A Fresh Look at a Pension Record

One of my ancestors, William Cail, received a Revolutionary War pension. He enlisted in the North Carolina line in 1782, and applied for a pension from Georgia in 1833. William died in 1836. His widow, Ruth Cail, applied for a pension in 1855.

I had not looked at this pension record in over ten years, so I decided to take a look at it again this morning to see if I could establish a FAN club for further research.

"New" information about William Cail

• Alternate spelling: Cayle
• William was 15 when he entered the service in 1782 (inferred date of birth - 1767)
• His original application was filed in Bulloch County, where he resided in 1833 
• William received 1000 acres of land in 1782 while in North Carolina. Warrant No. 892. In 1855, no record of his receiving land was found by state of North Carolina

Ruth Cail

• Her pension funds were sent to Planters Bank in Savannah
• Received 160 acres of bounty land
• Resident of Screven County in 1853
• Dropped from pension roll in 1862. Re-applied in 1869. Had to prove under oath that she did not "in any matter encourage those who took up hostilities against the United States government nor manifest a sympathy with their cause"
• Residence in 1869 was 11 miles from Sylvania, near the Central Railroad

FAN Club

• Budd Cayle, signed as witness to William's application
• James Parker, witness for pension application. Stated he grew up in the same neighborhood as William. (Could narrow down WHERE in Dobbs County the Cail family lived)
• Robert Donaldson and Hugh Brannan, provided character witness. Both were clergy, "Ministers of the Gospel." William and Ruth may have attended their church.
• Parker Cail, witness
• Mr. Thomas was a witness. Knew William well during the Revolution. Mr. Thomas received a pension as well.
• John Mincey served as witness and provided testimony for both William and Ruth. Neighbor for over 20 years. Present at their wedding ceremony. Aged 74 in 1855.
• John Jeffers knew William and Ruth for over 20 years. Also a neighbor.
• William Williams, provided testimony for Ruth's application
• Wright Caile, identified as neighbor in Ruth's application
• P.M. Brinsen (P. McBrinson?), provided testimony for Ruth's bounty land application
• William L. Matthews, witness in 1869 application, providing testimony that Ruth did not support the South
• Lemuel Parker, also provided testimony that Ruth did not support the South
• David Burk, witness in 1869 application
• James Newton, witness in 1869 application

Research Plan

• Research Bud Cail, Parker Cail, and Wright Cail. Based on information from other documents, I believe Bud Cail is William's brother. Are there other sources to support that theory? How were Parker and Wright related to William?
• Determine place of origin, parents, and siblings for John Mincey. Was he related to the Cail family? 
• Determine place of origin, parents, and siblings for James Parker
• Determine place of origin, parents, and siblings for Lemuel Parker
• How were James Parker and Lemuel Parker related to each other? To the Cail family?
• Determine what church Robert Donaldson and Hugh Brannan pastored. Were William and Ruth members of this church? Did they live in the same neighborhood? Who else from the FAN club attended the church?
• Determine which "Mr. Thomas" served in the same unit as William in the Revolution. Examine his pension record.
• Research other FAN club members: John Jeffers, William Williams, P. Brinson, William Matthews, David Burk, James Newton.