Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty Land Warrant Application File B.L. Wt. 2249-100, Bowles Martin, Md.
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Service Md.
Bowles, Martin [a star appears above the "B"]
Number B. L. Wt. 2249-100
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Martin Bowles
No. 2249

J S Polk
Princip [illegible]
Somerset County
Maryland

Ent
Th
R'd March 5. 1839
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STATE OF Maryland }
County of Somerset }
I Sinah Bowles heir at law of Martin Bowles do upon my oath declare and testify, that, to the best of my knowledge and belief, the said Martin Bowles did enlist in the Continental army for the term of the War of the Revolution and served in the Regiment, No. [blank] of the Maryland line under the command of Colonel John Gunby of the Maryland line, and that he continued in the service until the End of the war. 
I further declare that I have never received a warrant for the Bounty Land promised to said Martin Bowles on the part of the United States, or do I believe he ever received it or transferred his claim to it in any manner whatsoever: Therefore Know all Men by these Presents, That I Sinah Bowles aforesaid do constitute and appoint James Polk of Somerset County aforesaid to be my true and lawful Attorney for me and in my name to demand and receive from the Secretary of War of the United States, a warrant for the quantity of land due to me as aforesaid; and my aid Attorney is hereby fully authorised [sic] and empowered to constitute and appoint one or more substitutes or Attornies [sic] under him for the special purposes above expressed. Witness my hand and seal this twenty seventy day of March 1837.
Attest [signed] Theodore Dashiell
                          X her mark Sinah Bowles
Personally appeared the above named Sinah Bowles subscriber to the foregoing declaration, and in my presence acknowledged the Power of Attorney thereto subscribed to be her act and deed. Witness my hand and seal this 27th day of March 1837.
Sworn Before [signed] Theodore G Dashiell JP

In Testimony that the above written Thedore G. Dashiell is a Magistrate authorised [sic] to administer oaths and take acknowledgments, &c., in the State of Maryland at the above date [blank] and that his name subscribed to the foregoing certificate &c., appears to be his usual signature, I have hereunto affixed my seal of office, and subscribed my name and quality as Clerk of Somerset County Court at Princess Anne this 5th day of January 1839
[signed] Geo Handy clk Somt Coty Court
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State of Maryland
Somerset County to wit}
I do hereby certify that I was well acquainted with Martin Bowles of Somerset aforesaid, who died several years ago, that the said Martin Bowles, returned home after the revolutionary war, that he was always in the neighbourhood [sic] understood to be a soldier in the Maryland line, to have enlisted under Colo John Gunby and to have received in [illegible] title at close of the war -
I do certify that I have heard Martin Bowles say so himself. It [illegible] this that it was always understood & believed in the neighbourhood [sic] that he was a soldier as above stated, I do further certify that the aforesaid Martin Bowles was the same who was the father Sinah Bowles of Somerset county State of Maryland aforesaid. (signed) X her mark Polly Hilmon
Test [signed] Isaac Anderson }

State of Maryland  
County of Somerset }
This day personally appeared before me a justice of the peace in and for said county, Polly Hilmon and made oath to the truth of the above certificate and I further certify Polly Hilmon's entitled to full credit as a witness.
Given under my hand & seal this 25 day of april 1837.
[signed] Isaac Anderson J.P.
State of Maryland Somerset County ss.
I hereby certify that Isaac
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Anderson, before whom the annexed affidavit was made & whose signature appears thereto, was at the time of making and signing the same a Justice of the peace of the State of Maryland in and for Somerset County duly commissioned and sworn. In Testimony whereof I have hereto set my hand and affixed the seal of Somerset County Court this fifth day of January Eighteen hundred and thirty nine
Geo Handy clk Somt. Coty. Court

Maryland, Somerset County to wit - January 12th 1839
Then came and personally appeared before me a justice of the peace in and for the county aforesaid Sinah Taylor. and made oath on the holy Evangels of almighty God that her maiden name was Sinal Bowles, that she is the same individual, who on the 27th day of March 183. Signed the foregoing declaration & power of attorney given to the Same, and that She is the daughter of Martin Bowles [next several words illegible] to wed on the 3d day of January 1829 married & became the wife of Purnel Taylor - [signed] Jn D Brower J. P.

Maryland ss.
I hereby certify that John D. Brower, Gentleman before whom the above affidavit was made and whose signature appears thereto, was at the time of making and signing the same, a Justice of the peace of the State of Maryland in and for Somerset County duly commissioned and sworn
In Testimony whereof I have hereto set my hand and the seal of Somerset County Court this nineteenth day of January one thousand
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At an adjoined meeting of the Orphans court of Somerset county, held at the Town of Princess Anne on Thursday, the 18th day of December, 1838, among the proceedings are the following, to wit:
"Satisfactory evidence was this day adduced before the orphans court in open court, to prove that Sinah Bowles and John Bowles the children of Martin Bowles of Fontaine B. Humprey [Humphreys], the Grandson of the said Martin Bowles, to wit: the son of his daughter Nancy by his intermarriage with Thomas Humprey [Humphreys] are the only heirs at law of the aforesaid Martin Bowles who was a Soldier of the Maryland line in the Revolutionary War and who died twenty odd years ago."
In Testimony whereof, I hereunto set my hand and affix the seal of my office this 9th day of January Eighteen hundred and thirty nine-
[signed] James Polk Reg
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P aun [sp?]  March 19 1859
Sir
Yours of the 13th instant inclosing a land warrant No 2249 for 100 acres of land, for Sinah Taylor, late Sinah Bowles & John Bowles children, Fontain B. Humphrey grand child and only heirs at law of Martin Bowles, who was a private in the Maryland line dc. was this day received by
Your obt st
[signed] Jas Polk
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April 23, 1934.
xxxxxxxxxx

Mrs. W. H. Tilghman        Ba-J/ady
112 Virginia Avenue        Aquilla Chittam
Salisbury, Maryland         B.L. Wt. No. 2277-100 &
                                        Martin Bowles
                                        B.L.Wt. No. 2249-100

Dear Madam:
Reference is made to your letter relative to soldiers of the Revolutionary War.
Revolutionary War data furnished by this office are obtained from claims made to the United States for pension and bounty land based upon military service of soldiers in that war.
A careful search of the records fails to show such a claim on file on account of the services of Isaac King and John Chittam as described by you or Richard Bounds, all spellings of the surnames searched.
The records of Aquilla Chittam and Martin Bowles are furnished you herein as found in the respective claims for bounty land based upon service in the Revolutionary War.
Aquilla Chittam, Wt. No. 22770-100
Aquilla Chittam enlisted, date and place not stated, served as private in the Maryland line to the close of the war, names of officers not stated.
He was reared about half a mile from Upper Ferry on the Wicomico River on the road from Princess Anne, and was drowned at McBryde's Landing in said river, date not given. His age not shown.
On an application executed in Somerset County, Maryland in 1839 the following heirs were allowed one hundred acres of bounty land on Warrant No. 2277 on account of the services of Aquilla Chittam in the Revolutionary War: John Chittam, Josiah Chittam, William Chittam, Hetty Banks, a widow, and Betsy Puzey, who were children of soldier's deceased brother John Chittam, Sr., and Francis Chittam, who was the son of George Chittam, deceased, who was the son of the above named John Chittam, Sr., and

[Note: Several notes were handwritten on this letter. At the top] See Regt. files under Andrew Adamas for a roster list which had a reg. for all these & Andrew besides - June 25 -34 [arrow drawn to Martin Bowles name at top]
[along left margin] See her letter in Aquilla Chattam Wt No. 2277-100 Rev. War
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John Chittam, Jr., who was the son of Priscilla Chittam, deceased, who was the daughter of the said John Chittam, Sr. There are no further family data.
For information in regard to the location of land you should address the Commissioner of the General Land Office, this city, and furnish that official the following: "Aquilla Chittam, B. L. Wt. No. 2277-100 issued December 30, 1839."
Martin Bowles, Wt. No. 2249-100
Martin Bowles enlisted, date and place not stated, and served as private in Colonel John Gunby's Maryland Regiment to the close of the war.
In 1837 he as referred to as of Somerset County, Maryland. In 1839 it was stated that he had died, place not stated, twenty odd years ago. His age is not given.
Soldier's daughter Sinah Bowles, was living in Somerset County, Maryland in 1837. She married January 3, 1839, Purnel Taylor.
In 1839 the following heirs were allowed one hundred acres of bounty land on Warrant No. 2249 on account of the services of Martin Bowles in the Revolutionary War: Sinah Taylor and John Bowles children of the soldier, and Fontaine B. Humphries, who was the son of soldier's daughter Nancy and her husband Thomas Humphries. No reference is made to soldier's wife and there are no further family data.
For information in regard to the location of land you should apply to the Commissioner of the General Land Office, Washington, D. C., and cite the following: Martin Bowles, B. L. Wt. No. 2249-100 issued March 13, 1839.
Very truly yours,
A. D. HILLER
Assistant to Administrator.