Pension Application of John and Frances
Sharp: W4336
Transcribed
and annotated by C. Leon Harris
State of Virginia}
Patrick County} Sct.
On this 15th day of November 1832
personally appeared in open Court before the justices of the County Court of
Patrick now sitting John Sharp a resident of the County of Patrick and State of
Virginia aged between seventy nine and eighty years [sic] who first being duly
sworn according to law doth on his oath make the following declaration in order
to obtain the benefit of an act of Congress passed June 7, 1832.
That
he entered the service of the United States under the following named officers
and served as herein stated–
That he volunteered in the County of
Bedford and State of Virginia in the company of Capt. James Poteet of said
County in the early part of the year 1781 and marched to New London in said
County at which place he was compeled to remain several weeks. From New London
he marched through the County of Pittsylvania to the place where he thinks Daville
[sic: Danville] now is or there abouts and joined the company of Capt. Jonathan
Richardson in the Regiment of Colo. Charles Lynch [commander of Lynch’s
Virginia Rifles], then across the Dan river to Gen’l. Green’s [sic: Nathanael
Greene] head Quarters near Guilford Courthouse in North Carolina. That in
Gen’l. Greens head Quarters he became acquainted with Gen’l. Green and with
whom he fought the battle of Guilford that in said battle he and his Captain
(viz. Capt. Richardson) were about the last to leave the field when Gen’l.
Greens army retreated before Lord Cornwallis. That in consequence of the
fatigue of the said battle and short of provisions he had a very severe spell
of sickness. That after marching some distance into the County of Chatham in North
Carolina he was discharged by Capt Richardson (whose discharge is herewith
filed marked A) and returned to the County Bedford in the state of Virginia
where he then resided. That after remaining at home about two months he again
marched with Capt. Poteet and Lieutenant James Callaway to Little York [sic:
Yorktown] in the State of Virginia. At Little York he joined the Company of
Capt. John Trigg and regiment of Colo. Tucker. That he was also in the action
at Little York and was well acquainted with Gen’l. Washington and Colo.
Washington who command the Light horse [sic: see note below]. That he saw
vessels of our allies the French. That he was near enough to Lord Cornwallis
when he surrendered to have touched him with his gun. [sic: see note below] A few
days after the battle of Little York he was again discharged by Capt. John
Trigg and returned home. Which discharge is herewith filed marked B. That in
all he served a little more than six months in his own propper person. That
moreover prior to the time [two or three words illegible] mentioned he hired a
substitute who served a full Term, but does not recollect how long. That he was
born in the County of Chesterfield in Virginia in the year of Braddocks defeat
[sic: 1755] as he has been told by his parents and removed to Buckingham, from
Buckingham to Bedford from whence he always enlisted as a soldier and thence to
this County to wit Patrick.
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.
[signed]
John Sharp
NOTES:
The
Colo. Washington who Sharp claimed to have seen at Yorktown in October 1781
would appear to have been Lt. Col. William Washington, commander of the 3rd
Reg. of Continental Light Dragoons. William Washington was not at Yorktown,
however, having been captured at the Battle of Eutaw Springs SC on the previous
September 8. Possibly Sharp recalled Col. Washington from the Battle of
Guilford Courthouse.
It
is incredible that Sharp was near the surrender ceremony at Yorktown on 19
October 1781 but thought that Cornwallis surrendered his sword in person.
Cornwallis, being “indisposed,” assigned that chore to his second-in-command,
Gen. Charles O’Hara.
State of Virginia
Patrick
County to wit
On
this 11th day of march 1841 personally appeared in open Court before the County
Court of Patrick the same being a Court of Record, Frances Sharpe a resident in
the County and State aforesaid aged ninety two years, who being first duly sworn
according to law doth on her oath make the following Declaration in order to
obtain the benefit of the provisions of the act of Congress passed July 4th
1836 and the Joint resolution of July 7th 1838– That she is the widow of John
Sharpe who on the 21st February 1833 had issued for his benefit a pension
certificate (which is now lost or mislaid) for twenty dollars per annum, for
services rendered in the Revolutionary War. She cannot give a detailed account
of her husbands services and begs leave to refer to his declaration and the
vouchers filed therewith in the War Department for a statement and proof
thereof– She further declares that she was married to the said John Sharpe on
the 1st of January in the year one thousand seven hundred and sixty-six and
that her husband the said John Sharpe departed this life on the 29th day of May
1833 and that she has remained a widow ever since. She has no record evidence
of her marriage, but will give satisfactory evidence thereof accompanying this
Declaration.
Sworn to and subscribed in open Court the
day and year aforesaid Frances herXmark
Sharp
Patrick County State of Virginia
On this 30th Day of July 1842 Before me
the Subscriber a Justice of the peace in and for the County aforesaid
personally appeared Frances Sharp, widow of John sharp Sr Dec’d Late pensioner
of the United States who on her Oath declares, that her late husband the said
John Sharp Sr Dec’d died in the year 1834 in the same month and on the same day
set fourth in her declaration, now on file in the pension office at Washington
D.C. She further declares that when her declaration was made that she verily
believed that it contained the truth the whole truth and nothing but the truth
but since that time a [word illegible] examination into all the facts relative
to the time of the death of the said John Sharp Sr Dec’d & late pensioner
of the United States, has been made. She now declares that she finds that the
time of the death of her late husband the said John Sharp Sr Dec’d and Late
pensioner of the United States was in the year 1834 and in the same month &
on the same day set fourth in his declaration aforesaid, She the said Frances
Sharp declares that she admits the mistake and begs leave for this affidavit to
have reference to his declaration in order that the mistake only in the year
may be rectified for which she prays & continues to pray. Frances herXmark Sharp
State of Virginia Patrick County to wit
This day Brett Stovall aged seventy six
years personally appeared before me John Tuggle a Justice of the peace in and
for the County aforesaid and made Oath that he was and had been well acquainted
with John Sharp Dec’d pensioner and Francis [sic] Sharp his wife ever since the
year 1785 at which time he the said Stovall became acquainted with them the
said John & Frances Sharp, he the said Stovall saith that at that time the
said John & Frances Sharp had with them five Children of size purporting to
be of common difference in age as relates to families. He the said Stovall
saith that he has knew them through life as man and wife and never heard their
marriage questioned. [signed]
Brett Stovall
From a summary form: “Five children are
referred to, no names stated other than Robert the oldest, who died in Norfolk
during the 1812 War.”