Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty Land Warrant Application File S 32542, for Johnson Strong, Virginia
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[Printed document with handwritten entries]
(3-1776)
SERVICE | NUMBER
Va | Strong, Johnson | S 32542
CONTENTS
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[Printed document with handwritten entries]

Alabama 25.817.
Johnson Strong Fayette Co. in the State of the Alabama who was a in the Company commanded by Captain Dabney of the Regt commanded by Col Meredith in the Virginia
line for
10 Mo [illegible] $33.33

Inscribed on the Roll of Alabama at the rate of 33 Dollars 33 Cents per annum, to commence on the 4th day of March, 1831.

Certificate of Pension issued the 9 day of Jany 
and Sent to 1834 Daniel Peyton, Fayette CH. Ala

Arrears to the 4th of Sept 1833 83.33 1/2
Semi-anl. allowance ending 4 Mch '34 16.66 1/2
$100.00

{Revolutionary Claim, Act June 7, 1832.}

Recorded by T. Sprage Clerk
Book E Vo. 8 Page 51
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#Let to Hon. G.S. Hayton Jan 21. 1842
Letter to D, Peyton 12th April 1843.
Paid at the Treasury under the act of April 1838, from 4 Sep, 1841. to 4 Sep 1842. Agent notified Decr 1844
Date of death no shown on A.B.
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Declaration in order to obtain the benefit of the Act of Congress passed June 7th 1832

The State of Alabama}
Fayette County} On this 23rd day of July 1833 personally appeared in vacation before me Walter Harkins Judge of the County Court of Fayette County, Johnson Strong a resident of said county aged about seventy four years
who being first duly sworn according to law doth on his oath make the following declaration in order to obtain the benefit of the Act of Congress passed June 7th 1832
That he entered the service of the United States as a volunteer some time about the first of June 1776 in Hanover County in the State of Virginia under the command of Captain Charles Dabney who was commanded by Colonel Samuel Meredith and marched from Hanover County to Williamsburg and from
thence to York town and from thence to Hampton in Virginia and encamped there several months and from thence marched to Portsmouth and was there discharged by Con
Samuel Merdith a few days before Christmas 1776 making service of nearly seven months, And after I returned home some time in the latter part of the year 1777 I volunteered
my service to labor in the public Iron works in Buckingham County Virginia, which works was carried into effect by Thomas Balantine and John Rively, and managed by George Rivily and remained in the public service in the Iron works until some time in the latter part of the year 1799 making service of full two years for all of which service but a small compensation, I received not amounting to more that ten dollars again entered the service of the Unted
States as a volunteer in January 1781 in Buckingham County Virginia under the command of Capt William Cannon who was commanded by Col Holcom and Genl Stephens and marched from Buckingham County directly to Guilford Court House North Carolina and was in the Battle of Guilford, and after the Battle we were marched to Ramseys Mill on deep river in North Carolina and
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from thence to Dan River in North Carolina and was then discharged some time about the first of April 1781 making a service of the three months both of which discharges or lost or mislaid so they cannot be found and that I have no documentary evidence and I know of
no person whose testimony I can procure who can testify to my service He hereby relinquishes every case whatever to a pension or annuity except the present and declares that his name not on the pension roll of any agency in any State Sworn to and subscribed
the day and year aforesaid

Johnson Strong

Walter Harkins Judge
Test Daniel Peyton Clk

We John Pryor a clergyman residing in the county of Fayette and John Cochran residing in the same hereby certify that we are well acquanted with Johnson Strong who has subscribed and sworn to the above declaration that we believe him to be seventy four years
of age that he is reputed and believed in the neighborhood when he resides to have been a soldier of the Revolution and that we concur in that opinion Sworn to and subscribed the day and year aforesaid

John Pryor
Jon Cochran

Walter Harkins Judge
Test Daniel Peyton Clk

Question 1st Where and in what year were you born
Ansr 1. in Hanover County Va in the year 1758

Q. 2 Have you any Record of your age and if so where is it
A. 2. in my family bible at my house

Q 3 Where were you living when called into service and when have you lived since the Revolutionary war
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Ansr. 3 In Hanson County at our time of service and in Buckingham County one term of since that time I have lived in in the State of
Georgia and the State of Missouri and are no living in Fayette County Alabama
Q. 4. How were you called into service were you drafted did you volunteer or were you a substitute
A. A. I volunteer at each term of service
Q. 5 State the names of some of the Regular and Continental offices who served in with the troop with where you served
 A.6. Holcom Stephens Skipith Genl Green [illegible]
Q. 7 Did you ever receive a discharge from the
service and if so by whom was it given and what has become of it
A. 7 The discharge from my first service was given by Saml Meredith the next discharge by Captain John Allen who acted in the place of Captain Cannon who had returned home on account of sickness, which discharges are lost or mislaid so the cannot be found
And the said Court do hereby declare their opinion after the investigation of the matter and after putting the interogatories prescribed by the war department that the above
named applicant was a Revolutionary and served as he State And the Court further certifies that it appears to them that John Pryor who has signed the preceding certificate is a clergyman residing in said County, and John Cochran who has also signed the same
resides in Fayette County and is creditable
person and their statement is entitled to credit

Walter Harkins Judge
Test Daniel Peyton clk
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The State of Alabama}
Fayette County}  I Daniel Peyton Clerk of the
County Court of said said County do hereby certify that the foregoing contains the
original proceedings of the said Court in the matter of the application of Johnson Strong for a pension
In testimony whereof I have hereunto my hand and official seal this 22nd day of July 1833

Daniel Peyton clk

[Image of seal, illegible]

The State of Alabama Fayette County
I Walter Harkins Judge of the County Court of
said County do hereby certify that Daniel Payton whose name appears to the foregoing certificate is and was at the time of signing the same acting Clerk of the County Court of said County duly commissioned and qualified and full faith and should be given to all his official acts as such
given under my hand this 22nd day July 1833

Walter Harkins Judge
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Johnson Stong
Declaration
Danl. Peyton
Fayette C H
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[Printed document with handwritten entries]

STATE OF ALABAMA.
JOHN GAYLE GOVERNOR OF SAID STATE,
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME.
Know Ye, That Walter Hankins whose signature
appears to the foregoing & annexed certificate
was at the time of signing the same Judge of the County Court og Fayette [illegible] by State  (which said Court is a Court of Record) 
duly commissioned & qualified

THEREFORE, all the faith, credit, and authority are, and ought to he had and given to all his
official act as such In testimony whereof, have hereunto set my hand and caused the Seal
of the State to be affixed. Done at the Capitol in Toscaloosa, this the 7 day of October in the year of our Lord on thousand eight hundred and thirty-three and of the Independence of the United States of America the fifty-eighth
BY THE GOVERNOR.

John Gayle
James Thornton 

[Image of seal, illegible]
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[Printed document with handwritten entries]

32542
Revy INVALID.
File No. 32,542
Johnson Strong
Pri Rev War
Act: June 7th 32"
Index:-Vol. 2, Page 397
[Arrangement of 1879]
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Hon. J. L. Edwards
Comr of Pensions
Pension office
Washington city

Jan 21. 1832
W
Johnson 
Ala.
vol 8. p 51.

Hon G. S. Houston HR
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Ho. Reps 20th Jany 1842
Sir
Enclosed is a letter containing enquires which I
submit to your convenience for an answer, if in [illegible] it comes within the range of any part of your line of business
In your answer to me please return the enclosed
letter - if not proper for you to answer please aid with your information or giving it a proper
direction
I am very respectfully Sir Yr Obt Servt,
Geo. S. Houston
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[Printed document with handwritten entries]

GIDEON PRINTER

TREASURY DEPARTMENT
SECOND COMPTROLLER'S OFFICE
April 11th 1844.
Under the act of the 6th of April, 1838, entitled "An Act directing the transfer of money remaining unclaimed by certain Pensioners,
and authorizing the payment of the same at the Treasury of the United States, and the third section of the Act of August 23, 1842, extending the time within which pensioners may receive their pensions from the pension agents, Johnson Strong {blank space] a Pensioner on the Roll of the Tuscaloosa, Al.
Agency, at the rate of Thirty three Dollars and 33 Cents per annum, under the law of the 7 June 1832 has been paid at this Department, from the of Sept. 1841 to the 4 Sept. 1842

Respectfully, yours
Albion K. Parris
Comptroller.

To the COMMISSIONER OF PENSIONS, Present.
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Fayette Ala. Mch 20/40
Daniel Peyton Where must pensions be paid - they have not receiving for 12 months [illegible] of death of P. Agent
P 202. Rec. Apl 1143 Pension office Nv Every
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Fayette C. House Ala.
March 30th 1843

Dear Sir
I am requested by the Revolutionary Pensioners residing in Fayette County Alabama Court, Isaac Lansdale Reubin Cook, Frederick Bagwell, Johnson Strong, Thomas Glaye and David Black that you be pleased to forward
to me at the above place instructions at what place they shall apply for the pension which has not been paid for twelve months past, owing to the death of Mr Redmond the agent at Tuscaloosa you will please send the instructions to me as early as possible

I am Respectfully
Yo. Obt Servt
Daniel Peyton
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Johnson Strong
Amended Declaration
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The State of Alabama}
Fayette County}

Before me B W Wilson an acting Justice of the peace in and for said County personally appeared Johnson Strong who being first duly sworn according to law doth on his oath
amend his declaration for a pension in the following manner that he knows of no person now living whose testimony he can procure who can testify to his service as an artificer in the Revolutionary war, and for that reason
he hereby relinquishes his services to that part of his claim as a pensioner, Sworn to and subscribed before me this 16th day of December 1833

Johnson Strong
B. W. Wilson J. P.

The State of Alabama}
Fayette County} 
I James B Morton Clerk of the County Court for said County do hereby certify that B W Wilson whose signature appears to the foregoing certificate is and was at the time of certifying and signing the same an acting Justice of the peace in and for said County
duly qualified and commissioned and duly authorized to administer oaths and the same is his genuine signature
In Testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand and official seal at office at Fayette Court
House this 19th day of December 1833

Jas B. Morton Clk
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27.865
Johnson Strong
Alabama
[Crossed out: Return for]
Adm 10 Months.
33.33
2
66.66
26.66
83.32
Daniel Peyton
Fayette C. H.
Alabama
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[Printed document with handwritten entries]

WAR DEPARTMENT,
Pension Office.
12th Nov. 1833
Sir:
The evidence in support of your claim, under the act of June 7, 1832, has been examined, and the papers are herewith returned. The following is a statement of your case in a tabular form. On comparing these papers with the following rules, and the subjoined notes, you will readily perceive that objections exist, which must be removed, before a pension can be allowed. The notes and the regulations will shew what is necessary to be done. These points to which your attention is more particularly directed, you will find marked in the margin with a brace, (thus: }).  You will, when you return your papers to this Department, send this printed letter with them; and you will by compling with this request, greatly facilitate the investigation of your claim.

A Statement, shewing the service of Johnson Strong

Period when the service was rendered. | Duration of the claimant's service. | Years. | Months. | Days. | Rank of the claimant. | 
Names and rank of the field officers under whom he served. | Age at present, and place of abode when he entered the service. | Proof by which the declaration is supported.

I am, respectfully, Your obedient servant,
J. L. EDWARDS,
Commissioner of Pensions.

The claimant is required to produce the testimony of living witnesses having a personal knowledge of his services as and
her, and that said service was not under a civil contract being subject to the rules an articles of War whilst to engaged [3 remaining words are cut off, illegible]
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2
REGULATIONS UNDER THE ACT OF JUNE 7, 1832.
The following regulations have been adopted:
This law has been construed to extend, as well to the line, as to every branch of the Staff of the Army, and to include under the terms "Continental Line," "State troops," "militia," and "volunteers," all persons enlisted, drafted, or who volunteered and who were bound to military service, but not those who were occasionally employed with the army upon civil contracts, such as Clerks to Commissaries and to Store Keepers, &c., Teamsters, Boatmen, &c. Persons who served on board of private armed vessels are also excluded from the benefits of the law, as well as persons who turned out as patrols, or were engaged in guarding particular places at night, and were not recognized as being in actual military service.
Four general classes of cases are embraced in this law:
1. The Regular Troops.
2. The State Troops, Militia, and Volunteers.
3. Persons employed in the Naval Service.
4. Indian Spies.
As rolls of the regular troops in the  Revolutionary War exist in this Department, all persons claiming the benefit of this law as officers, non-commissioned officers, mucicians or privates, will, in the first instance, make application by transmitting the following declaration, which will be made before a Court of Record of the County where such applicant resides. And every Court having by law a seal and Clerk is considered a Court of Record.
DECLARATION.
In order to obtain the benefit of the Act of Congress of the 7th of June, 1832.
State, Territory, or District of County of On this day of A. B. a resident (b) of personally appeared (a) before in the county of and State, Territory or District years, who being first duly sworn, according to law, doth on his oath make the following declaration, in order to obtain the benefit of the provision made by the act of Congress, passed June 7th, 1832. That he enlisted in the Army of the United States in the year (d) served in the (e) regiment of the with and line, under the following named officers:

(Here set forth the names and rank of the Field and Company Officers; the time he left the service; (and if he served under more than one term of enlistment, he must specify the particular period, and rank and names of his officers;) the town or county and State in which he resided when he entered the service; the battles, if any, in which he was engaged, and the country through which he marched. This form is to be varied so as to apply to the cases of officers and persons who belonged to the militia, volunteers, navy, &c.]
He hereby relinquishes every claim (f) whatever to a pension or an annuity, except the present, and he declares that his name is not on the Pension Roll of any Agency in any State, or (if any) only on that of the Agency in the State of Sworn to and subscribed the day and year aforesaid. A. B. the certificate of the Court
And the said Court do hereby declare their opinion (g) that the above named applicant was a revolutionary soldier, and served as he states. of the Court of do hereby certify (h) that the foregoing contains the original proceedings of the said Court in the matter of
the application of for a pension.
In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand and seal of office (i) this day of & c.
If, on examination of the proper record, the names of applicants, making such declaration, cannot be found, they will produce such proof as the rule given in note (j) points out.
Every applicant who claims a pension by virtue of service in the State Troops, Volunteers or Militia, except those who belonged to the New Hampshire Militia and State Troops of Virginia, will make and subscribe a declaration similar to the foregoing, with the following additions, viz:
We, A. B., a Clergyman residing in the hereby certify, that we are well acquainted with
and C. D. residing in (the same) subscribed and sworn to the above declaration; that we believe him to be who has years of age; that he is reputed and believed, in the neighborhood where he resides, to have been a soldier of the Revolution, and that we concur in that opinion.
Sworn and subscribed the days and year aforesaid.
{And then will follow the certificate of the Court.]
And the said Court do hereby declare their opinion, after the investigation of the matter, and after putting the interrogatories prescribed by the War Department, that the above named applicant was a Revolutionary
Soldier, and served as he states. And the Court further certifies, that it appears to them that A.B. who has signed the preceding certificate is a clergyman, resident in the and that C. D., who has also signed the same is a resident in the and is a credible person, and that their statement is entitled to credit.
I, Clerk of the Court of do hereby certify that the foregoing contains the original proceedings of the said Court, in the matter of the application of for a pension.
In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand and seal of office, this day of & c.
Every applicant will produce the best proof in his power. This is the original discharge or commission; but if neither of these can be obtained, the party will so state under oath, and will then procure, if possible, the testimony of at least one credible witness, stating in detail his personal knowledge of the services of the applicant, and such circumstances connected therewith, as may have a tendency to throw light upon the transaction.
If such surviving witness cannot be found, the applicant will so state in his declaration, (l) and he will also, whether he produce such evidence or not, proceed to relate all the material facts, which can be useful in the investigation of his claim, and in the comparison of his narrative with the events of the period of his
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[Printed document]

3.
alleged service, as they are known at the department. A very full account of the services of each person will be indispensable to a favorable action upon his case.  The facts stated will afford one of the principal means of corroborating the declaration of the applicant, if true, or of detecting the imposition, if one be attempted; and unless, therefore, these are amply and clearing set forth, nor favorable decision can be ex- expected. All applicants will appear before some Court of Record in the County in which they reside, and there subscribe and be sworn to, one of the declarations above provided, according to the nature of his case.

The Court will propound the following (m) interrogatories to all applicants for a pension, on account of service in the Militia, State troops or Volunteers, except the Militia of New Hampshire and the State troops of Virginia.

1. Where and in what year were you born?
2. Have you any record of your age, and if so, where is it?
3. Where were you living when called into service; where have you lived since the Revolutionary war, and where do you now live?
4. How were you called into service; were you drafted, did you volunteer, or were you a substitute?  And if a substitute, for whom?
5. State the names of some of the Regular Officers, who were with the troops, where you served; such as Continental and Milita Regiments as you can recollect, and general circumstances of your service.
6. {To a Soldier {Did you ever receive a discharge from the service, and if so, by whom was it given, and what has become of it?
{To an Officer {Did you ever receive a commission, and if so, by whom was it signed, and what has become of it?
7.  State the names of persons to whom you are known in your present neighborhood, and who can testify as to your character for veracity, and their belief of your services as a soldier of the Revolution.

the Court will see that the answers to these questions are embodied in the declaration, and they are requested to annex their opinions of the truth of the statement of the applicant.

The applicant will further produce in Court, if the same can be done, in the opinion of the Court, without too much expense and inconvenience to him, two respectable persons-one of whom should be the nearest clergyman, if one lives in the immediate vicinity of such applicant, who can testify, from their acquaintance with him, that they believe he is of the age he represents, and that he is reputed and believed in the neighborhood to have been a revolutionary soldier, and that they concur in that opinion.  If any of these persons is a Clergyman, the Court will so certify, and they will also certify to the character and standing of other persons giving such certificates.

The traditionary evidence of service is deemed very important, in the absence of any direct proof, except the declaration of the party. And the Courts are requested to be very particular in the enquiry whether the belief is general, and whether any doubts have ever existed upon the subject.

Applicants unable to appear in Court, by reason of infirmity, may make the declaration before required, and submit to the examination before a Judge or Justice of a Court of record of the proper county, and the Judge or Justice will execute the duties, which the Court is herein required to perform, and will also certify that the applicant cannot, by reason of bodily infirmity, attend
 the Court.

Whenever any official act is required to be done by a Judge or Justice of a Court of record, or by a a Justice of the Peace, the certificate of the Secretary of State or territory, or of the proper Clerk of the Court, or County, under his seal of office, will be annexed, stating that such person is a Judge or Justice of a Court of Record, or a Justice of the Peace, and that the signature annexed is his genuine signature.

No payment can be made on account of the services of any person, who may hav died before the taking of effect of the act of June 7, 1832; and in case of death subsequent thereto. and before the declaration herein required is made, the parties interested will transmit such evidence as they can procure, taken and authenticated before a Court of Record, showing the services of the deceased, the period of his death, the opinion of the neighborhood respecting such services, the title of the claimant, and the opinion of the Court upon the whole matter.

[a] The declarant must appear in open Court, unless prevented from doing so by reason of bodily infirmity; in which case the declarant will follow the rule laid down for his guidance.
[b] The declarant must make his declaration in the county where he resides.  If he should fail to do so, he must assign a sufficient reason for not conforming to the rules.
[c] The age of the claimant must invariably be mentioned.
[d] The declarant must mention the period or periods of the war when he served.
[e] Every continental officer or soldier must give the name of the Colonel under whom he served; otherwise a satisfactory examination of the claim cannot be had. Every claimant must state, with precision, the length of his service, and the different grades in which he served, in language so definite as to enable the Department to determine to what amount of pension he is entitled. IN a case where the applicant cannot, by reason of the loss of memory, state precisely how long he served, he should amend his declaration by making an affidavit in the following words: "Personally appeared before me, the undersigned, a Justice of the Peace, &c. A.B. who, being duly sworn, deposeth, and saith, that by reason of old age, and the consequent loss of memory, he cannot swear positively as to the precise length of his service, but according to the best of his recollection, he served not less than the periods mentioned below, and in the following grades: - For ___ months, and ___ days, I served as a ___. For ___ months and ___ days, I served as a ___, and for such service I claim a pension."    It is important, in all cases, to determine with precision the period for which each applicant served, and in particular rank he held, as the law directs the pension to be paid according to the grade of the pensioner and the length of his service. The use of the phrase (italicized) about three or four months is too indefinite, and all such qualifying expressions are objectionable.  Some persons who apply for pensions merely state that they served two years in the militia, &c., without specifying the tours, the names of the officers, and other particulars respecting their service.  This oform of a declaration is highly objectionable.  It must, in every case, be clearly shown under what officers the applicant served with an embodied corps call into service by competent authority; that he was either in the field or in garrison; and for the time during which the service was performed, he was not employed in any civil pursuit.
[f] This law makes the relinquishment indispensable.
[g] The opinion of the court is always required.
[h] The Clerk must give his certificate in every case.
[h] The Clerk must affix his seal, and if has no device or inscription by which it can be distinguished from any other seal, or if he has no public seal of office, the certificate of a member of Congress, proving the official character and signature of the certifying officer, should accompany the papers. (the last two lines have handwritten parentheses on each side of the document)

(Italicized) Mode of authenticating papers.

In every instance where the certificate of the certifying officer who authenticates the papers is not written on the same sheet of paper which contains the affidavit, or other papers authenticated, the certificate must be attached thereto by a piece of tape or narrow ribbons, the ends of which must pass under the seal of office of the certifying officer, so as to prevent any paper from being improperly attached to the certificate. (handwritten parentheses on each side of the document).

(Italicized) Proof of Service.

[j] In a case where the name of the applicant is not found on the records of the Department, he must prove his service by two credible witnesses who are required to set forth their affidavits at the time of the claimant's entering the service, and the time and manner of his leaving the same, as well as the regiment company, and line to which he belonged. The magistrate who may administer the oaths must certify to the credibility of the witnesses, and the official character and signature of the magistrate must be certified by the proper officer, under the seal of office.
(illegible) The notes from [a] to [j] are equally applicable to the cases of Militia men, Volunteers and State Troops. The proof required by rule is (illegible) [j] applied to continental troops only.
[k] This traditionary evidence is indispensable in milia cases.
[l] If a witness cannot be found, the declarant must state the fact.
[m] The answers to the interrogatories must all be written, and sent to the War Department, with the declaration.