Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty Land Warrant Application File S. 1603, John Willis, Va.
Page 1

(3-1776)

SERVICE | ⭐️ |NUMBER
Va. | Willis, John | S. 1603

carded

CONTENTS
Page 2

G. G. Brewer
28. Decr. 1832
O. C.

Recorded Vol. 8
Page 193.
Page 3

War Dep't
Pension Office 
Dec. 28, 1832

Sir

John Willis of St. Albans, 
Vermont,  claims to have served in the 
2d. Maryland regiment of the continental 
line until the close of the war. Be 
pleased to transmit to the Department 
whatever information your rolls may 
afford in regard to his case.

G. G. Brewer Esq
Register of the Land Office
Annapolis
Maryland.
Page 4

SUBMIT IN DUPLICATE.  1-681  PHONE Branch 476
[illegible initials] 
All inquiries regarding this job should refer to Requisition No. 26620

Requisition for Duplicating, Addressograph, Photostat, and Blue Print Work.
___
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
WASHINGTON
[written vertically] Mrs Finch
CHIEF, Division of Publications,  September 24, 1928 192
Room G 137.
Please furnish work specified below.

Bureau ordering Pensions  Deliver to Room No. 5033

(ALL COPY FOR DUPLICATING WORK SHOULD BE PLAIN AND WRITTEN IN ELITE TYPE, 
EXACTLY LINE FOR LINE AS IT IS TO APPEAR ON FINISHED JOB.)

Title and description of job photostatic copies of two pages from Rev. War 
pension claim of John Willis, R. 11640.

No. of copies 1 of each page Shall form be kept standing? ___ ___ days
For further information see M. M. H. Finch 5033 541
Room No. Phon No.

Approved:
W. Laurence Hazard | Margaret MH Finch
Actg. Chief Clerk of Bureau. | Chief of Branch or Division.

NOTE: No order made "SPECIAL" unless statement showing necessity is written 
below and approved by Chief Clerk of Bureau ordering ___
___
______________________________________________________________________
CHECK WORK DESIRED

Duplicate 
Multigraph | single or double space? ___ | Facsimile signature? ___
Mimeograph | one side or both sides? ___ | Facsimile signature? ___
Folding | once or twice?
Assembling
Stapling| Once? | Twice? | Side? | End?

Electric typewriter | Fill in addresses? ___ | Dated? ___

Addressograph from lists ___
Envelopes, size . . . . . . . . . . . | . . . . | . . . . . . | Cards, size . . . . . . . . . . | . . . . | . . . . . .
Proof list . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | . . . . | . . . . . . | Pay rolls . . . . . . . . . . . . .| . . . . | . . . . . .
Labels (submit sample) . . . | . . . . | . . . . . . | Corrections . . . . . . . . . | . . . . | . . . . . .
Fill in letters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | . . . . | . . . . . . | Tabulation sheets . . . | . . . . | . . . . . . 

Photostat  | Size actual | Official use? ___ | Repay? yes | $ 0.30
Blue Print | Size ___ | Official use? ___ | Repay? ___ | $ ___

Remarks ___
(OVER)
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NOTE: Routine changes of addresses may be made on this blank without formal 
reference through or initialing of chiefs of branches or chief clerks of 
bureaus.

___ 192 .
(Date)

INDICATE BY AN X IN PROPER SQUARE ACTION TO BE TAKEN.

| | Make new addressograph plate }

| | Change present addressograph plate } On list ___

| | Destroy present addressograph plate }
as follows:

Now reads 1 ____
2 ___
3___
4 ___
5 ___

Should read 1 ___
2 ___
3 ___
4 ___
5 ___
_______________________________________________________________
FOR USE OF DUPLICATING AND ADDRESSING SECTION

ADDRESSOGRAPH
The above change was made ___ 192 .
Operator ___

MULTIGRAPH
Operator ___ Date ___ Type set by ___ Date ___
Remarks: _____

MIMEOGRAPH
Operator ___ Date ___ Cut by ___
Remarks: _____
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15822
3-2233

BUREAU OF PENSIONS
Finance Division

Sept. 25, 1928
Chief Rev. and 1812 Wars Section Division.

I have this day received from 
C. A. Hoppin 
cash in the amount 
of $ 30/100, requesting 
photostat copy as per letter herewith.
____
[Written vertically across face of image]
9-29-'28
Copies no [illegible] 
& fiinance
Div. wrote [illegible]

O. J. RANDALL
Chief, Finance Division.
W.C.S.
Page 7

September 22, 1928

Commissioner of Pensions
Washington, D.C.

Sir:

Please send me uncertified photostatic copies of two pages from 
the Revolutionary War pension claim of John Willis, R. 11640.

X C. A. Hoppin
Box 137 Grand Central P. O.
New York N.Y.

Received payment
$0.30
September 22, 1928 
W. C. Stockes
Rev. & 1912 War Section

[Stamp]
FINANCE DIVISION
BOOK KEEPERS DESK
SEP 25 1928
BUREAU OF PENSIONS
Page 8

[Two panels]
[Left panel]

25076
Jonesborough Tennessee 

John Willis 
of Hawkins Co. in the State of Tennessee 
who was a private in the con coma
by Captain Farriss of the regt commanded 
by Col. Lyon in the N Carolina
line for 7 months & 10 days

Virginia Line: Records corrected
Oct. 17 '03

Inscribed on the Roll of Jonesborough 
at the rate of 24 Dollars 44 Cents per annum 
to commence on the 4th day of March, 1831.

Certificate of Pension issued the 19 day of Nov
1833 and D Alexander 
Rogersville

Arrears to the 4th of Sept 61.10
Semi anl. allowance ending 4 March 12.22
$73.32
=====

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

Recorded by Danl Boyd Clerk,
Book E Vol. 7 Page 136

[Right panel]

See letter to Hon. [illegible] Burch HR.
& P. Agt. Dec, 27, 1836 - do.
to Hon. S. Burch Jan. 11, 1837
___
do Pen Agts. Jonesboro, and 
Knoxville, Feby 6" '37

Certificate [illegible] & D Alexander  

[Written horizontally right margin]

Date of death not on AB
Page 9

WAR DEPARTMENT.

REVOLUTIONARY CLAIM.

I certify that, in conformity with the law of the United 
States of the 7th June, 1832, John Willis 
of the State of Tennessee 
who was a private in the Army of the 
Revolution 
is entitled to receive --Twenty four -- dollars and 
Forty four cents per annum, during his natural life, com
mencing on the 4th of March, 1831, and payable semi
annually on the 4th of March, and 4th of September, in 
every year.

Given at the War Office of the United 
States, this 19th day of 
November one thousand eight 
hundred and thirty three

Lew Cass
Secretary of War.

Examined and }
Countersigned. }

J L Edwards
Commissioner of Pensions.
Page 10

John Willis

Payments to be made 
at Jonesborough 
by William K Blair 
Agent for paying Pension
ers, in the Agency of Jones
borough Tennessee

250:7th 32

Recorded in the Pension Of
fice, in Book E Vol. 6 
Page 136 by Dan Boyd 
Clerk.

Rd. by D. Alexander 
Feby 1851 - Ten
Page 11

State of Tennessee 55
Hawkins County ⎬ On this 3 day of October 1833, personally appeared in open Court before the
Judge of the Circuit Court of Hawkins County now
Sitting John Willis a resident of Hawkins County
in the State aforesaid aged sixty seven
years, who being first duly sworn according to law, doth
in his oath make the following declaration in order to
obtain the benefit of the act of Congress passed June
7th 1832 - 
That he entered the service of the United States
under the following named officer and served
as herein stated: That in the fall of 1780 about
the first of September, this declarant entered the
service of the United States as a volunteer under
Captain Shelton in the County of Henry State of
Virginia, and was marched under said Shelton
to a place called the Hollows, otherwise, Flower Gap
under the Blue Ridge against the Tories, who were very numerous in that part of the country
that at one time declarant's company was stationed a McGoverns[?] a considerable time then adjoined
at a place called Hedge path's near the Blue
ridge, and was on duty at different points
guarding the settlements against the incursions
of the Tories - the lieutenant's name attached
to said company was Francis Barret -
after continuing three months this declarant
with the other volunteers were marched home
and arrived at home about the tenth of September
- 1780. He received no written discharge
that he remembers. Again about the first
of January 1781 hearing that Lord Cornwallis
had entered North Carolina in pursuit of ┃
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General Greene and that volunteers were much needed  to aid Geneal Greene in repelling the enemy from Country this declarant with several others residing in his neighborhood in
the County of Henry volunteered a second time under Col Shelton and marched from home with the regiment commanded by Col Lyons about the 18th of January 1781 towards Guilford Court House -when the troops got within about twenty miles of Guilford [illegible] in North Carolina the said Col Lyons after having loitered  on the way. He determined to return home, and would not march any further alleging that his force was too weak to oppose the enemy and that his retreat might be cut off should proceed any further and according this declarant was marched home under Col. Lyons
which they reached about the 1st of April having been out on duty other[?] three months- the declarant received no discharge, other then a verbal one
Again about the first of October 1781 this declarant marched as a Volunteer under Capt Shelton to York Town in Virgina in aid of the capture of Cornwallis  but before reaching the headquarters
General Washington, and when within about a day's march of York Town, information reached Captain Shelton that Cornwallis had surrendered,
when this
Page 13

declarant with the company commanded by Capt 
Shelton returned back, and reached home 
about the first of November having served 
fully one month on that march making 
in the whole seven months - and ten days

He states he served with no regular officers 
that he has no documentary evidence and that he 
knows of no person whose testimony he can pro
cure, who can testify to his service and that 
he is acquainted with Samuel Spears & Thomas Barrett.

He states he was born [struck out: within eighty miles 
of Richmond in] in Hallifax County Virginia 
He has no record of his age - there is no clergyman living 
in his neighborhood. He hereby relinquishes every claim to 
a pension or annuity except the present and 
declares that his name is not on the pension 
roll of the agency of any State. Sworn to 
& subscribed the day and year aforesaid.
W B Mitchell Clk  John his X mark Willis

We Samuel Spears and Thomas Barrett residing 
in Hawkins County do hereby certify that we are well 
acquainted with John Willis who has sworn to & 
subscribed to the above declaration that we believe 
him to be sixty seven 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 to & subscribed this 3rd day 
of October 1833. And we believe there is no clergy
man residing in his neighborhood
Sworn to & subscribed the day } Samuel his X mark Spears
& year aforesaid } Thomas Barrett
W B Mitchell Clk