Robert Sawyers and other colonels and the Captain of the militia and signed by the clerk Robert Crockett and certified by him also as clerk, he has also in his possession a certificate from Walter Crockett Colonel Joseph Cloyd, Colonel James McGavock Justice of the Peace dated February 22 1785, Montgomery County Virginia stating that they were intimately acquainted with him since his youth, that he was an honest sober just man and that he served his tours of duty faithfully and demean himself as a good citizen, This applicant would further state that he has no other documentary evidence of his services, nor does he know of but one man living who knows of his services and he cannot now find out where he lives, his name is John Ewing, he can procure no evidence of living witnesses, he has not now his discharges.
He hereby relinquishes every claim whatever to a pension or annuity except the present and declares that his name is not on the pension roll of the agency of any state.
Sworn to & subscribed the day & year aforesaid.
S/ Hugh Simpson
[Daniel L Mansfield, a clergyman, and Samuel G Whyte gave the standard supporting affidavit.]
As an amendment to the within declaration the applicant would state that he served six months commencing from the first of September 1777 and ending the last of February 1778, he did not however reach home till after the first of March, some time, This applicant believes he served 3 years in all.
S/ Hugh Simpson
Montgomery County Virginia Commonwealth
The Bearer hereof Hugh Simpson being to travel soon into South Carolina and Georgia States having made application to us the Subscribing Field Officers [indecipherable word] for a Testimony of his behavior –We therefore do hereby certify that we have been intimately acquainted with the said Hugh Simpson since he was a Youth and have always found him Sober, Just and honest & he hath always served his towers [tours] of duty faithfully, and demeaned himself as a good Citizen;We hope he may be admitted into Society, and have the liberty to pass unmolested on his lawful Affairs, he behaving himself as becometh. Given under our hands at Montgomery Courthouse February 22, 1785
S/ Walter Crockett, Colonel
S/ Joseph Cloyd, Colonel
S/ James McGavock JP
[f p. 25: is the original of the commission given to Hugh Simpson affording him 1st Lieutenant in the company of John Simpson in the militia of South Carolina, signed by Thomas Pinckney, Governor of South Carolina and dated October 23, 1787.]
[Veteran was pensioned at the rate of $80 per annum commencing March 4th, 1831 for service as a private for 2 years in the Virginia service.]
