Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty Land Warrant Application File B. L. Wt. 1271-200, Arthur Harris, Md.
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Service Md.
Harris, Arthur
Number B.L.Wt. 1271-200.
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DEPARTMENT OF WAR
Regulations for the heirs of Officers and Soldiers of the Revolutionary Army, who were slain by the enemy, or who have died since the war, and have not received land from the United States.
By an Act of Congress, of the 16th September, 1776, it is provided, that the Officers and Soldiers who engaged for, and continued to serve during the war, or until discharged by Congress, and the heirs of such Officers and Soldiers as shall be slain by the enemy, shall receive land in proportion to their rank.
N.B. Those who engaged for three years, or for any other period than during the war, or who died of sickness, fatigue, or casualty, are not entitled to land from the United States.
The following declaration (and enclosed blank form of heirship) must be filled up and signed by the proper authorities:

State of Maryland
County of Baltimore--to wit

I, Rebecca I. Ward (widow) heir at law of Arthur Harris, do, upon oath, testify and declare, to the best of my knowledge and belief, that said Arthur Harris, was commissioned a Lieutenant in 1779, for the term of during the war, and served in the 5th Maryland Regiment under the command of Colonel ______of the ______line; and that he continued in the service aforesaid until_____
I further declare, that I have never received a warrant for the bounty land promised to Arthur Harris on the part of the United States; nor do I believe that he ever received it, or transferred his claim to it in any manner whatsoever: therefore,
Know all men by these presents, that I, Rebecca I. Ward aforesaid, do hereby constitute and appoint The Honorable Peter Little to be my true and lawful attorney, for me and in my name to demand and receive from the Secretary of War of the United Sates, a  warrant for the quantity of Land due to me as aforesaid; and my said attorney is hereby fully authorized and empowered to constitute and appoint one or more substitutes or attorneys under him, the the special purposes above expressed.
Attest, R. Middleton               Rebecca I. Ward (seal)

Personally appeared the above named Rebecca Ward subscriber to the foregoing declaration, and in my presence acknowledged the power of attorney thereto subjoined to be her free act and deed, for the purposed therein mentioned.
Attest,   R Middleton     Justice of the Peace

In testimony that the abovewritten Richard Middleton--was a magistrate authorized to administer oaths, and take acknowledgments, &c., in the State of Maryland---at the above date, and that his name there subscribed appears to me to be his usual signature I have hereunto affixed the county seal, and subsrcibed my name and quality, at the City of Baltimore this Fifteenth day of February___1828__Wm Gibson Clk Ball Colybot

City of Baltimore, Set: On this 14th. February 1828, personally appeared before me, the subscriber, one of the Justices of the Peace in and for said City, Charles R. Hardesty, and make oath, that the above named Rebecca I. Ward, is now a widow, her husband having died some time in the year Eighteen Hundred and twenty on the
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on the same day appeared John Golden about 60 years of age and makes oath said Rebecca I Ward is a widow that her husband William Ward died in the year eighteen hundred and twenty (in the month of Nov).

Sworn before R Middleton
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DATE STAMP - Baltimore

FREE

To the Hon

Peter Little Esqr
H.R. 
Washington City
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Balto Feb 15, 1828

The Hon Peter Little

Sir

Herewith is the power of attorney of Mrs. Ward, for you to [illegible] the Land Warrant (she has been a widow as you'll see per the affidavits for 8 years). The name of the Col commanding A Harris she does not recollect. I had to leave a blank - I suppose it will not be material. Your attention to this will confer a favor on your obd (obedient) servant.

C R Hardesty
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State of Maryland
City of Baltimore

personally appeared before the subscriber a Justice of the Peace in and for said city Rebecca I Ward (widow) and made oath in due form of law that she is the sister and one of the heirs at law of Benjamin Harris who was [illegible] of Arthur Harris late a Lieutenant in the fifth Maryland Regiment of the Revolutionary Army and that the said Arthur Harris died in the year 1788 without leaving a widow, Child, Father or Mother but did leave Brothers and Sisters

Benjamin and William, Betsy, Sarah, Mary, Eleanor, Ann and myself; Benjamin died without a will, wife or issue. William died leaving six children, Ann died leaving two, the rest died without either child or husband.

Rebecca I Ward

Sworn and subscribed before me this Fifth Day of March 1828

R Middleton - SEAL

Personally appeared before me the subscriber a Justice of the Peace for the city aforesaid, James Hollingshead and James Height and are credible and disinterested witnesses and made oath in due form of law that they are acquainted with the above mentioned person and that they are the reputed heirs of Arthur Harris who died as above mentioned.

James Hollingshead
James Heighe

Sworn and subscribed before me this fifth day of March 1828

R Middleton - SEAL
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State of Maryland
City of Baltimore

Personally appeared before me the Subscriber and Justice of the Peace for said City.   James Hollingshead and James Heighe credible and disinterested witnesses and made oath in duo form of law that the within named Rebecca J Ward, is a sister and one of the heir at Law of Benjamin Harris who was devisee of Arthur Harris late a Lieutenant in the Fifth Maryland Regiment of Revolutionary Army,

Given and Subscribed before me
on This Fifth Day of March 1828
James Hollingshead
James Heighe
 J V Middleton

State of Maryland Baltimore County Pct.
I hereby certify that Richard Middleton gentleman before whom the above deposition was made and who hath thereto subscribed his name was at the time of so doing a justice of the Peace in and for the City of Baltimore duly commissioned and sworn.
In testimony whereof I have hereto set my hand and affixed the seal of Baltimore county Court this fifth day of March eighteen hundred and twenty eight.
Wm Gibson Ck
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In the name of God Amen, I Arthur Harris of Calvert County being low and weak but of sound mind and memory do make this my last will and testament revoking all wills by me heretofore made in manner and form following that is to say - First I commend my soul into the hands of Almighty God for mercy and my body to be decently buried by my executor.

Item: My will is that my just debts be first paid out of my estate by me executor.

Item: I give unto my sister Rebecca Ireland Harris a certificate of five hundred dollars out of my final settlement certificates. I also give unto my sister Rebecca aforesaid my negro man named Jack.

Item: I give unto my sister Betty Harris five hundred dollars out of my final settlement certificates. I also give unto my sister Betty aforesaid a negro boy named Harris.

Item: Where as I have been an officer in the continental service and there is due me a quantity of land for said services, my will is and I give all the said land that may be belonging to me as an officer or soldier as aforesaid unto my brother Benjamin Harris him and his heirs for ever. I also give unto my aforesaid brother Benjamin Harris four hundred dollars out of my final settlement certificates.

Item: The remainder of my estate both real and personal after all my just debts are paid I give unto my aforesaid brother Benjamin Harris, Eleanor Harris, Betty Harris and Rebecca Ireland Harris to be equally divided between them on their heirs.

Lastly I hereby appoint and nominate my brother Benjamin Harris whole and sole executor of this my last will and testament hereby
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revoking all former wills or will heretofore by me made. In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal this tenth day of March seventeen hundred and eighty seven.

Arhtur Harris - SEAL
His X Mark

Signed, sealed and delivered and acknowledge by the above Arthur Harris as his last will and testament in the presence of each of us and in the presence of each other.

W. Allen
A. Ogg
James Collins

Calver County 23 July 1788

Then came William Allen and Alexander Ogg two of the subscribing witnesses to the within last will and testament and made oath on the Holy Evangels of Almighty God that they did see the testator herein named sign and seal this will, that they heard him publish pronounce and declare the same to be his last will and testament, and at the time of his so doing he was to the best of their apprehension of sound and disposing mind memory and understanding, and that they respectively subscribed there names as witnesses to the will in the presence and at the request of the Testator and in the presence of each other.

Sworn to fore F King Register of Wills Cal Cty

Scratched out
Register of Wills for Calvert County I hereby certify that the foregoing is a true copy of Arthur Harris will recorded in this office. In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand and affixed the seal of office this blank day of blank 1828.
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State of Maryland
Calvert County

In testimony that the aforegoing is a true copy from Liber F K to 8 folio 168 one of the will records of the orphan Court of Calvert County.

I have hereunto subscribed my name and affixed the public seal of my office this fourth day of March 1828

J M Baden - Register
Will for Calvert County
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November 15, 1913.
Miss Martha Harris, 
c/o Western Electric Co., 
230 Lee Street, 
Atlanta, Ga. 

Madam:-

In reply to your letter dated the 11th and received the 13th instant, you are advised that the records of this Bureau show that Arthur Harris was appointed a Lieutenant in the Fifth Maryland Regiment in 1779, and was a resident of Calvert County, Md. March 10th, 1787. He died in 1788, leaving no widow child, father or mother, but the following brothers and sisters survived him: Benjamin, William, Betsy, Sarah, Mary, Eleanor, Ann, and Rebecca Ireland, all of whom were dead February 6th, 1825, except Rebecca Ireland. She married William Ward, who died November 1820. She was allowed 200 acres of bounty-land under Warrant No. 1271, issued May 7th, 1828, on count of the service of her brother Arthur. At that time she resided in Balt. Md. The Revolutionary War records fail to afford any information in regard to Absalom, Benjamin, and Samuel Harris, Jacob Parker and Zadoc Turner described by you. 

Very Respectfully,
G.  M. Saltzgaber
Commissioner
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Service Number
Md.  Harris, Arthur  B.L.Wt. 1271-200

Hon. Peter Little
Arthur Harris heir
regulations such
want to find where
complied with
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Sir/ [illegible Harris ? ] with your [illegible simil] service claim of the passing [illegible] of Arthur Harris the Bounty [of ?] Land for Revolutionary Services years with [illegible] said of them

can [illegible] with maupany by the [illegible] [illegible].


Respectfully
 yours,             [illegible note to the side]

Peter Little

Hon. James Barbour
Sec. of War
Feb. 9, 1828

identity of James Barbour, Secretary of War, 1825-1828, identified by the Wikipedia article for President John Quincy Adams
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Western Electric Company,
230 LEE STREET,
ATLANTA.

November 11, 1913

IN REPLY REFER TO  [left blank]

REPLYING TO  [left blank]

COMMISSIONER OF PENSIONS,
Washington, D. C.

Dear Sir:

The Adjutant General of the War Department has referred me
to you for information about the following, whose Revolutionary services 
I am trying to verify:

                          [illegible notes]
      Zadoc Turner and Jacob Parker, said to have served in 2nd
Maryland Regt.; came to Hancock County, Georgia, about 1791.

      Lt. Arthur and Samuel Harris, his son, said to have served in
2nd and 5th Maryland Rgts.; later came to Hancock County, Georgia.

       Lt. Benjamin and Absalom Harris, his son, served in 2nd Virginia regiment, coming to Hancock County, Georgia, from Greensville County, Va., in about 1786.

I will appreciate very much any information you can give me
about the above.
.
Yours very truly,

[signature]  (Miss) Martha Harris

Address, C/o above.
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No 1271
Arthur Harris' heirs
and Devisee
[illegible]  
in the
Mary [illegible initial and surname]
[illegible] ?  attest ? Hon. Peter Little
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DEPARTMENT OF WAR.

[end mark]

[the following words are in italics]  Regulations for the heirs of Officers and Soldiers of the Revolutionary Army, who were
slain by the enemy, or who have died since the war, and have not received land from the United States.

By an Act of Congress of the 16th September, 1776, it is provided, that the Officers and Soldiers who engaged
for, and continued to serve during the war, or until discharged by Congress, and the heirs of such Officers and Soldiers
as shall be slain by the enemy, shall receive land in proportion to their rank.
N. B. Those who engaged for three years, or for any other period than during the war, or who died of sickness,
fatigue, or casualty, are not entitled to land from the United States.
The following declaration and enclosed blank form of heirship must be filled up and signed by the proper author
rities:

State of Maryland  [Maryland is handwritten] 
County of Baltimore and City  [ Baltimore and City is handwritten] 

    I  [in her hand] Rebecca I. Ward, (Widow) and one of the  heirs [in her hand an "s" was added to "heir"] at law of [in her hand] Benjamin Harris, devisee of Arthur Harris
do, upon oath, testify and declare, to the best of my knowledge and belief, that [in her hand] Benjamin Harris was commissioned Lieutenant [the words "did enlist in" are stricl pit] 1779, for the term of during the war, and served in the [the words "regiment No." are struck out] [in her hand] 5th Maryland Regiment under the command of Colonel [left blank] of the [left blank] line; and
that he continued in the service aforesaid until [left blank]
    I further declare, that I have never received a warrant for the bounty land promised to [in her hand] Arthur Harris
on the part of the United States; nor do I believe that he ever received it, or transferred his claim to it in any manner whatsoever: therefore,

   ["Know" is in bold type] Know all men by these presents, that I, [in her hand] Rebecca I. Ward (Widow) aforesaid, do hereby
constitute and appoint [in her hand] T he Hon. Peter Little
to be my true and lawful
attorney, for me and in my name to demand and receive from the Secretary of War of the United States, a warrant ["warrant" is in italics] 
for the quantity of Land due to me as aforesaid; and my said attorney is hereby fully authorized and empowered to
constitute and appoint one or more substitutes or attorneys under him, for the special purposes above expressed.

Attest,

[signature]  R. Middleton
  
[signature]  Rebecca I. Ward

     Personally appeared the above named [in her hand] Rebecca I. Ward subscriber to the
foregoing declaration, and in my presence acknowledged the power of attorney thereto subjoined to be [in her hand] her 
free act
and deed, for the purposes therein mentioned

Attest,

[signature] R. Middleton

[signature above his title] R. Middleton
Justice of the Peace

     In testimony that the abovewritten [in his hand] R. Middleton
was a magistrate
authorized to administer oaths, and take acknowledgments, &c., in the State of [in his hand] Maryland at
the above date, and that his name there subscribed appears to me to be his usual signature, I have hereunto affixed the
county seal, and subscribed my name and quality, at [hand written] Baltimore City this [handwritten] fifth 
day of [handwritten] March 1828  [the numerals "28" are added to indicate the year 1828]

[signature]  Wm Gibson Clerk
[original printed but illegible title of Clerk nad possible jurisdiction is scratrched through]
[handwritten] Baltimore City and Coiunty
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[the words "Rebecca Ireland Ward, formerly Rebecca Ireland Harris," are underlined] 

     Rebecca Ireland Ward, formerly Rebecca Ireland Harris, being
duly sworn, Deposeth and saith, That she is the sister of the aforesaid
Arthur Harris and Benjamin Harris, that said Benjamin Harris
died without issue, never having been married, and without will,
that all the brothers and sisters of said Arthur Harris and Benjamin
Harris, except deponent, are now dead.

     This is to certify, and I hereby certify that the foregoing
Depositions were this day taken before me, the subscriber, one of the
Justices of the Peace, in and for the City of Baltimore, in the State of
Maryland, in witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand
this Sixth day of February, in the year of our Lord, one thousand
eight hundred and twenty eight.

                             Sworn Before R. Middleton

State of Maryland
Baltimore County J. of P.

I hereby certify that Richard Middleton
gentleman before whom the foregoing depositions
were made and who hath thereto subscribed
his name was at the time of so doing a
Justice of the Peace in and for the City of
Baltimore duly commissioned and sworn
      In testimony whereof I have
hereto set my hand and affixed
the seal of Baltimore County 

[the repeated  word "County" has been struck out] 

Court this seventh day of February eighteen hundred twenty eight

[signed]   Wm Gibson [if official title, it is illegible]
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James Hollingshead, aged 68 years, being duly sworn Deposeth
and saith, That he was personally acquainted with Arthur Harris, whose name is subscribed to a will, a copy of which accompanies this deposition, witnessed  by W. Allion, A. Ogg and James Collins, and which appears to have
been from July 23rd [illegible ? 1700 or 1788]- and that he was also personally acquainted with
all said witnesses that said Arthur Harris was an officer in the Maryland
Regiment, United States Army- that Benjamin Harris mentioned in
said will, was a brother to said Arthur Harris, who is since dead-- that
Rebecca Ireland Harris, now Rebecca I. Ward, and living in the City of
Baltimore, is the sister of said Arthur Harris and Benjamin Harris, and
that deponent has no knowledge of any other sister or brother of said Benjamin
or Arthur now living, but has every reason to believe and does believe that
there is no other brother or sister now living-
James Heighe, aged 64 years, being duly sworn Deposeth and
saith, that he was personally acquainted with the aforesaid Arthur Harris,
and Benjamin Harris, that said Arthur Harris was a Lieutenant in the
Maryland Regiment, United States army, that said Benjamin Harris, was a
brother to said Arthur Harris, both of whom are now dead-- that Rebecca
Ireland Harris, now Rebecca I. Ward, and living in the City of Baltimore, is
the sister of said Arthur Harris and Benjamin Harris, and that deponent
has no knowledge of any other sister or brother of said Arthur or Benjamin
now living, but has every reason to believe and does believe that there
is no other brother or sister now living; and that said Benjamin
never having married, died without heirs -

[the words "Benjamin never having married, died without heirs" are underlined]

Charles R. Hardesty, being duly sworn, Deposeth and
saith, That he is the nephew of said Rebecca Ireland Ward
that said Rebecca is the sister of said Benjamin Harris, and
that he has no knowledge of any other brother or sister now living - but
has every reason to believe, and does believe that there is no
other brother or sister of said Arthur or Benjamin now living -
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Rebecca Ireland Ward, formerly Rebecca Ireland Harris, being duly sworn, Deposeth and saith, that she is the sister of the aforesaid Arthur Harris and Benjamin Harris, that said Benjamin Harris died without issue, never having been married, and without will, that all the brothers and sisters of said Arthur Harris and Benjamin Harris, except deponents, are now dead.

This is to certify, and I hereby certify that the foregoing Depositions here this day taken before me, the subscriber, one of the Justices of the Peace, in and for the City of Baltimore, in the State of Maryland, in witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand this sixth day of February, in the year of our Lord, one thousand eight hundred and twenty eight.

Sworn Before R Middleton

State of Maryland
Baltimore Country J.of P.

I hereby certify that Richard Middleton gentleman before whom the foregoing depositions were made and who hath thereto subscribed his name was at the time of so doing a Justice of the Peace in and for the City of Baltimore duly commissioned and sworn.

In testimony where of I have here to set my hand and affixed the seal of Baltimore County [repeated word "County" has been struck out]wenty eight.

[signed]  William Gibson [if added title of court function, it is illegible]