Reuben Ratliff, Jr.

Revolutionary War Military Service Record

The following military service record was provided by researcher, Lorene Wagers Webster. (Lorene's email: Rene70@aol.com) With the assistance of Marge Ratliff-Schulke (Marge's email: schulkejw@mpin.net) these pages were transcribed to the best of their ability. There may be some mistakes, but, this was their combined best effort. "If anyone would want to suggest changes, they should get in contact with Lorene first. There was one other page with dollar amounts that I myself, could not figure out."-- Marge Ratliff Schulke

On behalf of all of the Ratcliff/Ratliff/Radcliffe researchers who descend from this line, I extend my warmest thanks and gratitude to Marge and Lorene for their efforts and for sharing. Anyone wanting to donate source documents, photographs, etc. will be given full credit.

Revolutionary War Flag

Reuben Ratliff S.31311
31.311 .. Invalid
File No 31.311
Reuben Ratliff
.. Rev War
Act June 7, 1832
Index Vol.2 page 333

Declaration

In order to obtain the benefit of the act of Congress passed June 7th 1832 State of Kentucky County of Morgan

On this 7th day of June 1834 personally appeared before me .. .., a Justice of the Peace in and for the county of Morgan and state of Kentucky. Reuben Ratliff, a resident of the county of Morgan and state of Kentucky age seventy two years and being first duly sworn according to law doth on his oath make the following declaration in order to obtain the benefit of the act of Congress passed June 7th 1832.

That he was in the service of the United States under the following named officers and served as herein stated. He states he entered the service in the month of September 1777 under the command of Capt. Gilbert Christy, Major .. Shelby and Col. William Christy as a volunteer under the orders of the county Colonel (I Jones), the army at Long Island in Holston River in Washington County, Virginia where we were marched from there near to the Cherokee town on the Tennessee River where we remained some short time after we destroyed some Indian property. We were marched back to Washington County, Virginia and discharged having been out four months.

He states he again entered the service of the United States between the 1st and 10th of .. 1777 as a volunteer under the command of Capt. .. Long , Col A.. Campbell. He was immediately marched to Long Island on Holston River where we were stationed about two weeks .. We were then marched against the Cherokee towns on the Tennessee River which we destroyed and staid there some 5 or six weeks. We were then marched back home to Washington County and discharged in December 1777.

I again volunteered in the month of May 1779 in the service of the United States under the command of Capt. C .. Brown who was a Captain of the spies on the frontiers of Virginia. I .. home in Montgomery County, Virginia where I then lived and served a tour of three months and was in the month of August 1779 marched back to Montgomery County, VA (and after .. been on the New River and Holston) and discharged in August 1780.

I volunteered under the command of Abram Trigg, Captain Joseph Lloyd Morgan. We were .. at a place called .. and remained on New River and was marched within some short distance of Kings Mountain (say about 15 or 20 miles) we was then turned and marched to the shallow ford of the Adkins River in North Carolina where we had a battle with a party of Tories who we repulsed. We remained there about a week and were then marched home to Montgomery County, Virginia and discharged having been out three months the time for which I volunteered.

I immediately (after I served out my time named above) went to North Carolina, Henry County. I volunteered in May 1781 under Captain A.., Colonel Green as a spy or .. for month against the Tories. We was out scouting through the country from Henry County to Caroline County at the end of my term of service of three months. I was discharged by my Capt. He states that he cannot distinctly recollect all the officers ..he was in service. He states he has no documentary evidence of his service and that he knows no person from this state by whom he can prove his service.

He hereby relinquishes every claim whatever to a pension or annuity except the present and declares that his name is not on the pension roll of the agency of any state. He states that after being discharged by his captain he moved to Tazwell County, Virginia where I live for some years and moved from there to Morgan County, Kentucky where I have lived ever since. Sworn to and subscribed the day and year aforesaid
Reuben (his X mark) Ratliff

We Elias Johnson a clergyman residing in Morgan County and J G Hazelrigg residing in the same hereby certify that we are well acquainted with Reuben Ratliff who has subscribed and sworn to the above declaration that we believe him to be 75 years of age, that he is respected and believed in the neighborhood where he resides to have been a soldier of the Revolution and that we concur in that opinion.

Sworn and subscribed the day and year aforesaid.
Elias (his X mark) Johnson
J G Hazelrigg

And I the said Jesse Cassity a Justice of the Peace in and for the County of Morgan and State of Kentucky do hereby declare my opinion after the investigation of the matter and after putting the ..by the War Department that the above named applicant was a Revolutionary War soldier .. as he states and I do further certify that it appears to me that Elias Johnson also has signed the proceeding certificate is a clergyman and residing in Morgan County and that J G Hazelrigg who has also signed the same is a resident in the same county and is a credible person and that their statements is entitled to .......

I do further certify that the above named applicant is unable to attend court from bodily infirmity and bad health. Jesse Cassity ..

State of Kentucky (SCT Morgan County )
I James G Hazelrigg clerk of court of Morgan County to certify that Jesse Cassity whose name is signed to the proceeding certificate is a duly commissioned qualified acting Justice of the Peace in and for the county aforesaid and that the same is his genuine signature.
In Testimony whereof I have to set my hand and seal of office this 2nd day of June 1834
J G Hazelrigg Clerk Morgan County Court

West Liberty, Sept 29th 1834
Sir, I made application for my .. pension to the agent at Lexington for paying pensions and he will not pay my claim owing .. he informed me of your not having .. .. .. to pay the claim if that be the case you will process .. to him to pay it off and .. .. Reuben Ratliff
J L Edward

.. 5th July 1841
.. Some time in the year 1834 Reuben Ratliff of KY made application for a pension. Please send me at as early a day as convenient a copy of his Declarations and Evidences as filed in your office.
Also please send me a blank declaration (if you have such) for .. pensions. Your .. .. L W Andrews of ..
J L Edwards Esq Commissioner of Pensions Washington DC

July 6 1841
Reub Ratcliff ..
J L Edwards Esq. Commissioner of Pensions
Washington, DC
.. July 7, 1841
L W Andrews ..

31.417 Reuben Ratliff Kentucky
for 1776 .. .. ..
$43.33/100
C Ck West Liberty Ken(tucky)

West Liberty, KY
Oct 2nd 1834
J L Edwards Sec. of War
Washington City, DC

Reuben Ratliff's gravesite photo courtesy of Marge Ratliff-Schulke

Closeup of Reuben Ratliff's gravesite photo courtesy of my cousin, Emmitt Nelson Ratliff of Louisa, KY

More Ratcliff links of interest:

The Ratcliff Family Photograph Album January 16, 2001

Ratcliff/Ratliff Obituary Page January 23, 2002

East Kentucky Marriages (Radcliffe/Ratcliff/Ratliff/Ratliffe)- *Good Resource site listed by county!January 16, 2001

Ancestors of Patricia Louise Ratcliff

Ratliff/Radcliff Kentucky Births

Ratcliffe Home Page

Ratliff

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This page was last updated August 19, 2005

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