Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty Land Warrant Application File R. 5442, for Samuel Hutchison, Virginia
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[typed form, with handwritten responses]

[3-1776]

SERVICE
Va

Hutchison, Samuel
                  Polly

NUMBER
R.5442

CONTENTS
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5707
Declaration of Polly Hutchison, widow of Samuel, Tenn [Tennessee] for Pension
under Act July 4, 1836
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State of Tennessee} 
Jackson County} SS 

On this first day of June 1840 personally appeared in open Court before the Court now sitting Abner Lee and Ephraim J. Wilson residents of said County of Jackson and subscribed and swore to the foregoing affidavit in open Court. 

And the said Court do hereby declare their opinion after investigation of the matter, that the above named Samuel Hutchison was a Revolutionary soldier and served as his widdow [widow] states in the foregoing declaration, and also that Polly Hutchison who swore to and subscribed said declaration is the widow of said Samuel as she states. And the Court further certifies that Margaret Hutcheson, Betsy Wilkerson and Polly Wilson who subscribed and swore to the foregoing affidavits before Gray L. Pursel a Justice of the Peace for said County, and Ephraim J. Wilson and Abner Lee who sworn to and subscribed the foregoing affidavit in open Court are all credible persons and that their statements are entitled to credit and that they are residents of Jackson County, State of Tennessee, and that said Margaret Hutcheson, Betty Wilkerson and Polly Wilson and the said applicant Polly Hutcheson cannot from age and bodily infirmity attend the said Court.

Robert Montgomery 
James [Chism?]
Thos D. [Cassitty?]

I Alexander Montgomery Clerk of the County Court of Jackson County do hereby certify that the foregoing contains the original proceedings of the said Court in the matter of the
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application of Polly Hutcheson [Hutchison] for a pension- 

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand and seal of office this 9th day June 1840 

Alexander Montgomery
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Gainsboro Ten [Tennessee]

Aug 3d [3rd]
Hon. John Bell Sec. of War 
Washington City;

[written upside down] Pension Office Tennessee
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Gainsborough Tenn [Tennessee] July [16, 26 or 31] 1841 

Dear Sir, I have taken the liberty of interesting on you [ink smear] with this time to let me know that my mother Polly Hutchison sometime in 1840 sent on papers to the Secretary of War Setting forth the services of her husband Samuel Hutchinson in the Revolutionary ware [war].

I presume she made all the proof that the law requires on that Subject and was the opinion of Esq James P. Quarles who done all the writing on that Subject & that the proof was sufficient.  She set forth his service to the best of her knowledge. She [Illegible] of [Illegible] that he served in the Army.

She says she is not [Illegible several words] the length of [Illegible several words] She could [Illegible several words] sent but believes she sent them out short of any thing then they really was, Esq. Ferguson [Illegible several words] to know if Samuel Hutchinson name was invalid, it was not the then Secretary of War that written to Esq. Ferguson directing my mother to make [Illegible several words] Which she has [Illegible several words]

John Gill Secretary of War
[Illegible name]

William Hutchison
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State of Tennessee} 
County of Jackson} SS 

On this __ day of April 1840, personally appeared before Gray L Pursill a Justice of the Peace for said County of Jackson Polly Hutchison a resident Civil District No. 4 in the County of Jackson and State of Tennessee, aged 76 years, who being first duly sworn according to law doth on her oath make the following declaration in order to obtain the benefit of the provisions made by act of Congress passed July 4, 1836: 

That she is the widow of Samuel Hutchison, who was a private in the service of the United States and served as follows, to wit, 
He entered the service of the United States in Botetourt County State of Virginia, where he then resided in the year 1780 the month not recollected, nor can she state under what officers he served. He served three months during this tour being in the militia, and was in the battle called Yellow, or Allow Mance in North Carolina South of Guilford Court house. Her recollection of the above service is imperfect and cannot be stated more particularly. 

He again entered the service of the United States in said County of Botetourt where he then resided about the first of October 1780 as a private in the militia under Captain Matthew Wilson, Lieutenant George Hutchison and Major Stewart [perhaps John Stewart who was County Lieutenant of the Botetourt County militia], Ensign not recollected and marched under said officers from the County of Botetourt, through Bedford County in the State of Virginia to Guilford Courthouse in the State of North Carolina, where the battle of that name was fought, the US troops were commanded by Genl [General] Green [Nathanael Greene] and the British by Lord Cornwallis. My deceased husband Samuel Hutchison was in the battle of Guilford which was fought 15 March 1781, and he was discharged about the first of April 1781 having served during this term of six months. 

He again entered the service of the United States in said County of Botetourt State of Virginia where he then resided as a Volunteer private about the 15th day of August 1781, under Captain James Smith and Colonel Rowland [Thomas Rowland] the other officers not recollected and marched under said officers to Little York in the State of Virginia where the British Army under Lord Cornwallis was besieged by the American Army under Genl [General] Washington. He was at the siege of and surrender of Cornwallis in October 1781. After the surrender of Cornwallis he (said Samuel Hutchison) assisted in guarding the British, then prisoners of war, to the line of the State of Pennsylvania, where he was discharged about the 15th day of December 1781, and arrived home a few days before Christmas of
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the same year. He served during the last term aforesaid four months. She knows of no written discharge. She cannot write.

Said Samuel Hutchison was born in Botetourt County State of Virginia in October 1762; Since the Revolutionary War He has resided in Botetourt County, Virginia, Blount County & Jackson County State of Tennessee, where his family resided until his death. He died in the year 1816 or about that time in the State of Alabama on his return from the Army of the last War with Great Britain. – 

Applicant has no documentary evidence of the services of said Samuel Hutchison, nor does she know of any. 

She hereby relinquishes every claim whatever to a pension or an annuity except the present, and she declares that her name is not on the pension roll of any agency in any State – She knows of no person by whom she can prove the services of said Samuel Hutchison except Margaret Hutchison and Betsy Wilkerson and by them only so far as is testified by them below, whose affidavits are hereto appended or annexed. There is no minister of the Gospel in my neighborhood who can certify that they were well acquainted with Samuel Hutchison in his lifetime. 

She further declares that she was married to the said Samuel Hutchison on the 22nd day of June in the year seventeen hundred and eighty, [1780], that her husband the aforesaid Samuel Hutchison died on the 15 day of August 1816, and that she has remained a widow ever since that period as will more fully appear by reference to the proof hereto annexed & She was married to said Samuel before his last term of service aforesaid.-

Sworn to & subscribed before me this 11th day of April 1840. 
Gray L. Pursell, JP for Jackson County
Polly [her x mark] Hutchison
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I, Margaret Hutchison, residing in Jackson County State of Tennessee do hereby certify that I was well acquainted with Samuel Hutchison whose widow has subscribed to and sworn to the foregoing declaration. I recollect very well of his setting out to the Army in service of the United States in the year 1780 [^ and also in the year 1781], and of his returning home. I was then about fifteen [15] years old. I have heard him say that he was in the Battles [of] Yellow Manse and Guilford and at the surrender of Cornwallis. I have also heard the men who were with him say he was in those Battles. 

The names of the men who were with him at Yellow Mance are Robert Bridwell, David Fraim and John Blug [?], at Guilford Thomas McClure,1 William Wilson, John Luscolect, & George Hutchison his Lieutenant at the taking of Cornwallis, Wm [William] Wilson, John Luscolett, William Hutchison & Captain James Smith. They are all dead as I am told except William Wilson and I do not know where he lives, if he is still alive. I am now 75 years of age.

Subscribed and sworn to before me this 11th day of April 1840 

Gray L. Pursell, Justis [Justice] of the peace for Jackson County

Margaret [her x mark] Hutchison

I Betsey Wilkerson aged 77 years do hereby certify that I was well acquainted with Samuel Hutchison, whose widow Polly Hutchison has subscribed & sworn to the foregoing declaration, I remember that I saw him start to the Army during the Revolutionary War and of seeing him return home, he was gone one time a long while, he lived at my father's in Botetourt County State of Virginia – but I cannot recollect the times it has been so long. 

Subscribed & sworn to before me 11th of April 1840 
Gray L Pursell, JP for Jackson County
Betsey [her x mark] Wilkerson
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I, Polly Wilson aged 70 years state that I was at the Wedding and saw Samuel Hutchison & Polly White now Polly Hutchison married, I cannot recollect the time, the marriage was in Botetourt County State of Virginia 

The Polly Hutchison above mentioned & that I saw married to Samuel Hutcheson [Hutchison] is the same who has subscribed and sworn to the foregoing declaration. She resides in my neighborhood and is now a widow, and has been a widow ever since the death of Samuel Hutcheson her husband.
Subscribed & sworn to before me this 11th day of April 1840 
Gray L Pursell Justis [Justice] of the peace for Jackson County 
Polly [her x mark] Wilson

State of Tennessee, Jackson County. In open Court before the County Court of Jackson County, being a Court of record. June Term 1840.

We Abner Lee, and Ephraim J. Wilson residing in the County of Jackson and State of Tennessee hereby certify that we were well acquainted with Samuel Hutcheson [Hutchison] whose widow Polly Hutcheson [Hutchison] has subscribed and sworn to the above declaration that we believe that he would have been seventy seven years of age if he had lived until this time, that he was reputed up to the time of his death to have been a soldier of the Revolution in the neighbourhood [neighborhood] where he then resided, and it is still the reputation and belief of the neighbourhood [neighborhood] where he resided at the time of his death that he was a soldier of the revolution and we concur in that opinion. We also certify that we are well acquainted with Polly Hutcheson [Hutchinson] who has subscribed and sworn to the above declaration & with Margaret Hutchison, Betsy Wilkerson and Polly Wilson who subscribed and swore to the above affidavits and that they cannot from age and bodily infirmity attend the Court.
Sworn to and subscribed before me in open Court this 1st day of June 1840. Alxd [Alexander] Montgomery Clk

Ephram J. Wilson 
Abner [his x mark] Lee
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[typed form, with handwritten responses]

[crossed out] Acts of July 14, 1862, and March 3, 1873

[Stamped sideways twice] REJECTED

5442
P. O. 
Polly Hutchison

Service: _________

Enlisted: ____ ,18
Discharged: _____ ,18

Application filed: _____ ,18

Alleges: ______

Re-enlisted: ______

Attorney: ____
P. O. ____
___Recognized.  _____ Contract.
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Polly Hutcheson [Hutchison] 5107, of Saml [Samuel] Tenn.ce [Tennessee] Act 1836 

Let [Letter] to Jas [James] T. Quarles 4th Augt [August] 1840

Let [Letter] 16 Augt [August] 41 [1841] Wm. Hutchison [Hutchinson]

Let [Letter] 2 Sep [September] 41 [1841] J. T. Quarles

5442

Act 4 July ‘36 [1836]
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Resided in Botetourt Samuel Hucetsin [Hutchison] d [deceased] 1816 

Polly Hucetsin [Hutchison] M. [married] June 1780 [written twice] 1780

3 mo. [months] unc. Bal Allamance [unclaimed balance allowance]
Oct ‘80 Battle Guilford Capt Wilson 
[Illegible] Apl 81 [April 1781] 6 mo [months]
Augt 81 [August 1781] Jas Smith
[Illegible]
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Mr Jas L. Edwards
Comr [Commissioner] of Pensions
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Gainesboro Ten [Tennessee] June 9th 1840

James L. Edwards Esqr [Esquire]

Sir, I send you Mrs. Polly Hutchison’s declaration for a pension. She was sworn to it & examined before a Justice of Peace out in the County and probably there may be some informality in the proceedings. If so please send it back for amendment, such as you may Suggest. 

Yrs [Illegible]
James P. Quarles
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(Application for Pension)

Hon John Bell 
Secretary at War Washington D. C.

Mail}

[written sideways] Pension Office 2d [2nd] Sep [September] 1841 No [Illegible]
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Gainesboro Ten [Tennessee] Augt [August] 16, 1841 

Sir,

Daniel Stull, now of this County, entered the service of the U.S. as a private in 1791 and served under Genl St. Clair [General Arthur St. Clair] when the army uner [under] his command was defeated. He served out his time 6 months.

He again entered the service by enlistment for 3 years in 1791 and a part of the time served under Genl Wayne [General Anthony Wayne] and was in the battle of the Maume [Battle of the Maumee August 20, 17940] & served out his time and at the end of both terms of service was honorably discharged-

Mr. Stull is a poor man of good character & wishes a pension, he was wounded in the battle under St. Clair but owing to the migratory Character of our population he knows of no person by whom he can prove his services and his being wounded whilst it. If he could make the proof as his wounds owing to age disablin [disabling] him from labour [labor] he could obtain a pension as an invalid soldier, but as that cannot be done he wishes to know whether the act of 7 June 1832 covers his case.

During the first portion of his service, the British had not surrendered to us our posts, they held at the treaty of ‘83, and their allies the N. W. Indians had not surrendered, but were still in open hostility could it then be said that the Revolutionary war was ended if not it is presumed that Mr. Stull's case comes within the act of ‘32 - But if it should not, does it come under any other act of Congress, if it does and the necessary directions from the war department were sent it would greatly oblige one who deserves well of his Country. His application not having been sooner
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made will be satisfactorily accounted for.

In the year 1840 sometime in the summer Polly Hutchison made an application for pension under the act of Congress July 4, 1836. She being the widow of a revolutionary soldier & having never been a second time married. I need a letter from the commissioner of pensions dated Augt [August] 4, 1840 in which it is said that the claim of Mrs. Hutcheson [Hutchison] had been red [read] and filed - that the proof both in support of the alledged [alleged] service & the date of the marriage is [crossed out insufficient] unsatisfactory - Record evidence of the testimony of persons who served with Mr. Hutchison will be required”. I can see no reason why a higher grade of evidence should be required of the widow who is presumed to know but little about the matter, than would be of her husband if alive - The [Illegible] alone of the husband supported by the reputation of his neighbors is sufficient. 

If the widow is required to produce such evidence as the Commr [Commissioner] of Pensions says is necessary, the Act is a dead teller in the statute book, none or very few can obtain it. It is to be hoped that under the present administration a more liberal course will be pursued- Be so good as to apply to the war department and obtain the necessary information for Mr. Stull & Mrs. Hutchison. It is with reluctance I make this application, but the [^ persons] are importunate & a member of Congress must expect to be troubled some by his constituents- 

You will have heard before this reaches you of our triumph in our late elections. Our victory was not as signal as was expected –

Yrs & o
Jas T. Quarles 
Hon Wm. B. Campbell
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Commr [Commissioner] of Pensions,

Sir,

After the foregoing letter was written to Col. [Colonel] Campbell it occurred to me that probably Congress would adjourn before it would reach Washington-
I therefore shall address it to you and beg your attention to its contents-

J. T. Quarles