Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty Land Warrant Application File W. 2,805, for John Jacobs, Pennsylvania
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(3 - 1776) SERVICE Penn. Jacobs, John NUMBER W. 2,805 Eliza Contents
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6707 Pennsylvania Eliza Jacobs widow of John Jacobs Pen's and who died on the 15 March 1831 of Luzerne Co. in the State of Penn. who was a Private in the company commanded by Captain of the regt. commanded by in the Pa. mil. for 6 months Inscribed on the Roll of Philadelphia at the rate of 20 Dollars - Cents per annum to commence on the 4th day of March, 1836. Certificate of Pension issued the 19th day of July 1842 and sent to Hon. B. A. Bidlack, [see comment} House of Representatives, [illegible] to the 4th of March 1861 $100. {Act July 7, 1838.} Recorded by D. Brown Clerk. Book A Act Vol. 2. Page 155 Clerk. Reported to Agent let 27 July 1842 [J. or S.] Wright.
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No 8336 Eliza Jacobs of John Pennsylvania Hon. B. A. Bidlack HR
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Declaration In order to obtain the benefit of the act of Congress of the 7th July 1838, entitled "An act granting half pay & pensions to certain widows," State of Pennsylvania Luzerne County Ss On this twenty ninth day of June AD 1842, personally appeared in open Court John Jacobs, a resident of Exeter township in Luzerne County, & State aforesaid, aged Sixty Eight years or there about, & who was appointed by this Court among others to make a declaration for Mrs Eliza P Jacobs, who being first duly sworn according to law, doth, on his oath makes the following declaration, in order to obtain the benefit of the provision made by the act of Congress passed July 7, entitled"an act granting of half pay & pensions to certain widows for his mother Mrs Eliza Jacobs -  That she is the widow of John Jacobs declarants Father and that he has heard his father say that he was in the Revolutionary army during the whole war as a militia man, but does not know what state hire he served in, that he was drafted - That he served in the Army & was in the battle of Sullivans Island, that Genl Lee, Genl Moultrie & Governer Rutledge commanded, that he had very often heard his deceased father speak of his being in this engagement: that he has no recollections of hearing his father speak particularly of any other engagement but he has heard him say that he was in many skirmishes with the enemy
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That he does not remember the names of the officers under whom his father served. nor the time of his entering the service - but he uniformly Stated the time of his service to have been during the whole war - That he was in the massacre of Wyoming [read comment], & that his mother escaped to Fort Allen, where his Father served there after the battle, and this declarant who was then about four years old well remembers to have seen a ball extracted from his fathers breast by a Surgeon, & which his father kept for many years; his father stated to him that he received it in the battle, that it struck his musket while he was in the act of priming it & Shivered the musket & glancing lodged in his breast; that he was with Sullivan where he marched into the valley of Wyoming with his Army - That he remembers that many years since his father prepared & took Evidence of his services for the purpose of getting a pension, & that Solomon Dotson was one of his witnesses; but that his father gave it up as he understood because of his having some property which would deter him; that he has searched his father papers but cannot find them; that he has conversed with said Dotson since that time, who told him that in the said application he had proved these services in the Revolutionary Army of this declarants Father, and that the said Dotson he thinks died before his mother made
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Application to the Pennsylvania Legislature for his pension - That he remembers to have had his Father say that he performed services in the Army in New Jersey, on the Delaware river & on the Minnisink, and that he was in the lines during the whole war - and that this deponent does not know of any documentary evidence in the possession of his mother or the family in support of the claim, that his  Father died on the 15 of March 1831 - leaving no property real or personal after the payment of his funeral expenses - And that his mother has never been married to any person since - That his father has told him often he was a private soldier - That the said Eliza Jacobs his mother now resides in Newport, in said County, that previous thereto she resided in Hanover in said County. That he has known his mothers age for a long number of years, and that as near as he can ascertain the day of month it was the 15th June, and that on the 15 of this present month she was one hundred and four years old - And that she is unable to make the Declaration required, owing to Deafness and all [illegible] prostration of her mental faculties, and loss of memory - that declarants father & Solomon Dotson have both since that at one time they were in the same camp together when in the Revolutionary army
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Sworn subscribers  in open Court 29 June 1842 Hon. [illegible] Pron & Judge Cm Pleas Luzerne Cot  John Jacobs
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Luzene County Commonwealth of Pennsylvania Ss Daniel Turner a resident of Exeter in said County aged fifty Eight years or there abouts, being first duly sworn, Saith that he knew John Jacobs & his wife Eliza for a great many years, that they lived together as man & wife until the time of his death - That he has had a great many conversations with Mr. Jacobs in his life time when this deponent was a young man resided near them - And that he has heard him frequently state that he was in the Army during the whole revolutionary war, has heard him state many time of the times he was in engagements & battles, but it is impossible for him to state what battles he was in; that he has frequently conversed with Col. Nathan Denison who acted as Col in the battle of Wyoming at the time of the Wyoming Massace, (and whose daughter this deponent married) and that Col Denison told this deponent that after the battle and defeat of the army troops, he was on horseback and retreating from the field of battle. That the applicants husband John Jacobs came out of the brush wounded and worn down & seized his horse by the maine or tail, that he could not get rid off Jacobs and at last determined to save him -  and he carried  him down to the fort, and by that means saved his life - this statement he has heard Col Denison often make - That the said Jacobs always had the name
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of being a revolutionary soldier - many who knew him and this deponent very believes that he was. & that he was a man of truth and veracity - and his statements entitled to credit -That he did serve 9 or 10 years since - that he has frequently seen his widow since and that she has not been since married to any person; that she is a woman of great age, her mind very much decayed and memory gone so much as to unfit her for any connected statement - that  she is very deaf & nearly sightless Sworn & subscribed in open Court June 29 - 1842 Daniel Turner Before me John N. Conyngham Pres: Judge C Pleas Luz.Cy [read comment]
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Luzurne County Commonwealth of Pennsylvania Ss James Dilley a resident of Harner in said County aged fifty years & upwards being duly sum according to Law doth depose & say that he was well acquainted with John Jacobs who died about Eleven years ago last March that he lived with the applicant Mrs Eliza Jacobs, and they lived & cohabited together as man & wife, & true so reputed & taken to be among the citizens of said Harner - and that the said Eliza Jacobs live in his family from sometime in September last until about 2 weeks since - and he has known for near twenty years. Something near what he reputed age is, and he believes her to be one hundred and three years or there about that she is very aged indeed - that her mind is greatly impaired. She has no cause due recolection, can remember some disconnected circumstances - She is very deaf, and has but one Eye the sight of which is almost gone - her mind is so far gone as to unfit her for giving any connected history of her life at all - and so deaf that it would be impossible to make her understand any subject that a person might wish to atrack her attention - The deponent cannot speak of the services of the said applicants husband, has heard him speak of having been in the Wyoming Battle and also of being employed at one time in the army to drive baggage wagons
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from somewhere in the North River toward Philadelphia - That he has know Mrs Eliza Jacobs, ever since the death of her husband that she has resided in his family ever since and that she has not since been married to any person - Sworn & subscribed in open Court this 29 of June 1842 James Dilley John Conyngham Rep. Judge C Pleas Luzerne Co
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I do hereby certify that the persons making the Declaration for Mrs Eliza Jacobs, are known to the Court; and are respectable & reputable citizens; and the Court is satisfied that any statement they may make is entitled to credit & belief and that the Court believe to be true what they have stated June 29, 1842 John N Conyngham Press Judge I Andrew Bedford Prothonotary of the Court of Common Pleas in & for the County of Luzerne do hereby certifies that it appears of record in my office that on the application of Harrison [Right] Esq. the Court affirmed John Jacobs, James Dilley and Daniel Turner, to make a Declaration under the act of Congress of 7th July 1858. relating to pensions; on the 2d day of June 1842 and that on the 29th of the same month the foregoing declarations were be made in open Court & duly Sworn to by John Jacobs, James Dilley & Daniel Turner & that the Signatures are in the proper hand writing of Hon John N. Conyngham Presiding Judge of the said Court to the Declaration & profering certificate Witness my hand & seal of office at Wilkes this 29th of June  A.D. 1842 A. Bedford Prothonotary
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William A. Wilcox, Esq., The Scranton Trust Co., Scranton, Pa. Sir: [illegible first paragraph] It was allowed that John Jacobs served as a Private during the Revolutionary War in New Jersey and on the Delaware and [illegible] rivers, that he was in many skirmishes, in the battle of Sullivan's Island, and sustained a gunshot wound of breast in the Wyoming massacre; that in 1778 he served inn the Pennsylvania troops 4 months, and in 1781 in the New Jersey troops 9 months. No officers mentioned. Eliza Jacobs claimed that she was married in 1871. John Jacobs died March 15, 1831, and in 1842 his widow resided with her son, John Jacobs, who was 68 years of age. Very respectfully, Acting Commissioner.
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Eliza Jacobs of John Pennsylvania Suspended let 19 Feb 1842 & 24 Feb 42  to Hon B. A. Bidlack let: 30 Apl 42  N. Wright of Act 4 July 1836
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1907 Oct. 7 Hist To Wm A. Wilcox Revy WIDOW, &c. File No. 2805  Eliza Jacobs Widow John Jacobs Pn: Rev - Act: July 7. 1838. Index: - Vol. R, Page 370 [Arrangement of 1870.]
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papers refer to commiss and a pension for six months under act 7 July 1838, offered July 14, 42
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8336 Eliza Jacobs of John Pennsylvania Admitted Pa. 6 mos. - $20 - [illegible] - Col - Pa milt died 15 March 1831 Act 7 July 1838, Hon. B. A. Bidlack H. R
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July 27 1842 Pa. Jacobs J. L. Edwards Esq Comiss of Pensions Washington City D.C
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Dr Sir Hon B A Bidlack forwarded me a day or two since a letter from you in which you say a pension would be granted to Mrs Eliza Jacobs as for 6 mos services of the husband - I am perfectly not satisfied that the husband was in the service during the whole period of the revolutionary War - & as he himself used to state - I have procured all the evidence I can get any trace of - and if it is insufficient - I cannot ask to have the whole claim abused - I was in hopes that the helpless situation of the poor old woman & her great age - with due proof sent would have secured her enough to have made her last [illegible] Stage of life cheerfull and happy - Whatever the Department allow her will be acceptable to her almost pauper poverty - I have no doubt your own kindness of heart will be extended to her case as fuly as your duly will permit - Please forward a certificate at an early period- Most truly Jamison Wright J. L Edwards Esq of Wilkes Barre July 22d 1842
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July 16, 1842 Mrs. Jacobs Hon B. A. Bidlack Hon J. L. Edwards Comm of Pensions Washington DC
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Washington DC July 15 [illegible] Esq Decker Yours of the 14th last in relation to the claim of Mrs Jacobs is received. It is my opinion that under the peculiar circumstances she had better accept the amount for six months service Most Respectfully B. A. Bidlack
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May 6, 1842 Mrs. Jacobs Ward Wait for return of letter from [illegible] Hon. B. A. Bidlack N.R. Hon J. L. Edwards Com Pensions Washington DC
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Washington DC May 5 1842 Dear Sir I hope you will not decide definitely in the Case of Mrs Jacobs whose application was forwarded by J. Wright, Esq untill I have an opportunity to see to your witness I will endeavour to do in a few days Most Respectfully House of Rep. B A Bidlack
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Feb 21, Pa. Hon B A Bidlack NR 1842 Hon J. L. Edwards Com Pensions Washington DC
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Washington DC Aug 21 42 Sir I have taken the liberty to obtain the paper in the case of Mrs Jacobs. witnessing certificate attached as suggested from [illegible] here of records of the necessity of further proof of pension Most Respectfully B A Bidlack
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Hon B A Bidlack [illegible] Washington DC
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Hon B A Bidlack My Dr Sir I wish you to have the goodness to procure for me a certified copy of the last papers filed in the pension application
of Mrs Phebe Cooper. I desire to lay them before the Legislature of our State. I enclose you the papers of Mrs Eliza Jacobs, that I have procured from Harrisburg, and upon which you & Mr Bennet procured her a pension Mr Jacobs her son an infirm old man called on you just before you left, & you promised him some
act in the matter. I am very well aware that all the strictures of proof required at the Department is not to be found in these papers I
have not even had a certificate of the Justice as 
office - as is usual -
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The marriage is not sworn to by Mrs.
Jacobs - and she cannot now be
sworn; her extreme old age has in
fact left her nothing but the semblance
of woman, her mind is totally gone
and hearing and eye sight. She is a
complete wreck and unhappily
for her left in poverty. Their child, 
an only son - old man, and
infirm - I suppose there is no
living proof of the marriage, which
took place in 1762- Their son is
too poor to hunt up proof. But
under all the circumstances of
the case it does really appear
to me the Department ought to
relax somewhat the severity of their
requisitions - The signatures are all
familiar to you - of witnesses and
Magistrates and you can satisfy the
Department on that part. Davis
one of her witnesses you know is
dead long ago.