RICHARD BRASWELL - REVOLUTIONARY WAR
(b. Jul 1755, d. 20 Aug 1839. Wife-Penelope, son-Cullen)
Contributed by: Mary Rayme, Elkins, WV
- - - - - - - - - -
Certificate of Pension issued 28th day of June 1865
State of North Carolina, 3 October session 1832
On the 11th day of October 1832 personally appeared in open court before the Worshipful Justices of the court of Please and Quarter Sessions now sitting RICHARD BRASWELL aged 78 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 and served as herein stated.
I was drafted in the county of Wayne North Carolina in the month of January in the year 1776 in the company of John Shepperd for three months in the Regiment of Colon. Richard Carwell? Marched to New Hanover County to Moors Creek where the Tories had assembled in consider number. We had a battle with them and defeated them killed and took prisoners marched back and was discharged in April 1776 having served three months.
I volunteered my services in the County of Wayne in the month of November 1777 in the Company of Capt. Abraham Shepperd in the Regiment Commanded by Col. Shepperd for five months. Marched to Cumberland County thence to Camden. Encamped some time until the month of April 1778 where I was discharged at the camp near Camden by Colon. Shepperd having served this time five months.
I was drafted in the County of Wayne in the month of November 1778 in the Company of Capt. Stringer Mac Ilwain? who was promoted and was succeeded by Capt. Shoot in the Regiment Commander by Coln. William Caswell. Marched from North Carolina and ? Genl Ashe in Georgia. Marched to Brion Creek where we had an engagement with the British in the Month of March. Gen’l Ashe was defeated was marched back to North Carolina and was discharged in April 1780 by Col. Casswell having served in all thirteen months.
He hereby relinquishes every claim whatsoever to a pension or annuity except the present and declares that his name is not on the Pension Role of the Agency of any State.
1st Question by the Court:
Where and what year were you born?
Answer: I was born in the County of Wayne in the month of July 1755.
2. Question by the Court
Have you any record of your age and if so where is it?
Answer: I have no record of my age
3rd Question by the Court
Where were you living when called into the service? Where have you lived since the Revolutionary War and where do you now live?
Answer:
I was living in the County of Wayne State of North Carolina when I was called into the service and continued to reside in said county until twenty-two years back. I moved to Anson, County where I now live.
4th Question by the Court
How were you called into the service? were you drafted? did you volunteer or were you a substitute and if a substitute for whom ?
Answer:
I was drafted twice and volunteered once.
5th Question of the Court
State names of some of the Regular Officers who were with the troop when you served such continental and militia Regiments as you can recall and the general circumstances of your service.
Answer: I served with Regular officers not with any of the Continental Regiments. I do not at this time recall the names of the Militia Regiment which I served with.
6th Question
Did you ever receive a discharge from the service and if so by whom was it given and what has become of it?
Answer:
I did receive discharge for the Terms of Service signed by the Two Carwells and Shepperd which I have lost.
7th Question
State the names of persons to whom you are know in your present neighborhood and who can testify as to your character for veracity and good behavior your Services as a Soldier of the Revolution.
Answer: The Rev. John Culpepper and Joseph Medley Reddek Moore
Sworn to and subscribed the day and year aforesaid
We JOHN CULPEPPER clergyman residing in the county of Montgomery State of North Carolina and JOSPEH MEDLEY residing in the county of Anson and state aforesaid hereby certify that we are all well aquainted with RICHARD BRASWELL who has subscribed and sworn to the above declaration That we believe him to be 78 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.
North Carolina, Anson County
Declaration of PENELOPE BRASWELL widow of RICHARD BRASWELL Braswell decd.
On this 25th day of July 1840 at the house of PENELOPE BRASWELL a resident of N.Ca. in the county of Anson age 79 years who being first duly Sworn according to the law doth on her oath make the following declaration in order to obtain the benefit of the Third section of the act of Congress {date of act here, missing line of pdf} That she is the widow of RICHARD BRASWELL died on the 20th day of August 1839 and that she has remained a widow ever Since that period, as will more fully show by the proof hereunto annexed. She cannot recollect for how many tours he served during the War but was called out once after we were married but the duration of the tour She cannot recollect owing to the loss of time and consequence loss of memory that they lived in Wayne Co. NCar at that time. She further declares that she is not able to travel to the court house by reason of old age and infirmness it being 16 or 17 miles.
(Penelope X Braswell)
State of North Carolina, Anson County
I CULLEN BRASWELL do hereby certify that I am the son of RICHARD BRASWELL and PENELOPE his wife and that the leaf containing the ages of my father and mothers children is a true copy kept by my father and mother of their childrens ages. and in my own handwriting and has kept tacked to Jan which is the name of my own child. The leaf hereunto annexed is all the family record now in mothers possession.
I do further certify that the leaf (a yellow piece of paper) hereunto attached containing the names and ages of the children of RICHARD BRASWELL and PENELOPE BRASWELL was taken from a Bible in my presence said to be the family bible of said RICHARD and PENELOPE BRASWELL by the oath of CULLEN and PENELOPE BRASWELL.
(signature)
State of North Carolina, Anson County
on this 10 day of August 1844 personally appeared before me E.C. LILLY a justice of the peace for said county. PENELOPE BRASWELL a resident of North Carolina in the county aforesaid. Aged 83 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 July 7 1838 and act 23 August 1842 Granting half pay and pensions to certain widows.
That she is the widow of RICHARD BRASWELL who was a private in the North Carolina Militia and received Forty-Three dollars and thirty-three cents per annum.
She further declares that She was married to the said RICHARD BRASWELL in the month of October 1780 by CURELL MORING Esq a magistrate in the county of Wayne in the state aforesaid. And that her husband RICHARD BRASWELL died on the 20th day of August 1839. That she was married to him before Jan the 1 1794 to wit at the time above stated. That she still remains a widow and cannot be reason of Bodily infirmity attend at the courthouse.
The children of Penelope and Richard, as given in this document are:
Richard born October 27, 1781
Delaney born May 14, 1782
Elizabeth born July 22, 1784 (married Dees)
Burwell born November 30, 1787
Urvin (son) born March 2, 1790
Benjamin born June 28, 1795
Pattey born September ___
Bryant born October 22, 1799
Cullen born April 18, 1801
[This document was typed & interpreted by Mary Rayme (
mayray@meer.net) descendant of Richard Braswell, using a photocopy of original pension papers available from the National Archives, Pension No.W4888 and a pdf of more complete papers from Carey Braswell. October 15, 2003.]