(Anything in parens is for clarity benefit, and word/punctuation is unaltered to preserve the 'flavor' of the document and times.)

State of Virginia Randolph County

On the 25th day of June 1833 personsonally appeared before the County Court of Randolph County aforesaid John Wolford a resident of the said county and state of Virginia (Later West Virginia) aged seventy nine years, who being first duly sworn according to law, doth on his oath makes the following declaration in order to obtain the benefit of the pensions made by the act of Congress, papered June 4th, 1832. That in the Year 1777 in the month of May but does not recollect the day of themonth; he was drafted in Capt. John Pipenger's company of militia in the state of New Jersey in Col. Jacob West's Regiment for a guard at Sussex Court House in said state; the court being convened for the purpose of trying tories and deserters; he lived in Sussex County New Jersey when he was drafted. We met at Youst Millers tavern in the said County of Sussex and marched to the said Court House and continued in the service one month and was discharged he thinks; no received no writtendischarge but only discharged by verbal order of the Captain when discharged from this service; he returned to his home and remained there until about the middle of September of the same Year (1777) when again he was called out in the Militia under Capt. John Pipenger in Col. West's Regiment to defend Elizabeth Town in New Jersey from the British. We assembled at Col. West in Sussex County New Jersey and remained there for days, waiting for the other companies under Col. West to assemble; onthe fifth day we commenced our march and on the fifth day after we commenced our march arrived at Elizabeth Town remained there thirteen days. The British having returned to Statton Island it was determined unnecessary to continue all the troops. Capt Pipenger and all his company were discharged except 8 of his men; he remains at that place and was to serve under Capt. John Potty in Col. West's Regiment and remained in the service under Capt. Potty at Elizabeth Town to protect that place thirtyfive days making with the thirteen days he was under Capt. Pippenger in the last mentioned service forty eight days. He was discharged by Capt Potty he thinks, he did not get a written discharge from Capt Potty but the Company was discharged by the verbal orders of Capt. Potty. He returned to his home after this last mentioned service and continued there until in March 1778 where he was again drafted for one month in Capt John Winter's Company of New Jersey Militia in Col. West's Regiment as leiutenant under Captain John Winter; he joined Captain Winter's Company at Elizabeth Town and continued there to guard the Town until the month expired when he was dischared; he thinks that his discharge was a verbal one; after his discharge he again returned home and remained there until the summer of 1779 when he was again called out under Capt. John Pippenger in Col. West's Regiment of New Jersey Militia and was marched to Hacket's Town and in the wilderness North west of that place in search ofdeserters and tories and finding none we returned home and was discharged having been in the service according to his present recollection twenty days. He remained at home in Sussex County until about the middle of September in the Year 1779 when he was again drafted for one month in Capt. John Pippenger's Company in Col. West's Regiment of New Jersey Militia; we marched from Sussex County by way of and Maj Bushas crossing the Blue mountains and by way of Col Rosacirbts on the Delaware up theDelaware River to near the York line. We were stationed at one Major Westbrooks under him until the month expired for the purpose of defending the frontier from the Indians; when his month expired he was discharged in the manner stated before not receiving a written discharge; during this case mentioned service from the middle of September 1779 to the middle of October 1779 he acted and served as a sergeant; he again returned home and remained there until September 1780 when he was againdrafted for one month in Capt John Pippenger's Company in Col. West's Regiment of New Jersey Militia and was marched to Morris Town to guard that place and the stores, horses and so forth those collecting items to be sent to General Washington he thinks. General Washington's army at that time was at a place called Warwick; he continued at Morris Town until this month expired when he was again discharged by verbal order of the captain, making his entire service during the Revolutionary war according to his present recollection not less than four months as a sergeant and five months and six days as a private.

To the 1st Interrogatory required to be answered by the regulation of the War Department, (Where and in what year were you born?) he states that he was born in Montgomery County Pennsylvannia in the Year 1754. To the 2nd (Have you any record of your age, and if so, where is it?) he answers that he has no record of his age. To the 3rd (Where were you living when called into service; where have you lived since the Revolutionary war, and where do you live now?) he states that he has already statedthat he lived in Sussex County NJ when he was called into the service, after the Revolutionary war he remained a few Years in New Jersey and then removed to Hampshire County Virginia and continued in that County about 17 Years then removed to his present residence in Randolph County Virginia. To the 4th (How were you called into service; were you drafted, did you volunteer, or were you a substitute? And if a substitute, for whom?) he answers that was he drafted as before stated. To the 5th(State the names of some of the Regular Officers, who were with the troops, where you served; such Continental and Militia Regiments as you can recollect, and the general circumstances of your service.) he refers to that he has already stated in his foregoing declaration. To the 6th (Did you ever receive a discharge from the service, and if so, who whom was it given, and what has become of it?) he refers to his narrative in his foregoing declaration. To the 7th (State the names of person to whom you are known in your present neighborhood, and who can testify as to your character for veracity, and their belief of your services as a soldier of the Revolution) he states that his is known in the present neighborhood who can testify to his character for veracity and their belief of his Service as a soldier of the Revolution but that no clergyman resides in his neighborhood. He has no documentary evidence, further does he know of any person by whom he can prove his service. He duly relinquishes any claim whatever to a pension or annuity except the Treasury, and he declares that his name is not in the Pension roll of its agency in any state.

Sworn to and subscribed the day and Year aforesaid
JOHN WOLFORD (signature)

(Note afterwards by Solomon Wyatt and David Holden swearing to the belief and verasity of John.)

John received $20.88 annually for his role in the war. Whether he was cheerfully "drafted" or was threatened (sometimes the Regular officers "drafted" all the men in a town and threatened to shoot them if they didn't march) it's not stated. Along with other letters in the Archives section, there were two women from Texas who wrote to the Pensions Department in 1927 seeking information on John's role. They were Lena Wolford Compton (Mrs. R. H. Compton) Box 14, San Angelo, Texas (letter 15 Feb 1927) and Mrs. L O. Nimitz, 326 West Cancho Ave. San Angelo, Texas (letter 20 Apr 1927) Mary Ella Holland Nimitz (Mrs. L.O. Nimitz) was a member of the Pcahontas Champter, and was Regent from 1928-1930. Her Nat # was 147762. Susan E. Nimitz Compton (Mrs. H. Wolford) was Regent from 1936-38. Lena Wolford Compton (Mrs. R.H. Compton) was Rengent from 1946-48. Her Nat. # was 236302.