Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty Land Warrant Application File R. 103, Edward Travis, Va. Va. Sea Service
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(3-1776)
SERVICE
Va 
Va. Sea Service
Travis, Edward
NUMBER
R.103
Va. half pay.
CONTENTS See Edward Travis in Va. Sate Navy Half Pay
File Y S. - Edward Travis
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(Copy.)
Know all men by there presents that Joseph H. Travis, of Brunswick County, Virginia, do hereby constitute and appoint Henry Northup, of Washington city, my true and lawfull attorney, with power of substitution for me and in my name to take, use and pursue all lawfull and necessary means to obtain from the proper office or Department at Washington city, the amount of half pay due in right of the services of my late father, Edward Travis as a captain of the virginia state Navy in the war of the Revolution the same being due and payable under the third section of the act of Congress of 5th of July, 1832, entitled an Act to remunerate virginia; and my said Attorney is hereby authorized and enpowered, to take, use and pursue all proper means for the recovery of the same which I myself could lawfully do were I personally present. In witness of which I have set my and and seal this 14th day of Sept. 1846. (signed) Joseph H. Travis.
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State of Virginia
Brunswick County
Personally appeared before me, the subscriber, a Justice of the Peace in and for said county, Joseph H. Travis, signed and sealed to the foregoing power of attorney, and acknowledged the same to be his voluntary act and deed for the purposes therein named.
Signed sealed and acknowledged before me this 14th day of Sept. 1846
(signed) Robt R. Jones, J.P. 

State of Virginia,
Brunswick County
I, E.R. Turnbull, Clerk of the County Court of Brunswick in the State of Virginia, do hereby certify that Robert R Jones, whose name appears to the foregoing certificate, as a justice of the peace of the said county, is a justice thereof, duly commissioned and qualified, that full faith and credit ought to be given to all his official act, as such, and that the...
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foregoing signature purporting to be his is genuine.

L.S. [in left margin]
In testimony whereof, I hereto set my hand and annex the seal of the said court this 15th day of September, 1846 in the 71st year of our foundations.
(signed) E. R. Turnbull
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Pension office
March 20 1847
We hereby certify that the foregoing are true copies of the originals on file in this office
E. W. Robinson
m Ogden hilez
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23d April 1862
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1846  Sept. 14. Recd of Henry Northup by R. D. Turnbull
three hundred & fifty dollars, being for the interest of myself & brother in the half pay for the services of my father Edwd Travis in the Revolutionary War as a captain in the V. State Navy- for and in consideration of the above sum I do hereby transfer to [illegible] Northup all my interest and that of my brother in [illegible]  pay- the land which may come to us is not included in this transfer- this transfer is made without any recourse to me or my heir in case he should succeed in getting anything from the government but in the event of the miscarriage or defeat of the papers, I will furnish others at any time when called on, but always at the expense of the S. Northup- witness my hand and seal this the day and year above written- Joseph H. Travis [illegible]
witness  Robt. R Jones
ad. of Edwd Graves and for my brother Edward
the above is a copy of the original sent to Col. Northup- by mail Sept. 15. 1846
RD Turnbull
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Mrs. Eupha Turner Jackson             BA J/ILL
305 North Lee Street                         Edward Travis
Fitzgerald, Georgia.                           R. 103

Dear Madam:
Reference is made to your letter in which you request the Revolutionary War Records of Colonel Champion Travis of Virginia, and Captain Edward Travis of the Navy in that war.
A search of the Revolutionary War Records fails to show a claim for pension or bounty land on file based upon service of Champion Travis. Pension and bounty land claims which have been made it the United States are the source of Revolutionary War data furnished by this office. The record of Edward Travis is given heroin as found in the papers on file in pension claims, R. 103.
Edward Travis was appointed October 24, 1775, Lieutenant of Captain R. K. Heade's company, 2* Virginia regiment, was transferred January 31, 1776 ad Lieutenant in the naval service, in the early spring of 17176, was appointed Captain in the Virginia State Navy in which capacity he was in service June 1779; he was taken prisoner by the enemy, no details given, after being held as such for a long time, was released on parole. On a copy of an official record, dates February 20, 1784, Williamsburg, Virginia, it is shown that Edward Travis continued as Captain until the end of the war, in all the arrangements which took place in the Navy. 
The officer died March 28, 1784 in James City county, Virginia; his age is not shown, nor any information regarding his wife and date of his marriage given.
In 1846, soldier's son, Joseph H. Travis of Brunswick county, Virginia, and his brother, Edward Travis, applied for five years' half pay which was due on account of the services of their father,
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Edward Travis, Captain of the Virginia State Navy, War of the Revolution. The claim was allowed.
There are no further data relative to the soldier's family.
Very truly yours,
A. D. HILLER,
Executive Assistant to the Administrator.
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Edward Travis,
Dec.
Act 5 July 1832
The letters March 17 1847 to F. A. Dickins Sept. 28. 1846 and March 17. 1847-
Old register shows claim was allowed Feb 14 1880- for service as Capt. Va State Navy
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No 103
ACT OF FEBRUARY 14, 1871
WAR OF 1812
3332
Hears of 
Edward Travis
Capt +L
VA Navy
Revolution
Discharged------, 48
603
VA Hj. Pay---- act 32 July 5
Old Register shows that claim was allowed Feb. 14, 1850 aw
Received----, 187
1916 Nov. 23. Heist to Jozie Matthews . aw
1935 April 24 Hist to Mrs. Eupha T Jackson-ILL
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aw Rev. War Section.
Nov. 23, 1916.
Mrs. Josie Matthews
913 Fayette Bank Building,
Lexington Ky.
Madam:
In reply to your letter of the 2" instant, you are advised that the records of this Bureau show that Edward Travis of James City county, Virginia, was appointed Oct. 24, 1775 a Lieutenant in Captain Meade's company, Second Virginia Regiment, and on Jan. 31, 1776, was transferred to the naval service and served in the Virginia State Navy, as a Lieutenant and Captain, that he was captured by the enemy,(date not stated) held in captivity a long time then released on parole. He died Mar. 28, 1784.
In 1846 his sons Edward and Joseph H. the latter a resident of Brunswick  County, Virginia, applied for the half-pay that was due on the account of their father's services, under the Act of July 5, 1832, which was allowed. (R.103).
There is no further data as to, family on file.
Very respectfully,
GmSaltzgaber
Commissioner.
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Rev. War. Section.
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
BUREAU OF PENSIONS
Washington October 30, 1916
Mrs. Jozir Matthews,
913 Fayette Bank,
Lexington, Ky.
Madam:-
In response to your letter dated the first instant, you are advised that this Bureau is unable to furnish the record of a soldier of the revolution unless a claim for pension or bounty land has been made on account of his services, and a careful search of the records fails to show such claims for John Shotwell and Sanford Mitchell.
In order to identify a claim which may have been made for Edward Travis, you should state his rank and the nature of his service, the approximate date of his death, names of some of his children and their places of residence.
Very Respectfully,
E.C. Tieman
Acting Commissioner
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Fitzgerald, Georgia
March 24, 1935

Veterans Administration
Washington D.C.

Dear Sirs:
I was refered to your
department as a
possibility of
securing some information of
or about Champion Travis
member conventions 1774, 1775
Colonel of State Regiment (Va.)
1775, naval Commissioner 1776;
or Edward Travis, Captain in
the Revolution Navy. I need
this data to complete the
information for my D.A.R.
Papers

Thanking you, I am

Yours truly

Mrs. Eupha Turner Jackson
205 North Lee St
Fitzgerald, Georgia


[received stamp] RECEIVED
APR 9 1935
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Lexington, Ky. Nov. 2 1916
Commissioner of Pensions
Washington, D.C.

Sir, In reply to yours of the
30th instant. In regard to
our Edward Travis I know
very little, he was a 1st.
lieutenant in the 2nd Va
Regiment in the Revolutionary
war. do not know the names
of any other children than a
daughter Mary, nor can I
tell you where he died
I thought perhaps his record
was on file in your department
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if so will like to have it
and what family data you 
have on file. The date of his
commission according to
the "War department"  as follows
"Date of provincial commission
Oct 24 -1775
Date of commission Jan. 31- 1776
Trusting to hear from you
at your earliest convenience

Very respectfully

Mrs Jozir Matthews 
913 Fayette Bank Bldg
Lexington, Ky
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J. L. Edwards, Esq.
Comr. Pensions
Washington City D.C.
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Brunswick Cty Va
November 26th 1849

J. L. Edwards
Commissioner of Pensions

Dear Sir
I do not want Mr. Northrup to have
any thing more to do with my Fathers Revolutionary Claim.
I have removed him as my agent he has only paid
me three hundred and fifty Dollars of what he received.

yours Respectfully
Joseph H. Travis
administator
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To J. L Edwards Esq Comr &c
House Rep Jany 3rd 1850

Sir

I enclose you a letter
Joseph Davis Esq one of
my constituents, in relation
to the claim of his Father as Captain
in the State Navy of Va. The
letter to you would have been
delivered before, if it had not
been considered better, to wait until
the principle allowing commutation 
to those who served during the
war in the Navy was
settled. You will of course not
permit Northup to have any
thing more to do with the claim
as agent of Mr. Travis, as his contract 
with him (a copy of which
is enclosed) relate only to half pay
and settled very unsatisfactorily to
Graves Respectfully R. K. Meade
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Edward Travis
April 23, 1848
Act 5 July 1832

Recorded Vol 43,
Page 193.
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Pension Office
April 22 1847
-
I certify that I have examined the claim
of the administrator of Edward Travis,
deceased, under the act of July 5, 1832, and
I find that he served as a Captain in the
Virginia State Navy until the 7th of June
1779; that he is reported by the Board of Officers
who sat at Richmond in 1784 as entitled to
half pay. The case is therefore embraced by the
above mentioned act of July 5, 1832, and I
certify that his administrator Henry Northup
is entitled to half-pay at the rate of
Two Hundred and Fifty Dollars and Ninety Three Cents per annum from the seventh of
June seventeen hundred and seventy nine to
the twenty eighth of March seventeen hundred
and eighty four, when he died.

Approved(    commissioner of Pensions

Secretary of War
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Certificate of Administration
H. Northup on Capt Edward
Travis Estate -
No. 7
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DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA.
WASHINGTON COUNTY, TO WIT:
THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA.
To a Persons to whom these Presents shall come Greeting:

KNOW YE, That the last Will and Testament of Edward
Travis late of
James City County Virginialate
deceased, hath in due form of law, been exhibited, proved, and recorded in
the office of the Register of Wills for Washington County aforesaid, a copy
of which is to these presents annexed, and that administration of all the
goods, chattels, and credits of the said Edward Travis
deceased, is hereby granted and committed unto Henry Northup
of Washington County aforesaid

WITNESS Nath. Causier, esquire,
Judge of the Orphans' Court of Washington County, District
of Columbia, this 19th day of September
in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and
46, and of the Independence of the United States
the 71st.

Teste.
Ed. N. Roach
Register of Wills.
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I DO SWEAR, that I will well and truly administer the
goods, chattels, and personal estate of Edward Travis
deceased, to the best of my knowledge
according to law, and will give a just account of my administration
when thereto I shall be lawfully called. So help me God.

Henry Northup

Sworn before
Ed. N. Roach [...illegible]
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Pension Office
April 5, 1847

Commr of Pensions

Relative to the claim of
Edward Travis, decd.
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Pension Office
April 5. 1847.

Sir,

The practice has been to settle all claims
for half pay under the act of July 5, 1832, with the administrator, or executor, since the Attorney General, M. Butler,
gave it as his opinion in October, 1836, that the money
was in every case where the officer was dead, payable to
his executors or administrators. The case of Edward Travis
decd. referred to in the enclosed letter of Mr. Dickins, was
submitted to the Secretary of War in order that he might
decide whether it was proper for any one to take out letters
of administration in the District of Columbia to draw half
pay due to the heirs of a deceased officer, when they resided
in one of the States.

I have the honor to be
Very respectfully,
Your Obt Srvt
J L. Edwards

Hon Wm L. Marcy,
Secretary of War.
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Capt. Edward Travis
Va.State Navy
Comtn.  allowed
Feb 14 '50
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Pension Office
February 14th 1850

I hereby certify that I have examined 
the case of the administrator of 
Edward Travis deceased,
who claims commutation of five
with interest to the present time
years full with interest to the present time under the act of
5th July 1832, for services of the
said Edward Travis, deceased as a Captain
in the Virginia State Navy during 
the war of the revolution,
and I am satisfied from the
evidence that the said Edward
Travis was a captain in the
Virginia State Navy during
the war of the revolution, and
that he continued in the service 
as such, until the close
of the war. I am therefore of
opinion that Joseph H. Travis's
administrator of the said Edward
Travis deceased, is entitled to
receive under the act aforesaid, the
sum of Two thousand five
hundred and nine dollars
and thirty cents, the full
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pay of a Captain in the Virginia
State Navy for the term of five
years, with interest thereon
from the 22d day of April 1783,
to the present time; from which
sum is to be deducted the [...illegible]
of any payment or
payment heretofore made
to the representatives of the
said Edward Travis deceased
under said act of 5th July 1832,
and that the amount is payable 
to Samuel Godwin
Attorney in fact for Joseph
H. Travis, administrator of the
said Edward Travis deceased
Interest upon interest not to be
allowed,
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Capt. Edwd. Travis
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(Copy)
Williamsburg Feby 20th 1784.

I do hereby certify that Captain Edward
Travis was chosen a Captain in the Navy
of the Commonwealth early in the Spring
of 1776 in which capacity he served
until the end of the late war. In all the
arrangements which took place in the Navy
Captain Travis was constantly continued in
Service.

(Signed ) James Innes
Executive Department
Richmond Va. Jany 11, 1850
The above is a true copy of an original
paper filed in this Department
(Signed) Wm H. Richardson
Sec Comth.
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Memorandum in
Capt. Edwd. Travis
Claim
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Memorandum in Capt. Edwd. Travis case
Then he was appointed Lt. in Capt. [...illegible] Company of
the 2nd Va State Regt. on the  24 Oct. 1775, Lee Washington Papers
in the state department No 107. That on 21st of Jany
1776 he was transfered to the Naval service and appointed 
as Lt. That he was captured by the enemy and held in
Captivity for a long time was afterwards located on [...illegible]
of [...illegible] and was a prisoner of war then not exchanged and
further a supernumerary officer of the Va State Navy.
As all officers of the Va. State Navy  were from the 
determination of their command or service unless it was the
officers of the lookout boat Liberty. Capt Travis being
a man of wealth neither had any pay or received any
[...illegible] pay As such settled his account having died
early after the Revolution to wit on the 28th of March
1784. he is therefore intitled to half pay from the 7th of June
1779 to the 20th March 1784 the day of his death.
He will be found to be one of the reported officers
Returned by the board of assessors in 1784 as supernumerary 
Capt. intitled to half pay and then dead.
Accompanying the papers will be found a certified
Copy of Capt. Travis will Also the Deposition of Harold
Little Walters Tazwell late senator in Congress and governor
of Virginia and the [...illegible] of Capt Travis praying the
services & Identity of Capt Travis
Further evidence is wholly unnecessary particularly
as to who are the heirs of Capt Travis this a subject not
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pertaining to the processes of the Commr of Pensions as to who
are the heirs or who have agency.  The 3d section of the act of 5th
July 1842 under which those claims are paid Expressly [...illegible]
that they shall be audited and paid, According to the principles of
"the decision of the [...illegible] Court of Appeals of Virginia "
this Court has [...illegible] and at all times considered this half pay
assets of the State and payable to the legal representatives to wit
Exc. or admn. And the attorney General of the United States
on an appeal or reference to him has twice settled this
principle to wit it in the case of the admin. in the claim
of Capt John Bailey and again in the case of the Claim
of the admn. of Capt Charles Fiereir.
It is respectfully asked that this claim may be taken up
and passed on as early as practicable


Henry Northup Admr
Page 35

Mar 20 47

No. 9 

Francis A. Dickens, Esq
Present
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Washington City 19th of March 1847
Francis A Dickins

Sir
You advised me to day of the act of the Commission
of Pensions demanding to go behind the Court to wit requiring
to see his what authority administration was granted me, thus
a new outrage is committed by this office upon the rights of
the individual applicant But further this officer who has
an appointment for three years as Commissioner of Pensions
has forgotten his place and a aforesaid rights unprecedented or unheard of and committed an outrage upon the Court demanding
to surprise or sever[?] the acts of the Court the acts of an
officer acting in a Judicial capacity and holding for life
as during good behaviour - His act are to be secured by
an officer never vested with such authority and holding an
appointment for three years only.

The third section of the act of Congress of the 5th of July 1832
expressly declares that those claims shall be audited agreeable to
the principles of the decisions of the Supreme Court of Appeals
of Virginia, Such is the express provisions of this section
under which this officer is authorized to act. The Court of
Appeals of Virginia and all other judicial tribunals in a\Va
have allways decided this a half pay to be assets of the estate of
the deceased and collected only by on Exec. or admr and when the
party applying with his credentials to the Commissioner for
the auditing and paying of such claim, he is proved to
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know him he is a subordinate and not a superior to the
Court, and such a requisition as you [...illegible] made by
him to day is a insult to common understanding

This is the 4th time of my own knowledge that this officer
has made these unauthorized decisions[?] which in the these preceding cases his acts were rebuked and set aside -
In March 1836 less than nine months after this case[?] was
transferred to him he refused to pay the admn. in the case of
Capt John Bailey when the Attorney General to whom an
appeal was taken decided that the admin was the party to receive
and in fact that he was bound to be known

Again in Novr of the same year the case of Capt Charles
Firer was again referred  to the Attorney General who
again decided  the Court to be the guardian of the claimant 
and not James L Edwards and that the money
must be paid the admn and that it was not the part of
the Commissioner to Judge who the heirs were or whether
there were any. but that it was his bounden duty
to pay the legal representative.

Again in 1844 Administration was granted in Goochland
County Va in the estate of Dudley Diggs who never lived
in that County but lived and died in Howard County
Missouri and bond for $200 only taken when a fund
of $23 or  2200 was to be received, the Commissr. refused to
pay this sum on such insufficient surety An appeal
was taken to the Secretary of War who at once (being a Lawyer
and a Judge) decided that it was not the province of the Commissioner  An officer holding at the will of the President and
at most three years only to supervise the acts of the Court his
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in effect he was bound to recognize them and that this money
in Diggs case must be paid whether surety is not

In Sept last the papers of Edwd Travis was filed with the Commr.
with the required evidence of his being reported as entitled to half
pay in his possession also the evidence of my being admin and
also a certified copy of his will thus affixing the day of his death.
This was all the commr. had a right to know. The Claim was
then made out, and it was his bounden duty there at that
to have taken up and passed this claim. I have endeavored by
every means in my power to avail depositions or affidavits  with
this man, have refrained from writing his [...illegible] for near four
years, fearing not to be insulted by him, but sir when employed 
by claimants I trust I shall not be wanting in energy & perseverance.

In the year 1838, I had Wm Seldon Register of the Land office
Treasurer of the U.S. Brought into Court an a mandamus in
refusing to approve certain land warrants.
Court commences in this City on Monday next when I will
then see if this officer is above and beyond the reach of all law
Lawyers endurance of the despotic arbitrary and tyrannical acts
of this man are beyond further endurance. Casses are yet
lying in  abeyance which I had hoped would be permitted
to stop the sleep of death. But such acts must impell to the
public exposure of acts  of this officer in his official character
which I hazard both in saying would produce his removal.
I ask that this letter after your perusal what he had have
marked stabs in the back and cause him  to [...illegible] to
the proof of the assertions. If you decline presenting it
please return it that I may send it him
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Enclosed is the authority by which I administered & said it to
gratify and assumed & authorized requisition of this matter[?].
This must be returned you see  the registers not let the
case as I see it but he is not to high up. 

Your Deputy
Henry Northup