Pension application of Richard Braswell W4888 Penelope fn66NC
Transcribed by Will Graves rev'd 2/18/10
State of North Carolina, Anson County: October Session 1832
On the 11th day of October 1832 personally appeared in open court before the Worshipful Justices of the court of Please and Quarter Sessions now sitting Richard Braswell aged 78 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 June 7 1832.
That he entered the Service of the United States and served as herein stated: I was drafted in the county of Wayne North Carolina in the month of January in the year 1776 in the company of John Shepperd for three months in the Regiment of Col. Richard Caswell. [I] marched to New Hanover County to Moore's Creek where the Tories had assembled in consider number. We had a battle with them and defeated them killed and took prisoners; marched back and was discharged in April 1776 having served three months.
I volunteered my services in the County of Wayne in the month of November 1777 in the Company of Capt. Abraham Shepperd in the Regt Commanded by Col. Shepperd for five months. [I] marched to Cumberland County thence to Camden. Encamped some time until the month of April 1778 where I was discharged at the camp near Camden by Col. Shepperd having served this time five months.
I was drafted in the County of Wayne in the month of November 1778 in the Company of Capt. Shinger MacIlwain [sic, Captain John Stringer McIIwain] who was promoted and was succeeded by Capt. Shoot [possibly Captain Thomas Shute] in the Regiment Commander by Col. William Caswell. [I] marched from North Carolina and joined Genl Ashe [John Ashe] in Georgia. [I] marched to Briar Creek where we had an engagement with the British in the month of March. Genl Ashe was defeated. I was marched back to North Carolina and was discharged in April 1780 by Col. Caswell having served in all thirteen months.
He hereby relinquishes every claim whatsoever to a pension or annuity except the present and declares that his name is not on the Pension Role of the Agency of any State.
1st Question by the Court:
Where and what year were you born?
Answer: I was born in the County of Wayne [State of North Carolina] in the month of July 1755.
2. Question by the Court
Have you any record of your age and if so where is it?
Answer: I have no record of my age
3rd Question by the Court
Where were you living when called into the service? Where have you lived since the Revolutionary War and where do you now live?
Answer: I was living in the County of Wayne State of North Carolina when I was called into the service and continued to reside in said county until twenty two years back. I moved to Anson, County where I now live.
4th Question by the Court
How were you called into the service? were you drafted? did you volunteer or were you a substitute and if a substitute for whom ?
Answer: I was drafted twice and volunteered once.
5th Question of the Court
State names of some of the Regular Officers who were with the troop when you served such continental and militia Regiments as you can recall and the general circumstances of your service.
Answer: I served with Regular officers not with any of the Continental Regiments. I do not at this time recall the names of the Militia Regiment which I served with.
6th Question
Did you ever receive a discharge from the service and if so by whom was it given and what has become of it?
Answer: I did receive discharge for the Terms of Service signed by the two Caswells and Shepperd which I have lost.
7th Question
State the names of persons to whom you are know in your present neighborhood and who can testify as to your character for veracity and good behavior your Services as a Soldier of the Revolution.
Answer: The Rev. John Culpepper and Joseph Medley, Reddak Moore
Sworn to and subscribed the day and year aforesaid
S/ Richard Braswell
S/ W. Dismukes, Clk
[John Culpepper, a clergyman, and Joseph Medley gave the standard supporting affidavit.]
[fn p. 9: on July 25, 1840 in Anson County North Carolina Penelope the Braswell, 79, filed for her pension as the widow of Richard Braswell stating that she married him in October 1780; that her husband died August 20, 1839 and that she has remained his widow since his death.]
[fn p. 11: on April one, 1851 in Anson County North Carolina, Burell Braswell, one of the children of Richard and Penelope Braswell, both deceased, filed a claim in which he states that his father Richard Braswell wasn't on the pension list at the rate of $43.33 per annum; that his mother drew a pension of $22.89 per annum; that his mother died March 4, 1848.]
[fn pp. 16-18 appear to be family records but the pages are so faint as to be illegible. The War Department, however, gave the following information which it took from the records:
The children of Richard Braswell and wife Penelope:
Richard born October 27, 1781
Delaney [daughter] born May 14, 1782
Elizabeth born July 22, 1784
Burwell born November 30, 1787
Urvin (son) born March 2, 1790
Benjamin Blow born June 28, 1795
Pattey born September 19th,__
Bryant born October 22, 1799
Cullen born April 18, 1801
[fn p. 27]
State of North Carolina Anderson County
This is to certify that I have been personally acquainted with Richard Braswell ever since I was a little girl, that he and Penelope Blow was married in Wayne County in the State aforesaid in the month of October 1780 and that I know them to have lived as man and wife until the day of his death which occurred on the 20 day of August 1839 having lived a neighbor to them ever since they were married.
Sworn to and subscribed this 15 day of August 1844
S/ Wm Allen, JP
S/ Lucresa Braswell, X her mark
[Information in file: in 1851 the following were said to be the surviving children of the widow: Burwell, Benjamin, Elizabeth Dees, Bryant and Cullen; Matilda "Jan", daughter of Cullen Braswell and his wife, Equal, was born June 17, 1838; Lucresa Braswell 1 gave an affidavit in support of the widow's application; C. E. Braswell, grandson of the soldier and his wife Penelope, was post master at Sneedsboro, Anson County North Carolina in 1877, his parents are not identified.]
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1Sampson Braswell W3930
