Revolutionary War Pension Narrative
Originally published by the ECHGS and used here with permission.
Some words in this transcript may be misspelled as they appeared in the original record.
Name: Thomas Bicknell or Becknell
State: North Carolina
Pension Number: S-12985
Primary Service: Revolutionary War
Additional Service Mentioned: War of 1812
Thomas Bicknell was born in Albermarle County, Virginia, in 1763.
Later, his family moved to Wilkes County, North Carolina, where he resided during the Revolutionary War and remained for some time after the war was over.
He moved to Georgia, then back to North Carolina, and finally to Madison County, Kentucky, where he died.
In 1780, Thomas Bicknell, then just seventeen years old, lied about his age in order to join the Continental Army.
He mustered sometime in August 1780 in Wilkes County, North Carolina.
His major was Jesse Walton and his captain was Larkin Cleveland.
He was at the Battle of King's Mountain, where, because of his youth, he was assigned the duty of guarding the baggage wagons and guarding prisoners.
Thomas Bicknell married Mary Mathuson of North Carolina. She died in 1812.
During the War of 1812, Thomas again joined the army. His close friend, a man named Reeder, was critically wounded and, as he lay dying, asked Thomas to take care of his wife Nancy and his four children.
After the war was over, Thomas married Nancy Reeder. They were the parents of nine children.
They became very devout Christians and were baptized into the Baptist faith beneath the famous oak tree at Boonesborough.
Thomas Bicknell was granted a pension when he was sixty-nine years of age for his service in the Revolutionary War.