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War of 1812 Pension File, Thomas Peters

Thomas Peters was the son of Henry Peters Sr. and Mary WiatteThomas was born 21 Jul 1790 in Virginia, probably in Greenbrier County.  His parents were married in Greenbrier County in 1788.  His father was on the Greenbrier County tax lists for 1792 and 1796.  Thomas's birth date comes from his tombstone.  The stone itself is no longer readable, but the cemetery was transcribed several decades ago, at a time when the inscription on the stone could still be made out.

The Peters family moved to what is now Anderson County, Tennessee in 1797.  The land was a part of Knox County at the time, but became part of Anderson County upon the creation of Anderson County in 1801.

Thomas Peters married Sarah (Sallie) England, and they were my fourth great grandparents.  I am descended from two children of Thomas and Sarah, namely Zipporah Peters who married Alfred Carter Cross and Jane Peters who married John England.

p.1 (cover sheet)

Soldier  Peters, Thomas              Numbers
                                     War of 1812
                                        WO 4426
                                        WC 2002

Widow    Peters, Sarah
Service  Capt Lunsford Oliver's Co   Bounty  43276  40  50
                                     Land    52711 120  55
         Tenn Mil                    Warrants

Enl.     Oct 16, 1814      Dis.  Jan 1, 1815

Residence    1850 TO 1856
of Soldier   Anderson Co Tenn

Residence    1871 Anderson Co (PO Robertsville) Tenn
of Widow

Maiden name  Sarah England
of Widow

Marriage of         Oct 15  1812  Anderson Co Tenn
Soldier and Widow

Death
of Soldier   OCT 11 1830 Anderson Co Tenn

Death of
Widow        Feb 19 1885
             Soldiers's Discharge CTF Filed in the brief

Exr.   CEH      Rev'r      Envelope          Rev'r
     4220                   written by

Notes on p.1: The 1830 date of death for Thomas Peters as listed in his War of 1812 pension file is manifestly incorrect.  The cover sheet itself states that he lived in Anderson County from 1850 to 1856.  There are affidavits in the pension file which are signed by Thomas himself and which are dated in 1855.  Based on census and tax data, I believe he died in 1863.  Which is to say, he appeared on the 1850 and 1860 censuses.  He appeared on the Anderson County tax list through 1862.  His wife appeared on the 1863 tax list as a widow.  And Thomas's tombstone says that he was 73 years old when he died.  Nevertheless, a number of researchers list his date of death as 1830.

The cover sheet states that he was discharged Jan 1, 1815.  There are a variety of other (similar) dates for his discharge.  I believe that the most reliable affidavit in the file is one that says his dates of service were 16 Oct 1813 through 15 Jan 1814.


p.2 (another cover sheet)
War of 1812
Numbers            Soldier  Peters, Thomas         Bounty Land  -------
Orig. 4426                                         Wt 43276-40-50
Ctf.  2002         Widow    Peters, Sarah          Wt 52711-120-55

                   Service  Pvt. Lunsford Oliver's Co. Tenn. Mil.

Notes on p.2:


p.3 (unknown source, all handwritten, two facing pages from a book)

101.393   57275  May 6/50        |
Thomas Peters, Private           |
Tennessee Volunteers             |  Kipley
Cap: L. Oliver                   |     630-S
Col. J. Brown                    |
--------------------------       |  Thos. Peters for ???
En. 1st Oct. 1813                |  Serv. in Cpt Lunsford
dis. Jany 15, 1814               |  Olivers Co Tenn M.
                                 |  from 6-Octo 1814 to
40 acres Taylor                  |  1st Jany 1815 ???
                                 |  ????
                                 |
W. 43-276 ?????                  |
February 20/52                   |
       Vol.60.p.68               |
                                 |
A. Cross                         |
     Clinton                     |
                Tenn             |

Notes on p.3: This page was very hard to read.  I do not know where this page came from, but it appears to be a record of a land bounty of 40 acres which was awarded to Thomas Peters in about 1850 to 1852 for his service in the War of 1812.  I have not yet chased down the deed book or other records of the transaction.  Note that this record states that Thomas's dates of service were 6 Oct 1814 through 1 Jan 1815.

A. Cross was probably Alfred Cross, who served as a sheriff of Anderson County, and who I believe was an attorney.  Thomas Peters had a son-in-law named Alfred Carter Cross, but I believe that the A. Cross in this document was not Alfred Carter Cross.  For one thing, I know of no record of Alfred Carter Cross having been an official of Anderson County.  For another thing, for every record I have found of Alfred Carter Cross where his name was listed in terms of initials, his name was listed as A. C. Cross.


p.4 (pre-printed form, with fill-in-the-blanks entered by hand)

                  Act of March 3, 1855
                     (Circular I.)
                                           Pension Office,
                                             Dec 3d, 1855

Sir:
   The application of Thos. Peters for Bounty
Land under the act of 3d March, 1855, No. 57275 for service under the command of
Capt. Oliver bearing date April 10/55
has been examined and the claim suspended.
   It is necessary that the following affidavit be subscribed by claimant, and returned
properly certified to this office before further action can be had on said claim.

William Peak     <-  (handwritten, appears
   Robertsville  <-   to be
       Tenn      <-   addressee)
                                        Very respectfully,
                                             L.P. Waldo
                                                 Commissioner

State of Tennessee
County of Anderson
   On this fifth day of January A.D. one thousand eight hundred and
fifty six personally appeared before me, a Justice of the Peace within and for the County
and State aforesaid, Thomas Peters who, being duly sworn according to law,
declares that he has not applied for or received bounty land under this or any previous act of Congress,
other than the application referred to as the application under which he received a 40 acre warrant, issued
under the act of congress september 28th 1850.
                                                Thomas Peters

Notes on p.4:


p.5 (handwritten, affidavits which go with p.4)

State of Tennessee )
County of Anderson )  January the fifth 1856
sworn to and subscribed before on the day and
year above written and I certify that I know
the applicant to be the person he represents
himself to be and that I have no interest
in this claim
                          John Gamble (seal)
                          Justice of the Peace

State of Tennessee )
County of Anderson )  I certify that John Gamble Esqr.
                      before whom the foregoing
affidavit were sworn to and whose genuine official
signature is thereto attached was at the time of
signing the same a Justice of the Peace of and for
said county and state and I have no interest in
this claim.
witness my hand and official seal at office
in Clinton this the 8th day of January 1856.
                           R.H. Coward, Clerk
                        County Court for said County

Notes on p.5:


p.6 (pre-printed form, with fill-in-the-blanks entered by hand)

     Suspended Bounty Land Claim Re-examined

No. 57275
"   101393
                              Treasury Department
                                 Third Auditor's Office
                                    Nov 16, 1855
Thomas Peters (private) served in Captain
Lunsford Olivers Company Tenn Militia
from the 16th October to the 1st January 1815
(Nett Service)
                                R Graham
                                Fox Third Auditor
Commissioner of Pensions,
    Department of the Interior
????????

Notes on p.6: The dates of service on this affidavit reflect only about 75 days of service.


p.7 (pre-printed form, with fill-in-the-blanks entered by hand)

                War of 1812
   Declaration of a Widow for Pension
              ----------------
          To be executed before Judge or Clerk of Court.

State of Tennessee
County of Anderson
  On this 12th day of Mar., A.D. eighteen hundred and seventy one
personally appeared before me, R.C. Dew, Clerk of the
County Court, a Court of Record in and for the County and State aforesaid, Sarah
Peters, aged 78 years, a resident
of 9th District, County of Anderson, State
of Tennessee, who being duly sworn according to law, declares that she is
the widow of Thomas Peters, who served the full period of sixty
days in the (1) Military service of the United States in the War of 1812, and who was the identical
Thomas Peters who (2) Volunteered in Captain
Lunsford Oliver Company, _______
Regiment, _________ Brigade, __________ Division, at
Clinton Tenn, on the 12th day of November
1813, and was honorably discharged at Clinton Tenn on the 1st
day of March 1814; that (3) she gives dates and facts
from the best of her recollection which is quite
short & uncertain
that she was married under the name of Sarah England to said Thomas
Peters, on the _____ day of October
________-, A.D. 1812 by Samuel Davison Esq. at
John Englands Anderson Cty there being no legal barrier to such marriage; that her
said husband died at Anderson County, Tennessee, on the 11th
day of October, 1830, and that she has not remarried since his death; that
at no time during the late rebellion against the authority of the United States did she or her said husband adhere
to the cause of the enemies of the Government, giving them aid or comfort, or exercised the functions of any office
whatever under any authority, or pretended authority, in hostility to the United States;  that she will support the
Constitution of the United States;  that she is not in receipt of a pension under any previous act;  that she makes
this declaration for the purpose of being placed on the pension rolls of the United States, under the provisions of the
act approved February 14, 1871, and hereby constitutes and appoints, with full power of substitution and revoca-
tion, Wm. C. Griffiths of Robertsville, Tenn
her true and lawful attorney, to prosecute her claim, and obtain the pension certificates that may be issued;  that
her post office is at Robertsville, County of Anderson
State of Tennessee, that her domicile or place of abode is Anderson
County Tennessee.
                                     her
ATTEST:                        Sarah  x  Peters
                                    mark
Francis Kirby
Preston Wm. Shannon

Notes on p.7: As before, the 1830 date of death for Thomas Peters makes no sense.  The only thing that makes any sense is the comment that Sarah's recollection is quite short and uncertain.  Her recollection of Thomas Peters' dates of service is inexact.

She was married at John England's house, and John England was her father.

I do not know who Francis Kirby was.

Preston William Shannon was the son-in-law of Thomas Peters and Sarah England, having married their daughter Susan Emily (Emily) Peters in 1867.  It was his third marriage, and he wouldn't have been a son-in-law prior to 1867.  He signed a number of documents associated with the Peters family.  This particular signature is the first clue I have seen as to his middle name.


p.8 (pre-printed form, with fill-in-the-blanks entered by hand)
    War of 1812
Declaration of a Widow
    for a Pension
   ----------------
      Claim of
Mrs. Sarah Peters
Widow of Thomas Peters
_____ Co., _______ Regt.
_________Brig. _______Div.



      Filed by
William C. Griffith
Robertsville, Anderson
County, E. Tenn.
Printed and sold by W.H. Moore, 511 11th st. Washington, D.C.

Also personally appeared John W. Scarbrough and
(James Grills) David M. Shannon, residing at No ___, in ____
________ street, in ______, and at No. __________
in Anderson County, Tn, in __________, persons whom
I certify to be respectable and entitled to credit, and who being by me duly sworn, say: They were present
and saw Sarah Peters, the claimant, sign her name (or make her mark) to
the foregoing declaration;  that they have every reason to believe from the appearance of said claimant, and their
acquaintance with her, that she is the identical person she represents herself to be, and she has not remarried since
the death of her husband, but remains his widow;  and at no time during the late rebellion against the authority
of the United States did she, or her said husband, adhere to the cause of the enemies of the Government, or give
them aid or comfort;  and that they have no interest in the prosecution of this claim.
                                                 John W. Scarbrough
                                                 David M. Shannon
Sworn and subscribed before me this 20th day of May
A.D. 1871, and I hereby certify that the contents of the above declaration were fully made known and explained
to the applicant and witnesses before swearing, including the words ______
erased and the words ________ added, and that I have no interest, direct
or indirect, in the prosecution of this claim.
                                                  R.C. Dew Clerk
                                                   of County Court

Notes on p.8: John W. Scarbrough was the son-in-law of Thomas Peters and Sarah (Sallie) England, having married their daughter Mary A. Peters in 1849.

The name of James Grills was written in as a witness and then crossed out.  He did not sign as a witness.  James Grills was the husband of Mary J. Cross who was a granddaughter of Thomas Peters and Sarah (Sallie) England, Mary J. Cross having been the daughter of Alfred Carter Cross and Zipporah Peters.

David Milford Shannon was the son of Preston William Shannon.  Preston William Shannon in turn was the son-in-law of Thomas Peters and Sarah (Sallie) England.  In addition, David Milford Shannon was the husband of Sarah Jane Oliver who was the granddaughter of Thomas Peters and Sarah (Sallie) England, Sarah Jane Oliver having been the daughter of Alva A. Oliver and Susan Emily (Emily) Peters.


pp.9-10 (unknown source, all handwritten, two facing pages from a book)

                Declaration
order to obtain the benefit of the act of congress of
March 3d 1855
                              State of Tennessee
                              County of Anderson
                                 Be it remembered that
this the 24th day of March A.D. 1855 before the under
signed an acting justice of the peace in and for said
county personally appeared Thomas Peters
aged sixty four years a resident of said county
and made oath in due form that he is the
identical person who was a private in captain
Olivers company and collonel (sic) Brown's
regiment of Tennesee (sic) Volenteers (sic) in the war with
Creek indians and as such received a 40 acre land
warrant under the act of congress of September 28th
1850 the number or precise date of the issuance of which
applicant does not recollect applicant makes this
declaration in order to obtain the additional land
bounty due him under the act of congress of March
?? 1853, and for proof of service applicant offers to the
papers on file in the pension office and those which
accompany this declaration.
attest                          Thomas Peters
Wm Leach
John England

Sworn to and subscribed this the day and date first
above written before me and I further certify that
Thomas Peters who made the foregoing declaration
is the identical person who received a land warrant
of 40 acres under the act of congress September 28th
1850 and that I have no personal interest whatsoever
in the claim
which the said Thomas Peters
is now making.                   William Oliver
                                Justice of the Peace

State of Tennessee )
                   )
                         Be it remembered that on
this 24th day of March 1855 before the acting
Justice of the Peace within and for said county person-
ally appeared Thomas Nichle aged forty nine years
and Wm. Deck aged forty three years
both residents of said county and made oath in due
form of law that to their own personal knowledge
Thomas Peters who made the foregoing declaration
is the identical person who received a land warrant
under the act of congress of September 28th 1850 and that
they have no personal interest whatsoever in the land
bounty for which the said Thomas Peters is now
making application.
                              Wm. Deck
                              Thomas Nickle
sworn to and subscribed the day and date first above
written before me and I further certify that
Thomas Nickle and Wm Deck
who made the foregoing affidavit are persons in whom
full faith and credit may be placed if? their oaths
would be taken in any court of Justice where they
are known.
                              William Oliver (seal)
                             Justice of the Peace


State of Tennessee
I Richard H. Coward clerk of the county court
of the county of Anderson in the state aforesaid
do certify that William Oliver Esq. whose name appears
to the above declaration certificate is and was
at the time of signing said declaration and certificate
an acting justice of the peace within and for said
county duly elected commissioned and qualified
and that full faith and credit is given and due
to his official acts so such and that the signature of
said justice appears to be in his own proper hand
writing
          In testimony whereof I hereunto subscribe
          my name and affix the seal of office
          of said county court at office in
          Clinton the 2nd day of April 1855.
                            R.H. Coward Clerk

Address Wm. Peak Robertsville Tennessee

Notes on pp.9-10:  This is one of several places in this pension application where it is very clear that Thomas Peters was still living well past his putative (and incorrect) date of death of 1830.  In this case, he was clearly still living in 1855.

William Leach lived near Thomas Peters, but I am not aware of any family connection between him and Thomas Peters.

John England was the son of Titus England and Elizabeth, and the grandson of John England and Vesta Zipporah Choate.  Of more importance to this document, John England was the husband of Jane Peters.  Jane Peters was the daughter of Thomas Peters and Sarah (Sallie) England, and hence John England was the son-in-law of Thomas Peters.

I am not aware of any connection whatsoever between Thomas Peters on the one hand and William Deck and Thomas Nickle on the other hand.


p.11 (pre-printed form, with fill-in-the-blanks entered by hand)

State of Tennessee )
County of Anderson )  on this second day of November A.D. One
thousand eight hundred and fifty, appeared before me a Justice of the Peace
within and for the County and State aforesaid, Thomas Peters aged about sixty
years, a resident of Anderson County in the State of Tennessee, who being duly sworn
according to law, declares that he is the identical Thomas Peters who was a Private
in the company commanded by Captain Lunsford Oliver in the
Regiment of the East Tennessee Volunteers commanded by Colonel John Brown
in the War with the Creek Indians that
he Volunteered at Anderson County on or about the ____ day of October
A.D. 1813 for the term of three months and was honorably discharged at Anderson
County, East Tennessee on the 15th day of January A.D. 1814 and his discharge
herewith transmitted.

He makes the declaration for the purpose of obtaining the bounty land to which he may be
entitled under the "Act granting Bounty Land to certain officers and soldiers who have been en-
gaged in the military service of the United States." passed September 28th 1850.

Sworn to and subscribed before me the day and year above written.  And I hereby certify
that I believe the said Thomas Peters to be the identical man who served as
aforesaid, and ....................  for Anderson County.

State of Tennessee, County of Anderson
  I hereby certify that Thomas Hale Esq. before whom the foregoing declara-
tion was made, was at the time thereof, a Justice of the Peace in and for the county and State
aforesaid and duly authorized to administer oaths for general purpose.
              IN TESTIMONY WHEREOF, I have hereunto signed my name and affixed
              my seal this sixth day of December 1850
                                       John Key
                                       Clerk of County Court

Notes on p.11:


p.12 (cover sheet)

    BOUNTY LAND CLAIM of
    Thomas Peters
    A Private under
    Capt. Lunsford Oliver
    Col. John Brown

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

    SEND WARRANT TO
    A. Cross Esq.
    Clinton, Tennessee

Notes on p.12: A. Cross was probably Alfred Cross, who served as a sheriff of Anderson County, and who I believe was an attorney.  Thomas Peters had a son-in-law named Alfred Carter Cross, but I believe that the A. Cross in this document was not Alfred Carter Cross.  For one thing, I know of no record of Alfred Carter Cross having been an official of Anderson County.  For another thing, for every record I have found of Alfred Carter Cross where his name was listed in terms of initials, his name was listed as A. C. Cross.


p.13 (cover sheet)

          NO. 4426
    Act of February 14, 1871
        War of 1812


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

    Sarah Peters
    Robertsville, Anderson Co, Tennessee
         Widow of
        Thomas Peters
    Capt. Lunsford Oliver Tenn Militia
    Died 11 Oct 1830
    Anderson Co Tenn




    Received  June 13, 1871
    William C. Griffith
    Robertsville, Anderson Co
             Tennessee
                     Attorney


    1872  January 4th     BLD
          Feby 3/72   Death & ????  MG
          March 6/72  Admitted      MG
          March 14    Cert. O P     FCA

Notes on p.13: This is yet another occurrence of the manifestly incorrect date of death in 1830. BLD, MG, and FCA appear to be the initials of someone who reviewed and/or updated the file.


p.14 (cover sheet)

      No. 2002
     War of 1812

     Widow's Pension

Tennessee
Sarah Peters
__________ widow of ______
Thomas Peters
Rank ______________
Company Capt L. Oliver
Regiment ___________
       Tenn Militia
---------------------
Knoxville Agency
Rate per month  Eight Dollars
Commencing  February 14, 1871
---------------------
Certificate dated  March 12, 1871
and sent to Pension Agent.
---------------------
Act 14th February 1871
Vol.  Tenn  Page 122
E.M. Kavanaugh, Clerk

52711-120-55

Notes on p.14:


p.15 (pre-printed form, with fill-in-the-blanks entered by hand)

Special Examination
Division
                Department of the Interior
                   Pension Office

                               Knoxville, Tenn 12/9/1885

Postmaster at
   Scarbrough, Tenn

SIR:
  You are requested to inform me at your VERY EARLIEST CONVENIENCE whether the
pensioner Sarah Peters widow of Thomas Peters War 1812
is living or dead; and if dead, the EXACT DATE of DEATH;  if living, whether
REMARRIED; and, if so, the EXACT DATE thereof and whom to.
  Her last known address was at your place in Dec. '84
  Your reply, ON THE BACK of THIS SHEET, forwarded to me in the inclosed
addressed official envelope, will be appreciated.

                                Very respectfully,
                                C.B. Anderson
                                            Special Examiner

Notes on p.15:


p.16 (hand written letter)

                                         Scarbrough, Tenn.
                                         Dec 29-1885

Hon.C.B. Anderson,
                            Knoxville, Tenn.
Dear Sir
              Mrs. Sarah Peters
widow of Thos. Peters dide (sic) Feb
ruary the 19th 1885.
                            Very Respectfully,
                            J. N. Freels
                            Postmaster
                            Scarbrough
                                  Tenn


Widow war of 1812
Cnt 2002
   P
Sarah Peters

Notes on p.16: The postmaster J. N. Freels was probably James Newton Freels, but further verification is required to be sure that this is true.


p.17 (hand written affidavit)

State of Tennessee )
Anderson County    )

On this the 17th day of Feb A.D. 1872
personally appeared before me a
Justice of the Peace in and for the County
and state aforesaid William Scarbrough
and Milly Cross residents of the
County of Anderson and state of Tennessee
who being by me duly sworn according
to law declare and say that they are
personally acquainted with Sarah
Peters widow of Thomas Peters dect. (sic) a
soldier of the war of 1812 that they are
advised and believe that the marriage
licens (sic) of the said Thomas Peters and his
wife Sarah Peters whose maidin (sic)
name was Sarah England cannot be
found that they were personally in
attendance and personally present at
the marriage of Thomas Peters and
Sarah England and saw and heard
the marriage serrimony (sic) executed and
performed by one Samuel Davidson
a Justice of the Peace joining the
said Thomas Peters and Sarah England
together as man and wife said marri
age was in Anderson County Tennessee
the date of their said marriage was on or
about the 15th day of October A.D. 1812
and that they have no interest Whatsoever
in the prosecution of this claim.  post
office Robertsville
     attest
John W. Scarbrough       William Scarbrough
Preston W. Shannon              her
                          Milley x Cross
                                mark

Notes on p.17: John W. Scarbrough was the son-in-law of Thomas Peters and Sarah (Sallie) England, having married their daughter Mary A. Peters in 1849.

Preston William Shannon was the son-in-law of Thomas Peters and Sarah England, having married their daughter Susan Emily (Emily) Peters in 1867.  It was his third marriage, and he wouldn't have been a son-in-law prior to 1867.  He signed a number of documents associated with the Peters family.

There were a number of William Scarbroughs in Anderson County.  The only one who makes sense for this affidavit was the son of David Scarbrough and Elizabeth Anderson.  He was born about 1794, and hence was living at the time of the marriage in 1812.  He died after 1874, and hence was living at the time of this affidavit in 1872.  William Scarbrough married Margaret Peters, who was the sister of Thomas Peters.  Therefore, he was the brother-in-law of Thomas Peters.

Milley Cross was Amelia (Milly) England, sister of Sarah England.  Milly England was born in 1807, and was therefore only five years old when she attended her sister's wedding in 1812.


p.18 (hand written affidavit)

State of Tennessee )  Personally appeared before
Anderson County    )  me F. A. Crawford and (sic) acting
                   )  Justice of the Peace in and for
said county William Scarbrough and made
oath in due form of that he was present
and saw Thomas Peters and Sarah Peters widow
Married in October 1813.             William Scarbrough

Sworn to and Subscribed
before me the 23d May
1871
       F.A. Crawford
              J.P.

State of Tennessee )
Anderson County    )
I R.C. Dew clerk of the County Court for the county and
state aforesaid do hereby certify that F.A. Crawford Esq. before
whom the foregoing affidavit was made was at the time of so
doing a justice of the peace in and for the County and State
above named duly.  Commissioned and sworn that all his offical (sic)
acts as such are entitled to full faith & credit that is
signature is genuine.  In Testimony Thereof I have hereto
signed my name and affixed my oficial seal at office
in Clinton This 5th day of May 1871.

Notes on p.18: William Scarbrough was the son of David Scarbrough and Elizabeth Anderson, the husband of Margaret Peters, and the brother-in-law of Thomas Peters.


p.19 (hand written affidavit)
State of Tennessee )  I do Certify that Thomas Peters a
Anderson County    )  private served Three months
faithfully as such against the Creek Indians in
Col John Brown's Regiment Commencing the
16th day of october Last and ending the 15th day of
this month and is Discharged with Honors given
under my hand 15th day of January 1814.
                               Lunsford Oliver Capt.

Notes on p.19: There are minor variations given on the dates of service of Thomas Peters, based on failing recollections many years after the fact.  I believe that this particular affidavit is the most reliable indication of Thomas's service dates.  It was written by hand and signed by his commanding officer, and it was signed at the time of Thomas's discharge.


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