Benjamin Goodwin II (1755 - abt. 1793)

Born 13 Mar 1755 in Maryland

Ancestors

Descendants

Died about 1793 at about age 37 in Mississippi, United States

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Biography

Sergeant Benjamin Goodwin II served with 9th Virginia Regiment (1779), Continental Army during the American Revolution.

Benjamin Goodwin, Jr. was born March 13, 1755, in Colonial Maryland, a son of Benjamin Goodwin, born in Ireland and his wife Hannah [Urghuart] ^[1]

About 1778, in Greene county, Tennessee, Benjamin married Dorothy Hiley Carter, a daughter of John Carter I and Rebecca Stuart. ^[2] For more information about their eight children, see Dorothy's profile. Dorothy died in 1811, in Tennessee.

Before 1820, Benjamin had left Tennessee and resided in Mississippi, where he file for a pension based on his military service, during the American Revolutionary War on February 16, 1820. (See researchers notes) Benjamin's pension number is S34903. Benjamin swore an affidavit that he enlisted as a Sergeant in Captain David Scott's company of the 13th Virginia Regiment of Monongalia County, Virginia on December 26, 1776 for a period of three years. A Morning Report from Captain Scott's company reports that Benjamin was on duty at Fort Pitt on March 17, 1778. (See images)

Benjamin's complete pension application as transcribed and annotated by C. Leon Harris is available to view here: https://greenecountytngenealogicalsociety.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/WEBSITE-Rev-War-Benjamin-GOODIN-pdf-file.pdf

Researchers notes

Before 1818, a Revolutionary War pension could be awarded solely on the basis of disability or death (with the exception of officers who served for the duration). The new act provided that ALL officers and enlisted men who served in the army or navy, disabled or not, would be eligible for a lifetime pension. Some important provisos appeared in the bill. First, an applicant had to prove he had served a total of at least nine months (which did not have to be consecutive). More importantly, he also had to show that he “by reason of his reduced circumstances in life, shall be, in need of assistance from his country for his support.” Lastly, applicants had to relinquish any other pension claims they may have. Officers received twenty dollars per month and enlisted men eight. The act also set out the administrative process. The applicant had to make a declaration under oath before a judge describing his service, and provide other evidence of his service and need. If the judge felt the claim to be proper, he forwarded it to the Secretary of War who reviewed the application and, if satisfactory, added the applicant to the pension list. ^[3]

Sources

1. ↑ "Maryland, Church Records, 1668-1995," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QGKJ-7QZ8 : 8 March 2021), Benjamin Goodwin, 13 Mar 1755; citing Birth, Maryland, British Colonial America, multiple denominations and churches, Maryland; FHL microfilm
2. ↑ https://www.familysearch.org/tree/person/details/LCTD-S6Z
3. ↑ https://allthingsliberty.com/2021/08/good-and-sufficient-testimony-the-development-of-the-revolutionary-war-pension-plan/

Acknowledgments

• This person was created through the import of knox17032011.ged on 18 March 2011

• Pension Application S34903
• Service Record of Sergeant Benjamin Goodwin