1755 Rev War Soldier; 1785 Greenbriar; 1820 Nicholas; Braxton 1836;Webster 1842. Pension as Private Continental Army was $80.00 per year started 1 Dec 1832 when he was 77 years old and he received $240.00 total. Roll 1835. Pension was suspended 1 December 1835 because "You left without leave before you term expired".
From "The Hamrick And Other Families and Indian Lore" by Mayme H.Hamrick (1939)
Benjamin Hamrick of the Revolution.
The Hamricks of Braxton, Webster, Randolph and Pocahontas counties (WV),are descendants of B enjamin Hamrick, a soldier who fought in theAmerican Revolution. He was born in Prince William, now Fauquier County,Virginia, in 1755. In November, 1775, he enlisted in the military service of the Colonial government of Virginia, as a "Minute Man," and served for a period of six months. He was at that time twenty years of age. He engaged in the battle of Great Bridge , on the bank of the Elizabeth River, commanded by Colonel Edward Stevens. In October, 1776 ,he enlisted in the Third Virginia Regiment under Captain John Chilton,and marched from Williamsburg to Alexandria, Virginia, and from there to New York, where he joined the regular Continental Army. (1)
At Brandywine Benjamin Hamrick participated in several of the most decisive battles of the Revolutionary War, The records disclose that he was at the capture of Trenton on December 26, 1 776, when GeneralWashington one sleety night crossed the ice-clogged Delaware river,capture d one thousand prisoners, and seized a large amount of equipment.He fought at the battle o f Princeton, January 3, 1777. He engaged in thebattle of Brandywine Creek, September 11, 177 7, at which battle GeneralLafayette was wounded. On October 4, 1777, he engaged in the battle of Germantown, near Philadelphia.
With Washington at Valley Forge In September, 1777; Benjamin Hamrick was attached to the thir d and fourth Virginia Regiments under Captain John Blackwell, commanded by Lieutenant Colone l William Heth, while at ValleyForge.
At the time he entered said encampment he was a private, receiving sixand 2/3 dollars per month. In April, 1778, he was commissioned corporal,and received seven and 1/3 dollars per month Virginia currency. Duringthe period of service in 1777, and 1778, Benjamin Hamrick was frequently assigned to scout duty, as disclosed by the records of the War Department.
It is known...from corroborating affidavits filed with the Secretary ofWar in 1832, by comrades of Banjamin Hamrick, that he served through out the Revolutionary War, and was in the service in Virginia, at the time of the surrender of Cornwallis at Yorktown, October 19, 1781. (2 )
Benjamin Hamrick married Nancy McMillian, daughter of John and Martha McMillian, in Fauquie r County, Virginia, while on furlough from the Continental Army in 1779. The date of the marri age is given inanaffidavit of Joseph McMillian filed on behalf of Benjamin Hamrick whenth e latter made application for a pension under the Act of Congress of183?. In the affidavit the affiant says, "he (Benjamin Hamrick) came home on furlough and visited his father who lived just three miles from my father. He married my sister and built a house and lived with my father."
That Benjamin Hamrick was one of the early settlers in Greenbrier County,Virginia, now West Virginia, is disclosed by the early tax lists and census records. The oldest available list s disclose the heads of families living in Greenbrier County, between 1783 and 1786. The name of Benjamin Hamrick, is on that, and each successive list, until 1796. Tha the removed from Fauquier County between 1781, the late of the surrenderof Cornwallis, and 1785, is definitely known. As the boundary of Greenbrier County, formed in 1777, embraced the territory that is now Kanawha, Nicholas, Braxton and Greenbrier Counties, and part of Monroe County, it is difficult to locate the place to which he first came and established his residence. One writer has stated that he first came to Cherry Tree Bottom where the town of Richwood, Nicholas C ounty, is now located.(3)
His residence was near that place at the time of the alarm of an intended Indian Raid in 1793 . At that time he hastily gathered his family and abandoned his residence and fled to Donnall y's Fort, in GreenbrierCounty, near the present village of Frankfort. The distance traveled o n that journey was more than one hundred miles. When all danger of further interference had p assed, he is believed to have settled on Birch River.
In 1820, Benjamin Hamrick was living in Nicholas County. In 1826, he petitioned the General Assembly of Virginia for a pension for service rendered in the military service of the Colony of Virginia and the Continental Army. The petition specifies the residence of the petitione ras Nicholas County but does not designate the exact location of his residence. That he wa s totally disabled, due to exposure, privations and hardships, experienced during the Revolut ionary War, is clearly setforth in his petition. The bill for pension passed
1 Records of the Revolutionary War, War Department, Washington, DC. 2Pension Records of th e Revolution, Washington, DC. 3 Moccasin Tracks andOther Imprints, by W. C. Dodrill. 4 Virgi nia State Archives, Richmond,Virginia.
In November of 1775 Benjamin enlisted in the military service of the Colonial government of V irginia as a "Minute Man," and served for only six months. He engaged in the battle of Grea t Bridge, on the bank of the Elizabeth River, commanded by Colonel Edward Stevens. In Octobe rof1776, he enlisted in the Third Virginia Regiment under Captain John Chilton, and marched from Williamsburg to Alexandria, Virginia, and from there to New York where he joined the r egular Continental Army.
Benjamin also fought in many battles during the Revolutionary War. Hewasat the capture of T renton on December 26, 1776, when General Washingtoncaptured one thousand prisoners, and sei zed a large amount ofequipment. He fought in the Battle of Princeton, January 3, 1777, th eBattle of Brandywine Creek, September 11, 1777, and the Battle ofGermantown near Philadelp hia on October 4, 1777.
While at Valley Forge he served under Captain John Blackwell. He wasaprivate receiving si x and 2/3 dollars per month. In April of 1778 hewas commissioned a corporal and received se ven and 1/3 dollar per monthin Virginia currency.
He was reduced in rank from corporal to private in 1778 for missingmuster.
Revolutionary War Pension Records for Hamrick; National Archives; Film(0971177)
Benjamin Hamrick VA S5472
Benjamin Hamrick of Nicholas County in the State of Virginia who was aprivate in the Compan y of Captain Chilton of the Regt of Col Mercer inthe Virginia Line or 3 years from 1776. Ins cribed on the roll ofVirginia at the rate of 80 dollars and 0 cents per annum to commence t o4 Mar 1831.
State of Virginia, County of Nicholas
On 7 Sep 1832, personally appeared in Superior Court of NicholasCounty...,
"Benjamin Hamrick, a resident of the said county of Nicholas and theState of Virginia aged s eventy five years who being first duly swornaccording to law doth on his oath make the follo wing declaration inorder to obtain the benefit of the provisino made by the out[?] of Congress passed June 7 1832. That he enlisted in the army of the United Statesin the year 1776 wit h Captain John Chilton (or Shelton) and served inthe third Regiment of the Virginia line und er the following namedofficers. The company was commanded by Capt. Shelton, the Regiment b yCol ---- Mercer and the Brigade by General Woodford. He left the service(he thinks) in th e fall of 1780 and served during the whole time under
the same enlistment. At the time he enlisted he resided in FauquierCounty, Virginia. The com pany to which he belonged rendevoused at theCourt House of said County and the regiment at W illiamsburg Virginiafrom when they marched to Alexandria and from whence they were ordered to New York island in the State of New York where they joined the regulararmy. He was presen t at the battle of Trenton and the taking of ninehundred Hessions as it was said. He was the n at the battle of Princetonwhere he aided in taking (as it was said) 300 prisoners. He wa s at thememorable battle of Brandywine and also at the battle of Germantown.These were al l the memorable battles in which he participated.
Before he enlisted as above stated he was taken with the service in theState of Virginia a s a minute man under the same Captain John Shelton.He entered the service as a minute man i n the month of November 1775 heresided then in the same County and State as afore said. Th e Regiment towhich he belonged was commanded by Col Edward Stephens and GeneralWoodford an d he served under this draft during the term of six months.He was at the defeat of Captain F ordices company of Germadurs at theGreat Bridge on the east branch of Elizabeth River whic h was the onlyengagement he was in during this period of time... ".At the time he leftservi ce he received a written discharge from General Woodford and at thetime he left the continen tal service he received a written dischargefrom General Joseph Weeden. But where they are no w he does not know."
Signed [in his own writing] Benjamin Hamrick
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From a letter dated 26 May 1937 to John T Harris, Office of the QuarterMaster General, War D ept regarding his request for the Revolutionary Warrecord of Benjamin Hamrick, a pensioner i n 1832, who died in 1842.
"Benjamin Hamrick was born in Prince William County, Virginia, the dateof his birth and th e names of his parents are not shown. While aresident of Fauquier County Virginia he was en rolled in November 1775 as
a minute man, served in Captain Chilton's Company, Colonel EdwardStevens' Virginia Regimen t and was in the battle at Great Bridge, lengthof service six months. He enlisted in 1776 se rved as private in CaptainsJohn Chilton's and John Blackwell's Companies, Colonels Mercer' s andThomas Marshall's 3rd Virginia regiment, was in the battles of Trenton,Princeton, Bran dywine, Germantown and Monmouth, length of service threeyears. He rendered service also in t he fall of 1781, officers' names andlength of that service not given.
Benjamin Hamrick was allowed pension on his application executedSeptember 7, 1832, at whic h time he resided in Nicholas County,Virginia. He was aged then seventy-five years.
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"In 1832, Joel Hamrick stated, in Nicholas County, Virginia, that helived in Fauquier Count y Virginia when Benjamin Hamrick 'left home' andserved in the Revolutionary War, but he di d not state any relationshipbetween them."
"In 1835, in Greenbrier County, Virginia, one Joseph McMillian, agedseventy years, stated th at Benjamin Hamrick, while home on furloughabout the year 1779, married his sister, the nam e of said sister notgiven."
Letter signed by A.D. Hiller, Executive Assistant to the Administrator.
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In a letter dated October 8, 1936 to Mayme Hamrick of Washington D.C. hadthe same verbatim t ext as above and also:
"BENJAMIN HAMRICK-W.C. 2549"
"Benjamin Hamrick enlisted in Beverly, Randolph County, Virginia andserved from September 3 , 1814 to January 27, 1815 as private in CaptainWamsley's Company of Virginia militia and wa s discharged at Fort Nelson,Norfolk, Virginia. "
"December 21 1850, he applied for bounty land which was due on account ofhis service in th e War of 1812, at which time he resided in NicholasCounty, Virginia. Benjamin Hamrick was ag ed then sixty-seven years; thedate and place
of his birth and the names of his parents were not stated. On thisapplication, he was allowe d 80 acres of bounty land on warrant #20078,Act of 1850. He applied May 10, 1855 for additio nal bounty land underthe Act of 1855; on this
second application, he was allowed 80 acres of bounty land under warrant#22701."
"Benjamin Hamrick died June 12, 1863, in Webster County, West Virginia.Benjamin Hamrick marr ied April 19, 1811, in Kanawha County, Virginia,Nancy Gregory; the names of her parents wer e not stated. Nancy Hamrick,the soldier's widow,was allowed pension on her application execu ted May7, 1871, at which time she resided in Webster County, West Virginia..."."Nancy Hamri ck was aged then seventy-nine".
"In December 1871, one Vincent Hamrick, also of Webster Court House, WestVirginia, stated th at he was well acquainted with the soldier,BenjaminHamrick, and with his widow Nancy, and th at he was present atthe burial of the soldier; he did not however state any relationship t othem."
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Letter dated April 10th 1916 from Mrs Chas O Norton of Kearney, Nebraskato the Commissione r of Pensions, Washington DC.
Inquiry on Rev War pension records for Benjamin Hamrick, aged 77 in 1832in Nicholas County V irginia and also for
"U.S Pension Roll 1835, Virginia, Hampshire County, Vol 2, p 147,SirasHamrick- Private Virgi nia Militia, Placed on pension roll April 9,1834, aged 72 years."
[No reply to this inquiry was listed]
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Joseph McMillian's deposition, aged seventy five deposed that he recalledthat Benjamin Hamri ck was a soldier in the Revolution and was wellacquainted with him "at about this time". "Hi s father lived about threemiles from my fathers when I was a boy about ten or twelve years o f ageand said Hamrick was a young man when Capt. Jno Chilton of FauquierCounty, Va with hi s lieutenants Jno Blackwell and the late Hon JnoMarshall enlisted a company called Minute Me n, the said Benjamin Hamrickbeing one of them, in the year 1775..."."When that year was fini shed andCapt Chilton came home to the upper part of Fauquier County and hiscompany or the g reater part of them enlisted again for three years, saidHamrick being one of those who enlis ted and was gone three years." Hementions that Capt John Chilton was killed at Brandywine. " I think itwas the year 1779 they returned (about Feb 7). Said Hamrick came back tomy father 's in the fall, said he was clear by putting a man in hisplace, he married my sister about t hat time, but word came to the Countythat he had deserted. He set off to go to the West, wa s taken up andlodged in Winchester jail, from there he was taken with some recruits toFrede ricksburg The officer let the sergeant call with him at my father'sto see his wife, when b y the help of his friends he hired a man for athousand dollars Continental money to go in hi s place during the war, hewent on to Fredericksburg and was discharged by General Mulinburgh ." "..the said Hamrick built a house in the year 1780 and lived at my fathers,he was drafte d in the year 1781 in Fauquier county Va and was on duty atthe time Cornwallis was in Virgin ia."
Deposition by Joseph McMillian was given 15 October 1835 in GreenbrierCounty, Virginia.
Note:
The Daughters of the American Revolution whose membership consists offemale descendants of p ersons who served 6 months in the RevolutionaryWar or contributed property have delisted Ben jamin as a Patriot anddescendants are
no longer eligible for membership because he could not produce hisdischarge papers.
Personally I am 80 years old and I no longer have any records of myservice due to a house fi re and several location moves but I continue toreceive a 10% disability.

• Married: 1779 in ,Fauquier,VA

1. Enoch Hamrick b: 1779 in ,Greenbriar,VA
2. Benjamin Hamrick III b: 10 Feb 1782 in Warrenton,Farquier,VA
3. Mary D "Polly" Hamrick b: 8 Jan 1786 in ,Greenbriar,VA
4. William F Hamrick b: 1789 in ,Greenbriar,VA
5. Peter Hamrick b: 5 Jul 1791 in ,Greenbriar,VA
6. John Hamrick b: 1794 in ,Greenbriar,VA
7. Nancy Hamrick b: 13 Feb 1795 in ,Greenbriar,VA
8. David Hamrick b: Jan 1796 in ,Kanawha,VA
9. Joseph W Hamrick b: 1799 in ,Greenbriar,VA
10. Cyrus C Hamrick b: 1806 in ,Kanawha,VA
11. Sarah Hamrick b: 20 Jan 1820 in ,Greenbriar,VA