Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty Land Warrant Application File S. 6,136, for Samuel Snodgrass, Pennsylvania
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(3-1776).                                               NUMBER
                SERVICE
Penn.      Snodgrass, Samuel.             S. 6.136

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15 blank lines
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Ohio  13.093.
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Samual Snodgrass

(The first paragraph has several words cut off by the left edge.)

—- Ross.  In the State of Ohio who was a Private in the compy commanded by Captain Ryder’s. Of the Regt. Commanded by Col. Andrew’s in the Penn (word cut off) for 8 mos & 21 days.
$29.11/100
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Inscribed on the roll of Ohio.
At the rate of 29. Dollars 11 cents per annum.
To commence on the 4th day of March, 1831.
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Certificate of Pension issued the 10 day of May. 1833 and sent to JL Grover. Xenia. Greene Co. Ohio
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Arrears to the 4th of March. 1833.  58.22
Semi-anl. Allowance ending 4 Sept 33.  14.55
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                                                               $72.77
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{Revolutionary Claim}
Act June 7, 1832
Recorded by L Wm R. Palmer
Book 6 Vol. 8. Page 24

This document appears to be a journal with left and right sides showing. Only the left side was written upon.
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This document is a journal with left side written upon only.

13.242 - 13.093.

Samuel Snodgrass

Return 16.
Amended - and name
A (not legible) for 8 months
& 21 days from 1776.

JL Grover
Xenia Green Co
Oho
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BRIEF in the case of Samuel Snodgrass of Ross Township, County of Greene in the State of Ohio (Act 7th June, 1832.)

1. Was the declaration made before a Court or a Judge?  A Court
2. If before a Judge, does it appear that the applicant is disabled by bodily infirmity? 
3. How old is he? 78
4. State his service, as directed in the form annexed.
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Period.    
———-
Drafted in 1776
Do letter part of 1776
Do in 1777
Do in 1777
For part of 1777 call (not legible)
Duration of Service.
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Years, Months, Days, 
             2
             2
             2
             2
            —
                           3 or 4 weeks }
Rank.
———
As a
Private
“
“
“
“
“
Names of General and Field Officers under whom he served.
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Gen.
Capt Ryder, Penn in troop 3
Capt John Andrew’s.  “
Capt Wm Long
“.         Poe
Capt Linz
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5. In what battles was he engaged?
New white marsh
6. Where did he reside when he entered the service?
Cumberland Gap, Penn
7. Is his statement supported by living witnesses, by documentary proof, by traditionally evidence, by incidental evidence, or by the rolls? Documentary as to service under Capt. Poe and in general —-ditionary 
8. Are the papers defective as to form or Authentication? And if so, in what respect?
Said property attached
X Certify that the foregoing statement and the answers agree with the evidence in the case above mentioned. 
Chas. G. Wilcox   Examining Clerk.
2th Feb 1833
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13, 262
The rest of the document is blank
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The State of Ohio Green County Court of Commons Pleas of the terms of September 1832 Greene County ss. Personally appeared in open court at the above terms and on this 19th day of September 1832 before the judges of this court aforesaid Samuel Snodgrass a resident of Ross Township in Green County (NL) who being first duly sworn on his oath doth make his following declaration in order to obtain the benefit of the Act of Congress smith June 7 the A.D. 1832 He states that in the year 1776 he resided in what was then Cumberland County Penn (NL) about four miles from, Charles Landing and was the following spring - and that he was asked to serve as a commissioned soldier for a town of two (NL) he cannnot state the time he was drafted with certainty but is certain that he served out his time and returned home some time in the month of July and before the battle of Long Island-he marched from Chambersburg under the command of Captain Ryder, but cannot state his given name, by way of Little York and Lancaster to Philadelphia and from t hence to Trenton NewJersey and for thence to Princeton where the company of Captain Ryder joined the army or (two words were lined through) a part of the army he cannot state the names of even one of the General officers as he as never mustered except by the Captain. The near of the Lieutenant of his company was (NL) Captain Ryer lived in Cumberland County in (lined through word) Autcatun settlement and the company amounted to about 55 or 60 men - He relinquished at Princeton until near the expiration of his term of two months, but performed no served except to keep guard during this whole term, but marched back under
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the command of captain Ryder and was discharged on there in road house at Philadelphia  This applicant received a written discharge from capt Ryer he was again drafted in the latter part of 1776 about [crossed out] marched under captain John Andrew from Chambersburg by way of Southern Pa to Philadelphia Pa and from there to Trenton New Jersey and he took sick and marched but a few miles from Trenton and because unable to travel and remained there still to unwell to march until the expiration of the two months for which he was drafted and was taken back in a wagon as far as Philadelphia and was there discharged He received a written discharge signed by Capt Andrew who resided in Cumberland County Pa about 4 miles from Chambersburg The name of the Lieutenant if they had one he does not recollect There was only 10 or 12 men went from Cumberland Co under the command of captain Andrew He states that at the time twice he was drafted this last time he still lived in the name pevee near the falling spring He states that he still lived at the same place and was drafted in the year 1777 for a tour of two months service and marched under the command of Captain William Long with a company of men of about 20 or 30 in November [crossed out] by way of Bedford to Redstone fort The principle object in going was to escort some waggons loaded with provisions for the use of trot garrisons There was but about 5 or 10 men in the fort or garrison Captain Long was the officer higher in command He remained at Redstone Fort until the expiration of his time or [illegible] of two months and was discharged at Redstone Fort by capt Long in writing and returned
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home He states that he was drafted again in Cumberland County Pa where he still lived in the year 1777.  He entered the service for two months under the command of captain Poe he served out his time and was discharged Jan 6 1778 at Lancaster Pa as will appear from this discharge under the hand of said capt Poe here written therin and transmitted In this last term of service he was in one skrimish near the white marsh and in one between the Lorrel horse & Vally Forge with the brittish and was commanded by Genl Potter In the battle between Lorrel Horse & valley Forge He received a wound on his leg which produced [illegible] [illegible] but is at this time continually served and well He states that in 1777 in the fore part of the year he was called out for a tour of two months and marched under the same captain Long above named upon Cumberland Co Pa & Allen Town & Adams Town in Pennsylvania [crossed out] about 3 or 4 weeks and returned home He was not discharged or received no written discharge The reason why the company went no farther was that they received orders to return home as there was not provisions at the place of their destination He states that he was born in Lancaster County Pa He states that he has a record of his age taken from a record of his fathers He states that after then was he resided in Pa 8 or 10 years and then moved to Virginia in the forth of Laues River in Rockbridge County and lived there about 16 or 18 years & then moved to Ohio came to Ohio in 1810 or 1811 and lived near Springfield there in
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Champaign County Ohio about two years and has lived where he now resides near 18 years He states that he knows of no man living by whom he can prove any part of this above services and that he is now more than seventy eight years of age and that he was born June 16 1754
He hereby relinquishes any 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 He states that he can prove by Jonathan Hood Martin Mendenhall and he is reported to have been a soldier of the Revolution
Samuel Snodgrass
sworn to & subscribed in Open Court
Sep 20th 1832
JL Grover c
We Jonathan Flood a clergyman residing
Rop Township in Green County and Martin Mendenhall of the same county hereby certify that we are well acquainted with Samuel Snodgrass of Rop Township who has sworn to and subscribed the above declaration that we believe him to be seventy eight years of age that he is reputed and believed [crossed out to be a soldier of] in the neighbourhood where he resides have been a soldier of the Revolution and that we concur in that opinion and that he is a man of good moral character and his statements entitled to credit
Jonathan Hood
Martin Mendenhall
sworn to & subscribed in Open Court Sep 20 1832
JL Grover cl

Remit the bearer Samuel Snodgrass to Pass
[illegible] Cumberland County [illegible] he having Served 2 Months in the 3d Class with Honor And Fidelity Commanded by Co Wm Chambers
Lancaster  6th January 1778
James Poe Capt
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And the said court do hereby declare their opinion after the investigation of the matter that the above named applicant was a revolutionary soldier and served as he states and the court further certifies that it appears to them that Jonathan Hood who has signed the preceding certificate is a clergyman resident in the county of Greene and state of Ohio and that Martin Mendenhall who has also signed the same is a resident in the same county and is a credible person and that their statement is entitled to credit. 
I James L Greene clerk of the court of common Pleas of said County of Greene & state of Ohio do hereby certify that the foregoing contains the original proceedings of the said court in the matter of the application of Samuel Snodgrass for a pension In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal of office this 18th day of April [crossed out September] AD 1833
JL Grover clerk [illegible]
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Written in vertically top left side was Revhay

6136
INVALID
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File No. —-6136—
Samuel Snodgrass
Print Per War
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Act: June 7”. 1832
Index: - Vol. M, Page 351

[Arrangement of 1870]
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This is an envelope addressed as follows:

Left side stamp says XENIA, April 12 OHIO

Hon Lewis Cass
Secretary of War
Washington DC

Pension documents 3
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WAR DEPARTMENT
Pension Office
April 9th 1828

SIR:
I return herewith the papers in support of the claim of the person whose name is hereto annexed.
These papers are in several respects defective. This case is accompanied by a brief.  The objections are contained in the negative answers, in red ink, given to the questions.
Particular attention should be paid to the accompanying regulations and to the explanatory note subjoined to the brief.
The extraordinary press of business in thi office, arising from the great number of claims under the act of June 7, 1832, as hitherto prevented us from attending to the applications sent by you.  The investigation of the cases presented under his law has been difficult and laborious, and notwithstanding the greatest exertions have been made by this Department, an earlier attention to your business has been Lund impracticable.
The brief has been prepared to meet all cases, and thus to save the excessive labor which would other wise be imposed upon the office, and which would consume so much time as to render the delay two fold greater than it now is in the investigation of claims and writing letters. The e case is considered correct in all respects except in relation to those questions to which a negative answer is affixed.  No other alteration or addition will be required.

I am, respectfully,
your obedient servant
J L Edward’s

JL Grover Esq
Xenia Green County
Ohio.                            Samuel Snodgrass
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BRIEF objections to the admission of Pension Claims, of which those answered in the negative, in red ink, will apply to the claim of Samuel Snodgrass which require further proof or explanation. 
 I.    Does the declaration show where the applicant resides?   Yes
II.   Did the Declarant make the declaration in the county where he resides?  Yes
III.  If the applicant did not make the declaration in the county where he resides, is there any reason assigned for his not doing so?  
IV.   Has the Declarant mentioned the period or periods of the war when he served?  Yes
 V. * Has he mentioned with precision the length of his service, and the different grades in which he served, in language so definite as to enable the department to determine to what amount of pension he is entitled?  Yes
VI.   Has he given the names of the officers under whom he served, in conformity with the regulations?   Yes
VII. Has he made a relinquishment of every claim to any other pension than the one under the Act of June 7, 1832? Yes
VIII. Has the Court given their opinion? Yes
IX.   Has the Clerk given his certificate?  Yes
X.   Is the Clerk’s seal affixed?  And if so, has it a device or inscription by which it can be distinguished from any other seal?  Yes
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2
XI.  Has the applicant obtained the evidence of a clergyman and another respectable citizen as to their belief respecting his age and the general belief in his neighborhood relative to his revolutionary service? [illegible faded]

XII.  If the clergyman's affidavit has not been produced, is there any reason assigned for not obtaining it?

XIII.  If the applicant has no documentary evidence, and has not obtained the testimony of at least one living witness, has he stated in his declaration that such proof cannot be had?  [illegible faded]

XIV.  If the applicant's name is not found on the rolls of military service, has he produced a witness or witnesses as to his service?
If he has produced direct proof as to service, has the magistrate who administered the oath certified to the credibility of the witness or witnesses?
Has the proper officer certified to the official character and signature of the magistrate as the regulations direct? 

XV.  Does it appear from any of the papers that the witness was in such a situation, or of such an age, as to have a personal knowledge of the applicant's service?

XVI.  Are the papers authenticated as the regulations direct?  No

XVII.  Are the seven interrogatories prescribed by the War Department answered satisfactorily? And if not, which of them is not so answered?

EXPLANATORY NOTES.

QUERE V.  In a case where the applicant cannot, by reason of the loss of memory, state precisely how long he served, he should amend his declaration by making an affidavit in the following words:
"Personally appeared before me, the undersigned, a Justice of the Peace, &c. A.B. who, being duly sworn, deposeth and saith, that, by reason of old age, and the consequent loss of memory, he cannot swear positively as to the precise length of his service, but according to the best of his recollection he served not less than the periods mentioned below, and in the following grades; For year months, and days, I served as a For months and days, I served as a ; and for such service I claim a pension.
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3
It is important in all cases to determine with precision the period for which each applicant served and the particular rank he held as the law directs the pension to be paid according to the grade of the pensioner and the length of his service.  The use of the phrase about three or four months is too indefinite, and all such qualifying expressions are objectionable.  Some persons who apply for pensions merely state they served two years in the militia, &c. without specifying the tours; the names of the officers, and other particulars respecting their service.  This form of a declaration is highly objectionable.  It must in every case be clearly shewn under what officers the applicant served; the duration of each term of engagement; the particular place or places where the service was performed; that the applicant served with an embodied corps called into service by competent authority; that he was either in the field or in garrison; and for the time during which the service was performed, he was not employed in any civil pursuit.
QUERE XIV.  Proof of Service.
In a case where the name of the applicant is not found on the records of the Department he must prove his service by two credible witnesses, who are required to set forth in their affidavits the time of the claimants entering the service and the time and manner of his leaving the same, as well as the regiment, company, and line to which he belonged. The magistrate who may administer the oaths must certify to the credibility of the witnesses, and the official character and signature of the magistrate must be certified by the proper officer, under his seal of office.
QUERE XVI.  Mode of authenticating papers. 
In every instance where the certificate of the certifying officer who authenticates the papers is not written on the same sheet of paper which contains the affidavit, or other paper authenticated, the certificate must be attached thereto by a piece of tape or narrow ribbon the ends of which must pass under the seal of office of the certifying officer, so as to prevent any paper from being improperly attached to the certificate.
In every case where the clerk of the court or other certifying officer has no public seal of office, the certificate of a member of congress proving the official character and signature of the certifying officer should accompany the papers.
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DEPARTMENT OF WAR.
PENSION OFFICE, June 27, 1832.
The following regulations have been adopted by the Secretary of War for carrying into effect the Act
of Congress, passed June 7, 1832, entitled ""An Act supplementary to an Act for the relief of the surviving
officers and soldiers of the Revolution."
This law has been construed to extend, as well to the line, as to every branch of the Staff of the Army,
and to include under the terms "Continental Line," "State troops," "militia," and "volunteers, all
persons enlisted, drafted, or who volunteered and who were bound to military service, but not those who
were occasionally employed with the army upon civil contracts, such as Clerks to Commissaries and to
Store Keepers, &c. Teamsters, Boatmen, &c.
Four general classes of cases are embraced in this law:
1.The Regular Troops.
2. The State Troops, Militia, and Volunteers.
3. Persons employed in the Naval service.
4. Indian Spies.
As rolls of the regular troops in the Revolutionary War exist in this Department, all persons, claiming
the benefit of this law as officers, non-commissioned officers, musicians or privates, will, in the first in
stance, make application by transmitting the following declaration, which will be made before a Court of
Record of the County where such applicant resides. And every Court having by law a seal and Clerk is
considered a Court of Record.
DECLARATION.
In order to obtain the benefit of the Act of Congress of the 7th of June, 1832.
State, Territory, or District of
On this __ day of __ personally appeared the-__of the__in the county of__and State, Territory or District
of___ aged ___years, who being first duly sworn, according to law, doth on his oath make the
following declaration, in order to obtain the benefit of the provision made by the act of Congress, passed June 7th, 1832. That he enlisted in the Army of the United States in the year
with  and  served in the  regiment of the  line, under the following named officers:
Here set forth the names and rank of the Field and Company Officers; the time he left the service;
and if he served under more than one term of enlistment, he must specify the particular period, and rank  and names of his officers the town or county and State in which he resided when he entered the service;
the battles, if any, in which he was engaged, and the country through which he marched.]
He hereby relinquishes every claim whatever to a pension or an annuity, except the present, and he
declares that his name is not on the Pension Roll of any Agency in any State, or (if any) only on that of
the Agency in the State of
Sworn to and subscribed the day and year aforesaid.
A.
And then will follow the certificate of the Court:
And the said Court do hereby declare their opinion, that the above named applicant was a revolution
ary soldier, and served as he states.
of the Court of
do hereby certify, that the foregoing contains the original proceedings of the said Court in the matter of the
application of
for a pension.
In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal of office, this
day of
& c.
If, on examination of the proper record, the names of applicants, making such declaration, cannot be
found, they will receive detailed instructions, respecting the nature and form of the testimony, they must
produce, to secure their being placed on the Pension roll. As the presumption will, in such cases be
against the applicants in consequence of the omission of their names in the muster rolls, they will be required
to furnish, as near as may be the same evidence as has heretofore been required, by the Regulations
and practice adopted for carrying into effect the act of Congress, of March 18, 1818, and the acts supplementary
thereto; with such relaxation as have been from time to time sanctioned by the Department, on
account of the rapid decrease of the survivors of the Revolutionary army, and the consequent difficulty of
procuring direct positive testimony in every case.
Wherever an officer or non-commissioned officer is now in the receipt of a pension, he should make
application, if entitled to the benefits of this act, by letter merely, setting forth his rank, and the regiment,
corps or vessel, in which he served, and his present place of residence. His pension certificate must accompany
his letter.
1818, and have been dropped therefrom on account of property, or for any other reason, or where application
has been made under the act of May 15th, 1828, and the evidence of service is in the Departments, or
having made application and proof of service, and having been rejected, instead of the above declaration
they will make a statement, setting forth, under oath, their having been previously on the pension roll, and
their having been struck from the same, shewing their rank, the regiment, corps or vessel in which they
served, their present place of residence, and their place of residence when the first application was made,
or of their application under the act of 15th of May, 1828.
In a case where a claimant may make personal application at this Department, and can produce satisfactory
proof of service, and of his identity also, at the seat of government, he may make his declaration
before a justice of the peace.
2. The case of the State troops, volunteers and militia is different. There are in the Department no
rolls of the State troops, except those of Virginia; and no rolls of the militia, except those of New
Applicants, who served in the State troops of Virginia, and applicants, who served in the militia of
New Hampshire, will be required to produce the same proof, as is prescribed for those who served upon
the Continental Establishment. But, with respect to the other State troops and militia, there is no record
to advert to, and no presumption to be rebutted. The nature of the case, therefore, demands a different
rule of proceeding.
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REGULATIONS UNDER THE ACT OF JUNE 7, 1832.

The following regulations have been adopted:
This law has been construed to extend, as well to the line, as to every branch of the Staff of the Army and to include under the terms "Continental Line," "State troops," "militia," and "volunteers," all persons enlisted, drafted, or who volunteered and who were bound to military service, but not those who were occasionally employed with the army upon civil contracts, such as Clerks to Commissaries and to Store Keepers, & c, Teamsters, Boatmen, &c.  Persons who serviced on board of private armed vessels are also excluded from the benefits of the law, as well as persons who turned out as patrols, or were engaged in guarding particular places at night, and were not recognized as being in actual military service.
Four general classes of cases are embraced in this law:
1.  The Regular Troops.
2.  The State Troops, Militia, and Volunteers.
3.  Persons employed in the Naval Service.
4.  Indian Spies.
As rolls of the regular troops in the Revolutionary War exist in this Department, all persons claiming the benefit of this law as officers, non-commissioned officers, mucicians or privates, will in the first instance, make applications by transmitting the following declaration, which will be made before a Court of Record of the County where such applicant resides.  And every Court having by law a seal and Clerk is considered a Court of Record.
DECLARATION.
In order to obtain the benefit of the Act of Congress of the 7th of June 1832
State, Territory, or District of
County of } ss.
On this     day of     personally appeared (a) before
A. B. a resident (b) of     in the county of     and State, Territory or District of     aged (c)      years who being duly sworn, according to law, doth on his oath make the following declaration, in order to obtain the benefit of the provision made by the act of Congress, passed June 7th, 1832.  That he enlisted in the Army of the United States in the year (d)     , with     and served in the      (e) regiment of the     line, under the following named officers:

[Here set forth the names and rank of the Field and Company Officers; the time he left the service; (and if he served under more than one term of enlistment, he must specify the particular period, and rank and names of his officers;) the town or county and State in which he resided when he entered the service; the battles, if any, in which he was engaged, and the country through which he marched.  This form is to be varied so as to apply to the cases of officers and persons who belonged to the militia, volunteers, navy, &c.]

He hereby relinquishes every claim (f) whatever to a pension or an annuity, except the present, and he declares that his name is not on the Pension Roll of any Agency in any State, or (if any) only on that of the Agency in the State of
Sworn to and subscribed the day and year aforesaid,                             A. B.
[And then will follow the certificate of the Court.]
And the said Court do hereby declare their opinion (g) that the above named applicant was a revolutionary soldier, and served as he states.
I     of the Court of     do hereby certify (h) that the foregoing contains the original proceedings of the said Court in the matter of the application of     for a pension.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand and seal of office (i) this     day of      &c.

If, on examination of the proper record, the names of applicants, making such declaration, cannot be found, they will produce such proof as the rule given in note (j) points out.
Every applicant who claims a pension by virtue of service in the State Troops, Volunteers or Militia, except those who belonged to the New Hampshire Militia and State Troops of Virginia, will make and subscribe a declaration similar to the foregoing, with the following additions, viz:
(k) We, A. B., a Clergyman. residing in the     and C. D. residing in (the same) hereby certify, that we are well acquainted with     , who has subscribed and sworn to the above declaration; that we believe him to be     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 and subscribed the days and year aforesaid.
[And then will follow the certificate of the Court.]
And the said Court do hereby declare their opinion, after the investigation of the matter, and 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 certified, that it appears to them that A. B. who has signed the preceding certificate is a clergyman, resident in the     and that C. D., who has also signed the same is a resident in the     and is a credible person, and that their statement is entitled to credit.
I,     Clerk of the Court of     do hereby certify that the foregoing contains the original proceedings of the said Court, in the matter of the application of      for a pension.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand and seal of office, this    day of     &c.
Every applicant will produce the best proof in his power.  This is the original discharge or commission; but if neither of these can be obtained, the party will so state under oath, and will then procure, if possible, the testimony of at least one credible witness, stating in detail his personal knowledge of the services of the applicant, and such circumstances connected therewith, as may have a tendency to throw light upon the transaction.
If such surviving witness cannot be found, the applicant will so state in his declaration, (l) and he will also, whether he produce such evidence or not, proceed to relate all the material facts, which can be useful in the investigation of his claim, and in the comparison of his narrative with the events of the period of his alleged service, as they are known at the Department.  A very full account of the services of each person will be indispensable to a favorable action upon his case.  The facts stated will afford one of the principal means of corroborating the declaration of the applicant, if true, or of detecting the imposition, if one be attempted: and useless, therefore, these are amply and clearly set forth, no favorable decision can be expected.  All applicants will appear before some Court of Record in the County, in which they reside, and there subscribe and be sworn to, one of the declarations above provided, according to the nature of his case.  
The Court will propound the following interrogatories to all applicants for a pension, on account of service in the Militia, State troops, or Volunteers, except the Militia of New Hampshire and the State troops of Virginia:
1.  Where and in what year were you born?
2.  Have you any record of your age, and if so, where is it?
3.  Where were you living when called into service; where have you lived since the Revolutionary war, and where do you now live?
4.  How were you called into service; were you drafted, did you volunteer, or were you a substitute? And if a substitute, for whom?
5.  State the names of some of the Regular Officers, who were with the troops, where you served; such Continental and Militia Regiments as you can recollect, and the general circumstances of your service.
Page 19

6. To a soldier:  Did you ever receive a discharge from the service, and if so, by whom was it given and what has become of it?
To a soldier: Did you ever receive a commission, and if so, by whom was it signed, and what has become of it?
7. State the names of persons to whom you are known in your present neighborhood, and who can testify
as to your character for veracity, and their belief of your services as a soldier of the Revolution.
The Court will see that the answers to these questions are embodied in the declaration, and they are
requested to annex their opinions of the truth of the statement of the applicant.
The applicant will further produce in Court, if the same can be done, in the opinion of the Court, with
out too much expense and inconvenience to him, two respectable persons--one of whom should be the near
est clergyman, if one lives in the immediate vicinity of such applicant, who can testify, from their acquaintance
with him, that they believe he is of the age he represents, and that he is reputed and believed in the
neighborhood to have been a Revolutionary soldier, and that they concur in that opinion. In one of these
persons is a Clergyman, the Court will so certify, and they will also certify, to the character and standing
of other persons, giving such certificates.
The traditionary evidence of service is deemed very important, in the absence of any direct proof, except
the declaration of the party. And the Courts are requested to be very particular in the enquiry whether
the belief is general, and whether any doubts have ever existed upon the subject. To require from the
applicants positive proof of service from a temporary survivor would, after the lapse of so many years, be
to deprive many of them of the benefit of the law. And as no presumption is raised against the Militia by
the existence of Rolls in the Department, there is no good reason why this requisition should be extended to
them. On the other hand, to receive the declaration of the parties, as a sufficient ground for placing them
upon the Pension Roll, without corroborating circumstances, would be to open the Treasury to great frauds.
A just medium seems to present the best rule for carrying into effect the objects of Congress.
If the two persons, whose certificates is required, cannot be produced in Court, without too much in
convenience and expense to the applicant, then the statement of the facts and opinions, above mentioned,
will be made under oath before some Judge or Justice of the Peace, and the certificate of the Court to the
situation and credibility to of the persons making the statement will be given.
Applicants unable to appear in Court by reason of bodily infirmity, may make the declaration before
required, and submit to the examination, before a Judge or Justice of a Court of Record of the proper coun
and the Judge or Justice will execute the duties, which the Court is herein requested to perform, and
will also certify, that the applicant cannot, from bodily infirmity, attend the Court.
Whenever any official act is required to be done by a Judge or Justice of a Court of Record, or by a
Justice of the Peace, the certificate of the Secretary of State or Territory, or of the proper Clerk of the
Court or County, under his seal of office, will be annexed, stating that such person is a Judge or Justice of
a Court of Record, or a Justice of the Peace, and that the signature annexed is his genuine signature.
3. Persons serving in the marine forces.
4. Indian Spies.
Each of these two latter classes of cases will produce proof, as nearly as may be, conformably to the preceding
regulations, and authenticated in a similar manner, with such variations as the different nature of the
service may require.
No payments can be made on account of the services of any person, who may have died before the
taking effect of the act of June 7, 1832; and in case of death subsequent thereto, and before the declaration
herein required is made, the parties interested will transmit such evidence as they can procure, taken and
authenticated before a Court of Record, showing the services of the deceased, the period of his death, the
opinion of the neighborhood respecting such services, the title of the claimant and the opinion of the Court
upon the whole matter.