Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty Land Warrant Application File W. 3,853, for Moses Mills, Virginia
Page 1

(3-1776)
SERVICE
Va.

Mills, Moses
Keron Happach 
or
Keron Happoch

NUMBER
W. 3853

CONTENTS
Page 2

2324. 
Georgia
Moses Mills
of Fayette in the State of Georgia
who was a Private in the Compy commanded
by Captain Threaton of the Regt commanded
by Col Lewis in the Virginia
line for 3 years from 1776-

Inscribed on the Roll of Georgia
at the rate of 80 __Dollars__Cents per annum
to commence on the 4th day of March, 1831. 

Certificate of Pension issued the 23- day of Nov. 
1832 ___ and sent to Findlay
G. Stewart Fayetteville Geor

Arrears to the 4th of Sept. 1832__       120__
Semi-anl. allowance ending 4 Mar 33   40
                                                           $160.__

{Revolutionary Claim, 
{Act June 7, 1832. 

Recorded by Nathan Rice Cler[k]
Book D Vol. 8 - Page 138-
Page 3

Tucker Lloyd June 19/54

R[illegible] Nov. 7

2658
Georgia
Keron Wappach Mills
widow of Moses Mills
who was a Private
in the Va line
for 3 years

Inscribed on the Roll at the rate of 
80 Dollars_________
Cents per annum, to commence on 
the 4th day of March, 1843.

Certificate of Pension issued the 
7th day of Nov 1843
and sent to
Wm McBride
Fayetteville
Georgia
[Act of March 3, 1843.]
Recorded in Book A
Vol. 1 Page 213
Page 4

State of Georgia}
Fayette County} SS.

On this fourteenth day of January one thousand eight hundred & thirty nine, personally appeared before me Samuel Martin one of the Judges of the Inferior Court for said County Keron Happoch Mills a resident of the county of Fayette & State of Georgia aged seventy five 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 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 Moses Mills who was a Soldier & served in the Revolutionary War. She further declares that she was married to the same Moses Mills on the 8th day of December in the year Seventeen hundred & eighty seven. that her husband the aforesaid Moses Mills died on the 2nd day of July 1833. that the said Moses Mills was a pensioner drawing money from the United States for some time previous & at the time of his death. that she was not married to him prior to his leaving the service
but the marriage took place previous to the first day of January seventeen hundred & ninety four, (viz) at the time above stated. that in consequence of bodily infirmity she is unable to appear in open court.
Keron Happoch her + mark Mills

Sworn to & subscribed on the day & year above written before 
Samuel Martin  J,,P,,C,,
Page 5

State of Georgia}
Fayette County}
Personally appeared before me Samuel Martin one of the Judges of the Inferiour Court in & for said County Richard Phipps & William McBride who after being duly sworn according to law deposeth & sayeth that they have been well acquainted with Keron Happoch Mills the above named applicant a great lenghth [sic] of time previous to the death of her husband Moses Mills.  that she is the widow of the said Moses Mills   that she has never been married to no other man
Richard Phipps
Wm McBride

Sworn to & subscribed before me this 14th day of January 1839.
Samuel Martin J,,P,,C,,

State of Georgia}
Fayette County}
I Elijah Glass Clerk of the Inferiour Court in & for said County do hereby certify that Samuel Martin whose name appears to the foregoing affidavits is an acting Judge of the Inferior Court in & for said County & that his signature is Genuine 
[Seal affixed] Given under my hand & seal of office this fourteenth day of January in the year one thousand eight hundred & thirty nine.
Elijah Glass  Clk
Page 6

6803
Moses Mills
from 1776
Private 3 years.
$80

laid over
Page 7

6803
BRIEF in the case of Moses Mills
County of Fayette in the State of Georgia
(Act 7th June, 1832.)

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

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

3. How old is he?  85

4. State his service, as directed in the form annexed.
[Table with column headings:]
Period. || Duration of Service [in] Years, Months, Days. || Rank. || Names of General and Field Officers under whom he served. || 
Enlisted in 1776 fall || 3 years, ~ ~ || As a private || 14 Eigth Va line Col. Lewis Cap. Tho.s Threat.

5. In what battles was he engaged? Brandywine Germantown Monmouth & York.

6. Where did he reside when he entered the service? Halifax County Va.

7. Is his statement supported by living witnesses, by documentary proof, by traditionary evidence, by incidental evidence, or by the rolls?  None of these

8. Are the papers defective as to form or authentication? and if so, in what respect?  The clerk states there is not seal provided for his officer.

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

T. Waugh  Examining Clerk
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4216
Keron Happoch Mills
Wid of Moses
Ga
July 7 1838
Manua 1787
dec'd 1833
Allow $80 per ann.

Hon. T. Glascock  [Illegible initials]
Page 9

These are to certify that Keron Happock Rather daughter of the deceased, James & Lucy Rather is at this time about the age of Twenty four years, and is willing to be married to Moses Mills - Given under our hands this 3rd day of December 1787.
Francis Clark
James. X. Mills
Know all men by these presents, that we, Moses Mills & Francis Clark, are held and firmly bound unto the Governor of the Commonwealth of Virginia in the sum of Fifty pounds current money, to which payment well and truly to be made to our said Governor and his successors for the use of the Commonwealth we bind ourselves & our heirs firmly by these presents. Sealed with our seals and dated this 3d day of December,1787.
The Condition of this obligation is such that whereas, there is a marriage suddenly intended to be solemnised between the above bound Moses Mills and Keron Happuck Rather, daughter of James Rather. If therefore there be no lawful cause to obstruct the same, then this obligation to be void or else to remain of force and virtue
Moses his X mark Mills {seal}
Francis Clark. {seal}
Signed & sealed in 
presence of Geo Watkins

Married on the 8th December, 1787 - by the Revd Joshua Worley - Moses Mills and Caran Happuck Rather. 
State of Virginia, Charlotte County Court: I Winslow Robinson Clerk of the County Court of the said County do Certify that the foregoing Certificate & bond are Copies of Original papers on file in my office and that the registration aforesaid is a true Copy from the book of registers of marriages kept in my Office. Given under my hand  
[Seal affixed] The Seal of my Office 20 december 1838
Winslow Robinson C
Page 10

Fayetteville Ga   free
Sept 14, 
Honl Lewis Cass
Secretary of War
Washington City 

17 Sept
Page 11

Fayetteville G
Sept 14,
Honb Lewis
Secre
6803
Page 12

State of Georgia}
Fayette County} SS
On this third day of September One thousand eight hundred & thirty two personally appeared before the Inferior Court of the County aforesaid while sitting for Ordinary purposes & Styled the "Court of Ordinary" Moses Mills a resident in the County of Fayette and state of Georgia, aged eighty five years, who being first duly sworn according to law, doth on his oath, make the following declaration [in] order to obtain the benefit of the provision made by the act of Congress passed June 7, 1832. That he enlisted in the Army of the United States in the year 1776, with Captain Thomas Threat, & Served in the Fourteenth Regiment of the Virginia line under the following [caret] named officers: Colonel Lewis (thinks his name was Charles Lewis) & as to the remaining field officers beloning to said Regiment he is unwilling at this time to trust his recollection. That the Company to which he belonged was Commanded by Captain Thomas Threat, & Lieutenants Nathaniel Terrell & William Pointer, the names of the ensigns he does not recollect. That he enlisted in the County of Halifax in the State of Virginia in the fall of the year 1776, that he was at that time a resident of Said County of Halifax in the State of Virginia, that he Continued in the service of the United States for the term of three years, the full term of his enlistment, and was discharged in the State of New York in the fall of 1779 - that from Halifax County Virginia he marched by way of Baltimore in Maryland to
Page 13

Philadelphia and joined General Washington's Army at Valley Forge, - that he was in the Battles of Brandywine, Germantown, & Monmouth CH. that he was at the taking of a Forte at Kings ferry on York River, and that he was in the attack upon Powlers Hook New York, besides afterwards in the Militia Service he was at Gates' defeat near Camden S.C. & at the siege of little York - 
He hereby relinquishes every claim to a pension or an annuity, except the present, and he declares that his name is not on the pension roll of any agency in any state. 
Sworn to & Subscribed the day & year aforesaid 
Moses his X mark Mills
And the said Court do hereby declare their opinion that the above named applicant was a Revolutionary Soldier & Served as he states
Finlay G. Stewart J.J.C.
Elijah P. Allen J.J.C.
William Powell JJC
I William McBride Clerk of the Court of Ordinary do hereby Certify that the foregoing Contained the Original proceedings of the said Court in the matter of the application of Moses Mills for a pension.
In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand and private seal, there having been no seal of office yet procured, this third day of September 1832 
William McBride CLK
{seal}
Page 14

Fayetteville Ga 3 Sept 1832
Sir
Herwith I transmit the declaration of Moses Mills a Revolutionary Soldier, by his Signature you will perceive that he is wholly illiterate which together with his age may account in some degree for his want of a more perfect recollection of the names of his officers, and his Caution in refusing to state their names, when his recollection was imperfect will manifest the honesty of the old mans intentions, for, to use his own language "One would rather cripple down the remaining days of his life than swear to any thing of which he was not certain" - you will please address your Communications to the old man through
Yours Respectfully               -via
Finlay G. Stewart
Page 15

3339
Fayetteville Ga 26 June 1843
Wm McBride
[Transmits?] declaration of Keron Happah Mills for the benefit of pension Act of March 3, 1843.
M. 180
15 July 1843
Pension Office
$80 per ann  Geo  
Mar 3d 1843
K.H.Mills.
[postmark FAYETTE JUL 5 - rest illegible]
Page 16

[left side of page]
25
Secretary of War
Washington City
D.C.

[right side of page]
17 July 1843
Pension Office
$80 per ann Geo
Mar 3d 1843
K.H.Mills.
[postmark FAYETTE JUL 5 - rest illegible]
Page 17

State of Georgia}
Fayette County} SS. On this twenty sixth day of June in the year one thousand eight hundred and forty three personally appeared before us Jacob Bentley, James E. May and Alfred Brown Justices of the Inferior Court for said county, now sitting Keron Happach Mills a resident of the county of Fayette and State of Georgia aged about seventy nine 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 provision made by the Act of Congress passed March 3rd 1843. That she is the widow of Moses Mills who was a Private Soldier in service in the revolutionary war, she further declares that she was married to the said Moses Mills on the 8th day of December 1787. That her husband the said Moses Mills died on 2nd day of July 1833. that he was on the Pension list of the United States and was drawing at the time of his death, and that she this deponent has drawn a Pension for five years under the Act of Congress of the 7th July 1838. That the record of her marriage to the said Moses Mills was sent on to establish her claim under the Act of 1838. That she is yet the widow of the said Moses Mills - sworn to and subscribed before us in Open Court. June 26th 1843,
Keron Happach her X mark Mills
Jacob Bentley J.J.C.
Jas E. May JJC
Alfred Brown JJC
Page 18

State of Georgia}
Fayette County} Personally appeared before us Jacob Bentley James E. May, and Alfred Brown Justices of the Inferior Court of said county, now sitting Andrew McBride and Wm McBride who after being duly sworn deposeth and sayeth that they have been acquainted with Keron Happach Mills the above named applicant for a great length of time, that she is the widow of Moses Mills a revolutionary patriot of this county deceased, that she has never been married to no other person -
Sworn to and subscribed before us this 26th June 1843,
Jacob Bentley J.J.C.    Wm McBride
Jas. E. May J.J.C.          Andrew McBride
Alfred Brown J.J.C.
I William McBride clerk of the Inferior Court in and for Fayette County State of Georgia do certify, that the above and foregoing is a true statement of the proceedings as this day had before their honors the Justices of said courts. In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand and affixed the seal of my office this twenty sixth day of June in the year one thousand eight hundred and forty three
Wm McBride Clk
Page 19

Direct the result of Examination to 
Wm McBride, Fayetteville Georgia

[Postmark]
JUL 8
[FAYETTEVILLE GEORGIA?]
Page 20

I do hereby certify that the name of Moses Mills appears on a list of the Soldiers of the Virginia Continental line, on file in the Treasury Department.
Francis A Dickins Clk.
23 Nov. 1832.
Page 21

[left side of page]
Georgia 1786
Keron Happoch Mills
widow of Moses Mills decd
who was a pensioner under the Act of 1832
and who died on the 2 July 1833
Fayette Co in the State of Geo.
who was a Private in the compy. commanded
by Captain Threat of the Regt. commanded 
by Col. Lewis in the Va
line for 3 years
Inscribed on the Roll of Georgia
the rate of 80 Dollars -- Cents per annum 
commence on the 4th day of March, 1836.
Certificate of Pension issued the 7th day of Feby.
1839 and sent Hon.
T. Glascock House of Reps.
Arrears to the 4th of Sept 1838 $200.00
Semi-annual allowance ending 4 Mar. 39, 40.00
$240.00
{Act July 7, 1838.}
Recorded by D. D. Addison Clerk, 
Book A Vol. 2 Page 199

[right side of page]
Letter to W. McBride 2. Feb. 1842
Page 22

Washington D.C. June 8th 1857
Hon. Geo. C. Whiting
Comr of Pensions
Sir
Moses Mills a revolutionary [caret] soldier was denied under Act of June 7th 1832.- And we write this for the purposes of ascertaining whether he was not entitled under Act of May 18th 1828.
We are informed that he enlisted first for Three years under Capt. Sullivan about 1776. next for 1 year, and then for "during the war."
A power of Atty was filed by us in this case in the Third Auditors Office to which the enclosed reply was received 
Be kind enough to reply to the above inquiry as early as convenient
Very respectfully 
Your Obd. Servant
Lescker F Sliza
Page 23

BRIEF objections to the admission of Pension Claims, of which those answered in the negative, in red ink, will apply to the claim of Moses Mills - which require further proof or explanation.
I. Does the declaration show where the applicant resides? Yes
II. Did the declarant make the declaration in the county where he resides? Yes
III. If the applicant did not make the declaration in the county where he resides, is there any reason assigned for his not doing so? --
IV. Has the declarant mentioned the period or periods of the war when he served? Yes
V. Has he mentioned with precision the length of his service, and the different grades in which he served, in language so definite as to enable the department to determine to what amount of pension he is entitled? Yes
VI. Has he given the names of the officers under whom he served, in conformity with the regulations? Yes
VII. Has he made a relinquishment of every claim to any other pension than the one under the Act of June 7, 1832? Yes
VIII. Has the Court given their opinion? Yes
IX. Has the Clerk given his certificate? Yes
X. Is the Clerk's seal affixed? And if so, has it a device or inscription by which it can be distinguished from any other seal? There is no Seal provided for his office - Says the Clerk
Page 24

2
XI. Has the applicant obtained the evidence of a clergyman and another respectable citizen as to their belief respecting his age and the general belief in his neighborhood relative to his revolutionary service? No
XII. If the clergyman's affidavit has not been produced, is there any reason assigned for not obtaining it? No
XIII. If the applicant has no documentary evidence, and has not obtained the testimony of at least one living witness, has he stated in his declaration that such proof cannot be had? No
XIV. If the applicant has produced a witness or witnesses as to his service, has the magistrate who administered the oath certified that he, she, or they are persons of credibility? --
And is the official character and signature of the magistrate certified by the proper officer under his seal of office? --
XV. Does it appear from any of the papers that the witness was in such a situation, or of such an age, as to have a personal knowledge of the applicant's service? --
XVI. Are the papers authenticated as the regulations direct? No
XVII. Are the seven interrogatories prescribed by the War Department answered satisfactorily? And, if not, which of them is not so answered? 1, 2, 5, 6 & 7
EXPLANATORY NOTES.
QUERE V. In a case where the applicant cannot, by reason of the loss of memory, state precisely how long he served, he should amend his declaration by making an affidavit in the following words:
"Personally appeared before me, the undersigned, a Justice of the Peace, &c. A. B. who, being duly sworn, deposeth and saith, that, by reason of old age, and the consequent loss of memory, he cannot swear positively as to the precise length of his service, but according to the best of his recollection he served not less than the periods mentioned below, and in the following grades: For ---- year ---- months and ---- days. I served as a ----. For ---- months and ---- days, I served as a ----; and for such service I claim a pension."
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3
It is important in all cases to determine with precision the period for which the applicant served, and the particular rank he held, as the law directs the pension to be paid according to the grade of the pensioner and the length of his service. The use of the phrase about three or four months is too indefinite, and all such qualifying expressions are objectionable.
QUERE XIV. Proof of Service.
In a case where the name of the applicant is not found on the records of the Department, he must prove his service by two credible witnesses, who are required to set forth in their affidavits the time of the claimants entering the service, and the time and manner of his leaving the same, as well as the regiment, company, and line to which be belonged. The magistrate who may administer the oaths must certify to the credibility of the witnesses, and the official character and signature of the magistrate must be certified by the proper officer, under his seal of office.
QUERE XVI. Mode of authenticating papers.
In every instance where the certificate of the certifying officer who authenticated the papers is not written on the same sheet of paper which contains the affidavit, or other paper authenticated, the certificate must be attached thereto by a piece of tape or narrow ribbon, the end of which must pass under the seal of office of the certifying officer, so as to prevent any paper from being improperly attached to the certificate.
Page 26

Revy WIDOW, &c.
File No. 3853
Keron H. Mills
Wid.
Moses Mills
Pvt. Va. line
Act: Mach, 3 / 43
Index: -- Vol. M, Page 48
{Arrangement of 1870.}
Page 27

House of Reps.
3d Feby. 1859
Sir
I send you the enclosed papers and will be thankful to learn so soon as possible, if they contain the necessary requisites to authorise the widow to receive the pension under the late act.
Yours with respect
Thos Glascott


J. L. Edwards, Esqu'r
Page 28

Treasury Department
[illegible] Auditors Office
March 9, 1837
Sir,
In reply to your letter of the 3d am enclosing a power of Attorney I have to inform you that Moses Mills, Georgia Agency Act of June 1832, died June 3d 1833 & his pension has been paid in full to that date.
Heron H. Mills, his widow came Agency under Act of June 17, 1844, appears to have been paid too 4 March 1845.
Very Respectfully
Your Obedient
Robt J Atkinson
Auditor
Charles C. Tucker Esqr
Washington D.C.