Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty Land Warrant Application File R 11203, James Watson, Penn.
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Penn. Watson, James R11203
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11203
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State of Kentucky SS   C1
Laurence County 

On this 9th day of December 1833 personally appeared in open court before the [illegible] of all justices comprising the county court of Laurence County now sitting found that I am a resident in said county of Laurence and State of Kentucky aged sixty eight years who being first duly sworn according to law, on his oath doth make the following declaration in order to obtain the benefit of the act of Congress passed June the 7th 1832. That he entered the service of the United States under the following named officers and served as herein stated. He turned out a volunteer Indian spy (or Indian scouter) the Captain Corner raising the company to which he belonged was named William Philips and his [illegible]. Philips was his Ensign the name of the Lieutenant he does not now remember the Colonel [illegible] and out of the Regiment to which he was attached he thinks was [illegible] Moorhead, he entered the service of the United States in the latter part of April or the first part of May 1780 for the term of eighteen months and served out the whole of the time that he left the service in October 1781 having in that time had an engagement with an
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party of Indiana in which there was killed in the company to which he belonged twelve men and several taken prisoners at the time he volunteered his services in the war of the revolution he was a resident of the county of Bedford State of Pennsylvania, the troops to which he was attached rendezvoused at a place called Fort Littleton thence he marched to the town of Bedford and thence he was marched to a place called Woodcock Valley and was there stationed,  He spied through the surrounding country in the course of which  (illegible) he killed one Indian he states that he has no documentary evidence to prove his services and is not sure that he can procure the testimony of any person by whom he can prove his services, but believes that one Thomas Murry of whom he has lately been told he is still living and with whom he was well acquainted in the War of the revolution.  Knows and recollects of his services He hereby relinquishes every claim whatsoever to a pension or annuity except the present one and declares that his name is not on the pension roll f the agency of any state.

   Sworn to and subscribed the day and year aforesaid.

   Interrogatories (illegible) to the above applicant by the court:
1st.  Where and in what year were you born?
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 And from the information of my parents, I was born in Chester County, Pennsylvania in the year 1763.

2d.  Have you any record of your age and if so, where is it?
Ans.  I have none.

3d.  Where were you living when called into service, where have you live since the Revolutionary War, and where do you now live?
Ans. When called into service I lived in Bedford  County, Pennsylvania, after the close of the war of the revolution my father moved to Russel County  Virgina and from there on I moved into Taylor County Kentucky and from thence Lawrence County Kentucky where I now reside.

4th.   How were you called into service; were you drafted, did you volunteer or were you a substitute and if a substitute for whom?
Ans.  I was a volunteer.

5th. State the names of "service of the regular officers who were with the troops where you served such continental and militia regiments any you can recollect and the general circumstances of your service.
Ans.  Col. Moorhead was as well as I can recollect a regular officer and Col. Little was a militia officer being so young and only knowing that I was to do my duty I and I am not as well prepared to fully answer the foregoing 5th interrogatory as one who at that time was of more advanced age as to the general circumstances of my service.  I have given therein (illegible) in my declaration.
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6th. Did you ever receive a discharge from the service and if so by whom was it given and what has become of it?
Ans:  I never rcvd. a discharge owing as I suppose to be the circumstances of my Capt. having been either got killed or taken prisoner in the skirmish with the Indians.  Spoken of in my declaration.

7th.  State the names of persons to where you are acquainted and who can testify as to your character for veracity and their belief of your services as a soldier of the Revolution.
Ans.  Elias Johnson a minister of the Gospel and Nathanel Dawson Esq.

We Elias Johnson a minister of the Gospel of Lawrence County and Nathaniel Dawson residing in the same county do hereby certify that we are well acquainted with James Watson who has subscribed and sworn to the foregoing declaration that we believe him to be sixty-eight years of age that he is a respected and believed in the neighborhood where he resides to have been a soldier of the Revolution and that we concur in that opinion. 

                                             //s//
                                   Elias Johnson
                                              //s//
                                  Nathaniel Dawson 
Sworn to and subscribed
the day and year aforesaid. 

//s// 
Lewis Ringles J.P.L.C.
//s//
Peter Mank J.P.L.C.
//s//
George W. Grayson J.P.L.C.
We (illegible) the said court do hereby declare their opinion after the investigation of the matter and (next page)

Hon. Jas. Love H.R.
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29.181

James Watson
 Kentucky


Rejected.  Service performed after the revoly. war. Sent letter  22 Jany 1834 to Hon. Jas. Love, H. R.





Hon. Jas. Love, H. R.
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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 certify that if appears to them that Elias Johnson who has signed the preceding certificate is a clergyman residing in the county of Lawrence and that Nathaniel Dawson who has also signed the same is a resident in the said county of Lawrence and is credible person, and their statement is entitled to credit. 
                                          //s//
                                   Lewis Ringles J.P.L.C.
                                   Peter Mank J.P.L.C.
                                 George W. Grayson J.P.L.C.

   I Jas. M. Rice Clerk of the Court of Lawrence County do hereby certify that the foregoing contains the original proceedings are the said court in the matter of the application as James Watson for a pension. 

  In testimony whereas I have herewith set my hand and seal of office this 9th day as Dec. 1833.

                                             //s//
                                     Jas. M. Rice L.C.C.
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11.203

P.O.  
Jas. Watson
Service:   [blank]
1-0

Enlisted:    REJECTED   , 18[blank]
Discharged:  REJECTED  . 18blank]
Application Filed:  [blank], 18]blank]

Alleges:  List of rejected claims printed in 1852 shows cause.  
Re-enlisted:  Of Rejective as follows:  "Service after the Revolution".  

Born in Chester Co.
Enlisted in [illegible] Co. 
Moved to Ky [illegible]
Attorney:  [blank]
P.O.  [blank]

Recognized.  [blank]
 [blank] Cert. of Dis.. Searched for  [blank]
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Hon. James Love
Jany 27, 1834

O.C.








Recorded Vol. 25 ,   Page 304
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War Department
Pension Office
January 22, 1834

Sir,

The papers in support of the claim of James Watson have been examined. He  alleges to have entered the service in 1780 as an Indian spy.  That description of service was of an extremely arduous and dangerous character and required  which none were engaged   to perform but those who had arrived at too  years of [illegible] and were experienced  in that kind of duty.  The applicant at the time he alleges to have entered  the service was but fifteen years of age.  He could not therefore, 
[illegible] found the service at the period stated but at a period subsequent to the termination of the Revolutionary War.  The act of June 7, 1832 provides for more who did not serve during the revolutionary war.  His claim is therefore been rejected. The papers will be placed in the file in this office.  

Hon. James Soie H. R.
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 REVOLUTIONARY WAR RECORDS SECTION. 
3-525

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR,
BUREAU OF PENSIONS
Washington, D. C.,      19

   In reply to your request of  [Blank]  , received [Blank]  for a statement of the military history of James Watson, a soldier of the REVOLUTIONARY WAR, you will find below the desired information as contained in his (or his widow's) application for pension on file in this Bureau.  

DATES OF ENLISTMENT
OR APPOINTMENT -- 
[Illegible] May 1780


LENGTH OF SERVICE - 18 Months


RANK -- Indian Spy
OFFICERS UNDER WHOM SERVICE WAS RENDERED --

CAPTAIN. -- William Phileps

COLONEL -- Morehead

STATE -- Penn.


Battles engaged in   [Blank].
Residence of Soldier at enlistment Bedford County, Penn.
Date of application for pension - Dec 9, 1833
Residence at Date of Application - Lawrence Co. Kentucky
Age at date of Application - Born in 1763 in Chester Co. Penn.  
Remarks:  The cl. was rejected. 
After the war his father moved to North Carolina. Soldier moved to Russell Co. Va., and then to Floyd Co and Lawrence Co. Kentucky.

Respectfully, 


[Faint Name]      Commissioner