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On this 12th day
of October 1832, personally appeared in Open Court [before] us Nicholas
Perkins, Wright Stanley and Jabez Owen, Justices of the Court of Pleas and
Quarter Sessions for Williamson County, Tennessee, now sitting at Franklin
in Williamson County, John Gates, a resident of Williamson County and State
of Tennessee, of the age of seventy three years in February 1832, who, being
first duly sworn according to law doth on his oath make the following
declaration in order to obtain the benefit of the provisions made by the Act
of Congress passed June 7th, 1832.
That he enlisted in the Virginia State Troops, on the 18th February 1779
under Capt. O.P. Debenport, and served in the Virginia State Regiment under
the following officers Maj. Waller, Col. Mobile, Col. Porterfield, Col.
Mooter, Lieut. Col. Charles Dabner and Maj. Drew. His name remained on the
roll of Captain Debenport during the whole term of his service, though he
was often detached off for a season under other officers. He once served on
a detachment several months under Captain Grier preparing and taking care of
ammunition, and then he returned to his former service under Captain
Debenport in whose service he remained until the 20th or 21st September 1781
when he was discharged, having remained in actual service two years and 7
months.
He resided in Chesterfield County and State of Virginia before he entered
the service, that he was not in any battle though he was in Richmond when
Gen. Arnold entered that town, but the Americans had not troops enough there
at that time to resist him. He further states that he enlisted in the town
of Williamsburg in the State of Virginia at the time above mentioned.
He has been at Yorktown, at Hampton, at Charlottesville in Albemarle County,
at Stauton in Augusta County, at Point Fork on James River and through the
intermediate country between those places though he was on detachments when
he was at most of those places.
He further states that he received a discharge signed by Lieut. Colonel
Charles Dabner dated 20th or 21st September 1781.Which discharge as he is
informed is now in the office of the War Department in Washington City,
having been sent there by him 6 or 8 years ago when he applied there for a
pension for services done in the Continental Line in the year 1778 and the
part of the year 1779 previous to his enlisting in the Virginia Service as
above set forth; which application was defeated by reason of his name not
having been regularly enrolled at headquarters and by those who managed his
business, as he is informed, stating he entered the service in 1777 instead
of 1778. He is informed his name is enrolled among those of the Virginia
State Troops in the office of the War Department in the City of Washington.
He hereby relinquishes every claim whatever to a pension or an annuity,
except the present, and he declares that his name is not on the pension roll
of any agency in any state.
I was born on February 1759 [sic] in Chesterfield County, Virginia, where I
was living when I entered the service in my several tours. I have no record
of my age. I lived until I was forty years of age in Chesterfield County,
Virginia, when I moved to Charlotte, Va., where [after] living a few years I
moved to Williamson County, Tennessee, where I have been living ever since
and now live. I name General Martin, Elim Russell and Thomas D. Porter, who
can certify to their belief of my service and my veracity. I know of no
person who can prove my service. I have no documents except those named.
[signed] John Gates X
Sworn to and subscribed this day and year aforesaid and sworn to in open
court, 12th October 1832.
[signed] Thos. Hardeman, Clk.
We, Thomas D. Porter, a clergyman, resident in the County of Williamson and
William Martin and Elim Russell, residents of the same county do hereby
certify that we are well acquainted with John Gates who has subscribed and
sworn to the above declaration, that we believe him to be 73 years of age,
that he is reputed and believed in the neighborhood where he resides, to
have been a soldier in the revolution and that we concur in that opinion.
[signed ] Thomas D. Porter; William Martin; Elaim Russel X my mark
Sworn to and subscribed this day and year aforesaid and sworn to in open
court, 12th October 1832.
[signed] Thos. Hardeman, Clk.
And the said Court do hereby declare their opinion after the investigation
of the matter and after the putting of the interrogatories prescribed by the
War Department, that the above named applicant was a revolutionary soldier
and served as he states and the Court further certifies that it appears to
them that Thomas D. Porter who has signed the preceding certificate is a
clergyman resident in Williamson County and that William Martin and Elim
Russell who have signed the same are residents of the same County and are
reliable persons and that their statement is entitled credit. This the day
and year aforesaid.
[signed] Wright Stanley; Nicholas Perkins; Jabez Owen
I, Thomas Hardeman, Clerk of the Court of Pleas and Quarter Sessions for
Williamson County, do hereby certify that the foregoing document is the
original proceeding of said Court in the matter of the application of John
Gates for a pension. In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand and
seal of office this 20th day of October 1832.
[signed] Thomas Hardeman, Clk.
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