Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty Land Warrant Application File S. 31315, for William Rankin, Virginia
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Service
Continental
Va.
Rankin William
Number
S. 31315
Contents
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25274

Kentucky

William Rankin of Masont in the State of Kentucky who was a private in the com commanded by Captain Brady of the regt commanded by Col Stevenson in the Virginia line for 2 years

Inscribed on the Roll of Kentucky at the rate of 80 Dollars - Cents per annum to commence on the 4th day of March, 1834. 

Certificate of Pension issued the 18 day of Dec 1833 and [?] Roll
Johnson WV

Arrears to the 4th of Sept 200.00
Pension allowance ending 4 March 40,00
$240.00

[in brackets] {Revolutionary Claim, Act June 7, 1832.}

Recorded by Daniel Boyd Clerk, 
Book 8 Vol. 7 Page 26

Dead

Paid at the Treasury under the Act of the 6 April 1838 from 4th March 1835 to 12th April 1836. - Agent notified 23rd Sept 1841.
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Treasury Department
Second Comptroller's Office, 
September 3, 1841

Sir: 

Under the act of the 6th of April, 1838, entitled "An act directing the transfer of money remaining unclaimed by certain Pensioners, and authorizing the payment of the same at the Treasury of the United States," The children of William Rankin, dead, a Pensioner on the Roll of the Kentucky - Agency, at the rate of Eighty - Dollars and - Cents per annum, under the law of the 7th June 1832, has been paid at this Department, from the 4th of March 1835, to the 12th of April 1836. 

Respectfully yours, 

Albion K. Parris
Comptroller

To the Commissioner of Pensions, 
Present.
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Declaration in order to obtain the benefit of the
act of Congress, passed June 7th 1832.
State of Kentucky Mason County SS  On this day
of November in the year 1833 personally appeared
in open court. before William Rankins,  [illegible]
of said county of Mason and state of Kentucky
aged about seventy four 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 act of
Congress passed June 7th 1832.
He says that in July 1776 he enlisted
for the term of three years under Capt.
William Brady in the county of Berkly
State of Virginia.  Christopher Brady Lieutenant
and the company was assigned for [illegible]
[illegible] Stevensons (called Stinson) regiment but
he departed this life before the same was completed
and then the company was marched to Philadelphia
& from thence went by water to Trenton & then
to Princeton--then to a place called [illegible]
near the city of New York where they next
attached to the regiment of Col. James Rawlings
from thence they went to Fort See and from
thence crossed over to Fort Washington where
he was taken prisoner on the 16th of November
1776.  From thence he was taken by the
British to a Sugar house in New York &
after some time removed on board of the 
British fleet where this deponent was 
placed on board the transport ship
called "The Dutton" and in year
Page 5

following in February or March 1777.  He
was paroled and returned to Philadelphia
and remained there [illegible........] when
he was sent home by direction of General
Daniel Morgan who appeared to be a
personal acquaintance and remained in
Virginia until summer 1778 when
he was called to his regiment, under a pro-
clamation that the prisoners were exchanged
and he marched to Fort Frederick in Maryland
& joined the regiment [illegible] commanded by
Col, Rawlings and quartered there that winter
guarding prisoners and upon regular 
duty.  And in the spring 1779 he marched
under Capt. Thomas Bree to Pittsburgh
with a portion of said Rawlings regiment
where they remained until June 1779
and marched down to Fort Lawrence on
Washington--under Col. Campbell
and back under Major [illegible]  to
Pittsburg where he received a discharge
[illegible] the end of his enlistment for
three years--at the tie he was discharged
 Col. Broudhead -- Hol. Gibson
appeared to be in command but who
then on [illegible] or Capt. Pace
signed the discharge he cannot pay.
It has been lost long ago or put in
the land office in Virginia to get
land warrants --he cannot recollect,
but possibly the latter he cannot
get land warrants but having traced
so much in that business cannot
speak certainly.
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He has no documentary service by which he can
prove his services.  But John Kercheval
and his wife Jane Kercheval both know
that he [illegible........] in the war of the 
revolution and the latter recollects the
day he marched from her fathers in
Frederick County Virginia.

And the said William Rankins hereby relinquishes
every claim whatever to a pension or annuity except on the pension [illegible] of the agency
of any state.
Sworn to and subscribed, the day and 
year aforesaid.
__________________________________---

Writing is  too faded...........................

___________________________

(signature of J. Hiram H. Baker)
(signature of Wm Rankins)

Hiram H. Baker a clergyman residing in Mason County Ky 
hereby certify that he is well acquainted with William Rankins who subscribed & sworn to the above declaration; and believes him to be seventy four years of age; and that
he is reputed and believed in the neighborhood where he
resides, to have been a soldier of the Revolution and he
concurs in that opinion sworn to & subscribed  to the
day & year aforesaid.
(signature of Hiram H. Baker)
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Walker Reid - the Presiding Judge of the said Mason Circit Court on the [ilegible} of the late Wm. P. Roper - before whom this decalartion was [ilegible] have been offered states that he was acquainted with said William Rankins from his boyhood and thus he can say forty years [ilegible] a very distinct recollection of [ilegible] in the War of the Revolution forty year ago - and he states that he has no doubts of his having become soldier in Rev War and further that he is generally believed among his [ilegilbe]. 

Walker Reid 
Nov 1 1833

We the undersigned have been acquainted with William Rankins the applicant for a pension who signed the within declaration in open court [ilegible] his neigbor for at least thirty years and state on oath that he is a man of credibility - a highly respectable Farmer of sd County of Mason and we [ilegible] from his appearance as old as the State [ilegible] seventy four years, Given Nov 22d 1833

John Chambers
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Rev. & 1812 Wars Section

May 14, 1927

Miss May Harmison
P.O. Box 1626
Charleston, West Va. 

Madam: 

I have to advise you that from the papers in the Revolutionary War pension claim S. 31315 it appears that William Rankin enlisted in Berkeley County, Virginia in July 1776 as a private in Captain Wiliam Brady's Company, Colonel Moses Rawlings' Regiment, on November 16, 1776 was captured at Fort Washington, paroled in February of March 1777, rejoined his regiment in the summer of 1778 and was discharged at Pittsburg at the end of three years from time of enlistment. 

Not long after the Revolution he settled in Frederick County, Virginia and from there moved to Mason County, Kentucky where he was allowed pension on his applicaiton executed November 22, 1833 at which time he was aged seventy-four years. He died April 12, 1836. 

Soldier was survived by children, their names and the name of his was not stated. 

Respectfully, 

Winfield Scott
Commissioner. 

[handwritten] Soldier's brother Robert was one of first in Red -
His pension Cl is on file 

[handwritten] Miss Wilson said use any [illegible]. The Col. (Hugh Stephenson) was Va and Raiding in Md. and the Reg. was Va and Md Rifle Regt [illegible] continued
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31315 

Reg INVALID.

File No. 31315

William Rankin
Pri Rev War

Act: June 7th 32
Index: - Vol. 2, Page 333

[Arrangement of 1870.]

1915 March 24: Histroy to Mrs. Edward H Clark. M.B.H.
1920 Jan 15: Hist. to Alice W. Lorenz 
1927 May 14 - Hist: to Miss May Harmison [illegible]
1931. Sept. 17. Hist to Mr Walter H. Rankins - See his letter in Robert Rankins - W 26365 [illegible]
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The deposition of Thomas Jones taken at the office of said Jones on the first of October 1832 to be read as evidence, to prove the services of William Ranking in the Revolutionary War - this deponent being about seventy five years of age deposeth and saith - 

That in the year 1777 he received from the hands of General Morgan then in the service of the understated, the above named William Ranking - in the City of Philadelphia, as a field soldier, belonging to the American Army was directed by the Genl. Morgan to convey the said Rankins to the State of Virginia his former State of Residence - which duty this deponent states he did, perform - 
but this deponent is not able to say to what department the said Ranking did belong - but that he did [illegible] him from the hands of General Morgan, as stated above- and strictly complied with the orders of General Morgan - 

And further this deponent saith not. 

Thomas Jones
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Commonwlth of Kentucky Bourbon Cy to wit
The above deposition of Thomas Jones was
Subscribed and Sworn to before the --& justice of the peace per the said county of Bourbon on the first day of October 1832.  
and I do further certify that the above
named Thomas Jones is entitled to as much
credit as to truth and honesty as any
man in Kentucky -
Peter, Clarkson J,P,C,C

Commonwealth of Kentucky & County of Bourbon 
I Thomas P. Smith Clerk of the County court and of said County, do certify that Peter Clarkson -- before whom the written Deposition was taken and whose certificate is annexed thereto, was at the time of taking and subscribing to the same and still is an acting Justice of the peace in and for said County duly commissioned and sworn to all whose official
acts full faith and credit are due and ought to be heard and given as well in Courts of Justice as thereunto.
In Testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand and affixed my seal of office this 16th day of October 1832 and in the 41st year of the
Commonwealth.
Tho P Smith Clk
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Kentucky Ss
I Wm B Branham presiding Justice of the County Court of Broadmoor this state aforesaid do certify that Wm Chritsis Clerk of said court and that his foregoing attestation is in due form plan.
Given under my hand & seal this 16 Oct 1832
Wm. B. Branham, JP
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John Kercheval aged about 71 years being
duly Sworn in open court now is living in the town of Washington, Mason County He states that he is a resident of the said County of Mason where lives William Rankin who is applying under the act of 7th June 1832 for a pension - that he has lived in said County at least years and during all that time he--- said William Rankin ---  know him to be the same man who about the year 1776 Inlisted as a soldier in the company raised by Capt William Brady who lived in the County of Berkley - State of Virginia he further states that he knows said Rankins marched with the said Company the north he further states that in the year 1777 he met the said William Rankins returning to Virginia then in a Low State of Health in the Waggon of Thomas Jones who lived in the neighbourhood of this affiants father that said Rankins was as he informed this affiant then a prisoner of War taken by the British army at Fort Washington in the fall 1776 and was on parole or exchanged but this affiant thinks on parole and was on his way home for the purpose of endeavoring to restore his health the said Kercheval
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-- then states that on his Return from the army in 1778 he understood that said Rankins had again gone to Join the Regiment or company to which he belonged but has no recollection of seeing Mr Rankins until after the war was over This affiant understood from Mr Rankins Brother Robert Rankins who was an officer 
that his Brother William was ordered with his
Company or Regiment to Pitts Burg he states further that said William Rankins not long after the War was over settled in the County of Frederick State of Virginia when said Rankins lived when the affiant Removed to Kentucky about thirty five or six years ago and that some time after the said Rankins moved to the neighbourhood where this affiant then and now lives and has continued to reside ever since

the affiant therefore is satisfied and does
hereby beleive that the said Wm Rankins was a soldier and Served at least three years in the army and he well remembers that was the term for which the troops of the Virginia line for Continental service was enlisted at the time said William Rankins enlisted in Capt Bradys Company. said Rankins a very respectable man entitled to credit in any Court or County
He is a usually Farmer of Mason County Kentucky.

MJ Kercheval
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28790

William Rankins
Pension papers

from 1776 private
a v $80.

Hon R.M. Johnson
--R

Mason

Walker Reid
Washington --
Page 16

State of Kentucky
Mason Circuit Set
November Term 1833

William Rankins produced his declaration & subscribed and swore to the same in open Court, in order to obtain a pension under the act of 7th of June 1832 and attached
to the same was the certificate of Hiram H Baker a Clergyman of Mason County, and of Walker Reid, John Chambers and Marshall Key, all of which were sworn to in open Court by the persons, who subscribed the same. Also the affidavit of John Kercheval made in open Court and subscribed by him on a separate sheet of paper. And also the deposition of Thomas Jones of Bourbon County certified by Peter Clarkson as a magistrate, and the certificate and seal of the Clerk of the Bourbon County Court attached
to the said Deposition
And the said Court do hereby declare their opinion after the investigation of the matter, and after putting the interrogatories prescribed by the War department that the above named applicant was a revolutionary soldier and served as he states. And the Court further certifies that it appears to them that Hiram H Baker who has signed the proceeding certificate is a clergyman resident in the County of Mason, & that John Chambers & Marshall Key who have signed a proceeding certificate residents of the
County of Mason & that the said Hiram H. Baker, John Chambers & Marshall Key are credible persons and that their statements are entitled to credit.

I Marshall Key Clerk of the Mason Circuit Court do hereby certify that the foregoing contains the original proceedings of the said Court in the matter of the application of William Rankins for a pension.

In Testimony whereof I have hereunto set
my hand and seal of Office this 7th day of December in the year One thousand Eight hundred and thirty three
Marshall Key
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December 29, 1919 
3036 Hillegass Ave.
Berkeley California                         [Hand written right corner 
                                                          Rev Sec SB ]
Secretary of State, 
Sir:
Will you please forward to me a copy of the pension of my ancestor, Wm. Rankin, who fought in the Revolutionary War.
His  record is as follows; 
He enlisted July 17, 1776,  from Berkeley Co. Virginia,
Page 18

served under Capt. Wm. Bradley, Col. Moses Rawling's
regiment. He was captured at Fort Washington, and was paroled in Feb. or March, 1777. He rejoined his regiment in the summer of 1778 and was discharged at Pittsburg at the end of three years from his enlistment.  His pension was granted November 22, 1832 at the age of 74 years.
At the time the pension was granted he was living
Page 19

in Mason, Kentucky.
He died April 12, 1836. He was born 1758 in Augusta Co. Virginia. His wife's first name was Lettuce. If you can send me a copy of the pension mentioned you will oblige me very much as I desire to join the local Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution.
Thanking you in advance
I am, sincerely, 
Alice Wharton Lorenz
Page 20

U.S. PENSION OFFICE
E
JAN 5 1920
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Hotel Netherland,
Fifth Ave. 1 59th St.
New York, N.Y.                        [Hand written right corner
                                                 Rev. Sec illegible]
To the
Commissioner of Pensions, 
Washington, D.C.
Sir: Please send me pension records of the following Revolutionary soldiers:
William Rankin, Mason Co., Ky., Pt. Va. Line - 75yrs of age in 1831, return 10 Dec. 1833.
Leonard Highfield, pensioned Pendleton Co., Ky., 6 Sept. 1820 - he was a resident of St. Mary's Co., Maryland in 1790. The two foregoing records were
Page 22

given in a "List of Revolutionary Pensioners"- Ex. Documents - (55) - First Session of the the 16th Congress.
Edward Gill, Auditor's Account Book XVIII - 651 (Report of State Librarian  Revolutionary Soldiers of Virginia) - he married Elizabeth Robinson or Lettie Cannaday and removed from Westmoreland Co., Va., to Lee's Station, Ky., in 1782, when his youngest child was nine years of age.
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John T. Turner Pr.  80 years , 412 zz, Fourth Regiment Maryland Line, 29 Nov. 1828 - John H. Marble, agt - Mary Turner, widow, died 27 Apr. 1831- Stewart Co., Tennessee.
Respectfully,
Eva T. Clark.
(Mrs. Edward H. Clark)
5 Mar, 1915.
Page 24

(blank page)
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3-049
Ex MM     Div. Rev. 07812 Wars Section
Department of the Interior,
BUREAU OF PENSIONS,
WASHINGTON, D. C. May 2, 1927

The attached letter is respectfully returned
with the information that the data furnished is
not sufficient to enable this Bureau to make intelligent answer to the queries therein contained.
Please fill out such of the blank spaces below
as the information in your possession will permit, and return to this Bureau.

First name of widow,  Rebecca Sutton
Name of soldier Wm Rankin
address of soldier at enlistment and after service, Enlisted in Rawlings Regiment April, 1779. Discharged  July 17, 1779.  Ref. Archives of Md.  Vol. 18, p. 159.
State where enlisted  Frederick. Md. (?)
Date of birth Afterwards moved to Berkeley County, Va.
Date of death which section later on became Morgan Co. W.Va

If unable to furnish company and regiment give names of commanding officers.

Do not have date of birth and death. Will dated May 27, 1815.  Probated Feb. 22. 1830.

Return attached letter with reply.
Winfield Scott
Commissioner
Page 26

State of West Virginia           [ 2 illegible hand
 Charleston                              written letters left
                                                upper corner of 
                                                document]  
George W. Sharp
Secretary of State
May 2, 1927.

Commissioner of Pensions, 
Revolutionary War Section, 
Washington, D.C.

Dear Sir:
Will you kindly inform me whether or not a pension was granted William Rankin, of either Maryland, Pennsylvania or Virginia or West Virginia, as a soldier in the Revolutionary War, and, if so, what a photographic copy of such record will cost. 
Thanking you, I am
Very truly yours,
[Signature]
(Miss) May Harmison,
P.O. Box 1626,
Charleston, W.Va.
                                [Circular stamp with
                                    PENSION
                                   U.  MAY  S.
                                          3
                                       1927
                                      OFFICE ]
Page 27

State of West Virginia
Charleston

March 7, 1927. 

Department of Interior,
Bureau of Pensions.  W
Washington, D. C.

Gentlemen:
Will you kindly advise me whether or not you have any record of an application for pension by William Rankin, of either Mary
land or Virginia.

A reference to his war record during the
Revolution is found in Archives of Maryland
Vol. 18, p. 159.

Thanking you, I am
Very truly yours,
(Miss) May Harmison.
P. O. Box 1626
Charleston. W. Va.

U.S. PENSION OFFICE 
MAR 8 1927

FINANCE DIVISION
MAY 6 1927
BUREAU OF PENSIONS
Page 28

State of West Virginia
Charleston
GEORGE W. SHARP
SECRETARY OF STATE

May 7, 1927.

Mr. Winfield Scott,
Commissioner,
Department of the Interior.
Bureau of Pensions.
Washington, D.C.

Dear Sir:

Thank you for your letter of May 4th.

The given name of the wife of the William Rankin to whom I refer was Rebecca (Rebecca Sutton was her name before marriage.

I do not have the dates of his birth and death; but his Will was signed May 27, 1815, and probated February 22, 1830; so he must have died a few days previous to that date.

A reference found in Archives of Maryland Vol. 18, p. 159, shows the following: William Rankin enlisted in Rawlings Regiment April, 1779. Discharged July 17, 1779.

It is the information of the family that he then lived at Frederick, Maryland. After the war, however, he moved to Berkeley County, Virginia, which section later became Morgan County, West Virginia.

Anything you can do for me in the way of furnishing me information as to his war record will be greatly appreciated.

Yours truly.
(Miss) May Harmison
P.O. Box 1626.
Page 29

OFFICE OF THE COMMISSIONER
MAY 9- 1927
M
U.S. BUREAU OF PENSIONS
Page 30

Rev. & 1812 Wars Section           MMF
IN REPLY REFER TO     3-1865
UNITED STATES
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
BUREAU OF PENSIONS
WASHINGTON

May 4, 1927

Miss May Harmison
P. O. Box 1626
Charleston, West Va.

Madam:

I have to advise you that from the meagre data furnished by you, this Bureau has been unable to identify the William Rankin, subject of your inquiry, as the name appears more than
once on the Revolutionary War records.

Please furnish as much as possible of the following data and a careful search will be made in your behalf: approximate dates of birth and death, places of residence at enlistment
and after service and given name of widow.

Please return all of this correspondence with your reply.
Respectfully,
WINFIELD SCOTT
Commissioner.

OFFICE OF THE COMMISSIONER
MAY 9 - 1927
M
U.S. BUREAU OF PENSIONS
Page 31

REVOLUTIONARY WAR RECORDS SECTION.
3-525

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR,
BUREAU OF PENSIONS.
Washington, D. C., __________, 19______

In reply to your request of ____, received____for 
a statement of the military history of William Rankin a soldier of the REVOLUTIONARY WAR, you will find below the desired information as contained in his (or his widow's) application for pension on file in this Bureau. S 31315

DATES OF ENLISTMENT OR APPOINTMENT.
July 1776

LENGTH OF SERVICE.

RANK. Pvt

OFFICERS UNDER WHOM SERVICE WAS RENDERED.
CAPTAIN. Wm Brady
COLONEL.  Moses Rawlings

STATE. Va.

on Nov. 16 1776 was captured at Fort Washington, paroled in Feb. or Mar 1777. Rejoined  his regt in summer  of 1778 and was discharged at Petersburg at the end of 3 years
from time of enlistment. 

Battles engaged in, see above
Residence of soldier at enlistment, Enlisted in Berkeley Co. Va
Date of application for pension, Nov 22, 1833.  His claim not allowed.
Residence at date of application, Mason Co. Ky
Age at date of application, 74 years

Remarks: he died Apr 12, 1836 leaving children their names and that of his wife are not stated.

Bro. Robt. Rankin on file in ---

Respectfully, 
Commissioner.
Page 32

WASHINGTON
September 17, 1931

BA-J/AWF

Mr. Walter H. Rankins
Augusta
Kentucky.

Dear Sir:

You are advised that it appears from the papers
in the Revolutionary War pension claim, S.31315, that
William Rankins (pensioned Rankin) enlisted in Berkeley County, Virginia in July 1776 and served as a private in Captain William Brady's company, Colonel Moses Rawlings' regiment, on November 16, 1776 he was captured at Fort Washington, paroled in February or March 1777, rejoined his regiment in the summer of 1778, and was discharged at Pittsburgh, having served three years from time of his enlistment.

Not long after the Revolution, he settled in Frederick County, Virginia, from there moved to Mason County,
Kentucky, where he was living when allowed pension pension on his application executed November 22, 1833, and at that time aged about seventy-four years.

He died April 12, 1836, leaving children, their
names are not shown, nor is the name of his wife given.

It is stated that William Rankins brother, Robert
was an officer in the War of the Revolution.

Very truly yours
A. D. HILLER
Assistant to Administrator