Pension Application of John Pribble: S5951
Transcribed and annotated by C. Leon Harris
State of Virginia}
Campbell County}
On this the 14th day of August 1832 personally appeared in open court before the Justices of the court of Campbell county now sitting John Prible aged 73 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 the 7th day of June 1832. That he served a tour of duty against the Cherokee Indians of two months That he cannot recollect the year that he was detailed by Waggon master James Talbot from Capt Robert Adams company as waggoner to the Long Island on Holstein River [sic: Holston River at present Kingsport TN] and that he brought a load of Lead from the Lead mines [near Fort Chiswell in Wythe County] back to the [illegible word] Davis[?] near the Blue ridge. Then in the month of September 1777 he again was called into service and [two words illegible] the Peaks of Otter in the county of Bedford and was marched to Kentucky under the command of Capt Charles Watkins, Lieutenant John Miller[?], Ensign David Crow[?] and was marched direct to Boonsborough [sic: Boonesborough] where we remained until some time in April [see note below]. we was then marched home where we arrived some time in May 1778. I saw while at Boonsborough Colonel Richard Callaway and Colo Daniel Boon [sic: Boone] and some troops from North Carolina. In this tour I served Ten months from the time I was called from home until my return. In the following September I was drafted and marched to the Lead mines under the command of Capt Robert Adams, Lieutenant Thomas McReynolds and I believe James McReynolds Ensign at which place I served three months, Colonel Charles Lynch commanded the greater part of the time while I was there and sometime in the month of February 1781 I was again called to Long Island on Staunton River where I joined Capt. Thomas Helm’s company and Lieutenant was James Dinwiddie[?], and Andrew Fields Ensign a part of the tour when John Steele took Field’s place. We march to the Redhouse in North Carolina [possibly Red House in Caswell County] we were at this time commanded by Col Lynch & belonged to his Regiment. we marched with him to the Guilford Battle [Battle of Guilford Courthouse, 15 March 1781] and was in the same; after the Battle we marched to Maijors[?] Iron works on Troublesome creek from there to Sorry [Saura?] Town on Dan River from there to Deep River and crossed on the same bridge that the British had [illegible word] and crossed on before us and up Deep River to Millers Iron works where we were discharged about the first of April. In this tour I served about three months. If he received any written discharges they are lost or destroyed. I can prove by Capt. John Murcheson the tour to Kentucky of Ten months, by the same the tour to the Lead mines of three months and by the same the tour to North Carolina of three months and also last tour by Sampson Evans. He has no documentary evidence [two words illegible] to his said services.
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 and subscribed the day and year aforesaid [signed] John Pribble
Questions by the Court
1st Where and in what year were you born?
Answer I was born in the State of Maryland. I was about seven years old when I moved to Virginia, but don’t know the year I was born
2nd. Have you any record of your age
Answer No
3rd Where were you living when called into service, where have you lived since the revolutionary war and where do you now live
Answer. I lived in the County of Bedford, Virginia [three words illegible] when called into service. I have lived in the County of Campbell [formed from Bedford in 1782] then Bedford ever since the revolutionary war and now live in Campbell Co. Virginia
4th. How were you called into service. were you drafted, did you volunteer or were you a substitute
Answer I volunteered for the space of Lt Martin [previous four words not clear] was afterwards drafted & served 3 months at the lead mines and again was drafted and served 3 months in North Carolina
5th State the names of some of the regular officers who were with the troops where you served, such continental and militia regiments as you can recollect and the general circumstances of your service
Answer [I be]longed to a company commanded by Charles Watkins I recollect Colo Boon’s & Colo Callaway’s regiments I served 3 months at the lead mines under Capt Robert Adams also a 3 months tour in North Carolina [two or three words illegible] at the battle of Guilford [two or three words illegible] under Capt Thos Helms & Lieutenant James Dinwiddie
6th. Did you ever receive a discharge from the service and if so by whom was it given, and what has become of it
Answer I received a discharge but it is lost
7th State the names of persons to whom you are known in your present neighbourhood and who can testify as to your character for veracity and their belief of your services as a soldier of the revolution
Answer Rev’d Henry Brown [three or four words illegible] Jacob Early James [illegible]
[signed] John Pribble
NOTES:
In a deposition with the pension application for the widow of Thomas Arthur [W5636] dated 16 June 1843, Pribble stated that the tour to Kentucky commenced around the first of July 1777 and ended about the first of May 1778.
A typed summary states that Pribble was living on the Peaks of Otter in Bedford County during the Revolution.