Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty Land Warrant Application File W. 9099, for Thomas Kelso, Maryland
Page 1

Kelso, Thomas
W.9099.
Penelope
Page 2

Handwritten document

State of Kentucky
County of Shelby

As in open court of record held in and for said county and before the judges of said court on this 13th day of ?? 1851, personally appeared Ruth E. Kelso aged 46 years resident in said country who being first duly sworn makes the following declaration in order to obtain the amount due to the heirs of Penelope Kelso deceased under the act of Congress passed 29th July 1848. x11 June 1844.

This declarant states that she is the lawful child of Thomas Kelso deceased late of said county a revolutionary pensioner of the United States at the rate of 30$ per annum and who died on the 27th of January 1847 leaving a widow whose maiden name was Penelope Rutledge and who was the mother of this declarant, and who died on the 24th day of May in the year eighteen hundred and fifty.

This declarant states from information and belief, from what she has learned her said parents say that the aforesaid Thomas x Penelope Kelso were lawfully married by a Baptist minister named Davies in the county of Baltimore in the State of Maryland on the first day of January in the year seventeen hundred and eighty nine. Declarant further states that the annexed record is the original family record of the aforesaid Thomas Kelso, that it is in his own handwriting and that the several entries thereon made were made about the time of the several dates thereon written, that said record was always regarded by her said parents as their true and correct family record, and that said record from the time it was made remained in the possession of the said Thomas Kelso up to the time of his demise
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since which time it has been in the possession of the said Penelope Kelso & her children.

This declarant states that the said Penelope Kelso lived in lawful wedlock with the said Tho. Kelso from  the time of their said marriage up to the period when he died and that she did not again intermarry but died being his widow and leaving four children only surviving her whose names are ?? , Thos Kelso, Ruth E. Kelso and James Kelso.

Sworn to x subscribed on this 13th day of ?? 1851. Before me in open court of the County of Shelby
Geo Bargen JRSC?

Next to the "Sworn to x subscribed on ..." is a signature Ruth E. Kelso

There is another handwritten note attached to the bottom of this document. It is a list of names and birthdates.

Thomas Kelso born ?? 7 day 1764?
Penelope Kelso was born of September the 5th day 1765
James Kelso was born February the 2nd(?) day of 1790
Elijah Kelso was born November the 1st Day 1791
Ann Kelso was born June the 1st Day 1793
William Kelso was born September 11th Day  1795
Abraham Kelso was born May the 31 day 1797
Penelope Kelso was born March the 1st Day 1799
Ruth Kelso was born January 17th Day 1802
Thomas Kelso was born March the 18th Day 1804
Bussel Kelso was born April the 8th Day 1806
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Handwritten document
State of Kentucky
County of Shelby

I, Ja. S. Whitaker, clerk of said county certify that satisfactory proof has been made in open court of record held in and for said county that Thomas Kelso late of said county who was a revolutionary pensioner of the United States at the rate of 30$ per annum, died on the 27th of January 1847. That he left a widow named Penelope Kelso who did not intermarry after his decease, but died on the 24th day of May in the year eighteen hundred and fifty being a widow. That she died leaving four children only surviving her, whose names are ?? ??, Thomas Kelso, Ruth E. Kelso, James Kelso.

In testimony whereof I have here unto set my hand and the seal of said court & county on this 13th day of January 1851.

Ja S. Whitaker Clerk
Shelby County Clerk
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4385
Kentucky
Thomas Kelso
Shelby Co in the state of Ky
who was a private in the company commanded
by Captain Shaw of the Reg. commanded
by Col. List in the Maryland
line militia for nine months - from 1780

Inscribed on the roll of Kentucky
at the rate of 30 dollars blank cents per annum to commence on the 4th day of March 1831

Certificate of Pension issued the 21 day of January 1833 and sent G. Woolfork, [illegible] Kent.

Arrears to 4th of Sept 1832 $45.00
Semi=anl. allowance ending 4 March 1833 $15.00
Due $60.00

{Revolutionary claim, Act June 7, 1832}

Recorded by Henry H Sylvester - Clerk

Book D Vol 9 Page 46
Page 6

5639
Kentucky
Penelope Kelso - dec'd
widow of Thomas Kelso
MD who served in the revolutionary war as a private

Inscribed on the roll at the rate of 30 dollars blank cents per annum to commence the 4th day of March 1848 & end 26 May 1850
Certificate of Pension issued the 26th day of April 1848 and sent to
A.P. Norton
Pittsburgh, PA

Recorded on roll of pensioners under act January 2, 1848 Page 242 Vol 3
Page 7

State of Kentucky 
Shelby County ⎬ 
On this 17th day of September 
in the year 1832 personally 
appeared before the County Court of said County 
Thomas Kelso who being duly sworn according to Law doth 
on his oath make the following Declaration 
in order the obtain the benefit of the 
provisions of the the act of Congress of the 
7th of June the 1832 providing for certain 
surviving officers and soldiers of the Army 
of the Revolution: saith that he was born 
the 7th day of the March in the year 1764 
in Baltimore County in the State of 
Maryland. He presents to the Court the 
Record of his age as given him by his father.
In March 1780 he entered the Army of 
the Revolution as a volunteer under Captain 
Daniel Shaw of the same  County. John 
Sharp was our Lieutenant. I forget the number
of the Regiment to which we were 
attached, but I recollect that Joshua Gist
was our Coln I do not recollect any of the 
other officers. He volunteered for a three months 
term, which I served in Baltimore and about that place. I afterwards served two more 
tours of duty as a volunteer and for those months 
each under the same Captain Shaw the Last Tour 
of duty I served was towards the close of
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the war, whether both of the last tours was 
the year 1781 or a part of them in the 
latter of 1780 I do not now recollect. All 
the service I rendered as a volunteer under 
Captn Shaw was about Baltimore. I performed 
one tour of duty as a Waggoner to 
drive a team to move the Military 
stores from a magazine near Baltimore 
to Lancaster in the State of Pennsylvania 
I do not recollect what length of time 
I was engaged in this service, I can’t recollect 
who was the officer of the guard that 
guarded the waggons. I think he was 
a Virginian and appears to me his name 
was Jefferson or [?] but I could not state 
with any certainly. I done military service 
under Captn Standiford who was my brother 
in Law before I was sixteen years old 
at the same time of the Battle of Germantown
Captn Standiford marched from 
Baltimore County to German Town. A part 
of the service which I rendered as a volunteer 
under Capt Shaw was at the time Cornwallis 
taken at York Town, but I was not there 
myself. I considered myself a soldier from 
the time I joined Shaws Company until the war 
ended being called out frequently. I know that 
I served three tours of three months each. the 
number and length of the small tours I do not 
recollect. this applicant States that he knows 
of no person in this state by whom
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who could prove the facts above stated. He
has been living in this state 30 years and 
is too poor to search for testimony in 
Maryland where his relatives and those 
who knew him in his early days lived.
He hereby relinquishes every claim whatever 
to a pension or annuity except the present 
and he declares that his name is not on 
the Pension Roll of the United States or of 
any state, and that he has never received 
a pension from any service whatever.
Sworn to and subscribed to in open Court 
the day and year before stated. 
Thomas Kelso 

At the same time and place personally appeare[d]
In open Court David Standiford and Joel Hansbraugh[?]
both citizens of this County the first being a legally 
authorized preacher of the Gospel in said 
County, both being of Lawful age of and first 
duly sworn do upon their oaths state that 
they have known the said applicant for 
25 or 30 years and they believe him to be 
a man of truth and that the statements 
made by him in his said Declaration are 
entitled to credit. They believe his the age to be as he has stated, and they always understood that said applicant came from the state of Maryland. Sworn to and subscribed in open Court 
David Standiford 
Joel Hansbraugh
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the to after have ● on the element and these things as may during ogaton to hunt hereby deline the in that the above . Revolutionary Soldier in the S , to stated by him the same to be and order I of the or the 

After presenting 
Examined the said applicant 
by putting 
interrogators to 
This opinion that the above named 
applicant was a Revolutionary soldier 
In service in the manner and for
the time stated by him and order
the same to be certified 

Geo P Mills Presiding 
Justice Shelby County Court 

I James S Whitaker Clerk of the County Court 
of Shelby County Kentucky do hereby certify that 
the foregoing Contains the Original proceeding in 
the matter of Thomas Kelsoe for a pension 
In Testimony Whereof I have hereunto 
set my hand and seal of Office this 18th 
day of September 1832 
All Ja. S. Whitaker
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Declaration 
In order to obtain the benefit of the Third 
Section of the act of Congress of the 4th July 
1836:
State of Kentucky 
Shelby County } ss
On this 11th day June 1847 personally 
appeared before the undersigned William 
Hanna a Justice of the peace in & for the County 
aforesaid Penelope Kelsoe a resident of the 
said County of Shelby & State of Kentucky who 
from age & Infirmity is unable to appear in 
Court, aged eighty two 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 provission 
made by the act of Congress passed July 4th 
1836. That she is the widow of Thomas Kelsoe 
who was a soldier of the revolution & who 
served as is set forth in his declaration now 
on file in the War Department & which is refered 
to together with the Evidence accompanying
the same for a full statement of his 
said service in the revolutionary War 
she further declared that she was married 
to the said Thomas Kelsoe on the 25th day 
of January in the year Seventeen Hundred 
and eighty nine that her husband 
the aforesaid Thomas Kelsoe died on the 29th 
day of January Eighteen hundred forty seven 
and that she has remained a widow ever since 
that period as will more fully appear by 
reference to the proof hereto annexed
Sworn to and
Page 12

Subscribed on the day & year above written 
before me a Justice of the peace as 
aforesaid 
Wm Hanna J.P. 
Penelope Kelso
Witness 
John Love 

State of Kentucky 
Shelby County ss
I James S. Whitaker Clerk of 
the County Court of Shelby County Certify that 
William Hanna is a Magistrate as above 
and that the foregoing signature purporting 
to be his is genuine 

In Testimony whereof I 
have hereunto affixed my seal 
of office and subscribed my 
name this 13th day of October 
in the year 1847. 
James S Whitaker Clrk
By H B Shank D.C.
Page 13

No 7002
Penelope Kelso
Wid of Thomas
Ky
Act 4 July 1836

{Illegible} in claim made 1836
married long after the war
Page 14

Rev. &1812 Wars Section
November 28, 1927
Kenyon Stevenson
208 South President Ave.,
Lancaster, Penna.
Sir:
I have to advise you that from the papers in the Revolutionary War pension claim W. 9099 it appears that Thomas Kelso was born March 7 1764 in Baltimore County, Maryland.
While a resident of Baltimore County, Maryland he served a tour, though very young, under his brother-in-law, Captain Standeford (given name not stated) and length of tour not given.
He volunteered in March 1780 and served three months as a private in Captain Daniel Shaw's Company, Colonel Joshua Gist's maryland Regiment.
He volunteered in 1780 or 1781 and served three months as private in Captain Danial Shaw's Maryland Company, and again in the fall of 1782 and served three months in the same company. He also served as a wagoner to move military stored from Baltimore to Lancaster, Pennsylvania, officers names not given.
He was allowed pension on his application executed September 17, 1832 while a resident of Shelby County,
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Kentucky, in which state he had lived for thirty years. He died January 27, or 29, 1847 in Shelby County, Kentucky.
Soldier married January 1, or 25, 1769 in Baltimore County, Maryland, Penelope Rutledge born September 5, 1765.
She was allowed pension on her application executed June 11, 1847 while a resident of Shelby County, Kentucky. She died May 24, 1850. Their children were:
Jane born February 25, 1790.
Elijah born November 16, 1791.
Ann or Nancy born June 14, 1793, married Miles.
William born September 8, 1795.
Abraham born May 31, 1797.
Penelope born March 4, 1799.
Ruth E. born January 17, 1802, living in Shelby County, Ky. in 1851.
Thomas born March 18, 1804.
Bushel born April 8, 1808.
Elizabeth born September 2, 1807, or 1809 (not distinct).
James born July 19, 1811.
The widow, Penelope, was survived by four children:
Nancy Miles, Thomas Kelso, Ruth K. Kelso, James Kelso.
Respectfully,
WINFIELD SCOTT
Commissioner.
Page 16

No 7002
Penelope Kelso
Ky
Let to Geo W. Johnston, Apr 12, 1847
Let to A P Norton, 15 Apr 1851

Rejected married after the war

4 July 1836
Page 17

Pittsburgh, 3rd March 1851

Sir

Herewith I enclose the application of the claim of Penelope Kelso of Kentucky under the act of 29th July 1848 and 17 June 1844.

An application emphasizing to declare [illegible] family and [illegible] affidavits of his death.

I have the honor to be 
with great respect
your obt servant

A P Norton
Page 18

State of Indiana, 
Putnam County } Sct. 
The Deposition of Edward 
Talbot taken before me Peter Daggy a Justice of the 
Peace, within and for said County of Putnam, at the 
residence of the said Edward Talbott in said County 
on Friday the 13th day of August Anno Domini 1847. 
to be read in evidence on the application of Mrs Penelope 
Kelsoe widow of Thomas Kelsoe, Deceased, (late of Shelby 
County, in the Commonwealth of Kentucky,) for a Pension 
The said Edward Talbott being of lawful age and 
first duly sworn, deposeth and saith: That he was 
personally acquainted with Thomas Kelsoe, and Penelope Kelsoe his wife 
great number of years ago, but that he cannot state possitively 
when they were married, but from the best of his recollection 
they were married some two or three years previous to 
the year seventeen hundred and ninety four. This affiant 
further states that he was born in the year 1764, and that he 
himself was married at the age of about 21 years, which made 
it in the year 1785, at that time Thomas Kelsoe and Penelope 
his wife were not married, because Thomas Kelsoe waited on 
him at his own wedding. This as before stated he thinks 
happened in the year 1785, and from the best of his recollection 
Thomas Kelsoe and Penelope his wife were married 
in some four or five years afterwards, and further saith 
not. Edward Talbott 

Subscribed and sworn to before me this 13th day of August A. D. 1847.
P. Daggy, [his handwritten] seal
Justice of the Peace 

I Peter Daggy a Justice of the Peace within and 
for the above named County, do hereby certify that the 
foregoing deposition of Edward Talbott was taken before 
me, at the time and place and for the purposes mentioned 
in the caption thereof; and that the said Edward 
Talbott was duly sworn according to law, that his state
Page 19

ment while so under oath was carefully reduced to 
writing by me, that the same was correctly read to 
him, and that he thereupon signed his name thereto 
in my presence. Given under my hand and seal this 13th day of August 1847. 
P. Daggy [his handwritten] seal
Justice of the Peace 

State of Indiana 
Putnam County ⎬ Sct 
I William S. Townsend Clerk 
of the Circuit Court within and for said County, do 
hereby certify that Peter Daggy whose signature appears 
to the foregoing deposition and certificate, is an 
acting justice of the Peace within and for said County, 
duly elected, commissioned and qualified according to 
law, that full faith and credit are due all his 
official acts as such, and that I belive the foregoing 
signatures purporting to be his an genuine. 
In Testimony whereof I have hereunto 
set my hand and affixed the seal of 
Said Court at Green Castle in said 
County this 13th day of August A.D. 
1847.
Will. S. Townsend Clerk.
Page 20

In Reply Refer to 
Rev. & 1812 Wars Section

3-1865
United States
Department of the Interior
Bureau of Pensions
Washington

November 3, 1927

Kenyon Stevenson
103 South President Ave.
Lancaster, Penna.

Sir:

I have to advise you that owing to the very large number of inquiries similar to yours and the lack of a clerical force available for the purpose, the Bureau is unable to make a series of investigations and reports for any one person or organization.

If you will state which two of the nine soldiers named by you whose histories you most desire, the same will be furnished you. Two reports are made for each person.

It is proper to add that the Revolutionary War records of this Bureau are open to the public and you or anyone designated by you may examine and collect data from the papers on file in the claims for pension and bounty land by calling at the bureau which is the usual practice in such instances.

Respectfully

Winfield Scott
Commissioner

Dear Sir - I should like #3 & #5 on the list I submitted enclosed - Thomas Kelso and John Sutherland. Will appreciate you giving me their records.

Kenyon Stevenson
Page 21

Kenyon Stevenson
Lancaster, PA

103 South President Ave.
October 26, 1927

Pension Department
Washington D.C.

Gentlemen:

Can you furnish me the complete records of the following revolutionary soldiers who were reported in the lists of pensioners reported in the published lists of 1835 and 1840"

Carill, David - reported in Salem County, N.J. list for 1835 as pvt in N.J. Line, having died Mar 11, 1826

Durham, John - pensioned in 1840 for service in 1777 as pvt in 10th N.C. Reft. Died Brimfield Co in 1852

Kelso, Thomas - reported in 1835 list for Shelby Co., Ky as having been pvt in Md Militia

Kelso, James - reported in 1835 list for Rockbridge Co, VA as having been pvt in Va Cont'l line.

Sutherland, John - reported in 1840 list for Cross Creek Twp Washinton Co, PA as living with Margaret Sutherland and aged 73

Sutherland, John - report in 1840 list for Cass Co. Indiana as living with E. Sutherland aged 75.

Williams, David - pensioned Apr 16, 1833, for services in Penn Troops aged 87 Living in Belmont Co. Ohio

Finney, John - pensioned July 18, 1834, for service as pvt in Penna Line aged 73 Living in Harrison Co. Ohio

Yates, John - reported in 1835 list for Halifax Co, VA aged 83 as having served as Lieut. of Art & Bombr of Virginia Continentals.

These records are desired for qualification in the Daughters of the American Revolution and Sons of the American Revolution and for a family history which I have under preparation.

Yours truly

Kenyon Stevenson
Page 22

Left Side Page

1927 Nov 28 - Hist to Kenyon Stevenson

Right Side Page

Widow, etc.
File No 9099
Penelope Kelso
Wid. of
Thomas Kelso
Pvt, Rev War

Act: Feby 27 '48

Index: Vol A Page 391

[Arrangement of 1870.]
Page 23

13225

Respectfully referred
to the War Department
Pens Dept 5 Oct 1832

Admt for 9 mo

[illegible]
Sep 29

Revolutionary Claim
Free
Honorable Louis McLain
Secretary of the Treasury
City of Washington
Page 24

Free
Hon J L Edwards
Commissioner of Pensions
Washington City

7002
Oct 23 '47
Penelope Kelso
Wid of Thomas
Ky
Act 4 July 1836
Page 25

Shelbyville Ky 17 Octo 15th 1847 
Hon J.L. Edwards 
Commissioner of Pensions 
Dr Sir 
Enclosed you will 
find the declaration of Mrs Penelope Kelsoe
the widow of a late Pensioner of the United 
States to be placed upon the pension roll 
Mrs Kelsoe is very old & infirm & I 
hope her application will be successful 
I have retained her Declaration for 
several months in order to obtain the proof 
of her marriage & have only succeeded 
so far as to obtain one witness. There is no 
doubt however that she was married before 
/94 as she has a Daughter living in Kenty 
who was born previous to that year I 
would have obtained her affidavit to that 
fact so far as she might be able to state the 
fact but she lives so remote from this place 
that I have had no opportunity to communicate 
with her. She having been married 
in Maryland & at so remote a date it is 
difficult at this day & here to prove the 
time of the Marriage.
I  am Dr Sir truly yours 
Geo. W. Johnston
Page 26

Act 2 Feb 1848
Penelope Kelso, dec
KY
Married 1789
Hus died 1847

Adm 9 mos for 
$30 per annum
Comm 4 March 1848
& ending 24 May 1850
payable to 
James Kelso
Thomas Kelso
Ruth E Kelso &
Nancy Miles only
living children

A.P. Norton
Pittsburgh, 
PA
Page 27

State of Kentucky
County of Shelby

Before the subscribe a Justice of the peace in and for said county personally appeared John Todd resident in said county who being first duly sworn according to law testifies that he was present at the burial of Penelope Kelso deceased who was the wife & widow of Thos. Kelso deceased a revolutionary pensioner of the United States late of said county - that his widow the said Penelope Kelso died in said county on the twenty-fourth day of May in the year eighteen hundred and fifty (1850).

John Todd

Sworn to & subscribed on the 25th day of February 1851 before me. 

Wm Hanna JP S.C.

I certify that the above-named affiant is a man of credibility, and I further certify that from personal knowledge of the aforesaid Thomas Kelso & his widow & the circumstances connected with her decease that I believe the time of her death as above set forth to be correct and true.

Wm Hanna - JP S.C.
Page 28

State of Kentucky
County of Shelby

I Ja S Whitaker clerk of the court house in said county certify that Wm Hannah Esq was at the time of the date of the foregoing affidavit and acting Justice of the Peace in and for said county duly commissioned and qualified as such and that the foregoing signature purporting to be his is genuine.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand and official seal this 25th day of February 1851.
Ja S Whitaker - Clerk
Shelby County Court
Page 29

Page too light to be read and transcribed and no valid information could be ascertained from AI extracted text.
Page 30

THE NATIONAL ARCHIVES
Form VAM-51
12-5-41
Division of Veterans' Administration Archives
BOUNTY LAND WARRANT RECORD CARD*
NAME Kelson, George GRADE Private LINE Maryland
WARRANT NUMBER 11427 ACRE AGE 100
ISSUED February 1, 1790
To   not Shown 

*The information concerning the issuance of warrant carded on this form is found in volumes 2 to 4 of "Land Warrants Issued Prior to 1800" which are registers of bounty land warrants issued to non-commissioned officers and privates under congressional resolutions of September 16, 1776, and subsequent dates. Other records relative to the applications for warrants appear to have been destroyed in the War Department fire of November 9, 1800. 
Information concerning warrants surrendered to the Federal Government is to be found in General Land Office records in The National Archives.