When applying for a
Revolutionary War pension in 1833, Josiah Herbert Sr., Campbell Co, Ky., wrote on his
pension application:JOSIAH HERBERT - REVOLUTIONARY WAR DRUMMER
When applying for a
Revolutionary War pension in 1833, Josiah Herbert Sr., Campbell Co, Ky., wrote on his
pension application:
"I have entered service as a Drummer, a volunteer under Capt. Lane, Loudoun Co Va., at a time the Captain was raising a company of Minute Men."
Josiah states his reason for service: "Indians had besieged FORT WHEELING and killed a number of persons." Josiah as drummer in the VIRGINIA MILITIA marched to the RELIEF of the FORT, "had a SKIRMISH with the Indians, and killed three of four of them." He remained at Ft. Wheeling until the Indians dispersed, was then discharged "after serving three months and some days, as I best recollect."
Sometime after the service of 1776, Josiah was drafted for a six month tour "a short time after NORFOLK was burned." He did not go, but sent a substitute in his place. Later, he moved to FREDERICK CO, Va. where he was drafted to guard BRITISH POWs after the SURRENDER OF YORKTOWN. Josiah did not state the reasons for hiring a substitute in 1776, but we conjecture: (a) harvest or planting time (b) illness or death in the family (c) war wounds or illness of the soldier himself.
Josiah had "WRITTEN DISCHARGES" for each tour of duty, but in the move from Va. to Ky. - "they got lost." Like so many men who served in the Revolution, by the year 1832 when the service pension for all vets was passed by Congress, most vets were up in years. Even though the war was a dim memory for some, they wrote their "recollections." They re-fought the battles which answered the question: "Where did you serve and with whom did you serve?" to satisfy county magistrates to receive the pension.
We are indebted to the pension application of JOSIAH HERBERT Sr., our 5thGrtGrdfa, because his history covers three counties in Ky, two in VA, and led to his birthplace in HUNTERDON CO, NEW JERSEY in 1755. It is quite remarkable how mobile our ancestors were in an age of poor roads!
Here in the Blue Ridge Mts. of western North Carolina we are near two Revolutionary battlefields: Cowpens & King's Mountain. Viewing battlefields, "The Revolution" special on PBS, reading books or even viewing a movie like "Last of the Mohicans," about the French & Indian War whose outcome was one of the causes of the Revolution, does not bring the pathos of the war close to home. To understand sacrifice for the principles of freedom, read your ancestors' pensions. By the way, "Mohicans" was filmed a short distance from my home near Hendersonville, NC. When you enjoy the blue mountains & pink rhododendron, remember "it ain't New York!"
JOSIAH HERBERT's Revolutionary War Service:
"Certificate of Pension" issued 14th day of Dec, 1833, arrears to the 4th of Sept." $150 plus $30 = $180 under Rev Claims Act, June 7, 1832.
"Certificate of Pension" inscribed on "Roll of KY" at the rate of $60 per year to begin March 4, 1832.
US National Archives, Washington DC, Pension #25244 :
"On this 26th day of August in the year 1833, personally appeared in open court before the justices of Campbell Co Court now sitting, JOSIAH HERBERT, resident of aforesaid county, state of Kentucky, the aforesaid aged 78 years past, who being first duly sworn according to the law, doth on his oath make the following declaration in order to obtain this benefit of the Act of Congress... That he served in the Service of the United States as a drummer, a volunteer under Captain Lane in Loudoun Co VA."
DAR Application for Miss Laura Lelia Florer of IL #40297 in Lineage Book Nat'l Soc. DAR, Vol 41, p. 111, Wash. DC, 1915:
"Josiah Herbert enlisted as a drummer in a company of minute men of Loudoun Co, Va. In 1833 he applied for a pension and was allowed eighteen months actual service as a private in VA line. he was born in Hunterdon Co, NJ, 1755; died in Campbell Co Ky."
National SAR Applications, 1000 S. 4th St, Louisville, Ky 40203:
(a) Arthur Darwin Jenkins in Vol 405 No. 837 MO; Nat'l No. 80812
(b) Herbert Washburn Florer in Vol 207 No. 1314 MI; Nat'l No. 41211
(c) Warren Washburn Florer in Vol 75 No. 431 MI; Nat'l No. 14856
Afterward: Yes! the words of our ancestor spoken from the heart deserve to be closely studied, even read aloud to grandchildren, so we realize what it took to forge a nation and WHY we celebrate our freedom on the FOURTH OF JULY.
Copy of original pension #25244 in files of Pat Doster, Brevard, NC.