South Carolina
Pickens District}
Amendatory Declaration of Mrs Anna Guest
Before me personally appeared Mrs Anna Guest and made oath in due form of law that in her application for a pension under the act of the 4th July 1836 she stated her marriage to have taken place to the best of her recollection on the 29th July 1779, she is still of the same opinion. Her old family record has been forwarded to the Pension Office by which will be seen the date of the birth of her first child Squire Guest who was born as she well recollects, ten months and about one week after her marriage.
She cannot produce record evidence of her marriage, but is sure she cannot be mistaken with regard to its having taken place, previous to the service of her husband in the Revolutionary War, and thinks hard that the testimony of her old neighbor Elijah Keese who witnessed the marriage, cannot be taken in proof of the fact
Sworn to Before me
this 6th day August 1846
W.S. Grisham
Not. Pub. & Ex Off
M. P. D.
South Carolina
Pickens District}
Elijah Keese came personally before me and made oath in due form of law that upon being called upon the second time to explain and prove with reference to the marriage of Anna Guest states that he is no relation of hers, and has no interest whatever in her obtaining a pension, that he was eighty years old the 20th of April last; that he knew the said Anna Guest, then Anna Allen, when he was quite young, probably eight or ten years of age, in Wilkes County N.C.—that the said Anna Allen lived with deponents Brother, and was married at his house; deponent thinks he was about thirteen years of age at the time of the said marriage, is satisfied he was but little over that, from which, and other circumstances he is satisfied the marriage must hav taken place about the year 1779. Deponent farther states, that he himself was married on the 13th of October 1785, and is sure that the said Anna Guest was then living with the said William Guest as his wife, and had two or more children, that her oldest child was a Son named Squire, and he is also sure that the said child Squire was born previous to his father's entering the service in the War of the Revolution, or that the said William Guest was out in the said service after the birth of the said child Squire. When called upon in the first instance with regard to this matter Mrs Guest was not present, nor had he consulted with her to refresh his memory as to dates, nor has he since done so, but makes his statement as he first did, from his own memory and the foregoing circumstances
Sworn to before me
this 7th August 1846
W.S. Grisham
Not Pub & Ex Off
M. P. D.
From the appearance of the affiant Elijah Keese, I believe him to be the age he represents himself; and from my knowledge of him, and his general character; I certify that he is a man of undoubted veracity, and respectability, and his statements entitled to full credit; and also that Mrs Anna Guest is of good character in her neighborhood and worthy of belief—
W.S. Grisham
Not. Pub. & Ex. Off.
M. P. D.
South Carolina
Pickens District}
I certify that when I called upon Elijah Keese 11th Sept 1845 to prove the Marriage of Mrs. Anna Guest the Old Lady was not present nor was her Agent M. M. Norton. That Mr. Keese appears to be the age he represents himself to that he is a man of good memory and seemed to make his Statements with great care and from his own memory & the circumstances which he relates not relying upon the statement of Others to refresh his memory as to dates.
And I was surprised to find on going from there to Mrs. Guest (whose Declaration was already made out) the Statements of the two to corespond so well as to date of Marriage. Elijah Keese is a ofman of respectability & undoubted veracity
William D. Steele
Judge of the Court
of Ordinary
for Pickens Dist.
SC
I W. L Keith Clerk of the Court of Pickens District in the State of South Carolina, do hereby certify that W. S. Grisham whose signatures purtorting to be his as Notary Public are Genuine he is Notary Public for said District duly appointed Commissioned and qualified and W. D. Steele whose signature appears to the within Certificate as Ordinary is genuine, he is Judge of the Court of Ordinary for Pickens District and all due faith and credit are due and ought to be given to their official acts as such. I further Certify that I am well acquainted with Elijah Keese who is an old Citizen of our District and is a man of undoubted varacity
In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand & Seal of Office at Pickens C.H. this tenth day of August A.D. 1846
W. L. Keith
Clerk of the Court of
Pickens District So.Ca.
