Pension Application of Thomas Hughes R5357
Transcribed and annotated by C. Leon Harris
[No pension application was found in the file.]
Weston Lewis County Virginia June 4, 1834
Dear Sir Mr. Hughs [sic] has applied to me to address you upon the subject of his
Decleration for a pension, and altho I had no agency in the orrigan of the business but being fully convinced of the Justice of Mr. Hughs Title I have undertaken to present to you the additional Testimony of Four Gentlemen of undoubted veracity and who were more or less Eye Witnesses to the Intreped Bravery and Service of Lt. Hughs I know that the Hon John J. Allen is personly acquainted with at least 3 of the Gentlemen whose affidavets I have procured and can give full satisfaction on the score of Reputation… Mr. Hughs is now a very poor and afflicted old man & is now in want of the necessarys of Life. I hope there fore that his Case will be attended to and if his proof is sufficient that Justice will be immediately awarded him… I do most solmly beleave that if Lt. Hughs is Denied a pension that the Law has been passed in vain.
I hope Sir that you will Excuse the freedom of Expression as my own convictions are full in Lt Hughs favour from the Jenoral Rumer of the Country as well as from the Testimony herein set forth. I have never seen The Testimony forwarded with his decleration, nor have I ever seen the Decleration Except when in your office and did not read more of it then than to see from whoom It came. I have since asertained beyond a doubt that Mr J Mitchell has never seen the Decleration nor was he in any wise concerned in the Business [see note below]
With a hope that you will immediately forward me the Result of your Examination.
I Am With Sentiments of Respect yours &c.
James M Camp
Mr. J L Edwards [Commissioner of Pensions]
N.B. Pleas Report to Hon J. J. Allen if Congress should be in Session if not to J. M. Camp Weston
Lewis County Va. JMC
State of Virginia }
Lewis County }
Personly appeared before me the Subscriber an Acting Justice of the peace in and for the County of Lewis & State of Virginia Adam Flesher [pension application S18403] aged 69 years & 10 months and after Being duly sworn Doth on his oath say that he was well acquainted with Thomas Hughs now of the County of Jackson that he be leaves the said Hughs to be upwards of 80 years of age that he well Recollects that the said Thomas Hughs was first Lieutenant of Indian Spyes in 1780 in the Company Commanded by Captain William Lowther in the Then County of Monongahala [sic: Monongalia], that the said Lt Hughs was an active, faithful, and vigilent Officer always at his post and often foremost in the persuit of the Enemy which continued with but little Intermition until 1795. That in the year 1781 Lt. Hughs shot at and wounded an Indian who had stolen Adam Obrian’s horse. at the time Lt. Hughs shot at the Indian there was several Indians in company but the Lt. was determined that the Indians should not keep the horse. The Indians were Traced by the Blood to the West Fork River But there the Trail was lost. It was supposed the wounded Indian had been thrown into the stream. affiant was not present at this Rencounter as he was living at Buckhannon fort and this took place about halfway between Wests & Richards fort [between Fort West on Hackers Creek near present Jane Lew in Lewis County and Fort Richards on the west bank of West Fork River near the mouth of Sycamore Creek in Harrison County]. But affiant had the information at the time from undoubted sources. Subscribed & sworn to this 27th Day of May 1834
[signed] Adam flesher
State of Virginia }
Lewis County } SS
Personly appeared before me the Subscriber an acting Justice of the peace in and for the County of Lewis and state of Virginia Alexander West [W6450] aged as he says 74 years. and after being duly sworn doth say that he has been well acquainted with Thomas Hughs now a resident Citizen of the County of Jackson in the state of Virginia upwards of sixty years. that he believes the said Hughs to be upwards of 80 years of Age. that he has perfect Recollection that the said Thomas Hughs was a Lieutenant of Indian Spys and was commissioned about one year before Clarks Campaign which affiant beleaves was in the year 1781 [probably Gen. George Rogers Clark’s campaign to Ohio in 1780 or in 1782] and affiant has no hesitation in saying that the said Hughs was an active and vigilent officer, often foremost in pursuit, Mr. Hughs was first Lieutenant under Captain William Lowther, in the then County of Monongahala,… one particular Instance of the Bravery of Lt Hughs. Affiant thinks It proper to mention that in the year 1781 the said Hughs was Riding a pathway and Espied an Indian Wriding of a horse which was Recognized to be Adam Obrians, upon the discovery Lt. Hughs sprung form his horse and shot the Indian and wounded him and affiant was one that made persuit and Track’d the the Indian to the River by the Blood We found the Tracks of several Indians but lost the Trail Entirely at the River (This was the West fork of the monongalia River
Subscribed and sworn to this 27 day of May 1834 Affiant adds that Mr. Hughs continued a faithfull Defender of the Western Country Especially the Countys of Monongehala & Harrison untill the close of the Indian War in 1795
(Signed) Alexander [his X mark] West
[Capitalization partly corrected]
State of Virginia }
Lewis County } SS
Personly Appeared before me the Subscriber an acting Justice of the peace in and for the County of Lewis and State of Virginia John Cutright [W6626] a Resident of the County of Lewis (aged 79 years) and made oath that he was well acquainted with Thomas Hughs in the year 1774. that The said Hughs is several years older than affiant. That the said Hughs was then a resident of the then County of Monongahala, and resided upon the Watters of the West Fork of the Monongahala River, the said Hughs was an active & Brave young man, and in all Troublesome Times actively engaged in ranging and spying the Country from the West fork to Ohio river, Affiants acquaintance with Hughs continued untill the year 1779 during which time the said Hugh was engaged in the spring summer & autumn of each year more or less in the defence of the inhabitants of the western border under the command of Captain William Lowther afterwards Col. Lowther. in 1779 affiant was drafted for the Army under the command of General Washington. In this service affiant was detained two years. upon his affiants return which was in March 1781 he was informed that Thomas Hughes had been commissioned a Lieutenant of Indian Spyes in Captain William Lowthers Company of Indian Spyes. affiant has every reason to beleave that Lt. Hughs discharged his duty faithfully as he knows him to be a brave soldier. affiant was present when Lt. Hughs resigned his commission which was in the Spring of 1784 as well as affiant can recollect. upon affiants return from the Army as above stated he again be came intimate with Lt. Hughs altho they did not inhabit the same forts.
Affiant residing in Buckhannon and Hughs in Wests and Richards forts upon the West fork they often met together upon their Spying and Ranging excursions which continued with but little intermition untill the close of the Indian War in 1795. Lt. Hughs is a Brother of Jesse and Ellis [Elias] Hughs whos Farther & both of these Brothers was killed by the Indians in the struggle for the Freedom of of the Country. Lt Hughs was Lost much of his property by the Indians. Affiant is informed that Lt Hughs now resides in the County of Jackson and is an applycant for a pension. Subscribed & sworn to this 3 day of June 1834
[signed] John Cutright
State of Virginia } SS
Lewis County }
Personly appeared before me the Subscriber one of the Acting Justices of the peace in and for the County of Lewis and State of Virginia William Powers Esq. [S18164] one of the Acting Justices of the peace in and for the said county of Lewis Aged 68 years, and made Oath that he has been acquainted with Thomas Hughs, now a resident of the County of Jackson and State of Virginia for sixty years that he knew him well during the Revolutionary War that he was a Brave and faith ful Soldier and served as a common soldier in all calls against the Indians from the neighbour hood of Hugh’s & Richards forts on the West Fork River in the County of Monongahala untill about the year 1780 at which time he was appointed & commissioned a Lieutenant of Indian Spys and served Faithfully as such untill about the year 1784 or 1785.
affiant is free to say that Lt. Hughs was a most worthy, faith ful and valiant officer and soldier and continued his Brave defence of the western border untill the close of the Indian War in 1795.
Subscribed and sworn to this 3 Day of June 1834 [signed] Wm Powers
Virginia }
Jackson County } Sct.
On this 17 day of February 1854 before me the undersigned a Justice of the peace in & for the County and State aforesaid personally appeared Thomas Hughes & made oath according to law that he is the identical Thomas Hughes who executed the foregoing power of Attorney, that he is directly interested in said claim & makes this affidavit to be filed with other & additional evidence or arguments as my said attorney may use in prosecuting s’d claim.
In Presence of H. Fitzhugh Thomas hisXmark Hughes
Sworn to & subscribe before me the day & year above written Jno. Armstrong J.P.
Thos. Hughes is Son of Soldier in Revolution is only surviving child of s’d Soldier. The Soldier (Father of Applicant) died in October 1837. The Soldiers wife died three months before the Soldier. Is 71 years old.
NOTE: A note in the file states, “Rejected ~ See Mr. Singleton’s report.” No such report could be found, but this is evidently a reference to District Attorney Washington G. Singleton who investigated many pensioners and applicants from Lewis and other counties of present West Virginia. For details see pension application S6111 of David W. Sleeth. One person mentioned as having been involved with drawing up fraudulent applications was named Mitchell, who may be the “J. Mitchell” alluded to in the letter by Camp. There is no indication in the record of the cause for the rejection, but during the course of his investigation Singleton and Edwards decided to reverse former policy and no longer accept the services of Indian spies on the western frontier.
http://revwarapps.org/r5357.pdf
