Pension application of Jeremiah H. Compton W29 Elizabeth f47VA
Transcribed by Will Graves 3/5/12
State of Tennessee Sevier County: SS
On this 25th day of July 1832 Personally appeared in open Court before me Edward Scott one of the Judges of law and Equity for the State of Tennessee and for the second Judicial Circuit in the Circuit Court for said County now sitting Jeremiah H Compton a resident of said Sevier County in the County of Sevier and State aforesaid aged Seventy-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 the 7th of June 1832. That he entered the service of the United States under the following named officers and served as herein stated.
He lived in Botetourt County Virginia in the fall of 1780 volunteered under Captain Charles Robertson Lieutenant James Setherdale [?] and Maj. Campbell marched to Salisbury North Carolina and to the Cawtawby River [Catawba River] we were stationed there to keep the British from crossing at the fords they however found their way across killed General Davis [sic General William Lee Davidson was killed at Cowans Ford on February 1, 1781] we then had to retreat to Salisbury where he and to the Atkin River [Yadkin River] there we had a scrimmage with the British Major Campbell commanded then we marched to Guilford North Carolina and to Dan River and there was discharged the discharge is lost served three months. Can prove that tower [tour] by Mitchell Porter.1
Again in Botetourt County Virginia in the fall of 1781 volunteered under Captain David May and Major James Smith marched to York was at the siege of York and helped to take Lord Cornwallis [October 19, 1781] he helped to guard his Army to Winchester Barracks served three months this tower he was honorably discharged but has lost his discharge he has no documentary evidence he knows of no person living by whom he can prove his actual service excepting the said Mitchell Porter who was with him when he served the first tour. 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.
This affidavit sworn to in open Court & the interlineation of the same in the declaration July 25th, 1832.
S/ P. M. Wear Clk S/ Jeremiah H Compton, X his mark
[Ashley Wynn a clergyman, and Mitchel Porter gave the standard supporting affidavit. In addition, the said Mitchel Porter "... Further saith that the said Jeremiah H Compton was in actual service as stated in his declaration as respects his 1st tour that he marched with him through the whole route…."
[f p. 17]
State of Tennessee Sevier County: SS
On this 4th day of December 1832 personally appeared in open Court before John a Rogers, John Mullendaux & John Brabson [?], 3 of the acting Justices of the court of Pleasing Quarter sessions now sitting Jeremiah H Compton a resident of the said County and state in the said County of Sevier and State of Tennessee who being 1st duly sworn according to law doth on his oath make the following amendment to his declaration (which was made in this Circuit Court in and for said County and state and bears date the 25th of July 1832 and was numbered in the War Department No. 3062 and sent back for amendment). That he is the same Jeremiah H Compton that made the declaration above mentioned. He was born in the state of New Jersey he thinks in Brunswick County in October the day of the month not recollected in the year 1754 as he was informed by his parents. He has no record of his age. He lived in Botetourt County Virginia at the close of the war and continued to live there until about the year 1792 at which time he removed to Washington County State of North Carolina but now Tennessee lived there about 8 years at which time he removed to the said Sevier County and has lived there ever since. He never was a substitute. He never received a commission. He is known in his present neighborhood to Mitchell Porter, Robert Shields, Richard Shields, John Prance, John Fox, Johnson Adams and William Smallwood all of whom he believes would testify that he is a man of veracity and that they believe him to have been a soldier of the revolution.
He hereby relinquishes every claim whatever to a pension or annuity except the present and he declares that his name is not on the pension roll of the agency of any state. Sworn to and subscribed the day and year aforesaid.
S/ Jeremiah H Compton, X his mark
[f p. 9: On July 15, 1844 in Sevier County Tennessee, Elizabeth Compton, aged about 81, filed for a widow's pension under the 1838 act stating that she is the widow of Jeremiah H Compton, a pensioner for his service in the revolution; that she married him in Botetourt County Virginia about the year 1784; that her husband died June 19, 1844. She signed her application with her mark. Daniel Lehman, a clergyman, residing in Sevier County Tennessee gave testimony in
1845 that he was present at the marriage of his sister Elizabeth to Jeremiah H Compton in Botetourt County Virginia. He also gave testimony that an older brother (not named) returned from the war in company with said Compton.]
[Veteran was pensioned at the rate of $20 per annum commencing March 4th, 1831, for 6 months service as a private in the Virginia militia. His widow was pensioned in a like amount.]
1 Sic, Mitchel Porter FPA W1477
