I just received a huge pdf file of John Curtis' Rev. War pension application. I'll give details from it below. He doesn't name his parents, but says his father died when John was young,and his mother died during the war. He estimates he may have been born in Dinwiddie or Sussex Co 1759 or 1760. But his recollection of the dates of his marriage & birth of his son are off, so his other memories of dates can't be trusted. (He is illiterate, old, infirm...)

My questions are:
1) Is he in fact the son of John Sanders Curtis b. 1725, and Anna Dancey Curtis, as shown here ?
http://wc.rootsweb.ancestry.com/cgi-bin/igm.cgi?op=GET&d...
This site states (and this is supported by records of the Albemarle Parish Register of Surry and Sussex Counties) John Curtis son of John & Anna ("Sucky" =Susannah?) Curtis was born (or christened, at least) 9/6/1766.

***Wouldn't this be too young to serve as an substitute for an adult? If so, then is the pension application from a different John Curtis? Who?

2) In the application, he states that he is a cousin of Drury & Isham Thrift. Drury Thrift lived in Dinwiddie & Greensville Co, VA. Isham Thrift lived in Orange Co, NC.
***Do any of you recognize these Thrifts as relatives of a Curtis?

Other familes related to these Thrifts are Snipes, Tucker, & possibly Moreland. Jane Thrift married Colson Tucker, nephew of Wood Tucker. John Sanders Curtis and Wood Tucker were co-godfathers of Absolom Brown:
http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~vasussex/query002.htm

Here's a link to John Curtis's marriage bond with Dolley Honeycutt, 17 Nov 1803, and his son Joel Curtis (b. 1816, m. Elizabeth Ellen Dugger)
http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~thetiethat...

Thanks!
Richard Thrift

_______________________________
John Curtis pension applic.pdf (24 Mb)

Publication Number: M804
Publication Title: Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty-Land Warrant Application Files
Publisher: NARA
State: Virginia
Veteran Surname Starts With: C
Veteran Surname: Curtis
Veteran Given Name: John
Pensioner Surname: Curtis
Pensioner Given Name: Dolly
Service: Va.
Pension Number: R. 2,599

John Curtis states:
(taken at Bledsoe Co Tn, 1833)
John Curtis ~74 years old
entered service in Dinwiddie Co, date unknown, asubstitute for his cousin Drewry Thrift, who was drafted for 18 months.
Can't recall if service was with Militia or with VA State Troops
entered service under Capt (Robert? -can't recall) Pegram, later replaced by Capt Lynn
Stationed at barracks at Cumberland old courthouse for 18 months, at which time he reenlisted for himself
Finally (~18 mo later?) discharged at "Piney Fork" ~25 miles above Cumberland courthouse.
Born in Dinwiddie or Sussex Co 1759 or 1760. Father died when John was young, mother died during the war.
Lived in Dinwiddie Co when called into service, moved to Orange Co NC shortly after the war, lived there & Chatham Co for ~20 years, then to Sumner Co etc. Lived Bledsoe Co TN for past 8 yrs.

Dolly Curtis applied for widow's pension May 13 1848, McMinn Co TN (southeast of Bledsoe Co)
marriage date stated (incorrectly) Oct 10 1793.
oldest child born (January? -illegible) 1796 (this also is incorrect)
Neither John nor Dolly could read or write

Wyatt Smith, 11/11/1833 in support of application states:
**Isham & Drury Thrift were brothers **
Smith was neighbor of Curtis ever since the close of the war, except about 3 years.
Remembers hearing Drury Thrift & Isham Thrift say Curtis served as substitute for Drury. Heard Isham (for whom he was at work) say that when the time was out which Curtis served for Drury, Curtis enlisted for during the war.
Smith is 66-70 years old, Curtis is several years older


Letter from Auditors Office 17 June 1844
Only one John Curtis on Army register, he was a _seargeant_. It appears on enquiry at the Land Office that John Curtis a _private_ drew 200 acres of land bounty for his services during the war.
Major Estridge is not on the list; there were Wm & Geo Estridge, both _Lieutenants_ [Note Isham Thrift's mother-in-law was Elizabeth E. Esteridge]

John Curtis died 8/7/1844
7/21/1848 Wyatt Smith names Dolly Honeycutt now Dolly Curtis; says John & Dolly were married in Chatham Co NC Oct 1793
3/18/1850 -county court clerk, Chatham Co NC can find no record of John & Dolly's marriage (because it was actually in Orange Co. Note the boundaries changed over time)