Revolutionary Pension Information about Abraham CHILDERS
Genealogical Records of Buckingham County, Virginia - Edythe
Rucker Whitley pp. 52-53
CHILDERS, Abraham, of Perry Co., Ky., age 82 years on previous
15 Nov., on 17 Oct. 1832 declared he enlisted about six months
before the Battle of Brandywine, in Amherst Co., Va., where he
then lived, under Capt. Samuel CAMPBELL (or CAVILL or CABELL),
in Col. MERIWETHER's Regt. He was placed in the 4th or 5th Va.
Regt., made a cook, and served eighteen months. He was detached
under Capt. PAMPHLIN, served three years, and discharged at Winchester,
Va., about one month after Cornwallis' surrender. He was at Amherst,
Bottom's Bridge, Morbin (Malvern?) Hill, and Four Mile Creek,
and was never out of Virginia except for a trip to Guilford CourtHouse,
where he could hear the guns, and except for his trip to Maryland,
and the Battle of Brandywine, where he was wounded in the left
thigh. He stated he was born in Buckingham Co., but had no proof
of his age.
By 24 July 1834 he had moved from Perry Co. to Lawrence Co.,
Ky., where he made a statement.
Depositions were made by:
John CHILDERS, age 44, on 6 May 1849, Owsley
Co., Ky.; grandson of Abraham CHILDERS; stated his grandfather
claimed to be a cook in the 5th Va., herd his grandfather mention
Moses FLEETWOOD of the same company who was wounded while trying
to pick some apples; stated his great-uncle Moseby CHILDERS was
killed at Brandywine; his grandfather Abraham died in what is
now Letcher Co., Ky., on 6 May 1849.
William CHILDERS, in Owsley Co., Ky., on 11 March
1854, stated his father, Abraham, died in April 1849 leaving children:
William, Francis, Polly, Dicy, Abraham, Jr., Elizabeth, Goldsby,
and Seley. William's mother, Elizabeth, died 17 Feb. 1833.
Patrick MASTERSON, 25 April 1855, Owsley Co.,
Ky., disposed he knew Abraham before he entered service. MASTERSON
served under Col. MUHLENBERG and Jonathan LANGDON from about the
lst of June before the Siege of Stony Point, and stated he saw
CHILDERS in that desperate slaughter, and later saw him at Washington's
encampment at Morristown. MASTERSON was discharged a little after
the defeat of Yorktown.
Patrick MASTERSON, 18 April 1855, Owsley Co.,
Ky., stated that Abrahm CHILDERS was an enlisted soldier from
the River Tiney or Pye, Amherst Co., Va., and got acquainted with
CHILDERS at Washington's stay at Williamsburg.
Alexander PATRICK stated that he took affidavits
of Hiram POLLY and Archilles CRAFT, but is unable to tell what
became of the proof. He once attempted the take CHILDERS' affidavit,
but on all public occasions he would get intoxicated so his statement
was neglected. At one time he proposed to go to Lawrence Co.,
Ky., to take the proof of Micajer FRESHEUR, Joseph NEWMAN, Josiah
MARCUM, Adam CRUM, and George HARDWICK, all Va. soldiers, Thomas
FLEETWOOD (FLEATWOOD) was a soldier who claimed to have been at
Gates' defeat at Camden. MASTERSON enlisted under Jonathan LANGLIN
and Col. HUGHLINBERG (or MUHLENBERG).
Thomas FRANCIS, 17 Sept. 1855, Letcher Co., Ky.,
aged 81, stated he had lived in the county for 29 years, and had
known Abraham CHILDERS for 60 years. He claimed to have served
under Gen. WASHINGTON as a cook.
James (X) COLLINS, 21 Sept. 1855, Letcher Co.,
Ky., stated he had lived in the county for 35 years, and has known
Abrahm CHILDERS for 50 years.
William CHILDERS, in his 68th year, 6 Oct. 1855,
Owsley Co., Ky., stated he was the son of Abraham CHILDERS who
employed Elisha SMITH and Alexander PATRICK to attend to his business.
He (Abraham -ED) was addicted to drink and upon public occasions
he most generally got so drunk he was not capable of attending
to any business. The deponent often heard his father say that
one FLEETWOOD, who served with him perhaps at the Battle of Camden,
was wounded in the hand by a British musket ball while attempting
to pull off a bunch of apples, during the American retreat. Col.
Ephraim MAYFIELD was one of the officers. William CHILDERS moved
to Indiana in 1837 and never returned to Letcher Co. The balance
of the children spread in different directions. Patrick started
once to the Sandies to take the affidavits of Joseph NUMAN, Joseph
MARCUM, Adam CRUM and Neager FASHER, who were in his company,
but they are all dead. He was frequently requested to take the
affidavit of Patrick MASTERSON who would identify him as being
in service under Washington, at Stony Point, Morristown, etc.,
and Col. MERIWETHER at Williamsburg while WASHINGTON was encamped
there before the capture of Conwallis. William CHILDERS has been
a member of the Reformed Church for many years.
Joseph (X) MULLINS, 18 Oct. 1855, Owsley Co.,
Ky., stated he had known Abraham CHILDRES, late of Perry Co.,
for 41 yars, and that (Abraham) was "addicted to intoxication,"
but when he was sober he was a man of truth.
Stephen (X) ARTHUR, 18 Nov 1856, Powell Co.,
Ky., stated he was born on 9 March 1760 and knew Abraham CHILDERS,
late of Perry Co., Ky.; ARTHUR was raised in Bedford Co., Va.,
and CHILDERS was raised in the adjoining county of Amherst, but
in the same neighborhood. After the conclusion of the War CHILDERS
moved to Buckingham Co., Va. Childers entered service some time
before ARTHUR did, but ARTHUR was present when Abraham CHILDERS,
William CHILDERS, Moseby CHILDERS, Moses FLEETWOOD, John FLETTWOOD,
Joseph TUMAN and others enlisted. (Pens. R.1922).