Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty Land Warrant Application File S. 1711, for William Proctor, Maryland
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Service
Md. 

Proctor, William 

Number
S.1711

born in M.D.             carded
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72001
West Tennessee
William Proctor of Sumner in the State of Tennessee who was a private in the comp commanded by Captain Travis of the regt commanded by Col. Smallwood in the Maryland line for 2 years

Inscribed on the Roll of West Tennessee at the rate of 80 Dollars -- Cents per annum to commence on the 4th day of March, 1834.Certificate of Pension issued the 25th day of Sept 1833 and DM Saunders Gallatin 

Arrears to the 4th of Sept  200 - 
Semi-anl allowance ending 4 mo.  40 - 
$240 - 

{Revolutionary Claim,}
{Act June 7, 1832}

Recorded by Danl Boyd Clerk 
Book E Vol. 7 Page 92
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[Left]
Nov 30 
Tenn. 
Wm. Proctor 
20071

{Right] 
To/ J L Edwards Esq. 
Pension Office
Washington City
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Declaration
In order to obtain the benefit of an act of Congress passed June 7th 1832 - 

State of Tennessee  }
Sumner County       }

Personally appeared in open court before the Justices of said Court of Please and quarter Sessions for said county now sitting William Proctor aged 83 years the 22nd day of November 1832, who being first duly sworn according law, doth on his oath make the following Declaration, in order to obtain the benefits of the Act of Congress passed June 7th 1832. 

That he entered the service of the United States in the year 1778 under the following named officers and served as herein stated. 

He entered the service as a volunteer under Capt. Mathias Francis, John Budd acting as 1st Lt and John Robinson as the sergant of the company.  This was in the county of Dorcht in the state of Maryland.  They marched through the county of Somerset and as far down as the Chesapeak Bay for the purpose of protecting the contry against the inroads of the British sailors, they succeeded at this time in capturing several of the sailors who had come inland.  From this place they marched to Vienna and while there a British sloop and Brigg came up and commenced bom-barding the place and finally succeeded in forcing the Americans from the Town.  After they were forced to leave Vienna the company to which applicant was attached was engaged in guarding the shore along the Chesapeak Bay - The length of time that applicant was engaged in the service from othe time that he enlisted in the year 1778 until the year 1781 - embracing a period of three
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years and nine months.  he was acting as a nurse in the hospitals at Annapolis having himself just recovered from a sever spell of sickness, at the time of the surrender of Lord Cornwallis. 

He was for the first three years under Capt. Francis and Capt. Henry Cain and the last nine months, that he served was under Capt. David Lynn.  He was commanded by Gen Smallwood - he is unable to state any other officers under [or?] me with the Army when he served. 

He was born in the state of Maryland in the year 1749 on the 22nd day of November.  He has had in his possession and he thinks it is now at his residence in this county a memorandum of his age from his Father's family Bible.  He was living in the County of Dorcstr in the State of Maryland when he entered the service, from Maryland, after the War, he removed to the county of Rockingham in the State of North Carolina, where he continued to reside until he removed to the state of Tennessee where he has been living for about 28 years, and he has continued to reside and now resides in the county of Sumner.  He had a discharge but he is unable to state by whom it was given - it has been lost or destroyed - He has no documentary evidence [interposed:  of his service] and he knows no person whose testimony he can procure, who can testify to his service.  
William Proctor 
his X mark 

Sworn to in open Court 
Nov. 17th 1832
A H Douglass Clerk 

We Jesse Haysin a clergyman aged 30 years residing in the county of Sumner and state afores-aid and Cage Hale 44 years last April & Talbot Horsley aged 33 years residing in the same county and state hereby certify that we are well acquain-ted William Proctor [word struck] who has subscribed and sworn to the above Declaration, that we believe
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to be 83 years of age; that he is reputed and believed in the neighbourhood where he resides to have been a soldier of th eRevolution and that we concur in that opinion. 
Cage Hale
Talbot Horsley 
Jesse Haysin Jr. Clergyman

Sworn to in open Court 
Nov. 16th 1832
A H Douglass Clerk

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 Jesse Haysin Jr. who has signed the same is a resident [several words struck] clerbym-an in the county of Sumner and that Cage hale and Talbot Horsely who have also signed the same are residents in the said county and are creditable persons, and that their statement is entitled to credit. 

Thos. Anderson J.P 
John L Swaney J.P 
Wm Edwards J P

I Alfred H Douglass Clerk of the Court of Please and Quarter sessions do hereby certify that the forgoing contains the original proceedings of the said court, in the matter of the application of William Procor for a pension - 
In testimony whereof I am hereunto 
[obscured] my hand and seal of office 
[struck: my hand and seal of office] this the 17th day of November A.D. 1832
and in the 57th year of Independence 
AH Douglass Clerk
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[Left]
Nov 30 
Tenn
Wm Proctor 
20071

[Center] 
J.L. Edwards Esq
Pension Office
Washington City 

[Right] 
To the care of D.M. Saunders
Gallatin Tenn
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State of Tennessee
Sumner County  }

Personally appeared in open court on this 9th day of Sept 1833 William Proctor on his being first sworn makes the following amended Declaration to obtain the benefits of an act of Congress passed June 7th 1832. 

He states that he served as a volunteer minute man for the term of three years in the War of the Revolution during the while of which time he was in active service, [struck:  as mentioned] the par-ticulars of which are mentioned in his origianl Declaration.  Serving the shole of this service of three years he was not employed in any civil pursuit - was the whole time in actual service - 

He enlisted after the expiration of his three years service, for the term of nine months under Capt. David Lynn, and was stationed at Annapolis in the State of Maryland.  He thinks that Gen Smallwood was commanding at Annappolis during the time that he was in the service - Applicant has been given all the additional information that his shattered memory enables him to embody - He is in hopes that it will be deemed sufficient to obtain the pension which his services to his country entitle him to -
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The interrogatories prescribed  by the war Department have all been answer in his original Declaration. 

To the 4th interrogatory he will herein again state - that he entered the service and was a volunteer for three years and that he reenlisted for the last nine months that he served. 
William Proctor 
his X mark 

Sworn to in open court
9th Sept 1833
J W Baldridge Clerk 
State of Tennessee
Sumner County }

I Jesiah W Baldridge clerk of the circuit court of Sumner County in said State do hereby certify that the foregoing contains the original proceeding, in the matter of the amended application of William Proctor for a pension - 
In witness whereof I have unto set my hand & Seal of office at office in Gallatin this ninth day of September 1833 & 58th year of the Independence of the United States of America. 
J.W. Baldridge Clerf of -
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20071
Wm Proctor 
Sumner

from 1778 private
2 yrs $80


DM Saunders
Gallatin
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A Statement, shewing the Service of William Proctor, Tennessee

Period which the service was rendered. 
vol 1778 to 1780

Duration of the claimant's service 
3 years 9 months - Days

Rank of the claimant
Pvt & nurse

Names and Rank of the Company officers under whom he served. 
Capt. Francis
Capt. Lynn

Names and Rank of the General and Field Officers
Lt. Budd
Genl Smallwood

Battles in which the applicant was engaged
none

Place of abod when he entered the service and age at the present period 
83 
Dorcet Co Md

Evidence by which the declaration is supported 
Trady
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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 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 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 }ss.
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, 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 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 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 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 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 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 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 or commission; but it 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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3
 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 the 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 bis 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 mouths 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 each 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 or 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. It 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 au embodied corps called into service by competent authority that lie 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 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 [j] 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.
W. L. Williams Ex Clk
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Rev War
1711
INVALID

File no. 1711
William Proctor,
Pri. Maryland Line

Act:  June 7, 1832

Index: - Vol. A, Page 302