Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty Land Warrant Application File R. 13,751, Alexander Dick, Va.
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(8-1776)
Service
Va. Dick, Alexander  R.13.751
Contents
Va. Half Pay
N. A. Acc. No. 874
Sec 050050 Half Pay
Alexander Dick
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In the name of God amen. I Alexander Dick of the Town of Fredericksburg in the County of Spotsylvania being in perfect health & of sound & disposing memory, do make this my last will and testament, for the settling of my temporal affair, recommending my soul to God & my Body to be buried at the discretion of my executor.
Imprimus - I will order and appoint that all such just as I shall owe at the time of my decease & likewise all just debts of my late father, Charles Dick, Esq: deceased, then unpaid, shall be paid and satisfied; and to that end I devise my whole estate both real, & personal to my friend James Mercer, Esq (whom I hereby appoint Executor of this my will, in fee simple, upon trust, in the first place for the payment of the said debts, by sale, mortgage or otherwise as my said Executor shall deem most for the benefit of my said Estate, & from & after the payment of the said debt, then to the uses & purposes pf supporting & maintaining the devises, trusts & limitations to the several devisees herein after mentioned & none other, that is to say to the use of my sister Mary Taliaferro, my nephew Charles Champe Taliaferro, & my nephew John Fenton Mercer to whom I give all my Estate real & personal after the payment of the debts aforementioned, in three parts equally to be divided between them as tenants in Common & not as joint tenants, subject nevertheless to the contingencies & limitations herein after mentioned, namely, the third part devised to my sister in case she marries again & has children, to be to her & her heirs in fee simple but in case she has no
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other children, then one mority thereof, I devise to the said James Mercer in fee simple, & the other mority I devise to my said nephew Charles Champe Taliaferro under the same contingencies & limitations under which I herein & hereby devise him his third part, namely, if the said Charles Champe Taliaferro shall die under the age of twenty five years and without children living at his death, then the said third part before devised to him, as also the said mority of the third part devised to my said sister, shall go and descend to the said John Fenton Mercer in fee simple. Lastly I direct that all profits arising from my estate between my death & the sale, shall be deemed assets in the hands of my Executor for the payment of the debts aforementioned I hereby revoking all other wills I declare this only to be my last will & testament.

Witness my hand & seal this 29th day of January 1785.
Alexander Dick [seal]

Sealed and published by the said Alexander Dick as and for his last will & testament before us who subscribed the same in his presence.

Mary Wormley
John Wormley
George Lewis

At a Court of Hastings held for the corporation of Fredericksburg the third day of July 1786.
The will of Alexander Dick, deceased, was presented in Court by James Mercer Gentlemen the Executor
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therein named, George Lewis a witness thereto proved the same & it is ordered to be recorded. On the motion of James Mercer the Executor, who took the oath prescribed by law, the executorship was granted him, Bond acknowledged & ordered to be recorded. On the further motion of the Executor, It is ordered that a subpoena issue for John and Mary Wormley, the other subscribing witness thereto, & it is hereby certified that a [?] has been made of an  Inventory of appraisement of the said estate.

At Court of Houstings, held for the Town & corporation of Fredericksburg on the 13th day of February 1834.

Upon motion of Benjamin F. Taliaferro, this Court doth order to be certified to all whom it may concern that the following facts were proved to the entire satisfaction of the Court to wit.  That Maj. Alexander Dick was an officer in the Army of the United States in the war of the Revolution and held a Commission of Major and that the said Alexander Dick departed this life sometime in the year 1786. that the said Alexander Dick did, by his last will & testament devise his whole estate real and personal to be divided between his sister Mary Taliaferro her son Charles C. Taliaferro, & John Fenton Mercer. That the said Mary Taliaferro did after the death of the said Major Dick intermarry with Sir John Peyton, who died during the life of said Mary. That the issue of the said marriage was a son named _____ who survived his father, the said Sir John Peyton, and died during the life of his Mother Mary, an infant, intestate & unmarried. That
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{That] Charles C. Taliaferro survived his mother Mary, and was her only Child of heir, the said Mary dying intestate. That the said Charles C. Taliaferro died on the ___ day of February 1832, aged about fifty nine years, and by his last will and testament devised his entire Estate real & personal to Benjamin F. Taliaferro, and Theodore J. Garnett, and the Court doth further Certify, that according to the laws of Virginia, the said Charles C. Taliaferro become entitled entirely to his Mother's estate, and thereby became entitled to an interest equal to two thirds in the Estate of the said Alexander Dick deceased

All which is ordered to be certified.

Virginia,
Corporation of Fredericksburg Court;
I John Hames Chew Clerk of the Court of Hastings of said Corporation do hereby certify the foregoing to be true transcript from the records of the Said Court as fully & wholly as they now exist on the records thereof.

In testimony whereof, I have hereto set my hand and caused the seal of my office to be hereto affixed this 30th day of January in the year of our Lord 1841, and in the 65th year of our independence.

J. J. Chew C. C. H.

District of Columbia,
Washington County, to wit:
I certify that the
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aforegoing is a true & perfect copy of the will of Alexander Dick, taken from a copy of the same filed & Recorded in this Office.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand and affixed the Seal of my office this 2nd day of February A. D. 1841.

Ed: N, Roach. Reg: wills for Washington County D. C. 

I certify that the foregoing is a true copy from the original on file in this office, with the papers in the case of the Half-pay case of Major Alexander Dick.

Treasury Department
3d. Auditors Office
24th March 1841.
Peter Hagner Aud.
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Rev, War Section.
R. File 13751.

June 13, 1923.

Honorable Holm O. Bursum,
United States Senate.

My dear Senator:
I have to advise you, that the Revolutionary War records of this Bureau fail to afford any information in regard to Henry Dick of Virginia.

From said records, it appears that half pay was allowed on account of the services of Alexander Dick, who was a Major in Colonel Nelson's Corps of Virginia Infantry, War of the Revolution. He served until January 1, 1783, when he retired as a supernumerary officer. The date of his appointment is not on record.

He was the son of Charles Dick. He was a resident of Fredericksburg, Virginia, when he made his will on January 29, 1783, in which he referred to his sister Mary Taliaferro, his nephews, Charles Champe Taliaferro, and John Fenton Mercer, and his friend and executor James Mercer. He died March 25, 1785.

It is not stated that he was married.

Sincerely,

Washington Commissioner
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Rev. &1812 Wars Section
R. 13751

December 9, 1927

Honorable Lamar Jeffers
House Office Building, Room 387
Washington, D. C. 

My dear Mr. Jeffers:
In response to your letter of the 5th instant, with letter of Mrs. Sam P. Kennedy of 1200 Woodstock Avenue, Anniston, Alabama enclosed, I have the honor to advise you that from the Revolutionary War records of this Bureau it appears that half pay was allowed on account of the service of Alexander Dick who was a Major in Colonel Nelson's Corps of Virginia Infantry, War of the revolution. He served until January 1, 1783, then retired as a supernumerary officer. The date of his appointment in not stated.

He was the son of Chrles Dick. He was a resident of Fredericksburg, Spotsylvania County, Virginia, when he made his will on January 29, 1785. In his will he referred to this sister, Mary Taliaferro and her son Charles Champe Taliaferro. He also referred to another nephew, John Fenton Mercer, ad to James Mercer his friend and executor. He died March 25, 1785. After the death of said Major Alexander Dick, his sister Mary Taliaferro, married again, date not stated, Sir John
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Peyton. They had a son, name not given. Said Mary survived both this husband and son. Said Charles Champe Taliaferro survived his mother Mary and he died in February 1832 aged about fifty nine years, and left his estate to Benjamin F. Taliaferro and Theodore S. Garnett, relationship not stated.

It is not stated whether said Major Alexander Dick was ever married.

This Bureau is unable to furnish the history of a soldier of the Revolution unless a claim for pension of bounty land has been made on account of his services.

A careful search of the records fails to show such claims on file on account of the services of Jacob Dick of Chester County, Pennsylvania Militia, Peter Dick of said militia, or who was a wagon master, or who received bounty land from the United States on account of service in the troops of that State or Virginia, or Henry Dick of Virgina (all spellings of that surname searched).

From the meager information given by Mrs. Kennedy, the Bureau has been unable to identify the record of a William Dick who might be the subject of inquiry, and in order to make a proper search of the records for any particular soldier of the Revolution whose surname was Maberry (or similar spelling) who might be the ancestor of Mrs. Kennedy, the full name of the soldier is necessary, and as much as possible of
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the following data: approximate dates of birth and death, places of residence at enlistment and after service and given name of widow.

It is proper to add that the Revolutionary War records of this Bureau are open to the public, and any one designated by you or Mrs. Kennedy, may examine and collect data from the papers on file by calling at the Bureau.

Very truly yours, 

Winfield Scott
Commissioner.
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Lamar Jeffers
4th District Alabama
Room 387
House Office Building

Congress of the United States
House of Representatives
Washington, D. C. 
December 5, 1927

M. Winfield Scott,
Commissioner, Bureau of Pensions,
Washington, D. C. 

My dear Mr. Scott:

I am enclosing herewith a letter from Mrs. Sam P. Kennedy, 1200 Woodstock Avenue, Anniston, Alabama, which you will find self-explanatory.

I will very much appreciate it if you will make an effort to locate the records mentioned and furnish me the information desired by Mrs. Kennedy. Please return the enclosed letter with your reply.

Thanking you, I am, with good wishes,
Yours very sincerely,

Lamar Jeffers

[stamped Dec 6, 1927]
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Holm O. Bursum, N. Mex. Chairman.
Porter J. Mc Cumber, N. Dak.  Thomas J. Walsh, Mont.
Reed Smoot, Utah  William H. King, Utah.
Davis Elkins, W. VA.  David I. Walsh, Mass.
Charles E. Townsend, Mich.  Peter G. Gerry, R. I.
Lebaron B. Colt, R. I
Ovington E. Weller, Md.
Frank W. Armstrong, Clerk.

United States Senate,
Committee on Pensions
June
Thirteen
1923

Hon. Washington Gardner
Commissioner of Pensions

My dear Mr. Commissioner,
Please furnish me such information as the archives of your Bureau may afford relative to military and family history of Alexander Dick and Henry Dick who I am informed served in the Virginia Line during the Revolutionary War. I will appreciate it if you will let your report contain all the details possible.

Very truly yours,

H. O. Bursum

[stamped Chief Clerk Bureau of Pensions Jun 15 1923]
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United States Senate
MEMORANDUM
Haymaker, 

Please give this your personal attention.

Meek


Miss Wilson:
Please look after this for me. 
Hays Haymaker
& mail to Mr. Meek
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[Front Page]
No. 13751

3092 [crossed out]
Alexander Dick
Maj.
Marine
Revolution

[Back Page]

1927 - Dec-9- Hist. to Hon. Lamar Jeffers.
1923  June 10, Hist. to Hon. H. O. Bursum
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Mar 24. 1841
Com.
James L. Edwards Esq.
Commissioner of Pensions
Present
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Washington City 24th of March 1841
Sir

Enclosed is the evidence of the day of the death of Major Alexander Dick. As the Claim has been paid I take it for granted that in conformity with the [?] in similar cases that he has already been paid up to the day of the execution of the will 29th of January 1785, when he died 25th of March 1785 hence there is yet due. Half-pay from the 29th of January to 25th of March of that year. Will you give closure the kindness to cause this claim to be examined and passed as early as convenient and obliged.
Yours Respectfully
Henry Northrup
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Mar 25. 1841
Com.
James L. Edwards Esq
Commissioner of Pensions
Present
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Washington City 25th of April 1841

Sir

Yours of yesterday states that the original papers of Major Dick declared his death in 1786 and that the account had been settled up to the 1st of January 1786. I will here observe that this is the first I knew of there being any evidence of the time of his death amongst  the papers which I executed and if there was such I had overlooked it or was ignorant of the fact. However unexpected this information may have been I am not withstanding gratified that all bears intecual [?] evidence of no intention to commit fraud by me, Had such been the case I could not have presented the paper which I did yesterday fixing death at least nine months earlier than you advise me it had previously been shewn he died.  In presenting this document I acted upon the will known such that [?] the time of death was shewn you paid to the date of execution of the will and there? took it for granted that you had paid to the 29th of January 1785 the date of execution hence living within the last his days advised that such an execution was to be found in the Lodge [?] in Fredericksburg I sent and got the evidence furnished yesterday.

I presume that to have this explanation will be satisfactory that there was no intention of fraud. Such having always been my mode of action in the public offices that while I cautiously abstained from the presenting of arguing in any measure of anything of a fraudulent character I have at all times and hope were so to do when any [?] is committed to my charge. When [?] the same to be a good and substantial
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claim to fearfully refute the same to the retruant [?] extent surely see successfull[?].
With respect to Maj Dicks case I had believed that the half pay was due from 29th January 1785 to 25th of March of the same year which from your letter it appears otherwise and call on me to refund, thus it is my place to no pay any except that I may have claim and therefore such a demand has for the first time turned my attention to the subject to wit. The amount of half pay to which Maj Dick was actually intitled and arrive at the fact that there has to be refunded within a few cents of six dollars under [?]. The date by which I arrive at that conclusion are 1st to be found in Humings Status at large Vol 10 page 25. (then) "and all such officers who have or shall become supernumerary are the reduction of any [illegible] of the said Ballatein and shall again enter into the service if required so to do in the same are very higher rank and continue therein until the end of the war shall be entitled to half pau during life to commence from the determination of there command and service" Such lie in ? this part sentence of that claim of the act of the legislature of Va giving half pay. Hene Maj Dick and all other supernumerary officers were intitled to half pay to commence the day of retiring from the service. and not to be commenced the 22nd of April 1788. as has been presented ? by the department for ? which I here confess is leery[?] and my  comprehension - Major Dick retired as a supernumerary Major of Marine Corps hence was intitled to half pay as Major of Cavalry (equal $360 per year) and not as a Major of Infantry at the rate of ($300 per year). And since the half pay of a Major of Cavalry  as Artillery from 1st January 1783. The day on which Dick retired until the 25th of March 1785 amounts to $802,85. And the difference between
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this sum and the sum received I am ready to refund but shall [?] leave these refunding  [?] it shall legally be decided that the officers half pay was to commence at any other time than that of his retiring from Command as service. I [?] it has been required of us to prove a negative to wit that we have not been paid our half pay. Such a requisian I conceive the most strange and unauthorized that could be immajined when the very ground of contract between the officers and Virginia has at all times been that Virginia refused to pay them their half-pay and receive had paid account of such - but [?] I want respectfully ask if such is the fact that they have been paid should not the department share the fact and not call on us to prove a negative.
I remain ever
Yours Respectfully
Henry Northrup
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Treasury Department
Third Auditors Office
April 13 1841

Sir

Agreeably to your request contained in your letter of the 10th instant Therewith appoint to you copies of the papers in the case of Alexander Dick, deceased, under the Act of July 5th 1832. Marked A. B. C. D. E. F. & G-

Very respectfully
Your obd Serv,
Peter Hagner, Aud.

James L. Edwards Esq.
Commissioner of Pensions
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Alexander Dick
Decd, Act 5 July 1832
Va. claim (allowed)
See letter to H. Northrup
Feb. 16. 1840 - [?] to C. B. Penrose, solicitor, 16th April 1841: to H. Northrup July 9. 1841. - also cert:
for settlement July 16. 1841
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May 10. 1841
Com.

James L. Edwards Esq
Commissioner of Pensions
Present
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Washington City 10th of May 1841

Sir
I have returned from Richmond Va. and while there examined the rolls and find that I was in error that Maj Dick was of Infantry and not of Cavalry as I had believed hence instead of $360 per year from 1st of January 1787 "the determination of his command of service" to the 25th of March 1785 the day of his death amounting to about $800 he is intitled to $300 per year for that period amounting to $669. Thus I believe overpaid in this case between $139 & 140 dollars not $230.95 as claimed by Mr. Hagner. This amount of $139 to 40 dollars will be refunded by me but Sir nothing more until there shall been a more formal [?] to wit to decide whether the determination of his command are devised[?] means the day on which he retired and which the Court of Appeals of Va. in March 1830 is decided - and whether it shall be construed to mean 22nd of April 1783 as affixed by you in the auditing of such claims.
I remain [?] yours respectfully
Henry Northrup
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July 14. 1841
Com.

James L. Edwards Esq
Commissioner of Pensions
Present
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Washington City 13th of July 1841

Sir
In your letter of the 9th you asked the volume and page in which was to be found the decision of the Court of appeals in the Virginia half pay claims. I then answered stating so far as I then knew. but yesterday amongst ? papers was a letter of Mr [?] reprising to book reference page where it was to be found. Yet since that letter has reference to two [?] to wit the access 1790 or 93 and the other in March 1830 - and the latter  only can throw any light on this subject. As the first named decision was that supernumerary officers were not intitled to half pay. but that officers serving to the end of the war were intitled to five years half pay with interest at six per centurium per annum from the 22nd of April 1783 until the money was made. Such was this first decision [?] I presume will only shew that supernumerary officers were intitled to half pay for life. As the act itself had expressly declared that the half pay should commence "with the determination of their command as service". This [?] was a subject with which the Court did in no were interface[?] The Rolls or records settling that point. - But ? be it what it will. I sir ask the earliest possible referring this subject to the secretary and attorney general agreeable to your promise of Thursday last. I with this case of Dick settled. It is now three or four months since
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first wrote and urged it. I surely have a right to have this question taken up and decided in as much as a demand is made an ? to refund $230 95/100 with a threat of prosecution which for aught that I know has already been intitled. While I at the same time [?] and predict against such a demand and admitting about $139 as to have been received more than Dick by law acquired a right to. Claiming that his half pay commenced 1st January 1783, the day as which you have evidence that he retired and to when he was paid & no proof there instead of the 22nd of April 1783 the time which you have affixed it.
If sir you will examine the payment made before this business was transpired from the Treasury Department to ? you will there find a very different . You will there find that the map of ? half pay claim paid by the rolls or records shewed the party returned and not on the 2nd of April 1783 as affixed by you.
I remain ?
yours respectfully
Henry Northrup
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Alexander Dick
Act 5 July 1832
July 16. 1841

Recorded Vol 43 Page 140.
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Pension Office
July 16. 1841

Upon the certificate of which the foregoing is a copy, the original of which is now on fild in the Office of the Third Auditor, the claim of the heirs of the late Major Alexander Dick was settled on the 9th of March last. Since the date of that certificate, evidence has been deposited in this Office, from which it clearly appears that Major Alexander Dick died before the year 1786, viz. on the 25th of March 1785. It also appears that he left service on the first of January 1783. The account of Henry Northrup, administrator of Major Alexander Dick, would therefore be again opened, and instead of allowing the heirs half-pay from the 22nd of April 1783, the half-pay, at the rate of Three Hundred Dollars per annum, should commence on the First of January Seventeen hundred and eighty-three, when his service terminated, and cease on the twenty-fifth of March seventeen hundred and eighty-five, when he died. I also request that the Administrator may be required to refund the amount overpaid in consequence of the differences above stated.
Approved
Commissioned of Pensions.
Secretary of War.
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Alexander Dick
Act of July 1832.
March 9. 1841

Recorded Vol: 43. page 139.
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Pension Office
March 9th. 1841

I certify that I have examined the claim of heirs of the late Alexander Dick, decd. who was a Major of Infantry of the Virginia State Line during the revolutionary war: that he served until the first of January 1783, when he had leave to retire as a Supernumerary Officer; that he died in Virginia in the year 1786: that the case is embraced by the provision of the act of the 5th. July 1832, entitled "An act to provide for the liquidation and paying certain claims of the State of Virginia"; that the claim should therefore be allowed at the date of Three Hundred Collars per annum, commencing on the twenty second of April seventeen hundred and eighty-three, when the war terminated, to the first of January seventeen hundred and eighty six, in which year he died.
Charles F. Mercer, Theodore S. Garnett, and Benj. F. Taliaferro, are heirs or devisees of said Dick, that the amount due is payable to Henry Northrup, administrator of said Dick.
Approved Commissioner of Pensions
Secretary of War