JOHN SEE'S PETITION FOR PENSION:

Henry County September term 1832

On this 29th of September in the year 1832 appeared before the Honorable Henry Circuit Court (it being a court of record) in the State of Indiana, John See aged 75 years who being duly sworn according to law deposeth and doth upon his oath make the following declaration in or on/ac to obtain the benefits of the provisions of the act of the 7th of June 1832: That he enlisted in the army of the United States in the year 1776 under Captain Arbuckle in Greenbrier County Virginia for the term of one year for the purpose of defending the western frontier of Virginia from the incursions of the hostile Indians.

He was then marched to the mouth of the Kenhawa where they remained for nearly twelve months and in the meantime they erected a fort at the mouth of the said Kenhaway and was discharged in September 1777 having served one year.

That he thinks it was in the year 1779 he enlisted in the Army of the United States for the term of three years in Bottetourt County Virginia under Captain Lapsely in the 12th Virginia Regiment in General Scott's Brigade, from thence he joined the main army at a place called West Camps in Pennsylvania under the command of General Washington. We then went into winter camp at Valley Forge, at this time your applicant was under the command of Captain Breckenridge, from Valley Forge the main army was marched to Monmouth, New Jersy, where a battle was fought where your applicant engaged with the rest of the army. The army was then marched to White Plains, they re turned to New Jersy and went into winter quarters in Middleboro. During the next winter the army encamped on the North River and your applicant was discharged the next Spring at Camden, South Carolina, having served three years. During this service he was in the battle of Monmouth under General Washington at Stony Point, General Wayne and in Germantown under General Washington and the aforesaid John See, the applicant, relinquished every claim whatsoever to a pension or annuity except the present and he declares that his name is not on the pension roll of any agency in any state or territory in the United States.

Sworn and subscribed in open court this 29th day of Sept. A.D. 1832.

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Witness John Elliott Clk. John X See

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State of Indiana Henry Circuit Court Sept. Term 1832 Henry County

And the said court do hereby declare their opinion that the above named applicant was a Revolutionary Soldier and served as he stated.

Byrone Cadwallerader Judges

John Anderson

I, John Elliott Clerk of the Court of Henry County do hereby certify that the foregoing contains the original proceedings of said Court in the matter of the application of John See for a pension.

SEAL In testimoney whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal of this office this 29th day of September A.D. 1832

Witness John Elliott, Clerk

Further record shows that John See's name was inscribed on the roll of Indiana at a rate eighty dollars per annum to commence on the 4th day of March 1834 when he received arrears and semi-annual allowance to the amount of two hundred dollars.

Evidently John See's memory at 75 was not so reliable as it was earlier. He surely enlisted in 1777 rather than 1779 for the battle of Germantown was fought October 4th, 1777, and General Washington made winter quarters at Valley Forge December 1777.

From his declarations, John See is shown to be one of the sturdy, rugged soldiers who endured all of the hardship, privation, and suffering that dogged the colonial army through the entire war. John See trudged from the mouth of the Kanawha to White Plains, New York and ended his service after a torturous march through the swampland of the south at Camden, South Carolina; the infantry traveled on foot and usually made their way home from point of discharge as best they could.

We are glad to find this record of compensation for his endurance and valor, found in Virginia Military Patent Records Vo. 10, page 206, December 1797. Warrant No. 4833 for 100 acres, land issued to him in consideration for his services for three years as a private in the Virginia Continental Line in the Revolution.

From a book called War 4, page 352, Virginia State Library is another record: John

See's balance of full pay as a sergeant of infantry in the Virginia Line Continental Establishment, amounting to £58-18s 3d. was delivered to George Clendenen.

John See and Margaret, his wife, were residing in Kanawha County in 1809 for they executed many deeds to lands in the county. The U.S. census 1810, Kanawha County lists the John See family of thirteen members, six boys and five girls, two were over 26 years of age and two under ten years.

Other Kanawha County records include: John See sworn in as grand juror January 6, 1795; August 1, 1796, appointed overseer of the road; however, he seemed derelict in civic duty and was indicted for failure to keep roads in repair March 6, 1797; April l4, 1803, John See was named an appraiser of estate of William Morris.

SEE (ZEH) & VAN BIBBER