Pension application of James Morrison R7421
Transcribed by Will Graves
State of Virginia Pocahontas County: SS
On this 13th day of February 1834 personally appeared before me Thomas Hill a Justice of the peace in and for the said County James Morrison aged seventy-three years a resident of the said County of Pocahontas and State aforesaid 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 7th June 1832.
That in the spring of 1779 – 80 – 81 in the County of Augusta in the State of Virginia he volunteered under the command of Captain George Clendenin and served against the Indians from about the first of May in each year until the fall.
That the nature of his services and the cause of his volunteering was as followeth:
Owing to the hostilities and the depredations committed by the Indians on the Inhabitants ofWestern Virginia Government ordered a sufficient number of men to be kept in Garrison for their defense under Military Authority. That those who would volunteer to serve in this capacity was exempt from being drafted to go out to perform other service.
That according[ly], he volunteered and was stationed in a Garrison situated in Stamping Creek a branch of Greenbrier River – then in the County of Augusta Virginia in that part that is now the County of Pocahontas.
That the company to which he belonged was divided and apart was stationed in Garrison near Locus Creek [probably Locust Creek] a distance of six or seven miles from the first named Garrison with the balance of the Company and himself was stationed.
That the men that was stationed with him was John Day, John Johnson, William Hews, Charles Kinnison and others to the number of about twenty [?]1 men.
That the nature of his service was to remain in Garrison for its defense in case of an attack by the Indians – and scouting to go out on spying parties to watch the places that Indians was most likely to attempt to pass into the interior settlements and in case of any discovery or signed of Indians to apprise the neighborhood and to call a need from other stations to arrest their progress.
That during the time he was thus employed he well recollects in the vicinity where he served of the Murder and taken prisoner of many of his neighbors. The families of George Smith, Thomas Duning [?], Bridger Baker [?]
2 and others.
That he served in this capacity at least four months in each year above named (that is 1779 – 80 – 81) without following any civil pursuit.
1st In Berkeley County Virginia in the year 1761
2. I have my name recorded in a Bible
3. In Augusta County Virginia until the year 1784 he moved to Berkeley County Virginia – from thence he returned in 1787 to Augusta County in now Greenbrier County where I have lived ever since and do yet live.
4. Volunteered
5. Colonel Samuel Lewis
6. He never received a written discharge
He hereby relinquishes every claim to a pension or an annuity except the present and he declares that his name is not on the pension roll of any agency of any State only that of the agency in the State of Virginia.
Sworn to and subscribed the day and year aforesaid.
S/ James Morrison
[S. D. Hopkins, a clergyman, and Robert Burnside gave the standard supporting affidavit.]
State of Virginia Pocahontas County: SS
On this 19th day of February 1834 personally appeared before me Thomas Hill a Justice of the peace in and for said County Jacob Kinnison3 a resident of said County aged 77 years – who being first duly sworn according to law doth on his oath state that he is well acquainted with James Morrison and well recollects that he served against the Indians in Augusta County Virginia in the Little Levels [?] in that part that is now the County of Pocahontas that he knew him to serve in Captain Clendenin's Company in guarding the Garrison spying after the Indians – in the year 1779 – 80 – 81 the precise length of time he does not recollect but thinks he served more than 4 months in each year.
Given under my hand this 19th day of February 1834
S/ Thomas Hill
[Note: A note in the file indicates that the claim was rejected "for further proof"]
