Aaron Arnold Pension Declaration

State of Tennessee
Perry County

On this 22nd day of October 1834 personally appeared before me Francis Dougherty, an acting Justice of the Peace in and for the county aforesaid, Aaron Arnold, a resident of the county of Perry and State of Tennessee, aged about eighty-six 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 about the year 1782 and served in the regiment [the number of the regiment he cannot remember] of the North Carolina Line, under the following named officers.

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He was marched into service from Hillsboro in the county of Orange where he enlisted, by Captain Tanner (or Tennor) who proceeded with the troops enlisted at that place to Beacons Bridge [possibly “Bacon’s Bridge”] at which place, after our arrival at the bridge, we were placed under the command of Captain Hall and Colonel Archibald Lytle took command of us while at the bridge.

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I was confined to my bed with indisposition while in camp at the bridge. The time we remained there I do not remember precisely, I think I remained there six months or perhaps longer. The troops that were stationed at this place were kept there for the purpose of being ready to march against the British as their movements should render it necessary, but Cornwallis having surrendered it checked the British so that they were not so hostile and terrible in their attacks upon the Americans.

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After I was enlisted at Hillsboro in the county of Orange by one Alec Kinn[?], we remained there three or four weeks before we marched to Beacons Bridge under Captain Tanner.

General Greene was our commander in chief in the southern army. General Washington was with us a short time at Beacons Bridge but was passing from place to place so that he was not with us long at a time.

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There were no battles during my term of service which was seven months.  I entered the service in the month of May and retired about Christmas following, 1782.

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The troops that were stationed at Beacons Bridge marched to Wilmington and I was unable to march with them being little sick, and Colo. Lytle gave me directions to return to Hillsboro, as I was unable to march with the army to Wilmington. I did so and set out for Hillsboro and could only travel five or six miles per day.

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I never received any written discharge because I could not proceed with the army to the place where they were disbanded. The eighteen months men were ordered out about this time.

I have no record of my age. My father had one but it got lost.

I hereby relinquish every claim to a pension or annuity except the present and I declare that my name is not on the pension roll or agency of any State.

Aaron (his mark) Arnold

Sworn to and subscribed the day and year aforesaid before me an acting Justice of the Peace and one of the Justices of the Court of Pleas and Quarter Sessions of Perry County, the same being a court of record.

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Francis Dougherty

And I do hereby declare my opinion that the above-named applicant was a Revolutionary soldier and served as he states. And I do further state the applicant is so old and infirm that he is unable to attend court without great risk or inconvenience, that he is confined closely at home by his infirmities.

Francis Dougherty, J.P.

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Clerk’s Certification

I Jesse Taylor, clerk of the Court of Pleas and Quarter Sessions for the County of Perry in the State of Tennessee, do hereby certify that Francis Dougherty, whose name is annexed to the within proceeding, is and was at the time of signing the same an acting Justice of the Peace for said county of Perry and one of the Justices of the Court of Pleas and Quarter Sessions of said county, and that the signature annexed is his genuine signature and that full faith and credit are entitled to his official acts.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand and affixed my seal of office at Perryville on this 30th day of November 1834.

Jesse Taylor
Clerk of Perry County

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North Carolina Certification

State of North Carolina
Secretary of State’s Office

I William Hill, Secretary of State in and for the State aforesaid, do certify that it appears from the muster rolls of the Continental Line of this State in the Revolutionary War, that Aaron Arnold, a private in Captain Hall’s company of the 10th Regiment, entered the service on the 1st day of April 1782 for the term of 12 months, that nothing more is said of him on said rolls.

Given under my hand this 6th day of March 1835.

Wm. Hill

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Pension Office Abstract

Aaron Arnold of Perry County, Tennessee, who was a private in the company commanded by Captain Tanner of the regiment commanded by Colonel Lytle in the North Carolina Line for seven months.

Inscribed on the Roll of West Tennessee at the rate of $23.33 per annum, to commence on the 4th day of March 1831.

Certificate of Pension issued the 13th day of March 1835 and sent to Hon. M. C. Dunlap, Bolivar, Tennessee.

Arrears to the 4th of March 1835: $93.33
Semi-annual allowance ending Sept. 1835: $16.66
Total: $110.00

Recorded by D. Brown
Book E-2, Vol. 7, Page 81

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Genealogical Notes

Several points are useful genealogically:

• Aaron Arnold was about age 86 in October 1834, suggesting birth circa 1748.

• He resided in Perry County, Tennessee, in 1834.

• He stated he enlisted at Hillsboro, Orange County, North Carolina.

• His service associates included:

  • Captain Tanner/Tennor

  • Captain Hall

  • Colonel Archibald Lytle

  • General Nathanael Greene

• The file confirms service tied to the North Carolina Continental Line, specifically Captain Hall’s Company, 10th Regiment.

• Jesse Taylor, clerk of Perry County, is the same local official often encountered in Perry County records of this era.

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