Oglethorpe County Superior Court Book 1820-1823
(Pages not numbered)
Georgia
Oglethorpe County
In the Superior Court of said county, October Term 1820, before the honorable
Augustus S. CLAYTON, one of the judges of the Superior Court of said State, presiding
therein on this 16 day of October 1820, personally appeared in open court, being a court
of record according to the constitution & law of said State, James COYLE, aged seventy
years, who being first duly sworn according to law doth on his oath make the following
declaration in order to obtain the provisions made by the acts of congress of the 18th
March 1818 and the 1st May 1820; that he, the said James COYLE entered the Sixth South
Carolina Regiment which was a Rifle Regiment, as a 2nd Lieutenant in George WADE's
Company, the regiment being in the beginning of the year 1776 commanded by Col. Thomas
SUMPLES. That at the time of his entering said regiment and for 15 months thereafter, the
said regiment was in the State Service as he then understood & believes. That while in
this service & during the 15 months State Service he was promoted to a 1st Lieutenant;
that at the expiration of the 15 months aforesaid, the said regiment was placed on the
Continental establishment in the South Carolina line as he then understood & believes.
And shortly thereafter he was promoted to Captain in the same Regiment and was sent to the
recruiting service with orders to enlist men for 3 years or during the War, and under
those orders he filled his Company until it was two thirds filled or thereabout; that he
continued in said service until the beginning of the year 1779, when he resigned his
commission unto the hands of Col. Or Maj. HENDERSON of said Regiment. That while in
Continental service, he was at Goat Island near Sullivans Island when attacked; he was
also present at engagements at Hanging Rock and Rocky Mount; he was also present at the
Battle of Kings Mountain, but not while in commission, and this deponent states that he
has now no other evidence in his possession of his said service except his own oath,
having lost his commissions of Lieutenant and given that of Captain.
And in persuance of the act of the 1st May 1820, I do solemnly swear that I was
a ______ citizen of the United States on the 18 day of March 1818 and that I have not
since that time, by gift, sale or manner disposed of my property or any part thereof with
the interest thereby so to diminish it as to bring myself within the provisions of an act
of congress entitled An Act to Provide for certain persons engaged in the land and naval
service of the United States during the Revolutionary War passed the 18th day of March
1818. And that I have not nor has any person _____ for me any property or securities,
contracts, or debts due to me nor have I any income other than which is contained in the
schedule hereto annexed and by me subscribed.
200 acres of poor land 3rd quality, 5 head of horses, 2 cows & calves and 3
yearlings, 2 head of sheep, 10 head of hogs, 1 old waggon, some small household furniture,
exclusive of bedding and clothing.
The declarant further states that he is by occupation a farmer, that he is now
so old and infirm as not to be able to pursue it. That he has a wife 61 years old and a
wife's sister named Margaret MARGRABY about 58 years old, a young man about 17 years old
named Henry WARE whom this deponant has raised from a child and who will shortly leave
him, and little girl named Sally STRICKLAND over whom this deponant has no legal control.
Sworn to and delivered in open court this 16 October 1820.
James COILE
Augustin S. KAY, Judge
I form of the opinion from the best information I can obtain that the property
mentioned in the foregoing schedule is worth $3050.00.
Augustus S. CLAYTON, Judge
I, Isaac COLLIER, cleark of the Superior Court of Oglethorpe County Georgia
hereby certify that the foregoing oath and the schedule thereto annexed are truly copied
from the record of the said court and I do further certify that it is the opinion of the
said court that the total amount in value of the property exhibited in the aforesaid
schedule is _____.
The testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal of office this the
16th day of October 1820.
