Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty Land Warrant Application File R. 7965, for Thomas Parks, Pennsylvania
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(3 - 1776) SERVICE Continental Penn. 
 Parks, Thomas NUMBER R.7965 
Ann
CONTENTS
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12948
Ann Parks
Thomas
Indiana
Act 7 July ‘38
(A)
7965
Act 7th July 1838
12948
Hon S. Breese
Senate U.S.
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State of Indiana
 Orange County 
On this Seventh day of July in the year of our Lord eighteen hundred and forty-six, personally appeared before me Henry Hollowell one of the associate judges of the circuit court, in and for the County of Orange and state of Indiana, (said court being a Court of Record). Ann Parks a resident of said county, aged seventy two years past, who being by me first duly sworn, according to law, doth, on her oath, make the following declaration, in order to obtain the the benefit of the provision made by the act of Congress, passed July 7th 1838, entitled "An act granting half pay and pensions to certain widows:" That she is the widow of Thomas Parks who was a private in the army of the Revolution. That her said husband Thomas Parks, as she understood from him in his life time, and after they were married, belonged to the Pennsylvania line, & as he called it the continental service, and was a Regular enlisted soldier. That the said Thomas Parks Resided in Pennsylvania at the time he enlisted, but she does not recollect what county as she never knew him, until after he came to Kentucky several years after the war: That the said Thomas Parks, enlisted for the whole war or what was called during the war; and served his time out under his enlistment, and continued in the service until the war closed and the army was disbanded; She cannot recollect with certainty the day year or month of his enlistment, but think it was sometime after the war commanced, perhaps a year or more. nor can she give the name of his captain, and it was Hughs or some such name, nor can she give the number of his Regiment. But she recollects distinctly that his commanding officers name was Proctor she thinks he was called Colonel Proctor, or General Proctor, and that it 
was in the artillery service; she believes it was called Proctors artillery, as the said
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and Thomas Parks, when speaking of the service and the troop after they married, she recollects, said he belonged to the artillery Regiment, from Pennsylvania, under Proctor, and that his service was a dangerous one in the order of battle, and that his Regiment with himself, were in a great many Battles, which she cannot describe or give the names of now, as these were matters she had but little interest in noticing so long afterwards. That the said Thomas Parks never drew a pension, nor applied for one, although he was often told he could draw a pension when the old soldiers first drew a pension about 25 years ago. But he declined applying for it, as he said he could live without it & that he had lost his discharge; & would not apply for the Pension, or Bounty in land which he said was promised to him when he enlisted. She further declares that she is not in possession of any documentary evidence of his said service, nor does she know of any person living by whom he can prove a personal knowledge of it. She further declares that she was married to the said Thomas Parks, on or about the tenth day of October in the year seventeen hundred and ninety one (1791) in Mason County, in the State of Kentucky by a M. Durrett, a Preacher of the Gospel; That she has no family record of her marriage, or of the births of her children; and that she had several children by her said husband after their marriage, the oldest of which is now fifty-three years past. and that her maiden name was Wilson. She further declares that her said husband, the aforesaid Thomas Parks died on the tenth day of April in the year eighteen hundred and thirty one (10th April 1831) in Orange County in the State of Indiana, and that she was not married to him prior to his leaving the service, but the marriage took place previous to the first of January, seventeen hundred and ninety four viz at the time above stated. She further swears that she has never henceforth applied for
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a pension & that she now resides in Orange County, Indiana where she has resided for the last twenty five years past & previous thereto she resided in Mason & Flemming counties in the State of Kentucky, and that her husband previous thereto resided in the State of Pennsylvania, as will more fully appear by reference to the proof hereto annexed. Sworn to and subscribed before me this Seventh day of July A.D. 1846
H. Hollowell Associate Judge
Ann Parks her mark

I Henry Hollowell the associate Judge, before whom the foregoing declaration of Ann Parks, was on this day made, subscribed & sworn to, do certify that I have at Alexander Park's in the County of Orange and state of Indiana, for that purpose, and that the said Ann Parks; the declarant, is unable to attend at and before a court of Record in and for said County, at this time, from her remote residence from the county seat, and from her present advanced age, and general bodily weakness & infirmity Given under my hand at the said County of Orange this seventh day of July A.D. 1846. Henry Hollowell Associate Judge
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State of Indiana Orange County. ⎬ 
On this seventh day of July 1846, personally appeared before me Henry Hollowell one of  the associate Judges of the Circuit Court in and for the County of Orange and State of Indiana, Alexander J. Parks a resident of said county, aged forty eight years past, who being by me first duly sworn, according to law, upon his oath says, that he has been personally well acquainted with Thomas Parks and Ann Parks, his present widow the persons named in the declaration hereto attached: That he was present and witnessed the funeral of the said Thomas Parks the husband of the said Ann Parks, the declarant; That the said Thomas Parks died in Orange County in the State of Indiana on or about the 10th day of April in the year 1831, and that the said Ann Parks his widow now resides in the said County of Orange, and remains the widow of the said Thomas Parks, & has never intermarried since his death as aforesaid That this affiant has known the said Ann Parks, & her said husband in his life time, for the last twenty odd years past, in the said County of Orange, Indiana, and that previous thereto the said Thomas & Ann Resided in Mason & Flemming counties in the State of Kentucky and that previous thereto the said Thomas Parks Resided in the State of Pennsylvania: That the said Thomas Parks, in his life time, have the reputation of having been and heard him say was soldier of the Revolutionary war, and think he was a Regular enlisted soldier in the Pennsylvania continental line, and belonged to Proctors artillary, and served until the troop was disbanded after the war closed. And that his reputation as a Revolutionary soldier was never doubted, & was very generally believed to be so, as he stated in the County where he lived. further saith not. Sworn to and subscribed
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before me this Seventh day of July H A.D. 1846. 
Associate Judge. H. Hollowell 
Alexander Parks 
I Henry Hollowell the associate Judge before whom the foregoing affidavit of Alexander Parks was this day executed, do certify that the said Alexander Parks is a man of truth and meracity and that his statements are entitled to credit. which I certify from my own personal knowledge. Given under my hand at the said County of Orange this seventh day of July 1846. 
Henry Hollowell Associate Judge 
State of Indiana ⎬
Orange County

I Jeremiah Wilson Clerk of the circuit court in and for the County of Orange and State of Indiana, do certify that Henry Hollowell whose official signatines appear to the foregoing declaration, affidavit and certificate, now is and was on the day of the date thereof one of the acting associate Judges of the circuit court in and for the said County of Orange duly commissioned and qualified, that full faith and credit are due his [unknown, fold in paper] acts; that said court is a Court of Record, and that his [unknown, blocked by a seal on the paper] genuine. 
In testimony whereof, I have hereunto subscribed my name and affixed the official seal of said court, at my office at Paoli this fifteenth day of July A.D. 1846.

Jeremiah Wilson Clerk
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State of Indiana ⎬ 
Lawrence County ⎬ 
On this first day of February 1847 personally appeared before me Lewis J Baker a Justice of the Peace in and for said County Alexander McCullough a resident of said county aged sixty eight-years past who being by me duly sworn according to law upon his oath says that he has been personally and well acquainted with Thomas Parks and Ann Parks his wife for the last fifty five years past that he knew the said Thomas and And prior to their marriage in Mason County Kentucky that the said Thomas and Ann whose widow's name was Wilson, were married in Mason County Kentucky in the fall of the year 1791. and lived together as man and wife until the time of the death of the said Thomas Parks that they lived together as the reputed and undisputed man & wife & Raised a respectable family of children: they resided after their marriage in Mason & Fleming Counties in Kentucky, & then removed to Orange County in the State of Indiana about the year 1820. and that the said Thomas Parks died in Orange County Indiana on or about the 10th day of April in the year 1831. Then a very old man over 70 years of age that the said Ann Parks his widow still resides in the said County of Orange Indiana without intermarrying since the death of her husband as aforesaid That this affiant further says that he was intimately acquainted with the said Thomas Parks that he has often heard him speak of his services in the Revolutionary War during his lifetime in Kentucky and in Indiana and that the said Thomas Parks always said when speaking of his services in that war, from his earliest acquaintance with him. He was a regular enlisted soldier in the Pennsylvania Line & served in the artillery Regiment under Col Proctor and served until the war finally closed: That the said Parks was always fond of & seemed skilled in the Artillery movements of the troops and gave directions and assistance
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in such movements in preparing for the service in the last war & at the ordinary celebrations held in the County that the said Parks was always universally esteemed as & believed to have been a soldier of the Revolution and served as he stated as above herein set forth and as such was recognised and assigned a place among the heroes of the Revolution in the celebrations of the anniversary of our independence & other national & military celebrations both in Kentucky and Indiana while he lived and that from a comparison of the ages of the children of the said Thomas and And Parks with the ages of this affiant & his children they must have been man and wife prior to the year 1794 
Sworn to and subscribed before me this 1st day of February 1847} 
Lewis J Baker J. P.} Alexander McCullough

I Lewis J Baker the Justice of the Peace before whom the foregoing affidavit was made do certify from my own personal knowledge that the said Alexander McCullough is a person of truth & veracity and that entire credibility are due to his statements as such Given under my hand this February the 1st 1847 
Lewis J. Baker J.P.
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State of Indiana Lawrence County ⎬ 
I Gustavus Clark Clerk of the circuit court in and for the County aforesaid do certify that Lewis J Baker now is and was on the day of the date of the foregoing affidavit and certificate of credibility an acting of Justice of the Peace in and for said County duly commissioned and qualified that full faith the and credit are due to his official acts and that the foregoing signatures purporting to be his are genuine as I believe 
In testimony whereof I have hereunto subscribed my name and affixed the official seal of said court at my office at Bedford this 10th of February AD 1847 
Gustavus Clark Clk
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12948
Ann Parks  Thomas
Let. Hon S. Brouse August 5 1846.
Let to J. P. Cooper April 5th 1847
Let to J. T. Cooper July 3 ‘47
Let to Chs S. Wallach 9th Sept 1851
Let to Hon W. H. Goodrich Jany 17 1853
Same Feb 3 1855
Act 7 July 1838
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Marshall, Ills. Feby 4th 1831 
Hon. T. R. Young H.R. 
My Dear Sir 
In the Revolutionary pension claim of Mrs. Ann Parks, of Indiana, widow of Thomas Parks, filed in 1846, Aug 4th or 5th, under act of July 7th 1838. by letter from Pension Office Augt 19th 1830, we were required to the state what use the claim belonged to & under what act, it was presented. This information was promptly furnished by me to Mr. Wallach on the 27th Augt 1830, and we have never heard any thing further from it.  They seemed to cause and doubt the claim, because they said, the published Documents furnished some evidence of the services claimed.  Suppose they did, does that lessen the character & justness of the claim. If it does, Govt. should not pass laws to allow the claims, & then publish documents to defeat them. The claimant in this case, never been or heard of a document in her life, containing any such information; the objection is foreign & untenable.  I want to be informed what Mr Wallach done in the case, after I replied to him, and what further action has been had in this case, before I proceed further 
Most respectfully your friend,
 J. P. Cooper.
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p 84
Washington July 19 / 57
Charles S. Wallach
Rel to his appeal from the decision of the Comr. of Pensions in the case of Ann Parks Revolutionary Pensioner - 
Exams
This case was [unreadable] for report Nov 25 / 57 - No report appears to have been made M. C.
Referred to Comr. Pensions for re-examination
Dept. Int.
Feby 18 / 57
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Washington Feby 17th 1857 
Secty of Interior
Dr. Sir 
I have the honor to herewith enclose the letter of J. P. Cooper relative to the claim of Mrs Anne Parks widow of Thomas Parks, will remark that some two or three months since I addressed you on the subject requesting an appeal to your Superior Judgment and have since heard nothing relative hereto, will be greatly obliged if you will do me the favour to attend to the matter as practicable & let me hear your determination at an early day 
Respectfully Yours &c
Chas S. Wallach
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7,965
Ann Parks
*
REJECTED
* Wid. of Thomas Parks
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Marshall, Clark County, Illinois  
June 17. 1847 
Hon L. Edwards 
Com of Pensions 
Sir  
Your letter of the 5th April last is now in relation to the Pension claim of Ann Parks of Indiana, widow of Thomas Parks of Pa. Line, in Proctors Artillery Revolutionary war.
I hope to refer your again to the testimony of Alexander McCullough, filed in this claim, it seems to me the proof has been overlooked in part unintentionally.  The witness there speaks very clear as to the statements of the service of the soldier himself made without regard to our expectation of this claim. 
Mr. Parks was one of those of that man who thought it disgrace to his Patriotism, to receive any thing in the shape of Bounty or Pension, from the Government for his services and from my own knowledge & experience, know that many died after the war with the same opinion, & would not receive either;  there is one yet living, in Indiana who has always refused to apply for it;  but this should not bar the widows claim.
I hope you will have the goodness to suggest to me what kind of proof would at this late day. be considered “satisfactory to prove that her husband was the [unreadable] of Proctor's Regiment,” as she alleges, and has proved by traditionary evidence, the only kind I presume in the power of the claimant to obtain, and which should suffice, to give effect to the designs of Congress. 
Very Respectfully your Obt Sert 
J. P. Cooper
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Pension Office September 9th 1850 
Sir 
Agreeably to the request contained in your letter of the 2nd Inst. I have to inform you, that the claim of Ann Parks, widow of Thomas Parks has been again examined and we are constrained to adhere to the decision heretofore Communicated to her former agent J. P. Cooper. Esquire. 
The evidence filed is not deemed sufficient to identify Mrs Parks husband, with the soldier of Col. Proctor's Regiment of Artillery or to establish their marriage prior to 1794.   
I am Respectfully Your Obed Servt 
J L Edwards 
Chas. S. Wallach, Esqr Present
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Washington Sept 2 1850
J L Edwards Esq 
Com Pensions 
Sir
The reply to your letter asking particulars relative to the service of Thomas Parks of whose widow Ann Parks I enquired about some few days since for Pension have to inform you that said Thos Parks served during the Revolutionary war under Gen or Col Proctor Artillery and that the claim is under the act of  7th July 1838 & was presented in 1836 it was devised that the case shall be reexamined by you if it is [unreadable] with your [unreadable] thereof to allow that an appeal may be taken to Secy of Interior
 Respectfully Yours 
Chas S. Wallach
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Marshall, Clark County, Illinois 
March 8th 1847 
Hon. J. L. Edwards 
Com of Pensions 
Sir 
I have the honor herein to enclose to you the affidavit of Alexander McCullough in the Pension claim of Ann Parks, of Indiana, widow of Thomas Parks whose papers are on file in your office, & further proof required I hope this may be deemed sufficient as it is at this late day next to an impossibility to obtain strong proof, than the enclosed. 
From information recd. there is no record of the marriage to be found in Kentucky.  
You will please enclose to me at this place, the certificate of the claim, or such further correspondence as may be deemed necessary. 
Very respectfully your Obt. Servant 
J. P. Cooper
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p. 60 
Washington D. C. 
Nov 20 / 50
Charles S. Wallach
Enc. letter of Comr of Pensions rel to the Case of Ann Parks Widow of Thomas Parks & appeal from his decision in the case.
Ind sus 38
Red'd to Comr of Pensions for Referral 
Dept of Interior
Nov 25 1850
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Washington Nov 20th 1850 
Hon Secy Interior 
Dr Sir
I have the honor to herewith enclose letter of Comr Pensions relative to the Pension claim of Ann Parks widow of Thos Parks for the purpose of an appeal from the comr decision to you & will thank you to call for the papers has your judgment whether on the testimony alluded to by the Comr is sufficient to establish the two points upon which his objections to its allowances are based 
Respectfully 
Your Obt Svt
Chas  S Wallach
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Pension office D 
Sir
I have the honor to transmit the papers (numbering from 1 to 6) in the case of Ann Parks on which Charles S. Wallach appeals accompanied with a heap of the evidence 
In this case the evidence produced was not deemed sufficient to establish the date of the marriage or to identify her husband as the war’s man of Proctors Regiment, unless the clerks office of the County in which she was married was burned its records should afford evidence of the License bond &c &c, and the testimony in this point is entirely unsatisfactory. The claim is asserted for the service credited to the name of Thomas Parks in Proctors Artillery of the Pa line, and who is also entitled to Bounty Land, which has not been drawn, the public documents show that fact and the Pension of his widow and Bounty land of his heirs can be established only by very satisfactory proof of her husband identity with that soldier. His having lived untill 1831, and having never applied for bounty land or pension under either the act of 18th March 1818 or 15 of May 1828 mitigate against his claim. For these reasons, the claim was rejected by my predecessor on the grounds that the evidence filed was not deemed sufficient to identify Mrs Parks husband with the soldier of Col. Proctors Regiment of Artillery or to establish the marriage prior to 1794 
To the Hon A Stewart 
Secy the Interior}
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On the 7th of July 1846 Ann Parks personally appeared before one of the associate Judges of Orange County Indiana aged 72 years past and being sworn, made the following Declaration in order to obtain of the benefit of the act of 7th July 1838 That she is the widow of Thomas Parks who was a private in the army of the Revolution. That her said husband Thomas Parks as she understood from him in his life time and after they were married belonged to the Pennsylvania line and as he called it the Continental service and was a regular enlisted soldier. That the said  Thomas Parks resided in Pennsylvania at the time he enlisted, but does not recollect what county, as she never knew him untill after he came to Kentucky several years after the war. That the said Thomas Parks enlisted for the whole war or what was called during the war and served his time out under his enlistment, and continued in the service untill the war closed and the army was disbanded. She cannot recollect with certainty the day year months of his enlistment, but thinks it was some time after the war commenced, perhaps a year or more, nor can she give the name of his captain unless it was Hughes or some such name, nor can the give the number of his Regt but she recollects distinctly, that his commanding officers name was Proctor and that it was in the Artillery Service she thinks he was called Colonel or General Proctor and that it was in the artillery service, as the said Thomas Parks when speaking of the service and the troop after they were married she recollects, said he belonged to the artillery Regiment, from Pennsylvania under Proctor and that his service was a dangerous me in the order of Battle, and that his Regt. with himself, were in a great many battles, which she cannot describe or give the name of Now as those were matters she had but little interest in noticing so long afterwards. That the said Thomas Parks never drew a pension, nor applied for one, although he was told after that he could draw a Pension, when the old soldiers first drew pensions about 25 years ago. But he declined applying for as the said he could live with out it and that he had lost
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his discharge and would not apply for a pension or bounty land which he said was promised to him when he enlisted.  She further declares that she is not in possession of any documentary evidence of his said service, nor does she know of any person living by whom she can prove a personal knowledge of it. She further declares that she was married to the said Thomas Parks on or about the 18th of October 1791 in Mason County Kentucky by a Mr Durrett a Preacher of the Gospel. That she has no family record of her marriage or of the birth of her children and that she had several children by her said husband after their marriage the oldest of which is now 53 years past and that her maiden name was Wilson. She further declares that her said husband Thomas Parks died on the 10th day of April 1831 in Orange County State of Indiana and that she was not married to him prior to his leaving the service, but the marriage took place previous to the first of January 1794 viz at the time above stated that she has never herself applied for a pension. That she now resides in Orange County Indiana where she has resided for the last 25 years past and previous to that she resided in Mason County & Fleming County in the State of Kentucky and that her husband previous there to resided in Pennsylvania (A) 
Certificate of the Judge that the above Ann Parks is unable to appear in Open Court from her remote distance from the County Court house and from her present advanced age and general bodily infirmity & weakness 
Alexander Parks a resident, said County, aged 48 years past sworn, says that he is personally acquainted with Thomas and Ann Parks the persons refered to in the declaration hereto attached that he was present and witnessed the funeral of the said Thomas Parks the husband of said Parks that the said Thomas Parks died in Orange County on or about the 10th April 1831 and that the said Ann Parks his widow now resides in the said County of Orange of and remains the widow of the said Thomas Parks and has never intermarried since his death. That he has known said Ann Park and said Thomas Parks in his life time in the last 20 odd years
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past in the said County of Orange Indian and that previous thereto they resided in Mason and Flemings County in the State of Kentucky and that previous thereto the said John Parks resided in the State of Pennsylvania That the said Thomas Parks in his life time, had the reputation of having been and heard him say he was a soldier of the Revolutionary war and thinks he was in regular enlisted soldier in the Pennsylvania Continental line and belonged to Proctors artillery and served untill the Troop disbanded after the war closed and that his reputation as a Revolutionary soldier, was never doubted and was very generally believed to be so, in the Country where he lived (A.2)
Certificate of the Judge, that deponent is a man of truth and veracity and that his statements are entitled to credit from his own personal knowledge of him. 
Alexander McCulloch a resident of Lawrence County Indiana aged 68 years past sworn says, that he was acquainted with Thomas Parks and his wife Ann Parks for the last fifty five years past, That he knew the said Thomas & Ann Parks prior to the marriage in Mason County Kentucky in the fall of the year 1791 and that they were married at the time aforesaid and lived together as man and wife untill the time of the death of said Thomas Parks that they lived together as they reputed and undisputed man and wife and raised a respectable family of children. they resided after their marriage in Mason County Kentucky and Fleming County and then removed to Orange County Indiana about the year 1820 and that the said Thomas Parks died in Orange County of or about the year 1831. then old man over 70 years of age. That his widow said Ann Parks his widow still resides in the said County without intermarrying since the death of her husband as aforesaid. That he was intimately acquainted with said Thomas Parks and has often heard him speak of his services in the Revolutionary war during his life time and that said Thomas Sparks always said when speaking of his service in said war That
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he was a regularly enlisted soldier in the Pennsylvania line and served in the artillery regiment under Col. Proctor and served untill the war finally closed. That the said Parks was always fond of and seemed skilled in the Artillery movements of the Troops and gave directions and assistance in such movement in preparing for the service in the last war and in the ordinary cellibrations held in in the County. That the said Thomas Parks was always universally esteemed as and believed to have been a soldier of the Revolution and served as above herein set forth and as such was recognized and assigned a place among the heirs of the Revolution in the celebration of the anniversaries of our independence and other national cellebrations both of Kentucky and Indiana while he lived, and from a comparison of the ages of the children of said Thomas & Ann Parks with his own age and that of his children, they must have been man and wife prior to the year 1794
Certificate of the Justice that from his personal knowledge of Deponent that he is a man of truth and veracity and his sentiments in entitled to credit