Pension Application of John Taylor: S38421
Transcribed and annotated by C. Leon Harris
This day
John Taylor came before me a Justice of the peace of the County aforesaid &
made oath that during the revolutionary war he enlisted under Capt John Knox,
of the eighth regiment a Rifle Corps commanded by Colo. Bowman. That he with
the other troops were marched to
District of Virginia to wit
On this 11th day of September 1820, before me the subscribed, one of the Judges of the General Court in the State of Virginia, [several words illegible] in the circuit composed of the counties of Botetourt, Montgomery, Giles, Monroe, Greenbrier, & Nicholas, personally appeared John Taylor aged 86 or 87 years resident in Montgomery [several words illegible] State who being by me first duly sworn according to law, doth on his oath make the following declaration in order to obtain the provision made by the late act of Congress entitled, An act to provide for certain persons engaged in the land & naval service of the United States in the revolutionary war: That he the said John Taylor enlisted for the term of two years on the [blank] day of [blank] in the year [blank] in that part of the State aforesaid which was then called Fincastle now called Montgomery, under Capt. Knox of the Regiment commanded by Col. Bowman in the line of the State of Virginia on continental establishment in which service he continued untill the end of the aforesaid term of two years, when he again on the [blank] day of [blank] in the year [blank] at Valley Forge in the State of Pennsylvania enlisted to serve during the war under Capt. Woodfall & the Regiment commanded by Colo. [illegible] in the line of the State of Virginia on the continental establishment he continued to serve in the said corps or in the service of the United States, untill the [blank] day of [blank] in the year [blank] after the surrender of Cornwallis [on 19 Oct 1781] when he was discharged from service in the State of Virginia near the town of Winchester. That he was in the battles of Brandywine [11 Sep 1777] Germantown [4 Oct 1777] & Monmouth [28 June 1778] & that he is in reduced circumstances & stands in need of the assistance of his country for support & also that he has no other evidence now in his power of his said services except the affidavits which will accompany this declaration.
The said John Taylor also (being first sworn by me) stated upon his oath that he was a resident citizen of the United States on the 18th day of March 1818 & that he has not since that time by gift sale or in any manner disposed of his property or any part thereof with intent thereby so to diminish it as to bring himself within the provisions of the act of Congress entitled An act to provide for certain persons engaged in the land and naval services of the United States in the revolutionary war passed on the 18th day of March 1818, and that he has not nor has any person in trust for him any property securities contracts or debts due to him other than what is contained in the subjoined schedule & by him subscribed. Sworn to by me the subscriber
The following is the schedule of the said John Ta [ylor] above mentioned:
Exclusive of his wearing apparel – One pen knife John his X mark
The said John Taylor also saith upon his oath that he has no children (never having married) & that his occupation is that of a common laborer but his bodily infirmities are such as to render him wholly unable to pursue any occupation or to perform any effective labor
[A printed form, parts filled in by hand shown in italic.]
ORIGINAL CLAIM
County of
On this first day of July 1823, personally appeared in open court, (a) {being a court of record (b) for the county} of Montgomery aforesaid John Taylor resident in said county, aged eighty seven years, who, being first duly sworn, according to law, doth, on his oath make the following declaration in order to obtain the provision made by the acts of Congress, of the 18th March, 1818, and the 1st May, 1820, that he, the said John Taylor enlisted for the term of two years on or about the first day of March in the year 1777 in the state of Virginia in the company commanded by captain James Knox in the line of the state of Virginia–8th[?] regiment on the continental establishment; that he continued to serve in the said corps until the fall of 1779 when he was discharged from the said service, at Vally forge in the state of (c) Pennsylvania at which place immediately after his discharge he reenlisted to serve during the war & [several words illegible]
That he was in the battles of Brandywine Germantown & Monmouth The first took place before his second enlistment the latter afterwards and that he has not other evidence, now in his power, of his said services, except the affidavit accompanying this declaration
And, in pursuance of the act of the 1st May, 1820, I do solemnly swear or affirm, (as the case may be,) that I was a resident citizen of the United States, on the 18th day of March, 1818; and that I have not, since that time, by gift, sale, or in any manner, disposed of my property, or any part thereof, with intent 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, in the Revolutionary war,” passed on the 18th day of March, 1818; and that I have not, nor has any person in trust for me, any property, or securities, contracts, or debts, due to me; nor have I any income other than what is contained in the schedule hereto annexed, and by me subscribed. (d)
Schedule of the whole estate of John Taylor both real
& personal — Land none
personal property}
(a
little wearing} none
apparel excepted}
John X Taylor