Pension Application of Samuel and Margaret Witt Wilks: R11553
Transcribed and annotated by C. Leon Harris
State of Virginia}
County of Bedford} S.S.
On the 28th day of March 1833 personally appeared in open Court before the Justices of the County court of Bedford now sitting Samuel Wilkes a resident of Virginia in the County of Bedford aged Sixty nine 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 7th 1832.
That he enlisted in the service of the United States under the following named officers and served as herein after stated Viz.– That in the latter part of the year 1780 or in January 1781 he was drafted for a three months Tour in the Militia from the County of Bedford, he marched under Captain John Trigg, Lieutenant William Hudnall, and Ensign Simon Miller to Petersburg a distance of 150 miles, and from thence to Cabin point [in Surry County] and from there to Portsmouth, and from thence to Gregory’s Camp in North Carolina where they were stationed a short time and marched back again to Portsmouth and was then marching about the County watching Gen’l [Benedict] Arnold who was said to be in Long Bridge Fort [probably the fort at Great Bridge on Elizabeth River] and then marched back again to North Carolina and back again across the dismal swamp to Prince George Courthouse where he was discharged sometime in April and served at least three months. That he has no documentary evidence of this Tour but can prove it by Isaac Cundiff and Cap William Arthur who served said Tour with him and to whose affidavit he refers. his field officers were Gen’l Mulenburg [sic: Peter Muhlenberg], Colo. Merriweather [sic: Meriwether] and Major Decloman. That in the fall of the year 1781 he was again drafted for six months from the County of Bedford and rendezvoused at Prince Edward Courthouse and marched from thence to Richmond and served under the command of Capt Newell for some time, which captain Newell became a supernumerary. they were then placed under the command of captain John Slaughter and Lieutenant Nathaniel Rice[?]. That he was stationed at Richmond and remained there during the whole time except about six weeks when he volunteered to aid in carrying [illegible word] loaded with coal to Williamsburg. On his return to Richmond the term of service having expired previously, he found his whole company already discharged. he has no documentary evidence of the service of this Tour. he received a discharge from Cap. Slaughter some time in March 1782 but has lost or mislaid it but can prove the service of this Tour by John Mitchell and George Swain both citizens of the County of Bedford who served this Tour with him and to whose affidavit he refers. He hereby relinquishes every claim 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. Samuel Wilks
He had no field officers this Tour, no Troops except his company being in the service with him – don’t recollect any regular officers either Tour except Gen’l. Mulenburg, Colo Merriweather & Maj. Decloman being regulars– No regular Troops. This Militia company commanded by Capt Otey; [one or two words illegible] Company & Regt. He served at least six months this Tour.
The following is the answers to the several interrogatories propounded by the Court to Samuel Wilks before whom the foregoing declaration was sworn and subscribed.
Answer to Question 1st– That he was born on the 24th day of October 1764 in the County of Louden [sic: Loudoun] in the State of Virginia that while a boy he was brought by his parents to the County of Bedford in the same State where he has ever since resided –
2nd– That he has no record of his age
3rd– 4th– & 5th– answered as in the declaration stated & in question 1st
6th– answered in declaration.
7th– I refer to William Leftwich a minister of the gospel and John Hudnall Sen. to both of whom I am well acquainted. Samuel Wilks
NOTE: On 21 Jan 1854 Margaret Wilks, about 65, applied for a pension stating that as Margaret Witt she was married to Samuel Wilks by William Leftwich in Bedford County in Oct 1826, and that Wilks died there on or about 1 July 1837.