Pension Application of William Christian: W4917
Transcribed and annotated by C. Leon Harris
Virginia
At a Court of Quarterly Session continued & held for Montgomery County at the court house on Wednesday the 7th day of November 1821.
It is ordered to be certified to the Secretary of the War department of the United States, that William Christian who is a citizen of the Commonwealth of Virginia and has resided in the County of Montgomery and state aforesaid for upwards of twenty five years, and is aged about seventy one years, personally appeared in open court, the same being a court of record, and on oath declared that in the latter part of the summer or early in the fall of 1776, he was commissioned a Lieutenant in the army of the revolution of the United States on continental establishment, he then resided in the County of Augusta (Virginia) where he qualified to said commission and enlisted his full quota of men, and joined the 10th Virginia regiment commanded by Colo. Edward Stevens and was attached to the company of Capt. John Sims, and he served in said regiment and under said officers as a Lieutenant until sometime about the spring in the year of 1778 when the 10th and 14th Virginia Regiments were consolidated and the command given to Colo. Charles Lewis; he then was directed to return home to Augusta County where under an appointment of the field officer of the militia of said county, he mustered the militia for about two years and he further stated that about the first of March preceeding the battle of Gilford [sic: Guilford Court House, 15 March 1781], he took seven or eight men which he found in said County of Augusta, who belonged to the Army and marched with them and joined General Green [sic: Nathanael Greene] in North Carolina. the men were placed under Capt. Thomas Smith, and he further stated that he then was appointed an aid to Colo. William Campbell, in which office he remained and acted in the battle of Gilford after which Colo Campbell was appointed General. he stated he was then appointed a quarter master to furnish provisions for all the light Troops under the command of Gen’l. Campbell in which station he remained and acted until the death of said Campbell, after which he was appointed an Adjutant to a regiment of Rifle men commanded by Colo Samuel Lewis in which he remained and acted until the siege of York and the taking of Cornwallis, where he was present; he was then directed to return home, which he did. he further stated that his commission and other papers containing evidence of his service are lost and he has no other evidence in his power of the said service. He further stated that his occupation when able to labour was a farmer, and at this time from age and infirmity he is unable to maintain himself by labour, and that he is in reduced circumstances and needs the aid of his country for support. He further states on oath that he was a resident citizen of the United States on the 18th of March 1818 and that he has not since that time by gift, sale, or in any manner disposed of his property so to diminish it, as to bring himself 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 the 18th of March 1818, and that he has not, nor has any person in Trust for him, any property or securities, contracts or debts due to him, nor has he any income other than what is contained in the schedule hereto annexed and by him subscribed. The schedule of the Estate of William Christian, I have one small mare about ten or twelve years old, and worth about $30 one other small mare worth $15 one Cow and Calf for which I owe $20 to be paid the first day of October last, and bed and furniture worth about $12 which is all the property I own (the wareing apparel of myself & wife excepted) my wife is about 47 years of age, I have seven children living with me, whose names and ages are as follows; Susanna born the 5th of April 1795 Allen born the 29th of June 1799 Margaret born the 25th of April 1800 John born the 25th of September 1803 Mary born the 15th of May 1805 Gordan born the 10th of November 1808 and Thomas the particular day of his birth not certainly recollected, but it is believed he was born early in the year of 1812 – the two first named children work for themselves, and are not under my control. Given under my hand this 7th day of November 1821. [signed] W. Christian
Virginia Montgomery County Sct –
I do hereby swear that in the year 1776 I was appointed Lieutenant in the company of Capt. Lyons of Augusta County of the 10th Regiment commanded by Colonel Edward Stephens – in the line of the State of Virginia in the Continental Establishment. We marched from Stanton [sic: Staunton] Augusta in sd. year & joined the main Army at Boubrook [sic: Boundbrook NJ] & Middle Brook the spring following in 1777. There in consequence of the Capt’n. & 1st Lieut. Resigning the command of the company devolved upon [word illegible, presumably “myself”], which command I continued in until the next spring, in the year 1778. In this year the 10th Reg’t. and 14th. commanded by Colo. Charles Lewis was joined in one in consequence of which I got leave from Colo. Richard K. Meade to leave the Army for want of a command; & when returned home shortly after I was appointed by the officers of the County of Augusta to Train the Milisha in which cappasity I acted for two years, after which time of servis in the millitia I was appointed Adjutant of a Regiment commanded by Col. George Moffett of Augusta which join Gen’l. Green in North Carolina, and was commanded by Colo. William Campble under whom I did as Brigade Major and did all the duty untill after the Battle of Gilford Colo. Campble some time after taking sick went to Colo. Syms in Hanover & there died. I then was appointed Adjutant to a Reg’t. commanded by Col. Sam’l Lewis in which I continued until the surrender of Cornwallace at Little York Virginia for which service I never received any compensation. I now live in Montgomery aged 74 years. I have never received any land nor any land warrant for obtaining it. I therefore pray the Governor and council to grant me a warrant for obtaining the land which may be due me. [signed] Wm Christian. Lieut’t 10th Va. Reg’t.
[This declaration is undated but certified by a Justice of the Peace on 25 May 1824.]
State of Ohio
Ross County, to wit
On this 4 Day of September 1848 personally appeared before me Joseph Blacker an associate judge of the court of common please [sic] in and for said County Mary Christian late Mary Alley a resident of said county aged 75 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 provisions of the acts of Congress granting half pay and pensions to the widowes of the officers soldiers &c of the Revolutionary war that she is the widowe of Capt William Christian decd. who as he told her was an officer in the army and that he obtained a pension from the United States whilst he resided in Montgomery County Virginia prior to his removal to Ross County Ohio. She further declares that she was married to the said William Christian in the fall of 1792 or 1793 to the best of her recollection in her Fathers house Thomas Alleys in Va and that the marriage ceremony was performed by a preacher named Lawrance as well as she recollects his name she further declares that the aforesaid William Christian departed this life in the month of January 1833 to the best of her recollection in the aforesaid county of Ross he then being a resident of said county having removed here from Montgomery County Va and that he continued to draw pension till his death Mary her mark Christian
State of Ohio}
County of Ross} Ss
On this 19th day of June AD one thousand eight hundred and fifty seven personally appeared before me a Justice of the Peace within and for the County and State aforesaid Mary Christian aged 88 years, a Resident of Ross County and State of Ohio who being Duly sworn according to Law, declares that she is the widow of William Christian deceased, who was a Lieutenant ____ in the company Commanded by Captain John Sims _____ in the 10th Virginia Reg’t. _____ Commanded by Col Edward Stevens _____ in the Revolutionary war; that her said husband enlisted at or entered the service _____ on or about the [blank] day of [blank] AD seventeen hundred and seventy six _____ for the Term of [blank] and continued in actual service in said War for the Term of [blank] & more than 14 days. and was honorably discharged as a supernumerary officer on the [blank] day of A.D. seventeen hundred and seventy-eight.
She further states that she was married to the said William Christian in the County of Montgomery in the State of Virginia on the or about the 7th day of November A.D. 1792 by one Lawrence _____ a Clergyman and that her name before her said marriage was Mary Alley that her said husband Died at Ross County in the State of Ohio on the 14th day of Jany A.D. 1833, and that she is now a Widow. She makes this Declaration for the purpose of obtaining the Bounty Land to which she may be Entitled under the Act approved March 3, 1855. And she further declares that she has not received or applied for Bounty Land under this or any other Act of Congress, and that she is a Revolutionary Pensioner and Respectfully refers to her papers on file in the Pension Office, Mary herXmark Christian
NOTES:
The pension certificate of William Christian indicates that he moved to Ross County OH in the spring of 1831.
On 28 Aug 1857 in Ross County OH there was an application for additional benefits signed by Allen Christian and Mary Christian, executors of William Christian, and witnessed by a John Christian and Cornelius Edens. The document is largely unreadable, but appears to repeat the declaration originally filed by William Christian.
The file also includes a copy of a bond signed by William Christian and Francis Irby on 7 Nov 1792 in Montgomery County VA for the marriage of Christian to Mary “Ally.”