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To the honorable
J. C. Calhoun secretary of war
The Declaration of William Deakins showeth that he was born in England and
came into Maryland before the revolution and is now about eighty years of
age to the best of his knowledge that in the year 1777 in the fall he
enlisted in the Regiment known by the name of the Congress regiment which
was upon continental establish for three years or during the revolutionary
war in the company command by John Carlylle and the regiment was commanded
by Col Moses Hazen who afterwards became Brigr Genl Hazen and continually
served the United States as a soldier during the whole of the revolutionary
war and was discharged by Genl Hazen at a place called Pompton plains in New
Jersey by a discharge in writing in the summer of 1783, which discharge was
lost long ago by him in Virginia he was enlisted in Hartford county State of
Maryland at a place called Jamesons cross roads he was in the battle of
Brandywyne where he was wounded with a ball in the left shoulder and in a
skirmish at the shorthills in Jersey and in two skirmishes against the
British on Staten Island he was at the siege of York during the whole time
and at the capture of Cornwallis, he is in very indigent circumstances
entirely unable to support himself and has been altogether supported by the
County of Williamson in the State of Tennessee where he now resides, for
more than seven years that he does not know of any person by whom he can
prove the above services or enlistment nor is he able to search after them
and can only as he believes prove the above facts by his own oath that he
never received any pension [&] hereby release all claim to any except that
provided by the act of Congress of 1818 which he now claims.
[signed] William Deakins
State of Tennessee to wit
This day personally appeared before me Thomas Stuart one of the Judges of
the circuit courts for the State of Tennessee William Deakins the above
named declarant and made oath that the facts set forth in the above
declaration are true to the best of his knowledge sworn to [&] subscribed
before me this 11th day of October 1819.
[signed] William Deakins
[signed] Thos Stuart
State of Tennessee to wit.
Again this 12th day of 12th day of October 1819 personally appeared before
me Judge as aforesaid the above named William Deakins and made oath that he
has no doubt but his name will be found on the muster rolls of the congress
regiment that where he was enlisted his size was measured and his
description taken down as he believes which he supposes may accompany his
name on the rolls. he well recollects his size was five feet one inch and a
half and on account of the smallness of it he was often laughed at by his
comrades who would repeat how much he measured he had when enlisted dark
brown hair very light hazle eyes fair complexion when enlisted he was of a
thin habit of body having lately recovered from the fever [&] argue[?] and
further saith not. Sworn to and subscribed before me the day and year last
aforesaid.
[signed] Thos Stuart [signed] William Deakins
State of Tennessee to wit.
This day personally appeared before me Thomas Stuart one the Judges of the
circuit court for the State of Tennessee Daniel Perkins and made oath that
he has known the above William Deakins for upwards of seventeen years in the
county of Williamson where both have resided for upwards of that time that
said William Deakins has generally been reputed to be a man of truth [&] he
has no doubt he is worthy to be credited on his word or oath that he is
aged, infirm [&] in reduced circumstances, [&] stands in need of the aid of
his country for his support. Sworn to and subscribed before me this 12th day
October 1819.
[signed] Dan Perkins
[signed] Thos Stuart
The State of Tennessee
Williamson County Court October Sessions 1820
This day William Deakins appeared in open court and filed his declarations
for the purpose of obtaining a pension with a schedule of subscribed and
sworn to which his estate thereto accrued which declaration and schedule are
in the words and figures following, to wit, District of West Tennessee on
this 11th day of October 1820 personally appeared in open court being the
Court of Pleas and Quarter Sessions for the County of Williamson of the
State of Tennessee William Deakins Aged about Eighty years resident in
Williamson County in said District who being first duly sworn according to
law doth on his oath declare that he served in the Revolutionary War as
follows that he the said William Deakins entered the service in the year of
our Lord one thousand seven hundred and seventy seven in the State of
Maryland in the company of Captain John Carolisle in the congress regiment
commanded by Col. Sutle[?] and Moses Hason Brigade General his original
declaration bears date in the fall of Eighteen hundred and nineteen and he
has received his pension up to the fourth of March in the present year the
number of his certificate as it appears from the back marked No 18800 that
he was in the battles of Brandywine where he was wounded in his left
shoulder, the Short Hills in the Jerseys, the siege of York in Virginia
where Cornwallis was taken and the battle of Staten Island west. He was
discharged in the year 83 in the Jerseys at the Printon Plains. He the said
William Deakins further states that he is nott[?] an old but an infirm man
and cannot support him self by his labour says he has no wife nor children
says he lives with William Brown in this county he is by occupation a farmer
but is not now able to follow his occupation Sworn to in open court this
11th day of October 1820 [signed] William Deakins X his mark [signed] Thos
Hardimon Clk In conformity to an Act of congress entitled an Act to provide
for certain persons engaged in the Land and Naval Service of the
revolutionary war passed on the first day of May 1820 I do solemnly swear
that I was a resident citizen of the United States on the 18th day of March
1818 And I have not since that time by gift sale or in any manner disposed
of my property or any part thereof with intent thereby to diminish it so as
to bring myself within the provision of an act of congress entitled and act
to provide for certain persons engaged in the Land and Naval Service of the
United States in the revolutionary war passed on the 18th day of March 1818
and that I have not nor has any person in trust for me any property of
Securities contracts of debts due to me not have I any income other than
what is contained in the Schedule hereto annexed and by me subscribed Over
Bible [&] Hymn Book 1.00 some other Old Books 1.00 - $2.00 Sworn to in open
Court this 11th day of Oct. 1820 [signed] William Deakins X his mark
[signed] Tho Hardimon Clk which being heard and understood it is considered
by the Court that the total amount of value of property exhibited in said
Schedule is worth the sum of two dollars and that the declarant is worthy of
credit.
I Thomas Hardimon clerk of the Court of pleas and quarter Sessions for
Williamson County in said State do hereby certify that the foregoing Oath
and Schedule thereto annexed are truly copied from the records of said Court
and do further certify that it is the opinion of said Court that the total
amount in value of the property exhibited in the aforesaid Schedule is two
dollars In testimony whereof I have hereto set my hand and affixed the seal
of said Court on this 23rd day of December 1820.
[signed] Thos Hardimon Clk
Of the court of pleas
[&] quarter sessions of
Williamson County
May 14, 1937
Mrs. Penelope J. Allen
1710 West 43rd Street
Chattanooga, Tennessee
Dear Madam:
You are furnished herein the record of William Deakins as found in pension
claim, S. 38659, based upon his service in the Revolutionary War.
William Deakins was born in England and Came to Maryland before the
Revolutionary War. The date of his birth and names of parents are not given.
He enlisted in 1777 at a place called Jamison’s Crossroads in Hartford
County, Maryland, served as private in Captain John Carlisle’s company,
Colonel Moses Hazen’s Continental Regiment known as “Congress’ Own”, was in
the battle of Short Hills, New Jersey, the two battles of Staten Island, in
the battle of Brandywine in which he was wounded by a ball in his left
shoulder, was also in the siege of Yorktown and at the surrender of
Cornwallis and was discharged in the summer of 1783.
William Deakins was allowed pension on his application executed October11,
1819, at which time he was aged about eighty years and a resident of
Williamson County, Tennessee, where he had been living more than seven
years.
It is not stated whether or not the soldier was ever married. In 1820, he
was residing with one William Brown in Williamson County, Tennessee, no
relationship stated. He died January 5, 1834.
In order to obtain a date of last payment of pension and name and address of
person paid, you should write to the Comptroller General, General Accounting
Office, Records Division, this city, and cite the following data: William
Deakins, Certificate #15800, issued November 8, 1819, rate, $8 per month,
commenced October 11, 1819, Act March 18, 1818, West Tennessee Agency.
Very truly yours
A. D. Hiller
Executive Assistant
to the Administrator
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