Levoy Family History & Genealogy

American Revolution Pension Statements

Pension application of James Lafoy S10971
Transcribed by Will Graves
State of Alabama, County of Washington
On this twenty sixth day of May in the year Eighteen Hundred & thirty three personally appeared in open Court before the Honorable Joseph D. Lister Judge of the County Court of Washington County Alabama now sitting James Lafoy of said County of Washington aged Seventy five 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 7
June 1832. That he entered the service of the United States in Surry County, North Carolina under the following named officers. He entered a company as a private soldier commanded by Richard Goode, Captain; Joseph Winston was Major. He was drafted about the beginning of the War; was in an expedition against the Cherokee Indians and was under the command of General Christie from Virginia. This applicant served three months in the expedition. He does not remember the time when he entered the service. He lived in Surry County in North Carolina when he was drafted as before stated; went from Surry County to the Tennessee River about the mouth of Nichajack Creek [sic, Nick-a-jack Creek ?] and burnt some Indian Towns. Two or three years after this period and as this applicant believes early in December in the year 1777, it being understood that the British were about to land at Charleston, this applicant took the place of one Hutchins as a Substitute who was drafted for five months, and served as a drummer and was under Captain Peter Blakney, Richard Goode, his former Captain, was Major. Cook was Colonel of the Regiment to which he belonged. This applicant went with his Regiment to South Carolina and afterwards to the neighborhood of Savannah River; was under General Lincoln, served the five months and then one month in addition under the orders of General Lincoln, because the reinforcements did not arrive. In the autumn of the Year 1779 this applicant joined a company of twelve months Cavalry volunteers raised by Captain William Sheppard in Surry County North Carolina, and served as a Trumpeter ranking as a private soldier. He was employed for the space of twelve months against the Tories. After the expiration of the twelve months the most of the Company determined to continue in the Service and elected Joseph Phillips Captain; was in a Battle with the Tories in which upwards of two hundred of them were defeated at the mouth of Rocky River in North Carolina. This battle was fought as the applicant believes in the month of June 1780. He then with his company joined a Regiment commanded by Colonel Benjamin Cleveland & was at the Battle of King’s Mountain, and was with Colonel Cleveland who commanded the left column, Col. Shelby commanded the middle and Col. Williams, the right. Col. Campbell was the commander in Chief. This applicant after the Battle of King’s Mountain joined a company commanded by Captain Hill and again served as trumpeter it being a volunteer company of Cavalry, and was in the Battle with the British at Guilford [County Court House], where General Greene [Nathanael Greene] commanded the American forces and Lord Cornwallis commanded the British. About tree months after the Battle of Guilford Court House, and as this applicant believes, in the month of June 1781, he joined a volunteer company of Cavalry and served as Trumpeter under the Command of Captain Minor Smith and went to the neighborhood of Cross Creek in North Carolina in pursuit of Colonel Fanning [David Fanning], a Tory. The Company to which he belonged was under the command of Colonel Smith and Major Grimes. From Cross Creek he went with his company to the neighborhood of Wilmington North Carolina, and had two Battles with the Tories and one Battle with the British at a Brick House across the River opposite Wilmington. About this period, information was received of the surrender of Lord Cornwallis and the company to which this applicant belonged was disbanded, and he returned to his residence in Surry County North Carolina. This applicant served under each of his commanders for the full time that the troop volunteered or was drafted for and was always regularly discharged, but does not recollect ever receiving but one written discharge which has been lost. He has no documentary evidence of the facts he has stated nor does he know of any person now living by whom he can prove them. This applicant served under Captain Smith [?] three months, under Captain Pinckney six months, under Captain Sheppard Twelve months, under Captain Phillips one year and two months, under Captain Hill three months, under Captain Smith five months, making in all three years and five months and during all this period of his service ranked as a private soldier. This applicant was born in France in the Town of Bordeaux on the 20th September 1757 as appeared from a certificate of his birth signed by a French Priest once in his possession, which was copied into his Family Bible, the original certificate was lost with many other papers in a Creek in the Indian Nation in the year 1812 while this applicant was moving from Georgia to Alabama. This applicant came from France to the United States with his Father & Brother, who have since died, and from his early childhood until the year 1795 resided near Salem in Surry County North Carolina then removed to Abbeville District South Carolina and remained there until 1803 then removed to Franklin County, Georgia and remained there until the year 1812 when he removed to Washington County Alabama where he has resided until now, and where he will continue to reside.
This applicant 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/ James Lafoy
Sworn to and subscribed the day & year aforesaid.
S/ J. D. Lister, Judge
1st: When and in what year were you born?
Ansr: I was born in the City of Bordeaux in the Kingdom of France in the year 1757.
2nd Have you any record of you age and if so, where is it?
Ansr: I have a record of my age in my Bible at home.
3rd Where were you living when called into service? Where have you lived since the Revolutionary War and where do you now live?
Ansr: I was living in Surry County North Carolina and continued to live there until the year 1791; then emigrated to Pendleton District South Carolina and resided there and in Franklin County Georgia until the year 1812; then moved to Washington County Mississippi Territory (now Alabama state) where I have resided ever since and still remain.
4th How were you called into service; were you drafted; did you volunteer, or were you a substitute and if so for whom did you substitute?
Ansr: I was drafted to go against the Indians my first service; the second term I was a substitute for John Hutchins and the other times I was a volunteer.
5th State the names of some of the Regular Officers who were with the troops where you served, such Continental and Militia Regiments as you can recollect and the general circumstances of your service.
Ansr: When I went out under Captain Pinckney I was a drummer in the militia service, and in each subsequent tour I was in the Horse troops and was Trumpeter. We were sometimes amongst the regular troops and was under Generals Lincoln & Greene.
6th Did you ever receive a discharge from the service; and if so by whom was it given; and what has become of it?
Anrs: I received only one discharge and that was from Major Goode for one term of service which discharge has long since been destroyed.
7th State the names of persons to whom you are known in your present neighborhood, and who can testify to your character for veracity and good behavior and your services as a Soldier of the Revolution.
Ansr: the Honorable William Crawford, Ptoling F. Harris, John H. Owen Esq., James Magoffin Esquire and many other men of high respectability.
And the 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 James Maguire who has signed the preceding certificate is a clergyman resident the County of Washington is a credible person and that____ [blank in the original] who has also signed the same is a resident in the County aforesaid and is a credible person and that there statement is entitled to credit.
S/ J. D. Lister, Judge Cty. Ct.