Declaration of George Bone
State of South Carolina }
Chesterfield District }
On this 21 day of March in the year of our Lord 1837 personally appeared in open court before the Court of Common Pleas and General Sessions now sitting, George Boan a resident of the District and State aforesaid, aged 74 years, who being first and 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.
That he was born in what is now the District of Marlborough in the State aforesaid in January in the year of our Lord 1763, that his age was set down in a Bible given to this deponent by his father when a boy at school – that many leaves of the Bible has since been destroyed, and amongst them that on which his age was written.
That this deponent went into the Revolutionary service in December in the year one thousand seven hundred and seventy eight at which time he volunteered for one month under Captain Tristan Thomas-Stephen Wright orderly sergeant, that he does not recollect the names of the other officers of Captain Thomas’ Company, nor does he know that it was attached to any Battlion or Regiment, but appeared to act alone against the Tories of Marlboro District. That he served the whole month under Captain Thomas but was not in any engagement during the time. At the expiration of the month he returned to his fathers, who shortly afterward removed to Richmond County, NC, taking this deponent with him.
That in March 1779 he was drafted in Richmond County, NC for three months under Captain John Speel, Maj. John Jones, and Col. Thomas Crawford, he does not recollect what the Regiment was called. Before marching they were joined by Col. Wade who took command of the Regiment, he then marched under the said officers from the house of Col. Crawford in Richmond County by way of Gum Swamp to Betties Bridge on Drowning Creek when a number of Tories were there lying under the command of Col. Hector McNeill; the night before we attached them Col. Fanning with a number of Tories joined Col. McNeill. Though the force of Col. Wade was greatly inferior to that of McNeill and Fanning, he made them attach and was completely defeated. In this engagement this deponent received five bullet holes through his coat and had his horse killed under him – at the moment deponents horse fell, a Tory Capt. of horse rode up near him and ordered him to surrender, deponents’ gun was loaded and shot the Captain and made his escape upon his horse – That he was out in this tour the whole three months for which he was drafted.
That some time afterwards he volunteered under the same officers (except Col. Wade) Col. Thomas Crawford having the command and marched from Pee Dee River in Richmond County, to near Wilmington, NC, in order to join Gen. Rutherford’s Army intending to assist him in driving the British who had possession of Wilmington from the town. When Col. Crawford arrived near Wilmington he found that Gen. Rutherford’s Army was on the opposite side of the river and that he (Col. Crawford) could not cross. The night after Col. Crawford arrived near the Town, the British marched out and crossed the river toward Col. Crawford’s Camp, who immediately retreated a few miles. The next day Gen. Rutherford took possession of the Town and this deponent returned home with Col. Crawford’s Regiment having served four months in this tour – making in the whole a service of eight months in the militia.
That he never received any discharge – that he lived in Richmond County, NC from the time his father settled there as above stated until 1831. In January 1831 he removed to Marlboro District in SC and resided there until February 1832, when he removed to Chesterfield District where he now resides. This deponent does not know or recollect of any of his companions in arms who are now alive having lately learned that Aaron Knight who lived in the State of Georgia and Moses Knight who lived in Richmond County, NC, are both dead. He hereby relinquishes every claim whatsoever 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 in Open Court the } George Boan
day and year above written }
J.T. Richardson }
Associated Judge}
We John Parker, S.H. Parker and Hugh Craig of said District of Chesterfield hereby certify that we are acquainted with George Bone, who has subscribed and sworn to the above declaration, that we believe him to be 74 years of age, that he is reputed and believed in the neighborhood where he resides and is generally believed to have been a soldier of the Revolution and that we concur in that opinion and that he is entitled to credit.
Sworn to and subscribed in Open Court } John Parker
the day and year above written } Stephen H. Parker
Hugh Craig
And the said Court do hereby certify and declare their opinion after the investigation of the matter, and after putting the interogations prescribed by the War Department that the above named applicant was a Revolutionary Soldier, and served as he states. And the Court further certifies that it appears to them that John Parker, Stephen H. Parker, and Hugh Craig who have signed the preceeding certificate are residents in the District of Chesterfield, SC, and are credible persons and that their statement is entitled to credit.
J.S. Richardson
Associate Judge
25th March 1837
I John Craig Esquire Clerk of the Court of Common Pleas and General Sessions in and for the District of Chesterfield, do hereby certify that the foregoing contains the original proceedings of the said Court, in the matter of the application of George Boan for a pension.
In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal of office
This twenty first day of March in the year of our Lord 1837.
John Craig, CCD
Georgia }
Dekalb County }
Personally appeared before me H.B. (?) a Justice of the peace in and for said County Aaron Knight who being sworn saith that he knew Lewis Bone of Marlboro District in SC from the commencement to the close of the Revolution struggle and that he the said Lewis Boan served under the command of Major Robert Loyd, Capt. Henry Counsel, Leut. Henry Goodman and Lent Triston Thomas and that the said Baon marched from the above mentioned District to Seawee Bay and thence to Hederals Point thence to James Island and that he the said Bone there received his discharge, this deponent further saith that George Boan of the District and State aforesaid did serve with this deponent in the Revolutionary War – this deponent further says that the above mentioned were to his knowledge true Whigs throughout the struggle.
Sworn to and subscribed
before me this the 10th Feb 1833 Aaron Knight
H.B. Lattiner JP
In a letter to Mr. Sherman Bone of Atlanta, GA dated May 25, 1839 A.D. Hiller Exec. Assistant to the Administrator stated that:
Goerge Boan or Bone died sometime in August 1845, survived by his widow, Penelope, who died about 1847, no details given in regard to their marriage, or to Penelope. The following children also survived their parents, George and Penelope Boan: Martha Stogner who, in 1856, was living in Chesterfield District SC, and John W. Bone, who was then still living but no details stated in regard to him.
Chesterfield Court House
May 3rd 1837
J.J. Edwards Esquire
Sir, early in the year of 1834 George Boan applied to me to purpose his declaration in order to obtain a Pension under the Act of June 7th 1832. I then proposed his declaration and instructed him to attend at March Court (1834) with a clergyman and one or two respectable citizens who would give the certificate required in the instruction from the Department and with such other proof of service as he could get .
He did not attend. He afterward applied to me to propose his declaration again stating as his reason for not attending that he could not get the individuals upon whose certificates he depended to attend at the time appointed, but thought that he could prove the ? Certificate by the next Court after this second application to me, this was in 1836. He failed to attend again. But meeting with him afterwards he mentioned the subject of his declaration and I absolutely refused to have anything further to do with the matter, as I had been at considerable trouble and he had wholly neglected the matter.
He stated that he had failed to attend because he could not prove the attendance of any clergyman who could give the requisite certificate and that he understood from what I had said that the certificates of a clergyman was absolutely necessary – this was in the early part of this year and I proposed the declaration which was sent to you believing that his failures had provided from the facts stated by him and knowing that I had instructed him to provide the certificate of a clergyman. As regards the certificate of Aaron Knight – I am informed it was taken at the instance of the brother of this applicant who has been sometime dead. Aaron Knight lived in Georgia at the time of giving the certificate forwarded to you. I know nothing of him myself but I know he has the character in this community of a man of truth and of having been a Revolutionary Soldier. I am informed that Aaron Knight and Moses Knight are both now dead.
The facts here stated with regards (part torn out) the times of preparing the sworn declarations for the said George I am able to say in Court having prepared the two first and having these now before me.
Hoping the above may be satisfactory. I am to your obedient servant
W.J. Hanna
Mr. Boan lives at some distance from this place I do not know when I shall see him – Please inform me whether the above is satisfactory.
W.J.H.