On this 9th day of August 1848, the declaration of Sarah Skeen applicant for a pension, certified to have been taken before James Dickenson a Justice of the peace for this county; the said James Dickenson's certificate thereof: - the depositions of Jonathan Skeen and Susannah Harding in relation thereto, taken before Harvey Gray a Justice of the peace for said County, and said Gray's certificate thereof: - the deposition of Dilly Bloomer, taken before George Cowan a Justice of the peace for said County in relation thereto and so certified by the said Cowan; and the certificate of the Clerk of Caswell County, North Carolina, signed A. Slate, that no marriage bond of Peter Skeen and Sarah Sergeant was on file in his office, - were presented and read in open Court for the approval of the Court, and are in the words and figures following, to wit: Declaration, in order to obtain the benefit of the Act of Congress of the 4th day of July 1836: State of Virginia, Russell County to wit: On this 20th day of January 1847, personally appeared before the subscriber James Dickenson, a Justice of the Peace for the County and State aforesaid, Sarah Skeen, aged eighty five, who being first duly sworn according to law, doth on her oath make the following declaration in order to obtain the benefit of the provisions made by the Act of Congress passed the 4th day of July 1836: - That her maiden name was Sarah Sergeant; that on the 15th day of October in the year 1779 she intermarried with one Peter Skeen; that they were married in Caswell County, North Carolina, that she and her husband remained in that County six years after their marriage, and then removed to South Carolina and remained and lived there about thirteen years and then removed to this County of Russell and State of Virginia where they remained. That her said husband died at his own residence in this County on the 10th day of March 1826. She further states that her husband was a private in the war of the revolution and as such served three, if not four tours, in the North Carolina line. His first was for six months under Col. Murphry or Col. William Moore: he was under both those men, but it is impossible for this applicant to say which Col. he was first under. Her said husband served also two three months toursafterwards, and applicant thinks in those tours he was also under one of those above named Cols.; and he also went a tour of some five or six weeks down on Crags' Creek below Hillsboro: applicant cannot say now what Captain he was under; she may have heard him say but she cannot now remember, nor can she now name what Generals he served. She has heard him say that he was in the battle of Stone and he was also in the battle in which Genl Davidson was killed, and she thinks, she has heard him speak of other battles which she cannot now mention. The first tour above mentioned was in the year 1780, the second in the year '81, the third in the year 1782. Applicant says she has remained a widow ever since her said husbands death, and is now poor and needy. She further says she is quite feeble and unable to get to the Courthouse a distance of fifteen miles bad road. Sworn abd subscribed on the day and year above written before the subscriber a justice of the peace as aforesaid. Sarah Skeen.
James Dickenson J. P. - And I also certify that I have been acquainted with the above mentioned Peter Skeen and his present widow Sarah for many years, say thirty five years; that they always possessed a character, since my acquaintance with them of honest correct persons; and I further certify that on this day I attended the house of the said Sarah to take the above declaration, because I consider her unable to attend the Courthouse from bodily infirmity, day and date abvoe written
James Dickenson
Virginia, Russell County to wit: Be it known, that on the 21st day of January 1847, Jonathan Skeen appeared before Harvey Gray the subscriber, a Justice of the peace for the County aforesaid, and being duly sworn according to law, deposeth and saith that he is eighty two years old and that he is the brother of Peter Skeen the husband of the applicant; that he had two brothers in the Revolutionary War from Caswell County North Carolina, Peter and James; that as he now remembers they served three tours each; and witness says that his father Jonathan also substituted one Josiah Shoemaker for one tour for his brother Peter. Witness further says, that as to Peter's services he served in the first place one tour of six months, and afterwards two more tours of three months each. The first tour was in 1779 under Col. Moore or Col. Saunders the second and third were in 1780 & 1781 as witness now remembers. And witness cannot now say under what Cols. the second and third tours were under unless it was under the above named Cols. Witness says that in one of the tours Peter was a mounted horseman, and he and many others lost their horses - they were taken from them by the British. Witness was not in the war himself, but he has understood that Peter was in the battle of Stone as they called it, in the battle of Mulberry Fileds, in the battle of Tarron's lane and others. Witness says Peter was 12 or 14 years older than himself; that Peter was lawfully married on the 15th of October 1779 to the present applicant Sarah Skeen (then Sarah Sergeant) in the County of Caswell North Carolina by Esquire Douglas, remained there some 5 or 6 years, then went to South Carolina and remained there some 12 or 13 years and then removed to this County of Russell & State of Virginia where he remained till his death in 1826. At Peters' death he left the present applicant Sarah Skeen his widow, who has remained a widow ever since. Jonathan Skeen
Susannah Harden another witness being duly sworn deposeth and saith, that she is eighty four years old; that she was the sister of Peter Skeen the husband of the applicant for a pension. She says she cannot now speak with perfect certainty as to the number of tours nor as to the length of time that her brothers Peter and James were in the war of the Revolution. She has a perfect recollection that both of them went several tours, and that her father also substituted a man one tour for Peter. Her best recollection is that Peter served two, if not more tours about the years 1779 & '80, and she thinks they were the regular tours that men performed in the army, but cannot say how long. She says on the 15th October 1779 as she now thinks, Peter Skeen and his present widow Sarah, the applicant for a pension, were lawfully married by Esquire Douglas of Caswell County North Carolina and lived together as man and wife till Peters' death in 1826, and that since that time his wife Sarah has remained a widow. Witness says that her brother James above mentioned died before Peter. She also says that she has been intimately acquainted with her brother Peter and family ever since his marriage, in North Carolina, South Carolina, and in Virginia; that Peter Skeen before his death had been a resident of this County about 24 or 25 years, - and further saith not. Susannah Harding.
The forgoing Depositions of Jonathan Skeen and Susannah Harding, were this day (21st January 1847) subscribed and sworn before me the subscriber a Justice of the peace for the County of Russell, Virginia. And I further certify that I have been intimately acquainted with said Deponents for many years, say thirty years, and that they are credible witnesses, and also that I consider them as old as they state. Given under my hand the day and date above. Harvey Gray, J. P.
Virginia, Russell County, to wit: - This 28th day of January 1847 personally appeared before the subscriber a Justice of the peace for said County Dilly Bloomer, who being first duly sworn according to law, doth on her oath state, that she is now nearly eighty years old; that she was a native of Caswell County, North Carolina; that she was raised in the same neighborhood with Peter Skeen whose widow Sarah is now applying for a pension; that the said Sarah (who was sarah Sergeant) was also raised in the same neighborhood. She says, that she, Peter Skeen, and his wife Sarah were all well acquainted with each other from their infancy; that Peter Skeen was the son of Jonathan Skeen; that Sarah his wife was the daughter of Stephen Sergeant; that witness was the daughter of Benjamin South; and that the father of Peter Skeen, the father of his wife Sarah, and the father of this witness, all lived within three or four miles of each other: - That witness cannot now by any means say, certainly, the year in which Peter Skeen was married: she remembers well the time when it occurred in Caswell County, North Carolina, she was not a the wedding, and therefore did not witness the marriage, - she thinks it was about 1779, to the present applicant Sarah Skeen. Witness saw folks who said they had been at the wedding, and witness say Peter Skeen and the said Sarah a few days afterwards passing as man and wife, and they lived together in the relation of man and wife from that time until Peter Skeen's death in 1826. They remain in Caswell aforesaid until they had one or two children; they then removed from Caswell to South Carolina and afterwards to this County of Russell Virginia. Witness says she came to this county about fifty years ago, and that Peter Skeen and family came to this county a year or two before or a year or two after she came: That she has been well acquainted with Peter and family ever since they came to this county until his death, and with his widow and family since. Witness is also well acquainted with several of their oldest children who remain in this country. Witness says she cannot speak certainly about Peter Skeen's services in the revolutionary war. She says that his father went and all the men about there, but she could not now say how long any of them served. Peter Skeen as she remembers served several tours as was said, but how long she knows not. And further this deponent saith not. Dilly Bloomer
The foregoing depostion of Dilly Bloomer was this day subscribed and sworn to before me in my County of Russell aforesaid. And I further certify that I have been intimately acquainted with Dilly Bloomer for many years and do condider her as old as she states, and that she is of good character for veracity as any witness. Given under my hand this day and date above written.
George Cowan, J. P.
State of North Carolina, Caswell County. - I Abisha Slade Clerk of the Court of Pleas and Quarter Sessions for Caswell County, certify that there is no marriage bond of Peter Skeen and Sarah Sergenton file in my office in the year 1779, 1780 or 1781, the files of which dates I have examined. In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand and affixed my seal of office, this 8th day of June 1848.
A. Slade, Clk.
And the Court certify that they place full confidence in the integrity of the applicant Sarah and also of the witnesses Jonathan Skeen, Susannah Harding and Dilly Bloomer, being acquainted with them all, and that they approve of the proceeding, and certify their belief that said applicant is entitled to a pension as she desires it.