Granville County, North Carolina

Declaration in order to obtain the benefit of the act of Congress passed June 7th 1832

State of North Carolina

Granville County

On this 6th day of November 1832 personally appeared in open Court before...

The Court of Pleas & quarter Sessions for Granville County now sitting Col William Hunt a resident of the Said County aged Seventy five years the 27th day of December next - Who being first Duly Sworn according to Law doth on his oath make the following Declaration in order to obtain the benefit of the Act of Congress passed June 7th 1832...

That he entered the Service of the United States under the following named Officers and served as herein stated That in the Fall of the year 1779 I think it was, I was Employed by Col Benjamin Hawkins one of the Commissioners, to purchase Tobacco as I understood at that time to Ship to Saint E[Blot]stalia[?] a Neutral Port for the purpose of procuring arms...I purchased twelve thousand pounds worth with Paper Money on which amount I was allowed five per Cent commission... I was then authorized by Said Hawkins and Col Robert Burton QuarterMaster in the County of Granville to procure horses for the use of the Army by purchase or impressment I was engaged in that service untill August 1780

The Militia of the County was ordered to assemble at the Court House as soon as the Commanding Officer was informed of the Defeat of Gen Gates the Day of the Parade I was presented with a Majors Commission in the Regiment then to be raised We marched off I think in three or four days and got to Salisbury the day after the British Army left it Where we joined Col Davie who had raised a Regiment in that District and took the Command of both Regiments_ I think we remained in Service from the last of August and got home the last of December...about four Months-

Sometime I think in April 1781.. there was an alarm in this County that a Detachment of the British Forces was on their way to Halifax Town in North Carolina, and that Capt John Henderson would take command of those who thought proper to Volunteer their Services for the protection of that place -and would be in Williamsboro for that purpose I repaired there as a Volunteer

for that Service - but when I got there Col Burton the quarter-Master informed me that the Governour of the State was in the neighborhood and wished to get some one who could be depended on to take charge of some dispatches for Gen Green and that he would be glad if I would be the bearer of them I consented to do so if they would let me take two young Men with me which they did, viz Jo Bridges and Thos Allen we set off in a few hours and came up with Gen Green the day he arrived at Ninety Six We had to camp out and graze our horses the greater part of the way, and when we could procure anything for ourselves and horses had to pay for it with our own money..except in a few instances. We remained at Ninety Six some days before Genl Green dismissed us with other dispatches for the Governour of North Carolina We had to share the same hardships on our return that we had to encountered on our way out The distance we went out between 3 & 400 miles and marched the greater part of the way through a Tory or disaffected country I think I was about six months purchasing tobacco and procuring horses and about six months in the army acting as a Field Officer and an Express to Genl Green

I was born in the county of Halifax & State of Virginia on the 27th day of December 1757 as I was informed by my parents At four years of age I am also told by them I was brought by them into the County of Granville & State of North Carolina. I have continued to reside in the same County from that time to the present where I now reside The register of my age is now in my possession I was as above stated a resident of Granville Co. when the several tours of Duty before recited was performed Col Phil Taylor commanded the Regiment of which I was Major and when arrived at Salisbury the Regiment of Taylor and that raised and commanded by Col Davie was commanded by the latter.. I have not seen my commission as Major or as Quartermaster for very many years, and if I can find them they shall be forwarded with this declaration-

I am not apprised that any person is living that can prove my service in purchasing tobacco The purchase and impressment of horses I think I am unable[sic] to prove without much difficulty and labor I am well known in Granville and to Willis P.[Mangum?] Esgr our Senator in Congress and to Genl Micajah T. Hawkins the Representative in Congress from this District whose Certificates I presume will be sufficient to establish my character for veracity-

Subscribed & sworn to in open Court the date above.

[actual signature] Wm Hunt

State of North Carolina Granville County

I Stephen K Sneed Clerk of the Court of Pleas and quarter Sessions for said County & State do hereby certify that Col. William Hunt came into open Court this 6^th day of November 1832 Now Sitting & made oath that the facts stated in the foregoing declaration as of his own Knowledge are true & those [brot?] of his own knowledege he believes to be true

Witness my hand & seal of office at Oxford this 6^th day of November 1832

State of North Carolina Granvile County

I do hereby certify that I have been intimately acquainted with Col William Hunt a resident of the above much named County for many years past & that he is in point of respectability honesty & integrity inferior to no man whatever, given under my hand this 6^th day of Nov 1832 [signed] M. T. Hawkins

Source: National Archives, Washington, D. C., Selected papers from Pension File S7051, to William M. Hunt, Fairport, NY, 1980.

xxxxx

Notes:

1. The file contains a typed letter to Mrs. S. G. Kellum of Wilmington, NC, dated May 9, 1934, from A. D. Miller, Asst. to Administrator, stating, "he was allowed pension on his application...."; "He died March 3, 1833, place not stated."

2. Abstract of Will of William Hunt, proved May Court 1833, Granville County, NC, can be found in Zae Hargett Gwynn, Abstracts of The Wills And Records Of Granville County North Carolina 1808-1833, Vol. II, 1976. Citation: Granville County Will Book 12, pp. 467, 468, 469. Executors were sons Thomas T. Hunt, Memucan Hunt, Maj. William Taylor, son-in-law Edmund Towns.

3. "Col. William Hunt" was a son of Memucan Hunt(1729-1808) and wife Mary Wade(1736-1825)". [B. A. Howard, A Record of the Howard And Hunt Families, from Material Furnished Principally by Memucan H. Howard, published Mayfield KY, 1884]