Pension application of Thomas Kirk W7992 Nancy Kirk f37VA
Transcribed by Will Graves 12/3/13
State of Alabama Lauderdale County: SS
On this 30th day of March in the year of our Lord 1840 personally appeared before the
Honorable Circuit Court for the County & State aforesaid & in open Court the same being now
in session in the Town of Florence & the same being a Court of Record, Nancy Kirk a resident of the County of Lauderdale aforesaid in the said State aged Seventy Eight 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 7th 1838 entitled "An act granting half pay and pensions to certain widows:" namely that she is the widow of Thomas Kirk who was a soldier in the war of the American Revolution that in the year 1779 and in the fall thereof at what precise day or month affiant was never informed her deceased husband Thomas Kirk enlisted as a soldier in the revolutionary war in the County of Fauquier in the State of Virginia under Captain Jesse Evans for the period of one year & more if required and that in the year 1780 as affiant was informed by her said husband under the command of Captain Jesse Evans, Colonel John Montgomery and Sergeant __ Qurk [?]1 affiant's said husband was to have rendezvoused at the long islands of the Holston [River] destined to Illinois Town. That he took water [?]2 on the Tennessee River at the mouth of the Big Creek under the command of the officers aforesaid, and from thence went to Illinois Town where they went under the command of General George Clark [George Rogers Clark] where they remained for the years period of their said Enlistment, the British and Indians having surrendered two or three days before his arrival there. After the said period of one year from the time of his Enlistment aforesaid, the soldiers under the command of Captain Evans, Colonel John Montgomery & General George Clark were discharged, And that affiant's said husband then joined the service as a Ranger under the command of Colonel Montgomery & continued in the service as a Ranger and spy against the
Indians for the period of some five years, that during the period of his first years Enlistment he was elected a Sergeant & continued through said years' service to serve in that capacity, that most of the time of his services as a Ranger he was at Vincennes, he was also at Eaton's Station.
Affiant states that her information derived from her said husband was that deeming all the time of his service as a Ranger & spy he was under the command of Colonel Montgomery, And served as his Sergeant that in reaching Illinois Town from Big Creek he descended the Tennessee River in large canoes lashed together thence down the Ohio River to its junction with the Mississippi thence up the Mississippi to Kaskasky [Kaskaskia], thence up Kaskasky River to Illinois Town 6 miles. Affiant does not know the particular engagements that her said husband was engaged in whilst serving as a Ranger and spy, but has heard him say that he ranged from Vincennes throughout the country thereabouts and about Eaton's station. Affiant states that her said husband resided in the County of Fauquier in the State of Virginia at the period of his said Enlistment. That her said husband had no documentary evidence of his said services as aforesaid & that he informed affiant that he obtained a written discharge from Colonel Montgomery and that upon his return to Virginia in crossing a Creek it became necessary for him to swim he got it wet and it fell to pieces & it thereby became destroyed. That in the year 1787 in the month of December thereof (what precise day of said month the affiant cannot now recollect) and after her deceased husband had left the service and returned to Virginia she and her said husband Thomas Kirk were lawfully married in the County of Montgomery in said State of Virginia. That when she was married to Thomas Kirk she was the widow of Simeon Webb [could be Simeon West]3 and her name was Nancy Webb that she and her said husband Thomas Kirk lived together as husband and wife from said period of their marriage until the 18th day of May 1831 at which period her said husband Thomas Kirk died in the County of Lauderdale and State of Alabama, that she is now the widow of said Thomas Kirk and has not been married since his death. She further states that she was not married to her said husband Thomas Kirk prior to his leaving the service, but the marriage took place previous to the first of January 1794 viz. at the time above stated.
She also states that she has no record evidence of the date & fact of her said marriage –
nor is it in her family record.
S/ Nancy Kirk, X her mark
[p 9: Marriage bond dated December 15, 1787 issued in Montgomery County Virginia to Thomas
Kirk & Joseph Kirk conditioned upon the marriage of Thomas Kirk to Nancy Webb.] State of Alabama Lauderdale County
On this 30th day of March 1840 personally appeared in open court before the Honorable
Circuit Court for the County of Lauderdale and State of Alabama Elijah Mayfield4 who after
having been duly sworn saith that he is well acquainted with Nancy the above named applicant
for the benefit of an act of Congress entitled "An act granting half pay and pensions to certain widows, passed July 7th 1838 ["] – That he knows the said Nancy to be the widow of Thomas Kirk deceased who died in the County & State aforesaid on the 18th day of May 1831. That he knew the said Thomas Kirk to have been a soldier in the War of the American Revolution. That in the fall of the year 1779 said Thomas Kirk Enlisted in the County of Fauquier & State of Virginia under Captain Jesse Evans for the period of one year & longer if required – that affiant who was then residing in the County of Amherst enlisted under the same Captain & in the spring of the year following at that precise time Affiant cannot now recollect under Captain Jesse Evans Colonel John Montgomery & Sergeant __ Qurk the said Thomas Kirk, affiant & others composing the company started for their destination being Illinois Town on the Ohio River intending to rendezvous at the long Islands of the Holston, but in fact did rendezvous & start from the mouth of Big Creek where they took water in large canoes lashed together on the Tennessee River that they descended said River in this manner, thence down the Ohio to its junction with the Mississippi, thence up the Mississippi to Kaskasky thence up Kaskasky to Illinois Town where under the command of the aforesaid officers General George Clark being the superior officer they remained until the period of their enlistment being one year had ended when they were discharged – that shortly after their arrival at Illinois Town the said Thomas Kirk was promoted to the office of Sergeant & continued to act as such during the remainder of their said service. But some few days before their arrival at Illinois Town – the British & Indians had surrendered to General Clark – that after their said one years enlistment had ended – the said Thomas Kirk joined Colonel John Montgomery as a Ranger and acted as Sergeant, but for what length of time affiant of his own knowledge does not know. As he at the expiration of his years period of service left that country, though from information which he believes to be true the said Kirk continued in the service as a Ranger for several years afterwards sometimes at Vincennes & the country thereabouts and at other times at Eaton's Station. Affiant also knew said Kirk after he had left the service & married and knew that he and the said Nancy were reputed husband & wife, Affiant states that he is a pensioner & that the said Thomas Kirk at the period of his death was making preparations to avail himself of the benefit of the bounty extended to Revolutionary Soldiers at the time of his death. Affiant further states that he has frequently heard the said Thomas Kirk say that the whole period of his service was six years – five years & six months of which he served as Sergeant one year of which service affiant has personal knowledge of & the remaining service he believes was rendered – Affiant knows that said Kirk resided in the County of Fauquier in the State of Virginia at the time he entered the service.
S/ Elijah Mayfield, X his mark
[p 27: On December 11, 1844 in Tippah County Mississippi, the widow then stating her age as
85 file for the renewal of her pension as the widow of Thomas Kirk.]
[Veteran's widow was pensioned at the rate of $40 per annum commencing March 4th, 1836.]
https://revwarapps.org/w7992.pdf
