Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty Land Warrant Application File R. 11,615, Roger Williams, Va.
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(3-1776)
SERVICE NUMBER
Va. Williams Roger R.11,615
CONTENTS
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Virginia County of Bedford S.S.
On this 11th day of September in the year 1832 personally appeared before us Henry Brown and Samuel Mitchell justices of the pease in and for the said County Roger Williams an inhabitant of the County aforesaid in the state aforesaid, aged upwards of Eighty years and unable by the reason of bodily infirmity to appear in Court who being first duty sworn according to the law doth on his oath make the following declaration in order to obtain the benefit of the act of congress passed June 7th 1832- That he entered the service of the u.States under the following named offices and served as herein stated__ That in the year 1777 he was drafted as a militiaman then residing in the county of Cumberland in the state of Virginia to go against the British who were expected to land at Hampton in the said state. He marched under captain Archibald Allen to Williamsburg where he was mustered under Genl Nelson_ The other officers he does not  non recalled but remembers that one Major Carrington accompanied them part of the way and afterwards returned home being a supernumerary officer. He marched through several counties the names of which he has forgotten- served out his tour and was discharge but whether he ever had a written discharge, and what was the length of the tour he cannot recollect but he says he had a credit for a full tour which he thinks was three months-A few days afterwards but at what precise time he does not remember he volunteered to go against the British who were there in N Carolina and who had driven General Greene across Dan river into Virginia. He enlisted under Capt Nelson and his Lieutenant was John Woodson called by way of distinction Poplar foot and afterwards joined General Lawsons Brigade. He recollects several of the field officers Virg. Col. Holcombe, Col. Skipwith, and Major Tucker. He marched with General Greenes army through different parts of the N. Carolina and was with him in the battle of Guilford. He served out his tour but does not remember the length of it nor does he have any documentary evidence whatever but he says he has credit for a full tour which was commonly three months. He removed from the county Cumberland soon after the revolutionary war to the county of Bedford where he has resided for more than forty years and he knows of no person by whose testimony he can prove his service except there is one Anderson Williams supposed to be yet living by whom if his evidence could be procured the applicant might prove that he
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started as volunteer for Greenes army for onto battle of Guilford- he was born in the said county of Cumberland on the 8th day of February in the year 1749 and has no other register of his birth than an entry in a family bible non in his possession_ He hereby relinquishes all claim to any pension except the present & declares that his name is not on the pension roll of the agency of any state. 
                                                  Roger Williams.
sworn to and Subscribed the day and year aforementioned before us                                   Henry Brown {seal}                    Saml Mitchell {seal}

We Moseby Arnold a clergyman residing in the county of Bedford- State of Virginia and Tilghman A Cobbs residing in the same county and state hereby certify that we are well acquainted with Roger Williams who has subscribed and sworn to the above declaration that we believe him to be of the age that he states that he is reputed and believed in the neighbourhood where he resides to have been a soldier of the Revolution and that we concur in that opinion. 
Moseby Arnold
Tilghman A. Cobbs

Sworn to and Subscribed this 11th day of September in the year 1832 before us
Henry Brown {seal}
Saml Mitchell {seal}

We the justices aforesaid do hereby declare our opinion after the investigation of the matter before us in our said county and after putting the interrogations prescribed by the war department that the above named applicant was a Revolutionary soldier and serves as he states and we further certify it as our opinion from our own personal knowledge and observation that the said applicant is enable by reason of bodily infirmary to appear in Court without great inconvenience . We the justices aforesaid certify moreover that it appears to to us that Moseby Arnold who has signed the proceeding certificate is a clergyman resident in the said county of Bedford - State of Virginia. Tilghman A Cobbs who has also signed the same is a resident of the same county and state is a credible person & that their statement is entitled to credit. Given under our hands and Seal this 11th day of September in the year 1832.
Henry Brown {seal}
Saml Mitchell {seal}
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M.C.A.
Rev. & 1812 Wars Section
January 28, 1925.
Mrs. H.M. Colbert
c/o The Gallatin Democrat 
Gallatin, Missouri 

Madam: 
I have to advise you that from the papers in the Revolutionary War pension claim, R.11,615, it appears that Roger Williams was born February 8, 1749, in Cumberland County, Virginia. 
He alleged that while a resident of said place he enlisted in 1777, and served with the Virginia Troops under Captain Archibald Allen and later under Captain Nelson, was in the battle of Guilford. 
He applied for pension September 11, 1832, at which time he was a resident of Bedford County, Virginia, but his claim was not allowed as he failed to furnish proof of service as required by the pension laws.   
There is no data on file related to his family.
Respectfully, Acting Commissioner.
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13.501
Roger Williams
Declaration
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Virginia [illegible]
At a Court held for Bedford County at the courthouse on the 24th day of September 1832.
Roger Williams an applicant for a pension under the act of congress of the 7th June 1832. This day produced in court by his attorney a declaration of his service Va. (of which the foregoing is a true copy) and the Court do hereby declare after the investigation of the matter their opinion that the above named applicant was a revolutionary soldier and served as he states
I Robert N Dickenson deputy for Robert C Mitchell Clerk of the County Court of Bedford in the State of Virginia do hereby certify that the foregoing contains a true copy of the original proceedings of said Court in the matter of the application of Roger Williams for a pension. In testimony whereof I have here unto set my hand and affixed the Seal of the Said Court of office the 4th day of October 1832 in the 57th year of American Independence.
R. A. Dickenson D. C.
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R. N. Dickenson
Va.
May 30. 1833
O.C.
Re vol 9 Pa. 132
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Department of War
Pension office
May 30 1833

Sir,
The declaration of Roger Williams has been examined, and his claim is found in admissible
he sets forth in his declaration that he was called out [illegible] only  [illegible] the [illegible] and that he had credit for a three months tour on each case but admits at the same time that he does not know how long he served_ The inference is very clear that he did not [illegible] six months actual service, and the claim is there for rejected_
The paper in the case are placed upon the file of this office

Seth
Ro N. Dickenson Esq
Clerk Court
Bedford Co
VA
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BRIEF Objections to the admission of Pension Claims, of which those answered in the negative, in red ink, will apply to the claim of Roger Williams which require further proof or explanation. 

I. Does the declaration show where the applicant resides? Yes
II. Did the declarant made 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? No
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? Yes
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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? Yes
XII. If the clergyman's affidavit has not been produced, is there any reason assigned  for not obtaining it?
XIII. If the applicant had 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? Yes
XIV. If the applicant's name is not found on the rolls of military service, has he produced a witness or witnesses as to his service?
If he has produced direct proof as to service, has the magistrate who administered the oath, certified to the credibility of the witness or witnesses? 
Has the proper officer certified to the official character and signature of the magistrate as the regulations direct?
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? Yes
XVII. Are the seven interrogatories prescribed by the War Department answered satisfactorily? And, if not, which of them is not so answered?
2nd 5.th 7.th

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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A. A. SCHUTE-HERSCHEL M. COLBERT, Publishers HERSCHEL M. COLBERT, Editor and Business Manager FANNIE MARIE COLBERT, Associate Editor
MEMBER MISSOURI PRESS ASSOCIATION
The GALLATIN DEMOCRATS
THE OLD HOME COUNTY PAPER-ESTABLISHED 1869- PUBLISHED BY THE DEMOCRAT PUBLISHING COMPANY
Attractive Commercial Printing
GALLATIN, MISSOURI   January 6, 1925.

Commissioner of Pensions, 
Washington, D.C. 
Dear Sir:
I am endeavoring to find a record of the revolutionary War service of a Roger Williams, probably born in Bedford County, Va., in 1749. 
The Adjutant General's Office of the War Department furnishes the record of a Sergeant Roger Williams, who served in Captain Thomas Massie's company, 6th Virginia Regiment, between the dates of September 1776 and May 31, 1777, according to the muster roll. He was discharged February 15, 1778. 
However, the Adjutant General's Office can furnish no information as to the wife or children of this man? I thought your records might give some information concerning his family  (or if he is not the man you might have a record of another Roger Williams) that would furnish the information I am looking for.
The Roger Williams about whom I am concerned was married to Cassie Ann Blair. They had two sons, George Williams, born in 1791, and Charles. There may have been other children.   Thanking you for any information you might be able to to give me, I am, 
Very truly yours, 
Fannie Marie Colbert
(Mrs. H. M. Colbert)
U.S. PENSION OFFICE L JAN 9 1925
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No 13. 501 
Roger Williams 
Va. 

11615
Rejected see letter of the 30th May 1833 to R. Dickenson.
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11,615
P.O.
Roger Williams 
Service:
Enlisted: REJECTED, 18
Discharged: , 18
Printed Lists of 1852 gives following reason for rejection "Did not serve six months"
Application filed: , 18
Alleges:
Re-enlisted:
Attorney: 
P.O.
Recognized. Contac
Cert. of Dis. Searched for , 18
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1925. Jan 28. Hist to Mrs. H. M. Colbert, MC
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Roger Williams
obj: 4th 17th 
Rejected see let
to Ro N Dickenson 
Clerk County Bedfo Va
May 30 1833.
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It is important in all cases to determine with precision the period for which each 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. Some persons who apply for pensions merely state they served two years in the militia, &c. without specifying the tours; the names of the officers, and other particulars respecting their service. This form of a declaration is highly objectionable. It must in every case be clearly shown under what officers the applicant served; the duration of each term of engagement; the particular place or places where the service was performed; that the applicant served with an embodied corps called into service by competent authority; that he was either in the field or in garrison; and for the time during which the service was performed, he was not employed in any civil pursuit. 
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 he belonged. The magistrate who may administer the oath 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 authenticates the papers is not written on the same sheet of paper which contains the affidavits, or other paper authenticated, the certificate must be attached thereto by a piece of tape or narrow ribbon,  the ends 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. 
In every case where the clerk of the court, or other certifying officer, has no public seal of office, the certification of a member of congress, proving the official character and signature of the certifying officer, should accompany the papers.