Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty Land Warrant Application File R. 1,168, William Bratton, Md. Sea Service
Page 1

(3-1776)

SERVICE 

Md. Sea Service 

Bratton, William 
or 
Bratten

NUMBER

R. 1,168

CONTENTS
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State of Ohio Brown County SS 
Personally on the 17th day of April in the year A.D. 1838, appeared before me James Allen an acting Justice of the Peace in & for the County of Brown and State aforesaid William Bratton 
a resident of the County of Brown and State of Ohio he being unable from bodily infirmity to appear in open Court, aged 82 years, he 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 he entered the service of the United States 
Navy the 9th day of August 1776 and served as an enlisted soldier twelve months under the command of Commodore James Nicholson on board the ship Virginia, as hereinafter 
stated:  That he entered the service as above stated under the command of Commodore Sam Nicholson in the year 1776 on the 
ship as above stated (Virginia) which was at that time lying in the Chesapeak [Chesapeake] Bay near Baltimore. The Captains, on board 
the said ship Virginia, were Slaymaker, Pratt & Johns, Surgeons were Faulton and McGlaston.  The said ship remained in the Bay aforesaid 12 months, which was during the time of 
his service.  The capes were blockaded during said time of service with British fleet, so that said ship could not get out to sea, there were some other gallies & gun boat lying 
in the Bay afsd [aforesaid] at the same time-The names of the officers I do not recollect except Capt. Dary (a Frenchman). He has no documentary evidence of his service.  He hereby relinquishes every claim whatever to a pension or annuity except the present and he declares that his name is not on the pension Roll of any agency in any State or Territory in the United States.
Sworn to and subscribed the 
day and year aforesaid.  
William his X mark Bratton
James Allen J. P [word seal encircled]

I James Allen an Acting Justice of the peace for the County and State aforesaid, do declare it to be my opinion that
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William Bratton the aforesaid applicant was a revolutionary 
soldier and served as he states.  In Testimony whereof I have 
hereunto set my hand and seal.

The following interrogatories were then put: } Jas Allen J.P. [word seal encircled]
1st Where and in what year were you born?
Ans I was born in Worcester County State of Maryland the 5th of 
December in the year 1755

2nd Have you any record of your age, if so where is it?
Ans I have frequently seen in my life the record of my age in a book 
called the Confession of Faith, in which my Father recorded the 
ages of his family

3rd Where were you living at the time you were called into service, 
where have you lived ever since, and where do you now live?
Ans I lived in the County of Worcester State of Maryland when called 
into service, where I remained until the year 1797, when I moved to 
the State of Tennessee Davidson County, where I remained till the 
year 1802 when I moved to the County of Smith in State afsd where 
I remained till the year 1825, when I moved to the State of Ohio 
where I remained about 12 months, then I moved back to Smith 
County Tennessee where I remained until the year 1837 when I moved 
to the State of Ohio Brown County where I now reside.

4th How were you called into service, were you drafted, did you volunteer, 
or were you a substitute? and if a substitute for whom?
Ans I enlisted under the command of Commodore James 
Nicholson as before stated.

The 5th & 6th interrogatories were answered and explained in the 
foregoing declaration.

7th State the names of the persons to whom you are known in your 
present neighborhood and who can testify as to your character 
for veracity, and their belief of your service as a soldier of the 
revolution.
Ans. Isaac Wilson and William Dirickson
Sworn to and subscribed the day & year } William his X mark Bratton
aforesaid }
Jas Allen J.P. [word seal encircled]
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We Isaac Wilson and William Dirickson residing in the neighbor
hood of the afsd William Bratton, and in the County of Brown and 
State of Ohio do hereby certify that we are well acquainted with William 
Bratton who has sworn to the afsd declaration, that he is a man 
of good character for truth and veracity, that he is reputed and 
believed in the neighborhood where he resides to be of the age of 82 
years, and to have been a soldier of the revolutionary war.
Sworn to and subscribed the day and year first written.
Jas. Allen J.P. [word seal encircled]  Isaac Wilson
Wm Dirickson

State of Ohio Brown County SS.

Personally appeared before me James Allen 
an acting Justice of the Peace for the County and State afsd on the day 
first written, Elizabeth Brattan who being duly sworn according 
to law deposeth and saith- that she has known the afsd. William 
Bratten (who was sworn to the foregoing declaration) for a long period 
of years, that she thinks in the year 1776 he left home with the 
intention of going into the revolutionary war, that said William 
Bratten was absent for the period of one year, and when he returned 
he stated he had been enlisted in the service as he has stated in 
his declaration, this deponent at that time lived in the neighborhood 
of said William Bratten in Worcester County State of Maryland, and 
states while he was out in the service and when he returned home 
and ever since, it has never been doubted by said applicants 
acquaintances, that he was in the revolutionary war, or that he 
served as he has stated in his declaration- This deponent 
has known said William Bratten for along time and that 
his character has always been good for truth and veracity 
Sworn to and subscribed the day and 
year first written  Elizabeth her X mark Brattan
Jas. Allen J. P. [word seal encircled]

I James Allen of the County of Brown and State of Ohio, acting 
Justice of the Peace of the County and State afsd do hereby certify 
that Isaac Wilson and Wm. Dirickson whose names are attached
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to the foregoing certificate are persons of good character for 
truth and veracity and that their statement is entitled 
to [illegible] and credit also that Elizabeth Brat
tan whose name is attached to the foregoing affidavit 
of the proof of service of the said William Bratten 
as a revolutionary soldier is a person of good character 
for truth and veracity and that her statement is entitled 
to credit.  I also certify that there is no clergyman residing 
in the neighborhood of said applicant to whom he can 
[illegible] the general belief as to his age and service in the 
revolutionary war and that said William Bratten is 
unable from bodily infirmity to appear in open Court.
Given under my hand and seal this 17th day of April 1838
Jas. Allen
Justice of the Peace [word seal encircled]

State of Ohio Brown County SS }

I G.W. King Clerk of the Court of Common Pleas for the County 
aforesaid do hereby certify that James Allen before whom the 
foregoing proceeding was had in the matter of the application 
of William Bratton for a pension, now is, and was at the time said 
proceeding was had before him one of the acting Justices of the Peace 
for the said County of Brown duly commissioned and qualified 
according to law.
In Testimony whereof I have hereunto set 
my hand and affixed the seal of said 
Court, this 18th day of April 1838
and 62 years of the American Indepen
dence
GWKing Clerk
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No. 21056
William Bratton [struck out: Smith 
County Tennessee]
[struck out: Kentucky]
Brown County Ohio

[illegible]

Jonathan Pickett Clk
Smith County Court 
Tenn
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BRIEF in the case of William Bratton 
County of Smith in the State of Tennessee 
(Act 7th June, 1832.)

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

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

3.  How old is he?  77

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

Period. |
______ |
Enlisted in 1776 on board ship |
Virginia |

Duration of Service. |
_________________ |
Years, Months, Days. |
              12 |

Rank. |
_____ |
As a
Seaman |

Names of General and Field Officers 
under whom he served. 
_______________________________
Com Nicholson, Capt Slaymaker

5. In what battles was he engaged?  None

6.  Where did he reside when he entered the service?  Worcester Co Md

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

8.  Are the papers defective as to form or authentication? and if so, in what respect?  Correct

I 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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William Bratton
[struck out: Kentucky]
[struck out: Ohio]

Suspended

See let. 22d May 
1838 H. S. Penn

1168
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[struck out: Acts of July 14, 1862, and March 3, 1873.]

[Stamp]  REJECTED
1168
[illegible initials]

P. O. William Bratton
Service: [blank]

Enlisted: [blank] , 18[blank].
Discharged: [blank] , 18[blank].

Application filed: [blank] , 18[blank].

Alleges: [blank]

Re-enlisted: [blank]

Attorney: [blank]
P. O. [blank]

[blank] Recognized. [blank] Contract.
[blank] Cert. of Dis. Searched for [blank] , 18
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[Envelope with notes]

[Written vertically left margin]

[struck out: Send] [illegible] Sent
Apl 26
Ohio 
Act 1832
Wm Bratten

[Written horizontally]
Georgetown
Ohio
April 19th

[Address]

FREE

Hon Secretary of the war department
Washington 
D. C.

Pension application [illegible initials]
Page 11

[Envelope with note]

[Note]
Ohio
file with 
Wm Bratton

[Address]

Free
Hon J. L Edwards
Washington 
D. C.

May 19
Page 12

Georgetown O. May 9th. 1838.

Hon J. L.Edwards, a few weeks since 
I transmitted to the war department the application 
of William Bratton for a pension, his son has 
just handed me a communication from the depart
ment, which advises me of the propriety of forwar
ding the department the name of the applicant, 
[illegible] William Bratton [illegible] residing in George
town Brown County Ohio. When you have [illegible]
said application you will please forward to me 
the result of your action upon his application.  Ohio 
Senator Thomas Means is an intimate acquaintance 
of mine, and will give you a satisfactory statement 
of my character.

Respectfully 

Hanson T. Penn

Hon. J. L.Edwards