From
County Court Minute Book “Q” p. 185-188
Transcribed
by Don Detwiler
On this 23rd day of January in the year of
our Lord 1823, personally appeared in open court, the court of pleas and quarter
session for the county of Rutherford and state of Tennessee, the same being a
court of record, John Jack, aged sixty nine years and a resident in said county
of Rutherford who having first duly sworn according to law, doth on his oath
make the following declaration, in order to obtain the provisions made by the
Act of Congress of the 18th of March 1818, and of the 1st
of May 1820, that the said John Jack enlisted for the term of three years in the
fall of the year 1776 in the state of Virginia, in the company commanded by
Capt. Bard, in the regiment commanded by Col. Elbert, in the line of the state
of Georgia on the continental establishment, that he continued to serve in said
corps until Savanah(sic) was captured when and where he was taken a prisoner of
war & put on board the British prison ship “Betsy”, then by consent of
the captain of said prison ship was allowed to go on board a British privateer
to help her to weigh anchor, most of her crew having deserted, which vessel took
him to Sandy Hook, where he was pressed on board the British sloop of war,
“Hunter”, then put on board the “Volunteer”, British sloop of war, then
sailed up the North River, then was put on board the “Rainbow”, man of war,
about the time of Gen’l Arnold;s defection, from which vessel he deserted at
the eastern end of Long Island, went to the City of New York, there apprehended
as a British deserter and compelled to return on board the ship from which he
deserted or to enlist as a soldier in the 84th Regiment of the
British Army, , which last alternative he prefered(sic) & embraced with the
British army & landed at Suffolk in Virginia, where on the second night he
deserted & joined the army of his own country, then commanded by General
Eaton who gave him permission to go to North Carolina in Nov. 1781 that he was
in a battle at Fredrica Island, he was in the battles of Amelia Island and
Midway Meeting House and at the capture of Savannah, and that he has no other
evidence now in his possession of his said service excepting his own oath and
affidavit of Thomas Williams, he made a personal declaration on the 28th
of August 1820, and in pursuance of the Act of 1st of May 1820.
I
solemnly swear that I was a resident citizen of the United States on the 18th
day of March 1818 and that I have not since that time by gife, sale, or in any
manner disposed of any property or any part thereof with intent so to diminish
it, as to bring myself within the provisions of an Act of Congress entitled an
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 nor has any person in trust for me, any property or
securities, or tracts or deb ts due to me, not have I any income other than what
is contained in the schedule herein annexed & by me subscribed, having “?ola”,
his Negro man mentioned in a former declaration for two hundred and fifty
dollars, all of which he had expended for necessary support excepting one
hundred and fifty dollars which he had not yet received.
Schedule
of John Jack’s property, one debt due him of $150.
John Jack
His
occupation is that of a silk weaver & for want of employment in that branch
of business as also from his grand infirmity of mind & body, he cannot
pursue his business so as to make a necessary maintenance and he had no wife or
children living.
Sworn
to in open court
John Jack
B.
Coleman, Clk
The court are of opinion that the property exhibited in the above schedule is worth one hundred and fifty dollars & ordered so to be certified.
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Rutherford County Archives, County Courthouse, Suite 301, Murfreesboro, TN 37130