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Facts and Events
Robert Watkins was one of the Early Settlers of Augusta County, Virginia
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Disambiguation
- Not to be confused with Robert Watkins who married Celah Bryan on 26 January 1790 in Johnston County, North Carolina.
- American Revolutionary War Veteran
Revolutionary War Pension Information
Information from “Virginia/West Virginia Genealogical Data from Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty Land Warrant Records”, Vol. 6, compiled by Patrick G. Wardell, Lt. Col. U.S. Army Ret. :
- Watkins, Robert - born abt. 1/25/1758 in Botetourt [then Augusta] County, virginia; entered service 1776 in Bedford County (area later Campbell County), Virginia in Virginia regiment; served at Battle of Guilford Courthouse; granted Pension 1832 in Campbell County, Virginia, per County Justice of the Peace Ellis Hunter; Henry Brown & William Thompson made affidavits there then; John Hunter made affidavit there then that he served in same Revolutionary War company with soldier in 1777; Charles Glass made affidavit there then that he entered service with soldier 1776 in Bedford County, Virginia; soldier died there 10/7/1832; married there 4/8/1790 to Hannah Pugh by Reverend James Kenney per certificate 1843 by that County Clerk of Court William A. Clement; widow died there 2/9/1838; children mentioned but not named; David Pugh (no kinship given) applied for Pension there in 1843 age 46, administrator of soldier's estate, applied for Pension there, per County Justice of the Peace Zackian E. Chatham; Jonathan Pugh (no kinship given) made affidavit there then age 85 that he knew soldier for 45 years before soldier died, & soldier was married at house of John Bryan. F-R11189, R2505.
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Ancestry.com. Public Member Trees: (Note: not considered a reliable primary source).
- Graves, William T. Southern Campaign Revolutionary War Pension Statements & Rosters.
Pension application of Robert Watkins R11189 Hannah fn37VA
Transcribed by Will Graves 8/12/11
State of Virginia Campbell County: SS
On this 28th day of August 1832 personally appeared before me Ellis Hunter a justice of the peace for the County & in the State aforesaid Robert Watkins a resident of the County & State aforesaid aged seventy-four years seven months & three days, 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 entered the service of the United States under the following named officers and served as herein stated.
That in the latter part of the summer of 1776 he enlisted at the Chestnut Camp in Bedford County now Campbell County under Captain James Buford, WilliamWrentfrow [William Renfro?] Lieutenant and Robert Fields Ensign that he marched from thence through the City of Richmond to the City of Williamsburg where we remained 2 or 3 days, we were then ordered back against the Indians – we stopped at New London in Bedford County, where we remained 2 or 3 weeks until other Companies joined us where Colonel Charles Lewis took command of the Regiment & marched us to the Big Island on Holston River – while there I saw Colonel Christie [William Christian] & Colonel Love; – our Regiment still under the command of Colonel Lewis & two other regiments & I think one was commanded by Colonel Christie & the other by Colonel Love marched from thence to the Cherokee Nation on Tennessee River, where we remained 19 or 20 days, and then returned home by the Big Island on Holston River, that it was some time in the winter when we got back to New London where we were discharged, having performed a six months tour – whether I received a written discharge or not I do not recollect, if I did it is either lost or mislaid – That about the latter part of March or first of April in the year 1777 I volunteered my services in Captain James Dixon's Company, whose Lieutenant was named Christopher Irving, & his Ensign James Russell which company met at New London; we were then marched to Goose Creek in Bedford County where we remained a few days and were there joined by Captain Harry Buford's Company from thence we marched to Big Island on Holston River where we joined the main Army which was under command of Colonel Shelby [Isaac Shelby] – after remaining there a short time Captain Dixon's Company was ordered to Rye Cove on Clinch River, where we saw Major Martin who I think in had had command of the fort there, we there remained until we were ordered back to the treaty at Big Island and were there at the said treaty where I recollect I saw several Indian Chiefs; – among them were the little Carpenter, Conestoga, or something like it – we remained there until after the treaty, & received a written discharge from Colonel Shelby, which is either lost or mislaid, having served another six months tour.
That in the latter part of the winter of 1781 a company of volunteers was formed of which I was a member in Bedford (now Campbell) County that the Officers of said Company were elected viz. James Dixon Captain, Hugh McElroy [Hugh Mclroy] Lieutenant & John Hunter Ensign we joined a part of General Green's [Nathanael Greene's] Army (that part called the Infantry) & advanced near the line of the British Army which was commanded by Lord Cornwallis & continued near them for several weeks and followed them to the neighborhood of Guilford Courthouse & continued there until the battle of Guilford was fought in which battle I took a part & was discharged legally one or two days thereafter – this discharge is also lost or mislaid. I was in the skirmish at Reedy fork not long before the battle of Guilford & served 8 weeks or 2 months – I was born in the County of Botetourt in the State of Virginia but moved to Bedford where I lived during the revolutionary war that I still live in the same neighborhood which is now a part of Campbell County – I have no documentary evidence but can prove my services by John Hunter,1 James Wooldridge,2 & Charles Glass.3 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.
S/ Robert Watkins, X his mark
sworn & subscribed the day and year aforesaid
S/ Ellis Hunter
[Henry Brown and William Thompson Junior gave the standard supporting affidavit.]
[fn p. 11]
State of Virginia Campbell County SS
This day came John Hunter (a man well known to me) before me Ellis Hunter a justice of the peace for the County aforesaid and made oath on the holy evangelist of Almighty God that in the latter part of the winter 1781 when the British general Lord Cornwallis had marched through North Carolina with his Army and had advanced near the Virginia line, a company of men volunteered their services in the County of Campbell aforesaid (but then Bedford County), elected officers to command the company and marched on to meet the enemy – said Company was commanded by Captain James Dixon, Hugh McElroy Lieutenant and said John Hunter Ensign, and that they joined a part of General Green's Army which was called the Infantry & advance near the line of the British Army and continued near the British Army for several weeks & followed them to the neighborhood of Guilford Court-house & continued near them until the battle at Guilford Court-house was fought in that Robert Watkins of the County aforesaid was one of the said company of volunteers & that the said company of volunteers was discharged legally one or two days after the Battle of Guilford aforesaid and that he thinks said company served about eight weeks or two months but is not certain as to the exact length of time – Given under my hand and seal this 11th day of August 1832
S/ Ellis Hunter, Seal
[fn p. 12]
State of Virginia Campbell County
I do hereby certify that [several words obliterated and illegible] lived in the same
neighborhood with Robert Watkins ever since the revolutionary war, that I believe him to be 74 years of age, and that in the summer of the year 1776 I was mustered into service at or near New
1 FPA S15897
2 FPA S11884
3 FPA W3410
London then Bedford now Campbell County under the command of Captain Irvine, that Captain Buford's Company was there that the said Robert Watkins was a member of Buford's Company, that both companies, marched together with several others, under the command of Colonel Charles Lewis to the Big Island on the Holston River, where we found two other Regiments commanded by Colonels Christie and Love, we remained at the Island two or three weeks when all three of the Regiments marched to the Cherokee nation on the Tennessee River, where we remained about twenty days and then returned by the way of the Big Island on Holston and from there to New London in Bedford where we were discharged, having served a tour of six months. I was well acquainted with said Robert Watkins for several years before this campaign in have been intimately acquainted with him ever since and that he lives within two miles of the place his Father lived on when he was called into service.
Given under my hand this 28th day of August 1832.
S/ Charles Glass, X his mark
[fn p. 15]
State of Virginia Campbell County
I do hereby certify that about the latter part [of] March or first of April in the year 1777 I volunteered my service in Captain James Dixon's Company whose Lieutenant was named Christopher Irvine and his Ensign James Russell whose company met at New London in Bedford County now Campbell, that we were marched from thence to Goose Creek in Bedford County where we remained a few days and were joined there by Captain Harry Buford's Company, from thence we marched to Big Island in Holston River where we joined the main Army under Colonel Shelby – After remaining there a short time Captain Dixon's company was ordered to the right codes on Clinch River where we saw Major Martin who I think had had command of the forts at that place, we there remained until we were ordered back to the Big Island where a treaty was about to be held between the whites and the Indians, and were present when the Treaty was made, I recollect among the Indian chiefs present of seeing the Little Carpenter & Conestoga or a name something like it, After the treaty was concluded we were all discharged by Colonel Shelby having served a six months tour. Robert Watkins served the whole of this tour in the same company with me. I became acquainted with him then and have known him ever since, he now resides in the County of Campbell which was formerly a part of Bedford and within 2 miles of where he then lived and has lived ever since, I believe him to be 74 years of age. Given under my hand this 28th day of August 1832.
S/ James Wooldridge
[fn p. 17: On December 11, 1843 in Campbell County Virginia, David Pugh, administrator of the estate of Hannah Watkins, filed a claim under the 1838 act stating; that he is the administrator of the estate of Hannah Watkins, the widow of Robert Watkins, a revolutionary war pensioner at the rate of $46.66 per annum for his service in the revolution; that the widow's maiden name was Pugh; that she married Robert Watkins in Campbell County April 8, 1790; that her husband died October 7, 1833*; that she died February 19, 1839 having remained the widow of her husband until her death.]
[* fn p. 21: there is a certificate dated May 13 1833 signed by the clerk of the court for Campbell County stating that Hannah Watkins is the widow of Robert Watkins deceased. This places in doubt the date of the death of the veteran as stated in the application filed by the widow's administrator.]
[fn p. 29: On December 11, 1843 in Campbell County Virginia, Jonathan Pugh, 85 gave testimony that he was well acquainted with Robert Watkins; that Watkins died October 7 1832 or 1833; that Watkins was a pensioner of the United States for his service in the revolution; that Watkins married Hannah Pugh in the house of John Bryan on April 8, 1790 or thereabouts; that Hannah remained the widow of Robert Watkins until her death February 19, 1839.]
[Veteran was pensioned at the rate of $46.66 per annum commencing March 4th, 1831, for 14 months service as a private in the Virginia militia.]
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Robert Watkins -- R 11189 -- 28 Aug 1832, Robert Watkins, age 74 years 7 months 3 days, b. 1758? in Botetourt Co., VA, a resident of Bedford Co., VA (Campbell Co. in 1832), appeared before Justice of the Peace, etc. On 11 Dec 1843, David Pugh, administrator of the estate of Hannah Watkins, widow of Robert Watkins, filed a pension claim. He stated that Hannah & Robert Watkins were married 8 Apr 1790 in Campbell Co., VA, and that Robert Watkins died on 7 Oct 1833 and that Hannah died 19 Feb 1839. Testimony 11 Dec 1843 by Jonathan Pugh, age 85, stated that Robert Watkins died 7 Oct 1832 or 1833. Robert Watkins apparently had no NC connections. Robert Watkins is a DAR Patriot Ancestor shown in DAR PI (III), p3117:
Robert Watkins b 1-25-1758 VA d 10-7-1833 VA m Hannah Pugh Pvt VA
http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~leepreston/watkins_--_miscellany_in_america.html
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