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On this 12th day
of October 1832 personally appeared before the Justices of the Court of
Pleas and Quarter Sessions for the county of Williamson now sitting William
Byers a resident of the state and county aforesaid aged 85 years who being
first duly sworn according to law, doth on his oath make the following
declaration, in order to obtain the benefit of an act passed June 7 1832
That he was born on the 6th day of April 1747 in York County Pennsylvania,
and removed from there with his father in 1765 to what is now called York
District South Carolina. The first service rendered by him in the defence of
his country was against the Cherokee Indians at {?} Old Town on the head
waters of the Savannah river, where the americans burned seven towns
belonging to the indians, destroyed their corn, killed some fens skulking
Indians, and took some of them prisoner. Wm. Byers Sr. his uncle, was his
captain, and Col. Neil was commander of the regiment to which his company
belonged. His second tour was the Stone campaign in Col. Neil’s regiment his
captains name not recollected. During the campaign he was principally
engaged with [illegible] and team, hauling baggage for the army, he was also
engaged in hauling arms with six other wagons besides his own from
Charleston to Augusta, to supply the soldiers in Gen. Lincolns army who then
at that place, but before they reached there, an express was sent informing
them that Gen Lincolns army had left Augusta; they then followed the express
and overtook the army somewhere near Savannah, the precise place not
recollected. In 1780 he was pressed by the Americans, and went with his
wagon and team to the northward he thinks it was to Wilmington for Salt[?],
to supply the country and the army, this was during the time the British
were in Charleston. He was after this engaged under Col. Bratton in Gen
Greenes army below the Conagree and then with scouting parties through the
country until after the battle at Guilford. To the best of his recollection
he has served in all ten or eleven months. Constitutional weakness, the
effects of dicar[?] produced by the fatigues he underwent during his several
campaigns, and the natural infirmities of old age, have greatly impaired his
recollections, thereby preventing him from mentioning[?] many incidents,
which could otherwise have been brought in to confirm the statements made in
his declaration. In October 1810 he removed from York District South
Carolina, to Williamson County, State of Tennessee, where he now resides.
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 any
state whatever.
[signed] William Byers
Sworn to and subscribed ))
in open court the day and ))
year aforesaid ))
[signed] Thos Hardimon Clk &c
State of Tennessee ))
Williamson County ))
Personally appeared before me the undersigned a Justice of the peace in and
for the County of Williamson aforesaid William Byers who, being duly sworn,
deposith and saith, that by reason of old age, and the consequent loss of
memory, he cannot swear positively as to the precise length of his service,
but according to the best of his recollection he served not less than the
periods mentioned before and in the following grades; For one month and five
days I served as a sergeant for 5 months and twenty six days I served as a
private M 5 D 8 wagoner[?] making in all a period of service of (not less
than) ten months and for such service I claim a pension.
Sworn to and subscribed before me))
this 10th day of May 1833))
[signed] Nicholas Perkins J. P. c
[signed] William Byers
State of Tennessee ))
Williamson County ))
Personally appeared before me the undersigned Justice of the peace in and
for the County of Williamson aforesaid William Byers who being duly sworn,
deposith and saith, that by reason of old age and the consequent loss of
memory, he cannot swear positively as to the precise length of his service,
but according to the best of his recollection he served not less than the
periods mentioned before and in the following grades; For one month and five
days I served as a sergeant for five months and eighteen days I served as a
private; and three months and eight days as a waggoner; and for such service
I claim a pension.
Sworn to and subscribed before me))
this 18th day of May 1833))
[signed] Nicholas Perkins J. P.
[signed] William Byers
State of Tennessee ))
Williamson County ))
I Nicholas Perkins an acting Justice of the peace in [&] for the county of
Williamson aforesaid, do hereby certify that I have been acquainted with
William Hope whose signature and certificate appear within, for many years,
and that he has always been reputed a man of veracity [&] that would place
implicit confidence in his statements In testimony whereof I have hereunto
set my name this 18 day of October 1833.
[signed] Nicholas Perkins J. P.
October 25, 1937
Reverend Travis M. Byars
722 Protective Life Building
Birmingham, Alabama
Dear Sir:
Reference: is made to your letter in which you request the Revolutionary War
record of Jonas Byars who was born near Spartanburg, South Carolina, in
1790, son of William Byars and wife, Elizabeth Bedford, who resided in
Morgan District, North Carolina, in that same year
A Jonas Byars born in 1790 would not have been a Revolutionary War soldier.
Believing you may have meant the Revolutionary war record of his father, the
records were searched under both names and no Revolutionary War record of
Jonas Byars is on file, nor of a William Byars of North Carolina. The record
has been found of a William Byers of South Carolina, which is given herein
as found in pension claim, S. 3112, based upon his service in the
Revolutionary War.
William Byers was born April 6, 1747, in York County, Pennsylvania; in 1765,
he moved with his father to a section which was later called York District,
South Carolina. The names of his parents were not given.
While living in York District, South Carolina, William Byers rendered
service in defense of his country under Captain William Byers, Senior (his
uncle), in Colonel Neel’s South Carolina regiment, against the Cherokee
Indians at Keowee Old Town, on the headwaters of the Savannah River, where
he assisted in burning seven Indian towns, destroyed their corn, killing a
few Indians and taking other prisoners. He next served in the Stono
Campaign, again in Colonel Neel’s South Carolina regiment, as a wagoner
engaged in hauling baggage and arms for the army from Charleston to Augusta,
dates of his first two enlistments not stated. In 1780, when the British
occupied Charleston, he enlisted to go to Wilmington, again engaged in
hauling supplies. He afterwards served under Colonel Bratton on scouting
parties through the country until after the battle of Guilford, amounting in
all to ten of eleven months’ service, which was rendered as a private and
sergeant.
William Byers moved in October, 1816, from York District, South Carolina, to
Williamson County, Tennessee.
The soldier was allowed pension on his application executed October 12,
1832, while a resident of Williamson County, Tennessee. He signed William
Byers.
William Byers married prior to 1772. The name of his wife was not given and
no reference was made to children.
In order to obtain date of last payment of pension, the name and address of
the person paid and possibly the date of death of this soldier, you should
write to the Comptroller General, General Accounting Office, Records
Division, this city, and cite the following data; William Byers, certificate
#25498, issued January 18, 1834, rate $24.48 per annum, commenced March 4,
1831, Act June 7, 1832, Western Tennessee Agency.
Very truly yours
A. D. Hiller
Executive Assistant
to the administrator
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