April 4, 1758 - September 7, 1838
    The following is a transcription of Charles Payne's Revolutionary War pension statement. Some punctuation has been added as needed.
    State of Tennessee Warren County
    On the 4th day of April 1833 personally appeared in Open Court before the Court of Pleas and Quarter Sessions for said County now in session, Charles Payne, a resident of said county and state aged about seventy-five years. He being first duly sworn according to law and doth on his oath make the following declaration in order to obtain the benefit of the Act of Congress passed the 7th June 1832; states that in 1774 or 1775 as he thinks in the month of April, he entered the service of the United States as a volunteer in Captain John Davidson's Company. The company was organized in Pittysylvania County, Virginia. The object of the expedition was against the Cherokee Indians. We marched to Long Island on Holston River in East Tennessee, then a part of North Carolina; our compamy there joined Captain Shelby's and Captain Wilcher's Company, the whole commanded by Colonel Shelby who marched us to Cumberland Gap. Not finding the Indians, Colonel Shelby marched us back to Long Island where we remained until our term of service expired which was three months. We were then discharged and returned home. During the service Colonel Shelby made a Treaty with the Indians. About the 25th of June 1780 Applicant again entered the service of the United States as a volunteer in Wilkes County, North Carolina; Captains names not recollected, under Major Joel Lewis. We organized in Wilkes County at a place called the Old Stone near the Five Knobs (or Fire Knobs?). The object of this expedition was against a large body of Tories and Brittish, principally the former who had collected on Colson's plantation near the conjunction of the Yadkin and Rocky Rivers, and was ? were committing great depradations (?) and compelling many to take the oath of allegiance to the King. Volunteers were called for, and as an inducement we were told that If we would go ______ and destroy the enemv that service should be considered equal three months tour. This applicant volunteered in defiance of his home and his county and marched against the enemy. In our route we joined Colo-nel Davidson and Colonel Rutherford who took the command. The army marched down to the forks of the River where the Yadkin and Rocky Rivers make the Pider. The evening before the battlle three horsemen crossed Rocky River in the night and attacked the enemy early the next morning. As soon as the battle commenced Colonel Davidson, without orders it was said, marched across said River with about three hundred men to his assistance and they killed, took and dispersed the enemy before the main army reached the battle ground. Applicant was not engaged in the battle as he was with the main army, and the battle was over before they reached there. The troops were dis-charged and we returned home. This service continued four weeks. In August 1781 he again entered the service; was drafted for three months in Captain William Dick's Company, The company organized in Pittsylvania County, Virginia and marched to Little York where Cornwallis' army then lay, Applicant was taken sick and was confined some weeks upon James River, twelve miles from Little York, About the time of his recovery, the time for which he had entered the service having expired, he was discharged and returned home. Applicant was afterwards engaged in various expeditions against the Indians in East Tennessee and Georgia in scouting parties and sometimes as a spy, The services performed in this way would amount to three months or more. He received written discharges for the three first tours he performed, but they are now lost or misplaced. He therefore has no documentary evidence of his ser-vices nor does he know any person by whom he can prove the same, He hereby relinquishes every claim whatever to any pension or an-nuity rolls of the agency of any state,
    Answers to the interrogations (?) directed to be put by the War Department:
    Says he was born the 4th of April 1758 in Halifax County, Virginia, His age is recorded in his family Bible. He lived in Halifax County until he was five or six years old; moved to Pittisylvania County, lived there about seventeen years. Moved to Wilkes County, North Carolina, lived there near one year, Returned back to Pittsylvania County and remained there near two years. Thence to East Tennessee, what is now Hawkins County, lived there 14 years; thence to Georgia where he lived nineteen years, Thence to Warren County, Tennessee where he has lived ever since with the exception of one year which he lived in Marion County, Tenn. Volunteered twice and was drafted once, Served with no regular troops as he was sick at the time of the seige with Cornwallis. He refers to the body of his declaration for the general circumstances of his service. Received three written discharges but they are lost, mislayed or destroyed, No clergyman residing in his immediate neighbourhood by whom he can prove his services.
    Sworn and subscribed to his
    in open court this 4th Charles X Paine
    day of April 1833 mark

    Jos, Colville, Clerk
    By L Colville DC

    Charles Payne or PAINE, Private, VA Militia , $23.33 Annual Allowance, $ Amount Received, January 30, 1834 Pension Started, Age 76, Warren Co, TN Pension List. Per RW Pension file served both NC & VA Line; was born 4 Apr 1758 in Halifax Co VA & at age of 5 or 6 years he moved to Pittsylvania Co VA where he lived at enl & later moved to the part of East TN which became Hawkins Co TN for 14 years, then moved to GA for 19 years, then moved to Warren Co TN where he applied 3 Apr 1833. Soldier declared that after leaving GA he had lived 1 year in Marion Co TN. He died 7 Sep 1838. (RW Pension File S4643)