Treasure Chest Thursday: Accounts 3289A, John Joseph Hancock

John Joseph Hancock, Revolution Pension, Audited Accounts 3289A

Note: Jo Church Dickerson found the following in her mother's (Marie Gulledge Wiggins) materials. As stated above, it was found in the Audited Accounts and not with the Pension Applications. The document was not signed by John Joseph Hancock and appeared to be written in whole by Chesterfield District South Carolina Sheriff, Alfred M. Lowry. Thanks to Jo for allowing us to use it here and for following in her mother's footsteps.

To the Honorable the Senate of the State of South Carolina, the Humble petition of Joseph J. Hancock sheweth to your Honorable body that your petitioner is now in his seventy second year of age and is unusually infirm of his age, never being a very stout or large man; that he has a wife nearly as old as himself and besides the infirmity of age is a cripple in his right Loin. In the Revolutionary War your
petitioner commenced his military course and that too at the age of sixteen. Your petitioner was frequently with General Marion in the low country and was with him at the taking of a parcel of Tories on a scout on the Santee, the name of the place your petitioner don’t now recollect, was under a Captain (blank) at a skirmish with the Tories near the Waxhaw church which officers name your petitioner don’t now recollect, was in frequent companies (______ ? _____) and skirmishes on the
Peedee, Black River and on the Santee, besides those inumerated (sic) under Captain Culp and Colonel Hicks. Your petitioner during the whole of the Revolutionary War, was ingaged (sic) as a soldier, several times drafted and when not drafted would turn out as a volunteer. He providentially was not wounded during the whole period but his life and liberty was often in imminent danger. He
never asked pay nor did he ever get any except Eight dollars and besides your petitioner then only owned one Horse and he was stolen by the Tories whilst the British where at Camden. Your petitioner has been unfortunate during his life in amasing property having met with several reverses of fortune. He is now poor as you may tell from his schedule and is too (old?) to work and Labor to support
himself and his wife and she too is now rather a charge than a helpmate. Your petitioner prayes (sic) that now he is old poor and helpless, that he sparied (sic) neither the prime of life nor labour (sic), for pain and exposure his life and his liberty for his country’s greatest good that his country now will not be a spectator of his poverty and helplessness, but will extend to him some assistance in his old age
and grant him a Pension.
Chesterfield C. H. S. C.
18 July 1836
( ) Walker Esqr.
Treasr. of the Upper Division

Sir: Enclosed is an affidavit and a certificate which Elizabeth Hancock, the wife of Jos. J. Hancock decsd. who was a pensioner on the State of South Carolina at the time of his death in 1834. Mrs. Hancock has been informed that she is entitled to $30 per annum half the sum which her husband was intitled (sic) to - Hancock drew his pension in 1834 and died in the (summer?) of that year - pleas to inform Mrs. Hancock whether or not she can draw anything, when you write to me - If this (_____ ? _____) and the papers are not sufficient or informal say how and what will be necessary for her to do - Inform her whether she can draw, and from what time. I will let her know the result, which will possibly satisfy her some if she is not intitled (sic).
Yours respectfully,
Alfred M. Lowry