Mothershead Family Ties
Pierce
Mothershead Family Ties
William Peers and Elizabeth Freeman
On 24 September 1832, William Peers filed a claim under the Act passed by Congress 7 June 1832 for a pension due him for having served in the American Revolutionary War. My personal opinion is that the name "Peers" is the same as "Pearce". I'm also interested in this man because his wife, Elizabeth, was a Freeman. One of my uncles was Howard Freeman Pierce. Existing family have no idea why my grandparents used the middle name of Freeman ("Clayton" is another middle name that I believe is a clue to past forefathers); my personal belief is that my grandfather picked Freeman because it was a family name. There is, however, no proof yet. This page is information transcribed from William Peers Revolutionary War Pension Application.
PEERS: William and Elizabeth Virginia#W1921 State of Kentucky Barren County, SCT. Section 57 On this 24th day of Sept. 1832, personally appeared in open court, before Benjamin Monroe, presiding Judge of the Barren Circuit Court, WILLIAM PEERS, a resident of the county of Barren and state of Kentucky, aged 74, years on the 11th day of October 1832, who being first duly sworn according to law, doth on his oath make the following declaration in order to obtain the benefit of the act of Congress passed on the 7th day of June 1832.
That he entered the service of tho U.S. under the following officers and served as hereinafter stated. In the year 1775 in the state of Virginia, in Louisa county where he then resided he enlisted as a private soldier under Capt. Wm. White for the term of two years and marched from there to Dumfries in the state of Maryland where he was anockilated (sic) for the small pox, marched from there to the Valley Forge from there to the Delaware River, thence to Brandywine, he was in the battle of Brandywine and the Col. that commanded the regiment was by the name of McClanihan after several fiers (sic) by the troops, the Americans gave way and was formed again and renewed the fight but was eventually defeated. From the battle ground we marched near the Valley Forge where we made a stand again and at the Valley Forge he was discharged and received a written [unreadable] discharge signed by General Gates after serving out his two years which discharge I have lost so that it cannot be found. In 1780 he entered the service of the Untied (sic) States as a milita man under Capt. John Byers, in Louisa County Virginia and marched with Col. Spencers regiment which was in Gen. Steven's Brigade, through part of Virginia, and Into North Carolina and was in the battle of Camden, Gen. Gates the commanding officer in that Battle, and marched from there to Guilford and was in that battle-Gen. Green had the command of the army in that Battle he marched from there in persuit (sic) of the enemy to Charlestown here they took shipping. That he never received any discharge for that term of service and that he continued to reside in the [unreadable] county in Virginia until he moved to Kentucky. Where he now resides and that there is but one person now living that is known to him that he can prove his services as a regular soldier and that is John Foster and that there is no person known to him by whom he can prove his services as a militia man, and that he has no documentary evidence of which he can prove his services by and 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, or territory.
Sworn and subscribed the day and year aforesaid, WILLIAM PEERS.STATE OF KENTUCKY: BARREN COUNTY, SCT.
I, John Foster, residing in the county of Barren and state of Kentucky, do hereby certify that I am and was well acquainted with William Peers who has subscribed and sworn to the foregoing declaration did serve as a regular soldier as stated in this declaration-
subscribed and sworn to this 26th day of Sept. 1832. JOHN (X MARK) FOSTER[my note: this is a little disjointed here because there is a break in the transcription that I will fix when I can review the actual film of the application , but it appears that Maximillian Haley swore to similar information as John Foster -jm]
and Maximilliam Haley SECTION 59
and said court declare their opinion after the investigation of the matter and after putting the interrogatories prescribed by the War Department that the above named applicant was a Revolutionary soldier and served as he states, and the court further certifies that it appears to them, that John Foster and Maximilan Halyey who have signed the preceding certificate are residents of Barren County and are credible persons and that their statement is entitled to credit.
I, RICHARD GARNETT, clerk of the Circuit Court for the county and Circuit of Barren do hereby certify that the foregoing contains the original proceedings of the said court in the matter of the application of William Pears (sic) for a pension.
In Testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand and affisex (sic) the seal of my office this 26th day of September 1832. --RICHARD BARNETT. C.B.C.C.
STATE OF KENTUCKY: COUNTY OF BARREN: SCT.
Personally appeared before the undersigned an acting Justice of the Peace in and for said county, Elizabeth Peers, a resident of said county, aged seventy-[unreadable] years past who being first duly sworn by me, according to law, doth on her oath make the following statement as a supplement to her formor declaration for a pension now made under the act of Congress passed during the first session of the 30th Congress granting pensions to certain widows of Revolutionary soldiers. who were married prior to thc year one thousand and eighty hundred.
That she is the widow of William Peers, who was a soldier in the war of the Revolution from Louisa County, Virginia and who served as stated in her former declaration prepared by James Murrell, esquire. She states that she married to William Peers by the name of Elizabeth Freeman on the 23rd day of May, 1799 in Louisa County, Virginia, and that said William Peers died on the 28th May 1833 in Barren County, Kentucky and that just previous to his death he made application for a pension and that soon after his death said pension was allowed and that she drew it. She states that she was married before the year 1800 to wit, on the 23rd., May 1799 and that she has not intermarried since his death but is now his widow. --ELIZABETH (HER MARK X) PEERS
Sworn to and signed by making her mark- before me this 12th day of April 1849. W.D. Harlow, J.P.
She also sends to the Pension office a leaf from her family Bible containing the record of the age of deceased husband WILLIAM PEERS and also the ages of her children.
--ELIZABETH (HERX MARK) PEERS.I certify that I am well acquainted with the above declarant Elizabeth Peers and she is an old lady of truth and respectability and the above statement is entitled to full faith and credit and she is the reputed widow of William Peers.
Given under my hand, this 12th day April 1849, W.D. Harlow, J.P.
--8TATE OF KENTUCKY COUNTY OF BARREN: SCT.
Personally appeared before the undersigned an acting justice of the Peace in and for said county, Thomas Freeman, Beeryman Peers and Sarah B. Freeman who being first duly sworn, according to law, do, on their oaths, depose and say that they are well acquainted with the above declarant, ELIZABETH PEERS and that she is the identical widow of the late Wllliam Peers who died in Barren County, Kentucky on 23 Of May 1833 and that soon after his death the said Elizabath Peers as his widow drew the pension up to the date of his death, and this affiant Thomas Freeman, aged 66 and the brother of Elizabeth Peers the above declarant states that he was present when William Peers and his sister Elizabeth were married in Louisa County, Virginia on the 23rd day of May 1799 and that said William Peers died as above and that Elizabeth Peers is now his widow. And further say not. THOMAS FREEMAN. BERRY(HIS X MARK) PEERS SARAH B. ( HER X MARK) FREEMAN.
SWORN to and signed before me this 12th day April 1849- --W.D. Harlow, J.P.
I certify that the above affiants are persons of truth and respectability and the above statement is entitled to full faith and credit. Given under my hand this 12th day April 1849. W. D. Harlow, J.P.
--
STATE OF KENTUCKY: COUNTY OF BARREN: SCT.AT a court begun and held in Glasgowin and for said county on the 21st day of May 1849 the following proceeding was had to wit; "This day was exhibited in open court the declaration of Elizabeth Peers for a pension, sworn to and subscribed before, W.D. Harlow, esquire, who is known to this court to be now and was at t he time of subscribing the same, an acting Justice of the Peace in and for said county duly comissioned and qualified according to law, that all his official acts, as such, are entitled to full faith and credit and said proceeding before him is hereby approved by this court and the foregoing signatures, purporting to be his, are genuine.
I, Thomas J. Helm, clerk of said Court do here certify that the foregoing is truly copied from the records In my office. In testimony whereof, I have hereunto affixed the seal of office and hand the date aforesaid- --THOS. HELM. B.C.C.
FAMILY RECORDS
SHEET FROM A BIBLE
-BIRTHS-
WILLIAM PEERS was born October 11, 1762
ALEXADER PEERS was born June 7 may be 9) 1800
LOUISA V. PEERS was born 4-14-1802
ROBERT F. PEERS was born 1-7(may be 9)-1804
EDITH E. PEERS was born 8-l5-l8o6
JAMES H. PEERS was born 4-21-1808
ALLEY B. PEERS was born 3-21-1812
GEORGE 0. PEERS was born l2-12-1815
JOHN F. PEERS was born 6-15-1816
WM. PEERS was born 2-21-1819
BURYMAN O. PEERS was born 12-8-1822.-DEATHS-
ROBERT FREEMAN JR. DECEASED 2-2-1823
WILLIAM PEERS, died 5-20-1833
ROBERT FREEMAN DIED 10-9-1836(?This record very dim, noarly obliterated)
NANCY PEERS, the wife of JAMES H. PEER, died 10-10-1834
MARY H. PEERS, 2nd. wife of JAMES H. PEERS, died 3-4-1847
AMERICA LOWRY PEARS the daughter of J. H. Peers and KATHERINE his wife. died 7-19-1847STATE OF KENTUCKY COUNTY OF BARREN: SCT. SECTION 63
I certify that this leaf of the Family Bible was cut out of the Family Bible in the possession of ELIZABETH PEERS the reputed widow of WILLIAM PEERS deceased in my presence.
GIVEN under my hand this 12th day of April 1849. --W.D. HARLOW. J.P. B.C.
STATE OF KENTUCKY: BARREN COUNTY. SCT.BE it known that on this 24th day of March 1834, personally appeared in open court before the judge of the Barren Circuit court now sitting. Robert Freeman and George Freeman, who being first duly sworn according to law, doth on their oath make the following statement. That they knew William Peers in his lifetime, that they believed him to be 76 years of age on the 11th day of October 1832, and that he was considered and had the reputation in the neighborhood where he resided to have been a soldier of the Revolution, that he died, according to the best of their recollection on the 29th day of May 1833. They further state that Elizabeth Peers is the widow of said William Peers and that she is now living in the state and county aforesaid. Sworn and subscribed the day and year aforesaid.
--ROBERT FREEMAN
--GEORGE (HIS X MARK) FREEMAN