On October 7, 1780, the foundation that would forever change the world was established. Fewer than one thousand American Heroes, through skill, luck, and the leadership of cunning strategists, defeated Patrick Ferguson, a brilliant star of the British military might. William Brandon, DAR Ancestor Number A060876, was one of those Heroes.
His participation in the Battle of King's Mountain was documented by W71, the Application for Revolutionary War Pension his wife, Jane Dodd Brandon, submitted. Will Graves transcribed the application.
(Parenthetically, historians, genealogists, and descendants owe thanks to Will Graves for his hours spent transcribing the pension applications of American Revolution veterans. These papers were fragile and difficult to read, so this was a most difficult task, but so many people benefit from his efforts. Thank you, Will Graves.)
Southern Campaign
American Revolution Pension Statements
Pension application of William Brandon
W71 Jane fn49SC
Transcribed by Will Graves
rev'd 8/3/10
[Methodology: Spelling, punctuation and/or grammar have been corrected in some instances for ease of reading and to facilitate searches of the database. Also, the handwriting of the original scribes often lends itself to varying interpretations. Users of this database are urged to view the original and to make their own decision as to how to decipher what the original scribe actually wrote. Blanks appearing in the transcripts reflect blanks in the original. Folks are free to make non-commercial use this transcript in any manner they may see fit, but please extend the courtesy of acknowledging the transcriber— besides, if it turns out the transcript contains mistakes, the resulting embarrassment will fall on the transcriber. I use speech recognition software to make all my transcriptions. Such software misinterprets my southern accent with unfortunate regularity and my poor proofreading fails to catch all misinterpretations. I welcome and encourage folks to call those and any other errors to my attention.]
State of Tennessee,
Smith County
On this 20th day of May in the year 1837 personally appeared before the Subscriber one of the acting Justices of the peace in and for said County Jane Brandon a resident of Smith County and State of Tennessee aged 77 years who being first duly Sworn according to law doth on her oath make the following declaration in order to obtain the benefit of the Provision made by the Act of Congress passed July 4th 1836.
That she is the widow of William Brandon who was a private and Ensign in the Army of the Revolution and served three several tours of Service his first tour was in the State of Pennsylvania he lived in York County in said State his Captain's name was Thomson he was in the Army of General Gates was at the battle of Saratoga he was a volunteer in a tour of service and served nine months he got a discharge but when he moved to this country he burnt it with a great many other old papers.
He volunteered again for nine months and Joined the Army of General Washington, he was at the battle of Brandywine and at Chadsford also the battle of Germantown she cannot State the particulars of this campaign as it was before her marriage She was married under the old fashion by proclamation of Banns at Monaehan[?] Meeting House it was during this tour that he acted as Ensign. He served this tour nine months and was regularly discharged but burnt it with other papers. He entered the Service again as a volunteer and the reason was he preferred that [illegible word] rather than suffer to be drafted he was a rifleman and mounted in the horse troops as a private under Major Kirkpatrick and under General Morgan he entered the Service this time after Charleston was taken and continued in the Service until after the battle of King's Mountain he was at the battle of Guilford.
The name of Brandon was well known among the Tories his Colonel['s] name was Brandon and he continued longer in the Services than usual as it was unsafe to pass out of the Army he had many skirmishes with the Tories but this affiant cannot recollect at this distance of time he was discharged this time for a tour of 12 months but burnt his discharge with other papers as above Stated. He got paid in the old Continental money this affiant has a great deal of it own hand and sends a Specimen of it to the War Department and says that her husband always thought Congress would make some arrangement to pay it she has a great many bills of it of which her husband was paid for his Services.
She further declares that from the distance she lives from the Courthouse and old age and bodily infirmity she cannot travel to the Court to make this declaration. She further declares that she was married to the said William Brandon on the __ [blank in original] day of May 1781 and that her husband the aforesaid William Brandon died on the 10th March 1818 and that she has remained a widow ever since that period as will more fully appear by reference to the proof hereto annexed.
Sworn to Subscribed before me
this 20th day of May 1837.
S/ Patrick Ferguson,
Justice of the Peace
S/ Jane Brandon, X her mark
State of Tennessee,
Smith County
On this day personally appeared William D. Brandon Son of William & Jane Brandon and made oath in due form of law that he is according to the record of his father kept in a book 48 years of age. That his oldest Brother yet lives in South Carolina and he being the oldest son living in this Country Deposeth and says that when his father was about starting from South Carolina to moved to this Country in 1817 he made this affiant collect all his old papers
Stating that he could not live long owing to a hurt he got in the last tour of Service and made this affiant first read them over and then burnt them believing that they were useless this affiant recollects very well of burning three discharges and also a great many papers or furloughs he recollects very well of reading them over there was two for Services in Pennsylvania each time of Service was for either six or nine months.
But he distinctly recollects the last discharge was for 12 months and the reason was he continued in Service as a volunteer from the time that Charleston fell into the hands of the British until after the Battle of Guilford he recollects that one of the discharges was for Ensign this was one of the tours in Pennsylvania he further States that from tradition of the County his father was born in Pennsylvania but his father was formerly from Ireland and when this affiant read over the certificate of protection the old man said he would keep it to show his children also be has preserved a great many bills of the old currency in which he was paid.
This affiant recollects frequent conversations between his father and Col. Brandon in South Carolina heard them speak of all the services particularly the last tour in South Carolina Colonel Brandon lived a close neighbor was a relation to his father and one or more of the furloughs were given by Colonel Brandon.
Sworn to subscribed before me
this 21st day of May 1837.
S/ Patrick Ferguson, JP
S/ Wm D. Brandon
State of Tennessee,
Smith County
On this day personally appeared John Brandon nephew of William Brandon the husband of the above applicant before me Patrick Ferguson one of the acting Justices of the peace in and for said County who being duly Sworn according to law makes oath that he is 72 years of age and recollects the Services of his uncle in the War of the Revolution his first tour of Services was in Pennsylvania.
He believes the captains name was Thomson, he knows in the second tour of Service that he was an officer and held the office of Ensign he believes his Captain's name was name was Irwin he was at the battle of White Plains and was out all the winter when the battles of Brandywine and Germantown were fought. This affiant distinctly recollects of hearing him relate during the tour of Service in the winter of his Company or detachment encamping at Pemberton's Wood and was detached from the Army of Washington on small parties sometimes in New Jersey and sometimes in Maryland; but thinks his two tours of Service were but six months each and is unwilling to state his time to be longer that is two tours of six months.
This affiant States that after the fall of Charleston and the British were approaching to Ninety Six that his uncle William entered the Service as a light horse troops and was used upon reconnoitering and light Services. This affiant lived in Camden District South Carolina and when his uncle could make it convenient he would Stay all night and Joined his company in the morning. Sometimes the whole Regiment would camp close by his mother's; their Colonels' names were Moffet, Neil and Brandon, this was during what was called the ―Bloody Summer.‖
He believes that he served more than 12 months but will not say how much longer. This affiant was frequently with him in camps. He further states that William Brandon and Jane Dodds were legally married in Pennsylvania at the time she states and before the last term of her husband's services expired and that she has remained a widow ever since the death of her husband.
Sworn to subscribed before me t
his 21st day of May 1837.
S/ Patrick Ferguson, JP
S/ John Brandon {Seal}
[Bible birth record:
John Brandon was born April the 3rd 1786
Polley Brandon Born December the 10th 1787
William Brandon Born September 17, 1789
Alexander Brandon Born September 6, 1791
James Brandon Born April the 1st 1793
Catherine [illegible word] Brandon Born May 6 1795
Jonathan Brandon Born May 15 1797
Jane Brandon Born March 28, 1799
Thomas Hart was Born february the 26 1813
Jonathan Brandon Hart was Born July the 10 1812
[last digit unclear] 1746 and Dyed March the 10, 1818 h
e was Seventy Two years of age
Jane Brandon his wife was born february 12, 1760
Derinda Brandon was Born January 1 1821
[letter from War Dept. says William Brandon was born May 23, 1746 in Penn.]]
[file actually contains Continental currency: $1 printed by Hall and Sellers, 1779]
York County,
in Pennsylvania
I do hereby certify, that William Brandon, hath voluntarily taken and subscribed the Oath of Allegiance and Fidelity, as directed by Act of General Assembly of Pennsylvania, passed the 13th Day of June, A.D. 1777.
Witness my Hand and Seal, t
he 29th Day of August A.D. 1777.
S/ Andrew Thompson, L. S.
Comptrollers Office,
Raleigh N. C.
March 24, 1845
I William F. Collins, Comptroller of Public Accounts, do hereby certify, that it appears of record in my Office, that the following certificates were issued: in favor of William Brandon (Private), for military service, viz.: 145 pounds, eight shillings (£5.8) found in Book F, No. 2, page 68: and on the other for 18 pounds (£18), found in Book F., No. 2, page 79, another for ten pounds, 10 shillings (£10.10) found in Book No. 25, page 24:
Given under my hand and seal
this 24th day of March 1845.
S/ Wm F. Collins, Comptr.
Comptroller Generals Office
Columbia
23rd Dec. 1840
Indent Book H No. 715 Lib. N1 Issued the 23rd of September '88 to William Brandon for five towns 18 shillings & eight pants for Duty &c in 1779 per account audited No. 74 Principal £5.16.8 annual Int. £ 0.8.2 State of South Carolina to William Brandon – William Brandon Bill of charge as wagon Master from Augusta to Orangeburg in the year 1779 from May 4 to may be 18th in all 14 days at $3 per day 42.00 say 15 d 40 doll pMO 20 dollars or 4..13..4 No.2 William Brandon Bill of charges riding express for General Williamson from April 28th two May 3 in all four days at $10 per day $40 4 days say at 60/ £12 say 5 days 4/8 1..3..4
State of South Carolina,
96 District
Personally came before me William Brandon & made oath on the Hole Evangelist of Or why the Guard & saith that the above account as it stands dated against the State for a wagon Master & riding express is just & [illegible] taken before me this 18 November 1779. I do certify that the express was at General Williamson's order & the time of being Wagon master.
S/ Thos. Brandon, Col.
S/ Wm Reneday,
£5..16..8
Comptroller or General Office
Columbia
23rd Dec. 1840
I do hereby certify that the above memorandum No. 1 is a true copy taken from the margin of Indent Book X No. 1715 deposited in this Office and that No. 2 is a copy of the account audited and for which the same Indent was issued.
S/ Wm E. Hayne
Comptr. Genl.
Pr. Wm F. Arthur
State of Tennessee,
Smith County
On this day personally appeared Arthur Brandon aged 75 years and going in his 76th a Citizen of Kentucky before me Thomas Dotson one of the acting Justices of the Peace in and for the County aforesaid and made oath in due form of law that he was well acquainted with William Brandon he was his uncle and this affiant States that during the Revolution
Say about the year 1776 or 7 his father John Brandon was killed in a battle with the Indians while under the command of General Williamson in the place called the Middle Settlements and thus left himself and three brothers, a sister and his Mother in a helpless condition he being only about 12 or 13 years of age: in a year or two say in 1779 the said William Brandon was in service in Pennsylvania and having served two Militia tours had heard of the death of his Brother this affiant's father and helpless condition came to South Carolina then Camden District but what is now called York District for the protection of his Mother and the children.
The Tories was also getting to be very troublesome and required the attention of Some one to procure them something to live on and he from the best information this affiant could gather at that time said William Brandon Served two tours of three months in Pennsylvania or the tours might have been longer they were full tours of Service one tour was served in New Jersey another and Pennsylvania both under General Washington and one of the tours in New Jersey he was in the battle of Monmouth and on another action he witnessed the battle at a place called White Plains or some such name the Position of the British were on one hill and the Americans were on another during the action three British officers rode between the contending parties one of whom fell to ride no more,
Brandon was on one of the flanks and was not in the battle but saw it about the same time said Brandon saw another company of riflemen say one hundred others march up a small Branch on one side of which lay a small party of British in a buckwheat field in charge of a cannon, they immediately commenced with their rifles and killed so many the balance of the British fled leaving their cannon which the Americans took possession of and fired after them as they retreated.
The last tour was chiefly about Valley Forge. It was in cold weather all this information affiant got from said William Brandon immediately after his return Say in 1779 also a great many other circumstances too tedious to mention all of which this affiant believes to be true. After said Brandon's return or about the time said Brandon came to South Carolina Times were very troublesome the Siege of Charleston commenced soon after and was taken the spring or summer following and from the fall of Charleston to the termination of the War said William Brandon was continually almost in Militia Service under Colonels Sumpter [sic, Thomas Sumter], Niell [Neel, Neal, Neale], Mofat [Moffit?], Hathron [Hawthorne?], Watson and others and under captains Jamison, Hilhouse, Barnett and McCool.
The reason he left this affiant's Mother and went into the Service was that no man was safe unless he was in the Army and this affiant recollects that when said Brandon could get an opportunity he would come home on furlough or parole for a few days to assist them. After the fall of Charleston said Brandon was out a three months tour during which time he was in the Hanging Rock at another time he was at the battle of the fish dams [sic, Fish dam] under Colonel Sumter said Brandon was out another three months tour in North Carolina and was at the battle of the Cowpens at another he was at the taking of King's Mountain.
In South Carolina he was at the Hanging Rock and Buford's defeat. This affiant makes these statements from recollections of those Periods. York or Camden Districts was the Seat of War in South Carolina, William Brandon was also in the battle of Camden but this affiant cannot State at this particular time the dates of the different tours of Service as he was principally at home and his uncle William Brandon so soon as one tour of Service was over he would enter again chiefly in tours of three and sometimes two months at a time.
This affiant will sum up the Service and will safely state the Service of the said William Brandon during the year 1779, 1780 and 1781 at least to be 12 months and thus states on information performed in Pennsylvania at six months and further this deponent Saith not accept the marriage between him and Jane Brandon formerly Jane Dobbs which took place a few years after the Revolution say in 1785 or thereabout.
Sworn to and Subscribed before me
this second day of September 1841.
S/ Thomas Dotson, JP
S/ Arthur Brandon
State of Tennessee,
Macon County
On this day personally appeared Jane Brandon widow of William Brandon deceased who is a resident of the County of aforesaid before me James Patterson an acting Justice of the Peace in and for the County aforesaid who being duly Sworn according to law doth on her oath make the following amended Declaration in addition to her former Declarations in order to obtain the benefit of the Provision made by the Acts of Congress passed July 7th 1838 and 3rd of March 1843 and the act of 28 June 1844 continuing the Pensions of certain Widows.
That since making the last Amended Declaration she has been informed & and now recollects and believes that her husband the said William Brandon Served Several tours of Service in the State of North Carolina and if the same has been omitted in her former Declaration she is now well convinced the same should have been mentioned. She accounts for such omission if the same does not exist from the fact that she was only married to him as appears of record in the year 1785 or about that time, and consequently could not have known all the Services only as her said husband told her and as the proof is made out, her old age and bodily infirmity should also plead for such omission.
She is informed and believes the information to be true that evidence of her husband's Services have lately been procured by Adam Ferguson from the office of the Comptroller of North Carolina which she has no doubt is correct as there was but two William Brandons in the War of the revolution and there was a large connection of them some lived in North and some in South Carolina one of these was an officer a Captain or Lieutenant and the other was her husband. She well recollects her husband telling her of being in the battle of King's Mountain and Guilford Court house as well as many other places not now recollected.
She therefore claims all benefit from this Service for her husband in the War of the Revolution and as full and complete a manner as if the same had been Stated before by her and she relies on said proof. She claims all benefit from the Services of her husband in Pennsylvania, South Carolina as well as North Carolina and for such services performed by her said husband in the war of the Revolution she Claims a full pension.
Sworn to and subscribed before me
the 22nd day of May 1845. S/ James Patterson, JP
S/ Jane Brandon, X her mark
[James Brandon, 79, a citizen of Macon County, Tenn, states that he recalls William Brandon going to NC seeking refuge from the Tories and having served in the militia while there about 1 year.]
[The file contains another declaration dated October 26th 1840 filed by Jane Brandon, widow, in which she states substantially what she had stated above.]
[Widow was pensioned at the rate of $40 per annum commencing March fourth, 1843.]
The actual burial site for William Brandon has been lost to history. We have placed a Memorial Stone in his honor in the Cantrell Gilliand Memorial Garden. May this memorial serve as an expression of the gratitude we owe him for risking his life and braving the unknown to help build a new country: our America.
His participation in the Battle of King's Mountain was documented by W71, the Application for Revolutionary War Pension his wife, Jane Dodd Brandon, submitted. Will Graves transcribed the application.
(Parenthetically, historians, genealogists, and descendants owe thanks to Will Graves for his hours spent transcribing the pension applications of American Revolution veterans. These papers were fragile and difficult to read, so this was a most difficult task, but so many people benefit from his efforts. Thank you, Will Graves.)
Southern Campaign
American Revolution Pension Statements
Pension application of William Brandon
W71 Jane fn49SC
Transcribed by Will Graves
rev'd 8/3/10
[Methodology: Spelling, punctuation and/or grammar have been corrected in some instances for ease of reading and to facilitate searches of the database. Also, the handwriting of the original scribes often lends itself to varying interpretations. Users of this database are urged to view the original and to make their own decision as to how to decipher what the original scribe actually wrote. Blanks appearing in the transcripts reflect blanks in the original. Folks are free to make non-commercial use this transcript in any manner they may see fit, but please extend the courtesy of acknowledging the transcriber— besides, if it turns out the transcript contains mistakes, the resulting embarrassment will fall on the transcriber. I use speech recognition software to make all my transcriptions. Such software misinterprets my southern accent with unfortunate regularity and my poor proofreading fails to catch all misinterpretations. I welcome and encourage folks to call those and any other errors to my attention.]
State of Tennessee,
Smith County
On this 20th day of May in the year 1837 personally appeared before the Subscriber one of the acting Justices of the peace in and for said County Jane Brandon a resident of Smith County and State of Tennessee aged 77 years who being first duly Sworn according to law doth on her oath make the following declaration in order to obtain the benefit of the Provision made by the Act of Congress passed July 4th 1836.
That she is the widow of William Brandon who was a private and Ensign in the Army of the Revolution and served three several tours of Service his first tour was in the State of Pennsylvania he lived in York County in said State his Captain's name was Thomson he was in the Army of General Gates was at the battle of Saratoga he was a volunteer in a tour of service and served nine months he got a discharge but when he moved to this country he burnt it with a great many other old papers.
He volunteered again for nine months and Joined the Army of General Washington, he was at the battle of Brandywine and at Chadsford also the battle of Germantown she cannot State the particulars of this campaign as it was before her marriage She was married under the old fashion by proclamation of Banns at Monaehan[?] Meeting House it was during this tour that he acted as Ensign. He served this tour nine months and was regularly discharged but burnt it with other papers. He entered the Service again as a volunteer and the reason was he preferred that [illegible word] rather than suffer to be drafted he was a rifleman and mounted in the horse troops as a private under Major Kirkpatrick and under General Morgan he entered the Service this time after Charleston was taken and continued in the Service until after the battle of King's Mountain he was at the battle of Guilford.
The name of Brandon was well known among the Tories his Colonel['s] name was Brandon and he continued longer in the Services than usual as it was unsafe to pass out of the Army he had many skirmishes with the Tories but this affiant cannot recollect at this distance of time he was discharged this time for a tour of 12 months but burnt his discharge with other papers as above Stated. He got paid in the old Continental money this affiant has a great deal of it own hand and sends a Specimen of it to the War Department and says that her husband always thought Congress would make some arrangement to pay it she has a great many bills of it of which her husband was paid for his Services.
She further declares that from the distance she lives from the Courthouse and old age and bodily infirmity she cannot travel to the Court to make this declaration. She further declares that she was married to the said William Brandon on the __ [blank in original] day of May 1781 and that her husband the aforesaid William Brandon died on the 10th March 1818 and that she has remained a widow ever since that period as will more fully appear by reference to the proof hereto annexed.
Sworn to Subscribed before me
this 20th day of May 1837.
S/ Patrick Ferguson,
Justice of the Peace
S/ Jane Brandon, X her mark
State of Tennessee,
Smith County
On this day personally appeared William D. Brandon Son of William & Jane Brandon and made oath in due form of law that he is according to the record of his father kept in a book 48 years of age. That his oldest Brother yet lives in South Carolina and he being the oldest son living in this Country Deposeth and says that when his father was about starting from South Carolina to moved to this Country in 1817 he made this affiant collect all his old papers
Stating that he could not live long owing to a hurt he got in the last tour of Service and made this affiant first read them over and then burnt them believing that they were useless this affiant recollects very well of burning three discharges and also a great many papers or furloughs he recollects very well of reading them over there was two for Services in Pennsylvania each time of Service was for either six or nine months.
But he distinctly recollects the last discharge was for 12 months and the reason was he continued in Service as a volunteer from the time that Charleston fell into the hands of the British until after the Battle of Guilford he recollects that one of the discharges was for Ensign this was one of the tours in Pennsylvania he further States that from tradition of the County his father was born in Pennsylvania but his father was formerly from Ireland and when this affiant read over the certificate of protection the old man said he would keep it to show his children also be has preserved a great many bills of the old currency in which he was paid.
This affiant recollects frequent conversations between his father and Col. Brandon in South Carolina heard them speak of all the services particularly the last tour in South Carolina Colonel Brandon lived a close neighbor was a relation to his father and one or more of the furloughs were given by Colonel Brandon.
Sworn to subscribed before me
this 21st day of May 1837.
S/ Patrick Ferguson, JP
S/ Wm D. Brandon
State of Tennessee,
Smith County
On this day personally appeared John Brandon nephew of William Brandon the husband of the above applicant before me Patrick Ferguson one of the acting Justices of the peace in and for said County who being duly Sworn according to law makes oath that he is 72 years of age and recollects the Services of his uncle in the War of the Revolution his first tour of Services was in Pennsylvania.
He believes the captains name was Thomson, he knows in the second tour of Service that he was an officer and held the office of Ensign he believes his Captain's name was name was Irwin he was at the battle of White Plains and was out all the winter when the battles of Brandywine and Germantown were fought. This affiant distinctly recollects of hearing him relate during the tour of Service in the winter of his Company or detachment encamping at Pemberton's Wood and was detached from the Army of Washington on small parties sometimes in New Jersey and sometimes in Maryland; but thinks his two tours of Service were but six months each and is unwilling to state his time to be longer that is two tours of six months.
This affiant States that after the fall of Charleston and the British were approaching to Ninety Six that his uncle William entered the Service as a light horse troops and was used upon reconnoitering and light Services. This affiant lived in Camden District South Carolina and when his uncle could make it convenient he would Stay all night and Joined his company in the morning. Sometimes the whole Regiment would camp close by his mother's; their Colonels' names were Moffet, Neil and Brandon, this was during what was called the ―Bloody Summer.‖
He believes that he served more than 12 months but will not say how much longer. This affiant was frequently with him in camps. He further states that William Brandon and Jane Dodds were legally married in Pennsylvania at the time she states and before the last term of her husband's services expired and that she has remained a widow ever since the death of her husband.
Sworn to subscribed before me t
his 21st day of May 1837.
S/ Patrick Ferguson, JP
S/ John Brandon {Seal}
[Bible birth record:
John Brandon was born April the 3rd 1786
Polley Brandon Born December the 10th 1787
William Brandon Born September 17, 1789
Alexander Brandon Born September 6, 1791
James Brandon Born April the 1st 1793
Catherine [illegible word] Brandon Born May 6 1795
Jonathan Brandon Born May 15 1797
Jane Brandon Born March 28, 1799
Thomas Hart was Born february the 26 1813
Jonathan Brandon Hart was Born July the 10 1812
[last digit unclear] 1746 and Dyed March the 10, 1818 h
e was Seventy Two years of age
Jane Brandon his wife was born february 12, 1760
Derinda Brandon was Born January 1 1821
[letter from War Dept. says William Brandon was born May 23, 1746 in Penn.]]
[file actually contains Continental currency: $1 printed by Hall and Sellers, 1779]
York County,
in Pennsylvania
I do hereby certify, that William Brandon, hath voluntarily taken and subscribed the Oath of Allegiance and Fidelity, as directed by Act of General Assembly of Pennsylvania, passed the 13th Day of June, A.D. 1777.
Witness my Hand and Seal, t
he 29th Day of August A.D. 1777.
S/ Andrew Thompson, L. S.
Comptrollers Office,
Raleigh N. C.
March 24, 1845
I William F. Collins, Comptroller of Public Accounts, do hereby certify, that it appears of record in my Office, that the following certificates were issued: in favor of William Brandon (Private), for military service, viz.: 145 pounds, eight shillings (£5.8) found in Book F, No. 2, page 68: and on the other for 18 pounds (£18), found in Book F., No. 2, page 79, another for ten pounds, 10 shillings (£10.10) found in Book No. 25, page 24:
Given under my hand and seal
this 24th day of March 1845.
S/ Wm F. Collins, Comptr.
Comptroller Generals Office
Columbia
23rd Dec. 1840
Indent Book H No. 715 Lib. N1 Issued the 23rd of September '88 to William Brandon for five towns 18 shillings & eight pants for Duty &c in 1779 per account audited No. 74 Principal £5.16.8 annual Int. £ 0.8.2 State of South Carolina to William Brandon – William Brandon Bill of charge as wagon Master from Augusta to Orangeburg in the year 1779 from May 4 to may be 18th in all 14 days at $3 per day 42.00 say 15 d 40 doll pMO 20 dollars or 4..13..4 No.2 William Brandon Bill of charges riding express for General Williamson from April 28th two May 3 in all four days at $10 per day $40 4 days say at 60/ £12 say 5 days 4/8 1..3..4
State of South Carolina,
96 District
Personally came before me William Brandon & made oath on the Hole Evangelist of Or why the Guard & saith that the above account as it stands dated against the State for a wagon Master & riding express is just & [illegible] taken before me this 18 November 1779. I do certify that the express was at General Williamson's order & the time of being Wagon master.
S/ Thos. Brandon, Col.
S/ Wm Reneday,
£5..16..8
Comptroller or General Office
Columbia
23rd Dec. 1840
I do hereby certify that the above memorandum No. 1 is a true copy taken from the margin of Indent Book X No. 1715 deposited in this Office and that No. 2 is a copy of the account audited and for which the same Indent was issued.
S/ Wm E. Hayne
Comptr. Genl.
Pr. Wm F. Arthur
State of Tennessee,
Smith County
On this day personally appeared Arthur Brandon aged 75 years and going in his 76th a Citizen of Kentucky before me Thomas Dotson one of the acting Justices of the Peace in and for the County aforesaid and made oath in due form of law that he was well acquainted with William Brandon he was his uncle and this affiant States that during the Revolution
Say about the year 1776 or 7 his father John Brandon was killed in a battle with the Indians while under the command of General Williamson in the place called the Middle Settlements and thus left himself and three brothers, a sister and his Mother in a helpless condition he being only about 12 or 13 years of age: in a year or two say in 1779 the said William Brandon was in service in Pennsylvania and having served two Militia tours had heard of the death of his Brother this affiant's father and helpless condition came to South Carolina then Camden District but what is now called York District for the protection of his Mother and the children.
The Tories was also getting to be very troublesome and required the attention of Some one to procure them something to live on and he from the best information this affiant could gather at that time said William Brandon Served two tours of three months in Pennsylvania or the tours might have been longer they were full tours of Service one tour was served in New Jersey another and Pennsylvania both under General Washington and one of the tours in New Jersey he was in the battle of Monmouth and on another action he witnessed the battle at a place called White Plains or some such name the Position of the British were on one hill and the Americans were on another during the action three British officers rode between the contending parties one of whom fell to ride no more,
Brandon was on one of the flanks and was not in the battle but saw it about the same time said Brandon saw another company of riflemen say one hundred others march up a small Branch on one side of which lay a small party of British in a buckwheat field in charge of a cannon, they immediately commenced with their rifles and killed so many the balance of the British fled leaving their cannon which the Americans took possession of and fired after them as they retreated.
The last tour was chiefly about Valley Forge. It was in cold weather all this information affiant got from said William Brandon immediately after his return Say in 1779 also a great many other circumstances too tedious to mention all of which this affiant believes to be true. After said Brandon's return or about the time said Brandon came to South Carolina Times were very troublesome the Siege of Charleston commenced soon after and was taken the spring or summer following and from the fall of Charleston to the termination of the War said William Brandon was continually almost in Militia Service under Colonels Sumpter [sic, Thomas Sumter], Niell [Neel, Neal, Neale], Mofat [Moffit?], Hathron [Hawthorne?], Watson and others and under captains Jamison, Hilhouse, Barnett and McCool.
The reason he left this affiant's Mother and went into the Service was that no man was safe unless he was in the Army and this affiant recollects that when said Brandon could get an opportunity he would come home on furlough or parole for a few days to assist them. After the fall of Charleston said Brandon was out a three months tour during which time he was in the Hanging Rock at another time he was at the battle of the fish dams [sic, Fish dam] under Colonel Sumter said Brandon was out another three months tour in North Carolina and was at the battle of the Cowpens at another he was at the taking of King's Mountain.
In South Carolina he was at the Hanging Rock and Buford's defeat. This affiant makes these statements from recollections of those Periods. York or Camden Districts was the Seat of War in South Carolina, William Brandon was also in the battle of Camden but this affiant cannot State at this particular time the dates of the different tours of Service as he was principally at home and his uncle William Brandon so soon as one tour of Service was over he would enter again chiefly in tours of three and sometimes two months at a time.
This affiant will sum up the Service and will safely state the Service of the said William Brandon during the year 1779, 1780 and 1781 at least to be 12 months and thus states on information performed in Pennsylvania at six months and further this deponent Saith not accept the marriage between him and Jane Brandon formerly Jane Dobbs which took place a few years after the Revolution say in 1785 or thereabout.
Sworn to and Subscribed before me
this second day of September 1841.
S/ Thomas Dotson, JP
S/ Arthur Brandon
State of Tennessee,
Macon County
On this day personally appeared Jane Brandon widow of William Brandon deceased who is a resident of the County of aforesaid before me James Patterson an acting Justice of the Peace in and for the County aforesaid who being duly Sworn according to law doth on her oath make the following amended Declaration in addition to her former Declarations in order to obtain the benefit of the Provision made by the Acts of Congress passed July 7th 1838 and 3rd of March 1843 and the act of 28 June 1844 continuing the Pensions of certain Widows.
That since making the last Amended Declaration she has been informed & and now recollects and believes that her husband the said William Brandon Served Several tours of Service in the State of North Carolina and if the same has been omitted in her former Declaration she is now well convinced the same should have been mentioned. She accounts for such omission if the same does not exist from the fact that she was only married to him as appears of record in the year 1785 or about that time, and consequently could not have known all the Services only as her said husband told her and as the proof is made out, her old age and bodily infirmity should also plead for such omission.
She is informed and believes the information to be true that evidence of her husband's Services have lately been procured by Adam Ferguson from the office of the Comptroller of North Carolina which she has no doubt is correct as there was but two William Brandons in the War of the revolution and there was a large connection of them some lived in North and some in South Carolina one of these was an officer a Captain or Lieutenant and the other was her husband. She well recollects her husband telling her of being in the battle of King's Mountain and Guilford Court house as well as many other places not now recollected.
She therefore claims all benefit from this Service for her husband in the War of the Revolution and as full and complete a manner as if the same had been Stated before by her and she relies on said proof. She claims all benefit from the Services of her husband in Pennsylvania, South Carolina as well as North Carolina and for such services performed by her said husband in the war of the Revolution she Claims a full pension.
Sworn to and subscribed before me
the 22nd day of May 1845. S/ James Patterson, JP
S/ Jane Brandon, X her mark
[James Brandon, 79, a citizen of Macon County, Tenn, states that he recalls William Brandon going to NC seeking refuge from the Tories and having served in the militia while there about 1 year.]
[The file contains another declaration dated October 26th 1840 filed by Jane Brandon, widow, in which she states substantially what she had stated above.]
[Widow was pensioned at the rate of $40 per annum commencing March fourth, 1843.]
The actual burial site for William Brandon has been lost to history. We have placed a Memorial Stone in his honor in the Cantrell Gilliand Memorial Garden. May this memorial serve as an expression of the gratitude we owe him for risking his life and braving the unknown to help build a new country: our America.
On October 7, 1780, the foundation that would forever change the world was established. Fewer than one thousand American Heroes, through skill, luck, and the leadership of cunning strategists, defeated Patrick Ferguson, a brilliant star of the British military might. William Brandon, DAR Ancestor Number A060876, was one of those Heroes.
His participation in the Battle of King's Mountain was documented by W71, the Application for Revolutionary War Pension his wife, Jane Dodd Brandon, submitted. Will Graves transcribed the application.
(Parenthetically, historians, genealogists, and descendants owe thanks to Will Graves for his hours spent transcribing the pension applications of American Revolution veterans. These papers were fragile and difficult to read, so this was a most difficult task, but so many people benefit from his efforts. Thank you, Will Graves.)
Southern Campaign
American Revolution Pension Statements
Pension application of William Brandon
W71 Jane fn49SC
Transcribed by Will Graves
rev'd 8/3/10
[Methodology: Spelling, punctuation and/or grammar have been corrected in some instances for ease of reading and to facilitate searches of the database. Also, the handwriting of the original scribes often lends itself to varying interpretations. Users of this database are urged to view the original and to make their own decision as to how to decipher what the original scribe actually wrote. Blanks appearing in the transcripts reflect blanks in the original. Folks are free to make non-commercial use this transcript in any manner they may see fit, but please extend the courtesy of acknowledging the transcriber— besides, if it turns out the transcript contains mistakes, the resulting embarrassment will fall on the transcriber. I use speech recognition software to make all my transcriptions. Such software misinterprets my southern accent with unfortunate regularity and my poor proofreading fails to catch all misinterpretations. I welcome and encourage folks to call those and any other errors to my attention.]
State of Tennessee,
Smith County
On this 20th day of May in the year 1837 personally appeared before the Subscriber one of the acting Justices of the peace in and for said County Jane Brandon a resident of Smith County and State of Tennessee aged 77 years who being first duly Sworn according to law doth on her oath make the following declaration in order to obtain the benefit of the Provision made by the Act of Congress passed July 4th 1836.
That she is the widow of William Brandon who was a private and Ensign in the Army of the Revolution and served three several tours of Service his first tour was in the State of Pennsylvania he lived in York County in said State his Captain's name was Thomson he was in the Army of General Gates was at the battle of Saratoga he was a volunteer in a tour of service and served nine months he got a discharge but when he moved to this country he burnt it with a great many other old papers.
He volunteered again for nine months and Joined the Army of General Washington, he was at the battle of Brandywine and at Chadsford also the battle of Germantown she cannot State the particulars of this campaign as it was before her marriage She was married under the old fashion by proclamation of Banns at Monaehan[?] Meeting House it was during this tour that he acted as Ensign. He served this tour nine months and was regularly discharged but burnt it with other papers. He entered the Service again as a volunteer and the reason was he preferred that [illegible word] rather than suffer to be drafted he was a rifleman and mounted in the horse troops as a private under Major Kirkpatrick and under General Morgan he entered the Service this time after Charleston was taken and continued in the Service until after the battle of King's Mountain he was at the battle of Guilford.
The name of Brandon was well known among the Tories his Colonel['s] name was Brandon and he continued longer in the Services than usual as it was unsafe to pass out of the Army he had many skirmishes with the Tories but this affiant cannot recollect at this distance of time he was discharged this time for a tour of 12 months but burnt his discharge with other papers as above Stated. He got paid in the old Continental money this affiant has a great deal of it own hand and sends a Specimen of it to the War Department and says that her husband always thought Congress would make some arrangement to pay it she has a great many bills of it of which her husband was paid for his Services.
She further declares that from the distance she lives from the Courthouse and old age and bodily infirmity she cannot travel to the Court to make this declaration. She further declares that she was married to the said William Brandon on the __ [blank in original] day of May 1781 and that her husband the aforesaid William Brandon died on the 10th March 1818 and that she has remained a widow ever since that period as will more fully appear by reference to the proof hereto annexed.
Sworn to Subscribed before me
this 20th day of May 1837.
S/ Patrick Ferguson,
Justice of the Peace
S/ Jane Brandon, X her mark
State of Tennessee,
Smith County
On this day personally appeared William D. Brandon Son of William & Jane Brandon and made oath in due form of law that he is according to the record of his father kept in a book 48 years of age. That his oldest Brother yet lives in South Carolina and he being the oldest son living in this Country Deposeth and says that when his father was about starting from South Carolina to moved to this Country in 1817 he made this affiant collect all his old papers
Stating that he could not live long owing to a hurt he got in the last tour of Service and made this affiant first read them over and then burnt them believing that they were useless this affiant recollects very well of burning three discharges and also a great many papers or furloughs he recollects very well of reading them over there was two for Services in Pennsylvania each time of Service was for either six or nine months.
But he distinctly recollects the last discharge was for 12 months and the reason was he continued in Service as a volunteer from the time that Charleston fell into the hands of the British until after the Battle of Guilford he recollects that one of the discharges was for Ensign this was one of the tours in Pennsylvania he further States that from tradition of the County his father was born in Pennsylvania but his father was formerly from Ireland and when this affiant read over the certificate of protection the old man said he would keep it to show his children also be has preserved a great many bills of the old currency in which he was paid.
This affiant recollects frequent conversations between his father and Col. Brandon in South Carolina heard them speak of all the services particularly the last tour in South Carolina Colonel Brandon lived a close neighbor was a relation to his father and one or more of the furloughs were given by Colonel Brandon.
Sworn to subscribed before me
this 21st day of May 1837.
S/ Patrick Ferguson, JP
S/ Wm D. Brandon
State of Tennessee,
Smith County
On this day personally appeared John Brandon nephew of William Brandon the husband of the above applicant before me Patrick Ferguson one of the acting Justices of the peace in and for said County who being duly Sworn according to law makes oath that he is 72 years of age and recollects the Services of his uncle in the War of the Revolution his first tour of Services was in Pennsylvania.
He believes the captains name was Thomson, he knows in the second tour of Service that he was an officer and held the office of Ensign he believes his Captain's name was name was Irwin he was at the battle of White Plains and was out all the winter when the battles of Brandywine and Germantown were fought. This affiant distinctly recollects of hearing him relate during the tour of Service in the winter of his Company or detachment encamping at Pemberton's Wood and was detached from the Army of Washington on small parties sometimes in New Jersey and sometimes in Maryland; but thinks his two tours of Service were but six months each and is unwilling to state his time to be longer that is two tours of six months.
This affiant States that after the fall of Charleston and the British were approaching to Ninety Six that his uncle William entered the Service as a light horse troops and was used upon reconnoitering and light Services. This affiant lived in Camden District South Carolina and when his uncle could make it convenient he would Stay all night and Joined his company in the morning. Sometimes the whole Regiment would camp close by his mother's; their Colonels' names were Moffet, Neil and Brandon, this was during what was called the ―Bloody Summer.‖
He believes that he served more than 12 months but will not say how much longer. This affiant was frequently with him in camps. He further states that William Brandon and Jane Dodds were legally married in Pennsylvania at the time she states and before the last term of her husband's services expired and that she has remained a widow ever since the death of her husband.
Sworn to subscribed before me t
his 21st day of May 1837.
S/ Patrick Ferguson, JP
S/ John Brandon {Seal}
[Bible birth record:
John Brandon was born April the 3rd 1786
Polley Brandon Born December the 10th 1787
William Brandon Born September 17, 1789
Alexander Brandon Born September 6, 1791
James Brandon Born April the 1st 1793
Catherine [illegible word] Brandon Born May 6 1795
Jonathan Brandon Born May 15 1797
Jane Brandon Born March 28, 1799
Thomas Hart was Born february the 26 1813
Jonathan Brandon Hart was Born July the 10 1812
[last digit unclear] 1746 and Dyed March the 10, 1818 h
e was Seventy Two years of age
Jane Brandon his wife was born february 12, 1760
Derinda Brandon was Born January 1 1821
[letter from War Dept. says William Brandon was born May 23, 1746 in Penn.]]
[file actually contains Continental currency: $1 printed by Hall and Sellers, 1779]
York County,
in Pennsylvania
I do hereby certify, that William Brandon, hath voluntarily taken and subscribed the Oath of Allegiance and Fidelity, as directed by Act of General Assembly of Pennsylvania, passed the 13th Day of June, A.D. 1777.
Witness my Hand and Seal, t
he 29th Day of August A.D. 1777.
S/ Andrew Thompson, L. S.
Comptrollers Office,
Raleigh N. C.
March 24, 1845
I William F. Collins, Comptroller of Public Accounts, do hereby certify, that it appears of record in my Office, that the following certificates were issued: in favor of William Brandon (Private), for military service, viz.: 145 pounds, eight shillings (£5.8) found in Book F, No. 2, page 68: and on the other for 18 pounds (£18), found in Book F., No. 2, page 79, another for ten pounds, 10 shillings (£10.10) found in Book No. 25, page 24:
Given under my hand and seal
this 24th day of March 1845.
S/ Wm F. Collins, Comptr.
Comptroller Generals Office
Columbia
23rd Dec. 1840
Indent Book H No. 715 Lib. N1 Issued the 23rd of September '88 to William Brandon for five towns 18 shillings & eight pants for Duty &c in 1779 per account audited No. 74 Principal £5.16.8 annual Int. £ 0.8.2 State of South Carolina to William Brandon – William Brandon Bill of charge as wagon Master from Augusta to Orangeburg in the year 1779 from May 4 to may be 18th in all 14 days at $3 per day 42.00 say 15 d 40 doll pMO 20 dollars or 4..13..4 No.2 William Brandon Bill of charges riding express for General Williamson from April 28th two May 3 in all four days at $10 per day $40 4 days say at 60/ £12 say 5 days 4/8 1..3..4
State of South Carolina,
96 District
Personally came before me William Brandon & made oath on the Hole Evangelist of Or why the Guard & saith that the above account as it stands dated against the State for a wagon Master & riding express is just & [illegible] taken before me this 18 November 1779. I do certify that the express was at General Williamson's order & the time of being Wagon master.
S/ Thos. Brandon, Col.
S/ Wm Reneday,
£5..16..8
Comptroller or General Office
Columbia
23rd Dec. 1840
I do hereby certify that the above memorandum No. 1 is a true copy taken from the margin of Indent Book X No. 1715 deposited in this Office and that No. 2 is a copy of the account audited and for which the same Indent was issued.
S/ Wm E. Hayne
Comptr. Genl.
Pr. Wm F. Arthur
State of Tennessee,
Smith County
On this day personally appeared Arthur Brandon aged 75 years and going in his 76th a Citizen of Kentucky before me Thomas Dotson one of the acting Justices of the Peace in and for the County aforesaid and made oath in due form of law that he was well acquainted with William Brandon he was his uncle and this affiant States that during the Revolution
Say about the year 1776 or 7 his father John Brandon was killed in a battle with the Indians while under the command of General Williamson in the place called the Middle Settlements and thus left himself and three brothers, a sister and his Mother in a helpless condition he being only about 12 or 13 years of age: in a year or two say in 1779 the said William Brandon was in service in Pennsylvania and having served two Militia tours had heard of the death of his Brother this affiant's father and helpless condition came to South Carolina then Camden District but what is now called York District for the protection of his Mother and the children.
The Tories was also getting to be very troublesome and required the attention of Some one to procure them something to live on and he from the best information this affiant could gather at that time said William Brandon Served two tours of three months in Pennsylvania or the tours might have been longer they were full tours of Service one tour was served in New Jersey another and Pennsylvania both under General Washington and one of the tours in New Jersey he was in the battle of Monmouth and on another action he witnessed the battle at a place called White Plains or some such name the Position of the British were on one hill and the Americans were on another during the action three British officers rode between the contending parties one of whom fell to ride no more,
Brandon was on one of the flanks and was not in the battle but saw it about the same time said Brandon saw another company of riflemen say one hundred others march up a small Branch on one side of which lay a small party of British in a buckwheat field in charge of a cannon, they immediately commenced with their rifles and killed so many the balance of the British fled leaving their cannon which the Americans took possession of and fired after them as they retreated.
The last tour was chiefly about Valley Forge. It was in cold weather all this information affiant got from said William Brandon immediately after his return Say in 1779 also a great many other circumstances too tedious to mention all of which this affiant believes to be true. After said Brandon's return or about the time said Brandon came to South Carolina Times were very troublesome the Siege of Charleston commenced soon after and was taken the spring or summer following and from the fall of Charleston to the termination of the War said William Brandon was continually almost in Militia Service under Colonels Sumpter [sic, Thomas Sumter], Niell [Neel, Neal, Neale], Mofat [Moffit?], Hathron [Hawthorne?], Watson and others and under captains Jamison, Hilhouse, Barnett and McCool.
The reason he left this affiant's Mother and went into the Service was that no man was safe unless he was in the Army and this affiant recollects that when said Brandon could get an opportunity he would come home on furlough or parole for a few days to assist them. After the fall of Charleston said Brandon was out a three months tour during which time he was in the Hanging Rock at another time he was at the battle of the fish dams [sic, Fish dam] under Colonel Sumter said Brandon was out another three months tour in North Carolina and was at the battle of the Cowpens at another he was at the taking of King's Mountain.
In South Carolina he was at the Hanging Rock and Buford's defeat. This affiant makes these statements from recollections of those Periods. York or Camden Districts was the Seat of War in South Carolina, William Brandon was also in the battle of Camden but this affiant cannot State at this particular time the dates of the different tours of Service as he was principally at home and his uncle William Brandon so soon as one tour of Service was over he would enter again chiefly in tours of three and sometimes two months at a time.
This affiant will sum up the Service and will safely state the Service of the said William Brandon during the year 1779, 1780 and 1781 at least to be 12 months and thus states on information performed in Pennsylvania at six months and further this deponent Saith not accept the marriage between him and Jane Brandon formerly Jane Dobbs which took place a few years after the Revolution say in 1785 or thereabout.
Sworn to and Subscribed before me
this second day of September 1841.
S/ Thomas Dotson, JP
S/ Arthur Brandon
State of Tennessee,
Macon County
On this day personally appeared Jane Brandon widow of William Brandon deceased who is a resident of the County of aforesaid before me James Patterson an acting Justice of the Peace in and for the County aforesaid who being duly Sworn according to law doth on her oath make the following amended Declaration in addition to her former Declarations in order to obtain the benefit of the Provision made by the Acts of Congress passed July 7th 1838 and 3rd of March 1843 and the act of 28 June 1844 continuing the Pensions of certain Widows.
That since making the last Amended Declaration she has been informed & and now recollects and believes that her husband the said William Brandon Served Several tours of Service in the State of North Carolina and if the same has been omitted in her former Declaration she is now well convinced the same should have been mentioned. She accounts for such omission if the same does not exist from the fact that she was only married to him as appears of record in the year 1785 or about that time, and consequently could not have known all the Services only as her said husband told her and as the proof is made out, her old age and bodily infirmity should also plead for such omission.
She is informed and believes the information to be true that evidence of her husband's Services have lately been procured by Adam Ferguson from the office of the Comptroller of North Carolina which she has no doubt is correct as there was but two William Brandons in the War of the revolution and there was a large connection of them some lived in North and some in South Carolina one of these was an officer a Captain or Lieutenant and the other was her husband. She well recollects her husband telling her of being in the battle of King's Mountain and Guilford Court house as well as many other places not now recollected.
She therefore claims all benefit from this Service for her husband in the War of the Revolution and as full and complete a manner as if the same had been Stated before by her and she relies on said proof. She claims all benefit from the Services of her husband in Pennsylvania, South Carolina as well as North Carolina and for such services performed by her said husband in the war of the Revolution she Claims a full pension.
Sworn to and subscribed before me
the 22nd day of May 1845. S/ James Patterson, JP
S/ Jane Brandon, X her mark
[James Brandon, 79, a citizen of Macon County, Tenn, states that he recalls William Brandon going to NC seeking refuge from the Tories and having served in the militia while there about 1 year.]
[The file contains another declaration dated October 26th 1840 filed by Jane Brandon, widow, in which she states substantially what she had stated above.]
[Widow was pensioned at the rate of $40 per annum commencing March fourth, 1843.]
The actual burial site for William Brandon has been lost to history. We have placed a Memorial Stone in his honor in the Cantrell Gilliand Memorial Garden. May this memorial serve as an expression of the gratitude we owe him for risking his life and braving the unknown to help build a new country: our America.
His participation in the Battle of King's Mountain was documented by W71, the Application for Revolutionary War Pension his wife, Jane Dodd Brandon, submitted. Will Graves transcribed the application.
(Parenthetically, historians, genealogists, and descendants owe thanks to Will Graves for his hours spent transcribing the pension applications of American Revolution veterans. These papers were fragile and difficult to read, so this was a most difficult task, but so many people benefit from his efforts. Thank you, Will Graves.)
Southern Campaign
American Revolution Pension Statements
Pension application of William Brandon
W71 Jane fn49SC
Transcribed by Will Graves
rev'd 8/3/10
[Methodology: Spelling, punctuation and/or grammar have been corrected in some instances for ease of reading and to facilitate searches of the database. Also, the handwriting of the original scribes often lends itself to varying interpretations. Users of this database are urged to view the original and to make their own decision as to how to decipher what the original scribe actually wrote. Blanks appearing in the transcripts reflect blanks in the original. Folks are free to make non-commercial use this transcript in any manner they may see fit, but please extend the courtesy of acknowledging the transcriber— besides, if it turns out the transcript contains mistakes, the resulting embarrassment will fall on the transcriber. I use speech recognition software to make all my transcriptions. Such software misinterprets my southern accent with unfortunate regularity and my poor proofreading fails to catch all misinterpretations. I welcome and encourage folks to call those and any other errors to my attention.]
State of Tennessee,
Smith County
On this 20th day of May in the year 1837 personally appeared before the Subscriber one of the acting Justices of the peace in and for said County Jane Brandon a resident of Smith County and State of Tennessee aged 77 years who being first duly Sworn according to law doth on her oath make the following declaration in order to obtain the benefit of the Provision made by the Act of Congress passed July 4th 1836.
That she is the widow of William Brandon who was a private and Ensign in the Army of the Revolution and served three several tours of Service his first tour was in the State of Pennsylvania he lived in York County in said State his Captain's name was Thomson he was in the Army of General Gates was at the battle of Saratoga he was a volunteer in a tour of service and served nine months he got a discharge but when he moved to this country he burnt it with a great many other old papers.
He volunteered again for nine months and Joined the Army of General Washington, he was at the battle of Brandywine and at Chadsford also the battle of Germantown she cannot State the particulars of this campaign as it was before her marriage She was married under the old fashion by proclamation of Banns at Monaehan[?] Meeting House it was during this tour that he acted as Ensign. He served this tour nine months and was regularly discharged but burnt it with other papers. He entered the Service again as a volunteer and the reason was he preferred that [illegible word] rather than suffer to be drafted he was a rifleman and mounted in the horse troops as a private under Major Kirkpatrick and under General Morgan he entered the Service this time after Charleston was taken and continued in the Service until after the battle of King's Mountain he was at the battle of Guilford.
The name of Brandon was well known among the Tories his Colonel['s] name was Brandon and he continued longer in the Services than usual as it was unsafe to pass out of the Army he had many skirmishes with the Tories but this affiant cannot recollect at this distance of time he was discharged this time for a tour of 12 months but burnt his discharge with other papers as above Stated. He got paid in the old Continental money this affiant has a great deal of it own hand and sends a Specimen of it to the War Department and says that her husband always thought Congress would make some arrangement to pay it she has a great many bills of it of which her husband was paid for his Services.
She further declares that from the distance she lives from the Courthouse and old age and bodily infirmity she cannot travel to the Court to make this declaration. She further declares that she was married to the said William Brandon on the __ [blank in original] day of May 1781 and that her husband the aforesaid William Brandon died on the 10th March 1818 and that she has remained a widow ever since that period as will more fully appear by reference to the proof hereto annexed.
Sworn to Subscribed before me
this 20th day of May 1837.
S/ Patrick Ferguson,
Justice of the Peace
S/ Jane Brandon, X her mark
State of Tennessee,
Smith County
On this day personally appeared William D. Brandon Son of William & Jane Brandon and made oath in due form of law that he is according to the record of his father kept in a book 48 years of age. That his oldest Brother yet lives in South Carolina and he being the oldest son living in this Country Deposeth and says that when his father was about starting from South Carolina to moved to this Country in 1817 he made this affiant collect all his old papers
Stating that he could not live long owing to a hurt he got in the last tour of Service and made this affiant first read them over and then burnt them believing that they were useless this affiant recollects very well of burning three discharges and also a great many papers or furloughs he recollects very well of reading them over there was two for Services in Pennsylvania each time of Service was for either six or nine months.
But he distinctly recollects the last discharge was for 12 months and the reason was he continued in Service as a volunteer from the time that Charleston fell into the hands of the British until after the Battle of Guilford he recollects that one of the discharges was for Ensign this was one of the tours in Pennsylvania he further States that from tradition of the County his father was born in Pennsylvania but his father was formerly from Ireland and when this affiant read over the certificate of protection the old man said he would keep it to show his children also be has preserved a great many bills of the old currency in which he was paid.
This affiant recollects frequent conversations between his father and Col. Brandon in South Carolina heard them speak of all the services particularly the last tour in South Carolina Colonel Brandon lived a close neighbor was a relation to his father and one or more of the furloughs were given by Colonel Brandon.
Sworn to subscribed before me
this 21st day of May 1837.
S/ Patrick Ferguson, JP
S/ Wm D. Brandon
State of Tennessee,
Smith County
On this day personally appeared John Brandon nephew of William Brandon the husband of the above applicant before me Patrick Ferguson one of the acting Justices of the peace in and for said County who being duly Sworn according to law makes oath that he is 72 years of age and recollects the Services of his uncle in the War of the Revolution his first tour of Services was in Pennsylvania.
He believes the captains name was Thomson, he knows in the second tour of Service that he was an officer and held the office of Ensign he believes his Captain's name was name was Irwin he was at the battle of White Plains and was out all the winter when the battles of Brandywine and Germantown were fought. This affiant distinctly recollects of hearing him relate during the tour of Service in the winter of his Company or detachment encamping at Pemberton's Wood and was detached from the Army of Washington on small parties sometimes in New Jersey and sometimes in Maryland; but thinks his two tours of Service were but six months each and is unwilling to state his time to be longer that is two tours of six months.
This affiant States that after the fall of Charleston and the British were approaching to Ninety Six that his uncle William entered the Service as a light horse troops and was used upon reconnoitering and light Services. This affiant lived in Camden District South Carolina and when his uncle could make it convenient he would Stay all night and Joined his company in the morning. Sometimes the whole Regiment would camp close by his mother's; their Colonels' names were Moffet, Neil and Brandon, this was during what was called the ―Bloody Summer.‖
He believes that he served more than 12 months but will not say how much longer. This affiant was frequently with him in camps. He further states that William Brandon and Jane Dodds were legally married in Pennsylvania at the time she states and before the last term of her husband's services expired and that she has remained a widow ever since the death of her husband.
Sworn to subscribed before me t
his 21st day of May 1837.
S/ Patrick Ferguson, JP
S/ John Brandon {Seal}
[Bible birth record:
John Brandon was born April the 3rd 1786
Polley Brandon Born December the 10th 1787
William Brandon Born September 17, 1789
Alexander Brandon Born September 6, 1791
James Brandon Born April the 1st 1793
Catherine [illegible word] Brandon Born May 6 1795
Jonathan Brandon Born May 15 1797
Jane Brandon Born March 28, 1799
Thomas Hart was Born february the 26 1813
Jonathan Brandon Hart was Born July the 10 1812
[last digit unclear] 1746 and Dyed March the 10, 1818 h
e was Seventy Two years of age
Jane Brandon his wife was born february 12, 1760
Derinda Brandon was Born January 1 1821
[letter from War Dept. says William Brandon was born May 23, 1746 in Penn.]]
[file actually contains Continental currency: $1 printed by Hall and Sellers, 1779]
York County,
in Pennsylvania
I do hereby certify, that William Brandon, hath voluntarily taken and subscribed the Oath of Allegiance and Fidelity, as directed by Act of General Assembly of Pennsylvania, passed the 13th Day of June, A.D. 1777.
Witness my Hand and Seal, t
he 29th Day of August A.D. 1777.
S/ Andrew Thompson, L. S.
Comptrollers Office,
Raleigh N. C.
March 24, 1845
I William F. Collins, Comptroller of Public Accounts, do hereby certify, that it appears of record in my Office, that the following certificates were issued: in favor of William Brandon (Private), for military service, viz.: 145 pounds, eight shillings (£5.8) found in Book F, No. 2, page 68: and on the other for 18 pounds (£18), found in Book F., No. 2, page 79, another for ten pounds, 10 shillings (£10.10) found in Book No. 25, page 24:
Given under my hand and seal
this 24th day of March 1845.
S/ Wm F. Collins, Comptr.
Comptroller Generals Office
Columbia
23rd Dec. 1840
Indent Book H No. 715 Lib. N1 Issued the 23rd of September '88 to William Brandon for five towns 18 shillings & eight pants for Duty &c in 1779 per account audited No. 74 Principal £5.16.8 annual Int. £ 0.8.2 State of South Carolina to William Brandon – William Brandon Bill of charge as wagon Master from Augusta to Orangeburg in the year 1779 from May 4 to may be 18th in all 14 days at $3 per day 42.00 say 15 d 40 doll pMO 20 dollars or 4..13..4 No.2 William Brandon Bill of charges riding express for General Williamson from April 28th two May 3 in all four days at $10 per day $40 4 days say at 60/ £12 say 5 days 4/8 1..3..4
State of South Carolina,
96 District
Personally came before me William Brandon & made oath on the Hole Evangelist of Or why the Guard & saith that the above account as it stands dated against the State for a wagon Master & riding express is just & [illegible] taken before me this 18 November 1779. I do certify that the express was at General Williamson's order & the time of being Wagon master.
S/ Thos. Brandon, Col.
S/ Wm Reneday,
£5..16..8
Comptroller or General Office
Columbia
23rd Dec. 1840
I do hereby certify that the above memorandum No. 1 is a true copy taken from the margin of Indent Book X No. 1715 deposited in this Office and that No. 2 is a copy of the account audited and for which the same Indent was issued.
S/ Wm E. Hayne
Comptr. Genl.
Pr. Wm F. Arthur
State of Tennessee,
Smith County
On this day personally appeared Arthur Brandon aged 75 years and going in his 76th a Citizen of Kentucky before me Thomas Dotson one of the acting Justices of the Peace in and for the County aforesaid and made oath in due form of law that he was well acquainted with William Brandon he was his uncle and this affiant States that during the Revolution
Say about the year 1776 or 7 his father John Brandon was killed in a battle with the Indians while under the command of General Williamson in the place called the Middle Settlements and thus left himself and three brothers, a sister and his Mother in a helpless condition he being only about 12 or 13 years of age: in a year or two say in 1779 the said William Brandon was in service in Pennsylvania and having served two Militia tours had heard of the death of his Brother this affiant's father and helpless condition came to South Carolina then Camden District but what is now called York District for the protection of his Mother and the children.
The Tories was also getting to be very troublesome and required the attention of Some one to procure them something to live on and he from the best information this affiant could gather at that time said William Brandon Served two tours of three months in Pennsylvania or the tours might have been longer they were full tours of Service one tour was served in New Jersey another and Pennsylvania both under General Washington and one of the tours in New Jersey he was in the battle of Monmouth and on another action he witnessed the battle at a place called White Plains or some such name the Position of the British were on one hill and the Americans were on another during the action three British officers rode between the contending parties one of whom fell to ride no more,
Brandon was on one of the flanks and was not in the battle but saw it about the same time said Brandon saw another company of riflemen say one hundred others march up a small Branch on one side of which lay a small party of British in a buckwheat field in charge of a cannon, they immediately commenced with their rifles and killed so many the balance of the British fled leaving their cannon which the Americans took possession of and fired after them as they retreated.
The last tour was chiefly about Valley Forge. It was in cold weather all this information affiant got from said William Brandon immediately after his return Say in 1779 also a great many other circumstances too tedious to mention all of which this affiant believes to be true. After said Brandon's return or about the time said Brandon came to South Carolina Times were very troublesome the Siege of Charleston commenced soon after and was taken the spring or summer following and from the fall of Charleston to the termination of the War said William Brandon was continually almost in Militia Service under Colonels Sumpter [sic, Thomas Sumter], Niell [Neel, Neal, Neale], Mofat [Moffit?], Hathron [Hawthorne?], Watson and others and under captains Jamison, Hilhouse, Barnett and McCool.
The reason he left this affiant's Mother and went into the Service was that no man was safe unless he was in the Army and this affiant recollects that when said Brandon could get an opportunity he would come home on furlough or parole for a few days to assist them. After the fall of Charleston said Brandon was out a three months tour during which time he was in the Hanging Rock at another time he was at the battle of the fish dams [sic, Fish dam] under Colonel Sumter said Brandon was out another three months tour in North Carolina and was at the battle of the Cowpens at another he was at the taking of King's Mountain.
In South Carolina he was at the Hanging Rock and Buford's defeat. This affiant makes these statements from recollections of those Periods. York or Camden Districts was the Seat of War in South Carolina, William Brandon was also in the battle of Camden but this affiant cannot State at this particular time the dates of the different tours of Service as he was principally at home and his uncle William Brandon so soon as one tour of Service was over he would enter again chiefly in tours of three and sometimes two months at a time.
This affiant will sum up the Service and will safely state the Service of the said William Brandon during the year 1779, 1780 and 1781 at least to be 12 months and thus states on information performed in Pennsylvania at six months and further this deponent Saith not accept the marriage between him and Jane Brandon formerly Jane Dobbs which took place a few years after the Revolution say in 1785 or thereabout.
Sworn to and Subscribed before me
this second day of September 1841.
S/ Thomas Dotson, JP
S/ Arthur Brandon
State of Tennessee,
Macon County
On this day personally appeared Jane Brandon widow of William Brandon deceased who is a resident of the County of aforesaid before me James Patterson an acting Justice of the Peace in and for the County aforesaid who being duly Sworn according to law doth on her oath make the following amended Declaration in addition to her former Declarations in order to obtain the benefit of the Provision made by the Acts of Congress passed July 7th 1838 and 3rd of March 1843 and the act of 28 June 1844 continuing the Pensions of certain Widows.
That since making the last Amended Declaration she has been informed & and now recollects and believes that her husband the said William Brandon Served Several tours of Service in the State of North Carolina and if the same has been omitted in her former Declaration she is now well convinced the same should have been mentioned. She accounts for such omission if the same does not exist from the fact that she was only married to him as appears of record in the year 1785 or about that time, and consequently could not have known all the Services only as her said husband told her and as the proof is made out, her old age and bodily infirmity should also plead for such omission.
She is informed and believes the information to be true that evidence of her husband's Services have lately been procured by Adam Ferguson from the office of the Comptroller of North Carolina which she has no doubt is correct as there was but two William Brandons in the War of the revolution and there was a large connection of them some lived in North and some in South Carolina one of these was an officer a Captain or Lieutenant and the other was her husband. She well recollects her husband telling her of being in the battle of King's Mountain and Guilford Court house as well as many other places not now recollected.
She therefore claims all benefit from this Service for her husband in the War of the Revolution and as full and complete a manner as if the same had been Stated before by her and she relies on said proof. She claims all benefit from the Services of her husband in Pennsylvania, South Carolina as well as North Carolina and for such services performed by her said husband in the war of the Revolution she Claims a full pension.
Sworn to and subscribed before me
the 22nd day of May 1845. S/ James Patterson, JP
S/ Jane Brandon, X her mark
[James Brandon, 79, a citizen of Macon County, Tenn, states that he recalls William Brandon going to NC seeking refuge from the Tories and having served in the militia while there about 1 year.]
[The file contains another declaration dated October 26th 1840 filed by Jane Brandon, widow, in which she states substantially what she had stated above.]
[Widow was pensioned at the rate of $40 per annum commencing March fourth, 1843.]
The actual burial site for William Brandon has been lost to history. We have placed a Memorial Stone in his honor in the Cantrell Gilliand Memorial Garden. May this memorial serve as an expression of the gratitude we owe him for risking his life and braving the unknown to help build a new country: our America.
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