| Notes |
- Thomas entered military service from Bedford County in 1779. He was born Feb 5, 1749 in Pennsylvania, and at age three moved to Amherst County VA with his parents. In 1832 he was living at Russell, Bedford County, VA when he applied for a pension for service in the Revolutionary War. Reel R379 of M804, National Archives. (Wardell 1988, 1:123).
Thomas was named as the father of Jane Brown who married John Craig in Bedford County on Sep 17, 1780. From John Craig's pension application for service in the Revolutionary War Reel R676 of M804, National Archives. (Wardell 1988, 1:257). (This is not correct! James Brown is name in this pension as the father of Jane. -Sherry Sorrells Finchum)
Pension Application of Thomas Brown S6750 VA
Transcribed and annotated by C. Leon Harris. Revised 9 Oct 2014.
State of Virginia }
County of Bedford } S.S.
On this 30th day of August 1832 personally appeared in open Court before the County court of Bedford County now sitting Thomas Brown a resident of the parish of Russell in the County of Bedford and State of Virginia aged eighty four 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 entered the service of the United States under the command of Captain Thomas Dooley, Lieutenant John Otey Sergeant William Downey, Corporal Julius Jones from the County of Bedford and State of Virginia, the time and date of the year he cannot recollect, marched from the County aforesaid to Williamsburg where he remembers the names of Finney an officer of some high rank, and that also of Thirgmorton who he thinks was an adjutant in the army. he does not recollect the number of the Regiment to which he was attached; – the troops on the way to Williamsburg marched by the way of Richmond and Chickahominy swamp, he stayed at Williamsburg til he was discharged as he thinks in the fall of the year when he came home. was there drafted again, marched from the same County under the command of Charles Gwatkins Captain and William Myles Lieutenant and crossed Staunton River & Dann [sic: Dan] river on the way to Guilford in North Carolina where Colo. [Charles] Lynch commanded the Regiment to which he was attached, John Callaway Major, and the whole under the command of General Green [sic: Nathanael Greene] he was in the battle [of Guilford Courthouse, 15 Mar 1781]] which he remembers commenced with a cannonading and ended in the defeat of the American army. of the regular officers there, he remembers no names as distinctly as Col. [William] Washington. after this he was discharged and returned home but was soon drafted again and went then under the command of Capt. [Benjamin] Rice to New London in Virginia where he was stationed to guard the magazine which was there together with some tories whom it was necessary to watch. he remained at this place during a tour of three months. He was after this frequently engaged and required to serve in short scouting expeditions against the tories in the surrounding Country. in the two first tours mentioned above he
remained in the service with the army six months or upwards. If he ever received any discharge, it is now
lost. – Was born in Pennsylvania as he has been told & removed to Virginia when quite small. – 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 Thomas hisXmark Brown
State of Virginia }
Bedford County } SS
On this 11th day of February 1833. personally appeared before me Armstead Otey a Justice of
the County Court of Bedford in the State of Virginia Thomas Brown, a resident of Russell parish in the
County and State aforesaid, aged nearly 84 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 7, 1832:
That he entered the service of the United States under the following named officers and served as herein
stated.
That he was drafted into the service of the United States from the Militia in Bedford County, Virginia, where he then resided, some time in September 1779 and served three months. He marched from said county under the command of Captain Thomas Dooley, Lieutenant John Otey, Sergeant William Downey and Corporal Julius Jones, by way of Buckingham, Cumberland, Powhatan, and Chesterfield counties, and crossed the James River to Richmond and thence by Chickahominy Swamp to Williamsburg. He recollects none of his field officers except Col. Finney (to whose regiment he was attached at Williamsburg) He also recollects one Thirgmorton, who was adjutant to the regiment. He thinks there were no other troops at Williamsburg during this tour except the regiment to which he belonged, and which was commanded by Col. Finney. He cannot positively say what was the precise length of this tour, because from age, length of time, and bodily infirmities his memory has considerably failed – but to the best of his recollection he served not less than three months. He was discharged by Col. Finney some time in November or December 1779 the precise day he cannot recollect. he received
no written discharge. He recollects no regular officers with whom he served except Col. Finney, who he
believes was in the regular army, and perhaps Throgmorton. There were no continental or militia regiments or companies, except the regiment to which he belonged. He recollects Capt Talbot commanded one of the companies in his regiment. He has no documentary evidence, and knows no person living by whom he can positively prove his services Again, sometime in February 1781 He was drafted into the service of the United States from Bedford County Virginia, where he then resided, and served a tour of three months. He marched under Captain Charles Gwatkin, Lieutenant William Millam [sic: William Milam] ensign Thomas Logwood. He
marched from said County thro’ Pittsylvania County across Staunton and Dan Rivers in Virginia to “Guilford Court House (N. C.)” where he joined the army under the command of Gen’l. Greene. His field officers as well as he recollects were Col. Charles Lynch and Maj. John Callaway. His regiment was attached to the Brigade commanded by Gen’l. Robert Lawson as he has been informed, but does recollect himself. He was in the battle, which was fought on the 15th of March 1781. between the American army under Gen’l. Greene and the British under Cornwallis. The battle commenced with a cannonading. The British kept their ground after the battle. The American army falling back to Troublesome Iron works about 9 miles perhaps from Guilford, but the British army retreated a few days afterwards. Of the regular officers with whom he served he recollects none so distinctly as Gen’l. Greene and Col William Washington. he also recollects seeing one Col. [Otho Holland] Williams in the army – He recollects seeing regular and militia regiments and companies with the troops, but what were there numbers and by whom commanded he is not able now to remember, except Captains [Jacob] Moon and [Thomas] Helm, who commanded militia companies in his regiment and both of whom were killed in the battle of Guilford. He saw Capt. Moon shot, and carried from the field. He will not be positive whether William Millam was Lieutenant and Thomas Logwood ensign, or Millam ensign and Logwood Lieutenant – He was discharged sometime in April 1781. by Capt Gwatkin, but he received no written discharge. He has no documentary evidence of his services and does not know of any person living by whom he can prove them. He was engaged in this tour two months.
About the 1st day of July 1781 he was drafted into the service of the United States from the militia of Bedford County, Virginia, where he resided, under the Captain Rice, there being no other company officers and served a tour of three months, at the town of New London, then in Bedford, now in Ca pbell County Virginia, to guard a magazine and some tories – at which place, and in which service he was engaged during the whole of this tour – except about one week when he hired a substitute and came home to gather his fodder, at the end of which time he returned to the service. There were no other troops, either Continental or militia at New London during this tour, except his company – Major or Capt. Nathan Reid & Capt. Cumming [possibly Alexander Cummins] were regulars with the troops, as he understood on half pay. he was discharged by Capt. Rice the last of September 1781 but received no written discharge.
Previously to the time at which he was drafted into the service for the 3 tour mentioned in this declaration, towit, in the year of 1780, he believes — he enlisted for six months in the service of the United States in Bedford County Virginia under Capt. John Trigg, to go against the tories in the surrounding country. The terms of the enlistment were, that he should march whenever required and remain in service as long as should be necessary to suppress the tories. He entered the service for the first time under this enlistment in the month of July 1780. he does not recollect the precise day. he served about ten days. He thinks he went out in at least a dozen expeditions, which would average at least five days each tour. Every expedition he was under Capt. John Trigg. – had no other officers – no regular or militia companies or regiments with the troops. Nor any regular officers – was discharged by Capt. Trigg but received no discharge. He has no documentary evidence of his services. That from age & consequent loss of memory, he cannot swear positively as to the precise aggregate of time he was employed in these expeditions against the tories – yet according to the best of his recollection, it could not be less than two months.
He cannot go to the court house, because of bodily infirmity – having been confined to his home for some time.
He has no documentary evidence of any of his services & knows no person living by whom he can prove
them except the affidavit of James Stiff [pension application W4344] herewith exhibited – which is as near as he can come to positive proof.
To the best of his recollection he served not less than the periods mentioned below towit The first tour, three months – the second tour two months – the third tour three months – and the fourth tour two months – in the whole ten months for which he claims a pension In answer to interrogatories, he states: 1 – He was born in Pennsylvania February 5 1749 (O. S. [Old Style]). He cannot say in what township and county because his parents removed from Pennsylvania to Amherst county Virginia, when he was but three years old. He does not recollect that they ever told him in what township or county they resided, tho’ he has heard them say they lived near Brandywine and Schuylkill. 2. He has a record of his age, given him by his father, in a Bible now in his possession. 3– He lived in Bedford county Virginia when he entered the service each time – he lived there ever since the revolution and now resides there. 4. 5. & 6. interrogatories he has answered to the best of his recollection in the foregoing parts of this declaration. 7– Samuel Phillips and Jesse Powell are persons to whom he is known in his present neighborhood, and who can testify to his character for veracity and their belief of his services as a soldier of the revolution.
He has made this declaration before a Justice of a Court of record because he is not able from bodily infirmity to appear in court.
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.
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1749 - Aft 1832 (> 84 years)
