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Charity Ward ~
Widow of Henry Ward
Revolutionary Pension Application
Declaration
In order to obtain the benefits of the third section of the act of Congress of 4 July
1836.
State of Georgia
Madison County
On this 29th day of November 1844 personally appeared before me, the
subscriber, a Justice of the Inferior Court in and for said county and State, the same
being a court of record, Mrs. Charity Ward, a resident of said county and State above
written, aged eighty four years past, who being first duly sworn according to law doth on
her oath make the following Declaration in order to obtain the benefits of the provision
made by the acts of Congress passed July 4 1836. That she is the widow of Henry Ward who
was a private soldier and served in the War of the Revolution in the Northcarolina Malitia
as herein stated (to wit), he volunteered on the 20th day of June seventeen
hundred and eighty in Surry County State of Northcarolina and joined a considerable number
of volunteers in Roan County and became organized. He was attached to Capt. Reed’s
Company. Shortly afterwards Maj. Lewis, a Continental officer, took command of said
troops, then within a few miles of a large number of Torys. The Torys fled ~ he was then
marched with said troops in pursuit of them until coming near Cornwallis’ army. When
it was considered imprudent by the officers to pursue them further, the troops returned
and skirmished through the adjacent counties until the 24 or 25 of Sept. when his term of
service expired and he returned home. After being out about three months after, to wit, on
the 1st day of October, he joined Lieutenant John Blalock in Captain Gipson
Wooldridge’s company of County Rangers for the purpose of pursuing the Torys and what
was called delinquents. He marched from Surry County under Lieutenant Blalock to Salem in
Northcarolina, there joined some troops from Virginia and remained as Rangers for taking
the Torys and protecting the country when Cornwallis marched through NC the said company
was attached to Gen’l Pickens army and pursued Cornwallis to near the Virginia line
when said company was detached to return for the protection of the country against the
Torys, &c, which duty he was performing as County Ranger under Lieutenant Blalock and
Capt. Wooldridge until the treaty of peace in 1783, leaving this deponent and their three
little children at home. That he followed no other civil pursuit or occupation other than
serving his country. He was in the battle at Shallow Ford on Adkin River and was near the
ground where the battle was fought at Guilford CH but was not engaged in it. That deponent
has no documentary evidence of the said Henry Ward services, but states the above and
foregoing from her knowledge of the facts and as she was at the time informed and has
since heard her husband and others speak of. That she knows of no person now living who
could testify to any of the foregoing facts other than James Sanders Esqr. of Madison
County Ga. And deponent further declares that she was legally married to the said Henry
Ward on the 22nd day of December seventeen hundred and seventy five in Surry
County State of Northcarolina, from thence removed to Georgia where her husband died
leaving her as his widow, and that she is still a widow, all of which will more fully
appear by reference to proof.
Charity (x) Ward
Sworn to and subscribed on the day and year first written before me, a Justice
of the Inferior Court of Madison County Georgia. I further certify that Mrs. Charity Ward,
from bodily infirmity, is unable to attend court. In testimony whereof I have hereunto set
me hand this 29th day of Nov 1833.
William Sanders, JIC
State of Georgia
Madison County
January Term 1845 Inferior Court
On this 13th day of January 1845 personally appeared before the
Honorable the Inferior Court held in and for said county, James Sanders Esqr. a resident
of said county and State aged Eighty two years past, who being first duly sworn according
to law saith that he formerly lived in Surry County State of North Carolina and was
personally acquainted with Henry Ward and Charity Ward and that they were legally married
on the day of seventeen hundred and seventy five and that he deponent witnessed the
marriage ceremony. And deponent further states that himself and the said Henry volunteered
in Surry County and marched into Roan County where they joined a considerable number of
volunteers and attached themselves to Capt. Reed’s Company of Infantry on the 24th
day of June seventeen hundred and eighty and served as privates in the Northcarolina
Infantry and shortly after they joined Capt. Reed’s Company Maj. Lewis took command
of said company and they marched in pursuit of Torys until coming near Cornwallis’
army when they returned and skirmished through the adjacent counties until the 24 of
September 1780 when they were discharged and returned home. And some few days after
deponent and the said Henry volunteered and joined Lieutenant John Blalock in Captain
Wooldridge company of horse on the 1st day of October 1780 and served as
privates in Cavalry in a company called County Rangers raised for the express purpose of
suppressing the Torys and guarding the frontier of the country. The said troops marched to
Salem in NC, there joined some troops from Virginia and continued skirmishing through the
country until Cornwallis marched through North Carolina when said company joined General
Pickens’ army and pursued Cornwallis to near the Virginia line when Lieutenant
Blalock’s company of County Rangers was detached to return for the protection of the
country against the Torys, which duty he continued performing as County Ranger until peace
was made in 1783 under Capt. Wooldridge and Lieutenant Blalock having no other civil
pursuit or occupation other than serving his country. That this deponent was sick when the
battles at Shallowford on Akin and at Guilford Courthouse was fought.
Sworn to and subscribed in open court the day and date first written.
James Sanders
Attest James Long JIC
And the said court do hereby declare in their opinion after the investigation
of the matter Mrs. Charity Ward is the widow of Henry Ward who is said to have been a
soldier in the War of the Revolution. And the said court after having examining the acts
and proceedings of William Sanders, a Justice of the Inferior Court of Madison County in
certifying to the bodily infirmity of Mrs. Charity Ward doth approve of them. And the said
court further certifies that James Sanders is a respectable person and creditable witness.
James Long, JIC
John Griffeth, JIC
William Sanders, JIC
Elisha Ware, JIC
John E. Caldwell, JIC
State of Georgia – Madison County
I Walten H. Griffith clerk of the Inferior court of said county certify that William
Sanders is an acting Justice of said court duly commissioned and legally qualified and
that the foregoing signatures purporting to be his is genuine and that the foregoing are
the original proceedings had in said court.
In testimony whereof I have hereunto subscribed my name and affixed my personal seal,
having no seal of office. Walten H. Griffith, CIC
Danielsville
8th Jan’ry 1846
Hon’ble Secretary of War
Dear Sir,
Some considerable time past Mrs. Charity Ward by her friend sent on a
declaration for pension and not being aware that to secure an answer she had to write to
that effect ~ at her request I write to obtain some information in regard to the result of
the decision on her papers for pension ~ or whether a certificate of pension has been
issued to her. She is aged and very infirm and in need and will be of great advantage to
her if the Department should think her case such as to be entitled. As I live in her
immediate neighborhood, will you please to inform me (if not contrary to your rules) the
situation of her claims.
Very respectfully
Your H. Serv.
James Long
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