Pension Application of Elisha Barton: S19198
Transcribed and annotated by C. Leon Harris
State of Virginia County of Bedford S.S.
On this 26th day of March 1834 personally appeared in open Court before the Court of Bedford County now sitting the same being a Court of record Elisha Barton a resident of the said County in the State aforesaid aged Seventy Six years, 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 June the 7th 1832. That he entered the service of the United States, under the following named officers and served as herein stated. In the year 1781 he believes but cannot remember with particular accuracy nor can he tell the month or day, by reason of his old age and consequent loss of memory he entered the service as a volunteer in the militia of Virginia in a company of cavalry from the County of Fauquier in the said State where he then resided for six months. The company was commanded by Captain William Triplett and marched first to the Courthouse of Fauquier County where he was stationed Seven weeks awaiting a call to join the Army and remaining there as they were directed till further orders were given for their movements, which were constantly expected when the operation of the enemy should render their call elsewhere necessary. The company was designed to defend those places where danger was apprehended from sudden incursions of the enemy upon the county. At the expiration of the Seven weeks as aforesaid they were ordered to march to the Town of Falmouth near Fredericksburg on the Rappahannock in Virginia where it was expected their services would be needed. at this place they remained three weeks & were then ordered to march to Bowling Green immediately on the great road leading from Richmond to Fredericksburg in the County of Caroline. at this place they were also stationed a short time but how long he has forgotten for the reasons before stated. they were there ordered to march to York Town or to the neighbourhood of that place which they did accordingly marching through New Kent County and other places of little note. He remained here until he was regularly discharged at the expiration of the tour of Six months for which he had volunteered having served out the tour of Six months and not less. Samuel Gibson was Lieutenant of the company and John Barker Ensign. another man of the name of Triplett whose Christian name he has forgotten [probably Col. Simon Triplett] was chief commander of the forces and company to which he was attached. He does not remember the names of the other officers of the company or of the regiment, nor does he remember the number of the regiment to which he belonged for the reasons before stated. The company never joined the main army at all because it was a volunteer company under the control of its own officers and went to such places as they considered it important to defend and where their services were required, but were ready to join the army at any time when called on. During his service he was in no engagement nor was he in any civil employment. He was during the whole of his services a private Soldier. He cannot remember the day when he left the Service for the reasons before stated, but it was a short time only before the Surrender of Cornwallis at York Town [on 19 Oct 1781]. He received an honourable written discharge from Colo. Triplett signed by him. He had his discharge for a great while afterwards, but it is now lost or mislaid, he having taken no particular care of it and not expecting in fact ever to need it took little or no pains to preserve it. He was born in the County of Fauquier State of Virginia in the 1757 as he has been told and has always believed. But the day or month he cannot now tell if he ever knew. He has not now nor did he ever have any record of his age Two years after the close of the war of the Revolution he moved from the County of Fauquier to the County of Bedford where he now resides and has ever resided since. He has no documentary evidence by which to prove his Services or any part thereof. He is unable to procure the testimony of a clergyman who can testify as to his general reputation as a Soldier of the Revolution in the neighbourhood where he resides, because there is no clergyman residing in his vicinity and none out of it acquainted with the opinions of his neighbours concerning his services. He removed to the County of Bedford a stranger to everybody there and it is not therefore to be supposed that he can readily procure such a certificate as that required from that particular class of individual. He is however well known in his present neighbourhood to many respectable private citizens who can testify as to his character for veracity and their belief of his services as a Soldier of the Revolution Viz. Thomas Preas and William Shrewsbury.
He makes the following answers to the Several interrogatories prescribed by the War Department.
To the first he answers – In the County of Fauquier in the State of Virginia in the year 1757.
To the Second he answers – I have no record of my age.
To the third he answers – In the County of Fauquier in the State of Virginia. I have lived since the Revolutionary war a short time in Fauquier Count, the balance of the time in Bedford County in Virginia where I now reside.
To the fourth he answers. I volunteered.
To the 5th he answers – See the body of the Declaration for an answer.
To the Sixth he answers – I received a discharge from Colo Triplett it is now lost or mislaid.
To the Seventh he answers – See the Declaration & names as above.
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 any agency in any State.
Elisha his+mark Barton