|
Pensions
Daniel
McCollum
Submitted by
Revolutionary War Pension
Documents
Of
Daniel McCollum (1760-1850)
The U.S. Congress passed a pension law on June 7th
1832 under which Daniel McCollum made a claim in November of
that year. He was already 72 years old and was illiterate, so he had a
long and difficult time proving his eligibility.
His file in the National Archives included a number of
papers, which passed between Daniel and the Pension Office from
1832 to 1840, when his pension was finally approved.
The first document was filed in November 1832 through an
agent, Thomas Jefferson Rusk.
Rusk had been a political protégé of the famous South
Carolina politician John C. Calhoun.
He was a very capable lawyer and judge.
He prepared Daniel’s application in accordance with the
provisions of the law and sent them to the Commissioner of
Pensions for a decision.
Document 1:
Filed November 6, 1832
Declaration in Order to
Obtain the Benefit of the Act of Congress
Passed June 7, 1832
State of Georgia
| SS: On this sixth day of November eighteen hundred and thirty
Habersham County
|
two personally appeared in open court before the Court of
Ordinary now sitting Daniel McCollum a resident of said
county of Habersham and state aforesaid - aged seventy two years
who being first duly sworn according to law doth on his oath
make the following declaration in order to obtain the benefit of
the act of Congress passed June 7, 1832.
That he entered the service of the United States under
the following named officers and served as herein stated; that
he entered the service of the United States in Rowan County in
the state of North Carolina; the year he does not recollect, but
thinks it was in seventy seven as a volunteer under Captain
Caldwell, Major Rowan, Colonel Francis Lock for the term of
three months. He
served out that time and was discharged. He again entered the
service as a volunteer under Captain Caldwell and continued in
the service for about two years and six months.
He was all the time in the regiment commanded by Col
Lock. He marched
through North Carolina and as far as Camden in South Carolina. After having served his time he was discharged, but does not
recollect whether he got a written discharge or not. He was born in the eastern part of the state of New Jersey
and according to the best information in 1760 - that since the
Revolution he lived a while in North Carolina then removed to
Pendleton District South Carolina.
From there he removed to Habersham County Georgia where
he has resided ever since.
He has a record of his age in his possession; that he is
known to many persons who could testify as to his veracity and
about their belief of his Revolutionary service, to wit Rev Evan
Pearson, Rev Peter Kuykendall, John Reid, John Stewart Esq and
various other persons.
He hereby relinquishes any claim whatever to a pension or
annuity, except the present and declares that his name is not on
the roll of any agency of any state.
Sworn to and subscribed the day and year aforesaid.
Jonathan
D. Chastain, C(lerk) C(ourt
of) Or(dinary) Daniel
McCollum
Mr. Evan Pearson, a clergyman residing in the county of
Habersham and John Reid residing in the same county hereby
certify that we are well acquainted with Daniel McCollum who has
subscribed and sworn to the above declaration; that we believe
him to be seventy-two years of age; that he is reputed and
believed in the neighborhood where he resides to have been a
soldier of the Revolution and that we concur in that opinion.
Sworn and subscribed the day and year aforesaid.
Jonathan
D. Chastain, CCOr
Evan
Pearson, Cl(er)g(y)
John
Reid
And the said court do hereby declare their opinion after
the investigation of the matter and after putting the
interrogatories prescribed by the War Department that the above
named applicant was a Revolutionary soldier and served as he
states and the court further certifies that it appears to them
that Evan Pearson who signed the preceding certificate is a
clergyman resident in said county and that John Reid who has
also signed the same is a resident of said county, is a credible
person, and that their statement is entitled to credit.
Elijah
Stover, JCO
Benjamin
Cleveland, JCO
Absolom
Holcombe , JCO
John
Sterritt, JCO
I, Jonathan D. Chastain,
Clerk of the Court of Ordinary of said county do hereby certify
that the foregoing contains the original proceedings of the said
court in the matter of the application of Daniel McCollum for a
pension.
In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal
of office this sixth day of November 1832.
Jonathan
D. Chastain, CCOr
The document was sent off to Washington City and, as far
as Daniel knew, was not returned with a decision.
In actuality, about five months later the Pension Office
of the War Department returned his claim with a form letter
explaining that there were problems with the paperwork that had
to be straightened out before further action could be taken.
The papers were sent to Thomas Rusk, Daniel’s agent,
but Rusk did not notify him, because in the interim he had left
Georgia for Texas in pursuit of business partners who had
swindled him.
The letter that Daniel didn’t see until years later
follows:
War Department
Pension Office
April 16, 1833
Sir:
The evidence in support of your claim under the act of
June 7, 1832, has been examined, and the papers are herewith
returned. The
following is a statement of your case in a tabular form.
On comparing these papers with the following rules, and
the subjoined notes, you will readily perceive that objections
exist, which must be removed before a pension can be allowed.
The notes and regulations will shew what is necessary to
be done. Those
points to which your attention is more particularly directed,
you will find marked in the margin with a brace (thus,
). You will,
when you return your papers to this Department, send this
printed letter with them, and you will, by complying with this
request, greatly facilitate the investigation of your claim.
I am, respectfully,
Your obedient servant,
J.L. Edwards
Commissioner of Pensions
Accompanying the letter was a form with some information
filled in and several blocks checked, indicating that Daniel did
not provide a statement of witnesses who could attest to his
service. The form
re-stated the facts of Daniel’s claim, which are outlined
below:
Period when service was rendered:
1777 (initial)/Volunteer (subsequent)
Duration of the claimant’s service:
3 months/about two years and 6 months
Rank of the claimant:
private/private
Names and rank of the company officers under whom he
served:
Captain Caldwell,
Major Rowan, Colonel Francis Lock/Captain Caldwell,
Colonel Lock
Names and rank of the general and field officers:
none/none
Battles in which the applicant was engaged:
none/none
Country through which he marched:
no entry/Through North Carolina
to Camden, South
Carolina
Place of abode when he entered the service and age at the
present
period:
Rowan County, North Carolina;
70 years
Evidence by which the declaration is supported:
traditionary
Daniel’s claim was inactive for more than three years,
until his new agent, Turner H, Trippe, sent an amended claim
with a cover letter explaining the delay.
Cover envelope to:
J.L. Edwards, Commissioner of Pensions
Clarksville 30th Sept
1837
Dear Sir,
I herewith return you the declaration and accompanying
letter from you of the 16th Apr 1833.
The reason that Mr. McCollum has not sooner attended to
your suggestions was that Thos J. Rusk to whom he had entrusted
this business had not informed him when he left this county for
Texas what disposition he had made of the papers.
As soon as he could get them into his possession again
Mr. McCollum hastened to prosecute his claim. You will find upon
the declaration the affidavit of the applicant as required in
notes d and e to your letter.
You will also find the answers to the interrogatories
proposed to the applicant by the court embodied in the
declaration.
Very
respectfully
yours
Turner
H. Trippe
J.L. Edwards, Esq
(NOTE:
Turner Hunt Trippe was a Habersham County judge in the
Western Judicial Circuit from 1828-1834)
Georgia
| Personally
appeared before me Brazilla Addison a Justice of
Habersham County
| the Peace
in aforesaid county Daniel McCollum who being duly sworn
deposeth and saith that by reason of old age and the consequent
loss of memory he can not 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 - for three months I served as a
private soldier in the months of January, February and March in
the year seventeen hundred and seventy seven under the officers
named in my declaration above.
I also served as a private soldier under the same
officers from the month of April (1777) seventeen hundred and
seventy seven for two years and six months and for such service
I claim a pension.
Subscribed to and sworn before me this 26th day of
September 1837
B.
Addison, JP
Daniel
McCollum
Georgia
| I Lewis
Levy Clerk of the Inferior Court of said county do
Habersham County
| hereby
certify that Brazilla Addison who attested the foregoing
affidavit is an acting Justice of the Peace in said county, that
the same attestation is in due form of Law and that full faith
and credit ought to be given to his attestation as such.
Given under my hand and private seal, there being no seal
of office, this 29th day of September 1837.
Lewis
Levy, CIC
Georgia
| I Absolom
Holcombe one of the Judges of the Inferior Court
Habersham County
| of the
aforesaid county do hereby certify that Lewis Levy whose name
appears to the foregoing certificate is the clerk of said court,
that the same is in due form of law and that full faith and
credit should be given to his attestation as such.
Given under my hand this 29th day of September 1837.
Absolom
Holcombe JIC
Two years passed with no additional correspondence in the
pension file, but the Pension Office must have notified Daniel’s
agent of a problem. In late1839 additional paperwork was processed by the
Habersham court and was apparently sent to the Pension Office. This time the documents were allegedly returned to Daniel’s
congressman, Richard W. Habersham.
Habersham responded with the following polite letter
asking for quick action:
Washington
City
Jan’y 4th,
1840
George Wm. Crump, Esq
Pension Office
Sir,
I have to thank you for your early and prompt reply to
the application of Daniel McCollum for a pension as a
revolutionary soldier. You
state that the papers in the case are returned to me in order
that they be laid before the court of the county for its
examination and approval. I presume that in consequence of the extreme pressure of
business in your department you omitted to return the papers
referred to in your reply, as none have reached me.
You will oblige me by sending them as I am desirous of
losing no time in pursuing their amendment.
I have the honor
to be very respectfully
your obt serv
Rich W. Habersham
These are the papers that should have been sent to
Habersham by the Pension Office.
Apparently they were sent quickly after the congressman’s
letter.
Affidavit of Daniel
McCollum
Habersham County, Georgia
Declaration In Order to
Obtain the Benefit of the Act of Congress passed June 7, 1832
State of Georgia
County of Habersham
On this 2nd day of October 1839 personally appeared
before me William Kinsey a Justice of the Peace of said county
Daniel McCollum a resident of said county of Habersham in the
State of Georgia aged 79 yeares (sic)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 the 7th 1832 that he entered the service of the United
States under the following named officers, and served as herein
stated. He first
turned out a volunteer in Roan (sic) County North Carolina in
the latter parte (sic) of the year 1776 and served under Major
Roan (sic)in a company commanded by Captain David Caldwell and
Lieutenant Richard McGuire and acted against the Torys in and
about Roan (sic) County North Carolina three months and was
discharged. And
that he was drafted in the year 1777 (the day and month he
cannot recollect by reason of ould (sic) age and the consequent
lose (sic) of memory in Roan (sic) County for two months and
entered the service under Col Francis Lock in a company
commanded by Captain Jacob Nikols marched to Randolph County in
said state of North Carolian served out two months and was again
discharged. That he
was again drafted in the year 1778 for three months and entered
the service under Col Francis Lock in a company commanded by
Captain David Caldwell and Lieutenant Richard McGuire in the
said county of Roan (sic), marched to Camden in South Carolina
and stayed out three months at that place and was discharged by
Col Lock and that he served many other scouts in the years 1781,
1782 and 1783 but from old age and the consequent lose (sic) of
memory he cannot state the precise time but to the best of his
recollection he served in all not less than three months these
last years and that the hole (sic)of his servises (sic) was as a
privit (sic) and that he answers as follows to the
interrogatories put by the Justice 1st he was born in East
Jersey in the year 1760 2nd he has a record of his age at home
3rd he was living in N. Carolina Roan (sic) County when called
into servis (sic) and soon after the war moved to South Carolina
Pendleton District remained their until February 1826 and then
moved to Georgia Habersham County where he now lives 4th he
first vollinteered (sic) and the next tour he was drafted and
that he was also drafted again and served a third tour and that
he vollinteered (sic)in all the tours he went in the last three
mentioned years in the above declaration 5th he was acquainted
with on (sic) regular officers and dose (sic) not now recollect
any regiment number 6th that he has received severl (sic)
discharges one or more of them from Col Lock and from other
officers but he has forgoten (sic) who and that he cannot tell
what has gone with them. 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.
Sworn to and subscribed the day and year aforesaid.
William
Kinsey, JP
Daniel
McCollum
We Charles Payne a
clergyman residing in the county of Habersham and State of
Georgia and Jesse Sanford residing in the same hereby certify
that we are well acquainted with Daniel McCollum who has
subscribed and sworn to the above declaration that we believe
him to be seventy nine years of age that he is reputed and
believed in the neighborhood where he resides to have bin (sic)
a soldier of the Revolution and that we concur in that opinion;
sworn and subscribed the day and year aforesaid.
William
Kinsey, JP
Charles
Payne L.P.
Jesse
Sanford
And the Justice do (sic)
hereby declare his opinion after the investigation of the matter
and after putting the interrogatories prescribed by the Ware
(sic) Department that the above named applicant was a
revolutionary soldier and served as he states and the Justice
further certifies that it appears to him that Charles Payne who
has signed the preceding certificate is a clergyman resident in
the State and county aforesaid and that Jesse Sanford is a
credible person and that their statement is entitled to credit.
William
Kinsey, JP
Georgia
Habersham County
I Lewis Levy Clerk of the Court of Ordinary of the County
and State aforesaid do hereby certify that William Kinsey whose
name appears to the above and foregoing affidavits and
certificates is an acting Justice of the Peace in and for the
County and State aforesaid and that due faith and credit should
be given to all his acts and doings as such and that his
signature to the said paper is genuine.
Given under my hand and seal of Office in Clarksville,
this fifteenth day of October 1839.
Lewis
Levy CCO
Georgia
Habersham County
I Gabrel Sisk one of the Justices of the Courte (sic) of
Ordinary for said county do hereby certify that Lewis Levy whose
name appears to the above certificate is the Clerk of the said
Courte (sic) of Ordinary and that the signiture (sic) is his
genuine signiture (sic) and the seal affixed is the seal of
office for said Courte. (sic)
October 16th day 1839
G. Sisk JJC
Congressman Habersham took his pen in hand once again on
Daniel’s behalf on February 17, 1840 when he sent the
following letter and additional documents to the Pension Office:
Washington City
17th Feb’y 1840
James L. Edwards, Esq
Commissioner of Pensions
Sir,
I have the honor to enclose herewith the papers of Daniel
McCollum, which were lately submitted to you and returned as
defective. Such
declarations have been made as were practicable under the
peculiar circumstances in which Mr. McCollum is placed and I
hope the certificates will now prove satisfactory.
I am
with great respect
your obt srvt
Rich W. Habersham
Georgia Habersham County
Personally appeared
before me William Kinsey an acting justice of the peace in and
for said county Daniel McCollum whose name appears in the
foregoing declaration made the 2nd day of October 1839 and
amends said declaration by stating on oath that he was not able
from bodily infirmity to appear in court on the day above
written; and that he is not able now to attend; and he further
swears that he has no other means in his power of proving his
Services in the Revolutionary War only by his own oath; and he
saith from old age and the consequent loss of memory that he
cannot precisely recollect the time; but that he did serve as a
private in the war from the year 1776 to the year 1783 different
tours amounting in all to not less than eleven months as stated
in the foregoing declaration; and he further states on oath that
he did make application shortly after the law was passed for the
benefit of the act of June 7th 1832, but that the declaration
was returned with some objections and was mislaid by the agent
so that he could not obtain it which was the reason of the
delay. Sworn to and
subscribed this 30th day of January 1840 before me.
William
Kinsey, JP
Daniel
McCollum
State of Georgia
Habersham County
I William Kinsey an
acting justice of the peace for said county do hereby certify
the Daniel McCollum that is set forth in the foregoing
declaration of October 2nd 1839 is the same who signed the
foregoing affidavit amenditory (sic) of said declaration and I
further certify that from bodily inability he is yet unable to
attend the court. Given under my hand this 30th day of January 1840.
William
Kinsey, JP
State of Georgia
We the court of ordinary
for
Habersham County
having examined the declaration and amenditory (sic)
affidavit of Daniel McCollum, and the certifficate (sic) of
William Kinsey who is an acting Justice of the Peace in and for
said county; do fully approve of them; and we the court do
further certify that he is reputed and believed to have been a
Revolutionary Soldier as he states and that we fully concur in
that oppinion (sic) and believe the oppinion generall (sic) and
no doubts have ever existed within our knowledge.
Given under our hands this 4th day of February 1840.
John
Sterritt, JIC
B.
F. Patton
JIC
G. Sisk
JIC
Georgia
Habersham County
We the Court of Ordinary
of this county do hereby order that the Clerk certify sign and
seal the foregoing procedings given under our hand this 4 day of
February 1840.
John
Sterritt, JIC
B.
F. Patton JIC
G.
Sisk
JIC
Georgia
Habersham County
I Lewis Levy Clerk of
the Court of Ordinary of the county and state aforesaid do
hereby certify that William Kinzey whose name appears to the
foregoing affidavits amendatory (sic) to the former declaration
and also appears in the first declaration as an acting justice
of the peace at this time and was at the time and date of the
said affidavits and certificates and that due faith and credit
should be given to all his acts and doings as such and that his
signature to said papers is genuine and I do further certify
that the above certificate or order was signed in my presence by
the judges of the court of ordinary viz John Sterritt, B. F.
Patton, G. Sisk
Given under my hand and
seal of office in Clarksville the 4th day of February 1840
(seal)
Lewis
Levy CCO
In short order Daniel’s pension certificate was issued.
It reads as follows:
GEORGIA 31710
Daniel McCollum
of Habersham Co the
State of Georgia
who was a private in the
company commanded
by Captain Caldwell of
the Regt commanded
by Col Locke in the N.
Carolina
line for 8 months.
=======================================
Inscribed on the roll of
Georgia
at the rate of 26
dollars 66 cents per annum
to commence on the 4th
day of March 1831
=======================================
Certificate of pension
issued the 20 day of Feby
1840 and sent to Hon R.W.
Habersham H. Reps
=======================================
Arrears to the 4th day
of Sept 1839
$226.67
Semi-annual allowances
ending 4 Mar '40
13.33
=====
$240.00
=====
Revolutionary Claim,
Act June 7, 1832.
Recorded by
D McCurdy Clerk
Book E. Vol. 6. Page 98
Daniel collected his semi-annual pension for ten years.
In March of 1850 the following paperwork was submitted
for him to collect his payment.
The paperwork is probably similar to what he filed
previously, but those documents were not included in his file.
Only the final pension payment is held at the National
Archives. That folder contained these documents which were labeled:
Final Pension Payment
Daniel McCollum
Revolutionary Soldier
North Carolina Line
Militia
1832 No. 20
Daniel McCollum
4 September 1849 - 4
March 1850
$13.33
Savannah Georgia
1st Quarter 1850
Paid 18 March 1850
State of Georgia
Habersham County
SS:
Be it known that before
me, Albert H. Henderson, a justice of the peace duly authorized
by law to administer oaths in and for the county aforesaid
personally appeared Daniel McCollum and made oath in due form of
law; that he is the identical person named in the original
certificate in his possession, of which (I certify) the
following is a true copy: “War Department. Revolutionary
claim. I certify that in conformity with the law of the United
States of the 7th June 1832, Daniel McCollum of the State of
Georgia, who was a private in the revolution, is entitled to
receive twenty six dollars and sixty six cents per annum during
his natural life, commencing on the 4th of March 1831, and
payable semi-annually on the 4th of March and 4th of September
in every year. Given
at the War Office of the United States this twentieth day of
February one thousand eight hundred and forty.
J.R.
Poinsett
Secretary of War
Examined and
Countersigned
J.L.
Edwards
Commissioner of Pensions
That he resides in
Habersham County State of Georgia and has resided there for the
space of twenty five years past, and that previous thereto he
resided in Pendleton District State of South Carolina.
Sworn and subscribed
this 8th day of March 1850 before me, Jesse Sanford.
Albert
H. Henderson, JP
Daniel
(his mark) McCollum
Know all by these
presents that I, Daniel McCollum of Habersham county and State
of Georgia, a revolutionary pensioner of the United States, do
hereby constitute and appoint William Morel my true and lawful
attorney, for me, and in my name to receive from the agent of
the United States for paying pensions in Savannah State of
Georgia, my pension from the 4th day of September 1849 to the
4th day of March 1850. Sealed and delivered in presants (sic) of Jesse Sanford.
Albert
H. Henderson, JP
Daniel
(his mark)McCollum (seal)
State of Georgia
Habersham County
SS:
I James E. Griggs, clerk
of the Inferior Court, of the county and state aforesaid, do
hereby certify that Albert H. Henderson is a justice of the
peace duly commissioned and qualified to administer oaths in and
for the county aforesaid, that his commission was dated on the
22nd of January 1849 and will expire on the 6th of January 1853,
and that his signature above written is genuine.
Given under my hand and the seal of said county this 9th
day of March 1850.
James
E. Griggs, Clerk I.C.
The following note was
attached to the receipt for the above pension payment:
Clarksville March 8th
1850
Sir please attend to
this and address me at this place and oblige.
(signed)
Jesse
Sanford
(to) Wm Morel, Esq
Savannah
Following is the
receipt:
State of Georgia
Chatham County
Be it Known that on the 18th day of March 1850, before me
Agent for paying pensions in and for said county, duly
authorized by law to administer oaths, personally appeared
William Morel the attorney named in the foregoing power of
attorney, and made oath that he has no interest whatever in the
money he is authorized to receive, by virtue of the foregoing
power of attorney, either by any pledge, mortgage, sale,
assignment, or transfer, and that he does not know or believe
that the same has been so disposed of to any person whatever.
Sworn to and subscribed
the day and year last above mentioned, before me.
James
S. Morel, PA
Wm
Morel
No._____
UNITED STATES PENSION AGENCY, GEORGIA
Savannah, 18th March 1850.
Received from James S.
Morel agent for paying pensions thirteen 33/100 dollars being
for six months pension due to Daniel McCollum from the fourth
day of September 1849 to the fourth day of March 1850, for which
I have signed.
$13 33/100
Daniel
McCollum
per Wm
Morel, aty
This was the last document in the file.
Daniel died before collecting the payment due September
4, 1850.
Click for Photo of Pension File & Tombstone
White County is a
part of the GaGenWeb
Project , State Coordinator
,
Regional Assistant
This site is hosted by RootsWeb
Links to external
web sites are being provided as a convenience and for
informational purposes only; they do not
constitute an endorsement or approval of any of the products,
services or opinions contained in any external web site.
Copyright 2004 © |
