Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty Land Warrant Application File R. 7116, for John Menis, Pennsylvania
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Penn

Menis, John

or Merris

or Minnis

Nancy

R.7116
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3261

Tennessee

John Menis

Sergeant

Pennsylvania Line 1776 - 20 months

Inscribed on the roll of Tennessee at the rate of 8 Dollars per month to commence on the 24th June 1818

Certificate of Pension issued the 9th of January 1819 and sent to the Honorable William P Bloum, House of Representatives
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John Menis

Sergeant

Col Broadhead's PA Regiment

1776 - 20 months 
24 June 1818
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State of Tennessee
Blount County

This 24th day of June 1818 before me James Turk one of the Justices of the peace and Judges of the County Court of Pleas and Quarter Sessions and Court of Quorum for the County and State aforesaid the same being a Court of record, personally appeared John Menis aged sixty nine years and resident in said County of Blount who being by me first duly sworn according to law doth on his oath make the following declaration in order to obtain the provision of the late act of Congress entitled an act to provide for certain persons engaged in the land and naval service of the United States in the revolutionary war.

That he the said John Menis in the County of Cumberland in the State of Pennsylvania as well as he recollects in the month of February 1776 he enlisted in a company of riflemen commanded by Captain John Morrow composing a part of the second Pensylvania regiment commanded by Colonel Miles for three years. that said regiment and company was incorporated as a part of the United States regular army which was done in the year 1776 and that he the said John Menis faithfully served the United States as a Sergeant in the said company against the common enemy until
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the first day of January 1778 when he was at Valley Forge camp in Pennsylvania honorably discharged by Colonel Stuart.  That [illegible] was promoted to a majority during the time he said many served as a soldier and Captain Clark took command of said company and Colonel Broadhead commanded the regiment. after miles was made a prisoner on Long Island. That he said Menis was in a skirmish at South Amboy and the Battle of Long Island a skirmish at Kings Bridge at a place called Rye New York and the Battle of the White Plains in the Battle of Brandywine and Battle of Trenton and Princeton, Farmington, and sundry other skirmishes.

That he is in reduced circumstances and stands in need of the assistance of his country for support as he believes being unable to labour and owning but little property or means of support except a small tract of land, the whole consideration or piece of which he owes the State of Tennessee, not having hitherto been able to pay one dollar of the price of said land. 

That his discharge is lost, that he has no other evidence in his possession of his said service except the affidavit of John Boyd here to annexed
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That he has never been a Pensioner for his said services of the United States or any one of the states and hereby releases all claim except under the provisions of the before cited act. sworn and declared before me the date above

John Menis

James Turk 

on the day & year & at the place aforesaid before the Subscriber Judge as aforesaid personally appears the above named John Boyd and who being first duly sworn states upon his oath that the above named John Menis did serve as soldier and Sergeant in the company and service by him stated and the time by him stated. that the said Boyd was a soldier in the same company the whole of said time and well knew said Menis and that the said Menis is in reduced circumstances and as he believes the needs the assistance of his country for support.

John Boyd (his mark)

James Turk 

State of Tennessee 
Blount County 

this 26th June 1818, I James Turk Judge as aforesaid do certify that it appears to my satisfaction that the above named John Menis did serve as a soldier in the revolutionary war, the time by him stated, in the corps by him stated and from the evidence taken and had before me the said John Menis is in reduced circumstances and does stand in need of the assistance of his country for support and I now transmit to the Secretary of War as the said act requires the
proceedings & testimony taken & had before me

James Turk
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State of Tennessee 

I Jacob F. Foute clerk of the Court of Pleas & quarter sessions (which Court is a Court of Record for Blount County and State
aforesaid),  do hereby certify that James Turk before whom the foregoing depositions appear to have been taken, and whose own proper name is subscribed in his own hand writing, to his Certificate as well as in the attestations, now is and was at the time of the dates thereof Presiding Justice of the said Court and that full faith & credit are due to his official acts as such.

In Testimony whereof I have hereunto set my name and affixed my seal of Office at Office in Maryville in Blount County the 26th day of June A.D. 1878

Jacob F Foute, Clerk
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Declaration

In order to obtan the benefit of the act of Congress of the 7th July 1838 entitled an act Granting half pay and pensions to certain widows


State of Tennessee
Bradley County

County Court January Term 1851

On the 6th day of January in the year one thousand Eight hundred and fifty one personally appeared in open court Samuel Menis and Robert Menis who first being duly sworn according to law doth make the following declaration in order to obtain the benefit of the provisions made by the act of Congress passed July 7th 1838 entitled an act granting half pay and pensions to certain widows.  

That they the said Samuel Menis and Robert Menis are the only surviving children of Mrs Nancy Menis who was the widow of John Menis who was a Revolutionary Soldier and pensioner of the United States at the rate of ninety six dollars per annum and  who was [illegible] the West Tennessee Roll at Knoxville Tennessee.  Deponents further declare and say that the said John Menis, pensioner as aforesaid died in Blount County Tennessee on the 18th day of April in the year 1821. they further declare that the said Mrs. Nancy Menis was married to the said John Menis, pensioner as aforesaid on the 22d day of February 1787 and they further declare that the said Mrs Nancy Menis dies on the 7th day of April 1837.  That she remained a widow from the date of the death of her said husband John Menis until the said 7th day of April 1837 at which time she died.  That she was not married to her husband the said John Menis prior to his leaving the service but that the marriage took place previous to the 1st day of January 1794.
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To wit on the 22nd day of February 1787 as above stated, deponants further declare and say that the family record of the said John Morris and Nancy Menis attached and sent hereout and which is in the following words and figures to wit:  

John Menis, Born March 1,  1751, Married 25 of February 1787
Susan Menis born 5th December 1787
Samuel Menis born 9th of June 1790
Thomas Mehis born 23rd October 1791
John Menis born 8th of July 1794
Robert Menis born 8th of July 1796
Turner Menis born 29th of December 1797
William Menis born 28th of December 1799
Agnes Menis born 5th of December 1804

which are the only children of the said John Menis.  That said Samuel and Roberts Menis are the only surviving children and that said record is the genuine family record of the said John Menis, pensioner as aforesaid and Nancy Menis and that said record except that portion of it relating to the death of John Menis and Mary Menis is in the handwriting of the said John Menis, pensioner as aforsesaid.

Samuel Menis
Robert Menis

Sworn to in open Court on the day and year last above written

W Brittan
Chairman of Said Court


State of Tennessee
Bradley County

County Court January Term 1851
 
On this 6th day of January 1851 personally appeared in Open Court, John Pickens aged sixty-two years who being first duly sworn according to law dth depose and say that he was well acquainted with John Menis
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who was a revolutionary pensioner and inscribed on the East Tennessee Roll and paid at Knoxville Tennessee at the rate of ninety six dollars per annum. that the said John Menis died in Blount County Tennessee on the 18th of April 1821. that he was also well acquainted with Mrs Nancy Menis, Widow of the said John Mines. that the said Nancy Menis died on the 7th of April 1837. deponant further said that the said Mrs. nancy Menis continued a Widow from the date of the death of her said husband untill the 7th of April 1837 asforesaid at which time she died. Deponant further Saith that the family records of the said John Menis & Nancy Menis hereto attached and made a part of this record and which is set out in the foregoing declaration is the genuine family record of the said John Menis and Nancy 
as aforesaid. That said record is in the proper hand writing of the said John Menis pensioner as aforesaid. that deponant was well acquainted  with the hand writing of the said John Menis having lived near him for about fifty years. deponant further saith that Robert Menis and Samuel Menis are the only surviving chidren of the said John Menis and Nancy Menis, deceases as aforesaid.  Deponent further saith that he is disinterested.

John Pickens

Sworn to in open court on the day and year above written

Wm Britten, Chairman of Said Court

And the court do certify that they believe the family record purporting to be the family record of the said John Menis and Nancy Menis is the genuine family record of the said John Menis and nancy Menis.  They further certify that said Samuel and Robert Menis who have sworn to and subscribe the foregoing declaration are the only surviving children of the said John Menis and Nancy Menis and that the said said Samuel Menis and Robert Menis are entitled to credit.  That John Pickens who has sworn to and subscribed the foregoing affidavit is a citizen of this county and that he is entitled to full credit.  That he is personally known to the court to be in good standing.
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Samuel Menis and Robert Menis who have sworn to and subscribed the foregoing declaration are the only surving children of the said John Menis and Nancy Menis and that the said Samual Menis and Roberts Menis are entittled to credit that John Pickens who has sworn to and subscribed the foregoing affidate is a Citizen of this County and that he is entitiled to full credit that he is personally known to the court to be in good standing.

W Brittan, Chairman of the Court

State of Tennessee  
Bradley County

I John H Robainson clerk of the County Court in and for the county and state aforesaid to certify that the foregoing is s full true and perfect transcript of the  proceedings in the application of Robert Menis and Samuel Menis, only surviving children of John Menis and Nancy Menis for a pension.  That William Brittan who has officially signed the foregoing declaration and affidavit and certificate is chairman of said court and is authorized to administer oaths for general purposes.  

In testimony whereof I have hereto set my hand and affixed the seal of said court at office in Cleaveland on this 6th day of January 1851.

John H Robinson, Clerk
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FAMILY RECORD

MARRIAGES
[faded record followed by note:]

Above is the marriage of John Menis to the mother of the present claimant.

HM

MARRIAGES

Robert Menis and Margaret G Steele was married on the 10th of April 1827.

Jana Eliza Menis was married to George Ingle September 19, 1850
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FAMILY RECORD

BIRTHS

James Crawford Menis was born on the 25th of February 1828

Jane Eliza Menis was born the 29th of march 1830

John G Menis was born the 13th of February 1833

Margaret Adaline Menis was born the 9th of November 1835

Mary Clemanth Menis was born the 15th of February 18xx

(Note:  the above is the family record referred to in the claim herewith sent.   H M)
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FAMILY RECORD

DEATHS

John Menis died the 18th of April 1821.

Nancy Menis died the 7th of April 1837
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FAMILY RECORD

Deaths:

Margaret Adeline Mennis dies 21st of September 1837
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No 14311

Nancy Menis, deceased

widow of John

Tenn

Act of 7th of July 1838

Letter to Hambright and McElroth, April 25 1851

Same Aug 4 1851

7.116
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7116

Nancy Menis

REJECTED
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Calhoun Tennesee
May 9th, 1851

Sir:

We have received your letter of the 25th April in relation to the claim of Nancy Menis, widow of John Menis. In your communication you say that "the statement made in the declaration itself is sufficient to show its totally unfounded character".  We entertain a different opinion in relation to the act of Congress of the 7th July 1838.  We do not think that said act necessarily bears the construction you have given in in the above mentioned case. We look at the act of the 7th July 1838 as a part of the general system of Revolutionary pensions & predicated upon the act of June 7th 1832. The act of Congress of July the 4th 1836 States that if a soldier of the Revolution  died before the 7th of June 1832 and after the 4th day of March 1831, his widow would be entitled to the pension which would have accrued from the fourth day of March 1831 to the date of his death. We consider the cases similar. That the children of Nancy Menis are entitled to the amount that accrued after the 4th day of March 1836 up to the day of her death. We respectfully ask a review of your opinion as given
in your letter to us under date of the 25th April, and should said opinion be unchanged,  we beg leave to pray an appeal therefore and ask that the case be referred through the proper channel to the
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Attorney General of the United States for his opinion and construction of the law as applicable to the case in question.  We shall be pleased to hear from you at your earliest convenience, what it may be your pleasure to do in the premise.

Respectfully,

Hambright McGrath

James E Heart
Comm
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No 14.311

Nancy Menis
widow of John

Tenn

Act 7 July 1838

Rejected
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January 8, 1851

Commissioner of Pensions

Sir:

Enclosed you will find the claim of the sons of Nancy Menis, widow of John Menis, who was a Revolutionary pensioner for the amount due them under the provisions of the act of Congress of July 7, 1838, which we hope will be found correct.  If allosed, please send certificate to us at this place.

Respectfully,

Hambright & McGrath