mtaggart |
| A Long Hard Winter, Library of Congress 1893 |
In 1847, David had attempted to obtain his Revolutionary War pension, but like many applicants, he was unable to provide sufficient proof. It had been 67 years since his first tour and while he remembered the names of a few men with whom he served, it had been almost 50 years since he lived in Pitt County, North Carolina where he entered the service. He then moved to Edgefield, South Carolina and later settled in Macon, Georgia. It’s not difficult to imagine why he no longer had proof of his service and why none of the men with whom he had served were around to testify in his behalf.
Sometime in the early 1840s, David’s widowed daughter, Mary Ellen Pratt, who was in her early 50s, moved in with David and Rebecca and together they all lived about 4 miles from Macon, on the road to Forsyth. Life was not easy, but they were together and for a time, that was enough. Coming events would change Rebecca’s life dramatically.
To see where Rebecca fits in, click on the Gurganus tab above and then select “David Gurganus Sr.”
Copyright © Michelle G. Taggart 2015, All rights reserved
I wonder if any veteran of the Revolutionary War had an easy time obtaining that pension. This story is similar to that of the ancestors I've researched — they all seemed to have made multiple attempts, couldn't remember names, didn't have discharge papers, you name it. How did you discover the Pauper Account?
How sad to think some were left so destitute, after their brave service, for want of a network of friends or acquaintances who could vouch for their sacrifice so many years before. Too bad no one thought of a different way to verify service. Those who outlived their compatriots–or took up land offers in other states–would have been the most affected, it seems.
Yes, I have often thought how much easier things are today. Back then, even if an individual initially kept proof, after a couple of moves, it seems those types of items would easily be lost. Living in a day of scanners, file cabinets, online databases etc., it's difficult to even fathom how they organized such things.
Wendy, it's very interesting as well to see the history of the laws associated with the claims as it changed and evolved and that's part of the reason some reapplied.
I found the Pauper Account record by tediously going through the unindexed Inferior Court records a page at a time. Yes it was boring in a way, but I picked up a lot of little tidbits that I otherwise wouldn't have found, including the reference to my ancestor's sister's murder, which I knew nothing about. It was well worth my time.