Pension Application of Jonathan Prater: S7340
Transcribed and annotated by C. Leon Harris
Virginia Franklin County Sct.
On this 4th day of September 1832 personally appeared in open Court before Henry Carper Wm B Williams Moses Greer Jr and Pleasant Dickerson the court of Franklin county now seting Jonathan Prater a resident of Franklin County Va & by birth a Virginian and aged 74 years – who being first duly sworn according to Law doth on his oath make the following declaration to obtain the benefit of the act of Congress passed 7th June 1832. That during the revolutionary war about the beginning of he served a tour of three months in a militia company commanded by Captain [Robert] Adams – he listed for this service in Bedford County and was marched to the lead mines [near Fort Chiswell in Wythe County], in Va there were many others there – the whole were commanded by Colo [Charles] Lynch – he served the time faithfully and was discharged – he was engaged in guarding the mines from the Indians and Tories — Iles Cooper a respectable old gentleman resident of Franklin County Va was at the lead mines [one or two words illegible] at the same time and knows of the service performed by this applicant – and to him he refers — This applicant afterwards served a six months tour as a volunteer he entered with Lieut’t Nath’l Rice at New London in Bedford now in Campbell County Va and marched to Prince Edward thence to Richmond – at Richmond he was engaged the balance of his time guarding over the magazine and public stores untill he was discharged having served out his term of service he refers for proof to George Simmons of Franklin a soldier with him a part of this tour – during this latter service was under the command of Colo [Charles] Dabney – he believes he was discharged by Capt’n Hambleton/ has lost his discharge & has no documentary evidence
He hereby relinquishes every claim whatever to a pension or annuity except the present and He declares that his name is not on the pension Roll of the agency of any state
Sworn to & subscribed the day & year aforesaid Jonathan hisXmark Prater
NOTE: Prater applied for a pension in 1820, but that declaration is largely illegible. He stated that rheumatism prevented him from pursuing his occupation, and that there were three others in his family: wife Sally age 66, daughter Rachel over 21, and daughter Kitty over 15.