Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty Land Warrant Application File S. 2,656, for James Jones, Virginia
Page 1

[typed form, with handwritten responses]

[3-1776]

SERVICE
Va. 
Jones, James

NUMBER
S.2656

carded
CONTENTS
b. June 17, 1752 enl. from Powhatan Co. Va. In 1832 res. of Robertson Co. Tenn.
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[typed form, with handwritten responses]

[left side] Examnd [Examined] with Orig. Rolle [roll] Aug. 1883 M. G.

[right side] 7680 West Tennessee 
James Jones
of Robertson Co. in the State of Tennessee who was a private in the company commanded by Captain Williamson of the Regt. commanded by Col. Willis in the line for 6 months from 1780
Virginia Service Records ok. Feby 23 ‘04

Inscribed on the Roll of West Tennessee at the rate of 20 Dollars -- Cents per annum, to commence on the 4th day of March 1831.

Certificate of Pension issued the 13 day of May 1833 -- , and sent to Wm. Seal, Springfield

Arrears to the 4th of March 1833 $40. -
Semi=anl. [annual] allowance ending 4 Sep. 33 10
$50. -

{Revolutionary Claim}
{Act June 7, 1832}

Recorded by Wm. Allison, Clerk
Book C Vol. 7 Page 85
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No 22570
James Jones Tenn. 
from 1780 private 6 months $20.

William Seal Clerk
Robertson County
Court Tenn.
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[typed form, with handwritten responses]

WAR DEPARTMENT
PENSION OFFICE
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 show 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, (these:}). You will, when you return your papers to this Department, send this printed letter with them; and you will, by complying with this request, greatly facilitate the investigation of your claim.
A STATEMENT, showing the Service of James Jones Robertson County, Tenn.

[column headings: Period when the service rendered. Duration of the claimant’s service. Years. Months. Days. Rank of the claimant. Names and Rank of the Company officers under whom he served. Names and Rank of the General and Field officers. Battles in which the applicant was engaged. Country through which he marched. Place of abode when he entered the service, and age at the present period. Evidence by which the declaration is supported.]  
1780 6 [months] Capt. Williamson Col. Willis [Battle] Guilford [marched] Va. NC Aged 80 Traditionary

I am, respectfully,
Your obedient servant,
J. L. EDWARDS,
Commissioner of Pensions
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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, musicians 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} ss.
County of}
On this     day of     personally appeared (a) before A. B. a resident (b) of     in the county of     and State, Territory or District of aged (c) 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)    , with    and served in the      (e) regiment of the      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. 
[And then will follow 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. 
1               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: 
(k) We, A. B., a Clergyman, residing in the             and C. D. residing in (the same) hereby certify, that we are well acquainted with              , who has subscribed and sworn to the above declaration; that we believe him to be               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 day 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 bis 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 alleged service, as they are known at the Department. A very full account of the services of each person
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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 clearly set forth, no favorable decision can be 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 Continental and Militia Regiments as you can recollect, and the general circumstances of your services. 
6. {To a Soldier.} {To an Officer.} Did you ever receive a discharge from the service, and if so, by whom was it given and what has become of it? 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 he 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 one 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 bodily 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 requested to perform, and will also certify that the applicant cannot, from 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 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 payments can be made on account of the services of any person, who may have died before the taking 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 trans nit 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 rule. 
(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. ln a case where the applicant cannot, by reason of 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    year    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 the 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 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 form of a declaration is highly objectionable. It must, in every case, be clearly shown under what officers the applicant served: the duration of each term of engagement; the particular place or places where the service was performed; that the applicant served with an embodied corps called 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] The law makes the relinquishment indispensable. 
[g] The opinion of the Court is always required. 
[h] The Clerk must give his certificate in every case. 
[i] The Clerk must affix his seal, and if it 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. 
Mode of authenticating papers. In every instance where the certificate of the certifying officer who authenticates the papers in 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 ribbon, 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. 
Proof of Service. 
[j] In a case where the name of the applicant is not found in the records of the Department, he must prove his service by two credible witnesses, who are required to set forth in their affidavits 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 signatures of the magistrate must be certified by the proper officer, under his seal of office. The notes from (a) to (i) are all equally applicable to the cases of Militia men, Volunteers and State Troops. The proof required by rule to [illegible] note (j) applies to continental troops only. 
[k] This traditionary evidence is indispensable in militia 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.} 2. 3. 5. 
Dyer Castor Exum Clerk
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James Johns
22570
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State of Tennessee Robertson County 
On this Thirteenth day of August in the year one thousand eight hundred & thirty two [1832] personally appeared in open court before the County Court of Robertson County now sitting James Jones a resident in the County of Robertson & State of Tennessee aged 80 years the 17th day of June last & was born June 17th 1752 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 under the following named officers and served as herein stated, he states that he was called into service from powetan [Powhatan] County in the State of Virginia and was placed under George Williamson Captain - William Duval Major one Willis was Colonel his given name not recollected & was marched off under General Steuben he thinks he entered the service sometime in the month of October in the year 1780 & was marched to Suffolk town in Virginia & was marched from there to Guilford Court house in North Carolina & there fought a battle [March 15, 1781] under Gen.l Green [General Nathanael Greene] & was wounded & put in the hospital & remained there until he was able to return home sometime in May the following year
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he states that the service he performed was in the Militia of Virginia & that he has no papers to show anything about his service nor does he know of any person by which he can prove the same he hereby relinquishes every claim whatever to a pension or annuity except the present and declares that his name is not nor has been on any pension roll of the agency of any State. Sworn to and subscribed the day and year aforesaid 
[Signed] James Jones
Test, 
W. Seal Clk [Clerk]

we [We] Thos. Gunn a clergyman residing in the State & County aforesaid and James Sawyers residing in the same do hereby certify that we are well acquainted with James Jones who has subscribed and sworn to the above declaration that we believe him to be 80 years of age that he is reputed and believed in the neighbourhood [neighborhood] where 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 
Thos. Gunn, M.G. 
J. Sawyers
Test 
W. Seal Clk [Clerk]
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and the said Court do hereby declare their opinion after the investigation of the matter and after putting the interrogatories presented by the war department that the above applicant was a revolutionary Soldier and served as he states and the Court further certify that it appears to them that Thomas Gunn who has signed the preceding certificate is a clergyman in Robertson County and that James Sawyers who has also signed the same is a resident of Robertson County and is a creditable person and that their statement is entitled to credit – 

I William Seal Clerk of Robertson County do hereby certify that the foregoing contains the original proceedings of James Jones for application for a pension taken & Sworn to in open Court 
In Testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand and affixed the seal of office in the town of Springfield this 15th day of August 1832 
W Seal
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No. 5603
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State of Tennessee} 
Robertson County} Be it remembered that on this day to wit the 28th day of January 1833 Personally appeared James Jones a citizen of the County and State aforesaid before me John Hutchison a Justice of the peace for said County who being duly sworn saith that by reason of old age and consequent loss of memory he cannot swear positively as to the precise length of time in which he served neither can he recollect all the circumstances attending his service but from the best of his recollection he was drafted when he entered the service (as stated in his original declaration to which this is appended) for a tower [tour] of six months and under the officers there mentioned and was under Genl Steuben [General Baron Friedrich von Steuben] & was in a battle at Hood's point [skirmish January 1781] on James River & marched from there to Suffolk town in Virginia from there to Nansemond old towns & then back to Suffolk from thence we marched to Guilford Court house in North Carolina under General Green [Greene] he served not less than six months in actual service as a private but has no discharge being deposited in the hospital and never got any discharge but was permitted to go home when I was able to travel, there resides in my neighborhood where I now reside who can testify
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to my Character & veracity and their belief of my services as a revolutionary soldier to wit, Grandberry Bagget, David Jones, Hugh Henry, David Henry, James Owen, David McMurry, Jackson Couts, Thomas Woodward and many others were it necessary to enumerate them. 
For said service I claim a pension. 
[Signed] James Jones
Sworn to & subscribed before me the day and date above. 
John Hutchison, Justice of the Peace 

State of Tennessee} 
Robertson County} I William Seal Clerk of the Court of Pleas and Quarter Session for said County do hereby certify that John Hutchison whose name is attested to the above additional declaration of James Jones is a Justice of the peace for said County duly commissioned and qualified as such duly authorised [authorized] to administer oaths and full faith & credit is & ought to be due to his attestations & that his signature is genuine 
In Testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal of said Court at office in Springfield this 28 Jany [January] 1833 
W. Seal
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[typed form, with handwritten responses]

REVOLUTIONARY WAR RECORDS SECTION   3-525
MMHF S.2656 DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR,
BUREAU OF PENSIONS,
Washington, D. C., Aug. 4, 1923

In reply to your request of [blank], for the history of the James Jones, a soldier of the Revolutionary War, the following is taken from the soldier’s claim for pension.

[column headings: DATES OF ENLISTMENT OR APPOINTMENT. LENGTH OF SERVICE. RANK. OFFICERS UNDER WHOM SERVICE WAS RENDERED. Captain. Colonel. STATE.
Oct. 1780 to May 1781 [Rank] Pvt. [Captain] George Williamson [Colonel] Willis [State] Va.

Battles engaged in, Hoods Point and Guilford C.H. where wounded

Residence of soldier at enlistment, Powhatan Co. Va.

Date of application for pension, Aug. 13, 1832 His cl [claim] was allowed

Residence at date of application, Robertson Co. Tenn.

Age at date of application, Born June 17, 1752

Remarks: No family data on file
(Date of death not on AB)

Respectfully,
Commissioner

GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE
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[typed form, with handwritten responses]

[left side written sideways] 1923 – Aug. 4 – Hist. to Wilhelmina Hill MMHF

[right side] 2656 Rev War 
INVALID
File No. 2656
James Jones
Privt [Private] Rev War

Act: June 7th, 1832
Index: - Vol. A, Page 194

[Arrangement of 1870.]
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Springfield Tn} Free
January 30}

Lewis Cass
Secretary of War
Washington City

[written sideways] James Jones Pension Papers Tenn. 22570
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Box 605, De Land, Fla. 
June 27, 1923. 
Pension Bureau: 
Gentlemen: 
Kindly give me any information you can in regard to the following persons: 
James Jones, Pen. of the Rev. from Logan Co. Ky. in 1818 
James Jones Pen. of the Rev. from Robertson Co. Tennessee in 1835 
Thanking you for
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any information you may give me, 
Very truly yours 
(Mrs.) Wilhelmina Jones Hill 
Box 605, DeLand, Fla.