State of North Carolina County of Caswell: SS
On this 6th day of May 1833 personally appeared in open Court, Thomas Settle, Judge of the Superior Court of law of the County of Caswell now sitting -- presiding, John Ware Senior a resident citizen of the County of Caswell and State aforesaid aged seventy-eight years, on the 4th day of May Instant, 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 -- Sometime in the year 1776, and this Declarant thinks in the month of January: But what day, he cannot now tell, he volunteered under Captain William Hubbird [sic, William Hubbard?], with others, in the Company under the command of Colonel William Moore, and was marched down on Cape Fear River below Fayetteville, towards & near to Wilmington for about this time, it was generally understood, that the Tories of South Carolina and from the South of our own State were about embodying with a view to march upon Wilmington & drive away our regular soldiers from that place.
This Declarant was held in service for three months. This Declarant was in no action of any consequence, only once engaged in a party which decoyed and lay in ambush on Cape Fear River and captured 2 or 300 Tories. This applicant was after serving his tour of three months was marched to Hillsboro -- and there discharged. He cannot say what time exactly he was discharged only he recollects it was in corn-planting time (say 10th or 15th April 1776) -- This Declarant afterwards returned home, and was regularly drawed [?]; and some time volunteered & at all times held himself in readiness to march but did not go out on any three months tour any more until the last of September 1779 -- But this declarant does not he served and sincerely declare that he was in readiness and constantly mustered & drilled during all the time from 1776 until 1779, although he was most of his time at home attending to his farming concerns, for he never knew on one day where he was to be on the other, and he might the said during all the time to have been in constant service.
-- Sometime in the month of September 1779, he was called into service again ([indecipherable word or words] into Camp). He volunteered under Captain Berryman Turner, and was marched towards the South Western part of our State through Salisbury and to the Catawba River we were marched from place to place & this declarant thinks into the State of South Carolina: and continued in service until his time was out; he cannot state particularly where he was, nor where he went to for his memory is bad and he has to rely greatly upon the documentary evidence he has & such proof as he can get to show which will answer, for an account of this tour he received a written Certificate from Captain Turner, which is hereto attached & which this Declarant hopes will be received as evidence --
This Declarant returned home & when he got home he was immediately required to go to the aid of South Carolina for they wanted help about this time. -- This declarant, some few days after his return & he thinks in December 1779, a little before Christmas -- Volunteered under Captain Sheppard and was marched under Colonel Dixon and was marched through our State (North Carolina) and into South Carolina, and the most direct course to Charlestown, and was there stationed, to protect & defend the Town until March 1780 when, he was with others directed to take charge of the Baggage Wagons & to save them if possible, for it was expected about this time that the Town would be taken & all the Baggage by the enemy; & this Declarant at the risk of his life, took charge of Captain Sheppard's wagon & safely brought home; -- when he started, he received a pass or permit from the Inspector General which is hereto attached & which he hopes will be taken as evidence –
This Declarant got home, he thinks, in the month of April 1780: -- when he says home, he means, Caswell County -- & State of North Carolina, for he was born in Caswell County and has always lived in it & hopes to die in it --
Some time after he got home he was taken sick with the Rheumatism and was confined for a long time, and was in a low state of health. So much so that, he this declarant was unable to go into service as soon as he himself wanted. He would state that in this last tour of 3 months last above spoken of, he greatly exposed himself in cold weather, hunger & hardships -- naked this etc.
This Declarant further states in the Summer of 1781, in the month of July, this Declarant volunteered under Captain Herndon Haralson's Company of mounted militia, Colonel Lee (the Colonel) who commanded the Regiment, was marched to Salisbury from thence through the State into South Carolina and to Camden & from thence on our way to the Eutaw Springs -- where this deponent was taken sick with what was in those days called the Dumb ague or Slow fever and was left on the road with others who were stricken with lightning; and owing to this circumstance he failed to get a fight as he expected & as he wanted for during all the time, he was in service in the revolutionary war, he was in no engagement.
This declarant lay sick at that place for a long time but how long he cannot now tell, & when he recovered, he returned home (as he was directed to do by his offices if he did not recover immediately) on getting home he received a discharge from his Captain which is hereto attached and which he hopes will be taken as evidence. This Declarant returned home in October 1781, Sick & was sick and in a low state of health, for a great while afterward -- and this is the last time and Tour this Declarant served during the revolutionary War.
Thus he this Declarant served 4 tours of 3 months each actual service in camp besides being held in readiness & several times volunteered & drawn, when he did not go into service -- and for one year as a private in the war of the revolution. I served my Country in actual service & for such service I claim a pension -- For the rest of my service I trust to the generosity of my Country -- I this Declarant resided in the County of Caswell and State of North Carolina, when I entered the service, and also in I left the same --
Interrogatories propounded to the applicant by the Court & his answers.
Question 1st Where and in what year were you born?
Answer. -- I was born in the County of Caswell and State of North Carolina on the 4th day of May 1755.
Question 2nd Have you any record of your age and if so where is it?
Answer -- I have a record of my age which is recorded in my old Family Bible at home --
Question 3rd Where were you living when called into service: where have you lived since the Revolutionary War and where do you now live?
Answer -- I was born & raised & have ever lived in Caswell County North Carolina
Question 4th How were you called into service; were you drafted; did you volunteer or were you a substitute, and if in substitute, for whom?
Answer. -- I volunteered every time that I went into actual service. -- Sometimes when I did not, But I was also drawed when I did not go. --
Question 5th State the names of some of the regular officers who were with the troops when you served, such Continental and militia regiments as you can recollect and the general circumstances of your service.
Answer. -- General Lincoln, Colonel Dixon & Colonel Lytle, Major Nelson, Captain Moore & others were the regular officers & were with the troops where I served -- I was acquainted with Dixon & Lytle's regiments, though I do not know their number & I know Colonel Moore's Regiment: Colonel Lee's Regiment & others -- The general circumstances of my service I have before in some degree endeavored to give & detail --
Question 6th 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 received discharges for every tour -- 3 of which I have affixed to this my declaration & the other I have lost or mislaid, so I cannot find it.
Question 7th State the names of persons to whom you are known in your present neighborhood and who can testify as to your character for veracity and their belief in your services as a soldier in the revolution.
Answer. -- I was born & raised in Caswell County & am known generally to the citizens to any or all of home I am willing to trust my character for truth, honesty & good behavior -- I will however mentioned the names of Reverend Richard Martin, Archibald Ingram & others who stand high & for & who are known out of the County & who will also state their belief as to my service in the revolutionary war.
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.
Sworn to and subscribed the day and year aforesaid.
Sworn to in open Court
S/ Jeremiah Graves, CSC S/ John Ware, Senior
State of North Carolina Caswell County
This day personally appeared in open Court before the Honorable Thomas Settle, Judge; -- William Ware
Test: S/ Jeremiah Graves, CSC S/ William Ware, X his mark of lawful age and made oath in due form of law, that he well recollects John Ware in the revolutionary war, and was with him the said John Ware in the tour spoken of in this declaration, in the year 1776 down on Cape Fear River, and that the facts as they are there stated are true --
Sworn to and subscribed this 6th day of May 1833
[Richard Martin, a clergyman and Archibald Ingram gave the standard supporting affidavit.]
State of North Carolina Caswell County
Personally appeared before me Thomas D. Johnston the undersigned a justice of the peace of the County of Caswell and State of North Carolina, John Ware Senior, who being duly sworn, deposeth and saith, that by reason of old age and the consequent loss of memory he cannot swear positively as to the precise length of his service, but according to the best of his recollection, he served not less than the periods mentioned below and in the following grades to wit I served my Country during the war of the revolution, one year in actual service, as a private, and for such service I claim a pension -- The time of one year being divided into 4 tours as had been mentioned particularly in my foregoing declaration.
Sworn to and subscribed before made this 15th day of July 1833
S/ Thomas D. Johnston, JP S/ John Ware, Sr.
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| 1781 Discharge |
State No. Carolina
This certifys that John Ware A Soldier in my Compy as Mounted Militia is Discharged by order of Maj. Genl. Green after Serving his Tour of Duty in the South according to Law.
Given under my hand 20th Oct 1781
S/ H. Haralson, Capt.
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| 1779 Discharge |
Caswell County,
This is to Certify that John Ware a Volunteer of the Militia in this County is intitled to a discharge at the expiration of Three Months after Crossing the Limits of this State given under my Hand this 1st of December 1779
S/ Berryman Turner Capt.
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[fn p. 32: the image of the third document submitted by the Veteran in support of his claim is too faint to discern.]
[Veteran was pensioned at the rate of $40 per annum commencing March 4, 1831, for service as a private in the North Carolina militia.]
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Transcribed by Will Graves 6/14/10 [S7841 fn38NC]
[Methodology: Spelling, punctuation and/or grammar have been corrected in some instances for ease of reading and to facilitate searches of the database. Also, the handwriting of the original scribes often lends itself to varying interpretations. Users of this database are urged to view the original and to make their own decision as to how to decipher what the original scribe actually wrote. Blanks appearing in the transcripts reflect blanks in the original. Folks are free to make non-commercial use this transcript in any manner they may see fit, but please extend the courtesy of acknowledging the transcriber—besides, if it turns out the transcript contains mistakes, the resulting embarrassment will fall on the transcriber. I use speech recognition software to make all my transcriptions. Such software misinterprets my southern accent with unfortunate regularity and my poor proofreading fails to catch all misinterpretations. I welcome and encourage folks to call those errors to my attention.]
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