Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty Land Warrant Application File R 1,679, Alexander Cary, Ga.
Page 1

Ga
Cary, Alexander R1679
or Carey
Page 2

29.414
Mr. Evand
John McCutchen
Washington City
Page 3

Territory of Florida
Weston District, Walton County

SS

On this 23rd day of November, having been called upon to attend at the dwelling of Alexander Carey, a resident of Walton County, owing to the bodily infirmity of said Carey, which prevents him from attending the court of said County, Alexander Carey, 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:

He enlisted in the army of the United States early in the war of the Revolution, he thinks in the latter end of 1776 or the beginning of 1777. He cannot remember the exact date. He was then between the ages of forty and forty-five years. He thinks he is nearly one hundred years old, but his precise age he cannot ascertain as he has no record thereof remaining. He was born in the State of Pennsylvania.
Page 4


(cont'd Cary deposition)

whence he removed before the commencement of the war to Burke County in Georgia where he enlisted as aforesaid. The only officers under whose command he served, whose names be now remembers, are Colonel Stewart Colonel Jack and Captain Alexander. He served as a
regular soldier under said enlistment for the term of three years. After  the expiration of said term he again served in the militia, among whom were called the "minute men" until the close of the war.   In the course of his first service he marched with his request to the St John River in Florida. After remaining there for some time be marched back to the State of Georgia was discharged at a place called Midway Meeting House. That his discharge was burnt in his house up word of thirty years ago when his house was consumed by fire together with almost every thing belonging to him: He does not remember who gave him his discharge. Since the revolutionary war he has lived mostly in the State of Georgia

(continued)
Page 5


whence he removed about eleven years ago
to Alabama and about four years since
he removed to Walton County where he
now resides. He states that he knows of
no person unless it be Samuel Carter in
this country who can establish his services
the names of the persons who can testify to
the truth & veracity and reputation of having served in the Revolutionary war are the
Rev. C.S. V. Jones  Alexander Turner Sam Carter

He herby 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) one on that of the
agency of the State of Georgia

Alexander (his X mark) Cary

Sworn to & subscribed the
day & year aforesaid

David Gartman
Judge of the County Court
of Walton County

And I David Gartman Judge of said County for the County Court thereof do hereby declare my opinion that the above named applicant was a Revolutionary sol

(cotinued)
Page 6

(cont'd Alexander Carey deposition)

and served as he states. And I do
further certify that from bodily infirmity
the said Alexander Carey is utterly unable
to attend the Court at the usual place of
holding Court.   In witness whereof I here
unto set my hand seal the day & year
first above written

David Gartmam
℗ (hand drawn seal)
Judge of the County County
Walton County

C.S.V. Jones a minister of the gospel being
duly sworn says that he has known the applicant Alexander Carry for upwards of a year during which time he has resided in his neighborhood that his  character for truth and veracity is unimpeached that he believes said applicant to be about or nearly one hundred years of age and that he is reputed and believed in the neighborhood in which he resides
to have been a soldier of the Revolution
and this affiant concurs in that opinion

C.S.V. Jones ( his signature)


Sworn to subscribed
before me the day & year aforesaid

David Gartman 
Judge of the County Court
of Walton Corns
Page 7

(cont'd dep of Cary)

Alexander Turner being duly sworn says that
said Alexander Cary has for many years past
been well known to this affiant that he believes said applicant to be about one hundred
years of age that he is generally reputed in
the neighborhood to have been a soldier in of
the Revolution and in this belief this
affiant concurs and that the character
of said applicant for truth & verity
is unquestionable

Alexander Turner

Sworn to subscribed before
in the day & year first above
written

David Gartman
Judge of the County Court
of Walton County

I Henry G Ramsey Clerk of the County
Court of Walton County do certify that the
foregoing proceeding upon the application of Alexander Carry for a pension were had before David Gartman Esq Judge of the County Court
of said County. In witness whereof I have unto set my hand & seal of office December 7th 1833

H G Ramsay Clerk
Walton County Court  (seal affixed to left)
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29.414
Alexander Carey
Florida

Return to
Alexander Carey

1679

John McCutchen
Washington City
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(printed government form)

WAR DEPARTMENT,
Pension Office,
4th Feby 1834

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 shew 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 compling with this request, greatly facilitate the investigation of your claim. 

A STATEMENT, showing the Service of Alexander Casey

Period when the service was rendered
      1777

Duration of claimant's service
      Years     3
      Months
      Days

Rank of the Claimant
      Priv

Names and rank of the Field officers under whom he served
      Colonel Stewart
      Col Jack

Age at present, and place of abode when he entered the service
      Nearly 100
      Burke County Georgia

Proof by which the declaration is supported
      Traditionary and a living witness
       Witness not certified to be credible


I am, respectfully,
Your obedient servant,
JAMES L. EDWARDS,
Commissioner of Pensions

The claimant should endeavor to obtain further proof.

(note to right side in margin)
His name is Carey or Cary not Casey
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2  {page number}

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 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 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 (sic 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 (blank) day of (blank) of
personally appeared (a) before (blank) A.B.; a resident (b) of  (blank) in the county of (blank) 
and State, Territory or District of (blank) aged (blank) 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) (blank) with (blank)  and served in the (blank) (e) regiment of the (blank)  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. (sic hand with finger pointed to next sentence) 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 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 (blank)
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 (blank) of the Court of (blank)  do hereby certify (h) that the foregoing contains the original proceedings of the said Court in the matter of the application of (blank) for a pension.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand and seal of office (i) this (blank) day of (blank) & 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 (blank) 
and C. D. residing in (the same) hereby certify, that we are well acquainted with (blank) , who has subscribed and sworn to the above declaration; that we believe him to be (blank)
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 (blank) and that C. D., who has also signed the same is a resident in the (blank) and is a credible person, and that their statement is entitled to credit.

I, (blank) Clerk of the Court of (blank) do hereby certify that the foregoing contains the original proceedings of the said Court, in the matter of the application of (blank)  for a pension.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand and seal of office, this (blank) day of (blank) & 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 o 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
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3
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 unless, 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 (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 records 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 name 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 services, 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 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, 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 inquiry 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 the 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 declarant must mention the period or periods of the war when he served.
[e] Every continental officer or soldier must give the name of the Colonel under whom he served; otherwise a satisfactory examination of the claims 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 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 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 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 indespensible.
[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 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.
The notes from [a] to [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 n 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
Page 12

(government ticket)

1697

REJECTED

P.O. Alexander Carey

service: ............... 18
Enlisted:.............. 18
Discharged:....... 18
Application Filed:............, 18

**Alleges**

List of suspended claims printed in 1852 shows causes of suspension as follows:

"For proof of service".

Attorney:.......
P.O. .....
.......Recognized.   ..... Contract

.....Cert. of Dis.   Searched for ........., 18

(**..** indicates word crossed out)
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(envelope)

Pension Office 
War Department
Washington City

(Notes on top)

Ret'd Case
Alex"n Carey
Flor:  Ter:

Act June 7, 1832

See letter to claimant
Nov. 5 1835

Not found &
Page 14


Territory of Florida
Walton County

In addition to the foregoing certificate I David Gartman Judge of the County Court of Walton County do hereby certify that Charles S. V. Jones  Samuel Carter and Alexander Turner the witnesses who have respectively signed the
foregoing affidavits for which their names 
are affixed are well known to me and that they are each and all credible witnesses.

Sworn under my hand this 8 day of October
1835

David Gartman
 Judge of the County Court


I Daniel G. McLean Clerk of the County Court of Walton County do hereby certify that David Gartman who signed the foregoing certificate was at the time of the date thereof and still is Judge of said County Court and that the
signature to said certificate is the genuine signature of said David Gartman.

Witness whereof I have hereto set my
and and seal of office this 12th day of Oct
1835

Daniel M Lean Clerk
County Court of Walton County

(SEAL affixed to left)
Page 15


Territory of Florida 
Walton County }

 Personally Came before  me David Gartman
Judge of the County Court   Samuel Carter
and after being duly sworn sayeth that he
new the said Alexander Carey was gone and
that he herd his (illegible) Lementing and
expecting that he was killed and after
the Revolution was over he heard the said
Cary and officers of the Revolution discussion
about the attacks of and sufferages of the Revolution  and that he the said Carter has ben
acquainted with him until the present
time and he always has been a man
of truth and verity.

Sam'l Carter (his signature)

(hand drawn seal next to Cater's name)

Sworn to and subscribe
this 23 November 1833

David Gartman Judge
of the County Court