Pension
Application of Benjamin and Francis Hurtwill Ray: W5657
Transcribed and
annotated by C. Leon Harris
Virginia Franklin County Sct
On this 1st day of
October 1832 personally appeared in open Court before the justices in the
County Court of Franklin now seting Benj’m Ray a resident of Franklin
County born on James River, Va aged as he believes seventy five year’s who
being first duly sworn according to Law doth on his Oath, make the following
declaration, in order to obtain the benefit of the Act of Congress passed the
7th of June 1832 That during the War of
the revolution he entered the service of the United States, under the officers
hereafter named and served faithfully as herein stated – that in the early part
of the war he was drafted into a company of militia and marched under the
orders of a Captain Davis from Bedford to cross the mountains to Salem in
Va At Salem he with three others were
left to guard the place – while Davis and the residue of the company marched as
he understood & believes to [?king, probably Sinking] Creek Va This applicant remained about six weeks at
Salem when he was discharged. This applicant was then repeatedly called out and
marched against the tories on the Carolina line in the mountains where they
sought shelter that in these repeated expeditions against the tories he was
invariably under the imediate orders of Captain Thomas Arthur who afterwards
rose to the rank of Colo. that in these various expeditions he says on his oath
that he was in actual service six months. This applicant in 1781. was drafted
in a company of riflemen commanded by Captain Jonathan Richardson and marched
from Bedford his place of residence into North Carolina and joined the Army
commanded by Gen’l Green [sic: Nathanael Greene] – that the company he belonged
to was attached to that portion of the army commanded by Colo [William]
Washington that he was in the battle of
Guilford [sic: Guilfford Courthouse 15 March 1781] and did his duty as a
faithful soldier that he continued to
serve under Washington after the battle – that was in pursuit of the British
from Guilford over Deep river and never left the army till he was regularly
discharged in writing – that this discharge the only one he remembers to have
received in writing – he has lost or mislaid. this tour in North Carolina under
Gen’l Green – must he thinks have lasted fully three months — he remembers
Gen’l Green Colo [Henry] Lee his brave
commander Colo Washington and many other officers – in the Southern Army – many
of his neighbours yet living know that he was a Whig and a Soldier & that
he was frequently out on service in the field — John Campbell his near
neighbour and a respectable man & patriot knows it. The Brother of this
applicant James Ray knows it – and he has no doubt Captain Greer Sen’r. justice
of the Franklin County court and an active officer of the revolution knows it –
and to them he refers for this proof of his services and his character for
veracity. He has resided ever since the War in Franklin County Va and is known
to many very many – who he believes will unite in testifying to his character
for veracity. This applicant files herewith the testimony of John Wright if not sufficient others he believes can be
procured – he has no documentary evidence — This applicant can read a little
but cannot write — 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 of the agency of any state.
Sworn
to & subscribed the day & year aforesaid Benj hisXmark Ray
NOTE:
On 27 Oct 1853 Francis Ray age 59 applied for a pension stating that as Francis
Hurtwill she was married to Benjamin Ray in Franklin County on 7 May
1832 by Moses Greer, a Baptist minister, and that Benjamin Ray died in Franklin
County on 16 April 1849.