Person:Jeremiah Files (1)

Information from “Virginia/West Virginia Genealogical Data from Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty Land Warrant Records”, Vol. 2, compiled by Patrick G. Wardell, Lt. Col. U.S. Army Ret. :

Files, Jeremiah - born 1765 on Roanoke River, Virginia; entered service 1780 in Abbeville District, South Carolina; granted Pension 1833 in Blount County, Alabama; resided 1841 in Madison County, Alabama, when requested duplicate of lost Pension card; dec'd in 1850 when widow mentioned but not named had agent request data to file claim for Pension; agent stated soldier died abt. 10/1848. F-S13025, R973.

References

Graves, William T. Southern Campaign Revolutionary War Pension Statements & Rosters.

Pension application of Jeremiah Files S13025 f41SC
Transcribed by Will Graves 3/7/08 rev'd 2/9/15

State of Alabama, Blount County: SS
On this 4th day of February in the year 1833 personally appeared in open Court before Marston Mead the Judge of the Court of Blount County now sitting Jeremiah Files a resident at __ in the County of Blount and State of Alabama aged Sixty eight 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 the 7th 1832. That he entered the Service of the United States under the following named officers and served as herein stated. That on Christmas Eve in the year 1780 he enrolled himself as a volunteer under Colonel Andrew Pickens and at the time of his enrollment resided in Abbeville District in the State of South Carolina and marched from thence as a volunteer with Col. Pickens to Granvile Shoals [sic, Grendel Shoals] on Packlet River [sic, Pacolet River] and there joined General Morgan [Daniel Morgan] about the first of January in the year 1781 and then placed under the command of Captain McKall [sic, James McCall] in the Battalion of Major Noble [Alexander Noble] in the Regiment of Colonel Andrew Pickens of the South Carolina Militia. My Father John Files, Lieutenant & Hugh Bascins [sic, Hugh Baskin] the Ensign in said Company – and from Grendel Shoals we marched under General Morgan to the Cowpens and was at the Battle fought there against Tarltons [sic, Banastre Tarleton's] Legion on the Wednesday Morning on the 17th day of January 1781 -- & recollects a Continental officer called Colonel Howard [John Eager Howard] & Col. William Washington of the light Horse. This Deponent was wounded by Tarleton's Dragoons on the head – on the left arm and on the right hand each wound was made with a sword & the wounds are now visible the wounds Greatly Disabled this Deponent -- & Stunned him for some time & one Captain Alexander [perhaps William Alexander]¹ of Rowan County North Carolina was the first man to come to his relief & informed him of our victory -- & from thence he was carried in a Horse Bier three days with General Morgan's Army and arrived at the Town of Gilbert in North Carolina and there Left the Army and was taken to General Charles McDowell's at the Quaker Meadows on the Catawba River and there with one Michael Cane an American and 16 wounded British soldiers were placed under a Surgeon by the name of Rodulf [sic, Rudolph?] (a Dutchman) & there remained 16 Days and from thence Left the British soldiers and removed 6 miles to Martin Deadwiley's [Martin Detweiler's?] on Joyns [Johns ?] River & remained there 18 Days -- & afterwards returned home & remained unable to do duty until the first of June in said year & near the Last of June was attached to Captain Moses Liddell's Company who by order of Colonel Pickens Continued on the Frontiers of South Carolina committing Depredations on the Tories & Indians, and this Deponent remained in the said Company and about the first of January was discharged by Captain Liddell and sometime in the spring of the year 1782 he again enrolled himself as a Substitute in the place of John Files of the South Carolina Militia in the Company of Captain Francis Carlile [sic, Francis Carlisle?] under & in the Battalion of Major Noble in General Pickens' Brigade & from Abbeville District marched through Orangeburg and joined General Green's [sic, Nathanael Greene's] Army some time in the spring of said year at Bacon's Bridge about 20 miles from Charleston and remained in General Greene's Army about one month and this Deponent with Major Noble's Troops returned to Abbeville District & was attached to Captain Robert Caruthers' Company the first of August in 1782 under the Command of General Pickens and continued in said Company six months and whilst with the same marched under General Pickens into the Cherokee Indian Nation and was in a skirmish against the Indians at Tessanty Town & Nockooche Town & at those two Towns our Army killed thirty-seven Indians & we had only two men wounded -- & none killed, their names were Joseph Chapman and Britain Willis & from thence destroyed their Stock, Corn & Beans – in the fall [?] of the said the year & then returned home and remained in Captain Caruthers' -- & continued in the active Service until the Last of January or first of February in the year 1783 and Discharged and he again enrolled himself as a volunteer in the Company of Captain William Baskin under General Pickens in the Regiment of Colonel Robert Anderson of the South Carolina Militia near the last of September, in the year 1783 – and marched against the Cherokee Indians and Destroyed their Towns at the big Savannah and Hightower and one town called Vans Village on Long Swamp Creek & Pine Log Town & thence returned home after being in the Service in said Tour 40 days and the Indians sued for peace and was discharged some time about the middle of November in said year & he remained at home until the month of September in the year 1784 – when he again enrolled himself as a volunteer in the Company of Captain John Norred or Norwood of the South Carolina Militia, as horseman and continued under him stationed at a Garrison near Walton's Ford on Tugular [sic Tugaloo?] River until he served six months and was discharged. Sometime in the month of March in the year 1785 the Day not recollected & he was out of the Service until about the 10 th or 15th of September in the year 1786 when he again enrolled himself as a volunteer in the Company of Captain James Hamilton of the South Carolina Indian Spies and continued with as a spy on the frontiers of South Carolina until the last of April in the year 1787 and whilst acting as a spy came in contact with a party of Indians on the Hightower & had a Skirmish with them Captain Hamilton & John Cleveland were wounded & we retreated & they pursued us 3 miles and whilst on said Tour was detached as a life Guard to General Pickens who was on his way to the Cherokee nation to act as an agent or Commissioner to affect an exchange of Prisoners at the mouth of Swannanoa River on the French Broad and during all the Campaigns aforesaid this Deponent's home was in Abbeville District in the State of South Carolina, and he has no documentary evidence of his Service he received no written discharge. But states that in consequence of his wounds received in the Revolution he was placed on the pension List under an act of the Legislature of South Carolina. 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. But only receives a pension by virtue of an Act of the State of South Carolina & did not by the Congress of the United States.
Sworn to & subscribed the day and year aforesaid.
S/ Jeremiah Files
[John McCullum, 66, a citizen of Blount County, Alabama gives an affidavit supporting Files' claim of service in 1784 under Capt. John Norred and later under Capt. James Hamilton.]
[p 13: John Fowler, a clergyman, and James Windsor gave the standard supporting affidavit.]
[p 13]
The Several answers of Jeremiah Files to the Interrogatories propounded to him by the Court in pursuance of the instructions of the War department – Answer first I was Born in Virginia on the Roanoke River in the year 1765 I know not in the County I have no record of my age; I was living in Abbeville District in the State of South [Carolina] when called into Service – I have lived since the Revolution in Pendleton District in South Carolina some over 30 years on until 1819 and then removed to Blount County Alabama & resided there ever since and now reside in Blount County Alabama: I was a volunteer every time but once and then I was a Substitute in place of John Files – I knew Colonel Howard, General Morgan, Colonel William Washington and their respective regiments. I received no written Discharge from the service. I am known in my present neighborhood to John Fowler, John McCullum, James Conner, James Rice, James Moon & Martin Ward & James Windsor all of whom can Testify as to my character for veracity and their belief of my services in the Revolution.
S/ Jeremiah Files
[p 18: Thomas Clark ² gave an affidavit stating: “...that of his own knowledge Jeremiah Files Senior now here present was a Soldier of the Revolution -- & served with this Deponent under the following named officers – that they were enrolled in the Company of Captain Francis Carlisle under Major Noble under the Command of General Andrew Pickens of the South Carolina Militia – they rendezvoused together in Abbeville District in the Spring of the year 1782 as well as he recollects & whilst the British were stationed in Charleston & this Deponent recollects Serving with said Files three months Tour & marched from Abbeville to General Greene's Army then encamped at Bacon's Bridge about 20 miles from Charleston -- & then after his Discharge he returned again & served with him in the Company of Captain Robert Caruthers & in the Company of Captain John Norwood (or Norred) under the Command of General Andrew Pickens of South Carolina Militia – this Deponent States that – to the Best of his Recollection said Files served under General Pickens and said officers with him about 12 months & he was in the Service when peace was made. Said Files was a mounted militia man nearly all the time he served with this Deponent he was with me the first Tour in Greene's Army – when stationed near Charleston & from thence to the Northwestern Frontiers of South Carolina against the Indians & Tories & we further this deponent saith not.
Subscribed & sworn to before me this 16th day of November 1832.
S/ Ira E. McMillion, Seal
S/ Thos. Clarke"
[Veteran was pensioned at the rate of $80 per annum commencing March 4th, 1831, for service as a private for 2 years in the South Carolina militia.]

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¹William Alexander S361
²Thomas Clark S10451

http://revwarapps.org/s13025.pdf