Pension Application of David Jones: S17517
Transcribed and annotated by C. Leon Harris
State of Missouri}
County of Cooper} SS
On this 6th
day of May A.D. 1833 personally appeared in open Court before the Cooper County
Court now sitting David Jones a resident of the County and State aforesaid aged
seventy two years in January last, 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 entered the
service of the United States in the spring of the year 1777 from Pyttsylvania
Henry County in the State of Virginia in the capacity of a private and a
volunteer militiaman under the command of William Ferguson Lieut. and Peter
Harston [sic: Hairston] Capt, that they then marched to the Long Island of
Holstun River [sic: Long Islands of Holston River at present Kingsport TN]
where they united the main body of the Militia under the command of Colo. [Evan]
Shelby and Colo Christy [sic: William Christian], where they held a treaty with
the Cherokee Indians [Treaty of Long Island signed 20 July 1777] against whom
they marched, with whom peace was concluded, and they were disbanded and
returned home after three months service; that he next entered the service from
Henry County as well as he can now recollect in the State of Virginia under the
command of Capt. Ruble [sic: Owen Rubell], Major [George] Waller; the others
not now recollected in the capacity of a second Sergeant (a militiaman) from
which they marched to Little York [Yorktown] where they joined the regular
troops under the command of Major Boyer
Colo Skiper [sic: possibly Henry Skipwith] and Colo [St. George] Tucker,
General [Robert] Lawson, that he then belonged to General Lawson’s Brigade and
all under the command of General George Washington. Little York was then sieged
by the British [sic: the British were besieged by the Americans] where they were all discharged after the
surrender of Lord Cornwallace [sic: Cornwallis] at Little York after three
months service – that he thus served six months – two tours – three months each
– That he received a written discharge signed by Capt. Owen Ruble by order of
General Lawson, that he served three months as a private and three months as a
second sergeant as aforesaid — which discharge he sent on to our representative
in Congress to hand in to the War Department with his former declaration,
besides which he has no other documentary evidence and that he knows of no
person whose testimony he can procure, that can testify to his service, except
William Ross whose affidavit is herewith sent
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
subscribed and sworn to the day and year afo’d} [signed] David Jones
Questions by the Court
Ques 1st Where & in what year were you born?
An. I was born in Pittsylvania County Va in the 1761
Ques 2. Have you any record of your age,
An. I have a record that I made myself from what my parents told me, now in my possession
Ques 3d Where were you living when called into service, where have you lived since the revolutionary war & where do you now live?
An. When first called into service I was
Living in Pittsylvania Henry County Va & when I entered the second
time I was living in Henry County Va. Since the revolutionary war, I have lived
in Virginia, Kentucky & Missouri & now live in Cooper County Missouri —
Ques 4 How were you called into service?
An. The first time I volunteered – and the second by an allotment of the militia when it fell to the lot of my company to go.
Ques 5 State the names of some of the regular officers who were with the troops when you served; such Continental and militia Regiments as you can recollect and the general circumstances of your services.
An. I can only state the same I have already stated in my Declaration (read it)
Que 6 Did you ever receive a discharge from the service & did you ever receive a commission.
Ans. while a private I was discharged, but have lost it – I was not commissioned, but received a written discharge at Little York, which I have given an account of in my Declaration.
Que 7. State the names of the persons to whom you are known in your present neighborhood, and who can testify to your character for veracity and their belief of your services as a soldier of the revolution
Ans. I can state Robt. P. Clark Sam’l. Tushy[?] Col. Briscol[?] and others —
[signed] David Jones