Southern Campaign American Revolution Pension Statements

Pension application of Moses Stepp (Stipp) S15655 fn46NC/SC

Transcribed by Will Graves

State of Kentucky, Pike County

On this 26th day of November 1833 personally appeared before the Justices of the Pike County Court Moses Stepp a resident of Kentucky in the County of Pike aged 76 years who being first duly sworn according to law – doth on his oath make the following declaration in order to obtain the benefit of the provision made by the act of Congress passed June 7th 1832. That he enlisted in the Army of the United States in the year 1778 under the following named officers and served as herein stated. He first enlisted in State troops of North Carolina in the year 1778 in the month of May under Captain Whitson and Lieutenant Morgan in Burke County and served a tour of eight months in Fort Kider His Colonel was Charles McDowell Captain Whitson and Captain White went to the head of Catawba River to extricate the women and children who were hemmed up by the Indians and as they returned with the women and children they had an engagement with the Indians in which Captain Whitson and Captain White were both wounded Captain Whitson recovered and Captain White died of his wounds in this applicant was left to guard the Fort whilst Whitson and White were gone after the women and children.

At the end of eight months he got a discharge which has since been lost but who it was signed by he cannot recollect and then he went home to the County of Burke State of North Carolina his former place of residence.

His Second term of Service was as a volunteer under Captain Joseph White and Colonel Joseph McDowell. We convened at Davidson's Fort at the head of Catawba River and were marched to the Tennessee River against the Cherokee Indians we killed 4 Indians and wounded another so that we supposed he died we got his blanket with a bullet hole in it and blood on it none of our company were killed or wounded and after being out about four weeks, he returned home to Burke County State of North Carolina. In his third tour of Service he enlisted under Lieutenant John Sumpter for a 10 months tour under General Thomas Sumpter [sic, Thomas Sumter] and he marched on and joined head quarters on the Congaree River at a place called Anchroms [sic, Ancrum's] fine house. His Captain was John McKiney. From thence we marched to a place called Brown's old field and continued there till the battle of Eutaw Springs commenced General Sumter left Lieutenant Sumter and 12 or 15 men to take care of the baggage among whom this applicant was one General Sumter and the balance went on to we remained with the baggage wagon until General Sumter's return from Eutaw which was in about two weeks as well as he can recollect General Sumter then sent out a proclamation offering pardon to such of the Americans as had joined the British Standard provided that he would return and leave the British Service.

General Sumter then sent Major William Buford with about 100 men among whom was this applicant Lieutenant Twitty and Lieutenant Roberson was also along and Captain Ross against the Tories. General Sumter's orders were to take no prisoners but to kill the Tories we marched on from Brown's old field to the Santee Swamps we killed about 24 Tories in the route and after being gone about five or six weeks we returned to Brown's old fields I was discharged in the following year by a lieutenant whose name he has forgotten at General Thomas Sumter's mill on the Santee which discharge has been lost, his memory is much shattered and he cannot recollect positively as to time. He hereby relinquishes every claim whatever to a pension or an annuity except the present and he declares that his name is not on the pension Roll of the agency of any State. Sworn to and subscribed the day and year aforesaid.

S/ Moses Stepp, X his mark

Questions by the Court

1st When and in what year were you born? Ans: I was Born in Orange County Virginia in the year 1763

2nd Have you any record of your age and if so where is it? Ans: I have not, and only know by tradition

3rd Where were you living when called into service: where have you lived since the Revolutionary War and where do you now live?

Ans:I was living in Burke County North Carolina I removed to South Carolina on Tugaloo River & from thence to Russell Virginia and from thence to this County and have lived here the last seven years in Pike County Kentucky

4th How were you called into service; were you drafted; did you volunteer or were you a substitute, and if in substitute, for whom?

Ans: Enlisted under Captain Thomas Whitson for eight months & then volunteered about four weeks under Captain Joseph White & Joseph McDowell Colonel and came home & then under John Sumter. I enlisted for ten months.

5th State the names of some of the regular officers who were with the troops when you served, such Continental and militia regiments as you can recollect and the general circumstances of your service.

Ans: I recollect Colonel McDowell, General Greene, General Sumter, Colonel Wade Hampton, Major William Buford, Captain John McKinzie, Lieutenant John Sumter and many others, he states that he enlisted as a common Soldier for eight months as a volunteer for weeks & enlisted 10 months under Captain Sumter against the British and Eutaw Battle and other tours against the Indians all in the year 1778, 1779 & 1780 and then he was discharged.

6th State the names of persons to whom you are known in your present neighborhood and who can testify as to your character for veracity and their belief in your services as a soldier in the revolution.

Ans: Thomas Bevins, John Bevins, John Diskens, Richard Kuzer[?] & James Jackson.

7th Did you ever receive a discharge from the service, and if so, by whom was it given and what has become of it?

Ans: I did all except the four weeks tour Thomas Whitson gave me a discharge for the eight month & a Lieutenant for the 10 months whose name I do not recollect all of which is lost.

The Deposition of James Jackson taken before me the undersigned a Justice of the peace in and for the County of Pike and State of Kentucky in relation to the service of Moses Stepp an old Revolutionary Soldier doth on his oath make the following statement, That he is well acquainted with said Moses Stepp and has been before and since the Revolutionary War. That he enlisted and served about eight months. He turned out a volunteer and went out against the Cherokee Indians under Captain Joseph White. He was absent (as I understand from my neighbors & he lived quite close to me. On a 10 months tour having enlisted under Lieutenant Sumter and he was under the command of General Thomas Sumter.

S/ James Jackson, X his mark

State of Kentucky, Pike County

The Deposition of Joseph Ford taken before me the undersigned Justice of the peace in and for said County and State of Kentucky in relation to the Service of Moses Stepp and old revolutionary Soldier doth on his oath state that he has been acquainted with him and further States, that he was acquainted with him during his Service under Captain Thomas Whitson and that they served together eight months& he believes to the best of my knowledge he served under Captain Joseph White.

S/ Joseph Ford, X his mark

[Harrold Johnson, a clergyman, and John Bevins gave the standard supporting affidavit.]

[Applicant was living in Floyd County Kentucky in April 1855 when he applied for an increase in his pension