Application for Pension - Elias Baker

This is a transcription of Elias Baker's application for pension, filed for service in Rowan Co, NC during the Revolutionary War. I have highlighted some parts that I believe to be extremely relevant in our search for our Lowrey ancestors. Note that Elias Baker was born in 1760 in Baltimore Co, MD and that his migration is very similar to that of our Lowreys. The Bakers were very close to the Lowreys, Dorseys and Holbrooks. All 4 families intermarried in Rowan Co, NC and. later in GA. Some of the information in this document implies a prior relationship in MD and VA between the Dorseys and Bakers, and in light of the as yet undocumented information that our William Lowrey was born abt 1760 in MD and migrated south through VA,  I believe it provides an excellent clue as to where in MD to concentrate our efforts in looking for our Lowreys.

Rowan Co. NC - Revolutionary War Pension - Elias Baker

Transcription of Military Records 
Revolutionary War Veteran
Elias Baker - 
National Archives file W. 5773

Transcribed by William L. Stephenson, Jr. - November, 1999.

Elias Baker was born in MD.  He migrated south with his family through
VA, spent some time in Rowan county NC. After the war he lived in Elbert
County, GA, then lived for a number of years in Franklin County GA,
migrated to Madison County IL, then migrated to Gwinnett County GA, and
lastly settled in Chattooga County GA where he died.  As a descendant of
Elias Baker, I have been researching his lineage.  These documents
provide some information, which in conjunction with other documents, help
in understanding the genealogy.

A copy of the Revolutionary War files of Elias Baker was requested from
the National Archives.  The copy of the documents is, at best, a poor
copy which the National Archives attributes to the age of the original
documents.  A clean copy machine and better care in making the copies
would certainly improve the results.  Following is a transcription of the
materials, using a best effort approach.
-------------------

N. C.	Baker, Elias	W5773
		Sarah

-------------------
Georgia		16.675

Elias Baker 
Gwinnette in the state of Georgia
who was a private in the ----- commanded
by Captain ------------ of the Regt commanded 
by Col. McDowell in the No. Car.
line for 9 months.

Inscribed on the Roll of Georgia
at the rate of 30 dollars and -----cents per annum,
to commence on the 4th day of March, 1834.

Certificate of Pension issued the 13 day of Sept. '33
and Senth Tom Maltbie Lawrenceville, Ga.

Arrears to the 4th day of Sept, 1833	75
Semi-ann. Allowance ending March '34	15
					--------
					$90
Revolutionary Claim Act June 7, 1832

Recorded by A Rice clerk,
Book E Vol. 6 Page 86

-------------------

State of Georgia
Gwinnette County

Inferior Court Sept Term 1832

On this 25th day of September 1832, personally appeared in open Court (it
being a Court of Records) now sitting, Elias Baker a resident of the said
County of Gwinnett, & State aforesaid aged seventy-two years who being
first duly sworn according to Law doth on his oath make the follow
declaration in order to obtain the benefits of the act of Congress passed
June 7, 1832.

That he entered the service of the United States under the following
named officer and served as herein stated (to wit) that he entered the
service in Rowan County & State of North Carolina where he then resided
as a Volunteer under the command of Capt. John Graham & Lieutenant
Frances Ross under the Command of Genl. Rutherford for the Term of three
months & was afterwards discharged by said Capt. Graham in this tour who
were fighting against the Cherokee Indians and the service was rendered
in the year 1777.  Afterwards That he entered the service on a Tour of
three Months under Capt. Joseph White and Lieutenant Benjamin Knox
attached to Col. Madison Inf. Regiment & was commanded by Genl. Lincoln
and was in the Battle of Stone under said officers & discharged by Genl
Rutherford, afterwards entered the army again for three months more under
Capt. Hasselbury & Lieutenant George Ligman attached to Col. McDowell's
Regiment commanded by Genl. Rutherford & was regularly discharged by Col.
McDowell at Wilmington N.Ca. that he was a resident of Rowan County &
State of NCarolina during all of the before mentioned Three service
Tours. That all three of his discharges are mislaid or such that he
cannot find them that he recollects of no person living who can prove the
before several services except Joshua Baker who can prove our living
neither has he any documenting evidence by which he can prove said
several Tours of service that since the Revolutionary War he removed to
the State of Georgia then to the State of Illinois thence back to the
State of Georgia again where he now is a resident of Gwinnett County as
above mentioned.  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 & Subscribed				(signed) Elias Baker
the day & year aforesaid			[document has actual signature]
in open Court.
Wm. Maltbie C.I.C.	

-------------------
State of Georgia
Gwinnett County

Bro James Williams a Clergyman residing in the state & county aforesaid
and Thomas Worthing residing in the same do hereby certify that we are
well acquainted with the Elias Baker who has described & sworn to the
above declaration that we believe him to be Seventy-two years of age that
he is reputed & 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			(signed)  James Williams
the day and year aforesaid				  Thomas Worthing
in open Court
Wm. Maltbie C.I. C.

-------------------


Brief in the case of Elias Baker County of Gwinnett in the State of
Georgia (Act 7th June, 1832)

1.  Was the declaration made before a Court or a judge?  A Court
2.  If before a Judge does it appear that the applicant is disabled by
bodily infirmity? ---------
3.  How old is he?  72
4.  State his service as directed in the form annexed.

						Names of General and Field
                                                    Officers
Period		Duration of Service	Rank		under whom he served

Vol. In 1777		3 months	Private	Capt Graham, Genl Rutherford
			3 months	    "	Capt White Col Malmody
			3 months	    "	Capt Hasselbury Col McDowell

5.  In what battles was he engaged?	Stone
6.  Where did he reside when he entered the service? Rowan County, N.C.
7.  Is his statement supported by living witnesses, by documentary proof,
by traditionary evidence, by incidental evidence, of by the rolls?
                     Traditionary evidence
8.  Are the papers defective as to form or authentication? And if so, in
what respect? Correction

Certify that the foregoing statement and the answers agree with the
evidence in the case above mentioned.
			(signed) Dyer Castor examining clerk
-------------------
Georgia
Gwinnett County

Benjamin T. Undersgrand a justice of the peace of said County personally
appeared Elias Baker & after being duly sworn makes the following
statement & amendment of his annexed Declaration in order to obtain a
Pension to wit that in the year 1779 he entered the service of his second
tour as a drafted man & served as stated in his declaration.  That in the
year 1781 he served his third tour under the officers stated in his said
declaration as a drafted militiaman & he recollects the date of this last
tour from the fact that at that time the battle was fought at Guilford &
Cornwallis marched on toward Virginia and that in each service he was a
private soldier that he was living in Rowand County North Carolina each
time he entered the service. after the War he removed to Elbert County
Georgia from there to Franklin County Georgia there to Madison County
Illinois there remanded to Gwinnett County where he still resides.  That
Thomas Laning, John Laning, and William Frizzall knew of his wife in the
first service - that Beall Baker, Benjamin Baker, & Capt Joseph White
knew of his wife in the second service - and that Beall Baker & Samuel
Killian knew of his wife in the third service - That he was born in
Baltimore County State of Maryland on the 22 day of January 1760- That he
has a record of his age in an old Book entitled "Saints visit" - That
James Williams a clergyman - Thomas Worthing Esq. William Guien Esq.
Samuel Maloney & Col. Nathaniel Burge four of whom he has been long know
& many others of his neighbors can testify to his character for veracity
& of their belief on his service as a soldier of the revolution was and
that since his former declaration he has found Beall Baker by whom he can
know last of his service.

Sworn to and Subscribed			(signed) Elias Baker
on this 5 August 1833				[document has actual signature]

(signed) John Mills J.P. 

-------------------

Georgia
Gwinnett County

I William Maltbie Clerk of the Inferior Court for said County hereby
certify that John Mills whose name appears in the foregoing affidavit as
a subscribing witness is and was at the time of subscribing the same an
acting Justice of the Peace for said County and that full faith & credit
ought to be had & given to his attenuation as such and that the same is
in due form.

Given under my hand & seal of Office this 24th day of August 1833
				(signed) Wm. Maltbie C.I.C.

-------------------
4978
Georgia

Sarah Baker widow of Elias Baker NC who served in the Revolutionary war,
as a Private 
Inscribed on the Roll at the rate of 30 dollars 00 cents per annum, 
to commence on the 4th day of March 1848.
Certificate of Pension issued the 26 day of July, 1849 and sent to 
Col. J. Knoxhlalker.  Present

Recorded on Roll of Pensioners under act February 2, 1848, Page 208 vol. 3

-------------------
State of Georgia
Forsyth County

On this the 7th day of October one thousand eight hundred and forty eight
before me the undersigned a Justice of the Peace in and for said County
and State personally appeared Nicholas Sewell and after being duly sworn
according to law Declares that he is in his 82nd year from the 4th of
March last that he was born in Rowan County North Carolina and was well
acquainted with Elias Baker and Sarah Holebrook in said county of Rowan
and state of North Carolina before the said Elias Baker and Sarah
Holebrook were married he states from his best recollection that they
were marryed just before or about the close of the Revolutionary War and
that he lived in the same neighborhood when said marriage took place in
one & a half or two miles of John Holebrook the father of Sarah Holebrook
now the widow Baker and since that time lived a neighbour to Elias Baker
& wife in Franklin County in this State for the space of 20 years of more
since that time Elias Baker moved to Illinois and back to Gwinnette
County in this State and from that County to Walker or Chattooga Counties
where he died some 3 or 4 years ago as he has been informed leaving his
widow Sarah Baker.

Sworn to and subscribed				(signed) Nicholas Sewell
before me this the 7th of				his mark
October 1848

(signed) Oliver Sewell
(signed) David Talant J.Peace

I David Talant do hereby certify that the foregoing Declaration was
carefully read before & the said Nicholas Sewell was qualified to it and
signed the same.
					(signed) David TalantJ.P.

I also certify that Mr. Sewells statements are certified to full faith
and credit.

	October 7 - 1848  (signed) David Talant J. P.

-------------------
State of Georgia
Chattooga County

On this the 12th day of October one thousand eight hundred and forty
eight before me the undersigned Justice of the Peace in & for said County
and State personally appeared Sarah Baker Widow of Elias Baker, deceased,
who being duly sword according to law declares that she is the lawful
Widow of Elias Baker who was a Revolutionary Soldier and a pensioner of
the United States in Gwinnett County in this State at the rate of 30
dollars per Annum and that she makes this Declaration in order to obtain
a pension from the United States as the widow of said deceased Elias
Baker from the date of his death which occurred on the 18th day of
November 1843 during her life time as provided by a Resolution passed &
approved by Congress on the first day of July 1848 and all other
resolutions and acts passed and approved for the benefit of Widows of
Revolutionary Soldiers who were married previous to the first day of Jan
1794.  She states that she was married to her late husband Elias Baker in
Rowan County N.C. by Esqr. Fifer in the 15th day of June 1780 and had in
lawful wedloc ten children six of which were alive when last heard from.
The enclosed record is a record of the ages of her children as put down
by her late husband in his own handwriting taken from his family register
some forty odd years ago owing to the mutilation of said original record.
She states that she knows of no persons living that was present at her
husbands marriage but knows of some individuals that were alive when last
heard from that was acquainted with her & her husband as husband and wife
previous to the first day of January 1794 to wit Sarah Baker of Hall
County, Nicholas Sewell of Forsyth County and James Sewell of
Merriweather County Ga and deponent further declares that she has not
married since the death of said Elias Baker but still remains a widow.
							(signed) Sarah Baker
Sworn and subscribed the day and year aforesaid before me	her mark
(signed) J. S. Chastain
	John Montgomery J. Peace

I John Montgomery do certify that the foregoing Declaration was carefully
read before Mrs. Baker swore to same and made her crop and that she is
not able from infirmity and old age to go before the Court of said County
to make her Declaration before said Court and that her statements are
entitled to full faith and credit.
					(signed) John Montgomery J. Peace

-------------------
State of Georgia
Hall County

I John Dorsey an acting Justice of the Peace in and for said County do
certify that I have been acquainted with Mrs. Sarah Baker widow of Elias
Baker who was a Revolutionary Pensioner of the United States in Gwinnette
County in this State for the last forty two years and was well acquainted
with her husband Elias Baker from the fall of the year 1807 up to the
death of said Elias Baker which occurred in Chattooga County a few years
ago.  I well recollect of knowing the said Elias and Sarah Baker as
husband and wife as far back as 1807 as I went to live with them in that
year and remained with them about 14 years at the end of that time I left
them in the State of Illinois and returned to Georgia as I was then
twenty one years of age and in a short time after I left them they moved
back to Gwinnette Co. thence to Cass Co. and thence to Chattooga County
where they remained until he died leaving said widow and I also certify
that from the apparent ages of their oldest children and from the
statements of the said Elias and Sarah Baker that they were married about
the year 1790 in the State of North Carolina. I have frequently heard
Elias Baker speak of his oldest child Charles Baker being six months old
when he was in the Army at the battle at Guilford Court House.

Given under my hand and seal this twenty first
day of June one thousand eight hundred and forty nine

	(signed) John Dorsey J. Peace
-------------------
State of Georgia
Hall County

I Joseph Dunagan one of the Judges of the Inferior Court of said County
do certify that John Dorsey whose name appears to the foregoing
certificate is an acting Justice of the Peace duly commissioned and
certify that his statements are entitled to full faith and credit as a
respectable and worthy citizen.

Given under my hand and seal 
this the 21st day of June 1894
(signed) Joseph Dunagan
	Justice of the Inferior
	Court
-------------------
[Following transcription is of what appears to be a page about 4" x 7"
from a book - perhaps the book referenced by Elias Baker in an above
declaration.]

James Baker was Born
July 7th 1797

Charlette Baker was Born 
September 19th 1798

Sarah Baker was Born
August 7th 1804