Jane Strother, widow of George Strother
State of South Carolina }
Chesterfield District }
On the this seventeenth day of February in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and forty one, personally appeared before me Turner Bryan Esquire Judge of the Court of Ordinary in and for the District of Chesterfield in the State of South Carolina, Jane Strother (otherwise called Janet Strawther) a resident of the said District of Chesterfield, in the State aforesaid, aged seventy three years on the third day of March last, who being first duly sworn according to law, doth on her oath, make the following Declaration in order to obtain the benefit of the act of Congress in such case made and provided: That she is the widow of George Strawther, who was born as appears by an entry in a family bible now in possession of this deponent which entry is in the hand writing of the said George, on the eleventh day of September in the year of our Lord seventeen hundred and sixty three and who served in the war of the Revolution both as a Private and officer, as follows, to wit: The said George Strawther, as the deponent has been informed I believe was born in the city of Charleston, South Carolina, and resided there at the commencement of the Revolution, that he entered the service, as she has been informed and believes, as a Private and as a volunteer when the British began to gather about to threaten Charleston which must have been in January or February seventeen hundred and eighty (see 2 Ramsars History, United States, 333) for she does not believe he could have been old enough to have taken up arms when Sir Peter Parker attacked Sullivans Island in June seventeen hundred and seventy six, but at what precise time he entered the service or under what officers he served she _____ ______ to state, she has often heard her said husband shay that he was taken prisoner when the British took possession of Charleston and was permitted to lease Charleston on Parole; she further saith that she has been informed and believes that her aforesaid husband, after leaving Charleston went to the District of Chesterfield where his brother William then lived, but on reaching Chesterfield he found that his brother had gone to Virginia; that the said George went to his brother in Virginia but whether he performed any service there she does not know; that he returned from Virginia a short time after the British left the place now called Cheraw which she thinks was about May of June seventeen hundred and eighty one (2 Ramsar’s History US 432); she believes that very shortly after his return he again entered the service, as she believes, as a Private, under Captain Thomas Ellerbe the father of this deponent, but whether he was drafted or volunteered she can’t say, nor can she name the other officers under whom he served nor the length of time he served in this tour, but she believes two months; she cannot say how many tours her said husband served as a private but believes he served two or three tours under her father the said Captain Thomas Ellerbe before he was promoted to a Lieutenant; she further saith that on the third day of March in the year seventeen hundred and eighty two, the said George Strawther was commissioned by General Fellaion? second Lieutenant of Captain Ellerbe’s Company in Col. Benton’s Regiment as appears by the Commission itself herewith forwarded; she further saith that she has been informed and believes that her said husband served in the war of the Revolution as second Lieutenant in her father’s company and that he served under the command of General Marion, but how long he served she does not know nor can she state the particulars of his service; she believes she can with safety say that he served half his time from the time he returned from Virginia as above stated until he was married to this deponent. She does not believe that he served after his marriage; she further declares that she was married to the said George Strawther on the twelfth day of December Seventeen hundred and eighty two at her father’s house in Chesterfield District by the Rev. Joshua Lewis a Baptist preacher who then lived in what is now Marlborough District and who died there upwards of twenty years ago and whose wife shortly after his death moved to the western country – she has no record of her marriage except that entered in the Bible aforesaid by her aforesaid husband, but that the intended marriage was published in the Church previous to its solemnization nor has she any other documentary evidence to the service of her aforesaid husband than the Commission aforesaid; she further declares that her aforesaid husband George Strawther died on the sixteenth day of July in the year eighteen hundred and twelve and that she has remained a widow nor since that period as will more fully appear by the proof hereto annexed.
Sworn to and subscribed the day and year }
above written before me } Janet Strother
Turner Bryant, Ordinary of }
Chesterfield District }
Josepeh Ellerbe personally came before me and being first duly sworn saith that he is the brother of the above deponent, that he was born in April the thirteenth day seventeen hundred and seventy seven; that though very young at the time he recollects distinctly that George Strawther (otherwise called George Strother) served in the War of the Revolution in the Company of Captain Thomas Ellerbe the father of this deponent; that he believes that his sister the aforesaid declarant is of the age stated in her declaration; this deponent dose not recollect to have been present when his said sister was married to the aforesaid George Strawther but he knows that they were always received in the family regarded as husband and wife.
Sworn to and subscribed before me }
this seventeenth day of February } Joseph Ellerbe
eighteen hundred and forty one }
Turner Bryan, Ordinary for }
Chesterfield District }
Mrs. Esther Powe personally came before me and being duly sworn saith that she is related to Mrs. Jane Strawther who has made the forgoing declaration; that she was present when said Mrs. Strawther and George Strawther were married, she thanks they were married by Rev. Joshua Lewis but can’t say positively; they were married at the house of Captain Thomas Ellerbe the uncle of this deponent and father of the said Mrs. Strawther; this deponent cannot state the precise time when the said marriage took place; this deponent was then small and she was born July the nineteenth seventeen hundred and seventy two.
Sworn to before me this seventeenth }
day of February eighteen hundred } Ester Powe
and forty one }
Turner Bryan }
Ordinary of Chesterfield District }
Thomas Davis personally came before me and being duly sworn saith that he knew George Shoother in the war of the Revolution; this deponent was himself taken prisoner when Charleston was taken by the British; this deponent was paroled and he first became acquainted with the said George Strother one third way from Charleston to the District of Chesterfield where this deponent then and still lives; this deponent afterwards knew said George Strawther in General Marion’s Camp. Strawther was then serving as a Lieutenant in Captain Ellerbe’s Company, Co. Benton’s Regiment, but whether as first or second Lieutenant this deponent does not recollect, nor can he state where or how long the said Strawther served as Lieutenant as aforesaid; this deponent was on one occasion put under the command of Captain Nelson and said Lieutenant Strawther for two or three weeks; this deponent is a Revolutionary Pensioner.
Sworn to before me this eighteenth }
day of February eighteen hundred } his
and forty one. Turner Bryan } Thomas X Davis
Ordinary of Chesterfield District } mark
I Turner Bryan Ordinary of Chesterfield District in the State of South Carolina do hereby certify that the foregoing contains the original proceedings of the Court of Ordinary in the matter of the application of Jane Strother (or Strawther) for a Pension. I do further certify that I am acquainted with the character of Janet Strother, Joseph Ellerbe, Ester Powe and Thomas Davis and that they are credible persons and entitled to full credit and I do further certify that I am both clerk of the Court of Ordinary for the District of Chesterfield and that I have examined in my office and can find no bone, license or other record of the marriage of the aforesaid George and Janet Strawther, but that I am fully satisfied they were married as stated in the forgoing declaration and in the deposition of Mrs. Esther Powe.
In testimony whereof I have here unto
subscribed my name and affixed my seal
{Seal} there being no seal of Office (as Ordinary)
this eighteenth day of February
eighteen hundred and forty one
Turner Bryan
Ordinary of Chesterfield District
South Carolina }
Chesterfield District} Know all men by these presents that I William Strother do hereby constitute and appoint George H. Jones my true and lawful Agent and Attorney to prosecute the claim of my mother Jane Strother for any amount of Revolutionary Pension or Increase of Pension that may be due; and I hereby authorize my said Agent to examine all the papers and documents in relation to said claim on file in the Apartment at Washington City or elsewhere; to file additional evidence or arguments and to receive the certificate which may be issued for said claim which certificate I wish made payable to her surviving children.
To appoint one or more substitutes under him for the purposes herein expressed and to do all things that I might or could do were I personally present. Hereby ratifying and confirming all that my said Agent and Attorney shall Lawfully do in the premises.
Witness my hand and seal this 21st day of May 1853.
Signed, sealed and delivered in presence of}
K. T. Morgan William Strother {Seal}
South Carolina }
Chesterfield District }
On this 21st day of May 1853 before the subscribe a magistrate in and for the District aforesaid personally appeared William Strother and acknowledges the forgoing power of attorney to be his act and deed for the purpose therein mentioned.
In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my
hand on this day and year aforesaid
K. T. Morgan, Mgst.