Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty Land Warrant Application File S. 31189, for George King, Virginia
Page 1

SERVICE NUMBER
[unclear]  King, George  S.31189
Page 2

Kentucky [unclear -maybe 15508]
George King
Cumberland in the state of Kentucky
[?]ho was a private in the company commanded [unclear] Captain French of the [unclear] commanded [unclear in the Virginia [unclear] for 6 months
[unclear] on the [unclear] of [unclear]
[unclear] of 20 Dollars ___Cents per annum,
commence on the 4th day of March, 1831.

Certificate of Pension [unclear] the 13th day of May 1833 and [unclear]
[unclear] to the 4th of March 4000
 [unclear] to the 4th of Sept 1000 
$50.00 
⎨ Revolutionary Claim, Act June 7, 1832. ⎬ 


Recorded by Daniel Bayd Clerk, 
Book [unclear -looks like 6]  Vol. 7 Page 16
Page 3

George King 23632
Page 4

Declaration of George King 
In order to obtain the benefit of the act of Congress, passed June 7 1832 Kentucky Cumberland County [unclear] 
[unclear] day of January 1833 personally appeared before me the [undesigned, a Justice of the peace in and for said County, George King a resident Citizen of the County of Cumberland State of Kentucky, aged eighty three 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 Congressesses June 7th 1832 That he entered the service of the United States, under the following named of served as herein stated that he entered the service as a drafted Militia in the year 1781 in the County of Amelia State of Virginia under Captain Fulks & Major The Melancon timed to serve that for three months that he was drafted a second line from Semenberg County Virginia in year 1781 and served under Captain Dawson and Command by Col Cook Kent to six weeks & the militia from setting were discharged at Deep river about miles from Holborn North Carolina that he was drafted a third time from sin high County origin in the year of 1781 in the fall of that year and serve under Captain Knight & from Lunenburgh marched down to] Gloster [unclear] and was at the taking of Cornwallis in October of the year 1781 -that he [unclear] seven weeks during his [unclear] at [unclear] immediately after the taking of Cornwallis what  the full length of his whole service [unclear] seven months, if not more for which he claims
Page 5

A pension – that he has no discharges for his several (Illegible) if ever he received any, he has lost or mislaid them and he know of but one person living in his county who can verify as to his service. (illegible) that person is Mrs. Fanny M. McCullock – That he is personally acquainted with Reubin Alexander, Ingram Alexander, Thomas Alexander, Peter (illegible) who live in his neighborhood, and who can testify as to his character for veracity for veracity their beliefs of his services as a soldier of the revolution –
 
That he was born in Virginia on the Chesapeake Northumberland County in the year 1750 he has no record of his age, having only a traditionary account of it.
 
That he was living in Amelia County Virginia when called into service on his first (illegible) And in (illegible) County, Virginia for his (illegible) – that he removed from (illegible) to (illegible) County, Virginia in the year 1798 or 1799 lived in Henry County near 20 years from there went to Cumberland County, KY 1819 where he now lives (illegible).
 
That he was in service with Gen. Dawson and under (illegible) at the taking of Cornwallis – the 6th (illegible) subrrogates (illegible) 
 
He hereby relinquishes any claim whatever to a pension or annuity except the present, & declares that (illegible) is not on the pension roll of the agency of (illegible) Sworn to subscribed the day & year aforesaid 
all
his
George King (seal) & mark
Reuben Alexander esquire
Page 6

Kentucky Cumberland County (illegible)
Before me the undersigned a Justice of the peace in and for said county, personally appeared Fanny McCullock, a resident of this County, who made oath that she of her own knowledge  (illegible) knows the aforesaid, George King did start from here the several tours by him declared and that he returned as he has stated, & verily believes he under the services as by him mentioned that she & 63 years of a (illegible) And I further certify that from old age and bodily infirmity the said George King (illegible) attend Court, living at least twelve miles from the others of my country and that ingram Alexander & Peter Gearhart came before me and made oath that they are well acquainted with the said George King who has subscribed sworn to the forgoing declaration; that the believe him to be 83 years old, that he is reputed and believed, in the neighborhood where he resides to have been a soldier of the revolution, and that they concure in that opinion and I further certify that said George King, Fanny McCullock and Ingram Alexander and and Peter Gearhard are persons of credibility and their statements are entitled to full credit – Given (illegible) this 2nd day of January 1833
All
Reuben Alexander esquire

Fanny McCullock
John M. Alexander (illegible)
Peter Gearhard
Ingram Alexander
Thomas Alexander
Page 7

Kentucky Cumberland County
Milton King the Clerk of the County Court for the County aforesaid, do certify that Reubin Alexander esquire, whose signature is subscribed to the foregoing affidavit, is and was at the date thereof an acting Justice of the Peace in and for said County, duly Commissioned and qualified, that his attestations? are in due form of law, that his official acts are entitled to credit and that his signatures are genuine – 
                                                                        Given under my hand
and the seal of my
                                                                        Office in Burksville
this 14th day of January
                                                                        1833
M. King
Page 8

23632
George King
Cumberland Co
Kentucky
from 1781 private
6 months $20.

(illegible)
Page 9

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 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 the regulations will show 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 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, showing the Service of George King Cumberland Co Kentucky
 
Column 1:
Period when service was rendered
1781
(illegible)
Fall (illegible) 

Column 2:
Duration of the claimant’s service.
Years/Months/Days
“ 	3 	“
“	1 	12
“ 	1 	19

Column 3:
Rank of the claimant.
Priv
“
“

Column 4:
Names and rank of the field officers under whom he served.
Maj. T. Williams
Cap. Fuchs
Col (illegible)
Cap Dawson
Cap Knight

Column 5:
Age a present, and place of abode when he entered the service
83 years
Amelia Co Va

Column 6:
Proof by which the declaration is supported.
Traditionary with One Witness

I am respectfully,
Your obedient servant,
J.L. Edwards,
Commissioner of Pensions
Page 10

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, mucicians 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. 
[		of the Court of 		
do hereby certify (h) that the foregoing contains the original proceedings of the said Court in the matter 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 
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 days 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
Page 11

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 exexpected . 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 one 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 low 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 andavit 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 fell, and in 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 persons mentioned below, and in the towing months, andles , I served as a For months and --- days, I served as and for such service I claim a pension." 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 place where the service was performed; that the applicant served with an embodied corps called into service by competent authorny 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 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. 
Joseph Rowen (illegible)
Page 12

(illegible) 31 January
1833
23632
a claim from Kentucky.
to be (illegible)
13 March 33
Palmer
Page 13

31189
(illegible) INVALID.
File No. 31,189
George King
Pri Rev War
Act: Jun 7th, 32
Index:-Vol. 2, Page 222
[Arrangement of 1870.]