Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty Land Warrant Application File S. 39,817, for James Kirk, Pennsylvania
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Penn
Kirk, James
S. 39,817
B. L. Wt. 9732-100, issued 1790
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19,100
Pennsylvania
Died June 16, 1841
James Kirk
of Bucks Co in the state of Pennsylvania who eas a private in the company commanded by Captain Bealy of the regiment commanded by Colonel McGaw in the Pennsylvania line, for the term of 6  years to end of war
[illegible] scribed on the roll of Pennsylvania at the rate of 8 dollars per month, to commence on 29 of May 1823
Certificate of pension issued the 21 of Octo 182[illegible] and sent to S. D. Ingham  [illegible] New Hope, Pa
Arrears to 4th of Sept 1823 $25.83
Semi anl. all'ce ending 4 Mar '24     48.00
3 months [illegible]                       $73.83
{Revolutionary claim, Acts March 18, 1818 and May 1, 1820}
Lett to Wm. Michaels, July 6, 1850
1888
[illegible] Eliza J. Clark for more data to identify  [illegible]
Aug 27 J N Shroud, without the data [illegible] as required could not furnish any information that land located in Penn was donated by that state and not by the U.S [illegible]
1888 Sept 22 J N Shroud with a [illegible] notice of service but gave history of land [illegible]
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I William Watts judge as within said do certify that it appears to my satisfaction that the said James Kirk did serve in the revolutionary wars as stated in the preceding declaration against the common enemy for the term of nine months and more at one time and that I believe on this continental establishment and I now transmit the proceedings taken and had before me to the secretary for the de-partment of [illegible] to the directions of the aforementioned act of Congress - as to his circumstances he does not say that they are very [illegible] or that he now stands in need of the assistance of his country for immediate support but that he is altogether [illegible] to labour and that the income of a small farm which he owns will not support him.
Novem 28, 1819       Wm Watts
Bucks County: I do hereby certify that the above named William Watts is one of the judges of the board of Common Pleas of the said county of Bucks and that full faith and credit ought to be grated to his acts as such.
[illegible] my hand and seal of office is this twenty third day of November in the year of our lord one thousand eight hundred and nineteen.
John S. Benezet, Prothonotary
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Bucks County District of Pennsylvania
On this 23rd day of November 1819 before me on of the judges of the Court of Common Pleas of this said county personally aff[illegible] James Kirk aged sixty seven years resident in this said Co. who being me first duly sworn according to law doth on his oath make the following declaration in a [illegible] to obtain the provisions made by the late Act of Congress entitled "an act to provide for certain persons engaged in the land and naval service of the United States in the Revolutionary War" That he the said James Kirk enlisted the 9th day of February 1776 in the said County of Bucks in company commanded by Cap John Beaty of the 5th [illegible] Regiment commanded by Collonell McGaw on the continental establishment as he believes for one year - which he served that he again enlisted in 1777 in the company commanded by [illegible] Baker and that he continued to serve in the said [illegible] until the end of the war - when he was discharged from the service in Philadelphia. That he was in Battles at Iron Hill near the head of [illegible] Brandywine Germantown 
Monmouth - at the Green Springs in Virginia and at the seiges and taking of Cornwallis at York Town and that he has no other evidence now in his power of his said services.
Sworn to and declared before my the day and year afore said. Wm Watts.
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Hon. D. Inham
Pow. of Att. from James Kirk to receive a Revol. Land Warrant.
26th Dec. 1816
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Know all men by these presents that I James Kirk of the township of Warrington in the county of Bucks in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania late a corporal in the first Batallion of Infantry command [illegible] Coln. Harmer in  Captn. Jacob Humphrey's [illegible] in the Pennsylvania line in the Army of the United States in the Revolutionary War and honorably discharged from the same - Have, and by these presents Do nominate constitute and appoint my trusty friends Samuel D. Ingham, of the said County [illegible] state, my true and lawful attorney for me and in my name and in my behalf to procure and and receive from each officer person or persons as shall be legally authorized to grant the same. A [illegible] or as other testament of writing, patent or [illegible] papers as may be requisite or necessary for the quantity of land to which I was entitled for the [illegible] rendered by me, as a corporal in the service of the United States during the Revolutionary War [illegible] to the [illegible] of the United States in each case made and provided. [illegible] I do further hereby empower the [illegible] Samuel D. Ingham to do and to perform all such acts and things and to give such a receipt or receipts or [illegible] and instrument or instruments in [illegible] or shall  be required in as full and simple a manner as I myself could do [illegible] I personal by present and I do further empower him the [illegible] Samuel D. Ingham to constitute and appoint an attorney or attornies under him for the [illegible] purposes and also at pleasure to [illegible] the same. And I do further hereby ratify and confirm whatever my said attorney for his [illegible] shall carefully do in the promises. In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal.
Philadelphia the eighth day of August anno domini one thousand eight hundred [illegible]
James Kirk
Sealed and delivered in the presence of 
John Barclay 
[illegible] Goodman
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Pennsylvania
Be it known that on the date of the state hereof, before me John Goodman Esq. [illegible] Notary Public for the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania residing in the Northern Liberties in the county of Philadelphia by lawful authority duly commissioned and affirmed and by law authorized to administer Oaths and Affirmations, personally appeared James Kirk who being by me duly [illegible] according to Law, did [illegible] and say that he is the person described in and who executed the foregoing power of attorney and that the same is his own free and voluntary act, for the purposed as mentioned therein
James Kirk
And at the same time personally appeared, Jon Markland of the City of Philadelphia and John Barclay Esq. of the Northern Liberties County aforesaid, both Gentlemen  to me well known the former being by me duly sworn and the latter solemnly affirmed according to Law did [illegible] and say that they [illegible] are personally acquainted with the above name James Kirk, and well know him to be the person described in the foregoing power of attorney.
In witness whereof I have here unto set my hand and affixed any Notarial Seal at Philadelphia aforesaid the eighth day of August AD 1816
J Goodman, Notary Public
Jn Markland, late lieut 6th Penn Reg Revolutionary Army
John Barclay
I certify that the above named John Markland , James Barclay Esq are credible witnesses 
Dated at Philadelphia the eighth day of August one thousand and eight hundred sixteen
Jn Goodman
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James Kirk
Receipt from
Wm Alexander
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The within mentioned warrant I forwarded to the War Office with upwards of One hundred warrants some years since and has the Secretary at War receipt for them [illegible] to be at the Directions of the owners  certified 
May 10th 1808
William Alexander
Js Kirk
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War Department Section of Bounty Lands
Dec 28th 1816
By virtue of an authorisation from James Kirk, who was a Corporal in the Pennsylvania Line of the US Revolutionary Army. I the Subscriber do acknowledge to have received from the War Department of the United States, a Land Warrant No.9/32 dated the 10th day of March 1790, which was originally issued to the said James Kirk for his portion of United States Military Bounty Land and which Warrant was afterwards returned and deposited in said War Department by William Alexander [illegible] to whom it had previously been confided for Survey.
Saml D Ingham MC
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District of Pennsylvania
On this thirtieth day of June one thousand eight hundred and twenty Personally appeared in open court of Common Pleas held in Doylestown for the County of Bucks being a court of court of record. Proceeding according to the course of the Common Law with a jurisdiction unlimited in point of amount, keeping a record of their proceedings, James Kirk aged sixty seven years, resident in Bucks count in said District who being first duly sworn according to law, doth on his oath make the following declaration in order to obtain the provision made by the acts of Congress of the Eighteenth of March one thousand and eight hundred and eighteen and the first of May one thousand eight hundred and twenty that he served in the Revolutionary War first in the Company commanded by Captain John Beaty in the regiment commanded by Colonel Robert Magaw in the line of the state of Pennsylvania and second in the company commanded by Captain John McCowen of the 6th Pennsylvania Regiment commanded by Coll. Baker as has been more fully stated in a declaration made before Judge Hart on or about the eighth or tenth day of May one thousand eight hundred and eighteen and before Judge Watts on the twenty fourth day of November one thousand eight hundred and nineteen,
And I do solemnly swear that I was a resident Citizen of the United States on the eighteenth day of March one thousand eight hundred and eighteen, and that I have not since that time by gift sale or in any manner disposed of my property or any part thereof with intent thereby so to diminish it as to bring myself within the provisions of an act of Congress entitled “an act to provide for certain persons engaged in the land and naval service of the United States in the Revolutionary War” passed on the eighteenth day of March one thousand eight hundred and eighteen and that I have not nor has any person in trust for me any property or securities contracts or debts due to me nor have I any income other than what is contained in the Schedule hereto annexed and by me subscribed. James Kirk
Sworn in open court
June 30th 1820
John S. Benezet Prothonotary
Schedule of Property
I have besides necessary clothing and bedding.
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One hundred acres of land with a log house and a log barn one old mare one candle stand one old gun which was given me when discharge one old stove six chairs, quart bottles wine glass & tumbler
The Following debts are due to me and recoverable 
One debt due me of Dolls $ 469.34 
One   D’o    Dolls $ 50.00 
One   D’o    D’o Dolls       32.00
One   D’o    D’o      Dolls $       266.67 
I am indebted in the following sums 
One debt of twelve hundred and eight dollars 
One debt of eight hundred dollars 
one debt of three hundred and fifty dollars 
I am by trade and occupation a farmer but by reason of age and infirmities am not able to pursue that occupation. I have no family residing with me being a boarder with the tenant on the Place James Kirk 
Sworn in open court June 30th 1820
John Benezet Prothonotary
Bucks County
I John Benezet Prothonotary of the County of Bucks do hereby certify that the foregoing oath and the schedule thereto annexed are truly copied from the record of said Courts; and I do further certify that it is of the opinion of the said court that the total amound in value of the property exhibited in the aforesaid schedule is two thousand eight hundred and twenty seven dollars fifty one cents. In testimony whereof I have here unto set my hand, and affixed the seal of the said court this day of July 1820.
John S. Benezet Prothonotary
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August 5, 1935
XXXXXXXXXXX

James Kirk-S.39817
BA-J/AWF

Mrs. Lucy E. F. Brown
248 East 48th South
Murray, Utah

Dear Madam:
Reference is made to your letter in which you
request information in regard to a soldier with
Surname Kirk, born about 1749, enlisted from Pennsylvania wife's name Elizabeth.
The Revolutionary War record of James Kirk which follows was obtained from the papers on file in pension claim, S. 39817, based upon his service in the War of the Revolution. This is the record of the only soldier with surname Kirk, who served with the Pennsylvania troops, found on file in the Revolutionary War records of this office.
The date and place of birth of James Kirk are
not found in the claim, nor are the names of his parents shown.
He enlisted in Bucks County, Pennsylvania, February 9, 1776, served as a private in Captain John Beatty's company, Colonel Robert Magaw's Pennsylvania regiment, length of service one year. He enlisted in March, 1777, served in Captain John McGowan's company, Colonel Bicker's Pennsylvania regiment, was in the battles of Iron Hill, Brandywine, Germantown, Monmouth, Green Springs in Virginia, and the siege [handwritten note- "in Yorktown"] and taking of Cornwallis; he marched from "Carolina" in 1783 as corporal in Caption Jacob Humphrey's company, Colonel Harmar's 1st Pennsylvania regiment, and was discharged in August, 1783 in Philadelphia.
James Kirk was a resident of Warrington Township,
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Bucks County Pennsylvania in 1816. He was allowed pension on his application executed November 23, 1819, then ages sixty-seven years and living in Bucks county, Pennsylvania.
The Soldier, James Kirk, died in June 16, 1841. It was stated on July 1, 1850 that his wife died about "thirty years since", and left two daughters. Name of wife not given, nor are there any data as to their marriage.
A letter written by Mrs. Eliza J. Sharp of 55 Outhwaite Avenue, Cleveland, Ohio, date June 22, 1888, referred to one James Kirk of Pennsylvania as her father and stated that he was in the Revolution. It is not shown that the James Kirk referred to by her is identical with the James Kirk, the Revolutionary War pensioner, whose record is furnished herein.
Very truly yours
A.D. Hiller
Executive Assistant to the Administrator
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The National Archives
Form VAM-51
12-5-41
Bounty Land Warrant Record Card
Division of Veterans' Administration Archives
Name Kirk, James Grade Private Line Pennsylvania
Warrant Number 9732 Acreage 100 Issued March 10, 1790
to - not shown -

*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 subsequent dates. Other records relative to the application 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.