Thomas Epperson Revolutionary War Pension Application (S4282)

Submitted by Billy Markland

Thomas Epperson Revolutionary War Pension Application S4282
Thomas Epperson Declaraton
National Archives & Records Administration M804-932

Transcriber’s Note: Spelling, punctuation (or lack thereof) and capitalization have all been transcribed as originally written with the exception of surnames which have been capitalized in this transcript.

Declaration In order to obtain the benefit of an act of Congress of 7th June 1832-

State of Tennessee
Hawkins County

On this 24th day of June 1834 personally appeared Thomas Epperson resident of the County of Hawkins and State of Tennessee aged seventy four years of age before me Shadrach Epperson One of the Justices of the peace for said County and after 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 7th June 1832

I entered the service of the united states under the following named officers an [sic] served as herein stated-

I entered the service of the united states in the year 1779 as a private vollunteer [sic] under the Command of Colo. Joseph WILLIAMs Capt. Pleasant HENDERSON John COLBERT Lieutenant In the County of Surrey North Carolina we rendezvoused at Surrey Courthouse on the [thirteenth?] day of August as well as I can recollect in the year 1779 and marched under the Command of the before mentioned officers as a guard out on the frontier, we marched on a cross the blue ridge at the flower gap went through Montgomery County State of Virginia and Crossed New river at Harbards Ferry and on to the long Islands of Holston river where here we lay all night at a place called Etons fort we went next day after some Indians that had done some mischief to the family of Ano RUSSEL but we could not find them. We then came on through Washington County Va and on through Sullivan County now Tennessee State and crossed Clinch river and Powels mountain and on to Cumberland gap where we lay some time. We then returned back nearly the same route untill [sic] we arrived at the the long Island of Holston where we were discharged. I received my discharge from Colo. WILLIAMS which I have since lost. I returned home the tenth of December, 1779 being gone four months. In the year 1780 I vollunteered myself again in the regiment of Colo. Henry CLARK Capt. Benjamin CLARK and Lieut. John WHEELER on the fifteenth of Novm. in Sullivan County State of North Carolina now Tennessee we marched on against the Cherokee Indians, crossed French broad river at the big Island and on to the Cherokee nation to a town called Chota where we lay some time we were marching about after Indians to different places we went to another Indian town called Chilhawed [sic] we went about to different towns while we lay there the names of which I cannot now recollect taking prisoners in many places andkilling some untill we started home we returned home near the same route as well as I recollect and got home some where between the fifteenth of February and first of March 1781 being gone three months. I received no discharge upon my return. The first part of September 1782 I vollunteered myself again under the command of Colo. John SEVIER Capt. [Arnis?] BIRD Lieut. GRAGG in order to go out against a body of the Cherokee Indians. I was then living in Washington County State of North Carolina now State of Tennessee. We marched on towards the Indian nation crossing french broad river and Tennessee river and on to a creek called Chicamagy we lay there a few days ranging after Indians we went on to the head of Coosry river from there we went on to the Highwassey river then we returned to Chota Town and lay some time from there we returned Home the first of Novm. 1782 being gone two months and I never went out any more. This declarent says he was told that soldiers who served against the Indians in time of the revolutionary war could not draw at least, this declarent never knew he was Intitled [sic] to a pension untill lately is the cause he did not apply sooner. He declares he has no documentary evidence of his service nor can he procure any evidence of the same. Hereby relinquishes every claim to a pension or annuity except the present and declares his name is not on the pension roll of the agency of any state.

Thomas his X mark Epperson

Sworn to and subscribed this 24th of June 1834 before me
Shadrach Epperson

State of Tennessee
Hawkins County

We Moses McGINIS Clergyman a resident of the County of Hawkins and Capt. James BYRD residing in the same do hereby certify that we are well acquainted with Thomas Epperson who has subscribed and sworn to the above declaration that we believe him to be seventy four years of age that he is reputed and believed in the neighbourhood where he resides to have been a soldier of the revolution and that we concur in that opinion.

Moses McGinnis Clergyman
James Byrd

Sworn to and subscribed this 24th day of June 1834 before me
Shadrach Epperson
Justice of the peace for Hawkins County