Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty Land Warrant Application File R. 17,110, for John Piper, Virginia
Page 1

(3 - 1776)
SERVICE
Va.
Piper, John
NUMBER
R. 17,110
Va. Half Pay
CONTENTS
N. A. Acc. No. 874
See 050 132 Half Pay
John Piper
Page 2

July 6, 1939
JOHN PIPER
R. 17110
BA-J/MHF: MLB
Miss Margaret Piper
Box 252
Chickamauga, Georgia
Dear Madam:
Reference is made to your letter in which you request the Revolutionary War record of John Piper, lieutenant in the Virginia troops, and the Civil War record of Alexander Norman Piper.
The Revolutionary War records of this office show that John Piper, of Virginia, served as lieutenant in the First Regiment of the Virginia State Line and was in service as late as sometime in 1781 and became supernumerary officer.
This officer died in May, 1814, in Virginia,
and was survived by heirs whose names were not designated.
Amos Yantis, of Kentucky, was administrator of this officer's estate and one John Yantis was referred to in 1854; their relationship to John Piper not shown.
John Piper was granted land by the State of Virginia in May, 1795, for his services in the Revolutionary War.
The pension or Virginia Half Pay which was due from the United States on account of his service as lieutenant in the Virginia State Line was allowed in 1842.
This office has no further information in regard to this officer. Additional information in regard to his military service might be obtained from The Adjutant General, War Department, this city.
For information in regard to the Civil War soldier, cited above, you should apply to the National Archivist, this city.
Very truly yours
A. D. HILLER
Executive Assistant
to the Administrator
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Huntington, W.VA 1917
Dec 7
1230PM
THIS SIDE OF CARD IS FOR ADDR
Bureau of Pensions,
Washington,
D.C.
PENSION OFFICE
DEC 
10 
1917
Page 5

J.N.Thompson
Atn H. P. Waldo
Comr Jenkins
Pension office
DC
Page 6

Senate Chamber
Decr 20.54
Atn H. P. Waldo
Order. 
I do [in] the papers asked for by the accompanying letter from Ms Yantis. I prefer they are to be read in court. Yantis & [Illeg.] are the heirs. I will pay whatever fee is [Illeg.]
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gound. I formerly when in H. of helps attended to Capt. Pipers care. Then was allowed & paid to them $5&6000.00. Please respond to this & have the copy properly authenticated. & my [illeg.] yr [illeg.] set 
J. B. Thompson
-
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July 6, 1939

XXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Miss Margaret Piper
Box 252
Chickamauga, Georgia

JOHN PIPER
H. 17110
BA-J/MMHF:MLB

Dear Madam:

Reference is made to your letter in which you request the Revolutionary War record of John Piper, lieutenant in the Virginia troops, and the Civil War record of Alexander Norman Piper.

The Revolutionary War records of this office show that John Piper, of Virginia, served as lieutenant in the First Regiment of the Virginia State Line and was in service as late as sometime in 1781 and became supernumerary officer.

This officer died in May 1814, in Virginia, and was survived by heirs whose names were not designated.

Amos Yantis, of Kentucky, was administrator of this officer's estate and one John Yantis was referred to in 1854; their relationship to John Piper not shown.

John Piper was granted land by the State of Virginia in May, 1795, for his services in the Revlolutionary War.

The pension or Virginia Half Pay which was due from the United States on account of his service as lieutenant in the Virginia State Line was allowed in 1842.

This office has no further information in regard to this officer, Addtional information in regard to his military service might be obtained from The Adjutant General, War Department, this city.

For information in regard to the Civil War soldier, cited above, you should apply to the National Archivist, this city.

Very truly yours


A. D. Hiller
Executive Assistant 
to the Administrator
Page 11

FW.  Rev. War Section


December 12, 1917


Mrs. J. R. Rich
1315 Tenth Street,
Huntington, West Virginia.

Madam:

In response to your undated letter received the tenth instant, you are advised that the records of this Bureau show that John Piper served as a Lieutenant in the First regiment, Virginia Line, until 1870, and died in May 1814.

Amos Yantis, of Kentucky, was the administrator of soldier's estate.

There are no particulars of his service, and no family data on file.

Very respectfully,
G M Saltzgabor
Commissioner.
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War Dept.
Pension Office
March 6, 1840

Sir,

The evidence which you have lately filed in the case of John Piper is not satisfactory.  Churchill Gibbs swears that he last saw Piper in 1781, that Piper was then in the service, and that he served to the end of the war; but he has omitted to state a very material fact as to the termination of Piper's service.  The war did not end in 1781.  If Piper served to the end of the war, the question arises as to the means by which the writer arrived at the knowledge of his having so served.  Where was Gibbs when the war ended, and where was Piper at that period, are questions which must be satisfactorily answered.

The affidavit of Mrs. Ellen Strother is too indefinite.  She must be more particular, and state where Piper was at the end of the war, and where she was at that time.  She must also state in what month and year he left the Army.  As a general rule, a female is not deemed a competent witness as to military service, unless she is a camp follower.  There may be cases,  however, in which the evidence may be of [illegible] inferance.  This may be one of them.  The paper will remain on our files.

See Book
act 5 July 32
Enter this

Robert McAfee
of Kentucky 
[illegible]
Page 14

To the Register of the
Law-Office, Richmond, Va.
Apl. 17, 1839

O.C.
Page 15

War Dep
Pension Office
April 17, 1839

Sir,
I have to request that you will furnish this office with copies of papers upon which John Piper obtained a land warrant in May 1795 for service as a Lieutenant in the Virginia State Line during the revolutionary war.  This is wanted for the purpose of substantiating the claim of his heirs to half-pay under the act of July 5, 1832, entitled "an act to provide for liquidating and paying certain claims of the State of Virginia."  An early answer is respectfully requested.
T

To the Register of 
the Law Office
Richmond, VA
Page 17

War Dep.
Pension Office
Arpil 17, 1839

Sir,
The paper in support of the claim of the heirs of John Piper, under the act of July 5, 1832, have been examined and placed on our files.  The evidence is defective,
1.  The claimants have exhibited no proof whatever of Piper's service, and the records of this office do not show that such a [illegible]        ever belonged to the Virginia State Troops. 
2.  The proof that the persons who claim are the heirs of a Lieutenant Piper is not satisfactory;
3.  The proof as to the time when he died is not sufficient;
4.  There is no proof that anyone has administered on the estate of Piper;
5.  There is nothing to show who is authorized to receive the amount claimed, and pay the same to the Administrator for the benefit of the heirs; 
6.  If Piper left a wife, a copy of it
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should be produced; and if he left none, the fact should be sworn to by some [illegible] who was with him at the time of his death.

The [illegible] must be very particular in stating all the facts within their knowledge in relation to the case.


Robert B. McAfee, Esq
Harrodsburgh,
Ken

Enter this in Book  on 5 July, 1832
Page 20

War Dep
Pension Office
May 22, 1839

Sir, Your communication of the 14th inst. has been received.  There was a slight error in the letter to you on the 17 ult, in the case of John Piper.  The records of this office show that he was in the service of the State of Virginia, but they do not show how long he served.  The objections in the case are fully set forth in my letter to you of the 17 ult, I have personally attended to this case, and I can assure you that no evidence has been required in this case which the rules do not under indispensable.



Enter this.  See Reg.
Act 5 July 1832

R.B. McAfee, Esq
Harrodsburgh
Ken.
Page 22

War Dep
Pension Office
July 24, 1839

Sir:
The claim of the heirs of the late Lieut. John Piper has been examined.  The evidence of his having served to the end of the war is not satisfactory.  Further proof is indispensable.

The claim for land scrip should be sent to "the Commissioner of the General Land Office, Washington City, D.C."


Enter this.  See
Reg. act 5 July '32
Ken



R. B. McAfee, Esq
Harrodsburg,
Ken.
Page 23

R. B. McAfee,
Aug. 29, 1839

OC
Page 25

R. McAfee
Feb 4, 1840
OC

War Dep
Pension Office
Feb. 4. 1840

Sir,
The papers which you deposited in this office in the case of John Piper, decd. have been examined and placed on our files.  The evidence is not satisfactory.  The witnesses must be more particular as to their knowledge of this service.  They should answer under oath the following interrogations:

1.  How do you know that John Piper was in the service of the State of Virginia in April 1783?
2. What means have you of ascertaining when he entered the service.
3.  Can you read and write? and of so, why do you make your mark instead of affixed your own proper signature to your affidavit?
4.  In what year and month did you last see John Piper while in the service?
5.  Where was John Piper doing [illegible] when you last saw him in the  service.
Page 27

Hon J. B. Thompson
June 14, '41

OC
Page 28

Pension Office
June 14, 1841

Sir,
I have examined and placed on our files the papers in relation to the case of John Piper, decd.  It is not necessary to point out all the defects in these papers until it can be ascertained whether Piper actually became a Supernumerary officer in the Virginia State Line in 1780.  If he was a Supernumerary at that time, and as such retired from the service, the fact must be satisfactorily shown.  The paper purporting to be a copy of Col. Allison's certificate to that effect is not satisfactory proof on that point.  The ccrtificate is without date, and there is no evidence that it was given by Col. Allison.  If the paper can be shown to be genuine, the parties will then be required to produce such other evidence as the regulations require.  It would be advisable I think, to endeavor to obtain some information on the subject  from Wm Richardson, the Secretary of State, Richmond, Va in where of the paper appears to have been filed.

I have the honor

Enter this Per
Book, act
5 July 1832

Hon. J B. Thompson
House of Rep
Page 29

Hon. J. B. Thompson
3 Jun. 1842

OC
Page 31

Certificate in the case of
John Piper decd, under
Act July 5, 1832.
Feb 4 1842

Certified Copy of this
[illegible]


Recorded, Vol. 43. page 141.
Page 32

Pension Office
February 4, 1842

I hereby certify that I have examined the claim of the legal representatives of John Piper, deceased, who was a Lieutanant in the First regiment of the Virginia State Line; that he served as such until the year 1780, when he became a Supernumery Officer; that he died in May, 1814; that the case is embraced by the provisions of the act of Congress of the 5th of July 1832, entitled "An act to provide for the liquidating and paying certain claims of the State of Virginia; that the claim should therefore be allowed at the rate of One Hundred and Sixty Dollars per annum, from the thirty first of December seventeen hundred and eighty up to the first of May eighteen hundred and fourteen; and that the amount is payable to the Honorable, John B. Thompson, attorney of Amos Yantis of Kentucky, administrator of the said John Piper, deceased.

Commissioner of Pensions

Approved 

Secretary of War

[illegible] Enter this
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Copy
_______

December 26, 1854

Hon. J. B. Thompson
United States Senate

Sir:

In reply to your communication of the 20th instant (accompanied by the letter of Mr. John Yantis, which is herewith returned) I have the honor to state that the papers upon which the claim for half-pay of John Piper under Act of July 5, 1832, was allowed, are on file at the Office of the Register of the Treasury.

I am &c,

L. P. Waldo, Comm

R. G.
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C. Breathitt,
Sept. 18.
Page 36

Arrow Rock, Mo. Sept 15 /60

Sir,

Some time since I received a letter from the Hon. S. H. Woodson dated [illegible] House of Reps 8 of June 1860 in answer to one I addressed to him in relation to a pension claim of [illegible] John Piper in which he stated that you would  [illegible] to [illegible] not having heard from you pertinant to request you to write to [illegible] subject [illegible] your earliest convenience.

[illegible] letter to Woodson.  I will state the case to you.  Mr. John Piper was an officer in the revolutionary war.  He lived and died in Virginia.  His heirs understood that his claim has been adjudicated by the commisioner onfpension claims and a sum of money and land was allowed him, neither of which he or his heirs ever obtained a patent for the