Thomas Edward JUSTICE

                   Information from JoMMarch@aol.com from Justis, Justus, Justice for All.and from Mrs. Wilma Smotherman, Rt. 1, Box 190, Birch Tree, Missouri65438.

Information provided by Ged Hardy Justice, Spring, TX, as found in theHenderson County Historical Society Files April, 2002, which listed abirth date of 1765.
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Information from JoMMarch@aol.com from Mrs. Wilma Smotherman, Rt. 1, Box190, Birch Tree, Missouri, 65438.  Her records show that Thomas Justice,Jr. was born 11 Jan. 1765 in Halifax, VA.
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Information from JoMMarch@aol.com from Justis, Justus, Justice for All.

Information provided by Ged Hardy Justice, Spring, TX, as found in theHenderson County Historical Society Files April, 2002.

Information from JoMMarch@aol.com from Justis, Justus, Justice for All.:

Revolutionary Pension Papers for Thomas Justice, number NC-S1842,National Archives, Washington, D.C., "7220-West Tennessee, Thomas Justiceof Bedford County, in the state of West Tennessee, who was a private inthe Company commanded by Captain Nevel of the Regt. commanded by Col.Earl in the North Carolina line for 2 years."

He was given 80 dollares to commence on the 4th day of May 1837., Isued18 March 1833, Book E. Vol. 7, p 85.

The "Brief" stated he appeared before a court and was 67 years and 10months.  He state that he was in no battles, and that he resided when heentered the service in Rutherford County, N.C.  The statement wassupported by "traditionary evidence".  Thomas Justice aged sixty sevenyears and ten months who being first duly sworn according to the law--onthis oath makes the following declaration in order to obtain the benefitsof the act of _____7 June 1832.  That he entered the service of theUnited States under the following named officers and served as hereinstated that on the twenty first day of January 1781 he entered theservice of the United States and went into William Nevel's company as avolunteer----Marched through different parts of Rutherford County in N.C.and in fact he served all the time aforesaid in Rutherford County exceptas follows in the statement of 1781, he believes that in July 17881 hemarched from Rutherford County in N.C. into Spartenburg County, S.C.---"signature looks like k.Thos. Justes.

He stated he was born in Halifax Couny in the state of Virginia 14January 1765.  He said his age was "In a large Bible which formerlybelonged to my father."  He said he lived in Rutherford County six yearsafter the endo of the Revolution, then removed to Buncombe County, N.C.,and lived there twenty-five years then removed to Bedford County.  Hestate that he volunteered.
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Thomas Justice, Jr., who lived on the head waters of Shaws Creek not farfrom Laurel Park, was actively identified with the French Broad RiverBaptist Church, the first denominational body ever organized west of theBlue Ridge in North Carolina.  The church's report to Bethel BaptistAssociation, of South Carolina, in 1799, showed that he was its ministerthat year.

The following was in a typed brief, author unknown, regarding thedocuments available regarding the Revolutionary War Declaration of ThomasJustice:

Title Page:
Thomas Justice:
b. 14 Jan. 1765, Halifax Co., Virginia
Rutherford County; N. Car.; 1 Jan 1781 Military Service
Captain Nevels Company; Discharged 21 Jan. 1782
6 years later moved to Buncombe Co., N. Car. 1788
Lived 25 yrs. - cir. 1813
1825 Bedford County, Tennessee. (A short time in Rutherford County,Tennessee).
Pensioned 15 Mar. 1833
Pension invalid 1842 - (Died)

Page #1:
West Tennessee 7220
Thomas Justice of Bedford co. in State of West Tennessee who was aprivate in the company commanded by Captain Nevil of the Regimentcommanded by Col. Earl in the North Caroline line for two years

Inscribed on the roll of West Tennessee at the rate of -80-Dollars nocents per annum to commence on the Last day of March 1831

Certificate of Pension issued the 15th day of March 1833 and sent to JohnBruce Shelbyville Tenn

Arrears to the 4th of March 1833                 160.00
Semi-annual allowance ending to Sept       40.00
200.00
Revolutionary Claim
Act June 7, 1832

Recorded by Daniel Boyd Clerk
Book E  Vol. 7  Page 83

18812
The Justice Sen.
from Jany 1780 private
2 years
$80
John Bruce Esq
Shelbyville t.

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Brief in the case of Thomas Justice of Bedford Co. in the State ofTennessee (West) (Act 7th June,1832.)
1. Was the declaration made before a Court or a Judge?  Court
2.  If before a Judge, does it appear that the applicant is disabled bybodily infirmity?
3.  How old is he?  67   10 mos.
4.  State his service, as directed in the form annexed.
Period: Col in 1781, 21 Jany.
Duration of Service: 2 Years
Rank:  As a ?
Names of General and Field Officer under whom he served:  Gen Miller,Col. Earl, Capt. Nevil, No Ca. ma:
5.  In what battles was he engaged? None
6.  Where did he reside when he entered the service?  No. Ca. RutherfordCo.
7.  Is his statement supported by living witnesses, by documentary proof,by traditionary evidence, by incidental evidence, or by the rolls?Trady.
8.  Are the papers defective as to form or authentication? and if so, inwhat respect?  Correct.

X Certify that the foregoing statement and the answers agree with theevidence in the case above mentioned.
W. L. Williams, Examining Clerk

Thomas Justice
18812
Declaration
In order to obtain the benefit of the Act of Congress passed the 7thJune, 1832 the State of Tennessee, Bedford County, on this 23rd day ofNovember, 1832 personally appeared in the Open Court of the Pleas andQuarter Session of Bedford County in the State aforesaid.

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before Daniel Phillips, John L. Neil and James B. Armstrong, Esquires,Justice of the Peace appointed to hold said court now setting ThomasJustice age 67 yrs. and 10 months who being first duly sworn according tolaw doth on his oath make the following declaration in order to obtainthe benefit of the Act of Congress passed 7 June, 1832.

That he entered the service of the United States under the followingnamed officers and served first day of January 1781  He entered theservice of the United States and went into Captain William Nevels Companyas a vounteer as a mounted horseman in the North Carolina line.

That John Earl was his Colonel and he believes his General was JamesMiller  That he joined Captain Nevels at the White-Oak Ford in RutherfordCounty in North Carolina and that he believes he served during the wholetime he marched through different parts of Rutherford County, NorthCarolina and in fact he served all the tour aforesaid in RutherfordCounty as follows:  In the spring of 1781 he believes in July 1781 hemarched from Rutherford Co., N. Carolina into Spartanburg County, inSouth Carolina and continued there a few weeks against the Tories  At theend of the few weeks aforesaid he marched back to Rutherford County,North Carolina and continued in Rutherford County to the end of the twoyears aforesaid.

That he served two years about 1 yr and 9 days of which time he servedduring the Revolutionary War  The Revolutionary War having as he recallsended about the last of January or first of Febuary 1782, but the actioncontinued to be troublesome for several months after the RevolutionaryWar ended  That during the 2 years aforesaid he was acquainted withGeneral James Miller, Colonel John Earl, Majors Washington and Wood,Captains Nevel and Coulter  That at the end of the 2 years aforesaid ashe believes about the 21st of January, 1782 he was verbally discharged byhis Colonel John Earl  That he has no documentary evidence nor does heknow of any person

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who can testify as to his service he thereby relinquishes every claimwhatsoever to a pension or annuity except the present and declares thathis name is not on the pension roll of any agency of any State orTerritory in the United States,  Sworn to and subscribed the day and yearaforesaid
Thos Justes
James L. McKisick  Clerk

Questions to be asked Thomas Justice
1.  Where and in what year were you born?
Ans. I was born in Halifax County in the State of Virginia on the 14thday of January 1765.
2.  Have you any record of your age and if so where is it?
Ans. I have in a large Bible which formerly belonged to my father.
3.  Where were you living when called into service, where have you livedsince the Revolutionary War and where are you now living?
Ans.  I lived in Rutherford County, North Carolina when called intoservice and lived there 6 years after the end of the Revolutionary War,then moved to Buncombe County, North Carolina.  I believe I lived there25 years then moved to Bedford county, Tennessee (except I lived inRutherford County, Tennessee about 1831)
4.  How were you called into service?  Were you drafted, did youvolunteer or were you a substitute and if a substitute, for whom?
Ans.  I volunteered
5.  State the names of some of the regular officers who were with thetroops where you served such as Continental and Militia Regiments as youcan recall and the general circumstances of your service.
Ans.  General James Miller, Colonel John Earl, Major Washington, MagorMiller and Wood, Captain William Nevel, Captain Coulter, Captain McClain,and the general circumstances of my service above stated.
6.  Did you ever receive a discharge from the service; and if so by whomwas it given and what has become of it?
Ans.  I only received a verbal discharge from Colonel John Earl
7.  State the names of persons to whom you are known in your presentneighborhood and who can testify to your character for veracity and theirbelief of your services as a soldier of the Revolution.
Ans.  Thomas Smith, Esquire, Nicholas Woodfin, Samuel Woodfin, JamesMcClain, John Nailer

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Sworn to and subscried the 13th day of November 1832, Thos. Justes
James L. McKisick, Clerk

We Thomas Smith and Nicholas Woodfin residents in Bedford County in theState of Tennessee hereby certify that we are well acquainted with ThomasJustice who has subscribed and sworn to the above Declaration that webelieve him to be 67 years and 10 months old and that he is respected andbelieved in the neighborhood where he resides to have been a soldier ofthe Revolution and that we concur in that opinion
Sworn to in open court the 1st day of November, 1832
Thomas Smith, N. Woodfin
James L. McKisick, Clerk

And the said Court does hereby declare their opinion after theinvestigation of the matter and after putting the interrogationsprescribed by the War Department that the above named applicant was aRevolutionary Soldier and served as he states and the Court furthercertifies that it appears that Nicholas Woodfin and Thomas Smith who hassigned the above proceedings certify that they are residents of BedfordCounty, Tennessee and are (Thomas Smith is a resident of RutherfordCounty, Tennessee) both credible persons and that their statement isentitled to credit.
John B. Armstrong
Samuel Phillips
J.L. Neill

I James McKisick, Clerk of the Court of Pleas and Quarter Sessions ofBedford County in the State of Tennessee do hereby certify that the foregoing contains the original proceedings of the said Court in the matterof the application of Thomas Justice for a Pension in testimony whereof Ihave hereunto set my hand and seal of office this 13th day of November1832
J.L. McKisick, Clerk
Shelbyville  November 13, 1832

Sir:  I have sent you the Declaration of Thomas Justice enclosed in thisletter, and it was not convenient for him to get a Clergyman to certifyfor him but he obtained the certificate of Thomas Smith, Esquire andNicholas Woodfin  I have the pleasure of being acquainted with both ofthose gentlemen and know them to be very respectable  You will please putWm Justice on the Pension Roll and write to me as soon as you can.
The Honorable Lewis Case, Secretary of War
My dear sir with the highest esteem, your friend and humble servant, JohnBruce

"Thomas Edward Justice, Jr., second son of Thomas Sr. was born January14, 1765.  His wife was perhaps Abybeth, as noted earlier on deeds inBuncombe Co.  Thomas Jr. was, we believe, an early Preacher, which he nodoubt became after the Rev. War.  One known son of Thomas E. Jr. has beenproven through records in several counties.  This is Thomas E. Justice,III.,  but one that may or may not be a son, yet is on the 1850 Census inRutherford Co., N.C. (where the father lived) is John Justice.  He wasborn in 1807 in Tenn. and perhaps is a brother to George Justice.  Thelatter was born in Henderson County (then Buncombe) and died in Tennesseealso.  To preserve this 1850 record for what might prove important later,we list the data for John Justice and his wife.

John Justice, b. 1807, is, we believe, of the 6th generation.  His wifeis listed as being born 1816, and her name was Sarah Keeter.  Children ofJohn and Sarah K. Justice:
1.  Isaac Justice, b. 1837
2.  Martha Justice, b. 1838
3.  Mary Justice, b. 1840
4.  Susan Justice, b. 1842
5.  Abigail Justice, b. 1844
6.  Nancy Justice, b. 1846
7.  Elizabeth Justice and James Justice, twins, b. 1848"

Note: Information provided by Ged Hardy Justice, Spring, TX, as found in the Henderson County Historical Society Files April, 2002. Information provided by Ged Hardy Justice, Spring, TX, as found in the Henderson County Historical Society Files April, 2002.