Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty Land Warrant Application File S. 16,285, Zebediah Ward, New Jersey
Page 1

(3-1776)

SERVICE      New Jersey

Ward, Zebediah
Franconi, Harriet.
Former Widow

NUMBER    S. 16.285
B. L. WT. 108974-160-55

CONTENTS
Page 2

324.831  ACT Mar. 3rd. 1855
Apl. 5th 1869

108974   Jpa.  Oct.  28/69

Harriet Franconi {former wid. of
Zebadiah Ward
Private & Sergt
Capt. Myers Co.
Two Years Served

Col Ogden        New Jersey

Revolutionary War

Allowed 160 acres

Oct 27, 1869.

W E Track
cps

Thos. M. Brown
New Albany
Floyd Co.
Ind.
Page 3

[two pages from a ledger-like record book with a left and right pages]

[left page]

1864  October. 24. allowed

Harriet Franconi for. widow of Z. Ward   Ibo aery

Fran Not Widow
Not allowed
Now wid.
1869  Dec 7.  claim of widow
rejected: 

Died  Jan 10  1837


[right page]

3302
Indiana

Zebediah Ward
of Clark _ in the State of Indiana
who was a Pt & Segt in the compy. commanded
by Captain Myers of the Regt commanded
by Col. Ogden in the N.J. [crossed out 'Conn']
line for 2 years from 1775

Inscribed on the Roll of Indiana
at the rate of 100 -- Dollars  -- Cents per annum, to commence on the 4th day of March, 1831.

Certificate of Pension issued the 18th. day of Decbr 32  and Sent to Hon. J. Carr. House of Reps.

Arrears to 4th of Sept  1832                    150 --
Semi=anl. allowance ending 4 Mar: 33   50 --
$200. --

{Revolutionary Claim, Act June 7, 1832.}

ecorded by Nathan Rice - Clerk 
ook D Vol. 9 Page 199
Page 4

State of Indiana.
Clark County }.  Clark Circuit Court October Term 1832   Be it remembered that on the 26th day of October 1832 personally appeared in open Court, before the Honorable John Ross presiding Judge of our said Court and John Carr associate Judge of said Court now sitting Zebediah Ward a Citizen of the said County of Clark and Seventy six years who being duly sworn according to law doth on his Oath make the following declaration in order to obtain the benefit of an act of Congress, passed June the 7th 1832.  That in December 14th. 1775 he enlisted in the service of the United States for one year with Capt. Henry Myers, Isaac Marison Lieutenant, & Colo. Jonathan Ogden of the New Jersey troops and was appointed Sergeant to the company --  that they marched to New York and thence up the North River, was dismissed the 14h Der. 1776 at Newark - that in the said month of December he volunteered as a ranger in the New Jersey Militia: for for four months under Major Samuel Hays, Capt Elijah Squire & Lieutenant Abraham Ludlum and was Stationed at Ash Swamp to watch the british who then lay at Amboy, that during that tour they had frequent Sckirmeges with the enemy, at the end of the four months he was called into the militia Service under Capt. John Peck belonging to Jacamiah Smiths Regiment and were stationed in the lines from Woodbridge to Tappan bay he was in a battle at Elizabeth town point and in the Battle of Connecticut farms and Springfield in New Jersey.  that he continued in the service until November 1778 making about two years & Eight months service up to that time.  In December 1779 he enlisted again and put under the Command Peter Gordon forage master General and served until the year 1780 when he was dismissed. that he never had any written discharge, that he was well acquainted with the Officer, named in this declaration   He further states that he relinquishes every claim whatever to a pension or annuity except the present, and
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declares that his name is not on the pension list roll of the agency of any State-- That he was born on the State of New Jersey in the County of Essex in the month of December 1755, that he has no record evidence of his age that when called into the service at the several times mentioned he lived in the State of New Jersey- that in the year 1800 he moved to the State of New York and resided there about twelve years from New York he removed to the State of Indiana where he has lived ever Since to the present time.   Resides the Officers named herein he knew Colo. Oliver Spencer of the 1st. Jersey Regiment, Capt Samuel Darby   Capt Isaac Morrison Capt Nealle of the Artillery  Lieut. John N Cummins, Capt Jonas Ward-- that he knows of no person whose testimony be procure to prove his services and that he is known Mr. John Lester & George Durment who reside in his neighbourhood and certify to his Character for truth and veracity and their belief of his Services as a soldier of the Revolution

 Sworn to and subscribed in Open Court the day year first within 
Zebediah Ward


[writing vertically oriented going from top to bottom of page along lower right edge of page, as follows:]   Z. Ward
Page 6

Declaration in order to obtain the benefit of the Act of Congress of Feby 3, 1853, 2d Sec. 

State of Indiana }
County of Floyd  } SS. 
On this tenth day of November in the year of our Lord, 1869, before the Clerk of the Floyd Circuit Court, which is a Court of record in and for the said County, personally affeared Mrs Harriet Franconi, a resident of the City of New Albany in the County of Floyd and State of Indiana, aged sixty seven (67) years, who being first duly sworn according to law, doth on her oath make the following declaration in order to obtain the benefit of the provision made by the Act of Congress approved February 3d 1853, that she resides on upper Fifth Sheet, No number to house, between Sycamore and Oak Streets in said City of New Albany and that the same is also her post office address, and that she is the widow of Zebediah Ward deceased, who was a Private in Captain Myers Company of New Jersey Militia in the war of the Revolution and her best recollection is that the said
Page 7

Zebadiah Ward was a Pensioner of the United States under the Act of the 7th June 1832,

She further declares that she has married to the said Zebediah Ward at the County of Harrison and State of Indiana on the 16th day of July AD 1828 by one Hays McCallen, a Justice of the peace, and that her maiden name was Harriet Jones, that her husband, the said Zebediah Ward died at Clark County in said State of Indiana in the month of August 1837.  She thinks on the 13th of said month;  that she was afterwards married to Lewis Franconi at Clark County Indiana on the 18th day of April 1838, who died in the State of Kentucky in the fall, she thinks of the year 1853.  that since then she has remained and still remains a widow, as will more fully affear by the proofs that she will furnish and she hereby afflies for a pension under the 2d section of the Act of Congress of February 3d 1853, and she appoints Thomas M Brown of New Albany Indiana as her attorney
Page 8

to prosecute her claim and procure for her her Pension Certificate.  She has always been loyal to the Government of the United States and nover in any manner whatever aided or abetted the late rebellion __
Harriet   X   Franconi       her mark

In presence of Josiah Grim, Wm F. Tuley

We Harriet C Brown and William H Robertson on our oaths declare that we are both residents of New Albany in the County of Floyd and State of Indiana, and that the foregoing declaration of Mrs Harriet Franconi was signed by her by her mark in our presence, and that we are both well and personally acquainted with her and we believe from her appearance, statements and our acquaintance with her that She is the identical person she represents herself to be, and we have no interest in any manner in the prosecution or result of this claim __ 
Harriet C Brown 
WH Robertson 

The foregoing declaration of Harriet Franconi and the accompanying
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affidavits of Harriet C Brown and William H. Robertson were severally subscribed and sworn to by them before me on the day and year first above written, after I had carefully read over and explained the Same to said declarant and said witnesses so that they understood the same, and I further certify that the claimant is the identical person she represents herself to be, that both of said affiants are credible and respectable persons, and that said declarant is a loyal woman and has always been regarded as such, and I have no interest in any manner in the prosecution or result of this claim- 

Given under my hand and the Seal of Said Court at the Court House in New Albany. 
W, W, Tuley, Clerk 

[remnants of circular, sunburst seal in lower left of page]
Page 10

Bounty Land Claim
Act March 3d 1855
of
Harriet Franconi, the 
widow of Zebadiah Ward
a soldier of the Revolutionary War

324.831

[oblong stamp in center of page having the following printing in it:] DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR PENSION OFFICE   APR  __  1869

Sent Circular
Oct 6 1869

Thomas M. Brown
New Albany
Indiana
Claimants Atty __
Page 11

324.831 
State of Indiana }
County of Floyd} SS,    Be it remembered that on this the twenty Seventh day of March AD one thousand eight hundred and sixty nine personally appeared before me, a Notary Public in and for the County and State aforesaid, duly authorized to administer oaths for general purposes, Harriet Franconi, aged sixty seven years, who being duly sworn according to law declares that she resides on Upper Fifth Street been Upper High and Water Streets in the City of New Albany, Floyd County, Indiana, and that New Albany, Indiana is her Post office address, that she is the widow of Zebadiah Ward, deceased, who was a Soldier in the Revolutionary War, and who drew a revolutionary Pension under the act of Congress passed June 7th 1832, and who continued in actual Service in said War in the line of his duty for more than fourteen days and was honorably discharged, as this pension proofs will show.   She further States that she was married to the said Zebediah Ward in Harrison County and State of Indiana on July 16th 1828, by Hayes McCallen, a Justice of the Peace of said County and a public record of said marriage exists, she thinks, and she is now a widow: that her said husband died on the forgotten day of August, Eighteen Hundred & thirty seven at Clark County, Indiana and after his death she married Louis Franconi at Clark County Indiana on the eighteenth day of April 1838, who died about fifteen years ago in the State of Kentucky - Her maiden name was Harriet Jones-- and she has never married again since the death of said Louis Franconi, She makes this declaration for the purpose of obtaining the Bounty land to which she may be
Page 12

entitled under the Act of Congress approved March 3d 1855.   She further states that she has never before received any land warrant and she is very sure that she has never before applied for any land Warrant under this or any other Act of Congress.   She thinks that she signed papers for a pension once through an Attorney named Gleason F. Lewis of Cleveland Ohio, but she never heard from him afterwards. She hereby appoints Thomas M. Brown of New Albany, Indiana, her attorney to prosecute her claim and procure for her, her warrant, 
Attest Harriet   X   Her Mark Franconi 
James A. Wilson, Chas L Hoover 

We Sarah A McDonald and Mary Sloan on our oaths declare that we are residents of Clark County State of Indiana and that the foregoing declaration of Harriet Franconi was signed sworn to and acknowledged by her in our presence, with whom we are both well and personally acquainted, and we know that she is now unmarried, and that she is the widow of Zebediah Ward deceased who was formerly a Government Pensioner for services in the Revolutionary war, and who has been dead about thirty two years, for we were at his funeral in Clark County, Indiana, and we know also that said claimant after his death was married to Louis Franconi, who died in the State of Kentucky, for the reason that it was so reported fifteen years ago, and he has never been heard of since   that claimant resides as stated by her, and we believe and know from her appearance, Statements and our acquaintance with her that she is the identical
Page 13

person she represents herself to be, and we have no interest in any manner in the prosecution or result of her claim- 
Sarah A McDonald 
Mary Slone 

The foregoing declaration of Harriet Franconi and the accompanying affidavits of Sarah A McDonald and Mary Sloan were all severally subscribed and sworn to by the said affiants, before me on the day and year above written after I had lawfully read over and & explained the same to claimant and her witnesses before they signed the Same, and I further certify that I know the said affiants be credible and respectable persons:  that the claimant is the person she represents herself to be, and I have no interest in any manner in the prosecution or the result of this claim. Witness my hand and Seal 
Thomas G Jackson 
Notary Public 


State of Indiana, Floyd County, Sct:  
I, William W. Tuley, Clerk of the Floyd Circuit Court, hereby certify, that Thomas G. Jackson Esq, before whom the foregoing Declaration & affidavits were made and whose genuine signature is thereto affixed, is a Notary Public in and for said County and State, and that all his official acts are entitled to full faith and credit Witness, my hand and the seal of said Court affixed at New Albany, this 31st day of March, 1869. 
Mr
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State of Indiana, Floyd County, Sct: 
I, William W. Tuley, Clerk of the Floyd Circuit Court, hereby certify, that Thomas G. Jackson Esq,  before whom the foregoing Declaration & affidavits were made and whose genuine signature is thereto affixed, is a Notary Public in and for said County and State and that all his official acts are entitled to full faith and credit. Witness my hand and the seal of said Court affixed at New Albany, this 31st day of March M. July 1869. 
W.W. Tuley, Clerk
Page 15

November 5, 1937

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

BA-J/EEL
Zebediah Ward-S.16285

Miss Lydia Campbell 
417 East Riverside Drive 
Jeffersonville, Indiana 

Dear Madam:  

Reference is made to your letter in which you request the Revolutionary War record of Zebediah Ward, who served in the Connecticut troops and received pension in 1832, while living in Clark County, Indiana. 

The data which follow were obtained from the papers on file in Revolutionary War pension claim, S.16285, based upon the military service in that war of Zebediah Ward. He served in the New Jersey troops and was erroneously listed in report of the Secretary of War, printed in 1855, as of Connecticut.  

Zebediah Ward was born in Essex County, New Jersey, in December, 1755. The names of his parents are not shown. 

Zebediah Ward enlisted in the state of New Jersey in December, 1775, was appointed sergeant and served in Captain Myers' (probably meant for McMyers or McMires) Company, Colonel Ogden's New Jersey Regiment, went to New York and was discharged December 14, 1776; he reenlisted in same month, and served four months as a ranger in Captain Elijah Squires' Company, under Major Samuel in Hayes in the New Jersey troops and was in a number of skirmishes with the enemy:  at the termination of this tour, he enlisted in Captain John Peck's Company, Colonel Jeremiah Smith's New Jersey Regiment and served until in November, 1778:  he enlisted in December , 1778 and was placed under the command of Peter Gordon, Forage Master General, and served until sometime in 1780. He stated that he was in the battles of Elizabethtown Point, Connecticut Farms and Springfield. 

In 1800, he moved to New York, where he resided about twelve years, then moved to Indiana Territory. 

He was allowed pension on his application executed October 26, 1832, while living in Clark County, Indiana. 


[hand written note in right margin of this type-written letter, as follows:]  Sol. said Capt Henry Myers & Col. Jonathan Ogden  -- there was no such Col. & no Capt Henry Myers under any spelling.  Capt Andrew McMires or McMyers served as Capt in Col Mathis Ogden's N.J. so I omitted Christian names   I identified other officers
Page 16

Zebediah Ward died in Clark County, Indiana, January 10, 1837, as shown by an official notation, or August 13, 1837, as stated by his widow. 

The soldier married July 16, 1828, in Harrison County, Indiana, Harriet Jones. Their marriage was recorded on the records of said Harrison County. After the death of Zebediah Ward, his widow, Harriet, married April 18, 1838, in Clark County, Indiana, Lewis Franconi, who died in the fall of 1853, in Kentucky. There are no further data in regard to Lewis Franconi.

In 1869, Harriet Franconi was living on Upper 5" Street, New Albany, Indiana and gave her age as sixty-seven years. No reference was made to a former marriage of the soldier and no names of any children are shown 

Very truly yours 

A. D. HILLER 
Executive Assistant to the Administrator,
Page 17

Z Wards
declaration

from 1775 private & Sergeant two years
$100.
Page 18

We John Lister and George Derment residing in the County of Clark and State of Indiana hereby certify that we are well acquainted with Zebediah Ward who has Subscribed and Sworn to the foregoing declaration that we believe him to be Seventy six years old, that he is reputed and believed in his neighborhood where he resides to have been a soldier of the revolution and that we concur in that opinion 
John Lister
George Derment
Sworn & Subcribed to in Open Court the day last of ___

And the said Court do hereby declare their opinion after the investigation of the matter and after putting the interogatories 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 John Lister and George Derment who have signed the proceeding Certificate are residents in the said County of Clark and are Credible persons and that their statement is entitled to Credit

I Henry Harrod Clerk of the Circuit Court of Clark County do hereby Certify that the foregoing contains the original proceedings of the said Court in the matter of the application of Zebediah Ward for a Pension 
In Testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand  & Seal of Office this 26th day of October 1832 
Test Henry Harrod Clk
Page 19

Pension Declaration
2d Section Act Feby 3d 1853 of
Harriet Franconi
widow of Zebediah Ward, private 
Captain Myers Company.  War of the Revolution.

Thomas M. Brown
New Albany
Indiana


[two oblong stamps on page that appear to have printing inside each with words 'PENSION DEPARTMENT' along with other unreadable words]
Page 20

Department of the Interior.
PENSION OFFICE.
Washington, D.C.  Dec. 1  1869

Sir:
In the claim of Mrs. Harriet Franconi for Pension
as the former Widow of Zebediah Ward. I have to inform you that the claim cannot be allowed under present law.  She having remarried since the death of the soldier.  She was entitled to the land warrant recently allowed her but not to a Pension. 

Reaspectfully,

Commissioner.

Thomas M Brown
New Albany
Indiana
Page 21

Additional evidence in file 
No 324.831.  Bounty Land
Claim of Harriet Franconi
widow of Zebediah Ward deceased


Proof of marriage as by Circular D



Thos M Brown, Atty
New Albany
Indiana
Page 22

State of Indiana, }
Harrison County, } ss   I, Benjamin P. Douglass Clerk of the Harrison Circuit Court in and for said County do hereby certify, that I have carefully examined the Register of Marriage Licences for said County and find that a License to marry was duly issued to Zebediah Ward and Harriet Jones on July 16th 1828, and that the following entry appears in the Column for recording Certificates of Marriage, opposite the same & Solemnized on the 16th July 1828, by Hays McCallen, Justice of the Peace for Harrison County, and that I have made dilligent search for the Original return in the place where  the same was most likely to be found and cannot find the same, 
Witness my hand and the seal of said Court, at Office, in Corydon this 13" day of October AD 1869 
B. P. Douglass Clerk,
Page 23

324.831

Zebediah Ward
Page 24

ACT OF MARCH 3, 1855. 
(CIRCULAR D.) 
Department of the Interior, 
PENSION OFFICE.
186 
SIR:
All applications by widows for bounty land under the act of March 3, 1855, must be supported by satisfactory proof of the marriage of the claimant to the soldier on account of whose services her claim made of his death; and that the claimant at the time of making her application was a widow --- i.e., unmarried . 

If the marriage was in any State or country where any public records of marriages are kept, it should be proved by a duly certified copy of the record; or, if there is no such record, by the testimony of credible witnesses who were present at the marriage; and where such testimony exists and is not produced, satisfactory reasons must be stated, under oath, why it is not produced. If it is shown by affidavit that no record evidence or testimony of eye-witnesses can be procured, the claimant may then produce the best evidence in her power; such as the testimony of witnesses who were acquainted with her and her husband during his lifetime: knew them to live together as man and wife, and that they were reputed so to be; and that the fact that of there having been married was never called into question by their acquaintances. 

In no case will the mere statement of the witnesses that the claimant is the widow of the deceased be taken as evidence of the marriage; but the witnesses must state the facts and circumstances from which they derive their knowledge or opinion that she is the widow of the deceased. 

Witnesses to prove the death of the soldier must state their means of knowledge concerning it, and, as nearly as they can, the time and place of its occurrence. 

The evidence to prove the existing widowhood of the claimant must be direct, and the statement of witnesses that the claimant is the party she represents herself to be will not be received as satisfactory proofs of widowhood. 

The application of Harriet Franconi , as widow of Zebediah Ward deceased, No. 324.831 is suspended for proof of Marriage with deceased soldiers according to the foregoing instructions.  Respectfully, &c..
H. Van Aernam
Chris: C. Cove. 
Commissioner.

WET. Rq.
Page 25

Addl Evidence in Bounty Land claim No  324.831 of widow of Zebediah Ward

Thos M Brown
New Albany
Inda.

W

B.S.L. [crossed out]
WET R9
Wil
W.P.C.
118

[oblong date-received stamp in center of page with indistinct printing along inner border -probably DEPARTMENT OF INTERIOR PENSION OFFICE -and with date OCT 21 1869 printed in center]

Should go to Trask  [underlined]

[address on letter written vertically from top to bottom of page, as follows:]
official business

Commissioner of Pensions
Washington City
D Columbia

[round postmark stamp with printing inside, as follows:] NEW ALBANY IND.  OCT 18
Page 26

Bounty Land Claim:  Act March 3d 1855 of Harriet Franconi;  widow of Zebediah Ward, a Rev'y soldier,
Thomas M Brown
New Albany
Indiana.
324.831

[letter address written vertically from top to bottom of page, as follows:]
Official business

Commissioner of Pensions
Washington
D Columbia

[round postmark stamp with printing inside, as follows:]  NEW ALBANY IND.  APR 1


[oblong date-received stamp with printing inside, as follows:] PARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR    ON OFFICE.   APR  3  1869
Page 27

108974

160 as
Page 28

INVALID.
16.285

File No.  16.285
Zebediah Ward
Sergt.  Revy War

Act:  June 7". 32

Index: -- Vol. 1 ,  Page 393 --

[Arrangement of 1870.]


1937 - Nov 5 - Hist to Miss Lydia Campbell. EL
Page 29

Lydia Campbell 
417 East Riverside Drive 
JEFFERSONVILLE, INDIANA 

OCTOBER 16, 1937

VETERANS ADMINISTRATION 
Washington, D. C. 

Gentlemen: 

As Registrar of Ann Rogers Clark Chapter, Daughters of the American Revolution, Jeffersonville, Indiana, I am interested in obtaining the Revolutionary War record of ZEBEDIAH WARD 
private, who served in Connecticut Militia, -- pensioned 1832 Clark County, Indiana.  NNJ

Thanking you for any information you may be able to furnish me on this subject, I am, 
Yours very truly, 
Lydia Campbell Registrar, 
ANN ROGERS CLARK CHAPTER DAUGHTERS OF THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION Jeffersonville, Indiana 


[round date and time-received stamp on bottom of page with clock face on inner edge of stamp border and printing inside it, as follows:]  OCT 18   1937   MAIL SUB. DIV. VETS  ADM READER  30