Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty Land Warrant Application File R. 6960, for Joseph Martin, New Jersey
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(3-1776)
Service Number
New Jersey Martin, Joseph R.6960
Martha
contents
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Deposition of John Martin
6960
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State of Ohio
Athens County
This Day personally appeared before me the subscriber a Justice of the Peace in and for said county John Martin (a pensioner of the United States under the act Of Congress of the 18th March 1818) who I certify to be a creditable witness who being by me duly sworn deposed and said that in the time of the Revolutionary war, the year deponent does not recolect, but states it have been in the latter part of the war; his Son Joseph Martin now deceased was residing in Sussex County in the State of New Jersey where he enlisted in the service of the United States for the term of one year under Captain Joseph Harker, that some time after his son Joseph’s joining the army, the Indians became troublesome in the neighborhood of the Minisink in the State of New Jersey and Captina Harker and his Company was ordered to the Minisink to repel the savage foe that Deponent’s son marched accordingly and was stationed at the Minisink sometime, when Deponent went and relieved his son by remaining and serving in his stead. While his son went home to visit his relations & friends. After about four  weeks as well as Deponent recollects Deponents son returned to duty and Deponent went home- Deponent saith that his son Joseph served out the term for which he enlisted & was discharged, but whether he was discharged at Minisink or not Deponent does not recollect but believes he was not discharged until after he joined the main army again and further the Deponent saith not.
John Martin 
Sworn and subscribed before me this 5th day of October 1835 . Abner c. Martin JP
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State of virginia
county of Tyler
On this 9th day of July 1851 personally appeared before the subscriber a justice of the Peace in and for the said county of Tyler, Martha Martin, a resident of the said county and state, aged eighty four or eighty five 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 papered July 7th 1838, Entitled “An act granting half pay and pensions to certain widows”. that, she is the widow of Joseph Martin, deceased, who was a private in the War of the Revolution; that her said husband who then resided in Sussex county, in the State of New Jersey, enlisted in the service of the United States for a Term of One year, under Captain Harker -that her said husband was marched to and stationed at Minisink or its neighborhood in the said State of New Jersey, where the Indians had become very troublesome, by their frequent incursions into that settlement; that her said husband and the company wo which he beloned remained there for some months, that during his stay there, John Martin, the father of the said Joseph Martin, went to where the said Joseph was stationed and served in his sons stead, while his son returned home to see his mother and relatives; That in about one month he the said Joseph returned to the company and took his place again and served out the full year for which he enlisted including the four weeks that his father served in his stead, and was discharged either at Minisink or after joining the main army again-The said Martha Martin further declares, that she never knew her late husband, until after the termination of the Revolutionary War, consequently knows nothing of his service except what he has hear from her husband
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and his father John Martin and other members of the Martin family after she became a member of it-And although she had often heard her husband and father in law John Martin talk of said Joseph’s service, and the officers under whom he served, yet she does not recollect the number or name of the Regiment to which he belonged, nor any of the officers names, but his Captain, whose name was Harker- She will recollects of hearing her husband talk of two other men with whom he served, but does not recollect whether they were officers or privates-Their names were Ebenezer Dowd and Joseph Rose as well as she now recollects. She does not recollect the years that her husband said he rendered his service in, but thinks it was near the close of the Revolutionary War. The said Martha Martin refers in support of her claim to a pension as the widow of the said Joseph Martin deceased, to a Deposition given by her said father in law John Martin, who was the father of the said Joseph Martin, the 5th day of October 1835 in Athens county, Ohio, before Abner C. Martin a Justice of the Peace of said county, taken at the time by the advice of friends, to substantiate her claim to a pension, should any law ever after be papered by the Congress of the United States, to entitle her to a pension on account of her husbands said service, as he was the only person that she knew of who could prove the same. He having been himself a soldier of the Revolution, and at the time of giving the said deposition was a pensioner of the United States, receiving a pension as an officer (a lieutenant or Ensign) in the said War; and being at the time a very old man and according to the course of nature could live but a short time, it was therefore deemed necessary to perpetuate the same as is done by the accompanying deposition of the said John Martin. the said Martha Martin further declares that she was married to the said Joseph Martin deceased in
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No. 14.440
Martha Martin
declaration to obtain a Pension as the widow of Joseph Martin deceased under Act of 7th July 1838
Act 7 July 1838 
Let Nov 13/37
D Hickman Middleborne Va tyler Co. State of Virginia
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Washington county, in the State of Pennsylvania by Thaddeus Dodd a Presbyterian miniter, some time in January 1786 (as she believes) that she was then about nineteen years of age; that her husband the aforesaid Joseph Martin died on the 23rd day of April 1833; and that she has no record either of her age, or of her marriage; but has what she regarded as a record of the ages of her children, which is merely a loose piece of paper, on which were set down the names & births of her nine children, which paper she has had for the space of Forty years or upwards in her possession & which she now gives up to accompany this declaration; that she was not married to the said Joseph Martin prior to his leaving the service, but the marriage took place previous to the first of January seventeen hundred and ninety four (viz) at the time before stated. And the said Martha Martin further declares that it has been owing to the negligence of the person employed to get her a pension, that this application has been so long delayed.
Martha Her mark X Martin
Sworn to and subscribed on the day and year first above written. Marcus Moore J.P.
State of Virginia
Tyler county. JP
I Marcus Moore a justice of the Peace in and for the county of Tyler in the State of Virginia aforesaid before whom the foregoing declaration was made, do certify that Mrs Martha Martin, the declarant making the foregoing declaration cannot from bodily infirmity attend the court of said county to make the same before the said court- And I further certify that I have lived a near neighbor to the said Martha Martin for fourteen years past and am well acquainted with her and her family; and that from such acquaintance I am fully satisfied that she is of the age stated by her was married at the time
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stated by her, that she is the widow of the said Joseph Martin Deceased. Never having married again since his heath. And that from my personal acquaintance with the said Martha’s several children, I have not the least doubt resting on my mind, but that they are of the several ages, indicated by a paper writing, this day shewn me by the said Martha Martin as the only record she has of her children’s births of which she avers to have long been in her possession, of the truth of which I do not doubt, and which paper writing or record is attached to this declaration. Given under my hand at the residence of the said Martha Martin this 9th day of July 1851. Marcus Moore J.P. 

John Martin was Born December the 19th day 1787
William Martin was born April the 6th day 1789
Elizabeth Martin was Born June the 25th day 1791
Susannah Martin was born July the 26th 1793
Jane Martin was born July the 26th day 1795
Sarah Martin was Born June the 1st day 1797
Abner Martin was Born November the 9th day 1799
Ephraim Martin was Born August the 18th day 1803
Joseph Martin was Born October the 24th day 1806
Commissioned and qualified and further certify that the foregoing signatures purporting to be his, are genuine. In witness whereof I have hereunto subscribed my name and affixed my seal of office this 16th day of August one thousand eight hundred and fifty one. D Hickman Clerk Tyler County Court
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No. 14.440
Martha Martin
Declaration to obtain Pension as the widow of Joseph R Martin deceased under Act of 7 July 1838 
Act 7 July 1838 Let Nov 13/37 D Hickman Middlebourne Tyler Co. 
State of Virginia Tyler County I David Hickman Clerk of Tyler County Court do certify that Marcus Moore, before whom the foregoing declaration appears to have been made, and who has signed the above & foregoing certificate is and was at the time of so doing a justice of the Peace in & for the said county of Tyler in the said State of Virginia only commissioned & qualified and I further certify that the foregoing signatures purporting to be his, are genuine. I witness whereof I have hereunto subscribed my name and affixed my seal of office, this 16th day of August one thousand eight hundred & fifty one. D Hickman Clerk Tyler County Court
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Martha Martin widow of Joseph Act of 1838  [illegible] D. Hickman Nov.
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6960 Martha Martin
Service:
Enlisted:
Application filed:
Alleges:
Re-enlisted:
Attorney:
P.O.
Recognized Contract
Cert. of Dis. Searched for [check mark], 18__

Rejected
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Augt 29, 1851
Decl of Mrs Martha Martin widow of Joseph Original section
D. Hickman Middlebourne Tyler Co. 
Mary Williams
Va
James E Heath Esq. Commissioner of Pensions
Washington City D.C.
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Middlebourne August 19, 1851
Dear Sir, 
Enclosed please find Declaration of Mrs. Martha Martin, to obtain Pension, as the widow of Joseph Martin, a soldier of the Revolution, under Act of 7th July 1838, and a record of the ages of her children attached thereto-with the Depositions of John Martin, in proof of the said Joseph R. Martin’s services & of John Williamson & David Hains of the said Martha Martin’s having been the wife & now the widow of the said Joseph.
I send also the Declaration of William Gregg for bounty land under Act of 28th Sept 1850; with his discharge from the service, attached- When these cases are acted upon, please inform me of the result.
Will you also please inform me whether you have acted upon any of the cases for bounty lands transmitted by me yet, and if so the result. 
In the case of Mrs. Mary Williams- I sent you in May last (8th). Her original certificate of marriage; which had been required by Mr Evans’ letter of the 17th April last, with a request that "you would enclose me her certificate of pension when issued; as also the warrants for bounty lands in all cases, where the declarations were drawn up & sent by me, or correspond with me where necessary, in relation to any application. I might have made”- Since that I rec’d yours of the 16th June referring me, for answer to my letter of 17th March last to Mrs Evans’ letter of 17th April. but saying nothing about the reception of the original certificate enclosed in the letter of the 8th May.. and fearing that the letter enclosing the marriage certificate may not have reached you, I have to request that you will inform me at your earliest convenience, whether it was received or not- Mrs. Williams’ nearest Post Office in Va is New Martinsville- but a letter will reach her as soon in all probability if addressed to her at this place. The nearest office to her is in the State of Ohio- but I doubt whether she received anything at that office. Very respectfully Your Obt servt. D Hickman
Jas E. Heath Esq
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1851 Marcus Moore JP
State of Virginia Tyler County
This day personally appeared before me the subscriber a Justice of the Peace in & for said county Daniel Hains aged seventy five years, (who I certify to be a credible witness) & made oath in due form of law, that he was well acquainted with Joseph Martin late of Tyler County Va & Martha Martin his wife, from the year 1800, up to the time of the said Joseph Martin’s death, in the Spring of 1833; that during all that time from 1800 to the said Joseph’s death the said Joseph and Martha Martin lived together as husband & wife, & the fact of their being so, he never heard questioned by any one, nor does he doubt that such was the fact himself; and that the said Martha Martin who the Deponent understands is about applying for a pension, on account of her husband’s services as a soldier of the Revolutionary War, is still the widow of the said Joseph Martin, unmarried. Daniel Haines
Sworn to & subscribed before me this 16th day of August 1851. B Higgins J.P.

State of Virginia; tyler county
I David HIckman, Clerk of Tyler County Court, do certify that Marcus Moore & Baltis Higgins whose signatures appear to the foregoing Depositions, were at the time of taking & subscribing to the same acting Justices of the Peace in & for the said county of Tyler, Duly Commissioned & qualified. And I further certify that the above signatures purporting to be theirs are genuine. In Witness whereof I have hereunto subscribed my name & affixed my seal of office this 16th day of August 1851.
D. Hickman Clerk of Tyler County Court