Pension Application of Nathan Hall S6943
Transcribed and annotated by C. Leon Harris
State of Virginia
At a Court held for Albemarle County the 1st day of October 1832 st
On this 1st day of October 1832 personally appeared in open court before the Justices of the County Court of said county now sitting – Nathan Hall aged about eighty five years (tho having lost the register of his birth, he cannot be positive) 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 7th 1832
That he was born in the County of Hanover & State of Virginia (the precise date not recollected)
That he was three times drafted in the Militia during the Revolution (the precise year is not now recollected) but he thinks about the year 1780 he was twice drafted & procured a substitute both times each tour being two months That in 1781 he thinks the spring of the year, he was again drafted and marched from the County of Albemarle (to which he had removed from the County of Hanover before the war begun) under Colo. Reuben Lindsay and marched to Richmond, at which place he joined the army under LaFayette and marched with the forces under his command through Hanover & to Fredericksburg thence the route commonly called the wild Goose chase through Louisa county &c. and came into the three notch road near Mechunk Creek; from which place he was sent to the Albemarle Barracks, where he was employed in the public service for the period of about six months as a shoemaker for the troops. The prisoners of Burgoynes Army had been removed over the mountains [Hessians captured at Saratoga on 17 Oct 1777, taken to Albemarle Barracks in Jan 1779, then to Winchester Barracks in April 1781], but there were a number of Tailors, Shoemakers, Sadlers &c employed for the American Army at the Albemarle Barracks, including the time he was thus employed he served rather more than seven months. He recollects only the names of the following officers viz: Captains Tibbs and John Peyton.
Gen’l Tho Nelson [Thomas Nelson] & he thinks Capt Thos Miller [Thomas Miller] That he has no documents and never received any pay for his services.
He hereby relinquishes every claim 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.
He refers to the statements of Charles Huckstep & others to prove respectability & services &c. – He has lived in the County Albemarle State of Virginia ever since the Revolution
Sworn to & subscribed the day & year aforesaid
[Signed] Nathan [his X mark] Hall
Thereupon the following interrogatories were propounded to the Applicant by the Court.
1 Where and in what year were you born?
A I was born in Hanover County state of Virginia about 1747
2 Have you any record of your age and if so where is it
A. I have none.
3 Where were you living when called into service, where have you lived since the Revolutionary war & where do you now live
A. When called into service I lived in Albemarle County Virginia where I continued to live since the Revolution & where I now live
4 How were you called into service – were you drafted did you volunteer or were you a substitute, and if a substitute for whom?
A I was drafted.
5 State the names of some of the Regular officers who were with the troops where you served, such Continental & militia Reg’ts as you can recollect & the general circumstances of your service.
A. I don’t now recollect more than I have stated in my foregoing declaration
6. Did you ever receive a discharge from the service and if so by whom was it given & what has become of it
A. I have no recollection of receiving any written discharge
Thereupon the said Nathan Hall produced into Court the following certificates.
“I certify that Mr Nathan Hall s’r lived with me as a miller about five years, and I believe there does not live a more honest just man in the state. I have always had this opinion of him since my first acquaintance with him which was about the year 1812. I also believe there are few men more to be depended on as to what he may say or make oath to
Robert Lindsay/ Sept 5th 1832
“I have known the said Nathan Hall about sixteen years I believe him to be as honest a man as much to be depended on as any man whatever none excepted.
Abraham Hawley
“This is to certify that I have known Nathan Hall for fifty years, and I believe him to be an honest man and that he would not swear false for his pension, and that he worked six months for the United States as a shoe make which I can be qualified if required.
Charles Huckstep
“I do hereby certify that I have been acquainted with Nathan Hall S’r for thirty years and more, and have always and at all times thought him a truly honest and correct man, and do believe that he may be relied on by any man or court should he testify to any thing whether interrested or not, I do not think he would take a false oath for a Pension or any thing else save life or limb, it is true that he has been some time in the habit of drinking too much. I once recommended him to the Reverend Jno B Magruder to keep a common grist mill the said JBM, did employ him and two or three years after so employed, said JBM thanked me for recommending such an honest and good man as said Hall was, and if I mistake not, the said Hall continued in said mill dureing the life of said JBM and many years after his death, and my impression is that he would have kept said mill until this day had his strength not failed him – this 4th day of September 1832
W T Alligree”
Personally appeared before me the undersigned a Justice of the peace for the county of Albemarle State of Virginia Nathan Hall Sen’r., who, being duly sworn, deposeth and saith, that, by reason of old age, and the consequent loss of memory he cannot swear positively as to the precise length of his service, but according to the best of his recollection he served not less than the periods mentioned below, and in the following grades: For seven months as a common Soldier employed as a shoemaker for the army; and for such service I claim a pension.” Given under my hand this 7 day of May 1833
https://revwarapps.org/s6943.pdf
