 |
James Pratt
Revolutionary War Pension Application 
Revolutionary War Record of James Pratt, W. 9599
Courtesy of Jeanette Whitaker - transcribed by Creda J.
Isaacs; Letcher Heritage News, Vol. IV, No. 2, Sep. 1998,
pp. 14-17. Electronic version by Marlitta H. Perkins
Declaration an order to obtain the benefits of the
act of Congress passed June, 7th.,1832.
STATE OF KENTUCKY ) SS
COUNTY OF LAWRENCE )
On this 6 th. day of December 1833 personally appeared
before Peter Mauk a Justice of the Peace in and for the
county and state aforesaid and in virtue therefore of the
Justices of the County, County Court of Lawrence, State
of Kentucky, James Pratt a resident of Kentucky in the
county or Lawrence aged Sixty nine years who being first
duly sworn according to law doth on his oath make the
following declaration in order to obtain the benefits of
the act of Congress passed June 7th l833. That he entered
the service of the United States under the following
named officers and served as herein Stated. He first
entered the service of the United States in the Militia
of Virginia about the 1st. of March 1781, as a substitute
in the place of his father, Thomas Pratt, who had been
drafted in the 4th. Division. Colonel Allcock was his
Colonel; Captain Wood was the Captain and ________
Campbell the ensign of the Company in which he first
served and Major______was his Major. He does not
recollect the names of any other of the Company or Field
Officers in the first tour. He then resided ( when he
first entered service) in the County of Culpepper, state
of Virginia. He met his company at Culpepper Court House
in the said state of Virginia. From which they marched on
(Colonel Allcock having the command who had also under
his Commissioned five other companies to the best of his
recollection) through Albemarle and Orange and served
other counties the names of which he has forgotten in the
direction of Richmond, Virginia when he came to Richmond
the troops did not enter the town in _____________
of the small pox being in the town which had been left
them by the British. He and the balance of the troops
marched around the town of Richmond and on in the
direction toward the town of Williamsburg till we came to
Maubins Hills where we halted and staid 3 or 4 days when
he received a discharge signed by Captain Wood whose
christian name he does not recollect which
discharge took place to the best of his recollection
about the 4th of July in the year of 1781. From Maubins
Hills he did not return home but was immediately called
into service under a draft having previousley been
drafted in the 5th. Division. He went into service this 2nd.
tour under Captain Henry Towles, Colonel Allcock still
having command. The names of the rest of the company and
field of regulars he does not recollect. From Maubins
Hills he and the other soldiers under the command of
Colonel Alicock marched on and crossed James River below
Richmond and marched about in different directions
sometimes pursuing parties of the British and sometimes
they were pursuing us till we arrived at Little York
about the 1st. of October 1871. He was there employed
with the other soldiers for about eight days. Some of
them being constantly employed both day and night in
throwing up breast work and digging entrenchments as a
shield against the British Artillery who (The British
under the command of Lord Cornwallis were penned up in
the town of Little York. We made what was then called
?Boggots which was bundles of brush about 8 feet long and
bound together about
Page 2:
the size of a hogshead or larger and filled in with dirt.
He staid there till about the l0th. Of October 1781 when
he received A discharge signed by Captain Henry Towles
which discharge as well as the one from Captain Wood was
burnt up in his house with all of his papers in the year
when he resided on Abbots Creek in Floyd County, Kentucky
after receiving his last discharge he went home to
Culpepper County, Virginia and in about 12 to 15 days he
heard of the surrender of Lord Cornwallis. He does not
recollect the names of any of the regular officers. He
has no documentary evidence and knows no person whose
testimony he can produce who can testify to his service.
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 or the agency of any state.
James Pratt.
Sworn to and subscribed the day and year aforesaid.
JAMES PRATT.
STATE OF KENTUCKY )
COUNTY OF LAWRENCE)SS Peter Mauk PSC
(6 other lines are unreadable)
1. Where and in what year were you born
Ans. I was born in Culpepper County, State of Virginia
on the 25th. day of March 1764.
2. Have you any record of your age and if so where is it
Ans. I had a record of my age in Culpepper county, state
of Virginia and what has become of it I do not know.
3. Where were you living when called into service...
Where have you lived since the Revolutionary War and
where do you now live
ANS. In Culpepper county, Virginia. Since the
Revolutionary War I lived in Campbell County about 4
years and in Bath County, Virginia 2 years when I removed
to Kentucky in the ___________ of the present county of
Floyd in which lived till about 4 years since when I
removed to the county of Lawrence. Kentucky where I have
resided ever since.
4. How was you called into service were you drafted did
you volunteer or were you a substitute and if a
substitute for whom
Ans. In my first tour I went as a substitute in the place
of my father, Thomas Pratt who had been drafted in the 4th.
Division. In my second tour I went as a drafted soldier.
having been drafted in the 5th. Division.
5. State the names or some of the regular officers who
were with the troops where you served such ______________
and militia auguments? as you can recollect and the
general circumstances of your service.
ANS. I recollect the names of no officers except those
mentioned in the body of the Declaration. The
circumstances of my service are set forth in the body of
the Declaration.
6. Did you ever receive a discharge from the service and
if so by whom was it given and what has become of it?
Ans: I received two discharges the first was given by
Captain Wood the second by Captain Henry Towles. Both my
discharges were
page 3:
burnt in my house where I lived in Floyd County, Kentucky
7. State the names or persons to whom you are known in
your present neighborhood and who can testify as to your
character for __________ and good behavior and their
belief of your service as a soldier in the Revolution.
ANS: I will name Philip Williams and Robin Williams.
STATE OF KENTUCKY )SS
COUNTY OF LAWRENCE)
We, Philip Williams and Robert Williams residents in the
neighborhood of James Pratt in the county of Lawrence
Kentucky hereby certify that we are well acquainted with
James Pratt who has been subscribed and sworn to the
above declaration that we believe him to be 69 years old
that he is reputed and believed to have been a soldier of
the Revolution in the neighborhood where he resides and
that we concur that opinion sworn to and subscribed the
day and year aforesaid.
Philip Williams
Robert Williams
County of Lawrence SCT
State of Kentucky
I, Peter Mauk a Justice of the Peace in and for the
county of Lawrence and state of Kentucky do hereby
certify that the said James Pratt this day swore to and
subscribed the above Declaration before me and I further
certify ____________ my opinion after the investigation.
State of Kentucky) Seal
County of Lawrence)
On the 1st. day of November 1858 personally appeared
before me the undersigned County Judge of the County of
Johnson and the state of Kentucky Rebecca Pratt a
resident of the county of Carter and the state of
Kentucky age 66 years 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 Act of Congress passes the 3rd. day
of February 1855 and all other acts made and provided for
widows of officers and soldiers who served in the various
wars of the United States of America, that she is the
widow of James Pratt who was a private in the service of
the United States. She does not know what war or the
names of the various officers that her said husband James
Pratt served in or under but she refers you to a former
declaration filed by her said husband for which her said
husband drew a pension of twenty-six dollars and 66 cents
per anum during his life for the proof and certainty of
his services she refers on to his Declaration that she
was married to the said James Pratt a pensioner of the
United States on the 1st. day of July 1827.
She refers you to the copy of certificate of marriage
here, she married-to the said James Pratt in the, county
of Floyd and state of Kentucky on the 1st. day of July
1827 and that her said husband James Pratt died on the 8th.
day of October 1854 in the county of Carter and state of
Kentucky and that
page 4:
she is the widow of James Pratt above mentioned and that
her and her said husband James Pratt lived together from
the day of their marriaqe to his death as man and wife
and that she has not intermarried with any other person
but still remains the widow of James Pratt, deceased.
ATTEST:
A. B __________
her
________Brown
Rebecca Pratt
X
STATE OF KENTUCKY
JOHNSON COUNTY
I, Thomas Brown presiding Judge of the Johnson County
Court certify that Rebecca Pratt above named personally
appeared before me on the first day of the November term,
November the first 1858 sworn to and acknowledged the
above declaration
(The remainder of the paragraph is
unreadable)
|