Depositions Describing George Jackson’s Participation
In George Rogers Clark Expedition
Transcribed by Nancy A. Jackson
( I have tried to keep the spelling, grammer and punctuation in the original documents)
To wit Personally appeared ont the 21st October 1833 Alexander West who being duly sworn upon the holy evangelist according to Law deposeth that he is now in his seventy fourth year of age, that in the spring of year of Thousand seven hundred and eighty one affiant understood that Captain George Jackson who then resided in the Buckhannon settlement is what is now a part of Lewis County Virginia had been commissioned by the governor of Virginia to raise a company of volunteers to join the expedition under the command of George Rogers Clark. Affiant volunteered under the command of said Captain George Jackson and proceeded with said company under the command of said Captain George Jackson and proceeded with said company under the command of said George Rogers Clark by way of fort pitt down the Ohio river to the Falls of the Ohio river. That said company continued in service under the command of said Captain Gorge Jackson until late in the fann and was then discharged and returned home. Affiant knows that his Captain said George Jackson had his commission as Captain of volunteers as aforesaid, he was intimate with him and knew he had his commission as captain as aforesaid when he rased said company of volunteers and he further remembers that after the troops had united a council of officers was held at the Mouth of the little Kanawha. A report was circulated immorately of a ___, that some of the volunteer officers had not there commissions and affiant supposes in consequence of said report, the troops were paraded and the commissions were read in there presence, amongst the commissions these read as aforesaid in the presence of the troops was the said commission of Captain George Jackson. Affiant further state that he had continued to reside in Harrison County untill Lewis County was formed and has continued to reside in Lewis County since the division of the counties and resides in Lewis at this time. Affiant further states that after the return of the troops from Clark’s campaign as aforesaid Captain Jackson continued to command expeditions against the Indians to dispach spies and scouts and to supervise the forts.
Was and until the cessation of Indian hostilities in this region of country. Affiant further states that after his return from Clark’s campaign Affiant was one of a party who pursued some Indians who had committed depredation on Buckhannon in the course of the expedition. They were joined by Captain Jackson with another party in pursuit of the Indians. Affiant further stated that he frequently heard of his being sent on other expeditions. Affiant further stated that Christopher Nutter of Harrison County Virginia was out in said expedition under George Rogers Clark, the said Christopher Nutter was a volunteer under said Captain George Jackson and surveyed under his command throughout the Campaign. Affiant has no recollection at this time of any other person now living who was a member of said Captain George Jackson’s company except said Christopher Nutter and himself.
D. Davisson M.C
State of Virginia Harrison County On the 21st day of October 1833 personally appears in open court Christopher Nutter who being first duly sworn according to Law, deposeth and saith that he is now in his seventy-fourth year of age that in the spring of the year 1781 Captain George Jackson preceeded in virtue as affiant understood of a commission ______Governor of Virginia appointing said Jackson Captain to raise a company of volunteers that affiant joined said compaign at Buckhannon in what is now in the Court\County of Lewis in this State. That volunteers were rased to join an expedition under the command of General Colonel George Rogers Clark. That in the campaign so raised and commanded by said Jackson, William White was first Lieutenant, Jacob Westfall was Second Lieutenant and Hezekiah Davison was ensign and quarter master. That said company marched under the command of said Jackson and joined the expedition about fourteen miles above fort Pitt. That said company proceded under the command of said Jackson with the residue of the troops the whole commanded by said George Rogers Clark, down the Ohio river, and ____at the falls of the Ohio river. On the 19th of August 1781 when the troops reached the falls, the company commanded by Captain Jackson numbered one hundred & four rank and file, that they remained under the command of said Clark untill late in the fall of the same fall of the same year of 1781. The company was then discharged and marched back to the place where they volunteered by their said Captain George Jackson. That affiant continued to reside in Harrison County Virginia from the time he returned from said expedition untill this day. That affiant was frequently out in scouting parties and in pursuit of Indians untill the close of the revolution and untill the cessation of Indian hostilities. That during all this period Captain Jackson acted as Captain and continued to command as such Captain of the Rangers or Scouts untill hostilities with Indians ceased which did not occur untill after the close of the revolutionary war. During the whole period Captain Jackson had the contract of the Line of blockhouses from Buckhannon to the Ohio river, employed scouts or spies and so as charged with the defence of the frontier. Affiant further states that after the return of the troops from Clarks Expedition affiant has been on several occasions with Captain Jackson under his command and in the pursuit of the Indians who had committed depredations on the settlements on the Monongalia waters in Virginia. Affiant has no acquaintance with any person now living except Alexander West of Lewis County and himself who belonged to the company commanded by said Captain Jackson in Clarks Expedition. Affiant further states that Captain Jackson was an efficient and able officer in Clarks Campaign as aforesaid and displayed great skill energy and activity in protecting the Settlements on the water of the Monongalia river in Virginia
D. Davisson M.C
William Powers made oath in open court this 21 Oct. 1833 that hi is now in the sixty eighth year of his age that he removed to what is now the County of Harrison when he was in his eighth year of age that he has continued to remain in said County Harrison and since the formation of Lewis County in that part of Lewis which was taken from Harrison County eversince, the said Powers furthers deposeth that he was in the County when Capt George Jackson raised a volunteer company to join the expedition which marched under the command of George Rogers Clark he saw the company when they rendevouzed and paraded in the town of Clarksburg Harrison County Virginia in the Spring of the year Seventeen hundred and eighty one that he was not a member of the company but saw them proceed to join the army under George Rogers Clark and when they marched they were commanded by said Captain George Jackson. He new almost every man in the company. The said George Jackson was Captain William White was first Lieutenant Jacob Westfall was second Lieutenant and Hezekiah Davisson was ensign. The said Powers further deposeth that he said most of the men when they returned from the expedition and understood they had proceeded to the falls of the Ohio under said George Jackson as part of the troops commanded by said George Rogers Clark and continued in service untill regularly discharged, some of the men returned late in the fall or about the beginning of winter and some returned the suceeding spring. The said Powers further deposeth that after the return of said Jackson from said expedition, he continued to act as a captain ordering out rangers, superintending the forts and stockhades on the Monongalia waters and commanding the scout untill the close of the revolutionary war. The said Powers further says he never saw the commission of Captain George Jackson, but understood he was regularly commissioned a captain of volunteers and as such he raised said company of volunteers commanded then and continued to act untill the close of the war as aforesaid
This 21 Oct. 1833
D Davisson MC
On the motion of William L. Jackson, William Williams and Catherine his wife, Mary S. Jackson Guardian of the infant children and heirs of John G Jackson deceased and George W Jackson which said William L Jackson Catharine Williams George W. Jackson and Joh G. Jackson were children of George Jackson deceased and who make this motion for the benefit of themselves and the other children heirs and representatives of said George Jackson decd it is ordered to be certified that the foregoing depositions of Alexander West, Christopher Nutter and William Powers were made in open court-the court doth further certify that said Christopher Nutter as they believe in his seventy fourth year of age that said Alexander West is in his seventy fourth year of age and that said William Powers is in his sixty eighth year of age. That said Christopher Nutter is a resident of the County that said Alexander West and William Powers now reside in that part of Lewis which was formerly part of Harrison. The Court doth further certify that from their own knowledge and the general report of the County all of said persons before named whose depositions are taken here amongst the first settlers of this County and actively engaged in the Indian wars during the revolution and afterwards untill the cessation of Indian hostilities. The Court doth further certify that said Christopher, Alexander and William are men of respectability, freeholders and all of them men of fair character to whose depositions and statements full faith and credit is due all which is ordered to be certified to the register of the Land Office of Virginia the Governor and council of this State and the war department of the United States
Note: George Roger Clark is credited as the namesake for the town of Clarksburg, WV.
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