Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty Land Warrant Application File R. 8609, for Benjamin Ray, Maryland
Page 1

Service
MD

Name
Ray, Benjamin

Number
R.8609
Page 2

Know all men by these presents that I Benjamin Ray Sr. have authorized and appointed and by these presents do authorize and appoint Joshua H Penn my true and lawful attorney for me and in my name to collect and receive any sum or sums of money which may be decided to be due to me as the representative of Benjamin Ray Sr. by the War Department for the services of Benjamin Ray Sr. during the revolutionary war making his receipt valid for any money so obtained & making this power of attorney as valid as it is possible to have it.

In testimony whereof I have set my hand and affixed my seal this day of December Fifth eighteen hundred and thirty-five.

Benjamin Ray
His X Mark
SEAL

Witness Present
Richd Phelps
Page 3

District of Columbia
Washington County to wit

On this 8th day of December 1835 personally appears before the subscribe a Justice of the Peace in and for the county aforesaid, Joshua H Penn who being duly sworn on the Holy Evangely of Almighty God according to law deposeth and saith that he the said Joshua H Penn married the granddaughter of Mr. Benjamin Ray Senior and resided near him that he knows he left no widow - that he died on the fourth day of November 1835. That he knows for several years past the said Benjamin Ray Senior has been entirely dependent upon his son owing to his infirmity and possessed no property. Further the deponent saith not.

Given under my hand & seal 

Clement T Coote
Page 4

Columbia Mills, December 9th, 1835

We the undersigned do this day certify that we are personally acquainted with Mr. Joshua H Penn and believe him to be a man who can be depended on in any case and know his word to be as good as any mans and you the Honorable Gentleman may depend on it as such.

John Pumphery
Isaiah Pumphery
Jesse Pumphery
Joshua Hood Sr
Thomas B Warfield
Owen Disury

Anne Arundel County AD Nov 10th, 1835

This is to certify that Mr. Joshua H Penn is one of my neighbors and I know him to be a man that can be relied on in anything that he says my opinion of the above name gentleman is the same as that of Mr. Penn.

Rezin Hammond
Page 5

No 33500
Benjamin Ray's
Papers

Cost 96 cts
Page 6

State of Maryland Annapolis City

On this first day of December in the year eighteen hundred and thirty-five personally appeared in open court Joshua H Penn who being first duly sworn according to law upon his oath says that he knew Benjamin Ray for some years; that he was a man of strict veracity and integrity; that he has repeatedly heard said Ray say that he had served in the militia in the revolutionary war; that he had entered the militia under Duvall & served under Buoy or Bouis after Duvall's death & that he had been honorably discharged by Bouis. Deponent further testifies that to his certain knowledge said Ray went to Annapolis City about ten days before his death to make oath that he had served as before stated, but was induced to defer making the affidavit until he could have his declaration put into proper form, deponent further states that said Ray died on or about the fourth of November last past and that his only surviving child & heir is his son Benjamin Ray Jr.

Before Sam Brown, First Reg Wills A.A. County

Sworn & subscribed to the day & year aforesaid
Joshua H Penn

State of Maryland Annapolis City

On this first day of December in the year eighteen hundred and thirty-five personally appeared in open court Stephen Farrell who being first duly sworn according to law upon his oath says that he knew Benjamin Ray Senior for several years; that he was a man of truth and honesty, that he has heard Ray say upon tow particular occasions that he was called out in the revolutionary war and continued under Duvall and Bouis until he was honorably discharged. Deponent further says that said Ray died a few weeks since and that Benjamin Ray Jr is his only son & heir.

Saml Brown
Reg/Wills A.A. Count

Sworn to and subscribed the day & year aforesaid.

Stephen Farrell
His X Mark
Page 7

State of Maryland Annapolis City

ON this first day of December in the year of our Lord eighteen hundred and thirty-five personally appeared Theodore Upton who being first duly sworn according to law upon his oath says that he has known Benjamin Ray Sr for some time & that he was an honest man and entitled to belief. Deponent further states that he had three uncles and a father and that he has frequently heard them say that Benjamin Ray served in the revolution.

Sworn & subscribed the day & year aforesaid before

Saml Brown - Reg Will - A.A. County

Theodor Upton

State of Maryland Anne Arundel County

At an Orphans Court held for Anne Arundel County December the 11th 1835, satisfactory evidence was adduced in court to prove that Benjamin Ray in the county of Anne Arundel and State of Maryland is the son and only heir at law in fee to Benjamin Ray Sr deceased, late a soldier of the revolution and that he served nine months and obtained a discharge.

Gideon White
Thos. H Dorsey

In testimony that the aforegoing is a true copy taken from the records of proceedings of the Orphans Court of Anne Arundel County.

I have hereunto set my hand and affixed the seal of my office this first day of December in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and thirty-five.

Saml Brown, Reg Wills A.A. County
Page 8

Rev war Section

Benj Ray
R8609

October 26, 1915

Mrs. Emily Bird Smith
Free Public Library
Webb City, Mo

Madam,

In response to your letter dated the 18th instant, you are advised that this bureau is unable to furnish the history of a soldier of the revolution, unless a claim for pension or bounty land has been made on account of his services, and that from the meagre data given my you no claim has been identified for Benjamin Ray described by you.

However, it may not be improper to add that the only Benjamin Ray of the Maryland troops found on the Revolutionary war records of this Bureau died November 4, 1835 (age not given) leaving no widow and only one child and heir, Benjamin Ray Jr of Anne Arundel County, Maryland upon whom he was dependent.

In 1835, Benjamin Ray Jr applied for the pension which was due his father Benjamin Ray Sr who served in the Militia under Duval and Bowie and was discharged December 3, 1781; but the claim was never allowed
Page 9

for the reason that the claimant failed to furnish satisfactory proof of six month's actual service as required by the pension law of June 7, 1832 under which he applied (R. File No 8609)

Very respectfully

G M Saltzgaber
Commissioner

Ray - 2 -
Page 10

REJECTED

8609
Benjamini Ray

1915 Oct 26 - Hist to Emily Bird Smith
Page 11

Benjamin Ray
Act 7 June 1832
Maryland 

Rejected See letter to 
Hon Isaac McKim
Dec 18, 1835 & to same 7 Jan 1836.

8609
Page 12

Land Office, Annapolis, Oct 26th 1835

I hereby certify that it appears by an alphabetical List of Discharged Soldiers of the Battalions of militias raised to serve nine months or until the 10th day of December 1781, that the name of Benjamin Ray appears upon said list to have been discharged on the 3rd day of December 181 and to have received 10..5..0 pounds.

George G Brewer
Reg Land Office S.W. Md

Mem: I do not find any other person of the name of Benjamin Ray upon the rolls as having served.

G.G. Brewer - Reg Lad Off
Page 13

Get this certificate under the seal of the state
Page 14

Dec 8

Benj Ray

Hon. I McKim
H.R.
Page 15

War Department
Pension Office
November 9, 1835

Sir

This morning I received your letter of the 7th inst of Benjamin Ray who you inform me served nine months in the Maryland Militia be still living he can obtain a pension under the act of June 7, 1832 on conforming to the instructions contained in the enclosed printed sheet. If he died after the passage of the act aforesaid his widow or children as the case may be, can obtain whatever may be due on producing the necessary proof taken before a court of record; but if he died before the passage of the law, nothing can be obtained on account of his service.

There is no bounty land due in this case. He never acquired any right to such gratuity. Bounty Land is in no case granted to anyone for militia service. The laws allow land to regular officers and soldiers only.

I have the honor to be
Very respectfully
Your Obt Servant

J.L. Edwards

Hon. Isaac McKim
Baltimore
Page 16

Hon. Isaac McKim
18 Dec 1835

Record Vol 28 Page 227
Page 17

War Dept
Pension Office
Dec 18, 1835

Sir

From the very slight examination of the case of Benjamin Ray dec'd which I was able to make while you were in this office a few days since, some facts escaped my notice which have a very important bearing on the claim I found that all those who enlisted in what was called the nine months revolution in 1781 were not actually in the service for that long a period, and that the whole amount of pay which he received being but 10.5 pounds would not be paid him for six months service. Hence, I conclude that he could not have served six months and as there is no proof that he did so serve, the claim cannot be allowed.

I regret that you were not apprised of the difficulty in this case at an earlier period. Mr. Penn's letter is herewith returned. The other papers will remain on our files.

Enter this on Maryland Index Act 7 June 1832

Hon Isaac McKim
House of Rep.