Name:  John Weeks

State:  North Carolina

Date of Birth: 1750

Service Year:  1778/79 (nine months)

 

State of Tennessee
County of Lincoln

On this 26th day of September 1832 personally appeared in open court before the worshipful the County Court of Lincoln now sitting John Weeks, a resident of said county and state, aged 82 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 Act of Congress passed June 7th 1832.

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That he entered the service of the United States under the following named officers and served as herein stated.

He volunteered as a private soldier in the service in his own county under Capt. Edmund Fanning. He volunteered sometime in the year 1778 or 1779 in North Carolina. He marched from Chatham County to Cross Creek, now Fayetteville, where he joined the British army under Gov. Martin and there remained six or seven weeks. He then marched to Black River in South Carolina against the Tories. Their company remained there about two months. They then returned to Chatham County.

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The British and Tories were then collecting in large bodies and committing depredations on the Whig inhabitants. The company again marched against them. They marched down to Black River and crossed near Elizabeth Town. They were there in several skirmishes with the Tories. He states that they were often in danger from the Tories and British and that the service was severe.

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After remaining there some time they returned again to Chatham County and remained there some months. He afterwards volunteered again under Capt. Fanning and marched against the Tories near Cross Creek. He recollects being in several small engagements though he cannot now state the names of the places.

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He states that while in service he was under the command of Colonel Lytle and Major Ramsey. He says that General Rutherford commanded the militia in that section of the country.

He further states that after the close of the war he lived in Chatham County, North Carolina until about the year 1805 or 1806 when he removed to Tennessee where he has ever since resided.

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In answer to the interrogatories prescribed by the War Department he answers:

1st. He was born in Chatham County, North Carolina in the year 1750 according to information derived from his parents. He has no record of his age.

2nd. He entered the service as above stated.

3rd. He lived in Chatham County when called into service and after the Revolution removed to Tennessee.

4th. The names of some of the officers under whom he served were Capt. Edmund Fanning, Colonel Lytle, Major Ramsey and General Rutherford.

5th. He received no written discharge.

6th. He knows of no clergyman or other person whose testimony he can procure except his own.

He hereby relinquishes every claim whatever to a pension or annuity except the present and declares that his name is not on the pension roll of any state agency.

Sworn to and subscribed the day and year aforesaid.

John (his X mark) Weeks

State of Tennessee }
Perry County }

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On this 24th day of January 1833 personally appeared in open court before the Justices of the County Court for Perry County now sitting John Weeks a resident of said county and state aged 82 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 act of Congress passed June 7th 1832.

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That he entered the service of the United States under the following officers and served as herein stated.

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He volunteered as a soldier in the service in his own county in Virginia in what was then Orange or now Madison County under Capt. Benjamin Cave in the year 1776 or 1777 for the term of three months against the British and Tories. They marched from their place of rendezvous through Fredericksburg and crossed the Potomac at Georgetown and marched through Maryland and Pennsylvania to New Jersey and there joined the army under General Washington. The British army had evacuated Philadelphia before he arrived there. He states he was then under the immediate command of General Scott. He states he was stationed near Brunswick where the British lay and remained there until the expiration of his term and he then returned to Virginia.

 

He states he volunteered again in his own county in Virginia under Capt. Benjamin Cave for the term of three months against the British and Tories. He states he was marched to Williamsburg in Virginia where the British had landed under General Phillips and General Arnold. He states there was much alarm in the country and the militia were called out in every direction. He states he was marched to Williamsburg and remained there until the British left Williamsburg and returned down James River. He states he was in several skirmishes with the British and Tories and was in a battle called the battle of James Town in which many were killed and wounded. He states General Lafayette commanded the American forces.

 

He states he was discharged when the British evacuated Virginia and he returned home.

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He volunteered again in the service under Capt. Benjamin Cave and marched against the British and Tories to the south. They marched through North Carolina and joined General Greene at Guilford Court House. He states he was in the battle at Guilford Court House and after the battle the British retreated towards Wilmington and the American army pursued them. He states he remained in service until after the siege of Ninety Six in South Carolina and was then discharged and returned home.

 

He states he served in all about nine months as a private soldier.

He further states that while in service he was under the command of Colonel Taylor and General Greene and that he was acquainted with General Lafayette and General Scott.

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He was born as he believes in Orange County Virginia in the year 1750. He has no record of his age.  He lived in Orange County Virginia when first called into service and after the Revolution moved to North Carolina and afterwards to Tennessee where he has since resided.

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He has no documentary evidence and knows no person whose testimony he can procure who can testify to his service except [ ].

He hereby relinquishes every claim whatever to a pension or annuity except the present and 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.

his
John X Weeks
mark

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The declaration is followed by supporting testimony from Alt Dabney and Abner Duke attesting to Weeks’s age and reputation as a Revolutionary War soldier. 

 

NOTE: The War Department approved John Weeks’ request for a pension, retroactive to March 4, 1831.   He received it on the week of May 11, 1834.  Weeks died on May 16, 1834. His son notified the Pension Office and requested his father’s back pay up to the day of his death.

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