Person:William Redd (2)

At his marriage he signed his name with an "X" which means that he could not write. In such cases the clerk spelled the name to suit himself. I've seen a man's name spelled a dozen different ways in one document or deed, as if the clerk wanted at least one of them to be right. William eventually learned to write his name. In the service records of Washington, D.C., I found the following:

I William Redd was living near the mouth of New River in Onslow County and State afsd at the time of the Revolution. I was about twenty-three years old when I was drafted & went in Capt. Dougherty’s Company, Lieut. Curtis Ivey was adjutant. We were first carried to Duplin Court House by the Militia officers & there placed under the command of the continental officers, to wit – George Dougherty Capt.& Curtis Ivey Lieut. & Adjutant. Dougherty was an Irishman. We first marched to Four Hawks Mills within a mile of Salisbury. While encamped at this place an express came from Gen. Green commanding us to join him. There was a large body at Four Hawks Mills & we marched immediately according to orders & I was stopped to guard the magazine. I remained one of the guard until after the battle of Eutah Springs when some of the officers came from headquarters & with them I went to Hillsborough to get a discharge. I went with Capt. Dougherty & Curtis Ivey to Hillsborough. I obtained my certificate of discharge & it was spelled Read instead of Redd & I was afterward obliged to get a certificate from Curtis Ivey to prove my identity & I then went to Hillsborough & got a compliment of 32D more & 16/100. I was on the expedition 12 mos. it being the time for which I was drafted. My discharge I left at Warrenton with Jenkin Averitt. I know nothing of it since – OneHogg bot my certificate and paid me in gold. I did not go out of this state.

W. Redd

Wm. Redd private in Dougherty’s company for 12 months received $40.00 per annum to commence 4 Mar. 1831. Certificate of pension issued 16 Oct. 1833. Wm. Redd applied for a pension 5 Feb 1833 – claim was allowed. He lived in Onslow, was 69 years old – born in Nansemond Co. Va. No family data on file.

State of North Carolina, Secretary of State’s Office:

I William Hill, Secy of State in and for the state aforesaid, to certify that it appears from the muster rolls of the continental line of this state in the Revolutionary War, that Wm. Redd a private in Capt. Dougherty’s company of the 10th regiment, enlisted in 1781 and that his time was out 25 May 1782. (His term of enlistment was no doubt for 12 months.) Given under my hand this 8 Oct. 1833 W. Hill

These documents were found in the application of William Redd for a Revolutionary War pension. A law passed about 1811 granted a pension to all who were destitute. None of the Redds qualified. Later a law which went into effect March 4, 1831, granted a pension to all who participated in the war. William Redd, still alive, applied.

Above research compiled by Lura Redd, 1881-1981

1.   Zae Hargett Gwynn. Abstracts of the Records of Onslow County North Carolina 1734-1850. (Onslow Co. Records copyright, 1961)
   will book b/ entry 144 & 145, 10 Aug 1822.

   Redd, William. Aug. 10, 1822. to youngest children William and James; to other children Sigley, Kincy, Nelly, Mary, Sarah; to wife Sarah. Exr: Bazel R. Smith. Test; Jno. Spicer, Elijah Russell.