Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty Land Warrant Application File R. 4318, William Griffin, Md.
Page 1

Service
MD

Name
Griffin, William

Number
R4318
Page 2

M 37535 No 1.

William Griffin 
MD crossed out then VA
Act 7 July 1832

4318
Page 3

State of Virginia }
County of Carroll }Ss.

On this 5th day of July 1847 personally appeared in open Court, before the County Court of Carroll
County, William Griffin a resident of Carroll County and State afore
said aged 88 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
Act of Congress passed June 7th 1832.

That he entered the service of the United States under the following
named officers, That he enlisted in the County of Kent in the State
of Maryland on the ___ day of February 1781 in the Maryland State troops
under Captain Isaac Perkins, during the war, and marched for
Delaware, and at Salisbury in the State of Maryland at the head
of Double Creek, was engaged under General Smallwood in a battle
with the British, and fifty of General Smallwood's men fell in
that battle, and over one hundred of the British.

That he then marched to Somerset Court House in the State
of Maryland, and there had another small skirmish, and
then went to Snow Hill in the State of Maryland, and
there had a severe engagement in which he (the said William Griffin)
received a bayonet wound in the left thigh, also a musket ball in the
right shoulder, which caused him to lay by three weeks or prevented
him from active service.  That said company was then ordered
to New York whither they went (including him the said William Griffin)
and joined General Washington's Army.

That he continued in service and was under General Washington
at the taking of Cornwallis at Yorktown in Virginia.

That he served nine months and fifteen days, and then he
received his discharge at Newtown in the County of Chester
and State of Maryland, after peace was made.  That he had his house
burnt in the County of Campbell, State of Virginia, and his papers
burnt up at which time, his discharge was burnt.

That he has no documentary evidence, and that he knows of no
person whose testimony he can procure who can testify to his service.

That the said William Griffin to the following interrogatories
propounded by the Court makes the following answers,

1st Where and in what year were you born.
Page 4

Ans. I was born in the State of Maryland on the
25th February 1759.  If my Father's family record was
correct.
2nd Have you any record of your age, and if so where is it?
Ans. -- I have no record of my age myself;--
3rd
Where were you living when called into service, where have
you lived since the Revolutionary War; and where do you now live?
Ans. I was living in Kent County in the State of Maryland,
when I enlisted, shortly after the Revolutionary War; I
moved to the County of Franklin in the State of Virginia,
and lived there 18 years and upwards.  I then moved to Camp
bell County, Virginia, and lived there a few years & then moved
down into Buckingham County, Virginia, and lived there
about fifteen years.  Then I moved back into Campbell County
again and lived there about four years.  I then moved
from Campbell County to Grayson County, Virginia (a part
of which is now Carroll County) where I have been living for
the last fourteen years, and where I am yet living.
4th How were you called into service; where you draughted, did
you volunteer, or were you a substitute; and if a substitute
for whom?
Ans. I enlisted to serve during the war.
5th 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?
Ans. Capt. Isaac Perkins, Lieutenant Smyth, Ensign
Claypole.  I cannot recollect the names of any of the regiments.
There were about ninety six men including officers privates & all
in Capt Perkins's company to the best of my recollection, and at
Trenton we joined General Smallwood army and continued
with Smallwood's army until after the taking of Cornwallis at
York Town, and was still under General Smallwood until I
received my discharge.
6th Did you ever receive a discharge from the service, if so by
whom was it given and what has become of it?
Page 5

Ans. [First line of answer struck out except the following] I have
George Budd gave me my discharge if I am not mistaken (but [I have] (inserted from first line)
no learning & cannot read writing) but I received a
discharge in the fall of the year 1781 which discharge was
burnt up in my house in Campbell County in the State of
Virginia many years ago.

He hereby relinquishes every claim whatever 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 and subscribed }
the day and year aforesaid }. William X his mark Griffin
Before me }
William Lindsey Clerk of }
the Court of Carroll County }  I do certify that the erasure in the 1st line
on this page, & the interlineation of the second
line was made before the execution of the foregoing declaration.
William Lindsey Clerk of Carroll County

I John Carroll formerly a
Representative in the Legislature of Virginia
now residing in the County of Carroll in the State of Virginia
hereby certify that I am well acquainted with William Griffin
who has subscribed and sworn to the foregoing declaration; that I believe
him to be eighty eight years of age; that he is generally reputed and
believed in the neighborhood where he resides, to have been a soldier
of the Revolution; and that I concur in that opinion.
Sworn and subscribed on
this 5 day of July 1847.
Before me } Jno. Carroll
William Lindsey Clerk }
of the Court of Carroll County }

I John Cock Senr. a Clergyman
residing in the County of Carroll in the State of Virginia hereby
certify that I am well acquainted with William Griffin who has
subscribed and sworn to the above declaration; that I believe him to
be eighty eight years of age; that he is reputed and believed in the
neighborhood where he resides to have been a solider of the Revo
lution; and that I concur in that opinion.
Page 6

Sworn [remainder struck out] )
this 5th day of July 1847 }
Before me } John Cock Sr.
Wiliam Lindsey Clerk }
of the Court of Carroll County }

And the said Court do hereby declare their opin
ion 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.  That the Court having been very particular in the
enquiry whether the belief is general that the said William
Griffin was a Revolutionary solider and whether any doubts
have ever existed upon the subject, do hereby declare that
the belief is general, and no doubts have ever existed
upon the subject.  And the court further certifies that it
appears to them that John Cock Senr. who has signed one of the
preceeding certificates is a Clergyman resident in Carroll
County State of Virginia, and that John Carroll
who has signed one of the preceeding certificates is a credible
person and that their statement is entitled to credit.

I William Lindsey Clerk of the Court of
Carroll County do hereby certify that the foregoing
contains the original proceedings of the said Court in the
matter of the application of William Griffin for a
pension.
In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand
[Blurred seal of office] and seal of office this 5 day of July 1847.
{ William Lindsey Clerk
{of the Court of Carroll County
Page 7

State of Virginia }
County of Carroll } Ss.

On this 15th day of July 1847
personally appeared before me Fielden L. Hale a
Justice of the peace in and for the County aforesaid
Mary Spencer, who being duly sworn according to
law, deposeth as follows: that she has been well
acquainted with William Griffin for the last
forty years past, and at many different times he had
shown her a paper saying that it was his discharge as
a solider in the Revolutionary War, and that she
had heard different persons read it, and it was in
fact such a discharge, and she well recollects that
it had Gen'l George Washington's name on it,
and that he was discharged from the Tenth Regiment,
and she never heard any person doubt its being
such a discharge, and she believes the said
discharge was burnt in his house in the County of
Campbell, State of Virginia, many years ago.
Sworn & subscribed this
15th day of July 1847  Mary X her mark Spencer
Before me
Fielden L. Hale Justice of the Peace

I William Lindsey Clerk of the County
Court of Carroll County certify that Fielden L Hale
is a magistrate as above and that the foregoing
signature purporting to be his is genuine.  In
testimony whereof I have hereunto affixed
my seal of office and subscribed
my name this 16th day of July 
in the year 1847 
[Blurred seal of office] { William Lindsey Clerk
{ of the Court of Carroll County
Page 8

Supplemental Declaration

State of Virginia }
County of Campbell }

On this [word blacked out] of
October in the year 1852, before me Abner [word blacked out] a
Justice [words blacked out] for the aforesaid [words blacked out]
personally appeared William Griffin a resident of
[line blackout]
who, being first duly sworn according to law, does on his
oath, declare as following: That some in the
year 1847 he employed a man named [begin underline]Hale[end underline] of the
County of Carroll, State aforesaid, to prepare his declara
tion claiming pension for his services in the war of the
Revolution, and that he (the affiant) has ever since awaited
the result of his application; but that he now understands
that his said Attorney (Hale) did make him state in the
said declaration certain items appertaining to his said
services in the Revolution which were erroneous and
in violation of his (the affiant) real intentions as to
the details of such services, several of which he
does now recite and correct as follows:  In the
said declaration prepared by said [begin underline]Hale[end underline] he (the
affiant) is made to say that "he entered the service
in January [begin underline]1781[end underline]" when he intended to assert that "he
entered in January [begin underline]1779[end underline] for [begin underline]three[end underline] years, or [begin underline] during the
war[end underline];" that his said Agent or attorney omitted to
insert in said declaration that he (the affiant) was
a fifer or musician and entered the service as such;
that he omitted to state that in the Battle of Snow
Hill which was fought in August [begin underline]1780[end underline] he the (af
fiant)
Page 9

fiant was severely wounded in the thigh and that
the mark of said wound was yet visible on his thigh;
and that he omitted the most particular items connected
with said battle, one of the affiant being captured by
the enemy, being held in captivity for some week,
and [word blacked out] being exchanged for, his again entering the
[next line blacked out]
[word blacked out] [begin underline]days service[end underline] instead of  [begin underline]9 months & 15 days service[end underline]
as stated in the said highly erroneous declaration &c.
He now reiterates that he did enter the service in
January [begin underline]1779[end underline] and desires the accounting officers of
the War Department & pension office to notice in his for
mer declaration in one or more places, the assertion that
he enlisted to serve [begin underline]during the war[end underline] and serve until 
after peace was made or hostilities had ceased in the
spring of 1782, so well as he remembers; that he enlisted as
a [begin underline]fifer[end underline] in the company commanded by Captain Isaac
Perkins in the first Regiment of Maryland Troops
in the Continental Establishment, and after being cap
tured &c as above stated, and returned to said com
pany was discharged therefrom on account of the
wound received at [begin underline]Snow Hill[end underline] -- that he afterwards
joined the company of [begin underline]Captain Smith[end underline] in the same
Regiment and served between one and two years 
as fifer in said company also -- that his discharge
from the last mentioned service was given him
by one [begin underline]George Budd[end underline], and was signed by the
Colonel of the Regiment whose name he does not
now remember, but that he received his written
discharge from the first tour of service in
the fall of 1780, and not "1781" as erroneously stated --
Page 10

that his said discharge was burnt up with his dwelling
house and all his property in this County in the year [begin underline]1816,[end underline]
and that he has no other documentary proof of his ser
vice now in his possession, and no second proof of the
same other than that which may be afforded by the mus
ter Rolls of his Regiment & company, to which he would
most respectfully refer the aforesaid [illegible] 
of the same and for the fact of there being [begin underline]no other
William Griffin[end underline] that served in the Maryland Troops in
the Revolution; and to prove his identity he begs leave
to recite a few facts--he removed from Kent County in
Maryland (the County from which he joined the service each time)
to Franklin County, Virginia in the year [begin underline]1794[end underline] in which he
resided 15 years--then 2 years in Campbell--then 13 years in Buck
ingham--then 2 years again in Campbell--then 12 years again in
Franklin--then 5 years again in Campbell-then 18 years in Gray
son (now Carroll from which County his former declaration was sent)
and then again in Campbell where he now resides.  That he
has never been able, since leaving Maryland, to find out
the residence or whereabouts of any of his contemporaries all 
of whom he supposes to be now deceased.  He further de
clares that he served under General [begin underline]William Smallwood[end underline]
and was engaged in the battles of [begin underline]Monmouth, Talbot
Court House, Salisbury[end underline] and [begin underline]Somerset Court House,[end underline]
and was finally discharged at a place called
Newtown now in Worcester County Maryland.
That he trusts the said accounting officers will no lon
ger distrust his identity and that the benign intentions
of the act of Congress will be longer withheld from
him on account on account of the errors of
his
Page 11

his attorney in drawing up his previous declaration
and of his own illiteracy being unable to write
at his advanced age, and, on account of the failure
of his memory to remember the precise periods of
his entering and of his leaving the service--that his
name is not on the Rolls of the Pension Agency of any
State whatever, and that he hereby relinquishes every claim
whatever to a pension except the present, which, he trusts
will be at once granted him under the law of the 15th
May 1828 or 7th June 1832.

Sworn to and subscribed before me on the day and
year aforesaid; and I do certify that from what
I have seen and heard that the said
William Griffin is entitled to a pension
for he now has a scar on his thigh which
is spoken of in the above declaration & is
a man of strict veracity &c. Abner Early J.P.
[Note written vertically in right hand margin] No 5.

And I also certify that the applicant is un
able from old age and infirmity to attend court.
Abner Early J.P.
Page 12

Coms decision app.
231 [illegible]
June 2 13[illegible]

Wm. Griffin
Page 13

No. 37535
William Griffin
Va
Let to I N. Coffin Augt
17 '47
Hon. F McMullen 5th Sept 1850
Ltr to S Godwin Nov 26/50
Hon T. S. Bocock July 3/52
Sec Interior May 26/53
I N. Coffin [illegible]
Act 7 June 1832
Eel
Page 14

Ho. Reps. Augt. 29/850

Sir,

The revolutionary claims of
James Gardners, heirs and William
Griffin are on file in your
offices.  They are from my district
and I would respectfully ask your
early attention to them.

Fayette McMullin

J L Edward, Esqr.
Comr of Pensions.
Page 15

===========================================
[begin bold] State of Virginia, }
Campbell County, } ss[end bold]
[The following form is in italics]
I, [begin bold]Geo. Wm. Dabney, Clerk[end bold] of the County Court of Campbell County,
in the State of Virginia do certify that [begin handwriting] Charles Anthoney and Abner Early[end handwriting]
who hath given the foregoing certificates on the sheets hereto attached, were at the date thereof
acting [begin bold]Justices][end bold] of the [begin bold]Peace[end bold] in and for the County aforesaid, duly commissioned and qualified;
that said certificates are complete according to the laws of said State, and the signatures thereto are
in the proper, genuine handwriting of the Justices.
In Testimony Whereof, I have hereto set my hand and
[Blurred seal of Court] affixed the [begin bold]Seal[end bold] of the said [begin bold]Court,[end bold] in Office, this 26 day
of November 1832, in the 77 year of the Commonwealth.

Geo. Wm Dabney
Clk
Page 16

[Two columns]
[Left column]
Act of June 7, 1832

Suspended Claim
of
William Griffin
(Virginia)

Power of Attorney
to examine claim.

Chas C. Tucker
Present

[Right column]
Power of Attorney
From
William Griffin
To {Pension Claim

O. Austin
Page 17

Know all men by these presents: That I William 
Griffin of the County of Campbell and state of Va
do hereby constitute and appoint Octavius Austin of
Campbell County, my true and lawful agent and
attorney irrevocably for me and in my name
to examine all records, letters, affidavits, and other
documents and papers connected with my sus
pended claim now on file in the pension office,
as well as all Muster Rolls and other records
that may show any Revolutionary services per
formed by myself and generally to do all lawful
acts and things whatsoever touching the premises
in order to prosecute said claim to some result,
Hereby revoking all powers of attorney heretofore
given for a like purpose, an confirming whatso
ever my said attorney shall, in my name
and legally do in the premises.

In testimony whereof, I hereto set my hand
and seal this 10th day of March 1852.
William X his mark Griffin [word Seal encircled]

Acknowledged and subscribed before me
a justice of the Peace for the aforesaid County of
Campbell in the State of Virginia the day and
year above written.
Witness my hand seal this 10th day of
March 1852.
Henry Hazlewood JP.

State of Virginia }
County of Campbell }

I Geo Wm Dabney Clerk of the County Court of
Campbell County in the State of Va, do hereby certify
that Henry Hazlewood Esqr. before whom the foregoing
power of attorney was made and acknowledged was
at the time of taking the said acknowledgement and
signing his name thereto, a justice of the peace in and
for said County duly commissioned and sworn and that all
his official acts as such are entitled to full faith
and credit.  In witness whereof I hereto sign my name
and affix my official seal this 27 day of March
1852.  Geo Wm Dabney Clerk
Page 18

State of Virginia
County of Campbell

Know all men by these presents that I William
Griffin of Campbell county state of Virginia do
here irrevocable make, constitute, and appoint
Porter Flagg of Danville Virginia my true and
lawful attorney, for me and in my name,
and for my benefit to demand and receive
from the Department of the Interior of the
United States, the certificate [words blacked out] of Pension to which
I may be entitled, for my military services,
as set forth in the accompanying declaration,
hereby revoking and countermanding any
other power of attorney, or authority that
may have been heretofore given by me for the
above specified purpose.

In testimony whereof I have
hereunto set my hand and seal this 30th day of
December 1851
William X his mark Griffin [word Seal encircled]

On this 30th day of December 1851 personally
appeared before me, a Justice of the Peace duly
authorized by law to take acknowledgements
in and for the County and State aforesaid
William Griffin and acknowledged the above
power of attorney to be his free act and deed
for the purposes therein mentioned.
Charles Anthony, JP
Page 19

==============================================
[begin bold]State of Virginia, }
Campbell County. } ss[end bold]
[The following printed form is in italics]

I, [begin bold]Geo. Wm. Dabney, Clerk[end bold] of the County Court of Campbell County,
in the State of Virginia, do certify that [begin handwriting]Charles Anthony[end handwriting] 
who has given the foregoing certificate on the sheet hereto attached, was at the date thereof
[begin handwriting]an[end handwriting] acting [begin bold]Justice[end bold] of the [begin bold]Peace[end bold] in and for the County aforesaid, duly commissioned and qualified;
that said certificate complete according to the laws of said State, and the signature thereto
in the proper, genuine handwriting of the said Justice.

[Blurred seal of Court] In Testimony Whereof, I have hereunto set my hand and
affixed the [begin bold]Seal[end bold] of the said [begin bold]Court,[end bold] in Office this 10th day
of February, 1852, in the [illegible] year of the
Commonwealth.
Geo. Wm Dabney Clk.
Page 20

Hillsville Va }  Paid 10
Aug 11 }

Shimuel Goldwyn Esqr.
late of the Pension Office
Washington City
D.C.
Page 21

Hillsville Carrol Cty Virga.
Augt. 12th 1850.

Sir.

Mr. William Griffin of this County requests
that you should examine his application & evidence as
a Revolutionary soldier, which is filed in the Pension Office
by Mr Isaac N Coffin.  The old man Griffin is yet
living and is in very indigent circumstances, and has
often been requested to go to the Poor House of our
County, but always refuses, hoping his claim some day will
be reviewed.  He is an illiterate man can neither read or
write, and his memory about dates is very deficient,
and at the time he said he enlisted in 1781, he only
arrived at the date by other transactions that had
occurred about that time as he said he could not
recollect the date.  I have no doubt but he enlisted
in the year 1782 or 3 & continued during the war
[word blacked out] he being a very ignorant man & loosing his
papers by fire & not being able to employ any
person to attend to business for him, has been (I have
no doubt) the cause of his claim not being allowed
or attended to, for ever since I have known him which
has been some 12 or 13 years he has resided, in the most
remote place to be found and worked or begged a little
support from his nearest neighbor and cultivated his
little patch with his hoe and never leaves his cabin
for, only to procure sustenance. He will give you 1/3
if you can [illegible]. Yrs.
Shimuel Godwin, Esq.  Fielden L. Hale
Page 22

The affidavit of Peter Webber taken to accompany an
application of William Griffin for a pension

This affiant states that he has known William
Griffin for upwards of fifty years and that from
what he has heard he has reason to believe and
does believe that the said William Griffin was a
revolutionary soldier.  The said William Griffin
had his house burnt up about the year 1816 as
well as I now recollect.  He left the county several
years ago and has returned again to the County a few
months since and is now a resident of said County.
He is a man whose word as a man of truth can 
be relied upon [the following lined through: and further this deponent saith 
not]  I have also heard him say that he removed 
from the State of Maryland to Virginia
and further this deponent saith not.
Peter Weber

State of Virginia
Campbell County to wit

This day Peter Weber personally appeared before me
a Justice of the Peace for said County and made
oath that the above affidavit is correct.  Given
under my hand this 30th day of December 1851.
Charles Anthony J.P.
Page 23

The affidavit of William Phillips & Jemima Phillips
his wife taken to accompany an application of
William Griffin for a pension

These affiants state that they have known William
Griffin for upwards of fifty years and that from
what they have heard they have reason to believe and
do believe that the said William Griffin was a
revolutionary soldier.  The said William Grif
fin had his house burnt up about the year
1816 as well as we now recollect.  We have also
heard him say that he removed from the State
of Maryland to Virginia.  He is a man whose
word as a man of truth can be relied on.
He left the County several years ago and has returned
again to the County a few months since and is
now a resident of said County and further 
saith not.
William Phillips
Pheobe X her mark Phillips

Campbell County State of Virginia to wit
This day William Phillips and Jemima Phillips his
wife personally appeared before me a Justice
of the Peace for the County aforesaid and
made oath that the above affidavit is
correct.  Given under my hand this 8th day
of January 1852. Charles Anthony J.P.
Page 24

The affidavits of Stephen Callahan & Phoebe Callahan his
wife taken to accompany an application of William Griffin
for a pension.

These affiants state that they have known the said
William Griffin for upwards of thirty eight years and that
from what they have heard they have reason to believe and
do believe the the said William Griffin was a 
revolutionary soldier.  The said William Griffin had
his house burnt up about the year 1816 as well as we
now recollect.  He left the County several years ago and
has returned again to the County a few months since
and is now a resident of said County.  We have also
heard him say that he removed from the State of
Maryland to Virginia.  He is a man whose word
as a man of truth can be relied upon and further
these deponents saith not
Stephen X his mark Callahan
Phoebe X her mark Callahan

Campbell County State of Virginia to wit
This day Stephen Callahan & Pheobe Callahan his
wife personally appeared before me a Justice of the
Peace for the County aforesaid and made oath
that the above affidavit is correct.  Given
under my hand this 8th day of January 1852
Charles Anthony J.P.
Page 25

Land Office of Maryland
Annapolis January 4th 1853

I certify that it appears from a pay role remaining in this Office, that William Griffen a fifer in the first Regt Maryland Line, recd
$107.60 on the 15th day of May 1782.

J [James] Murray
Commissioner of the Land Office



Land Office Annapolis
January 4th 1853
I certify that it appears by the muster roles, remaining in this office, that William Griffin a fifer, in the First Regt Maryland Line, enlisted 19th January 1779. & was discharged
16th August 1780, a prisoner

J [James] Murray
Commissioner of the Land Office



Land Office of Maryland
Annapolis, Jany 4th 1853

I certify that Lot No 1997, West of Fort Cumberland, was awarded to William Griffin a fifer in the Maryland Line, as appears from the Record now remaining in this office N.B. The Lot No 1997 appears from the record to have been transferred and patented to James Cunningham & Robert Olson in 1830, & called "Latent North

J [James] Murray
CLO
Page 26

Land Office
Annapolis, 16th September, 1850

I hereby Certify, That it appears by the Muster Rolls of the Revolution remaining in this office, That William Griffin, Enlisted as a fifer, in the 1st Maryland Regiment, for the term of three years, on the 19th day of January, 1779. and on the 16th day of August, 1780, was made prisoner. And I further certify, that by a payrole kept by John Hamilton, Agent for the Maryland Line, also remaining in this office, That William Griffen was discharged the 15th day of May, 1782, and received pay up
to the 1st of January, 1783.
-
George G. Brewer
Reg Land Off. Mry [Maryland]

Dear sir,
Yours of the 7th Sept was received, above, I send you a Certificate in the case of William Griffin, which is all the evidence the records in this office afford of his service.

In haste
Yours truly,
G. G. Brewer,


S. Godwin, Esqr
Page 27

Washington Aug 2nd 1847.

Sir:

I herewith enclose Declaration of William
Griffin of Carroll County, being application for a pension for his Revolutionary services.

This Declaration contains not only his own oath to his services but embodies

     1st: The Certificate of John Carroll Esquire formerly Member of the Legislature of Virginia, showing his repute as a revolutionary soldier

     2d: The Certificate of the Reverend John 
           Corke Seal showing the same.

     3d: Certificate of the Honourable Court stating "That the Court having been very particular in the enquiry whether the belief is general that the said William Griffin was a Revolutionary soldier and whether any doubts have ever existed upon the subject, do hereby declare that the belief is general, and no doubts have ever existed upon the subject.

     4th: Also annexed to the above-- The Deposition of Mary Spencer showing that "she has been well acquainted with William Griffin for the last forty years past, and at many different times he had shown her a paper, saying that it was his discharge as a soldier in the Revolutionary war, and that she had heard
different persons read it, and it was in fact such a discharge and she well recollects that it had Genl Washington's
Page 28

"name on it, and that he was discharged from the Tenth Regiment and she never heard any person doubt its being such a discharge, and she believes the said discharge was burnt in his house in the County of Campbell, State of Virginia, many years ago.'

Thus the discharge being lost, it cannot now be 
produced-- but having proven its loss and in addition furnished all the before mentioned proof he is entitled to a pension.

I request that the case may be acted on as soon as practicable, and that I may be informed thereof through the Post Office

I am Very Respectfully
Your Obed Servt
Isaac N Coffin


James L Edwards Esq
Commissioner of Pensions
Washington D.C
Page 29


Washington January 8th, 1853

Sir

Enclosed I send you a supplemental Declaration of Wm Griffin who claims that his attorney in his first Declaration caused him totally to misstate his case. He asks for the benefit of the act of the 7th June 1832.

I know the gentlemen who certify to his character and though I do not know him personally, from what they inform me, I have no doubt that he rendered the service as stated. Being a citizen of my District, he has requested my attention to this matter and has further asked through his agent that I will say that if the claim be not allowed at the Pension office, he desires the case to have received, by yourself as secretary of the Interior

Very Respectfully
yr ob s [your obedient servant]

Hon A H H Stuart Secy [Alexander Hugh Holmes Secretary]

Th S Bobock [Kentucky Congressman]
Page 30

Hillsville Va
June 4

Paid 10

S. Godwin Esqr
Washington City
D.C.
Page 31

Hillsville Carroll County aged
June 4 1837

Dear sir, I have just recd. a communication
from you in Madison D. Carter Letter, in
In regard to Griffin's pension claim I had a
declaration made out, and got the evidence as
spoken of at our Feby [February] Court, I think, which was the 1st Monday in the month. I Enclosed then to Col. Fayette McMullen, our member in Congress with a request that he would deliver them to you. I also forwarded the old form of the declaration made out in the first place by Mr J. N. Coffin in Griffin's that you might use it if necessary to satisfy the Department that the error in his first declaration was principally owing to Mr Coffin making out the form, and advising us it would all be correct, and therefore we omitted stating that he had been a prisoner, fifteen [illegible]. I think it probable that you may yet find the declaration in the Package directed to Fayette McMullin & mailed at Hillsville Va. Please write to me soon and if you dont find the declaration, try & send me some form in time for me to prepare a declaration and get the evidence at our July Court.

Your friend
Please explain, what Maughan case it
was you had reference to some time ago ⎬ Fielden L. Hale
Page 32

Washington
August 18, 1850

Dear Sir,

I herewith enclose a letter from F L Hale, in relation to the claim of William Griffin, a soldier
of the revolution. The papers are on file in your office.

With much respect yobs [your obedient servant]
S. Godwin
Page 33

Washington,
Sept 18/50,

Sir, 
I herewith enclose evidence of the Service of William Griffin, required in your letter to the Hon. F McMullen, of Va, a few days ago, and ask for
Mr McMullen, your early attention to Mr Griffins, claim, as Mr J. will leave here in a few days.

Very respectfully,
your obt. sert, & e
G. Godwin

Hon J L Edwards,
Commr of Pensions