Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty Land Warrant Application File S. 16793, Joshua Ferguson, Va.
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SERVICE NUMBER
Va. Ferguson, Joshua S. 16793
carded
CONTENTS
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order to pay Nov. 11. 1836-
Missouri 26,480
Joshua Ferguson
Calloway Co in the State of Mo
who was a P, ops in the Company commanded by Col Wagoner in the 
line for Militia
6 c/to Po $20.00

Inscribed on the Roll of Mo
at the rate of 20 Dollars - Cents per annum, to commence on the 4th day of March, 1831.

Certificate of Pension issued the 15 day of July,
and sent to
W. Sucus, Nelson, Mo

Arrears to the 4th of Mch '34 60.00
Semi-anl. allowance ending 4 Sepr. 10:00
$70.00
{Revolutionary Claim,
Act June 7, 1832.}
Recorded by J T. Sprague Clerk,
Book 6 Vol. 8 Page 81
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Joshua Ferguson
application for a Pension
Returned
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State of Missouri
County of Callaway} SS On this Nineteenth day of February in the Year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and thirty three personally appeared in open court before Samuel T Moore, Thomas Conger and James McKinny Judges thereof, it being the County Court of Callaway County aforesaid at the February term thereof - Joshua Ferguson a resident of Cote soasdepein Township in the County aforesaid aged seventy nine 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 provisions of the act of Congress passed seventh of June 1832, - That he was born in the County of Fairfax in Virginia on the eighth day of December seventeen hundred and fifty three; that he lived in the same County until the seventeen hundred and eighty four - In the year 76 or 77 we began to be very much disturbed by the inroads of the British who came up the Potomac in vessels for the purpose of foraging, getting provisions and burning the property of the inhabitants, when it became necessary to raise militia for the purpose of repelling these inroads of the enemy - this petitioner accordingly one of these years, which he does not recollect became a member of the militia Company Commanded by one Captain John Wren, which company was part of a regiment commanded during the whole war by Col Peter Wagoner, James Wren and Thomas Triplet were also Colonels in the same regiment - the Company of Capt Wren to which this Petitioner belonged was subject to be called out at a moments warning and accordingly it happened some times that this Petitioner had to leave his family and his home in the midst of a harvest - This Petitioner can not recollect the precise time when he and the Company to which he belonged engaged in actual service but well recollects that upon several occasions they marched some times to General Washington's house to protect it from the incursions of the enemy where they would remain for several weeks at a time and some times to Alexandria where this petitioner together with the Company spent several months at one time in building batteries for cannons for the defense of the Town - this species of service continued pretty much from the year '78 until the end of the war, as the British Ships visited the Potomac during that time frequently for the purpose of plunder or annoyance. and succeeded in burning the residence of Col Lyle, and Col Messer of Stafford - and often succeeded in obtaining plunder - This Petitioner never was in any action with the enemy, who were generally near their ships and would retire upon the appearance of the American forces except in some few instances - this petitioner believes that he was absent from home upon this tour of service during at least three summers during the revolutionary war - In addition to the performance of this sort of duty this petitioner in common with all the militia men of Fairfax County were subject to draughts for the regular service when ever sixteen men had to furnish a soldier for the continental army and as this petitioner was poor and had a wife and children to take care of he was unable to leave home upon such long service and was Therefore put to much expense in procuring or
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assisting to [illegible soldiers to serve for his class.  In the year '84 this petitioner removed from his native county and emigrated to Kentucky where he settled and remained until the year eighteen hundred and sixteen when he came to this Country where he has lived ever since -  whilst in Kentucky he was much exposed to danger from the indians in common with the other settlers and employed a substitute to go in his place on an expedition against the savages - he had a large family and could not leave home himself without great inconvenience - This Petitioner has now stated all the material facts reletave to his revolutionary services as far as his recollection serves him and states that his memory as well as his body has suffered from the inroads of time
Joshua Ferguson
Sworn to and subscribed in open court before me Clerk of said Court this 19th day of February 1833
Irvine O. Hockaday
Clerk

Questions put by the court to the petitioner together with his answers made thereto To wit
Question - How old are you?  
Answer I am seventy nine years old last december as I have before states
Question what evidence have you of your age?  Answer.  I have none I know from the information of my father and mother and from the family bible in which it was recorded and which has long since passed out of my reach
Question.  have you a discharge and if so what officer gave it to you?
Answer. No.  my liability to serve was constant;  we would march out and return as occasion required until the defeat of Cornwallis after which they were no more called out
Question.  under what officers did you serve and what officers did you know engaged in the same service?
Answer I have already stated all that I recollect on that subject
Question.  To whom are know known as a revolutionary soldier or otherwise?
Answer I am not known to any one now living in this county as a revolutionary soldier but old William Hornbuckle of this county who died a few years ago knew me in Virginia and knew perfectly the truth of the facts which I have above stated.  I am known however to many of the people of this county.  I am well known to John Conger and Samuel T Moore two of the Judges of this court now on the bench and probably to the other also.
Question - Is your name on the pension roll of the United States or of any state and have you ever recd. a pension for revolutionary services?
Answer.  my name is not on the pension roll of any state, nor of the United States.  I have never reced. a pension for or on account of my services rendered my country during the revolutionary struggle nor at any other time and I do hereby relinquish every claim or annuity except the present.
Where have you resided since the Revolution?  Answer.  I have given a full answer to this question in my first statement.
Joshua Ferguson
Sworn to and subscribed in open court before me Clerk of said Court this 19th day of February 1833
Irvine O. Hockaday Clerk

We      a clergyman residing in the county of Callaway and Jonah Ramsay Jr and Henry Brite residing in the same county certify that we are well acquainted with Joshua Ferguson who has subscribed and sworn to the above declaration - that we believe him to be seventy nine years of age - that he is reported and beleived in the neighborhood where he resides to have been a soldier of the revolution and that we concur in that opinion
Jonah Ramsay Jr
Henry Brite
Sworn to and subscribed in open court before me Clerk of said Court this 19th day of February AD 1833
Irvine O. Hockaday Clerk

And the said Court do hereby declare their opinion after the
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Sworn to and Subscribed in open court.
before Me Clerk of said Court
this 19th day of February 1833
Irvine O. Hockaday Clerk

We a clergyman residing in the county of Callaway and Josiah Ramsay Jr and Henry Brite residing in the same County Certify that we are well acquainted with Joshua Ferguson who has subscribed and sworn to the above declaration - that we believe him to be seventy nine years of age - that he is reported and believed in the neighborhood where he resides to have been a soldier of the revolution and that we concur in that opinion
Josiah Ramsay Jr
Henry Brite
sworn to and subscribed in open Court
before me Clerk of said Court this
19th day of February AD 1833
Irvine O. Hockaday Clerk - 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 certifies that it appears to them that - who has signed the preceding Certificate is a clergyman resident in the County of - and that Josiah Ramsay Jr and Henry Brite - who have signed the same are residents in the said County and are Credible persons and their statements are entitled to full Credit - and the said Court do hereby further declare that there is no minister of the gospel living within many miles of sd Ferguson's residence and that there are but few in the County - but that they have no doubt whatever of the truth of the statements of the applicant
Saml. T. Moore
John Conger
James McKinney

County of Callaway Sct.
County I Irvine O Hockaday Clerk of the County Court of Callaway County aforesaid do hereby certify that the foregoing contains the original proceedings of the said Court in the matter of the application of Joshua Ferguson for a pension and that the signatures of the aforesaid Samuel T Moore; John Conger and James McKinney Judges of the said Court are genuine
In Testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand and affixed the Seal of said Court at Office in Fulton the Seat of Justice of said County this 19th day of February AD 1833 and in the 13th year of the State Irvine O. Hockaday Clerk
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24,583
John Ferguson
Missouri
Returned
Joshua Ferguson
from 1776 pr
6 mo $20

W. Lucas
Fulton
John Ferguson Mo.
Fulton Callaway
County Missouri
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WAR DEPARTMENT,
Pension Office,
8 May 1833

Sir:
The evidence in support of your claim, under the act of June 7, 1832, has been examined, and the papers are herewith returned. The following is a statement of your case in a tabular form. On comparing these papers with the following rules, and the subjoined notes, you will readily perceive that objections exist, which must be removed, before a pension can be allowed. The notes and the regulations will show what is necessary to be done. Those points to which your attention is more particularly directed, you will find marked in the margin with a brace, (thus: }). You will, when you return your papers to this Department, send this printed letter with them; and you will, by complying with this request, greatly facilitate the investigation of your claim.

A Statement, showing the Service of Joshua Ferguson
County of Callaway Missouri
Period when the service was rendered.
Entd. 1776 or 7
Duration of the claimant’s service. Years. Months. Days.
Times not stated
Rank of the claimant.
Minute service
Names and rank of the Field officers under whom he served.
Capt. Wren
Col Wagoner
Age at present, and place of abode when he entered the service.
79 Years 
County of Fairfax, State of Virginia
Proof by which the declaration is supported.
Traditionary Evidence
Papers not authenticated

I am, respectfully,
Your obedient servant,
JAMES L. EDWARDS,
Commissioner of Pensions.
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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 wand 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 served 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 classes 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 claim- ing the benefit of this law its officers, non-commissioned officers, musicians or privates, will, in the first instance, 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 } ss. 
County of 
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 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 (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 certifies, that it appears to them that A.B. who has signed the preceding certificate is a clergyman, 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 of 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
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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 if detecting the imposition, if one be attempted; and unless, therefore, these are amply and clearly set forth, no favorable decision can be ex-expected. All applicants will appear before some Court of Record in the County in which they reside, and there subscribed and be sworn to, one of the declarations also provided, according to the nature of his case. 
The Court will propound the following (m) 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 services.
 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 an Officer.} 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 to the applicant. 
The applicant will further produce in Court, if the same can be done, in the opinion of the Court, without too much expense and inconvenience to him, two respectable persons-one of whom should be the nearest 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. -If 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. 
Applicants unable to appear in Court, by reason of bodily infirmity, may make the declaration before required, and submit to examination, before a Judge or Justice of a Court of Record of the proper county, 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. 
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.
 ______________________ 
[a] The declarant must appear in open Court, unless prevented from doing so by reason of bodily infirmity; in which case the declarant will follow the rule laid down for his guidance.
[b] The declarant must make his declaration in the county where he resides. If he should fail to do so, he must assign a sufficient reason for not conforming to the rule. 
[c] The age of the claimant must invariably be mentioned. 
[d] The declaration must mention the period or periods of the war when he served. 
[e] Every continual officer or soldier must give the name of the Colonel under whom he served; otherwise a satisfactory examination of the claim cannot be had. Every claimant must state, 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. 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." 
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 reconciling to the grade of the pensioner and the length of his service. The use of the phrase [italicized] about three or four months, is to indefinite, and all such qualifying expressions are objectionable. Some persons who apply for pensions merely state that 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 shown 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. 
[f] The law makes the relinquishment indispensable. 
[g] The opinion of the Court is always required. 
[h] The Clerk must give his certificate in every case. 
[i] The Clerk must affix his seal, and if it has no device or inscription by which it can be distinguished from any other seal, or if he 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. 
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 papers 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 not to prevent any paper from being improperly attached to the certificate. 
Proof of Service. 
[j] 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 claimant's 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. 
[pointing finger icon] The notes from [a] t [i] are all equally applicable to the cases of Militia men, Volunteers and State Troops. The proof required by rule in note [j] applies to continental troops only. 
[k] This traditionary evidence is indispensable in militia cases. 
[l] If a witness cannot be found, the declarant must state the fact. 
[m] The answers to the interrogatories must all be written, and sent to the War Department, with the declaration.
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16793
INVALID.

File No. Joshua [illegible]
Act: [illegible]
Index: - Vol. 1, Page 129
(Arrangement of 1870.)
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Hutton No. 15. June 1834
I herewith inclose the petition of Joshua Ferguson for a pension under the act of 1832. which was rejected with the document containg
the causes of the rejection I also inclose the renewed application & statement of the same claimant which has been delayed on act of
the age & sickness of applicant - I request that the result of the application may be
addressed either to myself or to the Clerk who certifies the petition.

Very Respectfully
W. Lucas
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Joshua Ferguson
renewal of application
for a pension
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in order to obtain the benefit of the act of Congress of the 7th of June 1832

State of Missouri
County of Callaway SS
On this - day of May in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and thirty four personally appeared in open court before John Conger, James McKinney and Larkin Craig judges thereof, it being the County Court of Callaway, County aforesaid, at the May Term of the said Court, Joshua Ferguson a resident of [illegible] Township in the County of Callaway aforesaid, aged about eighty one years, who being first duly sworn according to law, doth on his oath make the following statement and declaration, in order to obtain the benefit of the provisions of the act of Congress passed seventh of June 1832.-
I was born in the County of Fairfax in the State of Virginia on the eighth day of December in the year seventeen hundred and fifty three here I continued to reside until the year 1784 - in the year '76 or '77, I can not be certain which, we began to be very much annoyed by the inroads of the British who came up the Potomac in vessels for the purpose of foraging, gathering provisions and burning the property of the inhabitants, when it became necessary to raise troops for the purpose of repelling their inroads of the enemy - I belonged at that time to Captain Wrens Company of Militia of Fairfax - this company and some others along the Potomac were
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under the command of Col. Waggoner and Lieut. Col Triplet were reserved and Kept as minute men for the purpose of marching to any point on the river where the enemy should appear, at a moments warning we were not drafted and I do not recollect whether we volunteered or not, but I am inclined to think that we did not, but were ordered, as the militia of that part of the Country, had been exposed to great burdens for the support of the war - I can not at this day recollect the precise times where our Company marched, but I recollect very well that upon innumerable occasions we were ordered to march and did march sometimes to Genl Washington's house to protect it from the incursions of the enemy where we would remain for several weeks at a time, some times to Alexandria where I along with my company spent several months at a time in building batteries for cannon for the defense of the Town - This spaces of service continued from the year '76 to '77 until the close of the revolutionary, as the british ships during the whole of that time very frequently visited the Potomac for the purpose of plundering and succeeded in burning the residence of Col Lyle on the Maryland side and afterwards went to Col. Moore in Stafford on the Virginia
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side upon the retiring of the British down the river - we were generally permitted to return to our several houses until again wanted which very frequently occured, 
I know well that, we were several times called upon at times when our marching was almost the cause of starvation to our families, once I remember in the midst of harvest time when were Compelled to remain on the watch for several weeks in Consequence of which our crops were nearly lost - It so happened that I did not during all this service get into action with the enemy, though other Companies did - the british were generally not very far from their ships and would retire to them upon the approach of our forces except in a very few instances -
I was not discharged by Capt Wren that I know of - When the war closed there being no farther need for our services we were permitted to remain at home - 
It is impossible for me to state with
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anything like exactness, at this day, the length of time that I was engaged in service - properly speaking it seems to me that I might well consider myself in service from the time of the first organization of our Company as minute men in 76 or 77 until the close of the war, for although it is true that we were occasionally permitted to go home and attend to our families & farms, yet the great uncertainty as tot he time which we would be permitted to remain there prevented us from being able to do any thing of much Consequence; and besides, it was generally in the spring, summer & fall & particularly in the summer that our services was most frequently called into requisition. but Counting that time of my service only the time that I was actually out from home actually employed guarding the Country and protecting the inhabitants I find, by reference to my former statement that I jott it down at "three summers" and I can not believe that it was at all short
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of that time - by three summers I meant three whole summers or about nine months - I am now nearly eighty one years of age - I have tried to recollect more particularly - but I find my memory has failed me and that however I may suffer in consequence of it I can not be more particular as to what I have been speaking - I well know that had it not been for the extraordinary exertion of my wife who was under the necessity of laboring in the fields on account of my absence - my family would in all probably have suffered I can not say to what degree - In addition to the performance of the above named services I was in common with all the Militia of Fairfax subject to drafts for the regular service, when ever sixteen men had to furnish a soldier for the Continental army and as I was poor and had a wife & children to take care of I was unable to leave home, upon such long service and was therefore put to an expense which I was illy able to bear in procuring or existing, to procure soldiers for my class - In the year '84 I removed with my family from my native county to
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Kentucky where I settled and remained there until the year eighteen hundred and sixteen when I came to this country and settled in the County of Callaway where I now reside - Whilst in Kentucky my family was much exposed to danger from the Indians - in common with all the Settlers of that Country - and I employed a substitute to march in my place on a campaign against the Savages, so my family was large and I could not leave home without great inconvenience I have now stated all that I can distinctly recollect on the subject of my revolutionary services, I have out lived my Cotemporaries and therefore know of no one living who knew me during the revolutionary war - I am not on the pension roll of the United States nor of any State and have never applied for or received any pay or pension for or on account of my revolutionary services - except the application which I made under the law under which I am now applying and which appears to have been rejected because I could not recollect what day my service commenced and ended and how long it lasted and also on account of some defect in the authentication
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I did not learn the fate of my application until a long time after I had made it and as I live some 20 miles from the place and am still able to travel, I could not as I am advised review my application but at a Court - for the officers who commanded our troops & their circumstances I refer to my first statement - I knew Genl Washington, Major Fitzgerald of Fairfax who was one of his aids also Capt West of Fairfax who went into the regular army and under whom one of my brothers enlisted. but I was not acquainted with many of the officers belonging to our regiment, because our services as minute men were required in detached Companies and at different points. I have no record of my age, but have seen it recorded in my Fathers family bible and my children, some of them are over fifty years old - I am well known to many people in this county some of whom knew me in Kentucky and I know some here who are the children of my old neighbors in Fairfax - I am known personally to some of the members of the court and particularly to John Couger &
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James McKinney two of the judges who have known me some years and are acquainted with my character both here and in Kentucky - I am also known to George Bartley - Col George King Herbert Waugh & others
I do hereby relinquish all claims to pay or annuity against the government except the pension which I now ask.
Subscribed & Sworn to in Open Joshua Ferguson
Court before me clerk of the
County Court of Callaway
County this 19th day of May
A.D. 1834.-
Irvine O. Hockaday Clerk

Joshua Ferguson being duly sworn saith that by reason of old age and the consequent loss of memory and also by reason of the peculiar nature of the service, he can not 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 & in the following grades from the year '76 or 77. until the year '81 he served as private soldier in Captain Wrens Company of Minute Men at so many different times that it is impossible for him to name them at least six moths in all, exclusive of the time which he spent at home subject to be called out at a moments warning, and that for
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such service he claims a pension-
Subscribed & Sworn to in Open
Court, before me Clerk of the Joshua Ferguson
County Court of Callaway
County this 19th day of May AD 1834
Irvine O. Hockaday Clerk

We George Bartley George King & S Waugh residing in the county of Callaway in the State of Virginia do certify that we have been long acquainted with Joshua Ferguson who has subscribed and sworn to the above declaration and affidavit, that we believe him to be of the age he has stated - that he is reported and believed in the neighborhood where he resides, to have been a soldier of the revolution, and that we entirely concur in that opinion - we farther state that his evident state of palsied old age appears to as well to justify the statement which makes concerning the weakness of his memory.
Subscribed & Sworn to in Open Geo Bartley
Court before me Clerk of the Sebert Waugh
County Court of Callaway
County this 19th day of May George King
AD 1834
Irvine O. Hockaday Clerk
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10.
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 further it appears to them that the applicant is a respectable man in his neighborhood and has a fair character for veracity. and the court further certifies that it appears to them that George Bartley, Sebert Waugh & George King - who have signed the preceding Certificate are residents in the said County of Callaway and are credible persons & their statements entitled to full credit
Larkin Craig
John Conger
James McKinney
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11.
I Irvine O Hockaday Clerk of the County Court of Callaway County aforesaid do hereby Certify that the foregoing contains the original proceedings of the said court in the matter of the application of Joshua Ferguson for a pension, and that the signatures of the aforesaid James McKinney Larken Craig and John Conger Judges of the said Court are genuine -
In Testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand & affixed the Seal of the said Court at office in Fulton the seat of justice of said County this 19th day of May A.D. 1834 and the 14th year of the state
Irvine O. Hockaday
Clerk