Bently Outlaw
The State of South Carolina }
Chesterfield District }
On the thirty first day of March in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and forty, personally appeared in open court before the Court of Ordinary now sitting, Bently Outlaw, a resident of Chesterfield District in the State of South Carolina aged eighty nine 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 7, 1832.
That he entered the service of the United States under the following named officers, and served as herein stated. That in the spring of the year, but in what year this deponent does not recollect, he volunteered for three months and served under Captain Elisha McGee and James Holmes, Lieutenant, but the names of other sub?? officers he does not recollect; that he was engaged with Captain McGee’s Company in scouring the country for Tories in the Districts of Chesterfield, Darlington and Sumter and had several skirmishes with the Tories – one on Ham Branch in Chesterfield District when Captain McGee’s Company killed several Tories and dispersed the rest – one on Black Creek Chesterfield District where one Tory was wounded and taken prisoner and another on Black Creek in Darlington District where one Tory named Tomlin was wounded and taken prisoner; That this deponent in Darlington District left Captain McGee’s Company by permission to go to the house of Wm. Welburington ( an old Whig ) to get something to eat; that just as he finished eating a gang of Tories came up and took him prisoner and started with him towards Camden, as they said, to put him in jail; that they permitted him to ride his own mare; that they carried him about two miles and he broke and fled, the Tories pursued but died not fire; this deponent was well acquainted with the woods and knew where to find Captain McGee’s Company; One of the Tories pursued him close up to Captain McGee, the Tory then turned and fled and was so closely, chased by the Whigs that they got his hat, but he escaped; that he served out the three months under Captain McGee.
This deponent further saith that shortly afterwards, but the date he does not recollect he entered the service under Captain John Watts and Lieutenant Evans as a volunteer for six months; that he was engaged during the whole time in scouring the Country for Tories; he served in Chesterfield, Kershaw, Darlington and Sumpter Districts; that they caught some Tories, but killed none.
That he afterwards served under Captain McGee, Captain Alexander McIntosh and Captain John Watts until the end of the War but the precise length of service under each, this deponent does not recollect. The Tories were so bad in the neighborhood where this deponent lived that he dared not remain at home. This deponent was in a skirmish not far from Eutaw Springs under Captain Watts. He says that he is confident he served in the War of the Revolution three years – that he served the whole time as a private and as a volunteer.
This deponent further saith that he was born in Chesterfield District in the State of South Carolina; that he has no record of his age, but believes from the best information he has received that he is of the age above stated; that he is illiterate, can read a little in the testament, but cannot write; that he never received any discharges from the officers under whom he served, and has no documentary evidence of his service; that he resided in Chesterfield District at the time he first entered the service and has resided there ever since; that he knows of no person who can testify to his services, except Ephraim Gandy, Silas Haile and Nat Jones, the latter of whom is over one hundred years old, lives in Kershaw District and is from age and infirmity unable to get to Chesterfield Court House.
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 and subscribed the day } his
and year above mentioned, before me } Bentley X Outlaw
Turner Bryan Judge of Court } mark
of Ordinary Chesterfield District }
Ephraim Ganey personally came before me and being duly sworn according to Law, doth on his oath say, that he knew Bentley Outlaw in the Revolutionary War and has known him ever since; that he was present at the skirmish on Hem Branch stated in the foregoing declaration, that the said Outlaw thence fought on the side of the Whigs, that he saw him several times in the service during the War, that he was always on the side of the Whigs and this deponent has no doubt the said Bently Outlaw served three years as in his declaration he has stated. This deponent lives in Darlington District South Carolina and is himself a Revolutionary Pensioner.
Sworn to and subscribed before } his
me this 31st day of March 1840 } Ephraim X Gandy
Turner Bryan Jude of Court of } mark
Ordinary of Chesterfield District }
Silas Hails personally came before me and being duly sworn according to Law, doth on his oath say, that he did not know Bentley Outlaw, who was subscribed the above declaration personally during the Revolutionary War, but knows that the said Outlaw then had the reputation of being a good soldier and staunch Whig and that he has borne that character ever since. This deponent has no doubt that the said Outlaw is of the age and served as stated in his declaration; this deponent is a Revolutionary Pensioner.
Sworn to before me } his
this 31st March 1840 } Silas X Hails
Turner Bryan Judge of } mark
Court of Ordinary of }
Chesterfield District }
We, Joseph T. Copeland a clergyman residing in Kershaw District and Obadiah Gulledge residing in Chesterfield District, hereby certify, that we are well acquainted with Bentley Outlaw, who has subscribed and sworn to the above Declaration; that we believe him to be eight nine years of age, that he is reputed and believed, in the neighborhood where he resides, to have been a soldier of the Revolution; and that we concur in that opinion.
Sworn to before me }
Turner Bryan } Jas T. Copeland
Judge of the Court of } Obadiah Gulledge
Ordinary Chesterfield District }
And said Turner Bryan Ordinary of Chesterfield District does hereby declare his opinion after the investigation of the matter, and after putting the interrogations prescribed by the War Department that the above named applicant was a Revolutionary Soldier, and served as he States. And the said Ordinary further certifies that it appears to him that Jas T. Copeland who has signed the preceding certificate, is a clergyman, resident in the District of Kershaw and that Obadiah Gulledge who has also signed the same is a resident in the District of Chesterfield and is a credible person and that their statement is entitled to credit.
I do further certify that the foregoing contains the original proceedings of the aforesaid Court of Ordinary in the matter of the application of Bentley Outlaw for a Pension.
In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal, there being seal of office, this twenty eighth day of January in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and forty one.
Turner Bryan, Ordy {Seal}
Chesterfield District
South Carolina }
Chesterfield District }
I, J. C. Craig, Clerk of Court for said district do hereby certify that B. C. Cassidy before whom the foregoing power of attorney was made and who has there unto subscribed his name was at the time of so doing a magistrate in and for said district duly appointed and qualified and that his signature thereto is genuine.
In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my had and seal of office this twenty ninth day of October one thousand eight hundred and fifty two.
- C. Craig, Clerk
Power of Attorney
State of South Carolina }
District of Chesterfield }
SS: be it known that before the subscriber a B. C. Cassidy, Magistrate, personally appeared:
Martha Outlaw age 80 widow
John Outlaw age 60
Nancy Outlaw age 57
Elizabeth Clanton age 55
James Outlaw age 46
(twins) Benjamin Outlaw age 44
Lydia Outlaw age 44
Syntha Johnson age 39 years, who being duly cautioned and then sworn in due form of Law, states that they are the Legal heirs of Bentley Outlaw Sr., who was a Soldier in the Revolution War and that they believe that they are entitled to whatever is due, and that the United States are still indebted to them, under the Law of Congress, for the pension that was due to Bentley Outlaw Sr. and that for the purpose of investigating and establishing their claims as aforesaid they appoint Tully R. Wise, of Washington, DC, their true and lawful attorney with irrevocable powers to examine all papers on file, and to do whatsoever they might do were they personally present to establish their claim. In witness whereof they have on this 23rd day of October 1852, hereunto signed their names and affixed their seals.
Martha (her X mark) Outlaw, widow {LC}
John Outlaw {LC}
Nancy (her X mark) Outlaw {LC}
Elizabeth (her X mark) Clanton {LC}
James Outlaw {LS}
Benjamin Outlaw {LS}
Lydia (her X mark) Outlaw {LS}
Synthia (her X mark) Johnson {LC}
Witness Gilliam (his X mark) King }
Witness M K McCaskill }
Signed sealed acknowledged and sworn to before me; and I further certify that Martha Outlaw, widow, John Outlaw, Nancy Outlaw, Elizabeth Clanton, James Outlaw, Benjamin Outlaw, Lydia Outlaw, Syntha Johnson have always by the community been known as the legal heirs of Bentley Outlaw Sr. dated on this 23rd day of October 1852.
- C. Cassidy, Magistrate
James C. Pigg Note: there are other documents in the file, even another application by Bentley given in Kershaw County before S. P. Murcherson. Bentley Outlaw’s application was rejected “His claim was not allowed as he failed to furnish proof of his service as required by the pension laws.”