Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty Land Warrant Application File [BLANK], Margaret Corbin, [BLANK]
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SERVICE  Robin Margaret  NUMBER 
This is not a pension claims and is not to be considered as such, but as it has been twice inquired about and there is such correspondence in regard to her I have filed it for the sake of convenience in reference and searching.
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aws. [handwritten upper right corner]
Rev. and 1812
War Section.

July 28, 1925
E. H. Hall,
Old Tribune Bldg
154 Nassau St
New York City
Sir:
I have to advise you, that there are no papers
on file in this Bureau relative to the half pay
granted to Margaret Corbin, under the Resolution of the Continental Congress, dated July 6, 1779.
The papers in such claims do not comprise a
part of the records of this Bureau.
The records of pensions granted prior to 1814
are incomplete, owing to the destruction of papers when the British burned Washington in that year.
The grant to Mrs. Corbin is recorded in the
Journals of the Continental Congress, Volume 14, page 805.
Respectfully,
WINFIELD SCOTT
Commissioner.
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See Magazine Article
giving history of 
Margaret Corbin
in pension claim
Deborah Gannett
[illegible]
Mass S32722
Page 4


A National Society for the protection of Natural Scenery, the Preservation of historic Landmarks and the Improvement of Cities - Incorporated in 1895
Founded by Andrew H. Green
Officers
Late Honorary President
J. PIERPONT MORGAN, LL. D.
Honorary President
MRS. EDWARD H. HARRIMAN
President
GEORGE F. KUNZ, A.M., Sc.D.
Vice-Presidents
COL. HENRY W. SACKETT
REGINALD PELHAM BOLTON
HENRY HARPER BENEDICT, LL. D.
REUBEN LESLIE MAYNARD
Counsel
REUBEN LESLIE MAYNARD
141 Broadway
Treasurer
CAPT. N. TAYLOR PHILLIPS
51 Chambers Street
Secretary
EDW'D HAGAMAN HALL, L. H. D.
Old Tribune Building
154 Nassau Street
Trustees
EDWARD D. ADAMS, LL. D.
PROF. LIBERTY H. BAILEY
HENRY HARPER BENEDICT, LL. D.
REGINALD PELHAM BOLTON
D. BRYSON DELAVAN, M. D.
ALGERNON S. FRISSELL
FREDERICK A. EMERICK
NATHAN W. GREEN, M.D.
HENRY E. GREGORY
CHAUNCEY J. HAMLIN
WOLCOTT J. HUMPHREY
HON. THOMAS P. KINGSFORD
GEORGE F. KUNZ, A.M., Sc.D.
EDWARD H. LETCHWORTH
OGDEN P. LETCHWORTH
REUBEN LESLIE MAYNARD
MAJ. BARRINGTON MOORE
HON. ADELBERT MOOT
EDWARD L. PARTRIDGE, M.D.
GEORGE W. PERKINS, JR.
CAPT. N. TAYLOR PHILLIPS
HON. CORNELIUS A. PUGSLEY
HON. HARVEY F. REMINGTON
COL. HENRY W. SACKETT
COL. WALTER SCOTT
HON. ELLIS J. STALEY
HON. STEPHEN H. THAYER
MRS. JOHN BOYD THACHER
HON. ROBERT H. TREMAN
ALBERT ULMANN
COL. JOHN W. VROOMAN
HON. JOSEPH A. WARREN
ALEXANDER McMILLAN WELCH
HON. J. DUPRATT WHITE
FREDERICK G. ZINSSER, PH.D.
The American
Scenic and historic Preservation Society
Old Tribune Building, No. 154 Nassau Street
New York City 22 July, 1925
Commissioner of Pensions,
Washington, D. C.
Dear Sir:
Margaret Corbin (widow of John Corbin, who was killed at the battle of Fort Washington on Manhattan Island Nov. 16, 1776) was pensioned by the State of Pennsylvania
(see page 948, volume iii, Pennsylvania Archives, Fifth Series).
By act of Sept. 29, 1789, Congress ordered that the payment of pensions which had been granted by the states respectively to invalids who were wounded in the Revolutionary
War should be continued and paid by the United States from March 4, 1789.
She appears to have lived after the war at Highland Falls, (near West Point, N. Y., where she was known as Capt. Molly, and to have drawn her "hospital stores" from West Point, as shown by the letter-book of William Price,
Dep. Com. Military Stores.
Have you the record of the pensioning of Margaret Corbin or " Captain Molly" by the United States? If so, we will make the necessary remittance upon receipt of
your advice.
 
Yours truly,
E Hall
Secretary.
S
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Rev. & 1812 Wars Section.
Sir:
February 12, 1925.
A. H. Van Buren
262 Washington Ave.
Kingston, N. Y.
I have to advise you, that there are no papers on file in this Bureau relative to the half pay granted to Margaret Corbin under the Resolution of the Continental Congress, dated July 8, 1779.
The papers in such claims do not comprise a part of the records of this Bureau.
The records of pensions granted prior to 1814 are incomplete, owing to the destruction of papers when the British burned Washington in that year.
The grant to Mrs Corbin is recorded in the Journals of the Continental Congress, Volume 14, page 805.
Respectfully,
Hays Haymaker
Acting Commissioner.
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Kingston, N. Y. Feb. 11, 1925.
262 Washington Ave.
U. S. Pension Bureau
Gentlemen.
I am informed that on July 6, 1779,
the Continental Congress granted a pension the Margaret Corbin, wife of John Corbin, and whose maiden name was Cochran.
If so will you have the kindness to send me
a copy of such resolution, of the certificate,
and whatever data you have concerning the matter,
This is said to have been the first pension granted to a woman by the United States.
Yours truly
A. H. Van Buren 
A. H. Van Buren.
Black Stamp: PENSION OFFICE C U.S. FEB 12 1925
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Feb. 8, 1919.
Rev. War Section.
ard [handwritten pen]
Mrs. J. C. Peabody,
21 Allston St.
Boston, Mass.
Madam:
In reply to your letter of the 30" ultimo, you are advised that there are no papers on file in this Bureau relative to the half pay granted to Margaret Corbin under the Resolution
of the Continental Congress, dated July 8, 1779.
The papers in such claims do not comprise a part of the archives of this Bureau.
The records of pensions granted prior to 1814 are incomplete owing to the destruction of papers when Washington was burned
in that year.
The grant to Mrs. Corbin is recorded in the Journals of the Continental Congress, Volume 14, page 805.
Very respectfully,
G M Saltzgaber
Commissioner.
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21 Allston Street, Boston,
Massachusetts.
Rev Sec ; 8D [handwritten pencil]
Department of the Interior
Bureau of Pensions
Washington, D. C.
Gentlemen:
As Regent of the Margaret Corbin
Chapter, Daughters of the American Revolution, Boston, I am much interested in the life of Margaret Corbin, of Pennsylvania.
Will you please send me a copy of the
pension granted her, and any other information
you may have concerning her.
Sincerely yours,
Louise Balcome Peabody
(Mrs. James Charles)
Regent, Margaret Corbin Chapter, D.A.R.
January 30, 1919
 Black Stamp: PENSION OFFICE N U.S. FEB 1 1919
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Rev, War Section
AW
February 1, 1916

Mr. J. Bunford Samuel,
1609 Spruce Street,
Philadelphia, Pa.
Sir:
In response to your letter of the 28" ultimo, you
are advised that there are no papers on file in this Bureau
relative to the half pay granted to Margaret Corbin under the
resolution of the Continental Congress dated July 6, 1778.
The papers in such claims do not comprise a part of
the archives of this Bureau.
The records of pensions granted prior to 1814, are
incomplete owing to the destruction of papers when the
British burned Washington in that year.
The grant to Mrs. Corbin is recorded in the Journals
of the Continental Congress, Vol. 14, page 805.
Very respectfully,
G Saltzgaber
Commissioner.
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[Page is lying on another page not related and illegible]
Rev Sec Plubs [Handwritten pencil]
H [Handwritten pencil]
Paul
1609 SPRUCE STREET.
[Letter is handwritten]
Jany 28th 1916
Subs of Pension Bureau
Washington D.C.
May I ask if there is any record in the
Pension Bureau of a Pension granted
to Margaret Corbin known as Captain Mally about July 6th 1779 [Year underlined]
I am writing a little article about this Patriot- and would like the information corroborated by your
Bureau & greatly oblige
Yours Truly,
J Bunford Samuel
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When Mr Abbot wrote first on the subject of Margaret Corbin all that he asked was whether there was a claim for pension for Margaret Corbin widow of a soldier of the Rev. and he was
told on Dec 6, 1913 that there was not
claim on file so his statement in letter of Dec 8, that it was said that "the records do not
show her ever having been pensioned, is
not correct as shown by carbon copy of
Bureau letter of Dec. 6. herewith
aw
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aw [handwritten left upper corner]
Rev. War Sect [page torn text missing]
December 6, 1913.
Mr. Arthur F. Abbott,
340 West 30th Street,
New York City.
Sir:
In response to your letter dated the 27" and received the 29" ultimo, you are advised that a careful search of the records of this Bureau fails to show a claim for pension or bounty land on file for Margaret Corbin, widow of a soldier of the Revolution.
You were informed as above relative to "Molly Pitcher" or "Captain Molly". on September 16, 1913. and again on October 15, 1913. at which later date you were also advised to address
the War Department relative to payments made by the Quartermaster, U. S. A.
This Bureau is unable to assist you further in this research.
Respectfully,
G M Saltzgaber
Commissioner.
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Black stamp: PENSION OFFICE E U.S. DEC 9 1913
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Arthur J. Abbott [Stationary header]
December 8th 1913.
Commissioner of Pensions,
Washington/ D. C.
Dear Sir:
I am in receipt of yours of the 6th
inst in response to my letter of November
27th asking for information relative to
Margaret Corbin, the first woman pensioned
by our government. 
In your letter of the 6th inst you tell
me first "that a careful search of the
records fail to show any pension being granted Etc." You further inform me that the department can give me no further assistance in this matter.
I had two objects in writing you this
letter of the 27th of November: First I
needed very much the information which your
department can give me, and I secondly was
desirous of proving to my satisfaction that
no search was being made.
Margaret Corbin was the wife of John
Corbin who was killed in the capture of Ft
Washington N. Y. November 16th 1778. She
took her husbands place at the gun and served it till shot down with three grape shot.
She was pensioned by Continental Congress
July 6th 1779, being, so far as I can find,
the first woman pensioned by our government. 
Frequent mention is made in the records of
your department to this woman. So when you
say the records do not show her ever having been pensioned, it is quite evident, to be
charitable, that no search has been made.
As the work in which I am engaged is for
the benefit of posterity and for the purpose
of cultivating patriotic spirit, it seems
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that I am entitled to consideration in my
earnest endeavor to make such a work of
great value in the place of being treated
as a nuisance and a bore.
However, in as much as I can expect no
further assistance from your department, I
shall proceed in other directions, and shall
find out just what your records no show, and
this correspondence will serve a purpose
in other connections.
Sincerely
Arthur P Abbott
360 West 50th
New York City.
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F.D.B. [handwritten left upper corner]
H,H,H [handwritten right upper corner]
December 16, 1913.
Mr. Arthur P. Abbott,
No. 360 West 50th Street,
New York, New York.
Sir:
In reply to your letter of the 8th instant,
received the 9th, you are advised that the statement in Bureau letter of December 6, 1913, to the effect that the records of this office fail to show a claim for pension or bounty land on file for Margaret Corbin, widow of a soldier of the Revolution is correct.
It was not intended by such statement to discredit the act of the Continental Congress in granting during the period of her natural life or the continuance of a disability received in the service one-half of the monthly pay drawn by a soldier in the service of these
states to Margaret Corbin, who was wounded and disabled in the attack on Fort Washington.
It is hardly necessary to say that all claims
for pension on file in the Pension Office (formerly a part of the War Department and later in the Interior Department)
have been presented subsequent to the adoption of the Consti-
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A. P. Abbott, --2
Constitution of the United States and the organization of the present form of government, and the former letter from this
Bureau was written with the idea that you would appreciate this fact.
It may also be added that nearly, if not all, of
the records of the Pension Office (then in the War Department) were destroyed by fire in 1814, when Washington was captured by the British.
In order, however, that you may be in possession of information relative to Mrs. Corbin's grant of pension you are advised that if you will consult volume 14 of the Journals of the Continental Congress you will find on page
805 the resolution by which Mrs. Corbin was granted the one half pay, as hereinbefore stated, said resolution having been adopted Tuesday, July 6, 1779.
In conclusion it is suggested that correspondence with the Librarian, Library of Congress, will doubtless elicit
considerable information with reference to the points about which you have been writing.
Very respectfully,
G M Saltzgaber
Commissioner.