Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty Land Warrant Application File S. 5780, for Edward Morrisson, Virginia
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Virginia 16.225
=
Edward Morrison
Fauquier in the State of Virginia
who was a private in the company commanded by Captain Blackwell of the Regt
commanded
by Col. Marshall in the Virginia
line for 6 months & 12 days

Inscribed on the Roll of Virginia
at the rate of 22 Dollars 49 Cents per annum
to commence on the 4th day of March, 1831.

Certificate of Pension issued the 19th day of July
'33 and sent A. I. Morrison
Warrenton Va

Arrears to the 4th of March '33        44.98 
Semi-Anl. allowance ending 4 Sept. 11.24 1/2 
                                                         $56.022 1/2 
Revolutionary Claim 
Act. June 7, 1832 
Recorded by            
Wm.   Miller,      Clerk 
Book    E.      Vol    6,     Page    18.
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State of Virginia 
County of Fauquier ss

On the 26th day of Sept. 1832 personally appeared in open court before the Justices of 
the county court of Fauquier sitting, Edward Morrison a resident of Fauquier County and 
State of Virginia, aged 74 years last April, 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.  I entered the service of the United States under 
Captain John Blackwell, Thomas Marshall, the colonel in July 1777, and served until 
sometime in October of the same year.  I was marched to the state of Pennsylvania near 
the city of Philadelphia and there was joined the regular army.  I entered the service 
again in the month of May 1780 under Captain Jennings, and after marching below the 
city of Richmond I was attached to the regiment of Col. Elias Edmonds and served in 
and about the city of Richmond until about the middle of July of the same year.  

I have living testimony of the first tour commencing July 1777 and ending in October of the same year, but have neither living or documentary evidence of the last tour commencing May 1780 and ending July following.  I enlisted in the same year 1780 for the space of three years [              ] company not having been filled up.  I remained on furlow until the next summer.  I was then called upon and marched to the lower part of Virginia but after staying there between six weeks and two months I was again furlowed and was never again called upon.  Cornwallis having surrendered in a short time after that, I got a discharge from Major Forsyth who came in the town of Fredericksburg which discharge I have long since lost.
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Question by the court When  and in what year were you born 
Ans in the state of Jersey and in the year 1758

Q  Have you any record of your age
Ans I have none-
Q Where were you living when called into service and where have you lived since that time
Ans In the county of Fauquier and state of Virginia in having moved there when about  eleven years old and lived there since that time-
Q How were you called into service were you drafted were you a substitute or were you a volunteer?
Ans I was drafted twice and enlisted once
Q Did you receive a discharge
Ans I did from my enlistment It was given by Major Forsythe [illegible] [illegible] it. I hereby relinquish my claim whatsoever to a pension or [illegible] [illegible] the present and declare that my name is not on the pension roll of the [illegible] of my state-[illegible] Edward Morrisson

Subscribed and sworn to the year and day [illegible]

Edward Morrisson

The foregoing subscribed and Sworn to before me this 27th day of May 1833

Robert [illegible]

Virginia
Fauquier County J. Alexander  J. Marshall state of the County Court of Fauquier certify that Robert [illegible] is a magistrate as above - and that the foregoing signature purporting to be his is [illegible] me.

In testimony where I have hereunto affixed my seal of office and subscribed my name this 5th day of June in the year 1833.

A. J. Marshall
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Leeds Manor Fauquier County Sept 12th 1832

We the undersigned do hereby certify that we have known Mr Edw Morisson for the last fifteen or twenty years and [+] do verily believe him to be a man of truth and [+] integrity and [+] we further believe that the said Morrisson would not make a statement on oath or otherwise that was not strictly truth given under our hands this day and date above written.

Danl. S. Payne
Js Payne Sr
J. Marshall Jr.
Jn Payne Jr
Thos Hillary
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I, James Burdett do certify that I am well acquainted with Edward Morrison who has subscribed and sworn to the above declaration and that I [illegible] with him the [illegible] commencing July 1777 and ending October of the same year.

James Burdett

[illegible] as a sworn to the day and year of our Lord 

Wm H Jennings [illegible]
[illegible]

We Johnny [illegible]+ James Jones do hereby certify that we are well acquainted with Edward Morrisson who has subscribed and sworn to the above declaration; that we believe him to be 74 years of age and we further certify that no man stands higher than he does as a man of truth and we believe he would not put up a claim that was not just

Johnny Logan
James Jones

Subscribed and sworn to the day + year aforesaid.  Wm H Jennings [illegible]
And the said count do hereby declare this opinion after  the investigation of the matter, and after putting in writing stories prescribed by the war department that the above applicant was a revolutionary soldier, and a [illegible] as he states, and the court further certifies that James Burdett, Johnny [illegible] + James Jones who have sworn to and [illegible] the  above certify

for [illegible] and residents ^the first two of the county of Fauquier VA other of Culpeper County and are certified to credit, and the court further certifies that this is [illegible] clergyman an resident in the [illegible] and date neighborhood of the above applicant

I, William H. Jennings, clerk pro tempore of Fauquier County Court, do hereby certify that the foregoing contains the original proceedings of the said court in the matter of the application of Edward Morrison for a pension.
In testimony where of, I have hereunto set my hand and seal of office on this 27th day of November 1832, and in the 57th year of the commonwealth.

Wm H. Jennings
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Personally appeared before me the undersigned, a justice of the peace in and for the county of Fauquier state, Virginia; Edward Morrisson of Fauquier County an [illegible] aforementioned; who having duly sworn, [illegible], and sayeth 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 last of his recollection, served not less than the periods mentioned below, and in the [illegible] grades: I entered into the service of the Untied States as private in Captain John Black[illegible], Col Thomas Marshall commanded the [illegible] for a tour of three months; commencing July 1777 ending October 1777 and serving for three months. I was marched in the state of Pennsylvania, near its city of Philadelphia, and joined the grand army there; I entered again in the month of May 1780 under Captain Jennings marched below the [illegible] of Richmond and was attached to the regiment of Col. Elias Edmonds and served in and about  the city of Richmond for the space of two mos there being discharge about ^the middle of July of the same year. I enlisted in the [illegible] year for the space of three years; under Captain William Roy, Maj Forsythe, and General Spotswood were the officers, (Legion of horse
I remained furlow until the [illegible] summer: was then called upon marched to the Lower part of Virginia; remained about two months [illegible]  [illegible] weeks and had furlowed again. I was frequently called up and had several times to march [illegible] or sixty miles to said order and then for that a [illegible] short time on actual service [illegible] [illegible] to remain always ready to march at a minutes warning on [illegible] another to engage in any  permanent business, and [illegible] as much as if I had been all the time in actual service; I got a discharge from Major Forsythe in Fredericksburg. I am [illegible] known to Col John Marshall Thos Marshall Daniel Payne John Payne Thos Hillary and many others who can testify to my character as a man of [illegible]
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Edward Morrisson
Fauquier Co VA

Admit
1 mo 12 days [illegible] [illegible] 5.83
5                                   [illegible] -1h.hh
                                                       ______
                                                       22.49
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Sir:
The evidence in support of your claim, under the act of June 7, 1832, has been examined, and the papers are herewith returned. The following is a statement of your case in a tabular form. On comparing these papers with the following rules, and the subjoined notes, you will readily perceive that objections exist, which must be removed, before a pension can be allowed. The notes and regulations will shew what is necessary to be done. Those points to which your attention is more particularly directed, you will find marked in the margin with a trace, (thus: }). You will, when  you return your papers to this Department, send this printed letter with them; and you will, by complying with this request, greatly facilitate the investigation of your claim.

A Statement, shewing the Service of Edward Morrisson

Period when the service was rendered 
July 1779 [illlegible] until October 11
May 1780 the the month of July 1780
some 6 weeks or two months

Duration of the claimant's service 
Years   Months   Days
                 3
                 2
                 1         12
[illegible]

Rank of the claimant.
Private

Names and Rank of the Company officers under whom he served.
Capt. Blackwell
Capt. Jennings

Name and Rank of the General and Field officers
Col. Marshall
Col. Edmonds

Battles in which the applicant was engaged.

Country through which he marched.
Marched to Pennsylvania and there joined the regular army

In [illegible] Richmond

Place of abode when he entered the service and age at the present period.
14 years Fauquier Co VA

Evidence by which the declaration is supported

[illegible] a [illegible] with [illegible]

I am, respectfully, 
Your obedient servant, 
J.L. Edwards,
Commissioner of Pensions
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2
REGULATIONS UNDER THE ACT OF JUNE 7, 1832.
The following regulations have been adopted:
This law has been construed to extend, as well to the line, as to every branch of the Staff of the Army, and to include under the terms "Continental Line," "State troops," "militia," and "volunteers," all persons enlisted, drafted, or who volunteered and who were bound to military service, but not those who were occasionally employed with the army upon civil contracts, such as Clerks to Commissaries and to Store Keepers, &c. Teamsters, Boatmen, &c. Persons who served on board of Private Armed Vessels are also excluded from the benefits of the law, as well as persons who turned out as patrols, or were engaged in guarding particular places at night, and were not recognized as being in actual military service.

Four general classes are embraced in this law: 
1. The Regular Troops.
2. The State Troops, Militia, and Volunteers.
3. Persons employed in the Naval service.
4. Indian Spies.

As rolls of the regular troops in the Revolutionary War exist in this Department, all persons, claiming the benefit of this law as officers, non-commissioned officers, musicians or privates, will in the first instance, make application by transmitting the following declaration, which will be made before a Court of Record of the County where such applicant resides. And every Court having by law a seal and Clerk is considered a Court of Record.

DECLARATION
In order to obtain the benefit of the Act of Congress of the 7th of June, 1832.

State, Territory, or District of County of} 33

On this    day of     Personally appeared (a) before
  A. B. a resident (b) of       in the county of       and State, Territory or District of       aged (c)    years, who being first duly sworn, according to law, dot on his oath make the following declaration, in order to obtain the benefit of the provion made by the act of Congress, passed June 7th, 1832. That he enlisted in the Army of the United States in the year (d)    , with       and served in the (e) regiment of the      line, under the following named officers:

[Here set forth the names and rank of the Field and Company Officers, the time he left the service; (and if he served under more than one term of enlistment, he must specify the particular period, and rank and names of his officers;) the town or county and State in which he resided when he enered the service; the battles, if any, in which he was engaged, and the country through which he marched. This form is to be varied so as to apply to the cases of officers and persons who belonged to the militia, volunteers, navy, &c.]

He hereby relinquishes every claim (f) whatever to a pension or an annuity, except the present, and he declares that his name is not on the Pension Roll of any Agency in any State, or (if any) only on that of the Agency in the State of    

Sworn to and subscribed the day and year aforesaid.      A.B.
[And then will follow the certificate of the Court.]
And the said Court do hereby declare their opinion (g) that the above named applicant was a revolutionary soldier, and served as he states.
I                    of the Court of               do hereby certify (h) that the foregoing contains the original proceedings of the said Court in the matter of the application of               for a pension. 

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal of office (i) this         day of    &c.

If, on examination of the proper record the names of applicants, making such declaration, cannot be found, they will produce such proof as the rule given in note (j) points out.
Every applicant who claims by virtue of service in the State Troops, Volunteers or Militia, except those who belonged to the New Hampshire Militia and State Troops of Virginia, will make and subscribe a declaration similar to the foregoing, with the following additions, viz:
(k) We, A. B., a Clergyman, residing in the       and C. D. residing in (the same) hereby certify, that we are well acquainted with              , who has subscribed and sworn to the above declaration; that we believe him to be     years of age; that he is reputed and believed, in the neighborhood where he resides, to have been a soldier of the Revolution, and that we concur in that opinion.

Sworn and subscribed the day and year aforesaid, 
[And then will follow the certificate of the Court]

And the said Court do hereby declare their opinion, 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 A. B.       who has signed the preceding certificate is a clergyman, resident in the       and that C. D., who has also signed the same is a resident in the       and is a credible person, and that their statement is entitled to credit.

I,         Clerk of the Court of          do hereby certify that the foregoing contains the original proceedings of the said Court, in the matter of application of       for a pension.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand and seal    of office, this    day of     &c.

Every applicant will produce the best proof in his power. This is the original discharge or commission; but if neither of these can be obtained, the party will so state under oath, and will then procure, if possible, the testimony of at least one credible witness, stating in detail his personal knowledge of the services of the applicant, and such circumstances connected therewith, as may have a tendency to throw light upon the transaction.

If such surviving witness cannot be found, the applicant will so state in his declaration (l) and he will also, whether he produce such evidence or not, proceed to relate all the material facts, which can be useful in the investigation of his claim, and in the comparison of his narrative with the events of the period of his alleged service, as they are known at the Department. A very full account of the services of each person
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...will be indispensable to a favorable action upon his case. The facts stated will afford one of the principal means of corroborating the declaration of the applicant, if true, or of detecting the imposition, if one be attempted; and unless, therefore, these are amply and clearly set forth, no favorable decision can be expected. All applicants will appear before some Court of Record in the County, in which they reside, and there subscribe and be sworn to, one of the declarations above provided, according to the nature of his case.
	The Court will propound the following (m) interrogatories to all applicants for a pension, on account of service in the Militia, State troops, or Volunteers, except the Militia of New Hampshire and the State troops of Virginia.
	1. Where and in what year were you born?
	2. Have you any record of your age, and if so, where is it?
	3. Where were you living when called into service; where have you lived since the Revolutionary war, and where do you now live?
	4. How were you called into service; were you drafted, did you volunteer, or were you a substitute? And if a substitute, for whom?
	5. State the names of some of the Regular Officers, who were with the troops, where you served; such Continental and Militia Regiments as you can recollect, and the general circumstances of your services.
	6. To a Soldier. { Did you ever receive a discharge from the service, and if so, by whom was it given and what has become of it?
	    To an Officer. { Did you ever receive a commission, and if so, by whom was it signed, and what has become of it?
	7. State the names of 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 services as a soldier of the Revolution.
	The Court will see that he answers to these questions are embodied in the declaration, and they are requested to annex their opinions of the truth of the statement of the applicant.
	The applicant will further produce in Court, if the same can be done, in the opinion of the Court, without too much expense and inconvenience to him, two respectable persons--one of whom should be the nearest clergyman, if one lives in the immediate vicinity of such applicant, who can testify, from their acquaintance with him, that they believe he is of the age he represents, and that he is reputed and believed in the neighborhood to have been a Revolutionary soldier, and that they concur in that opinion. If one of these persons is a Clergyman, the Court will so certify, and they will also certify, to the character and standing of other persons, giving such certificates.
	The traditionary evidence of service is deemed very important, in the absence of any direct proof, except the declaration of the party. And the Courts are requested to be very particular in the enquiry whether the belief is general, and whether any doubts have ever existed upon the subject.
	Applicants unable to appear in Court by reason of bodily infirmity, may make the declaration before required, and submit to the examination, before a Judge or Justice of a Court of Record of the proper county, and the Judge or Justice will execute the duties, which the Court is herein requested to perform, and will also certify that the applicant cannot, from bodily infirmity, attend the Court.
	Whenever any official act is required to be done by a Judge or Justice of a Court of Record, or by a Justice of the peace, the certificate of the Secretary of State or Territory, or of the proper Clerk of the Court or County, under his seal of office, will be annexed, stating that such person is a Judge or Justice of a Court of Record, or a Justice of the Peace, and that the signature annexed is his genuine signature.
	No payments can be made on account of the services of any person, who may have died before the taking effect of the act of June 7, 1832; and in case of death subsequent thereto, and before the declaration herein required is made, the parties interested will transmit such evidence as they can procure, taken and authenticated before a Court of Record, showing the services of the deceased, the period of his death, the opinion of the neighborhood respecting such services, the title of the claimant, and the opinion of the Court upon the whole matter.

	[a]	The declarant must appear in open Court, unless prevented from doing so by reason of bodily infirmity; in which case the declarant will follow the rule laid down for his guidance.
	[b]	The declarant must make his declaration in the county where he resides. If he should fail to do so, he must assign a sufficient reason for not conforming to the rule.
	[c]	The age of the claimant must invariably be mentioned.
	[d]	The declarant must mention the period or periods of the war when he served.
	[e]	Every continental officer or soldier must give the name of the Colonel under whom he served; otherwise a satisfactory examination of the claim cannot be had. Every claimant must state, 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. 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 recollection, 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."
	It is important, in all cases, to determine with precision the period for which the 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 to four months* is too indefinite, and all such qualifying expressions are objectionable. Some persons who apply for pensions merely state that 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 objectionable. Inj 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 employed in any civil pursuit.
	[f]	The law makes the relinquishment indispensable.
	[g]	The opinion of the Court is always required.
	[h]	The Clerk must give his certificate in every case.
	[i]	The Clerk must affix his seal, and if it has no device or inscription by which it can be distinguished from any other seal, or if he 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.
					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 papers authenticated, the certificate 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.
					Proof of service.
	[j]	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 claimant's 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 magistrate must be certified by the proper officer, under his seal of office.
	☞	The notes from [a] to [i] are all equally applicable to the cases of Militia men, Volunteers and State Troops. The proof required by rule in note [j] applies to continental troops only.
	[k]	This traditionary evidence is indispensable in militia cases.
	[l]	If a witness cannot be found, the declarant must state the fact.
	[m] The answers to the interrogatories must all be written, and sent to the War Department, with the declaration.

The
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...information as contained in his (or his widow's) application for pension on file in this Bureau.  Edward Morrison S.F. 5780
DATES OF ENLISTMENT OR APPOINTMENT. LENGTH OF SERVICE. RANK. OFFICERS UNDER WHOM SERVICE WAS RENDERED. CAPTAIN. COLONEL.
STATE.
July 1777		3 mos.	Pvt.			John Blackwell 	Thomas Marshall	Va.
May 1780	2 mos.				Jennings			Elias Edmonds
1780		-		Trumpet Maj.	William Ray

Battles engaged in, ✓
Residence of soldier at enlistment, Fauquier Co. Va.
Date of application for pension, Sept 26, 1832. This I was al
Residence at date of application, Fauquier Co. Va.
Age at date of application, 74 Born Apr. 1758 in State of Jersey.
Remarks: No data as to family.
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5780

INVALID

File No. - 5780
Edward Morrisson
Pri Rev War
Act: June 7th “32
Index: - Vol. M, Page 263
Arrangement of 1870.
1907 Dec. 27 Hist. to T.H. [illegible]
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Bureau of Weigher’s, Ganger's & Measurer's
Returns,
U.S. Customs Service,
Port of N.Y.,
Dec. 13, 1907,
Honorable Commissioner of Pensions-
Washington, D.C.

Sir:-
Will you be kind enough to send me a statement of service, as shown by the records of your office, of the following named Revolutionary soldiers, whose names appear in the printed lists of Revolutionary pensioners published by
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                                                                   [?] 5780 
                                                                      R 7424                                                                                          
                                                                    [?] 1082

order of the Congress:-

List for 1840.
May 7. 34 Cef.[?] 23971
Private (?) John Morrison, residing
in Louisa Co., Va., age 79 (in 1840)

List for 1833-34.
Cef.[?] 16225 July 19. 33
Private Edward Morrison, residing
in Faquier Co., Va., age 76 (in 1833-34)
who served with Virginia State Troops.

List or 1840
Feb. 3. 34 Cef.[?] 23469
Private(?) Wm Reagan, residing
in Smyth Co., Va., age 84 in (1840)

Respectfully,
Thos H Morrison
Chief Clerk

Stamp 1
U.S. Pension Office
Dec. 17 1907

Stamp 2
Record Division
Dec. 18 1907
Page 16

Envelope

Bureau of Weighers’
Gaugers’ and Measurers’
Returns.

Stamp
U.S. Pension Office
Dec. 17 1907