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Note: Thee are several people who gave two or more statements. The statements were almost exact replicas as their previous statement. A search of Chatham Co., NC Court of Pleas & Quarter Sessions has resulted shows that there were entries made of these statements, but not what the statement was – just that the statement was made. <> Statement of Martha Petty age 74 - She sayeth that Solomon & Martha Seymore were the parents of James Seymore and that Martha & Tilmon Sanders lived together until they had three children (two sons & one daughter) Britton, Sherwood & Elizabeth. She further sayeth that while the children were small Tilmon Sanders left his family and went away never has returned or been heard of - she further sayeth that when Tilmon Sanders left his family he left no property for their support. That William Petty, the father of Martha Sanders, took her and her children home and they lived with the old man until the children were grown. She further sayeth that at the death of William Petty he left what property he had to Martha Sanders, and that she and her children lived together until the property was sold. That after the property was gone Martha Sanders lived wherever she could find a home amongst her friends. - That about the last of Feb 1837 Martha Sanders went to church on Sunday and was caught in a rain on her return home, and on Monday mourning complained of being very unwell. On Tuesday she felt worse and on Wednesday she died. She does not know of what disease Martha Sanders died from, but believes it was being very old and infirm and being caught in a cold rain. Martha Sanders died at the deponents house, and the deponent was at Martha Sanders bedside at the time of her death. Dated 2 Sept 1846 and signed Martha "X" Petty {{Could this be Martha Sanders the wife of John Petty?}} <> Statement of Abner Gunter of Chatham Co., NC aged 69 years - He was personally acquainted with Tilman Sanders & Martha his wife for many years & with James Seymore her son by her first husband. He knows she had three children by Tilmon Sanders - Britton, Sherwood & Elizabeth - Tilmon left no property & the family was mainly supported by William Petty the grandfather until they were raised. Dated 4 Sept 1846 and signed Abner Gunter <> Statement of John Harman, Esq. high Sheriff of said county - age 47 years - he was acquainted with Martha Sanders from his earliest recollections up to the time of her death. Same story about children, Solomon, Tilmon, etc. Dated 4 Sept 1846 and signed Jno. Harman. {{Note: This should be Hezekiah Harmon's son John Harmon}} <> Statement of Nathan Stedman, Clerk of the County of Chatham Co., NC - aged 40 years - he was acquainted with Martha Sanders from the time he was a small boy until she died. He has always resided in the neighborhood in which she lived. That he knew her three children Britton, Sherood and Elizabeth Sanders, and they were raised near his residence & lived there until a far (fur?) years since when they removed from the county. He knows James Seymore her child from her first husband and that to his knowledge she never had any other child by her first husband. - He never knew Tilman Sanders and he further sayeth that he knows Martha Petty & she is an honest woman. Dated 8 Sept 1846 - Signed N.A. Stedman <> Statement of George Harmon of Chatham Co., NC aged 73 - He removed from the state of VA to Chatham Co. in the year of 1804, and as he recollects he settled within four miles of William Petty, who was the father of Martha Sanders, wife of Tilmon Sanders and formerly the widow of Solomon Seymore as he understood. He further sayeth that as well as he can now recollect Martha Sanders was at that time living with her son James Seymore the present applicant for her acres of pension. He further sayeth that Tilmon Sanders had left this county (country?) before this deponent came to it. That he has never saw him, nor does he have any knowledge whatever became of him and he further sayeth that some time after he settled in the neighborhood that William Petty the father to Martha Sanders, took her and her three children and settled them on his plantation where they remained until his death. At his death William Petty gave his plantation to Martha Sanders and her three children - two sons and one daughter. He further sayeth that after her children came of age they sold the land to this deponent and he has resided on it ever since. He further sayeth that Martha Sanders continued to live with her children and friends to the day of her death. She died at the house of the widow of John Petty, some four and five miles from this deponents house. He can not now positively state the date of her death, but it was the later part of Feb or first of Jan 1837 - that he was applied to make her coffin, which he did, and had her grave dug at his own place where her father and relatives were buried. That he took the coffin to his own home and had her buried and she being at the time of her death a member of the Baptist Church her funeral was preached at his house by the Rev. Henry Meritt and George Purifay. He further sayeth that there was a friendly intercourse between himself and William Petty the father of Martha Sanders to the day of his death and he has no recollection of any member of the family saying they had any knowledge where Tilmon Sanders was or whether he was dead or alive. Dated 27 Aug 1847 - Signed George Harman - Recorded 28 Aug 1847 by N.A. Stedman C.C.C. <> Statement of John Little of Chatham Co., NC age 36 – He made a contract with Martha Petty, widow of John Petty, during the year 1837. He went there with his family and occupied a house in the yard of Mrs. Petty. That he commenced his years labor on the first day of Jan 1837 and the deponent further sayeth that Martha Sanders formerly Martha Seymore was in the habit of visiting this deponent family that they had been acquainted for a long time and a cordial friendship existed between them. That Martha Sanders last paid a visit in the later part of Feb 1837. During her stay with his family there was preaching in the neighborhood and she went to the meeting, on her return she was caught in a severe storm of wind and rain and got very wet. That she was very old and feeble and was taken very ill the following night. That a doctor was called for, but she died before he came. That the deponents wife furnished suitable clothes for an old lady and Martha Sanders was buried the first part of March 1837 at the family burial ground on George Harmon’s property. Dated 11 Feb 1850 <> Statement of George Harmon, age 72 – he moved from the state of VA about 42 years ago and he settled within four miles of the land he now lives on. He was acquainted with Martha Sanders and her family since about 1804 or 1805 – otherwise same statement as above – Dated 7 July 1847 – Signed George Harman <> Statement of Jesse Ausley of Chatham Co., NC age 87 years – He can only speak of Solomon Seymore’s Rev. War Service from the time he was called into service – He further sayeth that he lost his parents when small and was raised by a Mr. Jones * of Wake Co., NC. As he recollects Mr. Jones brought this deponent and one of his own sons to Chatham Co. in the spring of 1775 and hired this deponent to Burrwell Williams and his son to Solomon Chapman to work for that summer. That Philip Gean was B. Williamses overseer and that Mournin Seymore a sister of Solomon Seymore also lived at Burrwell Williamses that summer. That during the summer Philip Geane married Miss Seymore. That in the fall when this deponent and Mr. Jonses son returned home to Wake Co. they were both ?? in the militia, they both being 16 years old. He further sayeth that in the spring of 1776 he and Mr. Jones son both returned to Chatham and worked at their respective places again, and that Philip Geane and his wife remained with Burrwell Williams and lived in an out house as overseer and that this deponent chose to board and lodge with the overseer rather than with the family. While living with said Geane and his wife he understood from them that her brother married the daughter of William Petty who was a wealthy farmer and that Petty was so much displeased at the marriage that he threatened to shoot Seymore on sight. This deponent further sayeth that soon after he returned to Wake in the fall of 76 he was drafted to go to Hillsborough to guard the Lyestaton{?}. That while there the recruits from the different companies in the district were marched to Hillsborough and that was the first time he saw Solomon Seymore. He further sayeth that Solomon Seymore was a very noted man, light complected with the mark of a ginger cake{?} on his right cheek. He further sayeth that in the spring of 77 he again returned to work the summer with Burwell Williams on Cape Fear and that Philip Geane was still there as overseer and he again stayed with them. He was informed by Geane and his wife that no reconciliation could be made between William Petty the father in law of Solomon Seymore and that his friends advised him to enlist or Petty would certainly kill him if got an opportunity. He further sayeth that Thomas Seymore the father of Solomon had removed and settled on Haw River near its mouth about 2 & ½ miles from where this deponent lived in 77. That Solomon Seymores wife was living with the old man. That the family visited Philip Geane and that this deponent often visited the Seymors family. That there were three sons young men grown with whom this deponent associated frequently and that upon all occasions it seemed that the conversation was about Solomon being ?? in the army. He next related an incident that happened in 77 – that the house of Thomas Seymore was struck with lightening and that a loaded gun, which lay in the rack over the fire place, was fired off and that Seymores oldest son then at home was killed in the house and he further sayeth that the family regretted preventing their son from going in the Army with his brother. In the fall of 77 he helped Philip Geane remove from Mr. Williamses to his own place. That this deponent then went back to Wake and again entered the service and remained there in his own place or as a substitute and did not return to Cape Fear until the close of the war – That when he returned he heard that Philip Geane had been killed in the Battle at Cain Creek, that he visited the family and Solomon Seymore had returned from the service and he and his wife were living with Geans widow. He further understood that from the good character Solomon Seymore remained in the army that his father in law became ?? to him. The deponent further sayeth that he was informed by the said Solomon Seymore that he never saw or heard from his family from the time this deponent saw him in Hillsboro until he returned from his time of service and go his discharge. He further sayeth that he made Solomon Semores house his house for a time and that he lived in the same Captain’s district and ?? with him in the same Company until his death. He knows of his own knowledge that Solomon Seymore drew a land warrant for his bounty lands. That this deponent went with Seymore to General Ramseys when he sold it and the deponent got a part of the pay. He further sayeth that he was well acquainted with Tilman Sanders who married the widow of Solomon Seymore. That he has known the present applicant, James Seymore, from his cradle and that he is the identical person he represents himself to be. Dated 26 Feb 184? Recorded 15 May 1846 – Signed Jesse “X” Ausley, by his mark
<> Statement of John Hughes aged 77 {or 67?} – He was personally acquainted with Solomon Seymore and his family during the Rev. War. He does not know of his own knowledge of his services and amount but has always believed and understood that Solomon Seymore was a Reg. Soldier in the Continental line. He was acquainted with Seymore until the time of his death and that he was a respectable man and bore the name of a good soldier – Dated 11 Apr 1846 – Signed John Hughes <> Statement of Laurence Griffin aged 84 years old – He was born and raised in Granville Co., NC – He entered and enlisted in the Continental line of NC in 1776 and went on to the north and that in 1777 as well as he can recollect he got acquainted with Solomon Seymore who belonged to Capt. Williamses Co. in NC line. That they all belonged to General Nashes Brigade. He further sayeth that Solomon Seymore was a handsome man of light heer {hair?} fair complexion and had the maske of a ginger cake on his right cheek, which made him a very notable man. He very distinctly recollects that Solomon Seymore was in the Battle at Garmon Town and fought bravely – Soon after the close of the Rev. War this deponent removed from Granville to Chatham and followed the tailors trade and went from house to house where he could find employ – that he worked several times at the house of Solomon Seymore and he knows him to be the identical man he served with in the Rev. War under General Nash. He was acquainted with the family for upwards of 50 years. Dated 24 Apr 1846 <> Statement of Jesse Ausley aged 87 years – The first time he saw Solomon Seymore was in the year 1776. That this deponent was with the militia service on guard at Hillsborough guarding the assembly then in session at Hillsborough – That there were Continental officers there ready to take the command of all the soldiers enlisted. That he recalls that Captain Joseph Johnson marched the recruits from Chatham and that Solomon Seymore was one of the men. This deponent further sayeth that he never served with Solomon Seymore, but understood that he served till the close of the war and recollects that he saw him in Hillsborough again until nearly the close of the war. Dated 6 Jan 1846 – Signed Jesse “X” Ausley by his mark <> Statement of William Geane of Chatham Co., NC age 76 years
– He was personally acquainted with Solomon Seymore and his wife Martha,
that she was the daughter of William Petty. That after the Rev. War
William Petty the father in law of Solomon Seymore settled them on a tract
of land on Deep River near the mouth of Rocky River in the said county.
That Solomon Seymore died at the place many years ago leaving Martha a
widow and one son named James, the present applicant for his fathers and
mothers pension. He has always understood and believed that after
the death of Solomon Seymore, William Petty the grandfather, deeded the
said tract to his grandson the said Seymore. He also understood that
Martha the widow married Tilmon Sanders who lived with her some time and
then left this part of the country some thirty years ago or upwards and
has never returned or been heard from again. He does not know if
the said Sanders is living or dead. He further states that James
Seymore is the person that he says he is. Dated 4 Aug 1845.
Signed William “X” Geane by his mark
© 2006 to Present - Sue Ashby for the NCGenWeb Project
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