Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty Land Warrant Application File S. 32,604, Joseph Terry Williams, Va.
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(3-1776)

SERVICE

NUMBER

Va.

Williams, Joseph Terry

S. 32.604

CONTENTS
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26.181.

Illinois

Joseph Terry Williams

Jackson Co. in the State of Ill

who was a [illegible] in the Company commanded

by Captain [illegible] of the Regt commanded

by Col Mason in the [illegible]

line for		Va

8 Mo	[illegible] -	40-

3 “	[illegible] -	10	30.00

Inscribed on the Roll of Illinois

at the rate of 50 Dollars	Cents per annum,

to commence on the 4th day of March, 1831.

Certificate of Pension issued the 24th day of March

	and Sent to

1834 Joel Manning Clk Co Court, Br.

Arrears to the 4th of a March 31 – 150

Semi-anl. allowance ending 4 Sept.	23

$175

{Revolutionary Claim,}

{Act June 7, 1832.}

Recorded by J. Tapnger, Clerk,

Book [illegible] Vol. 18 Page 14
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No 17954

Joseph J Williams Jack-son County Illinois

Return 16

Adm_ 8 Months [illegible]

3 Months private

Joel Manning Clk Jack

son County Court Illinois

Brownsville
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BRIEF in the case of Joseph T Williams

County of Jackson in the State of Illinois

(Act 7th June, 1832,)

1. Was the declaration made before a Court or a Judge? a Court

2. If before a Judge, does it appear that the applicant is disabled by bodily infirmity?

3. How old is he? 74

4. State his service, as directed in the form annexed.

Period.

Duration of Service.

Rank.

Names of General and Field Officers under whom he served.

Years,	Months,	Days.

As a

Gen.

Vol In 1776 Apl 2

3

D. Sergeant

Capt. Donelson	Shelby

Draft 1779 Feb	5	Sergt.	“ Witcher	Col Mason

1781 – 2	3	LM. Segt.	Wm McGraw Dep. [illegible]

5. In what battles was he engaged? None

6. Where did he reside when he entered the service? Pittsylvania Co Va

7. Is his statement supported by living witnesses, by documentary proof, by traditionary evidence, by incidental evidence, or by the rolls? Traditionary Evidence

8. Are the papers defective as to form or authentication? and if so, in what respect? The papers not connected as the regulations require

X Certify that the foregoing statement and the answers agree with the evidence in the case above mentioned.

Dyer Castor Examining Clerk.
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Joseph T. Williams

17954
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State of Illinois} ss

Jackson County}

On this 3d day of September 1832 person-ally appeared in open court before the Count Commissioner Court of Jackson County now sitting Joseph T. Williams a Resident of the said County in the State of Illinois aged seventy six years who being first duly sworn according to Law doth on his oath make the following declaration in order to obtain the benefit of the act of Congress passed June 7th 1832.

That in the year 1776 as near as he this depo-nent can recollect he was a Resident of Pittsyvania County in the State of Virginia and on the 2d day of April of said year he turned out as a volunteer to go against the Cherokee Indians, the captain of Company to which he belonged was of the name of John Donelson under the command of [illegible] Sh-elby pm a tour of three months. The force march-ed to the Long Island in the River Holstein. So this place a great many of the Cherokees came and there they made a treaty with the Americans. There the force was discharged and went home. In this expedi-tion against the Indians this deponent was an Or-derly Sergeant.

In the month of February 1779 this deponent was called out for a five months tour as a Drafted Mi-litia man in a Company commanded by Capt. Will-iam Witcher in a Regiment commanded by David Mason and were immediately march down South and Joined the Continental troops under General Linkhon at a place called Stono a place South West of Ch-arleston not Long before the Battle of Stono He and the Militia with him were attached to and ser-ved with the regular troops during the whole company in
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He was discharged at Camden S.C. by a written discharge by his captain which said discharge he state has of which the following is a true copy –

“Camden South Carolina _

“ This is to certify that Joseph Terry Williams a

“ Sergeant in my Company of Militia from Pitts-

“ ylvania has served his power of Duty and is

“ discharged _ given under my hand this 23d

“ day of July 1779	Wm Witcher Capt

In the winter of 1780 and 81 whilst Gen. Green was retreating through the Country before the appro-ching British under the command of Lord Cornwallis, Green called on the Militia for a tour of Duty. This deponent turned out as a volunteer in a com-pany commanded by Capt Stephen Coleman un-der the Command of Colo. Peter Perkins and Joined the army of Regulars under Gen. Green at Dan River in the State of Virginia. Green continued close to the enemy during the whole tour but had no battle but some skermeges such as the one at Whitesell Mill and was discharged abo-ut three days before the Battle of Guilford Courthouse, he acted as quartermaster Sergeant during this tour. He served out his tour of Duty and Received a written discharge a copy of which is as follows and the original still remains in his hands - - “Jos. Terry Williams is hereby Disch-“arged from my Company & Militia. Given “at Camp Guilford County North Carolina “12th March 1781

Stephen Coleman Capt.
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during this last mentioned tour this deponent Served as quarter Master Sergeant.

During the year 1781 or 82 this deponent was called out on a tour of Duty and put to driving public Wagons and teams transporting public sto-res to and from Halifax old town was regular and constant in the said imployment subject to the order of the Deputy quarter master in the regular Service. Served the tour out of three months as he believes and was [illegible] Discharged by Wm McGraw the said Depu-ty quarter master. But whether he received from said officer a written discharge or not this Depo-nent can not say of he did it has been lost. It might have been in this as in his first tour that he never thought it worth his while to apply for a writ-ten discharge as the officer who would give it lived in his immediate neighborhood. This is all the service this deponent Did and he had no documentary testimony fur-ther to offer in proof of such service. The ori-ginal, of the Discharges he has never copied are still in his hands, subject to the inspection of any-one and this deponent says he has no one now within his power by whom he could prove his actual service as there are so few of the old revolutionary soldiers yet living and they so scat-tered over this widely extended Country.

He hereby relinquishes every Claim whatever to a pension or annuity except the present and declares that his name is not on the pension roll of the agency of any state
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Interrogatories to be propounded by the Court

Question 1 Where and in what year were you born

Answer I was born in the county that was af-terward Pittsylvania but at the time it was Halifax Co. in the year 1756.

Question 2 Have you any Record of your age and if so where is it

Answer I have it was on a leaf of my father’s Bible and the Book was about to fall to pie-ces, I took out the said Leaf and now have it in my possession. It is in my father’s hand writing and I have no doubt it is correct.

Question 3d Where were you living when called into Service, where have lived since the Revolutionary war and where do you now live

Answer – In the County of Pittsylvania Virginia when first called out. For thence he moved to Tennessee Sumner Co. [illegible] to Wilson [illegible] to Jackson Co. Illinois where I now live.

Question 4 How were you called into Service, were you drafted, did you volunteer or were you a substitute and of so for whom.

Answer He volunteered three tours and was draf-ted for one to wit the tour of five mo-nths above mentioned.

Question 5 State the names of some of the regular officers who were with the troops where you served such continental and Militia Reg-ments as you can Recollect and the general cir-cumstances of your service.

Answer – General Green commanded in the retreat before Lord Cornwallace in his three tour
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In the second tour he commander in Chief was Gen. Linkham. He was at Salsberry soon after the defeat at Briar Creek and saw some of the men who were in the battle one by the name of Frost a Lieutenant a citizen of Salsberry.

Question 6 Did you ever Receive a Discharge from the service if so by whom was it given and what has become of it.

Answer He refers to the former part of this his Declaration in answer to this question

Question 7th State the names of Persons to who-m you are known in your present neighborhood and who can testify as to your Char-acter for veracity and their belief of your services as a Soldier of the Revolution.

Answer – He refers to and gives up Green Lind-sey and Clergyman and [illegible] Will a Citizen of the County.

Subscribed and Sworn to in open court the Day and year aforesaid}

attest J. Manning Clerk}

Joseph T. Williams

We Green Lindsey	a Clergyman residing in the county of Jackson and [illegible] Will	residing in the same place hereby Certify that we are well acquainted with Joseph Terry Williams who has subscribed and Sworn to the above declaration and that we believe him to be seventy six years of age and that he is reputed to and believed in the neigh-borhood where he resides to have been a Soldier of the revolution and that we concur in that opin-ion.

Sworn to and subscribed

Green Lindsey
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in open Court this day and year aforesaid attest J. Manning Clk.}

Conrad Will

And the Said Court do hereby declare their op-inion after the investigation of the matter and after putting the interrogatories prescribed by the war Department that the above named applicant was a revolutionary Soldier and Served as he States and the court further Certifies that it appears to them that Green Lindsey who has Signed the preceding certificate is a Clergyman resident in the County of Jackson and that Conrad Will who has also signed the same is a resident in the same county and is a Credible person and that their Statement is entitled to Credit.

Berry H. Conner

George Creath

Alexander Cochran

State of Illinois} SS

Jackson County}

Joel Manning Clerk of the County Commissioners Court of Jackson County Illinois Do hereby Certify that the foregoing Contains the original proceedings of the said Court in the matter of the applica-tion of Joseph T. Williams for a Pension.

In testimony of which I have hereunto Set my hand and seal of office this twenty third day of August one thousand and eighty hundred and thirty three

Joel Manning Clerk
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State of Illinois}

Jackson County} SS

I Joel Manning Clerk of the County Commissioners Court of Jackson County Do hereby certify that George Creath, Alexander Cochran, and Benjamin F. Conner who have signed the forego-ing certificate (were at the time of signing the same and still) are the three Judges of the said Court duly [illegible] and qualified. Given under my hand and Seal office at Brownsville in the said County this twenty third day of September one thousand eight hundred and thirty three

J. Manning Clerk
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BRIEF objections to the admission of Pension Claims, of which those answered in the negative, in red ink, will apply to the claim of Joseph T Williams which require further proof or explanation.

I. Does the declaration show where the 
applicant resides?

II. Did the declarant make the declaration in the county where he resides?

III. If the applicant did not make the declaration in the county where he resides, is there any reason assigned for his not doing so?

IV. Has the declarant mentioned the period or periods of the war when he served?

V. *Has he mentioned with precision the length of his service, and the different grades in which he served, in language so definite as to enable the department to determine to what amount of pension he is entitled?

VI. Has he given the names of the officers under whom he served, in conformity with the regulations?

VII. Has he made a relinquishment of every claim to any other pension than the one under the Act of June 7, 1832?

VIII. Has the Court given their opinion?

IX. Has the Clerk given his certificate?

X. Is the Clerk’s seal affixed? And if so, has it a device or inscription by which it can be distinguished from any other seal?
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2

XI. Has the applicant obtained the evidence of a clergyman and another respectable citizen as to their belief respecting his age and the general belief in his neighborhood relative to his revolu-tionary service?

XII. If the clergyman’s affidavit has not been produced, is there any reason assigned for not obtain-ing it?

XIII. If the applicant has no documentary evidence, and has not obtained the testimony of at least one living witness, has he stated in his declaration that such proof cannot be had?

XIV. †If the applicant’s name is not found on the rolls of military service, has he produced a witness or witnesses as to his service?

If he has produced direct proof as to service, has the magistrate who administered the oath, certified to the credibility of the witness or witnesses?

Has the proper officer certified to the official character and signature of the magistrate as the regulations direct?

XV. Does it appear from any of the papers that the witness was in such a situation, or of such an age, as to have a personal knowledge of the applicant’s service?

XVI. ‡Are the papers authenticated as the regulations direct? No #

XVII. Are the seven interrogatories prescribed by the War Department answered satisfactorily? And, if not, which of them is not so answered?

EXPLANATORY NOTES.

*QUERE V. In a case where the applicant cannot, by reason of the loss of memory, state precisely how long he served, he should amend his declaration by making an affidavit in the following words:

“Personally appeared before me, the undersigned, a Justice of the Peace, &c. A. B. who, being duly sworn, deposeth and saith, that, by reason of old age, and the consequent loss of memory, he cannot swear positively as to the precise length of his service, but according to the best of his recol-lection he served not less than the periods mentioned below, and in the following grades; For	year	months, and	days, I served as a	. For	months and	days, I served as a	; and for such service I claim a pension.
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3

It is important in all cases to determine with precision the period for which each applicant served, and the particular rank he held, as the law directs the pension to be paid according to the grade of the pensioner and the length of his service. The use of the phrase about three or four months is too in-definite, and all such qualifying expressions are objectionable. Some persons who apply for pensions merely state they served two years in the militia, &c. without specifying the tours; the names of the officers, and other particulars respecting their service. This form of a declaration is highly objection-able. It must in every case be clearly shown under what officers the applicant served; the duration of each term of engagement; the particular place or places where the service was performed; that the applicant served with an embodied corps called into service by competent authority; that he was either in the field or in garrison; and for the time during which the service was performed, he was not em-ployed in any civil pursuit.

†QUERE XIV. Proof of Service.

In a case where the name of the applicant is not found on the records of the Department, he must prove his service by two credible witnesses, who are required to set forth in their affidavits the time of the claimants entering the service, and the time and manner of his leaving the same, as well as the regiment, company, and line to which he belonged. The magistrate who may administer the oaths must certify to the credibility of the witnesses, and the official character and signature of the magis-trate must be certified by the proper officer, under his seal of office.

‡QUERE XVI. Mode of authenticating papers.

In every instance where the certificate of the certifying officer who authenticates the papers is not written on the same sheet of paper which contains the affidavit, or other paper authenticated, the cer-tificate must be attached thereto by a piece of tape or narrow ribbon, the ends of which must pass under the seal of office of the certifying officer, so as to prevent any paper from being improperly attached to the certificate.

In every case where the clerk of the court, or other certifying officer, has no public seal of office, the certificate of a member of congress, proving the official character and signature of the certifying officer, should accompany the papers.
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“Brownsville Ill}

October 19th}

Fin

(discharge enclosed)

addl. proof

Jos. T. Williams

[illegible]

Nov. 4 1833

Pension office

War Department

Washington City
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Brownsville Ill

Feb 19th

[illegible]

March 7, 1832,

[illegible]

J.L. Edwards Esqr

Commissioner of Pensions

Washington City _
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Joseph Terry Williams

Va. $32604
Page 19

Camden South Carolina

This is to Certifie that Joseph Terry Williams a Sergant in my Company of Malitia from Pittsylvania has Served his Tours of duty and is discharged.

Given under my hand this 23d Day of July 1779.

Wm Witcher Capt
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32,604

Resq. INVALID.

File No. 32,604

Joseph Terry Williams

Pri Rev War

Act: June 7h 32

Index:-Vol. 2, Page 456

[Arrangement of 1870.]
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Jo Terry W

Joseph Terry Williams

Va S32604
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Jos Terry Williams is hereby Discharged from my Company of Militia Given at Camp Guilford County North Carolina 12th March 1781

Stephen Coleman Capt. [illegible]
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Brownsville Oct. 19, 1833.

Sir

I Send enclosed the original Discharges of Joseph T. Williams hoping that this will remove any ob-jection to the allowance of his claim. An Early attention to the subject is Desirable as the old [illegible] is in a Low state of health probably the af-fects of old age and hard Labour and really is in much need of the Discharge of that debt Which the County has so long owed the Revolutionary Soldiers.

There is a Case in this neighborhood of the following description.

Peter Golleher was drafted to stand in readiness for a six month tour of Duty and Shortly after was Called out and was marched toward Yorktown (at the time Cornwallis was there) to Join the army at that place and when within a few miles of the army was taken sick (of the Scarlet fever) and so remained for some time then not fit for duty received a furlough on account of his ill health and was by his friends taken home before the ex-piration of the six months for which he was drafted but remained sick and unable to perform any business for nearly a year. Without putting the
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Department to the trouble of investigating a Claim which can be of no benefit to the Claim-ant I wish you to inform me Whether in case the facts were made out as above Stated the said Peter Golleher could be allowed as for six months service.

With much Respect your Obedt. Servt.

Joel Manning.
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Brownsville Jackson Co. Ill.

Feb. 7th 1834.

Dear Sir,

You will Recollect that some time since I made an application for a Pension for an old Gentleman of our County by the Name of Joseph T. Williams

This Declaration was in the first instance Returned with objection. These were obviated or attempted to be and the Declaration Returned to the Department & then Received a communication requiring that his original Discharges from Service mentioned in his declaration should be sent to the Department. I accordingly obtained them from the old man, copied them, inclosed the originals and [illegible] to the Department. This was about the middle of Oct. last Since which time I have heard nothing up-on the subject. I however expected Mail after Mail a Communication supposing the delay was occa-sioned by the press business until the Last Mail brought me the allowance of the Pension of [illegible] whose Declaration was Sent day after the ori-ginal discharges of Mr. Williams. This circumstance under me to think that the delay cannot be [illegible] by the theory of Business as I before sup-posed. I therefore write this for information upon the subject.

I wish to make an inquiry concerning the appli-cation for a Pension of Jesse Gordon also of our county. This Declaration was first Returned with objections, was amended and Sent Back & was a Second time Returned with this Note.

“The Claimant must produce or at Least make an effort to produce more evidence of his Services as a non Commissioned officer. And as to his
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Services as a Lieut the Regulation of the Department is imperative. Must produce his Commission or Satisfactory evidence he was duly commissioned and Served in that capacity for the time alleged.”

Mr. Gordon Claims to have served one year or nearly so as Lieut and also a Long time in the capacity of Sergeant &c. He has not given up his Claim but is still Serching for evidence. He has found out where a Brother of his Resides of whom he has not heard for many years. By him he hopes to be able to make Satisfactory proof of his Services as a Non-Commissioned officer. Now the question I wish to ask is this. In case he is able to make such proof by his Brother and Should have for the present his Claim for Services as Lieut and be allowed a pension as Non-Commissioned Officer whether hereafter upon making Satisfactory proof of his Services as Lieut his Pension could be increased to what it would have been in case he had made such proof in the first instance.

This age infirmity and poverty will at once sug-gest the Reason for this inquiry.

I mentioned in a former communication a case for a Pension of this Co. by the Name of Peter Golleher, will you please in your answer to this to an-swer my inquiry in that case also.

Yours Sir with much Regard

Joel Manning.

To J.L. Edwards Esqr}

Commissioner of Pensions}
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Brownsville Jackson County Illinois

August 23d 1833.

Sir

I Return to the Department the appli-cations of Joseph T. Williams, Robert Triatt, and Hezekiah Davis with their accompany-ing Briefs after having made such amendments as appeared to me to be sufficient your in-struction. I have alltogether refrained from medling with any other part of the applica-tion as that would disarrange the exami-nation which has been already made by the Department.

I Drew the Conclusion that the only [illegible] in the [illegible] refered to in Quere XVI was that the Sheet of Paper which contained the Seals was not attached in the manner prescribed in the explanatory note to the said quere, and I was conferred in this opinion by the particular direction in Pencil mark to the same Explanatory Note in the Brief Accompanying Joseph T. Williams applica-tion. If I have misapprehended the objection I shall of course be informed.

The other applications will probably be returned after the Next term of our Court.

No Delay in this matter has been oc-casioned by my absence for a long Time and it is hoped that the Department has by this time so far relieved itself from the great theory of Business which has been thrown up-on it as to be able soon to act upon these applications.

Your obdt. Servant

Joel Manning.

J.L. Edwards Esqr.
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THE NATIONAL ARCHIVES

Form VAM-51

12-5-41

BOUNTY LAND WARRANT RECORD CARD*

Division of Veterans’ Administration Archives

NAME Williams, Joshua GRADE Private LINE Connecticut

WARRANT NUMBER 6607 ACREAGE 100 ISSUED Jan. 11, 1799 to Sylvester Fuller, assignee

*The information concerning the issuance of warrants carded on this form is found in volumes 2 to 4 of “Land Warrants Issued Prior to 1800” which are registers of bounty land warrants issued to non-commissioned officers and privates under congressional resolutions of September 16, 1776, and subse-quent dates. Other records relative to the applications for warrants appear to have been destroyed in the War Department fire of November 9, 1800. Information concerning warrants surrendered to the Federal Government is to be found in General Land Office records in The National Archives.