Rev d Alexander Cruden the Claimant sworn.
He is a Native of Aberdeen & went to Virginia in 1750. He was ordain d
in 1749. Upon his Arrival he was elected to the Living of South Farnham
A meritorious & held it for 26 Years before he was molested. First molested in June 1 776.
Loyalist. The people would not allow him to read the prayer for his Majesty & insisted
on his reading a prayer for the Commonwealth this was a Law of the province.
Did not bear Arms. He refused to do it & that was the reason of his being turned out of his Parish.
( 35 )
He obtain d leave from the Vestry who are the leading Men in the parish to live
in the Glebe House as a favor. He lived here till the Dec r following. The
Vestry are the Patrons of all the Churches in Virginia. He left it in Dec r & went
to the County of Midd x but he never officiated after July. He continued 17
Months in America & then he came to S 4 Eustatia & from thence to this Country.
The Value of the Living he estimates at 150 a Year. It consisted of
a Salary of 16000 pounds of Tobacco. The Tobacco was worth ^8 for a Thousand 1 S a Y r .
Pounds which made 128. Besides this He had 250 Acres of Land besides
a Dwelling House. The House & buildings he values at 25 a Y r exclusive of
the Land. He sets very little value upon the Land notwithstanding great part
of the Land was cultivated. He values the Land at 12 a Year. He thinks
the Land worth about 300. The Vestry were once offer d 300 Guineas for it
when they thought of exchanging the Glebe for other Land.
He left nine Negroes with an Attorney to sell for him & believes they were
sold for j375 S. He makes no Claim for this. He left furniture &c in the same
situation with the same person to sell &c & part of this consisted of Debts which Waved,
his Attorney was to recover for him this He values at 425 but he makes no Claim
for this. The furniture Stock &c were sold to divers persons.
He says his Attorney (M r James Mills) took a Valuation of his Negroes when
they were left behind which makes .32 15^. for each Negro but it is under the
Mark & they sold for 100 more than they were valued at. And he produces
a Bond given at the same time by Ja s Mills that he would sell all these Articles
for him & remit the Money to him.
Major Grymes sworn.
Knew M r Cruden & that he was in possession of a Living which he thinks
was worth .200 a Year Ster g . He makes it out by valuing the Tobacco & Glebe
higher than M r Cruden. He was consider d as a Man of substance & was a very
respectable Man & a loyal Subject.
Jack Power Esq sworn.
He knew M r Cruden very well he lived in the same Parish. Knew him to be
the Minister & that he lost the Living by his Loyalty. Being asked to the value
of the Living He says he can t exactly say but says it was at least worth 150 a Y r .
Memorial of Will m Keeling Determin d the
\X7-iim v r *i. /^i 20 th Nov r 1783. 28^ of Nov r 1783.
Will m Keeling the Claimant sworn.
Resided in Charlestown from 1774 till the War broke out is an Irishman.
He kept a Shop there & a Punch House. He remain d there untill the Oath l
was tender d the Rebels wanted him to go with them to Florida but he refused
& left the Town. The Oath was never tender d to him. He join d Gen 1 Prevost A Loyalist,
at Nelson s ferry. He staid with him till he was taken Prisoner which was better Bore Arms.
1 In February 1777 the South Carolina Assembly passed an ordinance establishing an oath of abjura
tion of the King and allegiance to the State. The oath was intended to be administered to persons
suspected of holding principles injurious to the rights of the State. Any persons refusing to take the
oath were to be deported ; and, if they returned, were to be adjudged guilty of treason, and, upon
conviction, were to suffer death as traitors.
F 2
( 36 )
than two Months. He was more than three Months a Prisoner. He was released
by bail. He wanted to make himself a Prisoner of War but they would not
permit him as an Inhabit 1 of the Town. He join d the British Army again
upon Charlestown Neck. He admits that the Oath was generally tender d to
everybody but persists in it s being never tender d to him. After the taking
of Charlestown He was supported as a Loyalist by Rations &c. He staid at
Charlestown only three or four Months & then went to New York where he
enter d on board the Royal Oak as a Volunteer. He was in the Engagement
off the Chesapeak & came home in the Roebuck with Admiral Arbuthnot. 1 He
had no Land. When he left Charlestown they took his property. He took
with him 7 or 800 Continental Dollars. He left all the property in his House.
Says he had more than 200 Gallons of Rum. He values the Rum at 5/. per Gallon.
He gave that for it. He could have sold it for 91. He left 15 Barrels of Rice
clean besides Rice in Bags. The Barrel weigh d about 450 pound. He valued
them for .1 Ss. a Barrel. He gave that for them. This is the common price
it was cheaper before the troubles this was a great price. He used to give .4 los.
or .5 a Barrel Currency which is 14*. 6d. Ster g & the Barrels weigh d 450 W fc .
All his Property He left 450 Bushels of Corn. He is positive as to the Quantity. Before the
94 iSs. 4^. troubles he has bought Rum for I2s. 6d. Currency. He gave 5^. a Bushel for the
Corn in Sterling Money. He says it was Continental Money & he paid for all
the Articles in his Memorial in Continental Money. This was Indian Corn
Bacon & Ham he says he had 220 P d & charges it at 8/. a P d . He paid that Money
for it. Q r of Hundred w fc of Indigo which he values at ^s. 6d. a P d two Hundred
& J of Sugar valued at Sd. a P d 30 P d of Coffee Sd. a P d 30 P r of Men s Shoes he
used to sell them values them at 3^. 6d. a P r 4 Horses & Cow valued at .5 apiece.
He had a Stallion. He gave 350 Continental Dollars for this Horse. He was
at least worth 15. Being asked how much he carried with him to America
he says he had j or .8. He had a Chair for which he gave .5. He values
his Household furniture at 25. He had 3 Beds besides tables Chairs &c. Beds
cost 5 each.
John Pearson sworn.
Knew W m Keeling had known him for five Years he lived there then & it
was a little time before Gen 1 Prevost came but does not know what Year. The
Witness had been in America from 1774. He lived some time in the back Country
& came to Charlestown in 1776. Being asked whether he ever took the Oaths
to the Rebels he says he did not but he obtain d a Certificate from a Justice
of the Peace that he had taken the Oaths to the Rebels which enabled him to be
quiet being asked whether M r Keeling could have staid without that He says
he does not think he could. M r Keeling is called in again & says he never had
such a Certificate but M r Pearson persists in saying that he thinks M r Keeling
must have had such a Certificate. The Certificate was sign d by M r Car Michel
who was an Irishman & was then well inclined to the Rebels. He afterwards
join d the British & after that he join d the Americans. He says Keeling was
1 Admiral Marriot Arbuthnot, b. 1711 ?, d. 1794, is in Diet, of Nat. Biography. For description of
encounter between the French and British fleets off the Chesapeake see Mahan, Influence of Sea-power
upon History, i66o-Jj8j, p. 186.
( 37 )
put into the Guard House more than once. The Witness had made an ArP
before M r Justice Wilmot at Shoreditch to the Property & Loyalty of M r Keeling.
Being asked about M r Keeling s rum He says he has known him have some Hogs
heads by him at a time. Keeling traded in the same way after Charlestown
was taken.
James Moore sworn.
Was settled at Chlrlestown. Kept a Store there. Knows M r Keeling
a little but has very little Acquaintance. He has no Acquaintance with him
now but he saw him in prison. He knows nothing of his keeping a shop there
or being in any business but says he might have been & he not known it. Saw
him the Day he came out of prison but never was in his Company since. The
Witness knows all the Streets in Charlestown & being asked whether he knew
that Keeling lived in King Street (which is the Street in w h Keeling says he
lived) he says he does not know it but it might be. However he thinks he could
not be in a considerable Way of business. Being asked whether Keeling could
have remain d there without taking an Oath or signing some test He says he
thinks he could not. He never knew any false Certificate given. He knows
M r Car Michel & he was a Justice. He has heard from M rs Thompson that
Car Michel gave one to his Partner. He says Rum was worth about 4^. 6d.
a Gallon Rice about ty. per Hundred. Speaks of the time before the troubles
as to the Rice. He considers him as a Loyalist & has heard that he suffer d for
his Loyalty. The Witness has himself taken the Oath to the Rebels & says he is
sure M r Keeling could not have lived in the Province so long as he did if he had
not taken the Oath or had some paper or Certificate to shew.
Will m Keeling the Claimant called in again.
He is asked to clear up the business of the Oath & to account for this
Circumstance How he could stay in the Province without taking an Oath to
the Rebels. He swears positively that he never did take any Oath to the Rebels
or give them any Assurance of his Attachment to the American Cause. The
Witness s House was in the same Street with M r Moore s & about as far distant
from it as one side of Lincolns Inn fields. He never pretended to be a friend
to the Rebel Cause in order to remain quiet. He admits that in Conversation
he was often advised to take the Oath but he always said he would not & cursed
them for it. Being asked how he got the 7 or 800 Dollars He says it was in the
Course of trade & being asked what he did with them He says he spent them
& they served him for support.
He is a Roman Catholic by persuasion & being desired to cross himself
& give an Answer to the Question whether he ever took any Oath to the Rebels
He swears in the most solemn manner that he never did.
He has an Allowance of 15 a Year from the Treasury.
Memorial of George Platt Determm d the
~ th. TSJrvi7 r T-rR? 28 th of Nov r 1783.
George Platt the Claimant sworn.
He produces several Certificates to Loyalty one from Col 1 Balfour. He lived
upon the Catabaw river in S Carolina. He had several Grants of Land but they
A very meritorious
Loyalist & he & his
family have suffer d
much for their
Loyalty.
Did not bear Arms.
400.
No proof of
Confiscation.
Negroes 100.
Bounty 25 a Y r
Determin d the
are all lost. The lands lay round him. He had Grants from Gov r Bull & Lord
Charles Montague. He speaks of a Grant of 300 Acres granted to him in 1760.
It was then uncultivated but he cultivated about 50 Acres of it. This was from
Gov r Bull. He had another from Lord Cha 9 Montague the first Year that he
came to be Gov r . This contain d 200 Acres & was near to the other Land it
lay in the same County Craven County. He agreed with a Man to clear it for
him & he was to give him 20 an Acre for it. He meant it for his Son. Only
three Acres were clear d before the Rebellion. He had an House & Mill upon
the first 300 Acres where he lived. His House cost him nothing but his Labour
& the labour of his Negroes. He had 4 Negroes. He says he was offer d ^3000
Currency for these 300 Acres. A Man who lived near him offer d it to him.
He has rais d 4 Hogsheads of Tobacco in a Y r . He values the Tobacco at .10
per Hogshead. The farm produced about 200 or 250 Bushels of Corn besides
Potatoes Pease &c. He admits that by the terms of the Grant he ought to have
cultivated it & he intended to do it. He had possession of this Island for 16 or
17 Years. He quitted his property when Lord Cornwallis came to Camden.
He was not forced away. He came away because he would not take the Oath
& lay in the Woods for some time. He does not know whether his property is
confiscated or not. He left behind him Children & Grand Children 21. The
Rebels executed two of his Sons. None of his family are in possession of the
Estate. He had 4 Negroes. He values them at 100 Ster g . They were taken
from him by the Rebels.
Memorial of George Chalmers l Esq
.
George Chalmers hsq the Claimant sworn.
21 st Nov r 1783.
Says he went to settle in Maryland in Aug fc 1763 & says that in no one
instance has he ever swerved from his Loyalty & that his whole Conduct
A Decided & from May 1774 has been one continued exertion on the behalf of Great
Zealous Loyalist. Britain. With the view of assisting this Country he furnished the Loyalists
Did not bear Arms, with arguments to enable them to support the Cause of Britain as they used to
apply to him when they were at a Difficulty to answer the arguments of their
Opponents. He not only furnished them with Arguments but shew d them by
his own example that they ought not to yield any obedience to the usurped
powers or to sign any Association against this Country.
At the first great meeting of Baltimore County in May 1774 (when he dates
the commencement of the troubles in y e province of Maryland) He attended
in concert with the principal friends of the British Gov* in order to act as the
principal Speaker in favor of the Gov* in opposition to the endeavours of the
rebels. When he went to this Meeting he found the leaders of the Opposition
1 b. 1742, d. 1825. He is in Diet, of Nat. Biography. He is well known as the author of Political
Annals of the United Colonies, vol. i, to 1688, 1780 (three chapters of a second volume were published by
the New York Hist. Soc. in 1868), and an Introduction to the History of the Revolt of the Amer. Colonies,
1782. These works, though written under a strong Tory bias, anticipated modern methods in being
written from first-hand material at the Record Office.
In 1786 Chalmers became Chief Clerk to the Committee of the Privy Council.
A good account of the beginning of the Revolution in Maryland will be found in B. C. Steiner, Life
and Administration of Sir Robert Eden, Johns Hopkins Univ. Studies in Hist., &c., xvj. 7-9.
( 39 )
had brought the principal Lawyers from Anapolis to support them as they were
apprehensive their own Numbers & Talents would be insufficient to carry the
point they aim d at. There were several inflammatory Speeches made by
a M r Alexander. Says that he retired to his own House which was near the
Meeting in order to refresh himself it being very hot. On his return thither
he met M r Thompson who was bloody & dishevel d & was by him informed that
on his speaking in Opposition to M r Alexander & his friends a Tumult had arisen
& they had attempted to throw him out of the Window or over the Stair Case.
In consequence of this Information Claimant abstain d from going again to the
Meeting which he says was very fortunate for him as he afterwards learned that
there had been a Plot concerted to throw him out of the Court House Window
in case he should make a Speech there And from the Violence he observed
at the Meeting & their treatment of M r Thompson he entertains no Doubt they
would have carried their intentions into execution. From this time neither
himself nor any of the friends of Gov 1 attended any Meeting As they had tried
alone what could be done & found great Danger & no benefit from it. Says
that in consequence of the above tumult Challenges pass d between the Parties
& he himself carried one of the Challenges. From this time he thought it
necessary whenever he went out to carry Pistols for his Defence & likewise to have
them by his bed side at Night As he consider d his Life to be in Danger from
the violence of the Opposers of the British Gov fc owing to the decided part he had
taken in its favor.
When he found the antient Gov* was overturned he endeavour d to promote
at Baltimore Town an Association among the friends of Gov fc for their mutual
protection. It was a part of this plan which he concerted with M r Christie to
bring about a Change in the Commission of the peace As the then Justices were
of the most inflammatory part of the people. By an application to the Gov r
this matter was brought about & better and abler Men were substituted in their
Room. This made so great a Noise in the province that the Claimant is of
Opinion had it been discover d before he quitted the Province that he was the
principal Promoter of the Plan he should have been massacred. This measure
of changing the Comm n of the peace was not meant merely to change the Men
but as part of a plan whereby it was intended that the Associators should act
as the posse comitatus in dispersing by force any Mob when they were called
upon by the High Sheriff (who was a loyal Subject) so to do. He therefore
was deputed to apply to the Gov r for some stands of the Province Arms. The
Gov r highly approved of the Plan & furnish d the Arms but they were never
sent as he believes the Gov r on considering the Matter more coolly was of opinion
that if it should be discover d that he had furnished the friends of Gov t with
Arms it would render him very unpopular throughout the Province. This was
in the beginning of the Year I775. 1
Says he considers himself as having been put to considerable Risque by
giving his Advice to the Rev d M r Edmiston when he was brought to Baltimore
Town by the Committee for his Opposition to the British Gov fc . And he likewise
1 At the end of April 1775 the Governor in fact agreed to surrender the provincial arms, powder,
and stores to the colonels of the militia (Steiner, op. cit., p. 90).
( 40 )
visited M r Christie l who was under the Custody of a Serj 4 3 Guard on ace 4 of his
having written a Letter (which was intercepted) which offended the Committee.
Says he acted as a Lawyer in the usual mode of practice in America in the
350 a Y r . double Capacity of an Attorney & Counsellor in the difP Courts & says that in
the Year 1773 the emoluments of his profession were ^354 Ster g And doubts not
he would have made as much or more in the successive Years had not the Troubles
broke out.
Says he left Maryland in Sept r & arrived in Eng d in Nov r 1775 & in y e Year
Bounty 100 a Y r . 1774 he rec d from the Treasury an Annuity of jioo a Year (with a retrospect
for one Year) which he still continues to receive. The Claimant requests that
his Services may be compensated by an Annuity of ^300 a Year but does not
ask of Gov* any other Compensation. He waves all other Claim for Losses but
from his Loss of Profession.
The Rev d Will Edmiston late of Baltimore County in Maryland sworn.
Says he was very intimately acquainted with the Claimant & lived in the
same County with him. Says the Claimant was a Man of distinguish d Loyalty
throughout the whole of the troubles And he apprehends he was of material
Use to this Country by his exertions. He acted with great personal fairness
& is of Opinion that his person was thereby endanger d.
Says he remembers M r Chalmers practising in the Commissary s Court.
He remembers a Conversation he once had with M r Dulany the Head of that
Court who said M r Chalmers came before him better prepared than any other
Lawyer who attended the Court. And the Witness is of Opinion he was in
a very rising Situation in his profession.
He says he is of Opinion that had not the troubles arisen the Claimant
would have been one of the first Lawyers in the Province & has had frequent
Conversations with the first people of the Province who all concurred in the same
Sentiment. Witness says he has known the Claimant from 1769 & from that
time has never known him do anything but what was perfectly honorable & just.
He was a Man of excellent Character.
Witness says he was called before the Committee of Baltimore County who
gave him two Hours to consider of the Answer he was to give to the Questions
they had put to him. He sent on this Occasion to M r Chalmers to advise with
him as a friend but doubted whether he would come to him owing to the
violence of the people. The Claimant however did come to him & he considers
by so doing that he ran a great personal risque.
Says he has been informed by M r Lawson with whom he had conversed
on the Subject of the Claimant s professional Claims that his Tobacco fees were
about 60000 Weight of Tobacco And adds that his profession produced him
a sufficient Income to maintain him in a very genteel Situation.
Being asked whether M r Chalmers lived at the rate of 350 a Y r in Maryland
He says certainly not that he could not spend so much. The Expences of living
in Maryland were so very reasonable.
1 Perhaps the Mr. Christie whom Lord G. Germain recommended to General Howe (April 27,
1776) as a man of merit and a great sufferer in his fortune by the unhappy disputes (Hist. MSS. Comrn.,
Am. MSS. in R. Inst., vol. i, p. 36).
( 41 )
Memorial of John Pearson Determin d the
T . T> , ^, . 21 st of Nov r 1781. 20 th of Nov r 1783.
John Pearson the Claimant sworn.
Says he went to America in 1774. He is an Irishman by Birth. He went
to Charlestown. He knew nothing of the troubles till he arrived there. He
carried the Value of 100 Guineas in Linen Cloth out with him. He arrived there A Loyalist,
about Christmas 1774. He went to the back Country & staid there two Years
& in 1776 came to settle in Charlestown. He took an House there when he Did not bear Arms,
came back to Charlestown. Says he was obliged to leave the back Country or
join the Rebels. He came to Charles Town in order that he might not be obliged
to go ag* the Indians. Says he continued in Charlestown upwards of a Year
before he was applied to to take the Oath to the usurped Gov fc . There were
then public Proclamations for all persons to take the Oath or quit the Province
within a limited time. This was in 1778. He then applied to a M r Carmicheel
who gave him a Certificate that he had taken the Oaths to the Rebel Powers
tho in fact he had never taken them. For some time after he obtain d this
Certificate he remain d unmolested. When Gen 1 Prevost came ag 4 Charlestown
he was order d to join a Company & go upon the Lines. But refusing so to do
he was tried by a Court Martial & fined 50 for his Neglect. Some time after
when Sir Henry Clinton came ag l the Town the Insurgents took him out of his
Bed put a Gun into his Hand & would have had him join them but he refused
so to do & was consequently imprison d. He was tried for not bearing Arms
ag* the British Army & was let go on condition of joining a Company of Rebels
but not doing so he was imprison d & continued in Prison till a Day or two before
the Town was taken when the Prisons were open d & the Prisoners set free. After
the town was taken he join d a Company of M a under Capt n Greenwood & went
on an Expedition to escort Prisoners from Camden to Charlestown. Never did
any other actual Service.
Says he left America about a Y r before the Evacuation in 1781 in order to
visit his friends in Ireland And during the time he staid after the Town was
taken till he left the Place He dealt in the way of business he had been in before
it was taken. He intended to return to America but rec d a Letter which prevented
him & which Letter he produced.
Says he was possess d of 300 Acres of Land situate in Amelia Township
60 Miles from Charlestown. He bought it in 1777 or 1778 after he came to Disallowed.
Charlestown. Swears he paid for it 350 S. in liquors Sugar & Continental
Money. There were 12 Acres cultivated when he bought it. He never cultivated
any part of it.
He has an Allowance from the Treasury of ^25 a Y r from Midsummer 1783. Bounty 25 a Y r .
Colonel John Philips 1 sworn. 22 d Nov r 1783.
The Witness was a Col 1 of M a in Charlestown but before the troubles he was
a Planter & resided on Jackson s Creek. Knew M r Pearson in Charlestown.
He always bore the Character of an honest Man. Knew him from 1776 when
1 McCrady (S. Car. in the Rev., 1780-3, p. 586) comments on the fact that his name, like those of
other up-country loyalists, is not found in the list of those whose estates were confiscated.
G
( 42 )
he first knew him he lived in Charlestown. At that time he kept a Grocery
Store & dealt principally in liquors. He had a large store about one year before
the taking of Charlestown he thinks M r Pearson went & resided in the back
Country two Years.
Believes him to have always been loyal & that he heard of his doing many