Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty Land Warrant Application File S. 34,621, Edward Abbey, Continental Va.
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(3-1776)   
10-6-6

Service Number
Continental Abbey, Edward S.34,621
Va.
Contents
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20059
Mississippi Roll
Edward Abbey
of Simpson Co in the State of Mississippi
who was a Private in the Troops commanded by Captain Fauntleroy of the Regiment commanded Colonel Moylan in the Va & Pen line for the term of three years from December 1777 to December 1780.

Inscribed on the roll of Mississippi at the rate of eight Dollars per month to commence on the 29th day of October 1829.

Certificate of Pension issued 1st of December 1829; and sent to Franklin E. Plummer, Westville, Mississippi.

Arrears to 4th of Semi-anu'l all'ce ending [marked out]

Amount due on the 4th March 1829. $33.80 Revolutionary Claim, Acts March 18, 1818, and May 1, 1820. (B C. Vol. P. 151.) 2
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Record of the pleas and proceedings of the Circuit court of the county of Simpson, before the Hon' Edward Turner one of the Judges of the Supreme court of The State of Mississippi and presiding Judge of the second Judicial Circuits of the state aforesaid; at the October Term thereof began and held at the Court house of the county of S, on the nineteenth day of October in the year of Our Lord one thousand eight hundred and twenty nine, and in the fifty fourth year of the Independence of the United States of America: - 
The State of Mississippi Circuit Court Simpson County on October Term 1829.

On this nineteenth day of October in the year of Our Lord one thousand eight hundred twenty nine;  be it remembered that Edward Abbey personally appeared in open court to say;  "The Circuit Court of the county of Simpson in the state aforesaid and presiding Judge of the Second Judicial circuit of the state aforesaid before the Hon' Edward Turner a Judge of the Supreme Courts of the State aforesaid and presiding Judge of the Second Judicial Circuits of the State aforesaid at the Term of the Count aforesaid holden at the Court house of the county a foresaid, the said count being a count of record because it is expreply made so by the law of the state which created it, the said Edward Abbey, being a resident of said county of Simpson; and made the following declaration
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in addition to declaration made by him the said Edward Abbey in The County court of the county of Simpson on the the Twenty-fifth day of May in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and twenty nine, in order to obtain the provision made by the acts of Congres of the 18th March 1818 & the first of May 1820 which said declaration made in the county court aforesaid on the said 25th day of May aforesaid is herewith presented to this court, made a part of this declaration & is in the following mods & figures to ms; -

The State of Mississippi County Court 
Simpson County 
May Term 2029

ON the twenty fifth day of May in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and twenty nine personally appeared in open court (?), 
a county court of the state aforesaid (?) in the Term of Merville in and for the county and state aforesaid being a court of record because it is expressly made so by the law of the state which created it,  Edward Abbey resident in said County aged seventy nine years who first being duly sworn according to law, don on this oath make the following declaration in order to obtain a pension, made the provision made by the acts of congress of the eighteenth of March one thousand and eight hundred and eighteen and the first of May one thousand and eight hundred and twenty
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that he the said Edward Abbey enlisted for the term of Eighteen months (the day and year in which he enlisted he cannot now recollect being literate) in the state of Virginia in the company commanded by Captian Fitz j and in the regiment commanded by balonet Wedrer on Widen in the time of the State of Virginia in the corpse of the (?conmental) establishments, that he convinced to serve in the said corps until the expiration of  eighteen months from the time of enlistment, when he was discharged form the service in the state of Pennsylvania and that he obtained a discharge in writing, which he has since lost; that he also enlisted again for the term of three years int he state of Pennsylvania in the company commanded Capt. Frant Laroy in the regiment commanded by by Colonel Mylen in the time of the state of Pennsylvania in the corps of the (?conmental) establishment, that he committed to serve in said corps until the expiration of three years from the time of enlistment when he was honorably discharged from the service int he state of Pennsylvania which he's discharged he has since lost, that he herby   (?)   every claim whatever whatever to a pension, except the present, that his name has not been placed on the pension list that he knows of: that he never before exhibited a schedule of his property because he did not know until about the year 1824 that congress had made any
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provisions by law of which he could avail himself; and that he did not know how to proceed to procure the benefit of said provisions; that since which time he had employed no different attornies to direct him and proceed for him but for most of a form of a declaration or some other cause unknown to him they did not proceed to do my thing in the case until the September Term 1827 of Lawrence Circuit Courts; at which time one Anthony Butler drew up a declaration for him, which he proved in said courts according to law and authorized the said Butler to send on to the proper place for further proceedings, which declaration he has not heard of since and therefore supposes that through the neglect of said Butler or some other cause unknown to him it is lost or mislaid and has never reached the proper place for further proceeding; and in pursuance of the act of the first of May 1820. I do solemnly swear that I was a resident citizen of the United States on the 18th day of March 1818 and that I have not since that time by gift, sale or in any manner disposed of my property or any part thereof with intent thereby so to diminish it as to bring myself within the provisions of an act of Congrefs (Congress) entitled "an act to provide for certain persons engaged in the land and naval service of the United States in the revolutionary war" papers on the 18th day of March 1818, and I
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have not nor has any person for interest for me any property or security contracts or debts due to me nor have I any income other than what is contained in the schedule hereto annexed and by me subscribed [illegible] three cows and calves, one mo year old heifer and one pig say six months old; I am by occupation a farmer but all together am unable to pursue it or to make my support by it through old age and infirmity. I have no family but myself and wife whose name is Rebecca and whose age about sixty years, she is also very inform and scarcely able to do anything towards procuring a support. That since the 18th of March 1818 the only changes made in my property is that at that time I had [illegible] lately arrived in this state from Georgia and had neither property or money except three dollars in  [illegible] and now I have the property that is mentioned in the above schedule.
Edward (his X mark) Abbey

Sworn to and subscribed on the 25th day of May 1829 before me & in presence of atteste John young atteste John Thompson
James Welch (JP)

The State of MifIfIppi (Mississippi)
Simpson County

Before me an acting Justice of the Peace in and for the county of Simpson and state aforesaid personally
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appeared this day John Young and John Thompson on who did severally make oath that Edward Abbey whom the foregoing declaration was made & subscribed is well known to them to be the person therein described and that he is generally refuted & believed to have been in the army of the revolution in manner as therein stated and the said declaration was made and subscribed by the said Edward Abbey in their presence on the day of the date thereof witnef (witness) my hand this 25th day of May in the year one thousand eight hundred and ninety nine.
James Welch J.P.

I Eli Nichols Clerk of the county court of the county of Simpson in the state of Mififippi (Mississippi) do hereby certify that James Welch before whom the foregoing affidavits were made and sworn to was at the time an acting Justice of the Peace in and for the county of Simpson and state aforesaid and duly empowered to administer oaths; and I do further certify that it appears to the satisfaction of the courts aforesaid, at the term aforesaid, holden a the place aforesaid that the said Edward Abbey did service in the Revolutionary War as stated in the preceeding declaration against the common enemy for the term of more than nine months under one engagement on the continental establishment x and I do further certify that it is the opinion of
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[repeat of letter from previous image with additional copy at bottom]
and I do also further certify that the foregoing oaths and the schedule thereto annexed are truly copied from the records of said court.
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the said court that the total amount in value of the property exhibited in the aforesaid schedule is thirty dollars. In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand and affixed my seal of office on the twenty sixth day of May in the year of Our Lord one thousand eight hundred and twenty nine and of the American Independence the 53 year.
LS
Eli Nichols, Clerk

The State of Mipipippi (Mississippi)
Simpson County ss

I John R Hubert a justice of the county court of the county of Simpson do hereby certify that Eli Nichols whose name is signed to the foregoing certificate was on the day of the data thereof Clerk of the court aforesaid and that due faith and credit ought to be given to his acts & doings as such. In testimony whereof I hereunto set my hand the twenty fifth day of June 1829.
John R. Hubert 

I Edward Abbey in addition to the foregoing declaration to hereby declare that, being an illiterate man together with the length of time which was elapsed and my mind & memory being somewhat impaired by hardship & old age I cannot particularly recollect the date by I will state such circumstances as I do particularly recollect to this, I enlisted for
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the term of 18 months in the spring of the year in the service of the United Colonies of Alexandria, Fairfax county & state of Virginia in a company commanded by Capt. Fitzjarell of which  David Earl Lieutenant, as well as I can recollect, belonging to the third Regiment commanded by Colonel Weden and Lieutenant Colonel Marshal. By having my memory refreshed by some circumstances I think it was in the year 1776. The regiment marched to New York where we fortified York Island. In the fall of the same year as near as I can recollect the regiment to which I belonged under command of General Washington retreated to the White Plains, where an action took place, in which the American Army was overpowered and was forced to retreat. We marched through New Jersey and crofsed (crossed) the Delaware river & remained there until about Christmas; we then crosfsed (crossed) the Delaware to the Jersey side and attacked & took a body of the Hipian (Hessian) troops in Trenton and crofsed (crossed) with the prisoners to the Pennsylvania side of the river and then soon after crofsed (crossed) back again to the Jersey side to keep pofsefsion (possession) of Trenton, there we were met in the evening by a reinforcement of the enemy under command of Lord Cornwallace from Princeton; only a few rounds were fired & hostilities ceased for the night. The American army of which I was one moved before day next morning
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for Princeton & had an engagement with a detachment of the British army near Princeton just about sunrise and entered Princeton victoriously with two or three hundred prisoners; in this last engagement I recollect that General Mercer was mortally wounded. We then marched to Morristown where we remained the balance of the winter. The next battle that I was in was at Brandy-wine, the ensuing fall; a short time afterwards I was at the battle of Germantown. In a few weeks after the af (aforementioned) Germantown our army went into winter quarters at Valley Forge. My term of service for which I had enlisted having expired; a few days after I enlisted again for three years in the company of dragoons commanded by Capt. Frant Laroy under Major Washington in the fourth Regiment of Pennsylvania dragoons commanded by Col. Mayland and Lieutenant Col. White. As near as I can recollect Major Washington was an officer in the 3rd Virginia Regiment & was promoted about the time of the Battle of Germantown, he acted as recruiting officer at the Valley Forge & enlisted, I think, about fifty Virginians at the same time I enlisted. Capt. Laroy I understood was commandant of the company but I never saw him. I received a furlow for three months & according to orders joined Major Washington at Fredericksburgh, Virginia & marched under his command.
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to New Jersey where we joined the 4th regiment of Pennsylvania dragoons & were delivered up to Col White who had the immediate command, Col Mayland who was occasionally with us I understood was his superior in command. I have not a distinct recollection of the time I enlisted at Valley Forge, but by having my memory refreshed I think that I can with safety say that it was sometime in December 1777. The next engagement I was in was an attack made on us by the British Dragoons at a place called Newrochell. I was at a place called as near as I can recollect Tapham [?] when General Arnold deserted West Point and Major Andre [?] was taken. We then returned to Lancaster Pennsylvania where I was discharged; my term of service having expired; I was discharged without receiving pay for the last thirteen months of my time which I have not yet received or any pay thereof. I afterwards went
in the militia to the seige of Lord Commwallace and was on the Gloncerter [?] side of the river - when Col Tarlton delivered up the pass.
His Sworn to subscribed and | Edward X Abbey
declared on the nine- | Mark
tenth day of October AD 1829 before me
in open court
E Turner one of 
the Judges of the Supreme & Superior
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courts of the state of Mifsifsippi (Mississippi).

The State of Mifsifsippi (Mississippi)
Simpson County
Circuit Court Clerks office

I Charles K Brown Clerk of the Circuit Court of the County of Simpson do hereby certify that the foregoing declaration oaths and schedule thereto annexed made on the 25th day of May 1829 in the County Court of the county of Simpson and the additional declaration made in the Circuit Court aforesaid on the day and year and at the place therein specified are truly copied from the records of this court.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand, and affixed the seal of the said courts, on the 29th day of October 1829.
Charles K. Brown Clerk of the Circuit Court of the County of Simpson
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(4)
34621
INVALID.
Revy 
File No. 34,621
Edward Abbey
Pri. Rev. War
Act: 18 March 18th 
Index: - Vol. 2, Page 2
[Arrangement of 1870.]
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[illegible] Nov 5th 1829

Sir

Yours of the 18th July enclosing the documents previously forwarded by me to the War Department in support of the claim of Edward Abbey was duly received. 
An amended declaration in support of the said claim is herewith forwarded for the consideration of the Department. I am aware that the act of March 18, 1818 under which Mr. Abbey claims, declares that the claimant shall state the time of his entering the service. This you say Mr. Abbey must do before a final decision can be had. You will observe that he has, in his amended declaration, stated as near the time as is reasonable to suppose a man of his years & illiterate too, could,  without meaning to the precise day. There is much matters contained & many circumstances related in the accompanying declaration, which the Department will probably consider as surplusage, but I thought desirable, in as much as he could not say upon his oath, on what day he enlisted to state such circumstances related by him, as would be likely to convince the Department of the truth of his averments. The undoubted object of Congref (Comgress), in being so explicit & positive in the act of 1818, was to prevent positive in the act of 1818, was to prevent frauds being practised on the government and that the department might the more easily detect any individual who should attempt it; but in this particular case, if Mr. Abbey has not
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come up to the strict letter of the law. I hope the Department will consider that he has been sufficiently particular to entitle him to the benefit of the acts of Congref (Congress) under which he claims a premium. It was at his particular request that I gave so full a statement of his travels & engagements during the Revolution & they are there stated precisely as related to me by himself with the exception of the phraseology in some instances and without any assistance from me or any person to my knowledge . Few men I imagine were in as many engagements as Mr. Abbey in different parts of the Union, and no man I think as a private soldier merits in a high a degree the reward of his country. I hope & trust the Department will take into consideration Mr. Abbey's advanced age, his infirmities, indigent circumstances and the services he has rendered his country and if it can be done with a faithful discharge of the duties assigned to the individuals comprising it, grant him such speedy relief as his [illegible} situation demands. A little delay might place it out of the power of the Department to pay a debt of gratitude to an old Revolutionary soldier add to his comfort in the decline of life, and prevent his grey hairs from going down with sorrow to the grave. Pardon me sir for troubling you with arguments & so long a communication, which you will please attribute to other motives than a man's confidence in you or the Departments. As soon as possible an answer is respectfully requested.  
I am Respectfully
Your Ob'dts Svs (Obedient Servant)
Franklin E. Plummer

James L Edwards, Esquire
War Department Pension Office
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THE NATIONAL ARCHIVES
Form VAM-51
12-4-41
Division of Veterans' Administration Archives 
BOUNTY LAND WARRANT RECORD CARD
NAME Abbey Eliphalet
GRADE Private
Line Sheldon's Continental Dragons (Connecticut)
WARRANT NUMBER 5391
ACREAGE 100
ISSUED Feb. 9, 1797
To Jeduthen Abbey, Martha Vibbert, Rebecca Abbey, Sally Bunce, heirs + [illegible]
*The information concerning the issuance of warrants carded on this form is found in volumes 2 to 4 of "Land Warrants Issued Prior to 1800" which are registers of bounty land warrants issued to non-commissioned officers and privates under congressional resolutions of September 16, 1776, and subsequent dates. Other records relative to the applications for warrants appear to have been destroyed in the War Department fire of November 9, 1800. Information concerning warrants surrendered to the Federal Government is to be found in General Land Office records in The National Archives.