Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty Land Warrant Application File S 39,244, James Bryans, Va.
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Service
VA

Name
Bryans, James

Number 
S. 39,244
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Left Side Page

See letter sent October 30 1812 to H. Boyer Fincastle Virginia

Right Side Page

3687
Virginia
James Bryans
private
Virginia line Col Wood 18 mos
in the army of the United States during the Revolutionary War

Inscribed on the roll of Virginia at the rate of 8 dollars per month to commence on the 12 of May 1818

Certificate of Pension issued the 25 day of Jan 1818 and delivered to Gen. Breckenridge

Arrears to 4th of Sep 1818
Semi-anl. all'ce ending 4 Mar 1819

{Revolutionary claim, Act 18th March, 1818}

Continued
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Virginia, At a court held for the County of Botetourt the 12th day of May 1818

James Bryans an inhabitant of this county and a citizen of this state appeared before the court, being a court of Record, and made oath that he served a solder in the army of the United States in the war of the revolution, that he enlisted in the said service in the year 1776 under Capt. Wm McKee for the term of two years - that Capt. McKee was stationed at Point Pleasant in Virginia. That during the time of his service, Capt. Andrew Wallace came to Point Pleasant and such soldiers as chose had permission to join him & serve out the time of their inlistment (enlistment) in the regular army - that he the said Bryans did join the said Wallace & became attached to the 12th Virginia Regiment on Continental establishment in the war of the revolution, commanded by Col, James Wood - That he continued in the regular army about 18 or 20 months, that he was regularly discharged from the army. That he placed his discharge in the hands of Col George Hancock then a member of Congress & that he has since never been able to regain it. The said Bryans further saith that he is now in such indigent circumstances as to need the assistance of his county for support.

Henry Bowyer made oath that he was Lieutenant & Adjutant in the 12th Virgnia Regiment commanded by Col. James Wood on Continental establishment in the army of the revolution, that said James Bryans was a soldier in Capt. Andrew Wallace's company in said regiment, that said Bryans continued to serve in that regiment until the fall of 1778 when he was discharged at West Point by Col. William Russell then commanding officer of Gen. Scotts brigade.
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The general being absent and of which Brigade the said 12 Regiment composed a part - that he at that time acted as brigade major (Protempore) and wrote some (if not all) the discharges of the men discharged at that place which were signed by Col. Russell - that this deponent knew said Bryans before the revolution; that he knew him in the army of the revolution and that he hath known him ever since.

Jacob Danner made oath that he is well acquainted with the said James Bryans & that he is in very indigent circumstances & stands in need of the assistance of his county for support.

A copy teste
H Bowyer - Clerk

I John Allen presiding member of the court aforesaid do certify that the foregoing is a true transcript from the records of said court. Given under my hand & seal the 18th day of May 1818

John Allen

I Henry Bowyer Clerk of the court aforesaid do certify that John Allen Gentleman whose name is subscribed above is an acting magistrate duly sworn in the commission of the pleas for said county & was then presiding member of that court.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto subscribed my name and affixed the seal of my said office the 19th day of May 1818.

H. Bowyer

SEAL
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James Bryans
copy Declaration &c.
5,687
March {illegible}
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Virginia

Botetourt County to wit

On this 11th day of September 1820 personally appeared in open court being a court of record which proceeds according to the course of the common Law, with a jurisdiction unlimited in point of amount keeping a record of its proceedings, I having the power of fines and imprisonments-  James Bryans aged 70 years resident in said county who being first duly sworn according to law doth on his oath declare that he served in the revolutionary war as follows: That he enlisted in the year 1776 in the company of Captain McKey - that he served in said company 8 or 9 months - that he afterward served in Captain Wallaces company 12 Regiment Virginia line on continental establishment about 15 months - that he afterward served in the 8th regiment for four months as will appear by original declaration dates (as appears by my pension certificate No 5687) the 12th day of May 1818 and I do solemnly swear that I was a resident citizen of the United States of America on the 18th March 1818 - and that I
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have not since that time by gift, sale or any manner disposed of my property or any part thereof with an intent thereby so to diminish it as to bring myself within the provisions of the act of Congress passed the 18th March 1818 entitled "An act for the provision of certain persons engaged in the land and naval service of the United States of America during the Revolutionary war" and that I have not nor has any person in trust for me any property, securities, or contracts or debts due to me nor have I any income other than is contained in the schedule hereto annexed by me subscribed.

Schedule
One mare aged 19 - and one old cow, two [illegible], two iron pots - one oven - one skillet, 9 plates, five or tea cups and saucers, 8 or 9 knives & forks. That he is a carpenter by trade but by reason of his age and infirmities is unable to support himself. That he has a wife aged 65 years, [illegible] his daughter aged 26 years, Betsy & Elie twins aged 23 years, Peggy 19 and Augustus aged 16 years.

James Bryans - His X Mark

Sworn to & declared in open court the 11th September 1820 Justices of the Peace comprising [illegible] court - Thomas Wilson, Wm Anderson, John Kelly & Benjamin Carper Gentlemen.
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I Henry Bowyer Clerk of the Court of said county do hereby certify that the foregoing oath & schedule are truly copies from the records of the said court and that it is the opinion of the said court that the amount in value of the property contained in the schedule is thirty dollars ($30).

In testimony whereof I have hereunto subscribed my name & affixed the seal of the said court this 12th day of September in the year of Christ 1820.

SEAL
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I Henry Bowyer Clerk of the Court of said county do hereby certify that the foregoing oath & schedule are truly copies from the records of the said court and that it is the opinion of the said court that the amount in value of the property contained in the schedule is thirty dollars ($30).

In testimony whereof I have hereunto subscribed my name & affixed the seal of the said court this 12th day of September in the year of Christ 1820.

SEAL
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REv. War Section

January 25, 1931

Hon Carville D. Benson
House of Representatives

My dear Mr. Benson:

In response to your letter of the 21st instant, I have the honor to advise you that this Bureau is unable to furnish the history of a soldier of the Revolution, unless a claim for pension or bounty land has been made on account of his services and a careful search of the records fail to find claim on file for Thomas Benson of Virginia or Maryland or for James Bryan or Brian of Maryland. You are hereto furnished the history of the only James Bryan of Virginia found on the revolutionary war reports of the Bureau.

From the papers in the claim survivor File 39,844 it appears that James Bryans enlisted in 1776 in Captain William McKee's company which was stationed at Point Pleasant, Virginia, and after eight or nine months he joined Captain Andrew Wallace's company, Colonel James Wood's Twelfth Virginia Regiment, in which he served about fifteen months and was discharged in the fall of 1778. Later her served about four months in the Eighth Regiment.
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He was allowed pension on his application executed May 19, 1818, at which time he was a resident of Botetourt County Virginia.

In 1826 he was seventy years old and referred to his wife aged sixty-five, name not stated. A daughter name illegible, aged twenty-six, Betsey and Else, twins, aged twenty-three, Peggy aged Nineteen and Augustus aged sixteen years.

There is no further date on file as to his family.

Very truly yours,

F D Byington

Commissioner
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Left Side Page

39244
INVALID
Revy

File No 39,244

James Bryans
Pri Rev War

Act: 18 March '18
Index: - Vol: 3 Page 60

[Arrangement of 1870.]

Right Side Page

1921 Jan 25, Hist to C.D. Benson,
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James Bryans

James Bryans, Private
Woods Virginia Reg

1776 to 1778

Adm
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I am well acquainted with the within named James Bryans & his circumstances. He is old, informed & very poor and to my knowledge requires the support of his country.

James Breckenridge
a member of Congress
Jan 25, 1819
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Carville D Benson
2nd Dist. Maryland

Irvin J Sullivan
Secretary

House of Representatives U.s.
Washington, D.C.
2301 Fidelity Building
Baltimore, MD

January 21st, 1921

Hon. F.D. Byington
Commisioner of Pensions,
Washington, D.C.

Dear Sir:-

I shall appreciate it if you will advise me what record, if any, the files of the Pension Bureau show of either or both of the two persons whose names are mentioned below, and who are said to have served in the Continental Army of the Revolutionary War:

Thomas Benson - of Maryland or Virginia
James Bryan (or Brian) - of Maryland or Virginia

(Handwritten: Only one of Md, none of Va S16719 - next to James Bryan)

Also please let me know whether or not you have any record of the family of either of these two men, and if so what that record is.

Thanking you in anticipation for the information, which I am sure you will furnish promptly if possible, I am

Yours very truly,

Carville Benson

STAMP - DEPUTY Commissioner Jan 22, 1921