Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty Land Warrant Application File B.L.Wt. 669-200, John Van Court, Penn.
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(3-1776)
SERVICE NUMBER
Penn. Van Court, John B.L.W. 669-200
CONTENTS
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No 669.
John Van Court.
Lieut.
Pennsylvania Line.
Warrant issued under Date
28th Feby 1817 to Hannah
Ryder, heretofore Hannah Lane
Niece & Devisee of &c.
and
Wm to issue [illegible] to the Honble
R. King (S.W.S.)
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the Honble
Rufus King (S.W.S.)
War Department.
Section of Bounty Lands.
Jany 17th 1817
Sir,
On examining the Will & Testament of John Van Court, I find that he bequeathed the two hundred acres of Land due to him from the United States "specifically to his sister Susanna Lane's daughter Hannah, her Heirs & [illegible] forever."
therefore, to authorize the issue of the Military Land Warrant in question, to Michael Van Court, Father of the Testator abovementioned, he must transmit to this Office a Surrogates official Certificate that he "is the legitimate Heir at Law of the late Hannah Lane deceased." Whoever proves to stand in that quality, is entitled to the two hundred acres of Military Bounty Land from the U.S. - the Law granting this description of Bounty Land, will stand open until the 11th of March 1818; - after which date, it is probable that Claims of this nature & description will be forever barred.
The documents you were pleased to transmit me relative to this claim are returned to you herewith.
I have the honor to be, Sir, very respectfully,
Your obedient Servant
Nat. Cutting
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State of New York towit Patty Raymond being duly sworn doth depose and say that she is well acquainted with the family
of Susanna Lane within mentioned, and that Hannah her daughter is now living and married to Nicholas Ryder
Sworn 7th day of
July 1817 Before me
Eliphalet Wickes Master
[illegible] for the State of New York
Patty Raymond
To the Honorable Rufus King
Sir
Please to obtain from the War Department the warrant for the two hundred acres of Military Bounty Land which Hannah the daughter of Susanna Lane is entitled to under the will of John Van Court 
Witness present Nicholas Ryder
Eliphalet Wickes Hannah Ryder
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In the name of God Amen I John Vancourt of the County of Hunterdon in the State of New Jersey being sick and weak but of sound mind and memory make this my last Will and Testament in the first place I recommend my soul into the hands of God who gave it, hoping
for mercy in and through the merit and mediation of my Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ and my body I order to be buried in a decent Christian like manner at the discretion of my Executors hereafter mentioned, and my
worldly estate I order to be disposed of in the following manner First I order all my just debts and funeral charges to be paid. I give and bequeath unto my mother Hannah Vancourt three hundred pounds in certificate
that may be received by my Executors for what
is due to me from the Continent, which certificates I order my Executors to keep in their hands and to pay the interest to my mother as they may receive it, and I also order my Executors to receive the principal of said certificates at their discretion and pay the same to my mother or her heirs I give
and bequeath unto my sister Susannah Lane's daughter Hannah her heirs and assigns forever two, hundred acres of land due to me from the United States. I give and bequeath unto the first son his heirs and assigns forever that my said sister Susannah Lane shall have that [illegible] arive at the age of twenty one years one half of the land belonging to me in the State of Pennsylvania which is due to me for my services in the Pennsylvania Line, but if my said sister should not have any such child that arrives at the age aforesaid
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then I order the said land be equally divided
between my said sister and whatever children
she may have to their only proper use their
heirs and assigns forever. I give and bequeath
unto my father Michael Van Court the other
half of the last mentioned land to him his heirs
and assigns forever, together with the residue
or remainder of my Estate of whatsoever denomination not herein particularly mentioned
Lastly I constitute ordain and appoint [illegible] 
Robert Henry, Thomas Berry and John Bell
Tildon Executors of this which I declare to be my last Will and Testament, hereby giving them my said Executors full power and authority to act in every matter respecting my said estate as fully and amply as I myself might or could do, if I were personally presents In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my
set my hand and seal this twenty ninth day of June in the year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred and eighty four
Signed Sealed Published and Declared
by the Testator in the presence of us
to be his last Will and Testament
Jn. Van Court
John Taylor, Aaron Lane Thos Thompson
Thomas Thompson one of the Witnesses to the within Will being duly sworn according to law did depose and say that he saw John Van Court the Testator within named sign and seal the same and heard him publish pronounce and
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declare the within instrument in writing to be his last will and Testament and that at the doing thereof the said Testator was of sound and disposing mind and memory and that John Taylor and Aaron Land was present at the same time and that they signed their names as witnesses and altogether in the presence of the said Testator 
Thomas Thompson
Bedminster October 16" 1784}
Sworn before me Jas Kirkpatrick}
Surrogate

The foregoing Will being proved Probate was Granted by His Excellency William Livingston Esqr. [Esquire] unto [illegible] Robert Henry and Thomas Berry Esq Executors in the within Will named they being first duly sworn well and truly to perform the same Exhibit a true and perfect Inventory and rendered a just and true account when thereunto lawfully
required Given under the Prerogative Seal the day and year abovesaid
Bowes Reed Regr [Register] 

I James Linn Register of the Prerogative Court of the State of New Jersey do Certify the foregoing to be a true transcript of the Testament and last Will of John Van Court, late of the County of Hunterdon deceased taken from Liber No 26 of Wills page 157 &c remaining of record in the office of said Register at the City of Trenton Given under my hand and seal of said Court the twenty third day of March 1816. 
James Linn
[white paper at left margin]
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No.
John Van Court
Lieutenant
Pennsylvania Line of the Revoluty. [Revolutionary] Army of the U.S.

7th Jany [January] 1817
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Hon. Rufus King
Washington
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Jamaica L. I. April 13th 1816
Respected Sir,
With Mrs. Patty Raymond I have been well acquainted for some years past; she is a member of my church and sustains a pious and impeachable character. If you could be instrumental in procuring for Mr F. Court any lands to which his son was entitled when he died you would confer great favor on a man once in affluent circumstances, but now aged and poor.
Yours with much esteem & respect,
Jacob Schoonmaker.
[white ribbon on left margin]
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Senate Chamber
Jan. 3, 1816
Sir
The devisee of John Vancourt a Captain in the Pennsylvania Line, has applied to me for
information and assistance, in obtaining 200 acres of land devised to him by the said John Van Court.
May I ask the favour [favor] of you to give me such information on this subject as your Department enables you to impart.
as I understand the Case, Van court was entitled, as a Cap. in the Pennsylvania Line, to 400 Acres of Land from that State, a [illegible] of this quantity was devised by Van Court to his Father, a poor man in whose behalf I make this Enquiry
I am for yr. ob. ser. [your obedient servant]
Rufus King

Mr Graham - Dept of War

Perhaps, [illegible] more is required, than a Certificate Captain in the Pennsylvania Line -
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 John Van Court is referred as a Lieutenant Penna. Line is entitle to land from the U.S., say 200 acres.  His claim for land from the State of Penna.  There is no record of here, the office of the state must be reported to for information.  they issued. 
Wm. Cutting can state whether Van Court land warrant has issued.  

                                      //s//
                              P. Hogner
                                      Jan. 6, 1819

    non est. inventories
                          N:C.
                     7th Jan. 1817
Vid. Letter to the Hon. Rufus King, dated 9th Jany. 1817.
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Senate Chamber 21th Feb. 1817
Hon. Rufus King relative to Revolutionary claim of Van Court.

J.C.
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Sir,

   As I shall shortly leave the city, I have to request that you would be good enough to dispatch the case of Van Court, or rather (illegible) his (illegible) - the (2 words Illgeible)  
printing which I some days ago sent to you.
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Senate Chambers Feb. 14, 1807

Sir,

   Having transmitted to the family of Mr. Michael Van Court your letter to me dated January 17, on the (progress) of his claim to bounty land; I have received it back, with a request that I would apply for the land (??) to Hannah the daughter of  Hannah Lane by the deceased John Van Court - this request to me is made by the (??)  Hannah, and her husband Nicholas Ryder.

   I send you (??) the way of Jn. Van Court's will; also the affidavit of Polly Raymond, that Hannah Ryder wife of Nicholas Ryder, is Hannah the daughter of Hannah Lane; also the request of Nicholas & Hannah Ryder that I would apply for & receive the warrant for the 200 acres of land owed to her by Jn. Van Court - and in pursuance of such request. I desire that the require warrant of title from the U.S. may be.... (next page)

Mr.  Nate. Cutting
                    War Office
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be made our & put to me, bring ready to sign the usual acknowledgement that this has been done.

    Mr. E. Wickes th magistrate before whom Polly Raymond's affidavit was made, is a respectable officer, formerly a member of Congress, living as I do in the neighborhood of Polly Raymond & Nicholas & Hannah Ryder and I have reason to believe that the reputation and claim now presented are correct.
                                  I am Sir respectfully,
                                           yr. ob. svt.
                                                  //s//
                                             Rupert King