Pension Application of Randolph (Randall) Biggs R832
Transcribed and annotated by C. Leon Harris
County of Campbel [sic] }
State of Kentucky }
on this twenty second day of May one thousand eight hundred and thirty eight personally appeard before me Robert M. Carlisle a justice of the peice in and for the county Aforesaid Mary Biggs a resident of the county of Campbell and State of Kentucky Aged seventy sevin years who being first sworn according to law doth on her oath make the following Decelaration In order to obtain the benefit of the provision made by the Act of Congress passed July the fourth one thousand eight Hundred and thirty six.
That she is old and weak and unable from bodily infirmity to appear in person in court and that she is the widow of the late Randolph Biggs who was a Regolor Solgier on the Virginia continential or state line during the war of the revolution under the command of Gen’l. George Washington and under officers not recollect She well recollects of hearing her husband the aforesaid often state that he was in the Battel of Brandywine [11 Sep 1777] and at the Seage at the Mud Island [Siege of Fort Mifflin on Mud Island, 10 Oct – 15 Nov 1777] and she well recollects of his geting wounded in the left arm and she well recollects of seeing his discharge and hereing him say that he was intitled to draw half pay on the account of his being wounded and from her great age and loss of memory she is at this great length of tim unable to state the defferent officers he was under but do well know of her own personal knowledge that he was engaged in the regular servis during the war of the revolution and was in the service at least sevin years during of which time he taken prisoner and she well recollects of hearing him state that he was put in a prison ship and hearing him state the dificulty in geting a chance to run away and further states that she heard him say he had to swim and wade a considerable distance before he reacht the shor and further recollects of hearing him say that in making his escape that he was for nine days that he could get nothing to eat but sower grapes and sum herbs and of his allmost starving to death my suffrings and privation ware great during his services in the war of the Revolution She further declars that she was maried to the said Randolph Biggs in West morland [sic: Westmoreland] county State of Virginia some time in the year one thousand seventeen hundred and eighty she further states that about seventeen hundred and eighty nine they had there house burnt and his discharge and all his papers was consuned in said fier and she further states that her husband died the afore said Randolph Biggs died on the sixteenth of June eighteen hundred and fifteen in pendleton county Kentucky and that she has remained a widow ever since that period as will fully appear by refference to the proof hereto annexed given under my hand this twenty second day of May one thousand eighteen hundred and thirty eight
(Signed) Mary [her X mark] Biggs
[The declaration was certified by their son, Thomas Biggs, of Franklin County IN, formerly of Campbell County KY.
Marion County }
State of Indiana }
Be it remembered that John Norton came personally Before Me Joshua Stevens a Justice of the peace in and for the County aforesaid and being by me duly sworn Deposeth and Says that he was well acquainted with Randolf Biggs husband of Polly Biggs that in or about the year 1784 or 5 said Randolf Biggs Lived with John Norton Senior in Lowdon [sic: Loudoun] County Virginia near Middleburgh [sic: Middleburg] and Afterwards he Lived in a small house near said nortons which house caught on fire and burnt up with all the Effects and papers of said Biggs among which were Destroyed said Randolf Biggs Descharge from the Army and the said John Norton further saith that he Recollects Reaing a Descharge he also Recollects Reading a furlough given by George Johnson [possibly George Johnston or Johnson whose company in the 2 Virginia R nd egiment was raised in Fairfax County] for a few weeks and he thinks that said Biggs first Listed or Enlisted with said George Johnson in the first company of Regulars Raised in Alexandria Virgina Said Biggs as he understood served through the war till after the taking of Cornwallis [19 Oct 1781] also that said Biggs was wounded in the wrist by a shot which he undestood was got at the Battle of Brandywine
Sworn and subscribed to before me this 21 Jany 1845
[signed] John Norton
State of Kentucky } SS.
Kenton County } On this 24 day of September 1845 personally th appeared before me John Ryland one of the justices of the peace in and for said County Polly Biggs a resident of said County and state aged eighty five years who being first duly sworn according to law doth on her oath make the following declaration in order to obtain the benefit of the provision made by the act of Congress passed July 4th 1836. That she is the widow of Randolph Biggs, who was a private in the army of The Revolution and was wounded in his left arm which remaind crooked untill his death being broke all to peices at his wrist. She thinks he listed for five years or for during the war, he served about half of his time when he was wounded. When Gen’l Washington discharged him. she thinks he was wounded at the Battle of Brandywine; also says he was aboard of a ship for about six months during which time they had a battle and he was taken prisioner and she thinks he was taken to New York from which he got away. She has heard her husband say he would have been at the taking of Cornwallis, but he was sick, at which time he was a substitute for Wm Coward; She also declares that she was married to the said Biggs about the year 1778 and prior to his leaving the service and that her afore said Husband died 27th June 1815 and that she has not been married since and further that about 57 years since her said husband’s house was burnd down, in which her said husband’s discharge from the army was burnd – and a furlough also. She thinks the furlough was from George Johnson Capt of the company in which he enlisted she says she has often seen these papers before they were burnt. He enlisted early in the war about the year 1775, at Alexandria state of Virginia She has no documentary evidence of her marriage. She also declares he had a certificate of his being wounded which was also burnt at the time above mentioned she says the ship on which her said husband served sailed from Baltimore in the state of Maryland he serv’d untill the war closed
Sworn to and subscribed this day and year above written before me
[signed] M Biggs
State of Kentucky } S.S.
Kenton County } This day personally appeared before me John Colvin a justice of the peace in and for the County aforesaid Wm. Worthington [William Worthington] of County and state aforesaid and after being duly sworn according to law deposeth and says that he was ninety five or six years of age.
That he served in Revolutionary war six years while there he became acquainted with the within named Randolph Biggs knows he was wounded in the Battle of Brandywine, and thinks he belong’d to Capt Johnson’s Company, but says his memory is poor that he cannot be positive to what company he belonged. he was a short Jolly lively man; I further certify that the above named William Worthington is a credible person
Sworn to and subscribed this 6th day of March 1846 Wm hisXmark Worthington
NOTE: On 10 Nov 1850 Nancy Payne, daughter of “Randal Biggs” applied for the pension due her mother, who died on 21 June 1847 in Covington KY.
http://revwarapps.org/r832.pdf
