Revolutionary War Pension Record
of
JOHN SWINDELL / SWINDLE
Contributed by William Brackett
 

Declaration of John Swindle

State of Tennessee
Humphreys County.

On this 29th day of October 1833 personally appeared in open Court before the Justice of the Court of pleas & Quarter sessions in and for the County aforesaid, John Swindle, a Resident of Said County and State, aged Seventy Three years (73) who being first duly Sworn according to Law doth on his oath obtain the benefit of this provision made by the act of Congress passed the 7th of June 1832. That in the year 1777 or 1778 (which he does not now Recollect) he was drafted and entered the Service of the United States in the State of North Carolina in or with the state troops, under Col. Allen and Major Sharp Commanded by Genl. Caswell; he has forgotten the names of the Company officers except Sergeant Bruffet who was then his near neighbor. The place of Rendezvous was at Kingston (Kinston, NC) from whence we were marched into South Carolina Scouting the Country on the Rivers Pedee, Conagree and Wateree without having any engagement with the enemy until the term of Service of three months for which he had been drafted having expired he obtained a discharge and returned home which discharge he has long since lost or destroyed --

he States that in the beginning of the year 1781 he was again drafted in the State troops of North Carolina for a Tour of three months and was detained in Service one month after his time had expired to await the arrival of other troops to supply their place which made a Tour of four months. This Tour was performed by him in Capt. Gibbs Company in Col. Gorams Regiment under the Command of Genl. Linington. In this Tour we were marched from Hyde County, N.C. Scouting the Country and were Stationed a few days at Cross Creek (now Fayetteville) then marched to Camden Thence into South Carolina and forted at Limestone bridge and took up the bridge to keep the british dragoons from Crossing to get to us -- we were then marched back to North Carolina and obtained a discharge which is here with presented he hereby Relinquishes every Claim whatever to a pension or annuity except the present and he declares that his name is not on the pension Roll of any agency in any State.

Sworn to and Subscribed
This day and year aforesaid
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . John Swindle
Test D.P. Hudson Clerk

John Swindle the declarant in the foregoing declaration to the Service Rendered by him or mentioned in the foregoing declaration, that between the time of Service as there mentioned he volunteered his service in the North Carolina State troops and was engaged in Scouting the Country as a spy and guarding the frontiers and acted mostly as a minute man to guard Carricock (Currituck) Sound, Cape Hatteras, the Oyster Hills and the Town of Bleauford (Beaufort) and after the Tories - he was in this kind some time at home & there after whenever called for - of Service at least three years, under Col. Robert Jinnet - Major Gibbs and Capt. Gibbs as home officers going under different officers when called on suddenly, for this service he never got any pay.

Sworn to & Subscribed
This 9th day of October 1833
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . John Swindel
D. Hudson Clerk

Interrogatories Propounded by the Court

1st: Where and in what year were you born.
Ans. - I was born the 2nd day of February 1760 in Hyde County, North Carolina.

2nd - Have you and Record of your age and if so where is it.
Ans. - I have the Record of my age in a book which I have in my pocket.

3rd - Where were you living when called into Service. where have you lived Since the Revolutionary War and where do you now live
Ans. - When I entered the Service I lived in Hyde County, N.C. where I continued to Reside until I was 45 years old I then moved to Orange County, N.C. I then moved to White County, Tennessee & lived there about 10 years then moved to Humphreys County, Ten. where I now Reside.

4th - How were you Called into Service, where you drafted, did you volunteer or were you a substitute, and if a Substitute for whom.
Ans.- I was drafted twice & once as a volunteer as stated in my declaration.

5th - State the name of Some of the Regular officers who were with the troops when you served; Such Continental militia Regiments as you can Recollect and the general circumstances of your service
Ans. - I cannot Recollect names of any of Regular officers except Genl. Goren (Gorams ?) who had command while we were in South Carolina. The Time has been so long I cannot Recollect then names of any Regiments only the one I was in which was the Second Regiment.

6th - Did you Receive a discharge from Service and if so by whom was it given and what has become of it.
Ans.- I Received a discharge one of which was (I think) signed by Col. Allen which I lost, the other was given by Capt. Gibbs which I now have in my possession.

7th - State the names of persons to whom you now know in your present neighborhood and who can testify as to your character for veracity and their belief of your Service as a Soldier of the Revolution.
Ans.- John Ruminer, Green Flowers, James S. Sayby, Sherwood Short & William Thompson and many others.

The county of Humphreys in the State of Tennessee and John Ruminers Residing in Humphreys County and same State do certify that we are well acquainted with John Swindle who has sworn to and subscribed the above declaration that we believe him to be seventy three years of age and 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 to and subscribed the day and year aforesaid.
Test: D.P. Hudson Clerk
Burton (his B mark) Coats
John Ruminer

. . . . . . . . . .N.C. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Swindel or Swindle, John . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . S.4031

Carded 25331
West Tennessee

John Swindle

John Swindle records O.K.

Certificate of Pension issued the 26th day of Decr.
1833 and Hon. Cave Johnson H.R.

Arrears to the 4th day of Sept . . . . . . . . . 50.00
Semianual allowance ending 4 March . . .10.00
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $60.00
Revolutionary Claim Act June 7, 1832
Recorded by Danl Boyd Clerk
Book E Vol. 7 Page 97

This pension file can be accessed through Heritage Quest on the internet. According to "High Tides", Hyde County Historical Society Journal, Volume VIII, No. 2, Fall of 1987, article on the Swindell/Swindle family, I believe John Swindel was the son of William Swindell (Sr.) and his wife Dina (___?___) Swindell of Hyde County, NC. He had a brother named Joshua Swindell. John Swindle's wife is not known nor are his children. It is presumed he had a son named Asa Swindell as he seems to be living on the property in Humphreys County TN after John's death. In the 1830 census of Humphreys County TN, John was living with a male 20-30 years of age. William Swindell was the son of John Swindell (Sr.) and his wife Mary (McPherson) Swindell.  I am descended from James & Mary (Howe) Swindle of Benton/Humphreys County TN. James was the son of Samuel Swindal of Columbus/Bladen County, NC, originally from Hyde County. William "Bill" Brackett.

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