List of 63 Pension Application Petitioners
Copies from the original document. All spelling is Same as In Copy (sic).
BOLD has been used to highlight Genocide and Ethnic Cleansing
Additional Information for each of the 63 Petitioners included with Link.
Pension Application Elisha Rowark - S7399
Sometime in the month of August 1776, This Declarant while he was residing in the County of Surry and State of North Carolina was drafted in a Militia Company in said County of Surry under one Captain Dotheridge [sic] & received orders to rendezvous at a public place called Miers in said County. The object of this draft being to protect the frontiers of our own State from the ravages of the Indians, who were then troublesome in that part of the Country which is now in Tennessee on the Holston River -- This Declarant according[ly] rendezvoused at Miers and was there put under one Captain William Dobson in the Regiment under the command of Colonel Joseph Williams -- & This Declarant thinks that one Joseph Winston was the Major or of the Lieutenant Colonel of the Regiment. This Declarant was marched in said Company and Regiment to a place on the Holston River, then called Long Island and there camped: and continued some time waiting for reinforcements. This Declarant cannot now recollect But knows for several weeks & perhaps months. From thence they marched to a place called the Three Springs, and there joined with another Regiment under the command of Colonel or General Christi [sic, William Christian], and this Declarant thinks that the troops were under the command of Colonel Christi were Virginia troops; Colonel Christi then took the command of all the troops and marched them to a place of the Indian Towns on the Tennessee River; On arriving there the Indians had fled, and here this Declarant with the rest of the troops were stationed and continued until sometime in the month of February 1777 as well as this Declarant now recollects, and from thence this Declarant with the rest of the Surry Troops were marched back again to Surry County in North Carolina and were Disbanded.
Pension Application Leven Savage - S3849
He entered the service of the United States in Surry County State of North Carolina where he then resided sometime in July 1776 the day not recollected as a volunteer to go an expedition against the Overhill Cherokee Indians and their Chief Dragin Canoe [Dragging Canoe], and joind his company under Captain Poindexter at Old Richmond in said county [now in Yadkin County]. The Lieutenant and Ensign is not recollected. He remained with his company under said Captains at old Richmond three or four weeks. He did not volunteer for any definite period. Applicant under said Captain marched to Long Islands in Holstein river [sic: Long Island on Holston River, at present Kingsport TN] where he joined the army under General Christie [William Christian] and was attached to Colonel Williams regiment and Captain Mosby took command the company to which he belonged. Applicant then marched under said officers across Holstein river to Blue Springs then marched to French Broad river. Just before the army arrived at French Broad a white man bearing a white flag from the Indians met them and it was rumored among the soldiers that the Indians offered peace if the army proceeded no further but if they went any farther the Indians would kill them to a man. And that the General said he would give them a brush at any rate. Orders were then issued by the General for six hundred horsemen and six hundred foot to turn out each horseman to take a foot man behind him which was executed. Applicant was one who volunteered his services obtained a horse and took a man behind him. Applicant with the rest of the party consisting of twelve hundred men mounted as aforesaid were ordered to cross the river and keep the Indians in check until the balance of the troops should come up. Applicant with the part aforesaid crossed the river in the night at a place shown them by the interpreter, but does not recollect what Officer commanded the party. They lay in ambush that night in profound silence, and at the dawn of day they went to the Indian fires, but the Indians had fled having made a picture on a tree which the interpreter said meant, they run home and their hair flew back. The main army came up immediately afterwards and applicant and the rest of the party gave up their horses to their owners. He then with the army arced to the Cherokee nation and burnt Draging Canoe’s town, Chilhowee and Chota. The Indians then came and sued for peace and gave up the Old Widdow Bean who they taken prisoner. The Chiefs or head men who came to the army were Little Carpenter [Attakullakulla], Pigeon & Conestoga [Oconostota] He don’t think Draging Canoe came with them. No prisoners were taken. Applicant then with the army returned home where he was verbally discharged by Captain Mosby sometime in December 1776 the day not recollected He served out his full term of six months.
COMMENTARY - Dragging Canoe had already hit the War Pols and left the Attakullakulla and Oconostata. Richard Fennelson (sp) was the Interpreter. Syllabary was written on a tree in 1776 and understood by Fennelson. Indians were attacked under a flag of truce.
Pension Application Joseph Sewell - S31354 - fn23NC
Transcribed by Will Graves 2/6/11
State of Kentucky Cumberland County: Sct
On this the 13th day of November personally appeared in open court before the worshipful members of the County Court of the County aforesaid now sitting Joseph Sewell a resident of the County & State aforesaid aged seventy-nine next March, who being 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 the 7th 1832.
That he entered the service of the United States the first of April about the beginning of the revolutionary war, the year he does not now recollect, he went as a volunteer for, he thinks, six months, from Wilks [Wilkes] County North Carolina, under the command of Captain Benjamin Cleaveland [Benjamin Cleveland] & General Lopp they started to a place called Cross Creek in the lower part of North Carolina and about 100 miles from the County in which he lived and from which he started he states that after he had started & marched perhaps 120 miles towards Cross Creek he was called back by an express to the country from which he started to fight and expel the Indians who had after he had started commenced their warfare in that part of the country, he states that after he returned he was engaged in building a station in the County from which he started near the head of the Adkin River [sic, Yadkin River] which was called "Ellison's Station" and was there under the command of Captain Ellison guarding the station he thinks for three or four months he believes he served eight months from the time he first went out until he again volunteered from the County aforesaid under the command of Captain Frank Hartgrove for the term of three months and was joined to the Regiment commanded by General Rutherford the Army consisted of 3444 men this expedition was against the Indians, they crossed the Blue Ridge at the head of the Catawbey [Catawba] River and marched to the head of the Swanono [Swannanoa] River, thence down said River to the junction of the big Pigeon River, thence to Little Pigeon River thence to French Broad [River], from thence to the Tennessee River, to a town of the Indians called Cowee town, from thence to another Indian town called Keewee, upon the Keewee River, from thence to the Hiwassee River and during which tower [tour] they killed many Indians & destroyed all their towns in the Country through which they crossed; from the Hiwassee they marched back to the place from which they started and were discharged the three months for which he volunteered having expired. He states that about three months after his return he again volunteered under the command of Lieutenant Moses Ges [probably Moses Guess or Guest] Captain John Barton & Colonel Elijah Isaacs, from the County & state aforesaid for the term, he thinks of two months and marched against the Tories passing through Salisbury to the Pedee River a distance of about 140 miles from where he started and he remained a week or two beyond the Pedee River and was then joined by the southern Army and was then marched back to the County from which he started. He states that nothing extraordinary took place during said tour. They met with about 100 Tories fired upon them killed one and wounded two and the balance flew.
He states that in a few days after his return he again volunteered from the County & State aforesaid under the command of said Lieutenant Ges & Captain John Barton to march against the British at Kings Mountain for six months he thinks and after having marched about 40 miles he was taken sick with a fever at Crider's Fort near the head of the Catawba River and remained there until he sent word of his situation to his relations and in a week or 10 days sent for him he having obtained a furlough from his Captain and was taken home where he was confined by his sickness about six months after which his health was not good and he performed no other services except some short skirmishes through the country after Indians & Tories. He states that he thinks the whole of the time he was engaged in the revolutionary war was at least two years [in a different hand someone has written "18 months"]
He states that he was born in the State of Mariland [Maryland] at a place called Elk Ridge he thinks in the year 1753 he states that his father kept a record of his age, that he himself is no scholar & has none, he lived during the whole of the revolutionary war in Wilkes County North Carolina, about two years after the war he moved to Carter County in East Tennessee and lived there about 30 years and from thence he moved to this County where he now lives, he states that he always volunteered his services in the revolutionary war as he has before stated; he states that he served under the officers as mentioned in this declaration and he knows of no important circumstance that transpired during his service more than he has herein stated. He states that he never received a discharge from the service, he sometimes received a furlough but not always and does he received he has lost. He states that he is known to Isaac Benton, William Wood, Daniel Myres, Joseph Speen, & Colonel Ambrose Bramlett all of whom are my neighbors and can testify as to my character for veracity and their belief of my services in the revolution. He states that clergyman Isaac Denton was by appointment to have met him here at this court if he was able to give his certificate in this case. He hereby relinquishes every claim whatever to a pension or annuity except the present & declares that his name is not on the pension roll of the agency of any State.
S/ Joseph Sewell
[Daniel L Myeres and John Willis gave the standard supporting affidavit.]
Personally appeared before me George Croft a justice of the peace in and for the County of Cumberland & State of Kentucky Joseph Sewell the applicant in the attached declaration and made oath that he knows of no living witness whose testimony he is enabled to obtain by whom he can prove his services alleged in his declaration hereto attached.
Given under my hand as justice of the peace in & for the County aforesaid this the 8th day of May 1833.
S/ George Croft, JP
[In Veteran was pensioned at the rate of $60 per annum commencing March 4th 1831 for 18 months service as a private in the North Carolina militia.]
Pension Application Enoch Smith - S31975 - f29NC
Transcribed by Will Graves 7/21/06 rev'd 2/21/11 & 6/4/15
State of Georgia, Hall County
On this the day of September Eighteen hundred and thirty two personally appeared in open court before Ezekiel Buffington, Joseph Dunagan & Thomas S. Tate, Judges of the Inferior Court sitting as Justices of the Court of Ordinary for said County of Hall, Enoch Smith, of Hall County aged Seventy four years who being first duly sworn according to Law, doth on his oath make the following declaration in order to obtain the benefit of the act of Congress passed June 7th, 1832.
That he entered the service of the United States under the following named officers and served as herein stated, viz. he entered the service in the month of September or October but cannot say on which day of the month or in which of said months in the year Seventeen hundred and Seventy Six and left the Service in the year Seventeen hundred and Eighty One; that he resided in Surry County North Carolina when he entered the Service and was drafted into the same & was commanded by Capt. Richard Goode, Major Joseph Winston & Col. James Williams [sic, probably Joseph Williams]; deponent says that he was not in any formal engagement during the time of Service that he marched across the Blue Ridge at the flowing gap and joined the Virginia troops under the command of Col. Christy [sic, William Christian] at a place called the long Islands of Holston River in the State of Tennessee; that he assisted in driving the Cherokee Indians from several Towns to wit, Big Island Town, Chilhowey [Chilhowie] Town and some other towns the names of which he cannot recollect; then returned home after a tour of Six months; removed to the State of South Carolina, Newberry District; was called into Service again in the year Eighty one and was commanded by Lieutenant John Cox & Col. William Farr; was engaged on several occasions against the Tories and after a Tour of three months was disbanded and returned home; was called out again to serve two months having served altogether about Eleven months.
That he has no documentary evidence and that he knows of no person whose testimony he can procure who can testify to his service.
He hereby relinquishes every claim whatever to a pension or annuity except the present and declares that his name is not on the Pension Roll of the Agency of any State whatever.
S/ Enoch Smith
Sworn to and Subscribed the day & year aforesaid S/ Ez Buffington, J. I. C.
[James Whitten, a clergyman, and David H. McCleskey gave the standard supporting affidavit.]
Amendment to the declaration of the Enoch Smith
Georgia Hall County: personally appeared before me the undersigned a Justice of the Inferior Court of said County Enoch Smith who being duly sworn deposeth & saith that he was born in Orange County State of North Carolina in the year 1759.
That he has no record of his age
That he never received any discharge from the service that during the time of his service he was not employed in any civil pursuit.
Sworn to and subscribed before me this 10th day of May 1833
S/ Enoch Smith
Amendment to Enoch Smith declaration
State of Georgia Hall County:
Personally appeared before me the undersigned a Justice of the peace in and for said County Enoch Smith who being duly sworn deposeth and saith that by reason of old age and the consequent loss of memory he cannot swear positively as to the precise length of his Service, but according to the best of his recollection he served not less than the periods mentioned below and in the following grades. In the year 1776 and in the month of September (I think) I was drafted into Service under Captain Richard Goode, Major Joseph Winston & was attached to Colonel James Williams' Regiment and marched to what was called the Overhill Towns they being some Cherokee Towns on Tennessee River and after driving the Indians and burning their Towns returned home having served a tour of six months. I then removed to the State of South Carolina Newberry District and sometime in the year 1781 was called out again by Lieutenant John Cox and attached to Colonel William Farr's Regiment and was employed in several excursions against the Tories having served a term of three months returned home the above named tour was performed in Newberry District South Carolina. A short time after I was called out by Captain Peter Julian and attached to a Regiment commanded by Colonel Philemon Waters and was employed two months on a scouting party in Newberry District South Carolina the whole of the time I acted as a private Soldier I was not employed in any civil pursuit during the time the above and foregoing Service was performed and for such service I claim a pension.
I was born in Orange County State of North Carolina in the year 1759.
I have no record of my age
I never received any discharge for my services
Sworn to and subscribed before made this 15th day of August 1833.
S/ Philip M Byrd, JP
[p 13: On December 6, 1833, Annie Smith signed a document relinquishing all claim for a pension except for 6 months service. This document was signed by his mark.]
[p 11: On December 27, 1852, in Hall County Georgia, William P Smith signed a power of attorney authorizing his attorney to investigate the claim of his grandfather Enoch Smith.]
[Veteran was pensioned at the rate of $20 per annum commencing March 4th, 1831, for 6 months service as a private in the North Carolina militia.]
Pension Application William Sparks - R9960 - f22NC
Transcribed by Will Graves rev'd 10/30/12 & 10/30/12
State of Texas, County of Nacogdoches
On this 14th day of September, A. D., 1846 personally appeared before Honorable District Court of said County now sitting in open court, William Sparks, a resident of Sparks' settlement in said County of Nacogdoches and State of Texas aged eighty five years on the 3rd day of April last, 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 this applicant entered the service of the United States under the following named officers and served as herein stated. Shortly before this applicant entered the service his father Matthew Sparks removed with him from the Yadkin River in the County of Wilkes and State of North Carolina across the Blue Ridge to a place on New River in the said County of Wilkes, which is now about two miles from the County seat of Roan [sic, Rowan] County, North Carolina. Also shortly before I entered the service the Cherokee Indians had committed depredations and murdered five persons, I think, three children and two women, near the head of the Catawba River, at least, above John's River, at a place then, I think, in Burke County, North Carolina. In the part of the country in which I lived, after the war had lasted several years, all of us capable of bearing arms were divided into four classes, as well as I remember, by lots. I fell into the fourth class. About this time it came to the turn of my class to enter the service; and while we were making preparations to do so Capt. John Cleveland, (nicknamed Devil John) son of Col. Benjamin Cleveland, who afterwards fought at King's Mountain, and who then resided near our former residence on the Yadkin, come over to our settlement on New River, and proposed to my class to volunteer to go with him against the Cherokee Indians, saying that this tour would be accounted the same as the same length of service against the British, against whom we were then preparing to go. Four of my neighbors of my class viz. John Baker, Israel Campbell, John Waters, and George Humphreys, with myself, accepted John Cleveland's proposition, and in obedience to his order rendezvoused at Wilkes Court House (Wilkesboro) and entered the service under the said John Cleveland as our Captain on the 15th day of August. From old age and consequent loss of memory this applicant cannot state positively in what year this was, but he does recollect, that it was when he had just entered his seventeenth year, and several years before the battle of King's Mountain. At Wilkesboro, which was the place of general rendezvous for the North Carolina troops raised for this expedition, Capt. Cleveland's Company was filled to the number of about sixty, and about one thousand in all rendezvoused here. We were all mounted gunmen, and nearly all armed with rifles, tomahawks, and butcher knives, each man, and myself amongst the rest, furnishing his own horse, arms, and equipment. At the end of about two days we took up the line of march by Pleasant Gardens on the Catawba [River], crossed John's River, then by Cathey's Fort to Turkey Cove on the Catawba [River], a distance, I supposed, of about one hundred miles in all from Wilkesboro. At Turkey Cove we remained about two weeks collecting Beef and other provisions for the campaign. Here we were joined by the rest of the North Carolina forces, making our number from twelve to fifteen hundred, and here the Command in Chief was taken by Genl. Charles McDowell of Pleasant Gardens, Burke County, North Carolina, in which he continued throughout the Campaign. At this place my Capt. John Cleveland was informed by letter that his wife was dangerously ill, and went home, and did not again return to us. Myself and my New River neighbors, Baker, Campbell, Waters and Humphreys, at the request of Capt. Cleveland were then permitted to join Capt. John Beverley's Company, in which we remained to the end of the Campaign. I do not remember positively what disposition was made of the rest of Cleveland's company, but I believe that as Beverly had not before a full company they all joined him. My Regiment was commanded by Col. Benjamin Hearn of Wilkes County. The Captains under him were as far as I remember, John Cleveland and John Beverly and I think others whom I do not recollect. Col. Joseph Dowell, brother of our Genl. commanded the Burke County Regiment. There was also a Maj. McDowell in under Col. Joseph McDowell. I think his given name was also Joseph, and that he was a cousin of the General and this Colonel. I do not remember any of the other North Carolina officers. At the end of about two weeks we marched from Turkey Cove up the Catawba [River] on the East side along an old Indian Trace, and crossed the mountains through a gap the name which I do not recollect; struck the waters of Swano [sic, Swannanoa] River, went down the same and crossed French Broad River just above the mouth of Swanano [sic, Swannanoa River?]. Here the foot company from Wilkes County in which was my uncle James Sparks, and which marched behind us built a station, and remained to guard the frontier until our return from the Indian Country. (Here I saw my uncle on return.) From the mouth of Swanano [Swannanoa River?] we proceeded across Richland Creek and then Hominy creek. Here we met and were joined by twelve or fourteen hundred mounted gunmen from South Carolina. I do not remember their commander, or any of their officers except a Maj. Lytle, and him I recollect only from his afterwards in the course of the campaign accidentally killing one of his own men by the name of Morrison in an Indian skirmish. The whole Army then proceeded across another ledge of mountains and then crossed Tuckaseegee River. The night of the day we crossed this River a scouting party of thirty or forty of our men under Maj. McDowell was attacked by a party of Indians of whom they killed two or three, and made prisoners of a woman and child, an old man and one or two boys. The old Indian was shot the next day by a friendly Indian, a servant of Col. Miller , NC, who I think was with us, but in what capacity, I do not recollect. I regret to say that I believe all the prisoners were murdered, except two boys. We then marched on to the Tennessee River a distance of some 20 or 30 miles, here we found several Indian Villages on the South East side of the River, which gave every indication of having been but recently deserted. We remained some two weeks destroying the houses, corn, beans and everything of utility in and about the villages, we then received orders one evening that on the next morning we were to march to the Valley Towns some 70 or 80 miles further on, but in the morning these orders were countermanded, I have never known why. We next proceeded about a day's march up a River, the name of which I forget, on the South East side of the Tennessee, to a large town surrounded by villages where we spent several days more in destroying the town and Villages and everything in and about them. Rumor afterwards stated, and I believe truly, that the devastation committed by us on this campaign was the cause of the death of many hundreds of Indians from starvation. After spending a week or two more in endeavoring through our Scouts in vain to find the Indians we commenced our return march, and retraced the same route as well as I recollect. When we repassed the station near the mouth of Sewanee the foot company was still there to protect the frontier, and remained there for some time afterwards. To the best of my recollection the South Carolina troops parted from us at Hominy Creek where they had joined us. The North Carolina troops then marched on and returned to the Yadkin at or near Wilkesboro where we were disbanded. From this service I received a written discharge from Capt. John Beverly which I kept for many years, but at length not deeming it of any use it was long since lost or destroyed. On this tour we marched a distance which we deemed about five hundred miles and back; and I served in it as a Private Mounted Rifleman (furnishing my own horse, arms, and equipment) at least four months, and I believe longer for I feel confident that I did not return home until after Christmas, and I know I returned home as soon as I was discharged. On this expedition I know I received no pay but to the best of my recollection the privates were promised twenty Dollars per month each, and the same remarks will apply with truth to all my revolutionary services; for I received no pay for any of them.
Upon my return from this campaign the militia company, in the bounds of which I resided, was organized into a company of mounted minute men under Andrew Baker as Captain and my Brother John Sparks as Lieutenant. In this company I served till the close of the War of the Revolution. We furnished our own horses, arms, and equipment. Our part of the country was almost constantly infested with robbing and murdering parties of Tories, British and Hessians, and I was constantly either out in pursuit of such parties, or, in obedience to the orders of my Captain, held myself in readiness to march at a moment's warning. Of the many and almost constant scouting parties, pursuits, and expeditions in which I was engaged during this period from my great age and infirmities I can recollect but one, so as to be able to state the particulars and that only from the personal interest of my family in it, will proceed to state it. In less than a year after my return from the campaign against the Cherokees above detailed, a party of Tories, about 150 in number, robbed my Father, taking a horse, saddle, and bridle , six guns, all our pewter (we had no delftware in those days) and whatever else they could carry. My company was immediately called out and others amounting in all to about one hundred and fifty mounted gunmen under the command of Colo. Benjamin Cleveland. We pursued the above named Tories a distance of between 60 and 70 miles and overtook them in Coxe's settlement near the Virginia line. They were feasting, frolicking and many of them drunk. We killed and wounded 25 or 30 of them in a fight, made prisoners of nearly all the rest, of whom hung five or six, the balance of the prisoners were discharged by Col. Cleveland upon their promise not to molest the patriots for the future. In this expedition I was engaged three weeks. I received no written discharge during the war except the one from Capt. Beverly above mentioned.
I have no documentary evidence of my service, and I know of no person whose testimony I can procure who can testify to my service.
This applicant further states on oath that by reason of old age and the consequent loss of memory he cannot swear positively as to the precise length of his service, but according to the best of his recollection he served not less than three years as a private volunteer mounted Rifleman, always furnishing his own horse, arms and equipment, and for service he claims a pension.
This applicant was born in Rowan County near Salisbury in the State of North Carolina on the 3rd day of April A.D. 1761. He has no record of his age, but he believes his brother Jesse Sparks residing in Hickman County in the State of Tennessee has a copy of the record of his age, the original having been lost. When called into service this applicant lived in Wilkes County North Carolina, and remained there till the close of the Revolutionary War when he removed with his father to what was then Franklin County, afterwards Jackson, and now Clark County in the state of Georgia and settled about four miles from Athens in that State. There this applicant resided till the year 1811 when he removed to Lawrence County, Mississippi, thence to Holmes County in that State, where he lived until March, 1836, when he removed to this County and vicinity where he has ever since resided. In his service he was at all times a volunteer. He hereby relinquishes every claim whatever to a pension or annuity except the present; and declares that his name is not on the Pension Roll of the agency of any State.
S/ William Sparks
Sworn to & Subscribed before me this 14th September 1846 S/ R. Parmalee CDC S/ By H. Nelson, Deputy [Clerk]
The Court then proceeded to propound the following interrogatories, according to law:
Inter. first: Where & in what year were you born?
Answer: I was born within one mile of the town of Salisbury in the County of Rowan, State of North Carolina on the 3rd day of April, in the year 1761.
Int. 2nd: Have you any record of your age & if you have where is it?
Answer: I have no record of my birth, but my brother has who lives in Hickman County Tennessee. He furnished me with a copy which I lost several years since with a trunk of papers near Natchez, Mississippi.
Int. 3rd: Where were you living when called into Service? Where have you lived since the Revolutionary War and where do you now live?
Answer: I was living in Wilkes County, North Carolina. My father emigrated from Wilkes County to Georgia Shortly after the Revolutionary War, and Settled in what was then Franklin County, now Clark County, near Athens, where I resided till about A.D.1811 when I moved to the Territory of Mississippi on Pearl River, now Lawrence County. I remained there a number of years then removed to Holmes County where I remained until I moved to the then Republic of Texas. I stopped in Nacogdoches County where I have lived ever since.
Inter 4th: How were you called into Service , were you drafted, did you volunteer, or were you Substitute, if a Substitute for whom?
Answer: I volunteered and regret that I am not able to do so again. I was not a Substitute, nor was I drafted.
Inter 5th: State the name of some of the Regular Officers who were with the troops when you served. State Continental & Militia Regiments as you can recollect and the general circumstances of your service.
Answer: I served under Capt. John Cleveland, son of old Col. Ben Cleveland. Capt. Cleveland was called home and I served the rest of the time under Capt. John Beverly. Col. Benjamin Hearn was our Col. commanding and General Chas. McDowell was the General in Command. Col. Joseph McDowell was out at the same time in command of another regiment. During this tour we were engaged against the Cherokee Indians. After I returned from this tour I was frequently engaged as a scout under the command of Col. Ben Cleveland, Joseph Baker and Lt. John Sparks, who was my older brother. The Tories came into the neighborhood and committed depredations. Col. Ben Cleveland came over with a company, we followed the Tories about 60 miles, overtook them and we wounded several - took some prisoners. I was in the service with Col. Cleveland.
Inter 6th: Did you ever receive a discharge from service, and if so, what has become of it?
Answer: I did receive a discharge from Capt. John Beverly for my first tour against the Cherokees, which I have lost years and years ago. I never received any other discharge.
Inter 7th: State the names of persons to whom you are known in your present neighborhood and who can testify as to your character for veracity in their belief of your services as a soldier of the Revolution.
Answer: Genl. Thomas J. Rusk, Major David S. Kaufman, Rev. William Harrington, and any others of my acquaintance.
I certify that the answers to the foregoing seven interrogatories were made on Oath by the said William Sparks in open Court before me on this 14th day of September, AD, 1846.
S/ W. B. Ochiltree, Judge of the 6th Jud. Dist. State of Texas
[Sampson Shepherd, a clergyman, David S. Kaufman, and Thomas J Rusk gave the standard supporting
affidavit.]