Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty Land Warrant Application File R 10367, for William Swords, South Carolina
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SC
Swords, William
Mary
R10367
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Declaration

In order to obtain 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 Indiana, Marion County, Jp. 

On this second day of November eighteen hundred and thirty nine personally appeared before the Marion Circuit Court in Open Court, Mary Swords, a widow of the County of Marion State of Indiana, aged seventy six 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 provisions made by the Act of Congress, passed July 7th 1938 entitled "An Act, granting half pay and pensions to certain widows" that she is the widow of William Swords, who was a regular soldier in the War of the Revolution, she has been in possession of the papers showing his services since his death but they are now lost or mislaid and she has forgotten the names of the officers under whom he served. 
He was a private in Captain Moore's Company as she believes of the Sixth Regiment, he resided in the State of South Carolina when he entered the service, he enlisted in the summer season of the year seventeen hundred and seventy seven, and served a little more than three years. He returned from the service about the first of August seventeen hundred and eighty. While in the service he was taken prisoner by the British at Augusta and was soon afterwards retaken by the American Army. She has frequently heard her said husband name many of the officers of the Army and the Battles he was in but she cannot now recollect all the particulars, she well knows that he was in the services of the United States three years and that he was part of the time in the State of Georgia but she believes that he belonged to the South Carolina Company. 
She further declares that she was married to the said William Swords on the first day of September seventeen hundred and eighty two, that her husband the aforesaid William Swords died on the seventeeth day of February eighteen hundred and thirteen.
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that she was not married to him prior to his leaving the service but the marriage took place previous to the first day of January seventeen hundred and ninety four, viz at the time above stated in the County of Edgefield as she believes in the State of South Carolina by a Justice of the Peace by the name of Tuth who was then building a mill about six miles from her fathers, about twenty five miles above Augusta near the Savannah River. As to the County she is not so certain, she is unable to procure records of her marriage and she has lost the record of the ages of her children and she begs permission to introduce the best evidence she can find in her case, her daughter Elizabeth now Elizabeth Cook was born on the fifteenth day of May seventeen hundred and eighty four, and she was married to the said William Swords prior to the birth of said Elizabeth Swords, and that she has remained a widow ever since the death of her said husband William Swords, as will more fully appear by reference to the proof hereunto annexed. Given under my hand the day and date last aforesaid. 

Mary Swords (her mark)

State of Indiana, Marion County SS. 
On this second day of November Eighteen hundred and thirty nine, personally appeared in Open Court before the Marion Circuit Court, Mary Swords, a resident of Marion County, State of Indiana, an aged lady, and is well known to the Court to be a lady of respectibility and truth, and made oath to the truth of the foregoing declaration, and the Court most fully concurs in the belief of the truth of the statement therein made. 

In testimony whereof I Robert B. Duncan Clerk of said Court have hereunto set my name and affixed my seal of office this second day of November eighteen hundred and thirty nine. 
Rober B. Duncan. 

I Daniel Keeley do certify that I was well acquainted with Mary Swords who made the foregoing declaration and with her daughter Elizabeth Cook before they left the State of
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Ohio which acquaintance was formed with them about twenty or twenty one years since, and at my first acquaintance the said Elizabeth Cook had a large family of children, her oldest daughter was at that time nearly grown and from what I have heard them say and from my own judgement I have no doubt of the age of Elizabeth Cook being as many years as set forth in the foregoing declaration, the aforesaid mary Swords has long been a member of the Methodist Church and is well known to me to be a woman of truth and piety, and I do most fully concur in the belief of the truth of the statements made by her in the foregoing declaration, given from under my hand this second day of November eighteen hundred and thirty nine. 
Daniel Keely. 

State of Indiana
Marion County
On thius second day of November eighteen hundred and thirty nine personally appeared before the Marion Circuit Court Daniel Keely a resident of Indinapolis Marion County State of Indiana who is well known to the Court to be a man of respectability and truth, and made oath to the truth of the foregonig statements and court most fully concurs in the belief of the truth of the same. 
In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand and affixed my seal of office, this second day of November eighteen hundred and thirty nine. Robert B. Duncan. 

I Elizabeth Cook do certify that my father and mother the aforesaid William Swords and Mary Swords were living together as husband and wife at my first recollection in the state of South Carolina, I have no record of my age but I am satisfied that I am as old as my mother represents me to be in the foregoing declaration, I shall be fifty six years old next May, my oldest daughter is about thirty seven years old. I have frequently heard my father the said William Swords tell of the services he rendered in the Revolutionary War. I have heard him name Mr. Moore being his recruiting officer but do not know that he stated belonging to his company, he also spoke of many hardships through which the sixth regiment had to pass but I do not know that he belonged to it only from information from my mother. I fully believe all my mother has declared in the foregoing is true, I know that her husband the said William Swords died about the time...
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She states and that she has remained a widow ever since his death, I think they were living together as above before the first day of January seventeen hundred and thirty four, given from under my hnd this twenty second day of November eighteen hundred and thirty nine. 
I do certify that I have seen my fathers discharge in the possession of my mother since his death. Elizabeth Cook (her mark)

I Rachel Partlow do certify that I have been acquainted with the aforesaid William Swords and Mary Swords and their daughter Elizabeth Cook for forty six years and I beklieve they were married as early as stated in the previous, and that the said Elizaebth Cook is as old as represented and that the said William Swords served as declared in the foregoing, as I have frequently heard him speak of his services as a soldier in the War of the REvolution, he has been dead about twenty six years and his said widow yet remains unmarried. 
Rachel Partlow (her mark). 

We Joshua Partlow, Catharine Partlow and Issac Partlow do certify that we were acquainted with the aforesaid William Swords before his death, and we well know that it was the understanding and belief of all his acquaintances that he said WIlliam Swords was a soldier of the Revolution. We have frequently heard him speak of his services and from the age of his children we fully believe that they the said William and Mary Swords were married as early as set forth in the foregoing. We know the said WIlliam Swords has been dead abut twenty six years and that the said Mary Swords has remained a widow ever since his death, witness our hands, this twenty second day of Novermber eighteen hundred and thirty nine. 
Joshua Partlow (his mark)
Catharine Partlow (her mark)
Isaac Partlow (his mark)

State of Indiana
Bush County 

On this twenty second day of november eighteen hundred and thirty nine, personlly appeared before me W. B. Andrews one of the Judges of the Bush Circuit Court. 
Elizabeth Cook, Rachel Partlow, Joshua Partlow, Catharine Partlow, and Isaac Partlow resident of Bush County State of Indiana, well know to be persons of truth and made oath to the truth of the foregoing statements by them severally made, and I do most fully concur in the belief of the truth of the same. 
Given from under my hand the day and date last aforesaid. 
William P. Andrews, Associate Judge. 

State of Indiana, 
Bush County

I J Robert Thompson Clerk of the Court of Bush County, do hereby certify that William P. Andres is a judge of a court of record as above and that the foregoing signature proposing to be his is genuine. In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand and affixed my seal of office this twenty third day of November eighteen hundred and thirty nine. 
Robert Thompson, Clerk.
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Mrs. Mary Swords. 

HM. W. W. Wick
W02
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Amended Declaration

In order to obtain 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 Indiana Marion County

On this twenty second day of April Eighteen hundred and forty, personally appeared before me a Justice of the Peace in and for said County Mary Swords a resident of Marion County State of Indiana aged Seventy Six years who being duly sword according to law doth on her said oath make the following amended declaration in order to obtain the benefit of the act of Congress passed July 7th 1838 entitled an act grnting half pay and pensions to certain widows; that she is the widow of William Swords who was a soldier in the War of the Revoluation and who resided in the State of South Carolina but since she made declaration before the Marion Circuit Court on the second day of November last past, she has been informed by her son Abel Swords and others, that her husband that her husband the said William Swords belonged to the North Carolina Artillary, which brings fresh to her mind the many conversations she has heard him have with people relative to the manner of managing and shooting cannon. She also well remembers to have heard her said husband's discharge read many times, but she cannot now recollect whether it purported to lie in South Carolina or North Carolina, she does well know that her said husband was in the service of the United States a few days more than three years and that she has often heard him speak of services which he rendered in the state of North Carolina, and she now fully believes that her said husband belonged to the United States Artillary of North Carolina to which rolls she refers for evidence of his services. She further declares that she was married to the said William Swords in the County of Edgefield in the State of South
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Carolina on the first day of September seventeen hundred and eighty two; that her husband the aforesaid WIlliam Swords died on the seventeeth day of February eighteen hundred and thirteen, she has no family record neither has she been able to obtain a record of her marriage and she here introduces the evidence of her son Abel Swords in addition to the evidence introduced with with her former declaration which she prays may be received - she has remained a widow ever since the death of her said husband. 

Given from under my hand the day and the date last aforesaid.
Mary Swords (her mark)

Sworn and subscribed before me
D. R. Smith J.P. 

I Abel Swords do certify that I have no record of my age, but from the information I received of my father and mother the aforesaid William Swords and Mary Swords relative to my birth I was forty seven years old last Christmas Day, and I fully believe I am of that age and I had two brother and one sister older than myself and believe that my sister trhe oldest child if living is about fifty six years old, and I have no doubt but that my parents were married at the time stated in the above declaration. 
I know my fatehr the said WIlliam Swords has been dead about twenty seven years and that my mother the said Mary Swords has remained a widow ever since that period. I always understood from my said father that he was in the regular service of the United States in the State of North Carolina and that he belonged to the Artillary and if I had been at home last fall when my mother's declaration was made I should then have testified that my father's discharge was as Soldier of Artillary and I believe he served three years. Given from under my hand this twenty second day of April, eighteen hundred and forty. 
Abel Swords (his mark).
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State of Indiana, Marion County
On this twenty second day of April eighteen hundred and forty personally appeared Mary Swords who made the above amended decflaration and Abel Swords both citizens of Marion County State of indiana, and well known to me to be persons of truth and subscribed and made oath to the truth of the foregoing statements by them severally made, and I do most fully concur in the belief of the truth of the same, given under my hand the above date
D. R. Smith. 

State of Indiana
Marion County
I Robery B Duncan Clerk of the Court of said County do certify that Daniel R. Smith is a Magistrate as above and that the above signatures purporting to be his are genuine. In testimony whereof I have hereunto affixed my seal of office and subscribed my name this twenty third day of April eighteen hundred and forty. 
R. B. Duncan.  
Clerk of the Court of Marion County.
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10.367
Mary Swords
Rejected
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Hall of Reps 29 April 1840

Sir
Hereunto please find the supplementary declaration of Mrs Swords of Ind. 
I have written to South Carolina to obtain more evidence of her marriage which I will file with you, (if it comes to hand) whether necessary or not. 
Please advise me of a favorable result, if possible, and if impossible, have the goodness to note the objections for the guidance of the applicant. 
I have the honor Sir,
W. W. Wick.
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Hall of Represenatatives
27. Feb. 1840

Sir,

Herewith please find a certificate of the Sec. of St. of Marion designed to be ancilliary to an application, now in your office, in favor of Swords or of his widow. I believe of the latter. 
Have the goodness to inform me of the fate of said application, and of the effect of the document hereunto presented, upon the Swords, for the satisfaction of the party represented. 
Respectfully
W. W. Wick. 

Com.  Pensions.
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Mr. Wick (of Indiana) resepctfully desires to be informed whether or no the applications of Mary Swords, Ann Norence and Winship (widows) have been received lately from Indiana. 
If so, what is their fate. 

H. of Reps. D. H. 
Com. of Pensions.
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House of Reps
June 21st 1841

Sir, 
I enclose you the within letter from H Bradly Esq. and request you to inform me as early as you can, what answer I can send him, concerning the several inquiries contained in it. 

Very Respectfully
Grobst
D Wallace

J L Edwards Esq. 
Commissioner of Pensions.
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[illegible] in the North Carolina lists as being entitled to Bounty Land. 
W. G. 

Hon. W. W. Wick. 
HR.
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State of North Carolina
Secretary of States Office
I William Hill Secretary of State in and for the State of North Carolina, do hereby certify, that is appears from the musterrolls of the continental line of this state in the revolutionary war, that William Swords a Matross in Capt. Kingsberry's Company of Artillery enlisted on the 17th day of April 1770, for the war, and that nothing more is said of him on the rolls. 
Given under my hand this 24th Febry 1840
Wm. Hill.
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Indianapolis Nov. 28 1839
 
Com.  J B Edwards, 
Sir enclosed are the papers of Mrs. Mary Swords and Mrs. Hanna Winship. 

Yours very respectfully, 
J. L. Bradly.
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Mary Swords
William
Indiana
Suspended
Let 17 Dec 1839
Hon W. W. Wick
Do. 29 Feb 1840
Let. 28 March 1840
Com J R Poinsett
letter her laywer filed [illegible]
Let 30 Apr 40 Hon W. W. [illegible]
Let 22 June 41 Hon J R Wallace

Act of July 7 1838.
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Long Lincoln Scott Co KY June 1848

Der Sir,

The included affidavit is in support of the claim of Mrs. Mary Swords widow of the late William Swords for the benefits of the Act of July 7 1838. Also the certificate of their marriage in support of the claim of Mrs Ann Jacobs, widow of the late John Jacobs, which you will please to exasmine and have them filed with the papers in each case now on file in your office and send me a certificate in each case as no doubt the evidence is sufficient to establish their claim. 
Yours very respectfully
Luis C. Suggeth. 

James L Edwards Esq. 
Commission of Pensions
Washington City
D. C.
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June 28 - 48
Add evidence
in the case
Mary Swords
Widow of Willaim
KY

James L Edwards Esq. 
Commissioner of Pensions
Washington City
D. C. 

Face ---->
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United States of America
District of Indiana

Additional evidence in the case of the application  of Mary Swords, Widow of WIlliam Swords desceased., who was a Regular Soldier in the Army of the United, during the Revolutionary War, for a pension. 

Abel Swords, son of the said William Swords, aged fifty eight years being sworn according to law by me William Sullivan a Justice of the Peace in the County of Marion, State of Indiana, upon his said oath saith that during the lifetime of his father the said WIlliam Swrods, he has heard his father converse with men who were with him in the different battles which his father fought. One was the battle of Brandywine. In that battle his father stated that the blood of the killed and wounded made the water of the creek red. His father in convering on those scenes which fashioned under his notice while in the army would frequently shed tears. The said Abel Swords has also frequently seen his father the said William Swords exhibit his discharge from the Army of the United States in the Revolutionary War for three years service, and he further believes that his father was twice enlisted, the first time for three years and the last time for during the war. The said Abel very distinctly and perfectly recollects that his said father stated that he had served five years in the Army of the United States and that he was in the service at the close of the War. The said Abel Swords further states that the discharge of his father the said William Swords was lost many years since, in consequence of the unsettled state of his mother the said Mary Swords, who left her papers in a band box with one of her children, while she was residing with another, and which papers were destroyed by some accident. 

Sworn and subscribed before me this first day of June 1848. 
Wm. Sullivan J.P. (seal)

Abel Swords has been known to us the undersigned for many years as a respectable citizen of the County of Marion State of indiana and is a man of truth and veracity. 

Malbry Patterson Judge Probate
Joshua Stevens Justice of Peace.
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The State of Indiana Marion County 

I Robert B. Duncan, Clerk of the Circuit Court of the county aforesaid, do hereby certify that William Sullivan is a Magistrate as within, and that the written signature purporting to be his is genuine. And I further certify that I am well acquainted with the within named Robert Patterson and Joshua Stevens, and that they are persons entitled to credit. 
In witness of which I hereunton affix the seal of said Court and subscribe my name, at Indianapolis, this first day of June A. D. 1848. 

R. B Duncan.