Do you have multiple people in your file with the same names? If so, were they born in the same year and died in the same year? Well, I have TWO men named James Crawford who were born about 1758 and died in 1836.

Over the years, I have seen records for one man attached to the opposite James Crawford. Both have gravestones indicating they served during the revolutionary war. However, it appears that both may be claiming the same military service. IF so, that would explain why the DAR has closed one line for future memberships. The line thru James Crawford of Fleming County is still open for membership while the James Crawford line of Jefferson County, Indiana is currently closed.

I recently found an application for a military pension for the James Crawford of Fleming County, Kentucky. This application not only supports the DAR keeping the line open but provides information about where James lived prior to migrating to Kentucky along with an approximate time for that migration.

State of Kentucky
Fleming County

On this day personally appeared in open Court
before the justices of [this] Fleming County Court
now sitting James Crawford a resident of the
county and state first aforenamed aged 74 year
who being first duly sworn according to law do[th]
on his oath makes the following declaration in
order to obtain the benefit of an act of congr[ess]
passed June 7th 1832 viz tha he entered the
service of the United States in Botetourt County
Virginia in the year 1778 or 79 (he thinks in 78) the
first day of September that he served under Capt
William Colbert in the regiment commanded by Col
Patrick Lockhart immediately after being in listed
[low] the mouth of Big [Beaver] the he served
the full term of 3 months the period for which
he was enlisted and was discharged at Fort McIntosh by
Col Lockhart that he was in no engagement
during the period that he afterwards entered the
service of the United States as a volunteer in
the year 1780 in December in the State of Virginia
Botetourt county that he marched to South Car
olina under Major David Campbell and Capt
Alex Hanley that he marched without delay
having slept but one day during the march to
join Col Morgan’s rifle corps whose regiment
he joined three or four days after the bat
tle of the cow pens that he was in the the an

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my re[locating] four Cornwallis during the re
treat at the ford of Yadkin river acting as a
picket guard under Capt Hanby he was at
tacked and his Capt and one private taken pri
soner the private afterwards escaping and two
men of the guard killed and two wounded
after crossing Atkins river he marched to
Halifax courthouse in Virginia that he was
discharged at that place by Maj Campbell
herein been in no battle or skirmish other
than the aforenamed that he volunteered the
last time for 3 months which time he [served]
previous to being discharged that he had un[?]
ten discharged both times has lost them both
long since that know but one person in
this count who can prove his service whose
certificate is below annexed that he hereby
relinquishes every claim whatever to a pension or
annuity except the present and that his
name is not on the agency of any state.
Sworn to and subscribed this 1st day of
Apl in the year of our Lord one thousand eight
hundred and thirty three he as born in Augusta
County Virginia he lived there [till] he moved to Fleming
County Kenty he herewith attached
a $30 bill which he [as Pas pay]
James Crawford
Jn0 McRoberts [give as] he knew the foregoing James
Crawford while a boy that he knew him when
he went into the service & when he reld but how long
he served he don’t know he thinks he went a second time
but of this his recollection is not certain he hath
known him for [upwards] such years and his character
is good he hath lived in Fleming Cty Kenty about 40 years
John McRoberts

U.S. Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty-Land Warrant Application files, 1800-1900, James Crawford, 1 April 1833; database with images, Ancestry.com (www.ancestry.com : viewed online 5 December 2022). Original Source: NARA microfilm pubication M804.