From the Revolutionary War Pension Application of Willis Whitfield (W1013, TN), P-318778

State of Tennessee Rutherford County: County Court August Term 1832

On this 23rd day of August 1832 personally appeared in open Court before Henry Trott, James C. Mitchell and V. D. Cowen Justices holding the said aforesaid, Willis Whitfield aged seventy-one or 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 7th of June 1832 -- That in North Carolina Nash County, he was drafted in the service of the United States, under Captain Carter he thinks -- He was marched from Nash County -- to Hillsboro -- then to Salisbury, and thence to Charlotte -- at this place Colonel Sowell commanded and we were immediately marched back to Salisbury -- He is an illiterate man and does not recollect the year that he was in this service -- Here he was taken sick and was detained there some time at a Mr. Bell and was afterwards discharged at Salisbury, He served during this Campaign three months, and was discharged by Lieutenant Gola Nash, and after he got so that he could travel he returned home. In this year or the year afterwards, in the County of Nash, he volunteered his service to the light horse, under Captain William Avan, -- and rendezvoused at Nash Court house, under Colonel Hardy Griffin -- & he was marched up into the upper part of North Carolina, under Colonel Griffin in pursuit of the Tories, and took a man by the name of Waterman a Tory and hung him -- and then returned home -- after a service of two months – He was discharged by his Captain Avin  -- Afterwards, but he thinks it was in 1782, he again joined the service as a substitute in the Continental service for one James Thompson, under Captain Peter Becoats [Peter Bacot?] -- and was rendezvoused at Warrenton Court house North Carolina -- At this place Major Hogg took command of the Corps -- He was marched from Warren Court house to Hillsboro, -- and from there to Salisbury -- and then to Ashley Hill where we joined General Green's [Nathanael Greene's] Army -- At this place he was detached from the company of Captain Becoats, and attached to that of Captain Raiford -- Lieutenant William Ford, and Thomas Pastors [Thomas Pasteur?], -- Archibald Lytle was the Colonel and Major Redding Blount -- commanding the Regiment -- Here he remained some time, and was marched to Charlestown under Captain Ranford, of the Continental service, in company of a Troop of Light Horse -- This was immediately after the British had evacuated the City of Charlestown -- Here he remained some time, and was marched under Captain Ranford to James Island, by water -- distance three miles from Charlestown -- Colonel Lytle and Major Blount was the commanding officers of the Regiment -- Then was under the command of General Greene who was stationed at Charlestown, at the same place the Pennsylvanian and Maryland Troops, but he does not know what field officers commanded them -- After a service of twelve months he was furloughed and went home -- He was not again called into service -- He got a discharge from his Captain Ranford, but he has lost it, and his other discharges.  He hereby relinquishes every claim whatever to a pension 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

J. R. Laughlin, Clk             Willis Whitfield, X his mark

Interrogatories

Where and in what year were you born?

Answer He was born in Nash County North Carolina -- but he does not know what year

Question 2nd Have you any record of your age and if so where is it?

Answer I have none

Question 3rd Where were you living when called into service, where have you lived since the revolutionary war and where do you now live?

Answer -- In Nash County North Carolina and since in North Carolina and Tennessee

Question 4th were you called into service, did you volunteer, were you drafted, or were you age Substitute, and if a substitute for whom?

Answer -- drafted and then volunteered and was a substitute for James Thompson

Question 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?

Answer In Nash County North Carolina he was drafted -- and was marched to Hillsboro, then to Salisbury and then to Charlotte -- and their Colonel Sowell commanded -- He afterwards volunteered and joined the light horse, under Captain William Avan -- and Colonel Hardy Griffin commanded -- He was after in service under Captain Becoats and rendezvoused at Warren Court house -- and was afterwards placed under the command of Captain Raford -- He was marched from there to Hillsboro -- and to Salisbury -- and then to Ashley Hill -- Colonel Lytle and Major Blount were the commanding officers.

Question 6th Did you ever receive a discharge from the service and if so by whom was it given and what has become of it?

Answer, he received a discharge from Lieutenant Nash -- and from Captain Avin -- and from Captain Raford -- they are lost

Questions 7th State the name of persons to whom you are known in your present neighborhood; and who can testify to your character for veracity, and their belief of your services as a soldier of the revolution?

Answer -- Jesse Stovall, Hugh Robeson, David Patten, Benton L. McFerrin, John Ballard -- James Porter, John Wright Humphrey Benson

State of Tennessee Rutherford County

Personally appeared in open Court George Avery, a citizen of Wilson County, and made oath, that he joined the service of the United States, he thinks in the year 1782 or 1783, he thinks in the latter part of the summer of one of those years, and was at Ashley Hill under the command of General Greene -- and he was in the Regiment commanded by Colonel Lytle and Major Redding Blount -- it was in the Continental service -- and affiant was in Charleston -- and was afterwards transported [illegible] the [illegible] to James Island, -- Affiant knows that Willis Whitfield who has sworn to and subscribed the within declaration was in the Service, -- in the Continental line of the same Regiment with Affiant, under Captain Raford, and served twelve months as he has thus declared -- Subscribed and sworn to this 21st day of August 1832

J. R. Laughlin, Clk             George Avery, X his mark

On January 10, 1840 in Cannon County Tennessee, Rhody Whitfield, 72, filed for a widow's pension under the 1838 act stating that she is the widow of Willis Whitfield, a pensioner of the United States; that she married him November first 1788; that her husband died September 3rd 1836; that she has no documentary evidence to support her claim except her family record showing her age and the ages of her children.

On January 10, 1840 in Cannon County Tennessee, Levina Whitfield, 67, gave a supporting affidavit as to the marriage of the widow to the veteran; that she knows that the veteran and his widow lived together as husband and wife having been married when they resided in Nash County North Carolina.

[family record as mentioned above]

Ansil Whitfield the son of Willis Whitfield and Rhody his wife was born August 25 day 1789

Wright Whitfield the son of Willis Whitfield was born March the 20th day 1791

Christina Whitfield was born November 1st day 1793

Salley Whitfield was born May the 5th 1795

Temperance Whitfield was born 26th day of February 1797

Rhoday Whitfield was born December 27th day 1798

Thomas Young Whitfield was born February 5th day 1801

Arthur Allen Whitfield was born January the 30th day 1803

Willis Whitfield was born January 30th day 1805

Eli Whitfield was born July 2nd day 1807

Elizabeth Eason Whitfield was born February 26 day 1810

Alfred which [illegible] was born the 19 of July 1812

Rhody Allen the Daughter of Arthur Allen and Elizabeth his wife was born December the first day 1767