Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty Land Warrant Application File W 14488, for William Murdoch, Maryland
Page 1

3-1776
SERVICE
Continental (Md.)

Murdoch, William or Murdock,
Clagett, Jane Contee

NUMBER W14488
B. L. Wt. 263-150

CONTENTS
Bounty land claim missing in 1912
Register shows "Cornet, Armand's Legion. Warrant issued to Addison Murdock, Apl. 25, 1806, and delivered to same."
Page 2

1592
District of Columbia
Jane Contee Clagett
formerly widow of Wm Murdoch
who died on the February 1792 of Washn. Co. in the [crossed out: State of] Dis of Cola [District of Columbia]
who was a Cornet in the company commanded by Captain [BLANK] of the regt commanded by Col. Armond in the [BLANK]
line for the war.
Md

Inscribed on the Roll of Disct of Cola at the rate of 320 Dollars - Cents per annum to commence on the 4th day of March, 1831.

Certificate of Pension issued the 5th day of Dec 1837. and sent to [illegible] B. M. Miller 3rd Audr office

Arrears to the 4th of Sep 3/ $2080.-
Semi=annual allowance ending 4 Mch 38 /60.-
$2240.-

{Revolutionary Claim, Act July 4, 1836, Section the 3rd & act 3 Mch 17}

Recorded by Wm S. Allison Clerk
Book A Vol. 2 Page 161
Page 3

2953

Admitted Cornet
2 yrs $320.

Rev. Benjm M. Miller
Page 4

District of Columbia
Washington County SS
On this twenty ninth day of November one thousand Eight and thirty seven personally appeared before the Circuit Court of the United States for the District of Columbia, sitting in Washington County, Jane Contee Clagett, a resident of Washington County District of Columbia, aged Seventy one years, who being first duly sworn according to law doth on her oath make the following declaration in order to obtain the benefit of the provision made by the act of Congress passed July 4th 1836, and the act explanatory of said act passed March 3d 1837: That her maiden name was Jane Contee Harrison, that she was married to William Murdoch who was a Cornet in Armands Corps of the Revolutionary army that according to the best of her recollection and the information she can obtain in the matter, he entered the service as early, if not earlier than the first part of the year Seventeen hundred and Eighty and continued in service till the latter part of the year Seventeen hundred and Eighty three: that soon after their marriage she recollects his leaving home and remaining absent, as the deponent believes on Service in the Army, for a period of two months, she believes at Little York, Pennsylvania, though she is not certain that it was at that place: that at the time of Entering the service the said William Murdoch resided at George Town in the County of Montgomery in the State of Maryland: that the deponent has no documentary evidence in support of the claim whatever.
She further declares that she was married to
Page 5

the said William Murdoch in the month of May and as she verily believes on or about the twenty Seventh of said month in the year Seventeen hundred and Eighty three; that her husband, the aforesaid William Murdoch died on the [BLANK] day of February in the year Seventeen hundred and ninety two: that she was afterward married to Zadock Clagett who died on the [BLANK] day of June in the year Seventeen hundred and ninety six, and that she was a widow on the 4th day of July 1836 and still continues a widow, as will more fully appear by reference to the proof hereto annexed
Jane Contee Clagett

Sworn to and subscribed in open Court on the day and year above written.
In Testimony whereof, I hereunto subscribe my name and affix the seal of the said Circuit Court at the City of Washington, this
29th day of November 1837.
Wm Brent, Clk
Circh Court, Dist Col.
City of Washington.
Page 6

Seventeen hundred and Eighty three, May twenty Seventh -
"William Murdoch - Jane Contee Harrison"
Maryland
Frederick County, Sct.
I hereby certify that the above is a true copy, taken from the Record of Marriage Licenses issued out of this office, with the exception of the date, which is expressed on the Record in fair legible figures, as follows: "1783 May 27th".

In testimony whereof I have hereunto Subscribed my name, and affixed the Seal of Frederick County Court, this 18th day of October 1837
Henry Schley Clerk
of Fredk County Court

I Henry Schley above named, depose and
say, that I hold the office of Clerk of Frederick County Court, in the County, and State aforesaid, and that the above is a true extract from the Record aforesaid, of said County with the exception above named, as certified by me.
Henry Schley Clerk
of Fredk County Court

Sworn before me
Abner Campbell
Justice of the peace,

Maryland
Frederick County Set
I Henry Schley clerk of Frederick County Court, do hereby certify that Abner Campbell, before whom the above affidavit was made, is a Justice of the peace in and for Frederick County, in the State of Maryland, & duly Commissioned, and Sworn as Such; and that the above Signature purporting to be his is genuine.
In testimony whereof I have hereunto Subscribed my name, and affixed the Seal of Frederick County court, this 18th October 1837
Henry Schley clk Fredk Cty ct
Page 7

Rev WIDOW, &c.
File No. 14,488
Jane Conter [Contee] Cladgett Former Widow of Wm. Murdoch Cornet Rev. War
Act: July 4th 1836
Index:-Vol. a, Page 137
[Arrangement of 1870.]
Page 8

Frederick Town Maryland
Sept 9th 1837.
Dear Madam
Agreeably to your request I will state to you the circumstances by which I became acquainted with Mr Murdoch but being more than half a century past it may be presumed I have forgotten most of the facts necessary for your use-
In the spring of 1781 I moved to George Town for the purpose of studying medicine and on my arrival there I found Mr Murdoch in a Military dress, said to be a Lieutenant in Col. Armonds Legion and recruiting for the ranks of the Legion. Col. Armonds Legion was organized in 1780 and joined the southern army under Genl. Gates, which was totally defeated and the troops dispersed & the Legion having suffered loss, the officers were [illegible] to the northern States to recruit, from which I presume Lieut. M- was with the Legion in Gates Army; but I have no knowledge of the fact; neither do I know whether the Legion again joined the army, but presume it did with the numerous detachments from Maryland & other states then marching to join the army in pursuit of Cornwallis, who surrendered at York Town in Oct. 1781.
Page 9

From all the circumstances within my recollection I think Lieut M- [William Murdoch] joined the army in 1780 & continued untill the end of the war which terminated soon after the surrender of Cornwallis
Whether Mr M- enter'd another Corps before or after the defeat of Gates or whether he even was promoted to Captain I have no knowledge; but the records of the War Office will or ought to shew those facts & all the circumstances necessary for your use-
Lieut. Joseph Smith was an Officer in Armonds Legion & was at Gate's defeat as Surgeon, but resigned or exchanged for a Lieutenancy in the line & was with Mr M- in Geo. Town [George Town] at the time of my removal to that place, from which I am induced to believe Mr M- was also in the army at Gate's defeat.
Lieuten Smith above referred to is dead and I think it probable you can get some information from Col Walter Smith & Mr Clement Smith Prest of the F. Falls Bank.
I hope you may be successful in your pursuit in this affair but you must not be too sanguine
repectfully &c
J. Tyler
Page 10

Mrs Jane Clagett
Page 11

Treasury Department
Third Auditor's office

Mrs Jane C. Claggett [Clagett]
now at Fredericktown Maryland
Care of the Revd. Benjm M. Miller
Page 12

Treasury Department
3d Auditors Office
28th August 1837
Madam-
I received this morning a letter from the Revd. Benjn. M. Miller requesting me to inform you to what period, it appears from the books of this Office, your former husband, William Murdock was paid for his services, as a Cornet of Armands Legion of Cavalry, during the Revolutionary War - and also whether it appears that he received his commutation pay for said services-
I regret that the records do not enable me to state with certainty the date upon which Cornet William Murdoch was paid for his services so as to ascertain precisely the time he left the service, which I understand to be the object of inquiry- It appears that a final settlement certificate for the sum of $146 60/90 was issued for the balance due him subsequent to the 1st January 1783 (exclusive of commutation) and which certificate, or sum, was put on interest from the 15 November 1783, which was the termination of the War, and would authorize the inference that he served to that date, had the sum he received covered his pay from the 1st January to the 15 of November 1783. If the certificate above mentioned was issued for his pay alone, it would go to show that he was
Page 13

for his services to about the middle of June 1783- Cornet Murdoch appears to have received his commutation of five years full pay in lieu of Half-pay for life-
I am Madam, very Respectfully
Your most Of. St.
Peter Hagner Aud

Mrs Jand C. Claggett [Clagett]
now at Frederick Town
Maryland
care of the Revd Benjm M. Miller
Page 14

20
Jane Contee Clagett
George Town
District of Columbia
Page 15

Frederick Town Mary Land Sept. 14 1837
I do hereby certify that to the best of my knowledge & belief Cornet William Murdock was an officer in Colel. Armond's Legion during the Revolutionary war and that he was in service in said Legion sometime in the Spring of the year seventeen Hundred & Eighty one.
I do also certify that I confidently know the applicant Mrs Jane Contee Clagett to have been the wife of the said Cornet William Murdock.
Jn. Tyler

Frederick County State of Maryland
September 14th 1837
Personally appeared before me one of the Justices of the Peace for said County John Tyler, the subscriber to the above certificates, and made oath on the Holy Evangelist of Almighty God, that to the best of his knowledge and belief the statements contained therein are just & true.
Before
Godfrey Koontz

Maryland Frederick County Set-
I hereby certify that Godfrey Koontz, gentleman, before whom the foregoing affidavit appears to have been made, & whose name is thereunto Subscribed is a Justice of the peace, in and for the County aforesaid, duly commissioned and Sworn.
In testimony whereof I have hereunto Subscribed my name, and affixed the Seal of Frederick County Court, this 14th September 1837.
Henry Schley Clerk
Fredk County Court