Ferdinand Harless
State of Virginia
Giles County
On this 22d day of March 1834 personly appeared before me Robert M. Hutchinson a Justice
of the peace in and for said County Ferdenan Horless a resident of said county aged Seventy Nine
years who being first duly sworn according to law doth on his oath make the following
declaration in order to obtain the benefit of the provisions made by the Act of Congress passed
the 7th June 1832.
That in the Spring of 1777 in the County of Bottetourt in that part that is now Montgomery
County Virginia - he volunteered to serve against the Indians and served as herein stated and
under the command of the following named officers - That owing to the invations and
depredations of the Indians committed on the Inhabitants along the frontier Settlements of
Western Virginia the people was compelle to errect Fort and station men in them for their defence
- that for this purpose in the spring of 1777 as above stated - he volunteered under the command
of Capt. Floyd and served in a garrison situated in the County of Bottetourt Virginia at a place
called Smithsfield in that part of the county that is now Montgomery.
That he served in this garrison from the 1st of April 1777 untill the first of October of the
same year.
That there was a regularly embodied corps stationed in garrison with him under the command
Captain Floyd and Col Preston was there - that the nature of his servis was to remain in Fort for
its defence in case it was attacked by the Indians or to hold themselves in readiness to repair to
the assistance of any other Fort that might be attacked by the Indians.
That again in the Spring of 1778 volunteered and served under the command of the same
officers above named and served in the same garrison (at Smithfield) from the first April 1778
untill the 1st of October - and that the nature of his servises this year was the same as the year
previous.
That in the Spring of 1779 he volunteered and served from the 1st of April untill the first of
October under the command of Capt Lucas and was stationed in a garrison situated on Sinking
Creek a tributary stream of New River then in the county of Bottetourt in that part that is now
Giles.
That he volunteered in the Springs of 1780 & 81 and served from the 1st of April untill the
1st of October in each year - in the last named garrison under the command of Capt Lucas.
That the nature of his sevis was to remain in garrison for its defence and to range and
reconnoitre in spying parties to watch the approach of Indians that the company to which he
belonged was devided and a part remained garrison with him, some was stationed in a garrison
situated at the mouth of Sinking Creek also some was stationed in a garrison at the mouth of
Stony Creek both tributary streams of New River all within the same neighbourhood - owing to
the scarsity of men in these new settlements there could not be a sufficient number of men raised
to defend these points untill there was men drafted and brought out either from Augusta or
Franklin counties and stationed in these Fort.
That he was one of the early settlers of Western Virginia and had to endure much of the
hardships of Indian warfare - that he recollects a party of Indians given chace after Martin Harless
and that he narrowly escaped and arrive in the Fort after a race of 3 or 4 miles, then he recollects
of the murder and the taken into captivity many of his neighbours amongst whom was of the
families of Lybrook, Chapman, McKindsy and a number of other a daughter of Lybrooks was
skalped and beate on the head with a war club and found living next morning and when she was
found asked for a drink of water and soon after expired - in (____) like these he passed through
the Revolutionary or at least up untill the fall of 1771 after which time he declined to be engaged
against them.
That the time he served was with an embodied corps that during which time he followed no
civil persuit.
That he can support his declaration by the evidence of Philip Harless, Parker Lucas and
Daniel Harless who served in garrison with him
1st he was born in the county of Shanadore Virginia in the year 1755 - 2d he has no record of
his age
3d he was living in that part of Bottetourt Virginia in that part that is now Montgomery since the
revolutionary war he has lived in that part of Bottetourt that is now Giles - 4th he volunteered 5th
in the years 1777 & 78 Col Preston and Captain Floyd - after 1778 Captain Lucas - 6th he never
received a written discharge
7th Rev Isaac Scott and Robert W. Dennis
testify to my character for (_____)
He hereby relinquishes every claim to a pension or an annuity except the present and declares
that his name is not on the pension roll of any agency in any State - sworn to and subscribed the
day and year aforesaid
his
Ferdenen X Harless
mark
and I Robert M. Hutchinson Justice of the peace in and for said county do hereby declare my
opinion that the above named applicant served against the Indians as he states
[signed] Robert M Hutchinson JP
We Isaac Scott a clergyman residing in the county of Giles and Robert W. Dennis residing in
the same herby certify that we are well acquainted with Ferdenen Harless who has subscribed and
sworn to the above declaration that we believe him to be Seventy Nine years of age that he is
reputed and believed in the neighbourhood where he resides to have been a revolutionary soldier
and served against the Indians as he states and that we concur in that opinion
Sworn to and subscribed the day and year
aforesaid
[signed] Isaac Scott
Robert W. Dennis
and I Robert M Hutchison a Justice of the peace in and for the county of Giles do hereby
declare my opinion after the investagation of the matter and after putting the the interrogatories
prescribed by the War Dept that the above named applicant was a revoltion soldier and served
against the Indians as he states - I do further certify that it appears to me that Isaac Scott who has
signed the preceeding certificate is a clergyman residing in the county of Giles and that Robert W
Dennis who has also signed the same is a resident of the county of Giles and is a credible person
and that their statement is intitled to credit - and I do further certify that oweing to age and bodily
infirmities the applicant cannot attend court - Given under my hand this 22d day of March
1834
[signed] Robert M Hutchinson JP
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Updated 26 May 2008
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