Pension Application of Joseph McAlister S31241 VA
Transcribed and annotated by C. Leon Harris. Revised 19 Aug 2014.
State of Kentucky, County of Pulaski Sct.
On this 17th day of September 1832, personally appeared before the County Court of the County of Pulaski, being a Court of Record, Established by the Constitution & laws of Kentucky, Joseph McAlister, a resident of said County of Pulaski, and State of Kentucky, 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 provision made by the Act of Congress passed June 7th 1832. that he the said Joseph McAlister, enlisted in the Army of the United States in the month of February, in the year 1776, for the Term of two years, as a Regular Soldier, in the Revolutionary war, in the Company Commanded by Captain Thomas Posey, in the 7th Virginia Regiment, Commanded by Colo. Alexander McClanahan [sic: Alexander McClenachan], and in the Brigade of General Andrew Lewis. that the Brigade aforesaid, was a part of the Virginia State line, in the Continental Establishment, that at the time of his enlistment he was a Citizen of Bottetourt [sic: Botetourt] County in the State of Virginia, that he continued to serve in said Corps as a Soldier in the Regular Service of the United States, his Term aforesaid, for which he Enlisted, (two years, when he was Discharged from the Service, in the County of Burks [sic: Berks] & State of Pennsylvania, at Redding [sic: Reading], receiving his Discharge signed by his said Commanding General Andrew Lewis, which Discharge he preserved for many years, but the same has been lost, mislaid, or destroyed, and has not seen it for a long time, and further states that he was at the taking of Burgoine [sic: Burgoyne, at Saratoga 17 Oct 1777], and that during his service in the Army as a regular Soldier, he marched from his place of Enlistment through the States of Virginia, Pennsylvania, and many other parts of the United States;– and that after he was Discharged from his service as aforesaid he Served two Malitia tours of duty, was at the Battle of Guilford [Guilford Courthouse NC, 15 Mar 1781] and the Cowpens [in SC, 17 Jan 1781].–
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 any agency, in any State. Sworn to and Subscribed in Open Court the day and year aforesaid,
[Signed] Joseph [his X mark] McAlister
Robert Sayers [pension application S35641], on this 17th day of September 1832 came before the Pulaski County Court and in Open Court made Oath that he is well acquainted with Joseph McAlister, an applicant for a Pension, now herd before the Court, that the said Joseph McAlister, enlisted as a Regular Soldier, in the 7th Virginia Regiment, on the Continental Establishment, in the year 1776 for the Term of two years, in the County of Bottetourt and State of Virginia, under Capt. Thomas Posey belonging to the Regiment Commanded by Colo. Alexander McClanahan, and in the Brigade of General Andrew Lewis, and that this Affiant, as a regular Soldier, in said Army, in the Company of Capt. Joseph Crockett, belonged to the aforesaid Regiment, and Brigade That during his continuance in the army, which was about nine months, was then taken sick, and obtained a Furlough, from said General Lewis, to return Home, at that time I left said Joseph McAlister, in the service, and during my continuance in the Army.
I saw him frequently; and then, and am at this time well acquainted with him, both him, and myself having resided in this County (Pulaski) many years past, and having frequently conversed Together in relation to our services in the Army, and other [illegible word] in relation thereto.
Given under my hand this day and year aforesaid Robert Sayers
[James McGuire also made a supporting statement but did not say whether he served with McAlister.]
NOTE: The file contains a declaration made in Pulaski County KY on 16 June 1834 by Robert, John, George, Adam W., and Harvey McAlister, “children heirs at law and legal Representatives of Joseph McAlister Dec’d” repeating the details of the declaration above. It states that Joseph McAlister died 22 July 1833 at an age “upwards of seventy nine years,” and that his wife and two other children, James and Martha James, died before him. This document was supported by one from a Joseph M. James. A Treasury-Department document states that two of the five children received the final pension payment.
http://revwarapps.org/s31241.pdf