Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty Land Warrant Application File S. 8968, for Benjamin Popham, Maryland
Page 1

(3 - 1776)


SERVICE
Md

Popham. Benjamin

NUMBER         
S.8968

Carded

CONTENTS
Page 2


Dead

Paid to Ann Busey one of the 6th Children, at the Treasury under the Act of the 6th April 1838 from 4 Sept. 1837 to 21 Sept 1838 the
day of his death. Agent Notified 19 Dec 1839

Let to Hon. A. Randall June 28 1843
Let. Col. Denver June 21/44
J. L. Franklin. 14th Sept. 1853
to same Jan 13/54

[Page 2]
No 11.487
Maryland
=
Benjamin Popham
of Ann Arundel in the State of Maryland
who was a Private in the company commanded
by Captain Lynn of the Regt. commanded
by Major Oxborough in the Maryland line for 1 year Private $40.00

Inscribed on the Roll of Maryland at the rate of
40 Dollars --- Cents per annum, to commence on the 4th day of March, 1831

Certificate of Pension issued the 11 day of May
1833 and deliv'd. to Pensioner Present
Arrears to the 4th of March 1833              80.00
Semi-anl. allowance ending 4. Sept. 1833 20.00
                                                               $100.00
{ Revolutionary Claim}
 {Act June 7, 1829}

Recorded by D. Brown
Book E          Vol. 5              Page [torn]
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State of Maryland Anne Arundel County
to wit
On this twenty first day of August in the year eighteen hundred and thirty two personally
appeared before the Orphans Court
of said County [] Benjamin Popham a resident of said County aged sixty nine 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 was born
about the  last of October 1763 at Anne Arundel Manor in said County. That he has no
record of his age this information is derived from his father & mother.  That he entered the service of the United States under the following named officers and served as herein stated
He entered in Captain David Lynn's company in the fourth Regiment of the Maryland line which was then commanded by Major Oxborough some time in August or September
1781 while the company was on
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the march against Lord Cornwallis. He resided in this County at the time he entered into service. I had left home as a substitute for Dr. William Murray who had been drafted into service; that he was present during the siege of York Town and at the time of the surrender of Lord Cornwallis; that he was marched with the British prisoners taken at York to Frederick Town. From Frederick Town he was sometime after marched to Annapolis, where he was discharged in the year 1783 after the March; that he received a written discharge from General Smallwood as he believes but he does not know what has become of it; that he has ever since then resided and now resides in Anne Arundel County; that he is known to Doctor William Murray and William O’Hara and Doctor Martin Fenwick and Major Osborn S. Harwood of West River in Anne Arundel County and Virgil Marcy the Solicitor of the Treasury at Washington
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and he believes those gentlemen can testify as to his character for veracity & their belief of his service as a soldier of the Revolution.
He hereby relinquishes every claim whatever to a pension or annuity except the present and declares that his name is not on the pension roll of any other than that of the State of Maryland.
Sworn to and subscribed on the day and year aforesaid.
Benjamin (his x mark) Popham
We Robert Welch of [illegible] residing in Anne Arundel County and Gassovey Winterson residing in said County hereby certify that we are well acquainted with Benjamin Popham who has subscribed and sworn to the above
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Declaration, that we believe him to be about sixty nine years of age that he is reputed and believed in the neighborhood where he resides to have been a soldier of the revolution and that we concur in that opinion. Sworn to and subscribed on the 21st day of August 1832 by

R WelschofBen
Gassovay Winterson
And the said Court do hereby declare their opinion after the investigation of the matter and after putting the Interogations prescribed by the War Department that the before naed Benjamin Popham was a revolutionary soldier and served as he states. And the Court further cerfities that it appears to them that Robert Welch of Ren[or Ben] and Gassaway Winterson reside in Anne Arundel County and are credible persons and that their statement is entitled to Credit.
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and further that it would be very inconvenient in their opinion for the applicant to produce the clergyman of the neighborhood before the court.

Gideon White
Tho H Dorsey

I Thomas T Timmons Register of Wills of Anne Arundel County and as such the register or clerk of the Orphans court of said county do hereby certify that the foregoing contains the original proceedings of said court in the matter of the application of Benjamin Popham for a pension.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal of the said court this 21st day of August 1832.

Thomas T Simmons - Reg of Wills
A.A. County
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Know all men by these presents that we Benjamin Popham the son Elizabeth Margaret Popham, now Elizabeth Margaret Holland and Edward Holland husband of said Elizabeth Margaret being the children, and George Washington Popham, William Henry Popham and Sarah Ellen Popham, now Sarah Ellen Butts, and the said Ivan Butts husband of the said Sarah Ellen the grandchildren of Benjamin Popham- deceased all of Anne Arundel County in the State of Maryland, do hereby make, constitute and appoint James S. Franklin of the City of Annapolis to be our true and lawful Attorney to apply for and receive in our name any pension and arrears of pension which may be now due them from the United States as the representatives of the said Benjamin deceased for the services of the said Benjamin, and do hereby authorize and empower him to grant any power of attorney to such person as he thinks proper, and to do all other acting in our name [illegible] for the necessary for the [illegible] of such pension.  In testimony whereof we have hereunto set our hands and seals this twenty third day of March in the year of our Lord Eighteen hundred and fifty three

Benjamin (his mark) Popham   (Seal)

Witness Wm Glover
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Anne Arundel County, to wit

Be it remembered and it is hereby certified that on the twenty fifth day of April in the year of our Lord eighteen hundred and ninety three, before the subscriber, a Justice of the Peace of the State of Maryland, in and for the county aforesaid, personally appeared Benjamin Popham, William Henry Popham, George Washington Popham, Edward Holland, Elizabeth Holland, Sarah Ellen Butts, John Butts, whose names and marks are signed to the above deed, and acknowledged the same to be their act and deed.

J. W. Hunter
Justice of the Peace
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I do hereby certify that James W. Hunter, Esq., before whom the annexed acknowledgment appears to have been taken, was at the time thereof a Justice of the Peace of the State of Maryland, in and for Anne Arundel County, duly commissioned and sworn.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand and affixed the seal of said county this … day of ...

[Signature illegible]
Clerk of the Court
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State of Maryland, Anne Arundel County, to wit

On this twelfth day of September in the year eighteen hundred and fifty three, before the subscriber, a Justice of the Peace of the State of Maryland, in and for the county aforesaid, personally appeared Richard Crandell and Augustin Smith, and made oath in due form of law, that they well knew Benjamin Popham, deceased, late of the United States; that the said Benjamin Popham died on or about the last week of September in the year eighteen hundred and forty eight; and that Benjamin Popham, Elizabeth Holland, Sarah Ellen Butts, George Washington Popham, William Henry Popham, and John Butts are the children and legal heirs of the said Benjamin Popham, deceased.

And that they are the only persons entitled to receive the arrears of pension due the said Benjamin Popham, deceased.

Sworn before me
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State of Maryland Anne Arundel County Court

I hereby Certify that William F Hause
Esquire before whom the deposition appears to have
been made was at the time of so doing one of the State of
Marylands Justices of the peace and for Anne Arundel County
duly Elected Commissioned and Sworn

InTestimony whereof I hereto set my name
and affix the seal of the Circuit Court
for Anne Arundel County this tenth day
of January Eighteen hundred and fifty
four.
N H. Green Clk Circuit
Court for A A County
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Treasury Department,
Second Comptroller's Officer,
Nov: 27, 1839,
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," Ann Busey me of six Ailo of Benj: popham, deed.
a Pensioner on the roll of the Maryland Agency, at the rate of Forty Dollars and --------- Cents per annum, under the law of the 7th June 1832, has 
1/6 of paid pension
been paid at this Department, from the 4th of Sept. 1837, to the 21st Sept. 1838, the day of his acath
Respectfully, yours
Albion K. Parris
Comptroller.
To the Commissioner of Pensions,
Present
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July 29, 1853

Appl of the heirs
of Benjamin
Popham, decd
Maryland

J. L. Franklin
Annapolis
MD

Department of the Interior
Pension Office, Official Business
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The Commissioner of Pensions
Washington D.C.

FREE
ANNAPOLIS MD Mail Stamp - Jan 10

Benjm Popham 
Md @ 32
Page 16

Annapolis Mail Stamp - Aug 29

FREE

To
The Commissioner of Pensions
Washington D.C.
Page 17

FREE

Annapolis MD Mail Stamp - 

Commissioner of Pensions
Washington, D.C.
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8968
Rev War
INVALID

File No 8968
Benjamin Popham
Pri Rev War

Act June 7th, '32
Index Vol [Illegible] Page 299

[Arrangement of 1870.]
Page 19

Land Office, Annapolis, September 5th 1832

I certify that it appears upon the list of men entitled for the Maryland line 1780, remaining in this office, that the name of Benjamin Popham appears upon said list as having enlisted for the term of three years — and I further certify that in the margin of remarks opposite said Benjamin Popham is the following entry, “Discharged by Capt. G. Lynn in Philadelphia.”

George G. Brewer
Reg’r of the Land Office of Md.
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Annapolis, May 10th 1834

To the Commissioner of Pensions,
Sir,

I send the enclosed affidavits in the claim of the heirs of Benjamin Popham for any balance of pension due him. If you should see any reason for it, please instruct me to take a step or steps in a direction convenient & charge them nothing for my services.

Please let me know whether any thing more can be got for them.

Very respectfully,
J. L. Franklin
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Rec'd Sep 1st '53
Adm
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Annapolis, August 29th 1833

To the Commr. of Pensions,
Sir,

Several months ago I forwarded to your department a power of attorney from the heirs of Benjamin Popham, deceased, in order to receive any balance of pension due him as a soldier in the Revolution.

There must have been a balance due as a Mrs. Stewart of this place is known to have received something in that way. She may have received the whole — I am ignorant of that fact. If so, please let me know, or if any representation has been made that she was the only legal heir, it is so far from the truth as forgery or perjury must have been used to make it appear so.

Please let me know on this, as I assure it is gratis, the parties being very destitute.

Very respectfully,
J. L. Franklin
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Annapolis, July 20th 1833

Commissioner of Pensions,
Dear Sir,

I send enclosed a power of attorney authorizing me to receive any pension due the within named parties. This is to prevent confusion.

The only representative of Mrs. Stewart has received any thing is Mrs. Stewart herself. The others are equally entitled. They are very poor & I charge them nothing for my services, and if any thing can be got for them please inform me.

Very respectfully,
J. L. Franklin
Annapolis, Md.
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Annapolis, 22d of June 1835

To James L. Edwards,
Commissioner of Pensions

Sir,

My only purpose in writing is to ask whether any thing further is necessary to enable me to receive the arrears of pension due to the heirs of Benjamin Popham, deceased.

May I expect a reply stating if any thing is wanting on their part to entitle them to receive it?

I am respectfully yours,
C. R. Randall
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1782 One Yr
$40 per ann

Pensioner Present
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District of Columbia Washington County to wit

On this 11th day of May 1833 before me the subscriber a Justice of the Peace in and for the county and district aforesaid appears John Taylor and makes oath on the Holy Evangely of Almighty God that Benjamin Popham was a soldier in Revolutionary Army & to his own knowledge was at the siege of York where the British under Lord Cornwallis surrendered to the American Forces under Gen Washington.

Will Hebb

I hereby certify that I am well acquainted with John Taylor & I believe him to be a man in whose testimony confidence may be placed.

William O'Hara
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War Department
Pension Office
October 6, 1832

Sir

The papers in the case of Benjamin Popham are herewith returned. He alleges that he entered the army in August or September 1781; but the rolls show that he did not enlist until the year 1782. It is important to know at what particular period he entered the service because the amount of his stipend will depend upon the duration of his service. The rolls do not show at what period in 1781 he enlisted. Hence the burden of proof on this particular point must rest upon evidence which he may be able to obtain other than the public records. HIs statement must be regarded as incorrect so far as it is contradicted by the rolls.

I have the honor to be
your obt Servant

J L Edwards

Virgil Maxey Esq
Solicitor
Treas. Dept.
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FREE

To the Hon
 J.L. Edwards
Comm of Pensions
Washington D.C.

ANNAPOLIS MD Mail Stamp

June 20, '44
col MD
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Annapolis June 18, 1844

Hon Sir

I take the liberty to address a few lines to you in relation to my wife's father whose name was Benjamin Popham who was placed on the pension list of the United States at the rate of $96-00 per year and died within the few years past and leaving a balance of pay due him up to this death which has not been drawn and further previous to his death he made a will and willed all his property to my wife real and personal to which I send you a copy of the will for your examination and want you to inform me whether my wife is entitled to the whole of the balance of pay that is due her father or whether she is entitled to a child's part or not under the present laws of Marylan. She could inherit everything that he possessed at the time of his death.

By your early atention to this letter you will very much oblige your very humble servant.

Edwd Denver

J L Edwards Esq
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E Denver
June 21/44
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Land Office, Annapolis, Sept 5th 1832

Sir

Yours of the 1st Inst was received in reply) I have to inform you that I find the name of Benjamin Popham upon a roll or list of men recruited for the Maryland line in 1782 - this list has lately been found among the papers of the late auditor's office of this state and deposited in this office - I herewith send you a certificate; it appears that he was recruited by Capt. David Lynn as he states in his declaration. I herewith return his declaration.

I am very respectfully
your obt servant

George G. Brewer

J L Edwards Esq
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Tulip Hill Dec 4, 1832

r. Popham

I wished to have seen you to explain to you what you must do to get your pension  but as you have not been to see me, I send you the letter which Mr. Edwards who has charge of such matters at Washington wrote me which will tell you what more you must do. I send also your papers that you may have them all together.

Your Friend

V Maxey