In 1834, Thomas Dosett, a resident of Hopkins County, Kentucky, applied for a pension for his service in the revolutionary war under the Act of Congress of June 7, 1832. Unlike prior acts, a demonstration of need or disability was not required. Those who served for more than 2 years were entitled to full pay for life; those who served more than 6 months, but less than 2 years received a reduced amount.
Kentucky )
) May County Court 1834
Hopkins County )
On the 12th day of May 1834 personally appeared in open Court before the Court of the County aforesaid now sitting, Thomas Doset, a resident of said County & State, aged about seventy six years, who being first duly sworn according to law, doth on his oath made the following Declaration in order to obtain the benefits of the Act of Congress passed June 7th 1832. That he entered the service of the United States under the following named officers and served as herein stated.
This applicant has no record of his age but from the best information he has received he was born in Orange County in the State of North Carolina in the year 1758 or 1759, that in his early infancy his father removed to South Carolina & settled between Broad and Pacolet rivers (the County and District not recollected) where the Revolution found this applicant and where he was drafted for five months this way, as well as this applicant now recollects, about three years before the close of the war. He states that his Captain was by the name of Lott under whom Moses Doset (this applicants father) was a lieutenant and James Higgins Ensign, all of the South Carolina Milita.
That he rendezvoused at Wafford’s Iron Works and marched thence through a wilderness country to Seneca Fort on the Savannah River in Georgia, that he remained on duty in said Fort four & a half months when being sick he was discharged and returned home. He received a discharge for his first tour of five months signed as he believes by his Capt. but has lost the same-Capt. Lott commanded at the Fort.
He states that about twelve months after he returned home he was again drafted for four months under Capt. John [Brumet?] of the S. Carolina Militia, that he rendezvoused about three miles below Camden and marched thence to Laurenses or Laurens Ferry on the Santee River where he was stationed until his term expired when he was dischrged and returned home. He received another discharge signed as he believes by his Capt. but hath lost he same.
He sates that after the close of the war he moved to Orange County, N. Carolina, thence to the State of Tennessee, and thence to the County of Hopkins in the State of Kentucky where he now resides. He states that he served his first tour in a Fort on the Frontier which was garrisoned by Militia and saw no regular Officers, nor does he believe that he saw any on his 2nd tour unless Col. Shelby who commanded at Laurenses or Laurens Ferry was such.
He states that he has known Abner Cates & John Donaho, residing in his present neighborhood who can testify to his character for veracity & their belief of his services as a Soldier of the Revolution.
He states that he is an illiterate old man and that he was informed he would have to prove his services positively to entitle him to a pension under the act of Congress before referred to, nor was he better informed until very recently–which accounts for his having deferred this application to this late period as he has no documenary evidence and that he knows of no persons whose testimony he can produce who can testify to his services. He hereby relinquishes every claim whatever to a pension or annuity except the present & declares that his name is not on the pension Roll of the agency of any state.
Sworn to & subscribed the
day and year aforesaid
his
Thomas x Doset
mark
We, Abner Cates & John Donaho, residing in the County of Hopkins, Ky. hereby certify that we are well acquainted with Thomas Dosett who has subscribed and sworn to the above declaration, that we believe him to be about seventy-six years of age, that it is reputed and believed in the neighborhood where he resides to have been a soldier of the Revolution and that we concur in that opinion.
A Cates
his
John x Donaho
mark
Sworn and Subscribed the
day & year aforesaid.
Source: Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty Land Warrant Applications, Record Group M804, microflim roll 835.
A pension of $20 per year was granted to Thomas Dossett, he having served more than 6 months but less than 2 years.
We do not know when Thomas died. He may have died before 1840; as part of the Census of 1840, a Census of those receiving pensions from the federal government was prepared; the name of Thomas Dossett does not appear on the index to that special census.
The State of Kentucky may have a record of when the payments stopped because of his death.
Posted by: Buddy Dossett, October 27, 1999 – GenForum.com