Since Edward was ill with "the dropsy", William
Fugate, a justice of the peace, most likely visited
him at home on this Thursday in order to take a deposition
which amounts to an application for a soldier's pension
under the Act of 1832. The act required that applicants
answer a series of questions, which explains why Fugate
appears to ask questions that have already been answered.
Edward gives details of his birth, his service, and
where he has lived.
Two men testified as to his character: Thomas Sulfrage
was probably the brother of Edward's son-in-law Alfred
Sulfrage. James Blevin is otherwise unknown and was
probably a neighbor.
Be it Remembered that this being the 25th day
of Aprile [sic] 1833 personally appeared before
me William Fugate
one of the Justices of the peace of the court
of please [sic] and quarter sessions[,] the same
being a court of Record held for said county[,]
Edward Walker
aged 76 years who being first duly sworn according
to law doth on his oath make the followin [sic]
declaration in order to obtain the benefit of
an act of Congress passed June the 7th 1832[.]
This applicant states that he is so old and infirm
that he cannot attend court with out greatly injurying
[sic] of his health and he states that he is afflicted
with a disease as he is advised by his doctor
caled [sic] the dropsy which has so completely
unmanned him that he has scarcely any use of him
self[.] he further states that he entered the
servis [sic] of the United States under the following
named officers and served as herein stated that
he resided in the state of North Carolina in the
county of Dupiland [sic] in the year of 1777 where
he was drafted to perform a tree months tour of
service of his country and that he belonged to
a company commanded by Capt
Nathan Hill which company was attached
to the Regiment commanded by Colo
John Ashure and we marched to Willmington
[sic] in the state of North Carolina and joined
the army commanded by General
Rutherford where the army was stationed
to prevent British from landing at Willmington
[sic] and a place caled [sic] Brunswick and during
the time that this applicant was there we had
no general engagement but had a few skirmishes
and exchanged several shots at each other and
after my time of service had expired I received
my discharge from Col
John Ashure and returned home to Dupiland
county which said discharge I have lost or mislaid
so that I cannot produce it[.] applicant states
that is was in the spring of 1777 that he performed
the above named service.
the applicant states that he still resided in
the county of Dupiland and in the spring of the
year of 1778 he was again drafted to perform a
three months tour of duty in the cause of his
country and that he belonged to a company commanded
by the same Capt
Nathan Hill and the Regiment commanded
by the same Colo
John Ashure and we marched again to Willmington
[sic] an [sic] Brunswick where we were stationed
during my term of service and I then Received
my discharge from Col
John Ashure and returned home which said
discharge I have lost or mislaid so that I cannot
produce it and this applicant also farther [sic]
states that he still lived in the county of Dupiland
and in the spring of 1779 he was again drafted
for three months and that he served under the
same Capt and the same Colonel and marched again
to the Town of Willmington [sic] where we joined
General Rutherford
and we were again stationed at the two above named
places to wit Willmington [sic] and Brunswick
and after my term had expired I Received my discharge
and returned home which said discharge I have
lost or mislaid so that I cannot produce it and
the applicant further states that it was some
time after the spring of 1779 in the county of
Dupiland [sic] that he was again drafted to perform
one other tour of duty for three months and that
he belonged to a company commanded by Capt
James Harrison or Harris which said company
belonged to the Regiment commanded by Colonel
Hogan and from there we marched to Halifax
on Roan Oak [sic] were we were stationed untill
[sic] my term of service had expired. I received
my discharge from Col
Hogan and returned home which said discharge
I have lost of mislaid that I cannot produce the
same
and this applicant states that he volunteered
him self several times to fight the Torys [sic]
and states that on one of the scouting parties
he got into an engagement with the Torys and that
this applicant Received two wounds on the head
from the sword and then took him prisoner and
shortly after he made his escape from them the
scars upon my head caused by the wound that I
Received are now shown to the Justice who holes
[sic] the court before who this declaration is
made.
This applicant states that putting the hole [sic]
of the time together that he did serve his country
in the army of the United States for more than
Twelve months in the Revolutionary war
He states that he has no documentary Evidence
of his service and that he knows of no know [sic]
living testimony by whom he can prove his service
by but James More
whose affidavit is herewith Respectfully submitted
He hereby relinquishes every claim what so ever
to a pention [sic] or annuity except the presant
[sic] and declares that his name is [not] on the
Pention Role [sic] of the agency of any state
whatsoever
Questions by the Justice
Where and when were you borned [sic][?] answer[:]
I was borned in 1756 in the state of North Carolina
2 have you and Record of your age and if so where
is it[?] answer[:] I have no record of my age
3 where were you living when you were caled [sic]
into servis [sic] and were have you lived since
the Revolutionary war and where do you now live[?]
Answer[:] I lived for a while in the county of
Russell in the state of Virginia since the Revolution
and I now live in the county of Claiborne in the
state of Tennessee 4th How were you caled [sic]
into servis [sic] were you drafted did you volunteer
or were you a substitute and if a substitute for
whom[?] answer[:] I was drafted and I volunteered
5 State the names of some of the regular offices
whom you knew[:] Col
James Armstrong, General
Rutherford, and others
6 did you Ever Receive a discharge and if so
from whom[?] answer[:] I Received several several
[sic] from Colo
John Ashure and one from Col
Hogan all of them I have lost or mislaid
so that I cannot produce them
7 State the names of persons to whom your presant
[sic] Neighborhood who can Testify as to your
caricter [sic] for veracity and their belief of
your services as a soldier in the Revolutionary
War[.] answ[:] I [k]now James
I. Belvin and Thomas
Sulfrage
William Fugate
Justice of the peace for said county
State of Tennessee
Claiborne County
I William Fugate
Justice of the peace who wholds [sic] the court
of please [sic] and quarter sessions in and for
said county the same being a court of Record before
whom the above mentioned declaration was filed
do certify that the applicant cannot attend court
from bodily infirmity
William Fugate
We Thomas Sulfrage
and James I. Belvin
Resident Citizens in the county of Claiborne in
the state of Tennessee herby [sic] certify upon
oath that we are well acquainted with Edward
Walker who has subscribed and sworn to
the above declaration that we believe him to be
the years of age that he states and that his is
reputed and believed in the Neighborhood where
he Resides to have been a soldier of the Revolution
and that we concur in that opinion
Sworn to and subscribed to before me this day
and year aforesaid William Fugate
Justice of the peace for Claiborne County Thomas Sulfrage
[his mark] James Belvin
[his mark]
State of Tennessee
Claiborne County
I William Fugate
one of the acting Justices of the peace in and
for the county and state aforesaid do herby [sic]
certify that there is no Regular or ordained minister
of the Gospel in the Neighborhood where the applicant
Resides
This the date and year aforesaid William Fugate
State of Tennessee
Claiborne County
and I William Fugate
Justice as aforesaid do declare it to me my opinion
after the investigation of the matter and after
puting [sic] the interrogatories prescribed by
the War Department that the above named applicant
was a Revolutionary Soldier and served as [a second
"as" scratched out] he states and that
it also appears to me that Thomas
Sulfrage and James
I. Blevin Citizens of said county and State
who has made the above last mentioned certificate
is [sic] credible persons and that their statements
are entitled to credit
William Fugate
Justice of the peace [two words unreadable]
State of Tennessee
Claiborne County
I Benjamin F. Cloud
Clerk of the Court of pleas & quarter sessions
for said County do hereby certify that William
Fugate before whom the above named declaration
was filed for a pension is now and was at the
time of making the above [word unreadable] one
of the acting Justices of the court of pleas and
quarter sessions [word unreable] for said county
the same being a court of Record & that the
[word unreadable] his genuine signatures
Given under my hand & seal of office this
25 day of July 1833 Benjamin F. Cloud
Clk
