Historical Background
As I pondered the idea of one day assembling a complete narrative for the 1st and 2nd North Carolina Continental Line, focusing on the men serving in the same battles our Carter and Perkins ancestors fought, my mind drifted to their common denominator: military pension application files. For those I have already transcribed, each veteran had received their pension on the merit of having served for the minimum time prescribed (at least nine months), but had not necessarily been wounded in battle. Their maladies were related to their current state of indigence, and a grateful country's financial response.
Below you will find a listing of several online resources offering the basic guidelines for the military pension application:
For a more comprehensive treatment of the topic, the book entitled, The History of Military Pension Legislation in the United States, by William Henry Glasson, can be found at Archive.org. The book can be viewed online or a PDF version can be downloaded to your computer. Always make sure you save it to a file where you can find it easily when needed.
Update: The North Carolina Continentals
I am currently reading this book during lunch breaks at my day job, and have nearly completed Chapter One: War Comes to North Carolina. I am focusing on any pertinent information that would help me develop a true picture of news developments my husband's ancestors were privilege to, as well as their first-person military experience in the battles mentioned in their pension files.
So far I have read about the formation of county Committees of Safety, how news of Lexington and Concord arrived to the people of Craven County, raising the brigade, and the uniforms and provisions prescribed for local militia and the Continental Line. The detail offered is outstanding, and I would highly recommend this book for anyone searching for details of their ancestor's North Carolina Revolutionary War experience.
In addition to the author's description, the footnotes prove a very good source for tracing the author's critique back to the original sources.
Back to the Pension Application: A Land Indenture
When I first began reading this land indenture, the memory of having read it prior to obtaining this file sprang forth. I had photocopied the certified copy of this indenture from the volumes at Craven County Register of Deeds several years ago. So, I checked my family surname binders and located the document. I noticed that I had neglected to cite the volume number on the back of the photocopies.
Craven County Register of Deeds Staff have always been wonderful in answering my queries, so I emailed them the pertinent details of the document and the page numbers which appeared in the upper corners of the pages. I also attached the pages of the indenture from the pension file.
The very next day, Michelle Toth, the Assistant Register of Deeds, emailed her reply. In addition to the question of which volume these pages appear, I had also wondered about a difference in the dates posted on the certified copy obtained at the Register of Deeds and the copy found within the pension file. The former copy stated,
With that information, I will transcribe the derivation below, making any significant differences between it and the copy in brackets as such: [ ].
TRANSCRIPTION: Vol. 47, pp.16 & 17
This Indenture made and Executed this 30th [3rd] day
of January 1827. Between Isaac Perkins of the
State of North Carolina and County of Craven
of the One part, and Isaac Carter of the State and
County aforesaid, of the other part, Witnesseth that
I the said Isaac Perkins, do for and in Consideration
of the Sum of Fifty dollars to me in hand paid by
the said Isaac Carter at and before the sealing and
delivery of this [these] presents the receipt whereof I do
hereby acknowledge [whereof is hereby acknowledged]
have given, granted, bargained
sold, released and confirmed enfeeoffed[1], and do
and by this presants [these presents] give grant bargain sell release
and confirm enfeeoff, &, I ----- [ ] the said Isaac Carter
his heirs and assigns forever a certain piece or
parcel of Land situated in the state and County
aforesaid on the south side of Neuse River and on the
head of Handcocks Creek. Beginning at a Gum on
the West side of Mococks branch John Whiteheads
corner, running thence with Whiteheads line So 45 Wst
108 poles to a pine in his other patent line, thence
with the said line South 140 poles to a pine at the
pocoson [interlined in derivative: side, then with the various courses of the pocoson] South Easterly 128 poles to a pine at the
No. 15 Et. 24 poles to a pine, then No. 48 Et. 22 poles to a
pine in the Pocoson. then No. 2 Wt. 60 poles to a pine
near the head of Mococks branch. thence with the said
branch to the beginning. Estimate to contain One
hundred and fifty Acres more or less, which was
granted by Patent to the said Isaac Perkins, dated
the 15th decr 1814 To have and to hold with all
and singular the previlidges [privileges] and profits thereinto [thereunto]
belonging or in any wise appertaining to the only
proper use and behoof of him the said Isaac Carter
his heirs and assigns for ever, and the said Isaac
Perkins do for myself my heirs Executors or Admin
istrators, covenant and agree to the Warrant and defend
above described tract or parcel of Land free and
clear of any person claiming any right or title thereto
by through or under me, my Heirs Executors and Adminis
trators or Assigns, and no further to him the said
Isaac Carter his heirs and assigns forever.
In Witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand
and affixed my seal, the day and date first above
his
Written Isaac X Perkins
Signed sealed and mark
delivered in presants [presence]
of us---
Attest Joseph Physioc
William Simpson
State of North Carolina )
December 12th 1829 )
This was the execution of the foregoing Deed acknowledged
before me in due form of Law, by Isaac Perkins the Bargainer
Let it be registered
J R Donnell J.S.L.D.C.
NOTE: I am unable to find the meaning of JR Donnell's credential. On this derivative it appears to be "JSLDC," yet on the copy it appears to be "J.S.L.H.E." Please contact me if you have knowledge of this credential and its meaning.
I Borthick C Gillespie Register of the County
of Craven in the State of North Carolina
certify the foregoing to be a true copy from
the Records of said County book No. 47 folio 16&c
December 15th 1829) B. C. Gillespie Regr )
State of North Carolina )
Craven County )
I James G Stanly Clerk
of the Court of Pleas and Quarter Sessions of
Craven County hereby certify that Bortherick
C. Gillespie Esquire is Register of Craven County
and the foregoing is his signature
In testimony whereof I hereunto
set my hand, and affix my seal
of said Court at New Bern, this
17th Day of December A.D. 1829
J G Stanly Clerk
 |
| Watercolor painting by Charles M. Lefferts Courtesy of Wikipedia.org |
As I pondered the idea of one day assembling a complete narrative for the 1st and 2nd North Carolina Continental Line, focusing on the men serving in the same battles our Carter and Perkins ancestors fought, my mind drifted to their common denominator: military pension application files. For those I have already transcribed, each veteran had received their pension on the merit of having served for the minimum time prescribed (at least nine months), but had not necessarily been wounded in battle. Their maladies were related to their current state of indigence, and a grateful country's financial response.
Below you will find a listing of several online resources offering the basic guidelines for the military pension application:
- Follow the Money: Tracking Revolutionary War Army Pension Payments, by Claire Prechtel-Kluskens. National Archives, Prologue Magazine, Winter 2008, Vol. 40, No. 4
- Revolutionary War Pension Files, Including Bounty-Land Warrant Application Files, M804, Fold3.com
- Pensions Enacted by Congress for American Revolutionary War Veterans, Rootsweb.Ancestry.com. Taken verbatim from GenForum-Genealogy.com message board: American Revolution Pension Acts, Message #3250, "Dead Wrong about Pension Acts," by Ed.
- Revolutionary War 1776-1783: Pensions, by Jeannette Holland Austin
- Revolutionary War: Classes of Revolutionary pensioners, USGenWeb Archives: Pensions Project. Source: Sprague's Journal of Maine History, Vol. V, November, December, January 1917-18, No. 4, pp. 191-193.
For a more comprehensive treatment of the topic, the book entitled, The History of Military Pension Legislation in the United States, by William Henry Glasson, can be found at Archive.org. The book can be viewed online or a PDF version can be downloaded to your computer. Always make sure you save it to a file where you can find it easily when needed.
Update: The North Carolina Continentals
I am currently reading this book during lunch breaks at my day job, and have nearly completed Chapter One: War Comes to North Carolina. I am focusing on any pertinent information that would help me develop a true picture of news developments my husband's ancestors were privilege to, as well as their first-person military experience in the battles mentioned in their pension files.
So far I have read about the formation of county Committees of Safety, how news of Lexington and Concord arrived to the people of Craven County, raising the brigade, and the uniforms and provisions prescribed for local militia and the Continental Line. The detail offered is outstanding, and I would highly recommend this book for anyone searching for details of their ancestor's North Carolina Revolutionary War experience.
In addition to the author's description, the footnotes prove a very good source for tracing the author's critique back to the original sources.
Back to the Pension Application: A Land Indenture
When I first began reading this land indenture, the memory of having read it prior to obtaining this file sprang forth. I had photocopied the certified copy of this indenture from the volumes at Craven County Register of Deeds several years ago. So, I checked my family surname binders and located the document. I noticed that I had neglected to cite the volume number on the back of the photocopies.
Craven County Register of Deeds Staff have always been wonderful in answering my queries, so I emailed them the pertinent details of the document and the page numbers which appeared in the upper corners of the pages. I also attached the pages of the indenture from the pension file.
The very next day, Michelle Toth, the Assistant Register of Deeds, emailed her reply. In addition to the question of which volume these pages appear, I had also wondered about a difference in the dates posted on the certified copy obtained at the Register of Deeds and the copy found within the pension file. The former copy stated,
This Indenture made and executed this 3rd day of January 1827 between Isaac Perkins...and Isaac Carter....while the pension file's copy stated,
This Indenture made and Executed this 30th day of January 1827. Between Isaac Perkins...and Isaac Carter....The handwritten copy of the original, is written in a different hand that the derivative, and the format of the latter differs as well in both style, spelling and punctuation. I had asked the Register of Deeds which would be the most reliable, and she responded that the copy found in their office would be the more precise.
With that information, I will transcribe the derivation below, making any significant differences between it and the copy in brackets as such: [ ].
TRANSCRIPTION: Vol. 47, pp.16 & 17
 |
| Image 16/35 |
of January 1827. Between Isaac Perkins of the
State of North Carolina and County of Craven
of the One part, and Isaac Carter of the State and
County aforesaid, of the other part, Witnesseth that
I the said Isaac Perkins, do for and in Consideration
of the Sum of Fifty dollars to me in hand paid by
the said Isaac Carter at and before the sealing and
delivery of this [these] presents the receipt whereof I do
hereby acknowledge [whereof is hereby acknowledged]
have given, granted, bargained
sold, released and confirmed enfeeoffed[1], and do
and by this presants [these presents] give grant bargain sell release
and confirm enfeeoff, &, I ----- [ ] the said Isaac Carter
his heirs and assigns forever a certain piece or
parcel of Land situated in the state and County
aforesaid on the south side of Neuse River and on the
head of Handcocks Creek. Beginning at a Gum on
the West side of Mococks branch John Whiteheads
corner, running thence with Whiteheads line So 45 Wst
108 poles to a pine in his other patent line, thence
with the said line South 140 poles to a pine at the
pocoson [interlined in derivative: side, then with the various courses of the pocoson] South Easterly 128 poles to a pine at the
No. 15 Et. 24 poles to a pine, then No. 48 Et. 22 poles to a
pine in the Pocoson. then No. 2 Wt. 60 poles to a pine
near the head of Mococks branch. thence with the said
branch to the beginning. Estimate to contain One
hundred and fifty Acres more or less, which was
granted by Patent to the said Isaac Perkins, dated
 |
| Image 17/35 |
and singular the previlidges [privileges] and profits thereinto [thereunto]
belonging or in any wise appertaining to the only
proper use and behoof of him the said Isaac Carter
his heirs and assigns for ever, and the said Isaac
Perkins do for myself my heirs Executors or Admin
istrators, covenant and agree to the Warrant and defend
above described tract or parcel of Land free and
clear of any person claiming any right or title thereto
by through or under me, my Heirs Executors and Adminis
trators or Assigns, and no further to him the said
Isaac Carter his heirs and assigns forever.
In Witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand
and affixed my seal, the day and date first above
his
Written Isaac X Perkins
Signed sealed and mark
delivered in presants [presence]
of us---
Attest Joseph Physioc
William Simpson
State of North Carolina )
December 12th 1829 )
This was the execution of the foregoing Deed acknowledged
before me in due form of Law, by Isaac Perkins the Bargainer
Let it be registered
J R Donnell J.S.L.D.C.
_________
NOTE: I am unable to find the meaning of JR Donnell's credential. On this derivative it appears to be "JSLDC," yet on the copy it appears to be "J.S.L.H.E." Please contact me if you have knowledge of this credential and its meaning.
_________
 |
| Image 18/35 |
of Craven in the State of North Carolina
certify the foregoing to be a true copy from
the Records of said County book No. 47 folio 16&c
December 15th 1829) B. C. Gillespie Regr )
State of North Carolina )
Craven County )
I James G Stanly Clerk
of the Court of Pleas and Quarter Sessions of
Craven County hereby certify that Bortherick
C. Gillespie Esquire is Register of Craven County
and the foregoing is his signature
In testimony whereof I hereunto
set my hand, and affix my seal
of said Court at New Bern, this
17th Day of December A.D. 1829
J G Stanly Clerk
________________
[1] enfeoff, trans. vb. (en fef): (Law) property law (a person) with possession of a freehold estate in land. Collins English Dictionary. To put into possession of land in exchange for a pledge of service.
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