Paul Razor was my fifth great grandfather.  He married Mary Catherine Cook.  This was really all I knew about him until last week.  I was researching him to see if I could turn anything up and I came across a reference to service in the Revolutionary War.  Since I have access to the select and non-select Revolutionary War pension records, I looked for him in the index.  There he was.  I pulled the corresponding roll of microfilm and found the documents pertaining to Paul Razor.  It is often difficult to read the writing, but I’ve learned quite a bit about him.

Paul Razor began his service in Pittsylvania County, Virginia in April of 1777.  He volunteered under Captain William Witcher for six months.  They began at Pittsylvania Old Courthouse and marched to Long Island, where they were stationed under the command of Colonel Shelby.  Here, they were charged with driving the Indians out of the settlements.  In June of 1781, no longer a volunteer, he was instructed to take a load from the mill to Pittslyvania County and to William Penn’s house in Amherst County, Virginia in his wagon with his team of horses.  He was then ordered to join the army near Williamsburg.  He did meet the army, which was under the command of General Lafayette and General Wayne.  Paul was then attached to this unit and was employed in hauling goods and whatever else they needed a wagon to do.  They then marched to Petersburg and continued on toward Richmond.  They camped 18 miles below Richmond.  Here he was discharged by General Wayne in September of 1781.

He requested pension in January of 1834.  In his pension request he included other information about himself.  Paul Razor was born in Easttown, Pennsylvania in 1750.  He lived in Pittsylvania County, Virginia until 1790.  He then moved to Fayette County, Kentucky, where he lived for five years.  He then moved to Shelby County, Kentucky, where he lived at the time of his pension request.  His testimony of service was confirmed by two witnesses and pension was granted.

Sources

1. National Archives and Records Administration. “Paul Razor (R8626).”  Microfilm. Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty Land Warrant Application Files (Select and Non-select) (1800-1900): roll m804-2008. Accessed 4 November 2015. Stuart Barth Wrege Indiana History Room.