Pension Application of James Bruster S38571
Transcribed and annotated by C. Leon Harris
State of Kentucky County of Mercer. On this 5 day of may 1834 personally appeared before the worshipfull the county court of the county of Mercer afs’d. James Bruster a resident of Mercer in the county of Mercer and state afs’d. aged 71 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 provission made by the act of Congress passed June 7 1832. That he entered the service of the United States under the following named officers and serve as here in stated: Captain Michael Cogar [Michael Koger], and Col. Boyce (the latter of Augusta County) in the militia of Rockingham County Virginia drafted for three months in January 1781 day of the month not recollected went south as far as the dismal swamp and was there stationed the whole term. The militia were all foot. he was a waggoner hauling provissions and forage.was disbanded at or near the D. Swamp. was drafted a second time for three months (the usual length of such tours) in June 1781 the day of the month not recollected went on the south branch of the Potomac against the tories who were under Gen’l. Claypole [sic: John Claypoose] as he thinks. went to Claypoles house and remained there Claypole and his friends being out in the mountains; was disbanded at Claypoles the draft were all horse, he was a private. He was drafted a third time for a like tour of three months in September 1781 under Capt Michael Cogar colonel not recollected in the Rockingham militia.Was under Gen’l. Washington at the seige of Yorktown in Virginia. LaFayette was there. He was in the trenches when the British marched out. Cornwallis commanded the British but he did not see him. He was three days at what they called the French picket, on guard. There were a good many French troops at the siege Understood the British had vessels there but did not see them. Understood the French had blocked them up. He was a private on foot. was disbanded at Williamsburg after the British were taken.He does not recollect the name of any officer of rank except those he has mentioned. cannot find any surviving Witness of his services in Kentucky but his sister Polly Dunn and her husband Nathaniel Dunn.He has no documentary evidence of his services. had no discharge in writing either time when disbanded.
1st. He was born in Rockingham*( county Virginia on the [blank] day of [blank] in the year 1763.
2nd. Has no record of his age. The old Bible in which it was entered was left by him in Indianna with his nephew William Alexander and upon his return there having been absent it was torn up and destroyd.
3rd. Removed to Jessamine County Kentucky from Virginia in 1792. left it for the state of Indianna in 1814. return to Jessamine Ky. in 1829. came to Mercer County Ky 1 May 1833. Is little knownst in his present neighbourhood being old, poor and obscure. Knows James Ervin and Jesse Head. but in Jessamine his former place of residence is acquainted with Polly Dunn Nathaniel Dun. Rev’d James Ellmon. William Robards and James Hiter whose affidavits he has taken. He lived as before stated in Rockingham county Virginia when called into service. Lived there since the Revolutionary war until here moved to Jessamine Cty Ky. in 1792. He now resides in Mercer county Ky.
4th. as before stated he was drafted.
5th. He has mentioned the names of such of the Regular officers as were with the troops when hethserved. and the general circumstances of his services. he does not recollect continental or militiaregiments more than he has mentioned.
6th as before stated he never received any discharge in writing7ththrefer to the answer to the 3 question. he hereby relinqushes every claim whatever to a pension ordannuity except the present and declares that his name is not on the pension Roll of the agency of any state.
[Signed] James Bruster
* Note: Rockingham County was formed from part of Augusta County in 1778, so James Bruster would have been more accurately born in Augusta County in 1763.
https://revwarapps.org/s38571.pdf
