Martha "Patsy" Swearingen

Receipts from the Settlement of the Estate of Dorus Felmet - North Carolina Archives, Series C.R., Box 049, Folder 508.18, Felmet, Dorus

Rcd of J.W. King and John Carrell Administrators of the estate of Doras Felmot Decd The following Articles that were allowed her by the men appointed to Lay off my years provisions - vis

Two Bushel Salt at $3 $ 6.00

500 lbs pork 5 cents 25.00

15lbs coffee 25 3.75

20 lbs sugar 20 4.00

One beef at 12.00

$50.75

recd this 19th Day of May 1838

Jacob Mingus Patsy filmoth

by John Hyde

(Document found in North Carolina Archives by Betty Lewis)

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Martha Filmot vs The heirs and Admn of Doras Filmot, Petition for Dower

State of North Carolina

Haywood County

To the worshipful the justices of the Court of Pleas and quarter Sessions for the County aforesaid. This Petition of Martha Filmot widow and relict of Doras Filmot humbly represents to your worships that her husband the late Doras Filmot died in the County aforesaid some time in 1837 Intestate being deceased and possessed of the following tracts of land in said County of Haywood to wit. The first tract beginning at a Black Oak on the North fork of Soco Creek and the South side of the Mountain. the corner of a tract of land conveyed by Samuel Swearingin to Wikle and Dobson, the South forty five West crossing the pounding Mill branch fifty poles to a Stake on said Dobson & Wikle's line due North from a White Oak on the side of Mill Path marked ------ Thence South 45 East fifty poles to a Stake on the back lines. Thence to the beginning containing fifty acres. the other tract lying and being in said County Beginning on a Hickory on this side of a Mountain, thence South ninety Poles to a Stake Thence West ninety poles to a Stake, Thence North ninety Poles to a Stake Thence to the beginning containing fifty acres: Your Petitioner further represents that her husband the said Doras Felmet left him surviving at the time of his death besides your Petitioner Widow and relict Martha intermarried with Edley Pritchet, Otha Felmet, Green Felmet and John Felmet, that John Carroll and JW King have been appointed Administrators of the said Deceased; She therefore prays that proces may issue to all the said parties to appear at the next court and show cause if any they have why the prayers of your Petitioner should not be granted and that your worship will make an order directing the Sheriff to summon a jury of good and lawful men to go upon the premises and lay off and allot her Dower in the said land, agreeable to the Act of Assembly in such case made and Provided And your Petitioner as in duty bound will ever Pray it.

J. Roberts for the petitioner

(Document found in North Carolina Archives by Betty Lewis)

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State of North Carolina

Haywood County

In obediance of An order of Court I attended on the premises of the Late Doriss Felmot accompanyed by a Jury and find by Actual survey that the first Tract set forth in the petition of widow of Said Deceased Dorass Felmot for obtaining her dower that it contained seventy seen Acres and 3/4 and out of that Tract was Laid out forty two and 3/4 Acres as shown by this platt for the widow's Dower Beginning on the beginning of said Tract a Black oak and runs with its firts line one hundred and fourteen poles to a Stake the 2nd corner of said Tract then S45E sixty poles to a Sowerwood on Line of Said Tract then N45 E 114 poles to a Stake on 45h Line of Said Tract there with Said Line to the beginning Surveyed by me.

January 14th 1839 G Edmonston D.J.

(Document found in North Carolina Archives by Betty Lewis)

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Receipts from the Settlement of the Estate of Dorus Felmet - North Carolina Archives, Series C.R., Box 049, Folder 508.18, Felmet, Dorus

April 2nd day 1839

G. Edmonston Charges Martha Felmet with one days Labor as Surveyer in laying off hir Dower the sme of two Dollars

Sworn to before me day and at above G Edmonston

Samuel Gibson JP

(Document found in North Carolina Archives by Betty Lewis)

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Copies of several original documents were provided by the National Archives upon request for the pensions files of Dorus Felmott:

DECLARATION:

Declaration

In order to obtain the benefit of the pension made by the Act of Congress passed July 7th 1838, State of North Carolina, Buncombe County:

On this 2nd day of October One thousand eight hundred and forty four, 1844, personally appeared before me Jas. Sharp one of the acting Magistrates in and for the aforesaid County of Buncombe, Martha Felmott a resident of said County and State, aged sixty nine (69) years, who being duly sworn according to Law, doth on her Oath make the following declaration in order to obtain the benefit of the provision made by the Act of Congress passed July 7, 1838, Entitled "An Act granting half pay and Pensions to Certain Widows". That she is the widow of Dorus Felmott late Revolutionary Pensioner deceased of Haywood County N. Carolina who was a private Soldier in the Maryland Continental Line in the War of the Revolution and was allowed a pension as such at the rate of ninety six dollars per Annum under the Act of 1818.

She further declares that she was married to the said Dorus Felmott in Lincoln County, N. Carolina on the 22nd day of September in the Year Seventeen hundred and ninety one (1791), that her husband the aforesaid Dorus Felmott died on the fifth day of April Eighteen hundred thirty seven, 1837, and that she has remained a widow ever since that period that she was not married to him prior to his leaving the service but that the marriage took place previous to the first day of January 1792, Viz, at the time above stated.

And she also declares that she has no Family Record showing the date of her marriage nor the births of her children but that she can prove the same by Living Witnesses.

Sworn to and subscribed on the day and date first above written before.

Jas. Sharp -- JP Martha (X) Felmott

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DECLARATION:

State of North Carolina, Cleveland County

On this 8th day of November 1844 personally appeared before me J. Roberts one of the acting Magistrates in and for said County, Massey Conner, a resident of the County and State aforesaid, and made oath in due form of Law That she was well acquainted with Dorus Felmott late pensioner deceased of Haywood County, No. Carolina also with his wife Martha who is now a resident Citizen of Buncombe County, No. Carolina and an applicant for a pension. That she is a sister of said Martha Felmott whose maiden name was Swearingen and that she was present and witnessed the solemnization of the rites of Matrimony between the parties aforesaid (to wit-, Dorus Felmott & Martha Swearingin) in Lincoln County, No. Carolina in the month of September in the year Seventeen hundred and ninety one, 1791, and that she does arrive at the date of said marriage by certain records in her possession on which she bases her evidence and feels assured in saying that the above marriage took place as above stated.

Sworn to and subscribed on the day and year aforesaid before one

James Roberts JP Massey (X) Conner

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State of North Carolina

Buncombe County

July 8th 1845

To the Honorable Secretary of War I can inform you that Martha Felmoth of this County who is in the receipt of a pension and it is believed the said pension was obtained wrongfully from the fact that Mr. Harris of this County a man of Carector State he was at the marrage and well recalacts she the Martha Felmoth has been marryed forty five or six her own connection say the marrage licens and Band cald

be hand but they wold be evidence aganst her The evedence of several persons cold be had aganst her if it was required. Jane Jones a near relation say she is only sixty four years of age These and other circumstances puts the case out of the question. According to her an declaration saying that she was four years marryed when she had the first child and the record shows her firs child to be forty one

but when that record was about to be brought in as evidence for her claim it was altered to make her first child older and many other circumstances wear I disposed to bring them forward I am not interested in the matter myself but for the benefit of the Public.

Respectfully yours Jesse Palmer

To the Secretary of war

I certify the above to be true so far as I have knowledge - as to the records bring (?) I saw that myself. J. L. Sharp"

Jesse Palmer, the challenger, was a Revolutionary War veteran who would have been around 85 years of age in 1845. Martha's son, John MC Felmet married Adeline Gilespie who was the grandchild of William Robeson. William Robeson and Jesse Palmer served together in the Revolutionary War from Lincoln Co., NC. They migrated together to Buncombe Co. Three of Palmer's children married three of Robeson's children and they are buried in the same family cemetery west of Asheville. This information was supplied by Holt Felmet, a descendent of John MC Felmet. Why Jesse Palmer sent the letter to the Secretary of War is not known, but Holt suggests that Jesse might have been suspicious of a neighbor who was only 64 years old and drawing a pension just like his. Jesse Palmer would probably not have known Dorus Felmet.

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BOUNTY LAND CLAIM

State of North Carolina, Buncombe County

On this 25 day of march, AD 1855, personally appeared before me the subsribe a Justice of the Peace in and for the said County, Mrs Martha Felmott, a resident of the County and State aforesaid aged 80 years, who being duly sworn according to law, declares that she is the widow of Dorus Felmott late dec'd, who was a private soldier in the Maryland Continental Line in the war of the Revolution and a pensioner under act of 18 March 1818, and that she is now a Revolutionary pensioner under the act of the 2d February 1848. that she is still a widow and that in support of her husband's services in the Revolution as well as to the time of his death and the date of said marriage, she refers to the papers on file in the Pension Department in which her said pension was granted. She makes this declaration for the purpose of obtaining the Bounty Land to which she may be entitled under the act of Congress Approved March the 3d, 1855. She also declares that she has never received nor applied for bounty land under this, or any other act of Congress except as above stated. Husband died 5 April 1837.

Test George Debord, JP Martha (X) Felmott

and S.A. Bettis

Sworn to and subscribed before me this day by the above witness, and i certify that I know the claimant to be the person she has represented herself to be and that I have no interest in said claim.

George Debord JP

State of North Carolina

Buncombe County

Be it known that on this 25th day of March 1855, personally appeared before me Geo. Debord one of the acting Justices of the Peace in and for the said County Jno. Mc Felmott & S.J.B. (T. or P. or H.)Ammons persons of known respectability, residents of the County and State aforesaid and made oath in due form of Law that they are well acquainted with Martha Felmott who has executed the foregoing declaration for Bounty Land and that they declare that she is the widow of Dorus Felmott late decd. of Buncombe County, No. Carolina who was a Revolutionary Soldier and Pensioner as she has stated. Furthermore That the said Martha Felmot holds a Certificate of pension under the act of 2 February 1848 Numbered 4981 which she has exhibited to us - and that they are disinterested witnesses.

Sworn to and subscribed before me, date first above written.

George Debord, JP

J.M.C. Felmet

S. J. B. Plemmons (?)