Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty Land Warrant Application File S. 5830, for Richard Nicken, Virginia
Page 1

SERVICE
Navy (Va)

NICKEN, RICHARD

NUMBER
S. 5830

Carded

CONTENTS
Page 2

13. 186
Virgina

[Top left corner of document is missing]

[Ric]hard Nicken
caster in the State of Virginia
a Seaman in the Navey commanded
Captain Sanders of the ____ commanded
by ____ Va in the USNavey
line for 3 years

Inscribed on the Roll of Virginia
at the rate of 96 Dollars __ Cents per annum
commence on the 4th day of March, 1831.

Certificate of Pension issued the 22 day of [crossed out: May] [inserted: June]
1833 and sent to applicant
Lancaster CH Va

Arrears to the 4th of Mar 1833...............$192.00
Semi-anl. allowance ending 4 Sept. 33... 48.00
............................................................................$240,,00

 Revolutionary Claim,
⎨Act June 7, 1832.  ⎬
Recorded by J W Clagett Clerk,
Book # Vol. 6 Page 19
Page 3

Paid 18 3/4

J. L. Edwards Esqr:
War Department
Washington City
D. C.

Decr 26
Va
Richd Nicken
20804
Page 4

State of Virginia
Lancaster County} SS

On this 17th day of December 1832 personally appeared in open
Court before the Justices of the County Court of Lancaster County
now sitting, Richard Nickin [sic] resident of Lancaster County state of
Virginia aged Eighty two 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
the 7th 1832-
That he entered the service of the United trees
under the following named officers & served as herein stated
that he inlisted in the County of Lancaster in the State of Virginia
under Thomas Pollard as a private in the Virginia state
navy during the war of the Revolution, He cannot say what
year from Lancaster he went to Hampton Virginia with
Capt. Pollard he there went on board the Gallly Hero, Capt
Chamberlin He there was stationed in the Hampton Roads
and in the Contiguous coast he he served Eighteen months
on board the Hero, was removed to the ship Tempest
of 16 guns commanded by Capt Saunders on board of which
vessel [The Tempest] he was eighteen months, after which he
was discharged at Chickahominy ship yard by Lieut - [illegible]
who had the command of the yard when the said vessel (The
Tempest) was laid up his discharge has been mislaid
or lost. He was not in any regular battle but infrequent
skirmishes, he has no documentary evidence he
knows of no person now living whose testimony he can
precure as to his service. He has always resided in Lancaster
& Northumberland Counties, excepting his service
in the navy.
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. Sworn to and subsinged the day and
year aforesaid
Richard X his mark Nicken
Page 5

we Benjamin Waddy & Dane P. Murchere residing in
the County of Lancaster state of Virginia, hereby certify that
we are well acquainted with Richard Nicken who has
subscribed and sworn to the above declaration. That we
believe him to be Eighty two years of age, that he is
reputed and believed in the neighbourhood where he
resides to have been a soldier of the Revolution and that
we concur in that opinion
Sworn & subscribed the day & year aforesaid
I do hereby certify that B Waddy & Dane P. Murchere did on the
day aforesaid certify before me a Justice of the peace for the
county aforesaid that the above certificate contained to
the best of their knowledge the truth.
Benjn Waddy
Dane P Mitchell

W.H. Dandre J.P.

And the said Court do hereby declare their opinion
after the investigation of the matter and after putting
the interogatories 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 the that Benjamin Waddy and
Dane P. Mitchell who have also signed the same are
residents of the County of Lancaster and are credible
persons, and that their statement is entitled to credit

I Benjamin M. Walker Clerk of the County Court
of Lancaster County do hereby certify that the 
foregoing contains the original proceedings of the said
court in the matter of the application of Richard
Nicken for a pension
In testimony whereof I have
hereunto set my hand and the seal of my Office this
17th day of December 1832
Benjamin M Walker CCL:
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P. L. Direct to
Richard Nickin
Lancaster Co. House
Virginia
Page 7

20804
Richard Nicken
Va

Ref to Mr. Edwards
7 S. Evans
Ky May 1833

Adm.
$96 per annum

Seaman 3 years

applicant
Richard Nicken
Lancaster Co H
Va
Page 8

WAR DEPARTMENT
Pension Office,
183

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 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 the regulations will show what is necessary to be cone. Those point to which your attention is more particularly directed, you will find marked in the margin with a brace, (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, [illegible] the Service of Richard Nicken Lancaster Co. Va

Period when the service was rendered. | Duration of the claimant's service. - Years. Months. Days. | Rank of claimant. | Names and Rank of the Company officers under whom he served. | Names and Rank of the General and Field officers. | Battles in which the applicant engaged. | Country through which he marched. | Place of abode when he entered the service, and age at the present period. | Evidence by which the declaration is supported.

Va State Navy  onboard Galley Hers Then on Tempest| 18 Months | Seaman | Capt. Pollard, Capt. Chamberlin, Capt. Samders | -- | skirmishes | -- | 82 Lancaster Co. Va | [illegible] & documentary

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, Boatman, &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 of cases 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 for 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 _____ } ss.
On this ____ day of ____ personally appeared (a) before ____ A. B. of resident (b) of ____ in the county of ____ and State, Territory or District of ____ aged (c) ____ 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 [provision] made by the act of Congress, passed June 7, 1832. That he enlisted in the Army of the United States in the year (d) ____, with ____ and served int he ____ (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 [entered] 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 Role of any Agency in any State, or (if any) only on that of the Agency in the State of ____.
Sworn to 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 a pension 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 the 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 the [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 of 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 int he investigation of his claim, and in the comparison of his narrative with the events of the period of his alleged served, as they are known at the Department. A very full account of the services of each person
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[See Document 10 for actual document]

[End is signed:]
W. L. Williams Ex clk
Page 11

I do hereby certify that a military land
County Warrant No. 1477 for 100 acres issued
to Richard Nickens on the 2d August 1783.
for his services for three years in the State Navy _
as Witness my hand & Seal of Office
W [Illegible] RS off Va 

Executive Dept
24 Dec 1832
Upon examination, the papers upon which said
Bounty ware granted to Richard Nickins, cannot
be formed in this department

F for H Richardson [illegible]
upon
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Revy INVALID.

File No. 5830 Navy
Richd Nicken
Seaman U.S N.
Rev War

Act: June 7, 1832
Index: --Vol. 7 Page 19

[Arrangement of 1870.]
Page 13

FREE

J. L. Edwards Esq
Department
Washington City

DEC 24

Dec. 26.

J. Cordeni

fee for R. Nicken
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Richmond City Dec 24th -32
Sir 
Enclosed is a document to be fited with Richard 
Nickens application for a pension which I understand has been for warded to the war department.  Any communication on the subject of the application you will please to make to 
Rich d- Nickens  Lancaster Court house Virginia
Very Respectfuly 
Your obt Svt
H.H. Harvey