State of Tennessee: McMinn County Circuit Court on the 22nd day of April l833 (April term l833) personally appears in open court before Honorable Circuit Court for McMinn County and State of Tennessee being a court of record now sitting Jesse Sampley, a resident of Rhea County and State of Tennessee age 69 years , who being first duly sworn according to law, doth on his oath make the following declaration in order to attain the benefit of the Act of Congress passed June 7th l832. That he entered the service of the United States under the following named officers and services as here in stated to wit. That sometimes in June in the year 1779 he volunteered in a Company of Horse in the Edgefield District in the State of South Carolina, his officers being Insign William Luker*, Leut. William Doby, Captain John Carter and Colonel Leroy Hammonds, marches through that section of country for some time, met the Tories at a place called Red House at Pole Cat Pond where they had a skirmish ,monitoring the country backward and forward until sometimes in August l780 under the officers mentioned above. At that time he was put under the Command of Captain Weathers as a volunteer who in a few days joined Major John James and then under the commandment of Major James. Joined General Marion shortly after. Assisted in the recapturing some of the American prisoners taken at Camden at a place called Blue House. After that continued under the command of General Marion in active service, sometimes afterwards surprises a company of Tories at Little Pee Dee River after night killing some and disposing of the rest. After having several other skirmishes with the British and Tories, joined General Lee’s Troop of Horse and some days afterward attacked Georgetown after night and took it. Then marched to Fort Watson and took it. From there marched to a place called Fort Motte and took it. After that continued under the command of Marion, monitoring the country and in active service until the British invaded Charleston, marched into Charleston and took possession of it there, he thinks it was the first of the year 1782 and attacked a disfacment to which he belonged as a volunteer, under the command of Captain Jacob Wise, was sent upon Keiwee River and there joined General Pickins. Marched to Old Swannie Town where they had a battle with the Indians. Marched down the country along the frontiers and erected a garrison at the junction of Broad and Savannah Rivers and remained there guarding the frontier until sometimes in the fall of the year l783, where he was regularly discharged by Captain Jacob Wise after having been in service 4 years and three months. His discharge he lost in 1815 as he traveled through the Cherokee Nation. He entered the service of the United States as he has above stated, a volunteer in the Horse Company and served during the whole time under the respective officers as he has stated above. His father was killed and his family disposed and broke up by the Tories and he narrowly escaped himself from them in hot pursuit and fled from Richmond County in the state of Georgia where his father was killed, to Edgefield District in the State of South Carolina, admittedly volunteered as above stated without returning home (for he had none), it being destroyed by the Tories on any intermission of his services until he was discharged by Captain Wise as above stated and that he never had records but an discharge and that he lost it as above stated. He has no record of his age and never has seen any. He was acquainted with General Green, Marion, Lincoln, Lee, Sumpter and Pickens and the officers he has named above. He does not know that he has acquainted with any of the officers of the regular lines. He thinks he was born in the year 1763 or 1764 agreeable to the best information on the subject he can attain in Spartinburg Co. State of South Carolina. His father removed with him from there to Edgefield District in South Carolina. From there he removed to Richmond County in the state of Georgia, where his father was killed by Tories as above stated. From there he fled from the Tories back to Edgefield District South Carolina where he volunteered as above stated. After the war was over he returned from the service and settled with his mother in Edgefield District South Carolina. From this removed to Columbia County, Georgia. From there to Abbeville District South Carolina. Then to Blount County in the State of Tennessee and then to Warren County. Then to Monroe County both counties being in the State of Tennessee. From there to Mcminn County Tennessee and from there to Rhea County where he now resides and has resided for more than 12 months. The reason that he does not apply (make his declaration in Rhea County where he now resides was that he has not lived there a sufficient length of time to form an acquaintance with individuals who could certify as to his character for veracity and their belief of his service as a Soldier of the Revolution. He has no documentary evidence there, from any person that he knows of by whom he could prove his services. He is not acquainted with any person in his present neighborhood but acquainted in McMinn and Monroe Counties in the State of Tennessee where he resided before he came to Rhea County, with John G. ? Likins a Clergyman and Col. John Lowery and Tidle? L. Right and Attorney at Law, and Isaac Brewer who can testify as to his character for veracity and their belief of his services as a Soldier of the Revolution. He here-by relinquished every claim whatever to a pension or annuity except this present and declares that his name is not on the pension roll of the agency of any state. He served under Captain John Carter 14 months, under Captain Weather 2 years and three months, and under Captain Jacob Wise 10 months making in all 4 years and 3 months as above stated, without intermission of services but change of officers. Sworn and subscribed the day and year afore said. Signed Jesse Sampley *William Luker later became Jesse Sampley’s father-in-law. Jesse married William Lukers daughter, Naomi in 1794, Columbia Co. Georgia and the marriage is recorded in the courthouse of that County. Researcher: Melba Sampley Fuller 384 Shelly Lane, Montgomery, Alabama 36110
