Updated November 25, 2022
Overview:
State of Illinois, Madison County On this 4th day of September personally appeared in open Court before their Honors the Judges of the County Commissioners Court for Madison County, now sitting, John Gillham a resident of Madison County and State of Illinois, aged 76 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 under the following named Officers, and served as herein stated. That he the said John Gillham volunteered in Camden district in South Carolina in the month of September in the year 1775, and belonged to the Company commanded by Captain Steen [James Steen], Lieutenants Davidson and Moore, in the Regiment commanded by Colonel John Thomas, Brigade Commanded by General William Richardson, and marched in search of the Tories and killed and dispersed them, was in the service 40 days and returned home. In the Spring of 1776 he again Volunteered and was under the command of the same officers, and marched against the Cherokee Indians and drove them from their Towns and burned 3 of them (Easteotoa, Quachatcha and Toxaroa) and dispersed them he was in the service 3 months. And he further declares that he was drafted in the spring of 1778, and served in the Company commanded by Captain McCullough in the Regiment commanded by Colonel Thomas Neel was stationed in the neighborhood of Augusta and was there defeated by the British was in service 3 months. He was drafted again in the Spring of 1779 and was commanded by Captain Nathaniel Jeffries, and Lieutenants Davidson and Moore Regiment commanded by Colonel Brannon [sic, Thomas Brandon?] went to Stono but the battle had been fought and the troops were retreating when they were met by them, was out 3 months and returned home.
He Volunteered again early in the spring of 1780, and was commanded by Captain Montgomery Colonel Brannon [Brandon?] and General Sumpter [sic, Thomas Sumter]; he was in the battle at Blackstocks,1 also in one at Williamson's plantation. And he was also in the battle with the Tories at Wofford's Iron Works3 in the same year. He was in the Regiment commanded by Colonel William Pharr and served as a Lieutenant for 3 months during which time was stationed at Ancrum's. He acted as a spy for General Morgan from the first of January 1781 giving him information of Lord Cornwallis and Colonel Tarleton till after the battle of the Cowpens and soon after this battle he with a few more succeeded in taking 9 of the British and conveyed them to General Morgan. He was at the battle of Ninety Six and Siege and in the retreating Army. In the summer of 1781 he was detached with the sick of his company and went into the country with them and was in the service till fall making more than one year and a half service at this time. He was again drafted the very last of the year 1781, or the first of 1782 and was commanded by Captain Montgomery and was stationed at a Blockhouse or Fort on Fair Forest Creek in the lower part of Union County South Carolina and was there 3 months.
He declares that he acted as a Sergeant all the time he was in the service of the United States except 3 months while under the command of Colonel William Farr when he acted as Lieutenant, and that he served more than 2 years during the war of the Revolution. He has no documents by which to prove his service he never received any commission or warrants during his service nor any discharges at the time he left the service.
He knows of but 2 persons who were knowing to his performing the duties, and they live in Madison County State of Illinois. They are Isaac Gillham and William Gillham.
He was born on the 4th day of January in the year 1756 in Augusta County Virginia and his parents moved to South Carolina some years before the war and lived in Camden district in York County where he lived most of the time until 1802 when he came to Madison County Illinois where he has ever since lived. The record of births he has lost long since. He 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. Sworn to and subscribed the day and year aforesaid.
Sig: John Gillham
Isaac Gillham a resident of Madison County, hereby certifies that he is well acquainted with John Gillham who has sworn to and subscribed the above declaration and knows that he served as therein stated as he was with him most of the time in the service and believes he served more than 2 years in the war of the Revolution. Sworn to and subscribed the day and year aforesaid.
Sig: Isaac Gillham
William Gillham a resident of Madison County hereby certifies that he is well acquainted with John Gillham who has sworn to and subscribed the above declaration and knows that he was in the service and believes that he served as therein stated and that he was in the service more than 2 years and further that he is a man of truth and veracity. Sworn to and subscribed the day and year aforesaid.
Sig: Wm Gillham
State of Illinois, Madison County Personally appeared before me the undersigned a Justice of the Peace within and for the County of Madison and State of Illinois, John Ghillham [sic], who being duly sworn, deposeth and saith, that by reason of old age and the consequent loss of memory, he cannot swear positively as to the precise length of his service but according to the best of his recollection he served not less than the periods mentioned below and in the following grades: For 3 months I served as a Lieutenant and commanded a small company of horse. And for the space of one year and 3 months I served as a Sergeant and for 10 months I served a private and for such service I claim a pension and this deponent further deposeth and saith that he never received any commission or warrant as Lieutenant and that he knows of no person who was in the service at the time he held the office and knowing to the fact of his having the office of Lieutenant. And this deponent further deposeth and saith that he was in the service with a horse which he provided himself with and was well mounted during the whole time of service except the two first campaigns when he was on foot. Sworn to and subscribed to this 20 7th day of May A.D. 1833 before me.
Sig: Will E. Starr, JP
Sig: John Gillham
State of Illinois, Madison County
Personally appeared before me an acting Justice of the Peace within and for said County of Madison and state aforesaid Isaac Gillham who being duly sworn according to law deposeth and saith that he was personally knowing to the said John Gillham who has deposed above, being in the service as stated in his declaration of 4th of September 1832 and knowing to the grades of his rank except to his being Lieutenant and on that Campaign he was not with him but it was distinctly understood by all who belonged to the company that he was Lieutenant and had the command of the Company he refers to and that he was out on that campaign for 3 months. And further this deponent saith not.
Subscribed & sworn to this 10th day of June before me.
Sig: William E. Starr, JP
Sig: Isaac Gillham
Sources
- Southern Campaign American Revolution Pension Statements. Pension application of John Gillham S32269. Transcribed by Will Graves. www.southerncampaign.org