William Ford of Caldwell County Kentucky

Revolutionary War Pension Record
William Ford of Maryland
Caldwell County Kentucky

State of Kentucky, Caldwell county
On this 20th day of August 1832 personally appeared in open court before James C Weller, M A Rucker and Sam’l M Asher justices of the county court of Caldwell County and State aforesaid, nowsitting William Ford resident of the said county and state aged sixty nine years who being first duly sworn 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 towit: That he entered the service in the County of Montgomery, State of Maryland in the year 1787, in a volunteer company for nine months, raised for the purpose of guarding the state – that this was the case thru all the state and he supposes by our act of the congress or of the Legislature as these troops drew United States arms and were furnished by the General government – that he was under the Command of Captain John Nichols and Lt Tho Nichols and belonged to Regt commanded by Col. Dickens and Major Bailey. That after these troops were missed, for near a month, they were drilled by regular officers at least the company to which he belonged was taught the discipline by one Captain Jones or he thinks. That they were then ordered toward the head of Elk? To oppose the landing of the British whose fleet was then in the Chesapeak but for some reason their fleet returned immediately and we marched toward Annapolis expecting the enemy to land there; but before we reached Annapolis our orders were countermanded and we marched to Bladenburg and from there to Georgetown where a general rendezvous of the troops was ordered and at this place we lay near two months. That while we remained at this place many troops passed on their way to the siege of York and he believes Lafayette was along – that he volunteered to go to this siege, but was ordered to return when he had arrived near the Red (?) house, on the siege was over & Cornwallis taken. That his company was then ordered to Lusburg to take charge of some of the prisoners taken at York, and march them to Frederick Town Maryland and to Fort Frederick, which was done and there guarded by these troops and in which service he remained until the expiration of his tour of service and was discharged. That the volunteer troops to which he belonged were called minute men and select corps – that he was an apprentice to one Anderson when he first entered the service and on his return home this Anderson (John) had been drafted for two months to guard the same prisoners and he to pacify his master for volunteering on before stated took his place and entered the service again, as his substitute and served on this tour under Captain Hillery and Major Bailey thus having served twn months in the Revolution. In answer to the several interrogatories directed by the war department he answered that he was born in Montgomery County Maryland on the 5th March 1760 – that he has a recod of his age now at home, taken from his fathers register – that in his first service he ev?? Volunteered and the second a substitute for one John Anderson – that he was acquainted while in service with many continental officers, with Major Cotes Jones aid to Gen’l Smallwood commander of the Maryland line also Richard Anderson a captain in the regular army and also Capt Tho Bell among others – that he received a regular discharge from the service and thought that he had it amongst his old paper, but on a search made a few days ago he could not find it, yet he thinks it is somewhere amongst his old papers – he’s certain he brought it to this country and ever always careful to preserve it – that in his present neighborhood he is known to the Hon. C. Lyon to Benjamin W Flint, Andrew Hughes, Thomas Jackson and many other citizens all of whom could testify as to his character for veracity and their belief of his having been a soldier of the revolution. That he served with Tho H Flint sergeant of the company, Nathaniel Offitt(?) another sergeant and Hezekiah Jones, Charles Tracey & Alex Adams of Capt Oatman’s Company all of whom could prove his service of living, the latter died in Logan county KY only a few months ago – that Captain Nichols lived in Fayette County Kentucky within a few years back and he has no means of procuring his evidence even if he be living ?? he has been told he died about a year ago nor does he know of any living whose evidence he could procure. He hereby relinquishes every claim whatever 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.
[signed] William Ford
Mr John Barnett a clergyman and Edmond Wilcox, Hugh McVay and Thomas Johnson residing in the County of Caldwell State aforesaid hereby certify that we are well acquainted with William Ford who has sworn to & subscribed the foregoing declaration, that we believe him to be sixty nine 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…..

[in a letter from a genealogist, the archives administrator wrote in pencil on the letter: date of death was written as 11 Aug 1845, but last payment was 4 Sept 1835….]