Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty Land Warrant Application File S. 31,629, William Coplin, Va.
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(3-1776)

Service...Number...

Va

Coplin, William 
or
Copelin

S. 31,629

Contents
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Georgia 23.848
William Coplin of Dekalb in the State of Geo [Georgia] who was a [illegible] in the [dash mark] commanded by Captain Spencer of the [illegible] commanded by Col Holcomb in the Va line for [illegible]
Inscribed on the Roll of Georgia at the rate of 20 Dollars [dash mark] cents per annum, to commence on the 4th day of March, 1831.

Certificate of Pension issued the 10 day of April [1834] Decatur Ga and auth Wm. [Ezzard]

Arrears to the 4th of March 34 [1834] $60
Semi-anl allowance ending 4 [illegible] $10
[total] $70

Revolutionary Claim, Act June 7, 1832
Recorded by Nath. Rice Clerk, Book & Vol. 6 page 87
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Declaration in order to obtain the benefit of the Act of Congress paper June 7th 1832
State of Georgia DeKalb County on this twelfth [12th] day of October in the year Eighteen hundred and thirty two [1832], personally appeared in open court before the Superior court of the said county of DeKalb now sitting William Coplin a resident of said county and state aged seventy [one] [71] years this twenty sixth [26th] day of January last. Who being first duly sworn according to law, doth on his oath makes the following declaration in order to obtain this benefit of the act of Congress paper June the 7th 1832.
That he entered the service of the United States under the following named officers, and served as [illegible] States. In the year 1778 or 1779 he was drafted and entered the service [illegible]. Capt Spencer an officer of the [militia] Genl [General] [Lawson] Chief Commander and [illegible] from his residence in (Virginia Charlotte County) to little Roanoke Bridge in said county and from there to Princeedward [Prince Edward] Court House in said state and served there a tour of six months the time for which he was drafted and then received a written discharge from Genl [General] [Lawson]. He states the company he was in was [illegible] and served [alternately] and their duty was to [illegible] the magazine at Princeedward [Prince Edward] Courthouse in Virginia. he states he served part of his time under the command of Col John [Holmes] and Major Overstreet. He states he was in no engagements during the revolution and he states as well as he recollects he was in the fourteenth [14th] or fifteenth [15th] regiment. He states he has no record of his age. He states he served as well as he recollects about [illegible] months. He has no documentary of evidence of his having served buy has the certificates of two persons which is [[illegible] [illegible]. He hereby relinquishes every claim whatever to a pension or annuity except the present or declares that his name is not on his pension
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roll of the agency of any state.
Sworn to and subscribed the [illegible] and aforesaid W. Holquitt [signature]
[signature] William Copelin

[illegible] [Elijah] Bird a clergyman residing in the State and County aforesaid and Stephen Hightower residing in (the same) do hereby certify that we are well acquainted with William Coplin [illegible] who has sworn to and subscribed the above declaration that we believe him to be seventy one [71] years of age the twenty sixth [26th] day of January last that he is reputed and believed and believe in the neighbourhood [neighborhood] where he resides to have been a soldier of the revolution and that we concur in that opinion.
Sworn to and subscribed the day and year aforesaid
W Holquitt [signature]
Elijah Bird [signature]
Stephen Hightower [signature]

And the said court do hereby declare their opinion after the investigation of the matter and after putting the [illegible] prescribed by the War Department that the aforementioned applicant was a revolutionary soldier [strikethrough - in] and served as he states. And the court further certifies that it appears to them that Elijah Bird who has signed the preceding certificate is a clergyman resident in the State and County aforesaid and that Stephen Hightower who has also signed the same is a resident in the same State and County and is a credible person and that their statement is entitled to credit.
W. Holquitt [signature]

I Charles Murphy clerk of the superior court of DeKalb and State aforesaid do hereby certify that the foregoing contain the original proceedings of the said court in the matter of the application of William Copelin [Coplin] for a pension and I do [illegible] certify that Walter Holquitt whose name is [illegible] to the foregoing certificate as the presiding
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Judge of said court.
In testimony whereof I have  herewith set my hand and private seal [they brought no seal:] office this 30th day of October 1832
C. Murphy [signature]

17810
William Coplin 
pension papers
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William Coplin
[illegible initials]
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Declaration in order to obtain the benefit of the Act of Congress papers June the 7th 1832
State of Georgia DeKalb County on this Eighth [8th] day of July in the year Eighteen hundred and thirty three [1833] personally in open court before the Inferior Court of the said county of DeKalb now sitting William Copelin [Coplin] a resident of said county and state aged seventy three [73] years the twenty sixth of January last - born in the year 1760 who being first duly sworn according to [illegible] doth on his oath make the following declaration in addition to the one made in October last in order to obtain the benefit of the Act of Congress papers June the 7th 1832 that he entered the service of the United States under the following named officers and served as herein stated - In the year 1777 he was drafted and entered the service as a private under Captain Jidden Spencer an officer of the militia Genl [General] Lasen [Lawson] Chief Commander and marched from his residence in Virginia Charlotte County where he was born to little Roanoke Bridge in said state and county and from there to Prince Edward Courthouse in said state and served a tour there of six months the tie for which he was drafted and received a written discharge from under [illegible] [illegible] of Genl [General] Lasen [Lawson] which has long since been destroyed. He states the company he was in was numbered and served [illegible] and their duty was to guard the magazine at Princeedward [Prince Edward] Courthouse in Virginia - he further states he served part of his time under the command of Col John Holcomb and Major Overstreet. He states in 1777 he entered the service as a private as above stated and was in the war frequently from that time until the close, as states this company
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he was in was divided and ordered to hold themselves in readiness provided they should be called into service. He states he had no engagement during the revolutionary war and he further states he was in the fourteenth [14th] or fifteenth [15th] regiment. He states that he had no record of his age, but his [illegible] was which he has been since he made the first declaration in October last by which it appears and above stated that he was born in 1760 and that he was seventy three [73] years of age the twenty sixth of January last. He further states he served at least twelve [12] months. He further states he has no documentary evidence of his service. Nor is there any living witnesses residing in said county or any other place as the witnesses whose [illegible] he had before been removed whose testimony he can procure at the present time, who can testify as to his service or knew him while in the service. [here there is a sentence crossed out]
Now the declarant further states [illegible] he is well acquainted with Henry G Slaughter, Stephen Hightower, Jeptha V. George, [illegible] Williams, Sally Choice, John Choice who can testify as to his character fortwith and [illegible] and their belief as to his service in the revolutionary war. He hereby relinquishes every claim whatever to a pension or annuity except the present and [illegible] thus his name is not on the pension roll of the agency of any State.
Sworn to and subscribed the day and year aforesaid [illegible signature]
Thomas Ray [signature]
John Dobbs [signature]
We Jeptha V. George clergyman residing in the state and county and Josiah Choice residing in the same do hereby certify that we are well acquainted with William
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Copelin [Coplin] who had subscribed and sworn to the above declaration: that we believe him to be seventy three [73] years of age. That he is reputed and believed in the neighborhood where he resided to have been a soldier of the revolutionary war and that we concur in that opinion.
Sworn to and subscribed this day and year aforesaid
Jephthah V Georg [signature]
Josiah Choice [signature]
[Thomas] Ray [signature]
Edward Jones [signature]
John Dobbs [signature]

And the said Court do hereby declare their opinion after the investigation of the matter and after putting the [illegible] prescribed by the War Department that the abovenamed applicant was a revolutionary soldier and served as he stated and the court further certifies that it appears to them that Jeptha V. George who had signed the preceding certificate is a clergyman resident in said state and county and that Josiah Choice who has also signed the same is a resident in the same state and county and is a credible person and that their statement is entitled to credit
Thomas Ray [signature]
John Dobbs [signature]
Edward Jones [signature]

I Elzy B Reynolds clerk of the Inferior court of DeKalb County do hereby certify that the foregoing contains the original proceedings of  the said court in the matter of the application of William Copelin [Coplin] for a pension and I do further certify that Thomas Ray, John Dobbs, and Edward Jones whose names appear to the foregoing certificate are the justices of said court in witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand and affixed my seal of office this 8th day of July 1833
E. B. Reynolds Clk
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Georgia
DeKalb County

Personally appeared before me the undersigned a Justice of the peace in & for said County William Coplin who being duly sworn deposeth & saith that by reason of old age and the consequent loss of memory 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, and in the following grades.  For six months in the year 1777 I served as a private in the militia of the State of Virginia in the service of the United States part of which time I was in the ?? in the army at Little Roanoak bridge, and the balance of the said time of service I was kept guarding the magazine at Prince Edward Courthouse during the above period I was with an ?? corps called out by authority of the United States and I was not during said period engaged in an civil pursuit.  And for such service I claim a pension.

William Coplin

Sworn to and subscribed before me this 15th day of January 1834
H.B. Latimer J.P.

Georgia
DeKalb County

I Elzy B Reynolds, Clerk of the Inferior Court in & for said  County do hereby certify that Henry B. Latimer whose
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name appears to the foregoing affidavit is an acting Justice of the peace in & for said County and the signature thereto annexed is his genuine signature.
In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand & affixed my seal of office this 15th day of January 1834

E.B. Reynolds Clk.
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William Coplin
Georgia
No. 17810
13 Sept
Wm. Ezzard
Decatur, Dekalb Co. Ga

Admit as a 
Private 6 mo
$20
4.5.10.13
April 16 1833
T.M.
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BRIEF in the case of Wm Caplin of Dekalb County in the State of Georgia
(Act 7th June, 1832.)

1.  Was the declaration made before a Court or a Judge?  Court

2.  If before a Judge, does it appear that the applicant is disabled by bodily infirmity?

3.  How old is he?  71 years

4.  State his service, as directed in the form annexed.

Period.  In 1778 or 9 drafted
Duration of Service.  - years, 6 months,- days  says served in all about 12 motnhs
Rank.  As a private
Names of General and Field Officers under whom he served.  Capt Spencer, Genl Lawson, Col John Holcomb, Majr Overstreet

5.  In what battles was he engaged?

6.  Where did he reside when he entered the service?  Charlotte County Virginia

7.  Is his statement supported by living witnesses, by documentary proof, by traditionary evidence, by incidental evidence, or by the rolls?  Traditionary

8.  Are the papers defective as to form or authentication?  and if so, in what respect?

I certify that the foregoing statement and the answers agree with the evidence in the case above mentioned.

Examining Clerk
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Revolutionary War Records Section
WMSH
S.31629

3-525
Department of the Interior,
Bureau of Pensions
Washington, D.C., Aug. 4, 1923

In reply to your request of _____, for the history of William Coplin or Copelin, a soldier of the Revolutionary War, the following is taken from the soldier's claim for pension.

Dates of Enlistment or Appointment:
1777, 1778 or 1779
Length of Service:
6 mos
Rank:
Private
Officers under whom service was rendered:
Captain-Gideon Spencer
Colonel-John Holcomb
State:  Va.

Battles engaged in, none
Residence of soldier at enlistment, Charlotte Co. Va.
Date of application for pension, Oct. 12, 1832.  His cl. was al.
Residence at date of application, DeKalb Co. Ga.
Age at date of application, Born Jan. 26, 1760 in Charlotte Co, Va.
Remarks:  No family data on file.

Respectfully,
Commissioner
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Georgia
DeKalb County

Personally appeared before me Colson Coplin who after being duly sworn according to law deposeth and saith that he was well acquainted with William Coplin in the time of the Revolutionary War, that he has known the said William Coplin ever since, that he now resides in the County and State aforesaid, that in the time of the Revolution he resided in Charlotte County, State of Virginia.  He further saith that he knows that the said William Coplin was drafted and called into the service of the United States and served a tour of duty.  This deponent does not now recollect how long the said Coplin served but thinks it was as long as six months.  He does not recollect the year in which the services was performed.
Colson Copelan  X his mark

Sworn to and subscribed  before me this first day of March 1834

Joseph Gault J.P.

Georgia
 DeKalb County
I Joseph Gault an acting Justice of the peace in and for said county do hereby certify that Colson Coplin who has sworn to & subscribed the foregoing affidavit is a person of veracity & entitled to credit.  Witness my hand and seal this 16th day of January 1834
Joseph Gault J.P.
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Georgia
Dekalb County

I Elzy B. Reynolds, Clerk of the [Pensions] Court in and for said county 
do hereby certify that Joseph Gault whose name
appears to the foregoing certificate is an [illegible] Justice of the peace in and for said county, and that the signature thereunto annexed is his genuine signature.

In witness whereof I have herewith set my hand and affixed my seal of office this 8th day of March 1834.

E. R. Reynolds Clk
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C.H. Jordan, President
H.B. Jordan, Vice-Pres.
L.K. Jordan, Sec'y & Treas
All agreements are contingent upon strikes, delays or other causes beyond our control

R.L. Marsh
Successor
Jordan Lumber Company
wholesale and retail dealers in
Lumber-Coal
Sash, Doors, Blinds, Weather Boarding
Flooring, Ceiling
Shingles, Brick, Lime, Cement, Etc.
Monticello, Ga.

June 27, 1923

Commissioner of Pensions
Washington, D.C.

Sir:  
Will you send me a statement of the military service of William Copeland, Revolutionary Pensioner in DeKalb county, Ga., in 1840?
Also of Joseph Curbow (Curbo or Kerbow), Revolutionary Pensioner in Gwinnett county, Ga., in 1835?

Respectfully
R.L. March

STAMP
US Pension Office
June 29, 1923
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INVALID

File no. 31,629
William Coplin
Pri Rev War
Act:  June 7th 32
Index:-Vol. 2, Page 63

Arrangement of 1870

1923 Aug 4 Hist to R.L. March WMHHF
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W. Copeland
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BRIEF objections to the admission of Pension Claims, of which those answered in the negative, in red in, will apply to the claim of William Coplin which require further proof or explanation.

I. Does the declaration show where the applicant resides ?

II. Did the declarant make the declaration in the county where he resides?

III. If the applicant did not make the declaration in the county where he resides, is there any reason assigned for his not doing so?

IV. Has the declarant mentioned the period or periods of the war when he served? No

# V. *Has he mentioned with precision the length of his service, and the different grades in which he served, in language so definite as to enable the department to determine to what amount of pension he is entitled? No

VI. Has he given the names of the officers under whom he served, in conformity with the regulations?

VII. Has he made a relinquishment of every claim to any other pension than the one under the Act of June 7, 1832?

VIII. Has the Court given their opinion?

IX. Has the Clerk given his certificate?

#{ X. Is the Clerk's seal affixed ? And if so, has it a device or inscription by which it can be distinguished from any other seal? No
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[page] 2
XI. Has the applicant obtained the evidence of a clergyman and another respectable citizen as to their belief respecting his age and the general belief in his neighborhood relative to his revolutionary service?

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

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

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

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

XVI. tt Are the papers authenticated as the regulations direct?

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

EXPLANATORY NOTES.
* Quere V. In a case where the applicant cannot, by reason of the loss of memory, state precisely how long he served, he should amend his declaration by making an affidavit in the following words: 
"Personally appeared before me, the undersigned, a Justice of the Peace, &c. A.B. who, being duly sworn, deposeth and saith, that, by reason of old age, and the consequent loss of memory, he cannot swear positively as to the precise length of his service, but according to the best of his recollection he served not less than the periods mentioned below, and in the following grades; For ___ year ___ months and ___ days, I served as a ___. For ___ months and ___ days, I served as a ___; and for such service I claim a pension.
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It is important in al cases to determine with precision the period for which each applicant
served, and the particular rank he held, as the law directs the pension to be paid according
to the grade of the pensioner and the length of 
his service. The use of the phrase about three or four months is too indefinite, and all such 
qualifying expressions are objectionable. Some
persons who apply for pensions merely state
they served two years in the militia, &c. without
specifying the tours; the manes of the officers, and other particulars respecting their service. This form of a declaration is highly objectionable. It must in every case be clearly shewn under what officers the applicant served; the duration of each term of engagement; the particular place or places where the service was performed; that the applicant served with an embodied corps called into service by competent authority; that he was either in the field or in garrison; and for the time during which the service was performed, he was not employed in any civil pursuit. 
QUERE XIV. Proof of Service
In a case where the name of the applicant is not found on the records of the Department, he must prove his service by two credible witnesses, who are required to set forth in their affidavits the time of the claimants entering the service, and the time and manner of his leaving the same, as well as the regiment, company, and line to which he belonged. The magistrate who may administer the oaths must certify to the credibility of the witnesses, and the official character and signature of the magistrate must be certified by the proper officer, under his seal of office. 
QUERE XVI. Mode of authenticating papers.
In ever instance where the certificate of the certifying officer who authenticates the papers is not written on the same sheet of paper which contains the affidavit, or other paper authenticated, the certificate must be attached thereto by a piece of tape or narrow ribbon, the ends of which must pass under the seal of office of the certifying officer, so as to prevent any paper from being improperly attached to the certificate.
In every case where the clerk of the court, or other certifying officer, has no public seal of office, the certificate of a member of congress, proving the official character and signature of the certifying officer, should accompany the papers.
The credibility of the witness must be 
certified to, as required above.
The applicant can have a certificate
for 6 mo service, no allowance is made
so that who [illegible] to be called
out [back for action] since in the army
of the United States.
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Decatur 8th, March 1834
Sir,
I send you herewith inclosed  the amended declaration of William Coplin, which I hope will be found satisfactory.
Yours very Respectfully,
William Ezzard

J.L. Edwards
Commissioner of Pensions