On this 4th day of February, A.D., 1833, personally appeared before the Justices of the County Court of Lincoln County, Missouri, now sitting, James Cannon, a resident of the county and state aforesaid, aged 70 years, who being duly sworn according to the law, doth on his oath make the following declaration, in order to obtain the benefit of the Act of congress passed June 7, 1832, in That he entered the service of the United States in the year 1778 or 1779, in the State of Sourth Carolina, in the company commanded by Captain Matthew Gillespie as a volunteer, and went to guard a small station called Edgile Station, and afterwards removed to Duggan's Station – After the death of Captain Gillespie, he served under a Capt. William Gray, and was engaged in scouting parties against the tories -- that he went with several hundred men under Col. Levi Casey after a large number of tories called Cunningham's Men, and followed these men several days, and until they were dispersed in a swamp in the lower part of S. Carolina and took from them horses, coats and, etc. He thinks he served nearly two years, principally against the tories—and was then drafted in a company commanded by Capt. John Virgin, and crossed the Tennessee River after Indians and tories and killed some of each. There were several hundred of our men in this expedition, all mounted and commanded by Gen'l Pickens, and was out this time about three months, which was in the winter season—and he volunteered under Capt. Thomas Starke, and was engaged two years and more under Said Starke in scouting parties against the tories—that he was born in Newberry county in the State of south Carolina, the year 1762—that he did not bring any record of his birth from his father's house which he left soon after the war—that he moved soon after the revolutionary war to Robinson County in the State of Tennessee—and in the year 1797 or 1798 he moved to Christian County, and in the year 1817 he came to Lincoln County, Mo. Where he now lives—he does not recollect that he ever received any discharge from the service.

I, James Cannon, considering the uncertainty of this mortal life and being of sound mind and memory, do make and publish this my last will and testament in manner and form following, towit: First, my will and desire is that my two servants, Sarah and George, who are slaves, shall after my decease have their freedom, and that my executor shall cause the necessary papers of emancipation to be made out, properly certified and delivered to each of said slaves as soon as can conveniently be done. Second, I wish all my personal estate (except the slaves above mentioned) that I may die possessed of, to be appraised and sold according to law, and also I will and ordain that the executor of this my last will and testament shall as soon as convenient sell and convey in fee simple, at public or private sale, all of my lands that I may die seized and possessed of. And for the doing executing and perfect finishing whereof I do by these presents give to my said executor full power and authority to grant, bargain, sell and convey all of said lands to any person or persons and their heirs and assigns forever in fee simple, and a conveyance or conveyances to make execute and deliver for the same agreeable to this my last will and testament. And after all my debts and the expenses of administering my estate are paid, I wish all the proceeds arising from the sale of my personal and real estate to be equally divided among my children who are now living, as I consider that I gave them in their life time of those deceased, their full share of my estate. And lastly, I hereby appoint my son, Isaac Cannon, sole executor of this my last will and testament, hereby revoking all former wills by me made. In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand and fixed my seal the thirtieth day of June in the year of our Lord one Thousand Eight Hundred and Thirty-Six. James Cannon (Seal)

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