Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty Land Warrant Application File W. 1993, for John Pierson, Maryland
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State of North Carolina Person County}
I Charles Mason Clerk of the Court of Pleas and Quarter Sessions, for the County of Person State of North Carolinia, Certify that the above (or foregoing) is a true copy of the record, with the exception of the date which is expressed in the record in Fair, legible figure and following this third (3rd) day of February One Thousand Seven hundred and ninety four (1794).
I Charles Mason above named, (illegible) and say, that I hold the Office of Clerk of the Court of Pleas and Quarter Sessions in the Town of Roxborough, Person County and State of North Carolinia, and the above is a true extract from the record of said Court of Pleas and Quarter Sessions, held for the County of Person State of North Carolinia, (illegible) the Exception above named as Certified by me.--
Charles Mason Clerk of the Court of Person County State of North Carolinia
Sworn before me this 25th day of August, 1849
G D Seithefield a Justice of the Peace.
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State of North Carolina
Person County}
I Charles Mason Clerk of the Court of Pleas and Quarter Sessions, hereby Certify that G D Sothefield Esqr. whose Signature affixed to the foregoing Certificate (as Justice of the Peace) is a Magistrate in and for the County of Person and State aforesaid, duly commissioned and Qualified, and the Signature purporting to be his is genuine.
In testimony (illegible) of I have hereunto affixed day of office and Subscribed being sworn this 25 th day of August A.D. 1849
Charles Mason Clerk
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3 
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. 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 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 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 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. 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 bis 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 mouths 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 au embodied corps called into service by competent authority that lie 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 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 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 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 on 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 signature of the magistrate must be certified by the proper officer, under his seal of office. The notes from [a] to [j] are all equally applicable to the cases of Militia men, Volunteers and State Troops. The proof required by rule in 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.

W.R. Turner
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J. G. Finnie   N. L. Freeman
FINNIE & FREEMAN
ATTORNEYS AND COUNSELORS
AT LAW
MORGANFIELD, UNION COUNTY, KY
Will attend the courts in Union, Henderson, Hopkins and Crittenden.
Aug. 14th 1849
Dear Sir
Enclosed herewith I send you Mrs Pierson's declaration-- The record of the marriage is not yet rec'd and I send you this to see if it be correct--the record will be forwarded as soon as rec'd  Mrs Pierson was unable from bodily infirmity to attend the County Court and her declaration was sworn to before a Justice of the Court--as required by instruction & is the printed form sent Mr Pierson. If the declaration be incorrect in any part, send it back immediately and I will have it remedied--
Mr Brown is Justice to the Legislature by 51 majority over Dr Delaney--Wm Spalding to the state senate by a majority of 6 (!!!)  over Daniel A. Brooks of this County--I S Spalding to the convention beating Sanford Connelly 660. Boyd was not opposed-- I saw Sam Lewis yesterday--he will probably win the (illegible) minus in (illegible). all well  Your affe nephew 
Jno. G. Finnie
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Mar 4.
Mr Evans
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TREASURY DEPARTMENT
Second Comptroller's Offic.
March 2d, 1839.
Sir:
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," The Widow of John Pierson, a Pensioner on the Roll of the Kentucky Agency, at the rate of fifty Dollars per annum, under the law of the 7th June, 1832, has been paid at this Department, from the 4th of Sept. 1834, to the 4th March, 1838.
Respectfully, yours,
Albion K. Parris
Comptroller.

To the Commissioner of Pensions, 
Present.
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State of Kentucky Coldwell County sct}
This day personally appeared before me William Lander an acting Justice of the peace in and for said County and state aforesaid. Justinean Cartwright and made oath that John Pearson (who is now present) was a soldier during the revolutionary war of the Continental line that he the said Pearson served in the Company of Capt. Richard Dorrey attached to Colonel Charles Harrison's Regiment of Artilery of General Henry Know's Brigade belonging to the Virginia Line of Continental Troops, and this affiant further states that he believes that said Pearson was Enlisted "During the war" that he was well acquainted with said Pearson before the removal of the army or that part to which said Pearson was attached removed to the south before the defeat of General Gates: said affiant states also that he himself was a Seargent Major of the revolutionary army and is now a Pensioner and aged about 80 years. Sworn to and subscribed before me this 14th day of May 1832 attest
Will Lander, JP}  Justinean Cartwright '76