Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty Land Warrant Application File R. 11037, Francis Walker, Va.
Page 1

SERVICE: Va.
Walker, Francis
Hannah
NUMBER: R. 11037
B.L. Ht.47.812-160-55
CONTENTS:
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236.026 Act Mar. 3. '55.
Feb. 25. '56

Hannah Walker, wid.
Francis Walker pri.

Private

Virginia Line

Revy. war
See papers under Act 7. June 1852 for Pension.

Sus July 53
W.160 ac's Nov 10/56
Dodge

R. Saunders
Shackelford's
Va

Let R. Saunders Oct 10/56
Ex P

88011-8

Vol W=1=28
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State of Virginia
County of Middlesex} ss

On this 21st day of September 1852 personally appeared before me Robert Healy a Justice of the Peace within and for the County and state aforesaid. Hannah Walker aged seventy nine years old a resident of Middlesex County in the state of Virginia who being duly sworn according to law declareth that she is the widow of Francis Walker deceased who died in Middlesex County Virginia The 28th day of July 1839 and who was a soldier in the war of the Revolution between the United Colonies of America & Great Britain
That she has frequently heard her husband speak of being in the war and tell incidents Thereof, relating to the Revolution in North Cumberland County, & also of being present at the battle at York Town, but does not recollect the officers under whom he served but would refer the department of the Interior for these facts to the Declaration her said husband made in January 1835 which she informed is on file in the pension office
She would also refer to the proof accompanying said Declaration as at this day nothing further can be proved except Traditionary evidence of which a great deal might be added but enough has no doubt been furnished to satisfy the Department - She is old and infirm & could not attend Court without great inconvenience & Therefore makes this declaration to obtain the pension to which her husband was entitled at the time of his death under the cert of Congress passed 7th of June 1832 and any County to which he was entitled, he never having received any to her knowledge -
Hannah Walker
x her mark
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The foregoing declaration sworn to and subscribed before me this 21st day of September 1852 aD 
I Certify That Hannah Walker well known to me in old and by reason of her age & infirmity, and cannot attend Court without great inconvenience That her statement is entitled to full credit and I moreover Certify, that I knew her husband Francis Walker who died in Middlesex County about The 28th day of July 1839, and That he was always regarded as a soldier of the Revolutionary war by his neighbors & I Concur in that opinion and that his statement is entitled to full credit being regarded a man of truth, and I know also that she is his widow, they having lived together as husband and wife during his lifetime & were so reputed; Given under my hand this 21st day of September 1832
Robt Healy J.P.

State of Virginia
County of Middlesex} ss
I Philemon T Woodward Clerk of the County Court in and for the County and state aforesaid, do hereby Certify that Robert Healy Esq whose genuine signature appears to the foregoing Declaration, affidavit, and power of attorney, is and was at the time of signing the same Justice of the Peace, duly Commissioned and qualified in and for the County of Middlesex and State of Virginia, and all his official acts as such are entitled to full faith and credit and that the aforesaid County Court is a Court of record having [blocked by seal] -oretion Given under my hand and seal of Office at the Courthouse this 23rd day of September 1852
P. T. Woodward Clerk
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Know all men by these presents That I: Hannah Walker widow of Francis Walker of Middlesex County Virginia do hereby irrevocably make Certificate and appoint James S. Bristow my true and Lawful Attorney for me and in my name to demand and receive from the department of the Interior of the United States, the Certificate or warrant to which I am entitled for the military services of my deceased husband Francis Walker dec'd who died in Middlesex County Virginia on the 28th day of July 1839
in the Revolutionary war with England on the pension to which he was entitled at the time of his death under The Act passed 7th of June 1832 as for his declarations in January 1835 and on file in the pension office - No. 31.334 and suspended and of which suspension she is now for the first time informed of and for good and suspicious renown do hereby revoke and Countermand any and all other powers of attorney, or authority that may have been given by me or my deceased husband for any such purposes and  Act the June so long and irrevocable in my said attorney the said the said James S. Bristow - In Testimony whereof my hand and seal This 21st day of September 1832
Hannah Walker
x her mark

Richerson Slaughter
Rob. Healy
State of Virginia County of Middlesex
On this 21st day of September 1832 personally appeared before me Robert Healy a Justice of the Peace within and for the County and state aforesaid Hannah Walker subscriber to the foregoing and acknowledged the same to be her act and deed, to the purposes therein described Rob Healy J.P. {Seal}
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State of Virginia County of Middlesex towit
Fanny Tayor aged 74 years a resident of Middlesex County Virginia on this day, personally appeared before me a Justice of the peace within and for the County and state aforesaid and being duly sworn according to law declares that Hannah Walker is the widow of Francis Walker dec'd who was always reported to be a Revolutionary soldier. That they were married about the 15th day of June 1813 - Middlesex County Va by one James Healy a Baptist Preacher that he name before her marriage was Hannah Reeves that her husband the said James Walker died in Middlesex County Va on the 28th day of July 1839 and she is still his widow, that she was present and saw them married & knew them to live together as husband and wife and to be so reputed to the time of his death - she is a disinterested witness & too infirm to attend Court. 
Fanny Taylor
x her mark

Sworn to and subscribed before me this 21st day of September 1852 and I certify that Fanny Taylor is a credible witness & too informed to attend Court
Robt Healy J.P. {Seal}

State of Virginia County of Middlesex ss
Col. John Chowning aged near 73 years a resident of Lancaster County Va this day personally appeared before me a Justice of the peace and being sworn according to law says that Francis Walker dec'd moved from the County of Northumberland and sometime between 1790 & 1800, & was then a married man with family, and was always regarded as a man of the strictest veracity aas (?) his brother Moses - and their statements be entitled to full credit - and he is a disinterested witness
Chownings

Sworn to and subscribed before me this 27th day of April AD 1832 and certify that Col Chownings is a credible witness
Robt Healy J.P.
Page 7

Hannah Walker
Widow of Francis
Revolutionary war

(Suspended case)
When this case comes to the Auditor will call very collected to it
S. P. M.

May

Jos. S. Bristow atty
Saluda
Va
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In Middlesex County Court April 25th 1853
The Court doth certify that satisfactory evidence has been adduced to prove that Hannah Walker is the widow of Francis Walker dec'd who died in Middlesex County Virginia on the 28th day of July 1839 and who was always reputed & believed in the neighborhood to have been a soldier of the Revolutionary war and the court doth concur in that opinion and the evidence of the fact that the said Hannah Walker was married to the said Francis Walker decd in Middlesex County about the 15th day of June 1813 by one James Healy a Baptist minister and to the minds of the Court satisfactory and conclusive, and that he died on the day above stated. and that she is still his widow - and no doubt seems to be entertained in the Community with regard to his service in the Northumberland Militia in the war of the Revolution
Teste
P. T. Woodward clerk,

State of Virginia
County of Middlesex} ss
I Philemon T. Woodward Clerk of the County Court for the county aforesaid in the state aforesaid do hereby certify that the above order was entered in the said Court on the 25th day of April 1853 and that the aforesaid County Court is a court of record having general prosecution - Given under my hand and seal of office at Saluda this 27th day of April 1853
P. T. Woodward Clerk
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Declaration
Mrs. Hannah Walker
widow Francis Walker
under Act 3d July 1855

236.626
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State of Virginia County of Middlesex towit
On this 23d day of June A.D. 1855, before me Robert Healy Jr. - a Justice of the peace within and for the County and state aforesaid duly authorized by law to administer oaths personally appeared Hannah Walker - a resident of the aforesaid County and state aged eighty two years who being duly sworn according to law, declares that she is the widow of Francis Walker dec'd of the County of Middlesex aforesaid, who was a private in the war of the Revolution. That her said husband was several times drafted into the service from the County Northumberland in the aforesaid state at different periods of the Revolution as she has frequently heard him say, but when he was drafted how long he served or when he was discharged she is not able to state - She is confident however, that he was in active services for several months, as will appear by reference to her said husband's application for a Pension under the act of 7th June 1832. To which application and accompanying testimony she would respectfully ask a reference. For the war on that, she the declarant, has no documentary or record evidence of his services nor does she know of any person now living by whom she can prove his services.
She must therefore rely; so for as the timing of her husbands services is concerned to what he himself stated in his own declaration for a Pension, which declaration is seen on file in the Pension Office.
She further declares that she was married to the said Francis Walker in the County of Middlesex on or about the ________ day of June in or about The Year 1813 and that her name before her said marriage was Hannah Revier; That her said
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husband said in the County of Middlesex in the state aforesaid on or about the 28th day of July in or about the Year 1839, and that she is now his widow
She makes this declaration for the purposes of obtaining the Bounty Land to which she may be entitled upon the act of Congress approved on the 3rd day of March, 1855. herein having applied for Land Bounty under this act before.
She hereby appoints R. Saunders her agent and attorney to prosecute her claim and receive the warrants.
Hannah Walker {Seal}
Atty
Richerson Slaughter

We Richerson Slaughter and John R. Smith residents of the County of Middlesex in the state of Virginia upon our oath, declare that the foregoing declaration was signed, acknowledged, and sworn to in our presence by Mrs. Hannah Walker and we further declare that the said Hannah Walker and the said Francis Walker her husband were personally known to us in the life time of the said Francis Walker and known by us, as well in their neighborhood generally, regarded as having been lawfully married and continued to come together as man & wife to day of the said Francis Walkers death
Richerson Slaughter
John R Smith
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The foregoing declaration and affidavit were signed sworn to and subscribed before me on the day and year first before written: and I certify that the affiants are personally known to me, and are reputable and credible persons. I further certify that the applicant is personally known to me that she is the identical person she represents herself to be and that I have no interest in this claim
Robt Healy Sr J.P.

State of Virginia

I Philemon T. Woodward Clerk in the State of Virginia hereby certify that Robert Healy 2nd before whom the foregoing declaration & affidavit were made was at the date thereof an acting Justice of the Peace within & for the said County duly elected and qualified to act as such
That full faith and credit is due to all his official actions that the foregoing signature purporting to be his is genuine
In Testimony whereof I have here unto set my hand and affixed the seal of my said Court this 6th day of February in the Year 1836
P. T. Woodward Clerk
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Francis Walker
Declaration for Pension
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State of Virginia. Middlesex County to wit
On this 17th day of January 1835 personally appeared before me Blackburn a justice of the Peace in and for the County and state
aforesaid Francis Walker aged seventy one years who being first duly sworn according
to law [illegible] on his oath make the following declarations in order to obtain the
benefit of the act of Congress passed June 7th 1832. That he entered the service of the
State of Virginia in the Revolutionary war in the Militia for the time and under the
only named officers as the following statement [illegible]


[column headings: [illegible] of services, duration of service years, duration of service months, duration of service days, rank, names and rank of the field and company offices under whome he served, age at present and place of residence, proof]
1. 1779, 2, 6, (blank) private, Capt [illegible] Davenport, 71 years 10 months [illegible] County Virginia, (blank)

2. 1780, (blank), 7, (blank), do, Capt John Digges, (blank), Moses Walker

3. 1781, (blank), 8, 20, do, Col [illegible] Gasking, (blank), (blank)

Major Wm Null
Major Baytop
Genl Weeden

I entered the service in 1779 as a private in a company of Militia commanded by Capt
William Davenport and served six months during that year. John George and the [illegible]
and Robert Roebuck the ensign of the company. The field officers whom I can [illegible]
last were Col Thomas Gaskins, Major William Nutt and [illegible] Bucher the [illegible]
[illegible] name I cannot now positively recollect but I beilieve it was Abraham. The [illegible]
were called out into service by the order of Col. Gaskins, but [illegible] was acting I do not know, but suffer under the orders of the Governor of Virginia. the purpose for which the troops were called into service I believe was to protect the
public property upon the great [illegible] river and to defend the country again the
ravages and pillage of the British who were during the period of my service in 1779 as well as during the period of my enlistment service in 1780 & 1781 infesting the Chesapeake
and its tributary waters.
In the year 1780 I was again called into service as a private in the same
company of Militia, under the same authority, and served seven months under the same
officers except that during the period of my service this year Capt Davenport died and
was succeded in the command of the company by Capt John Digges. 
In the year 1781 I was again called into service as a private in the same company
of militia, under the same authority and served under the command of Capt Diggs
for seven months and twenty days in the County of Northumberland, and [illegible]
and sometime in September 1781 I became a substitute for Mosely Nutt who [illegible]
drafted for a tour of two months, and as such substitute I marched to [illegible]
when I continued until the surrender of Cornwallis, thirty days, when the militia were
discharged and I returned home. We marched under the command of a
Ensign Rocbuck from [illegible] Church in Northumberland County to Channing ferry
in Lancaster County when we crossed the Rappahannock River to [illegible] in Middle
[illegible] thence to Tucks ferry on the Piankatank River crossed that river into [illegible] County and marched by the Bennet Mill to Seawells and Gloucester Point, where
we arrived during the engagement at that place, but not in time to take any part in the action. Upon arriving there Capt Digges took command. The officers under whom I served
at Gloucester Point so far as I can recollect were Genl [illegbile], Major Baytop, and [illegible] Jefferson or Jeffries. The [illegbile] to which I belonged, [illegible]
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of the [illegible] which [illegible] the [illegible] taken at Gloucester Point to be [illegible] where the [illegible].
The temps during the period of my service in 1779 and 1780 and until September 1781 were stationed in Northumberland County in the State of Virginia at Hudlands Warehouse Sandy Point and upon the plantation of John Harvie [illegible] S. Harris, James Champion, Joseph Hurst, and Col Gaskins but [illegible[ long at each [illegible] or at what precise time during the period of my service, I cannot say, my recollections at this time not enabling me to do so with any certainty. During my service I was in the [illegible] of any consequence, though in his or [illegible] skirmishes. I was in sight of the enemy when they [illegible] me from thirteen [illegible] and burned Hudlands Warehouse. [illegible] force was too small to permit us
to attack them after they had retired we went down and [illegible] out the Tobacco [illegible] the [illegible] and [illegible] about forty hogs heads of it. Although after my several tours [illegible] relieved and permitted to go home and attend to my private affairs. [illegible] of my tours of service I was not engaged or employed in any civil pursuit, and was throughout the whole years 1779 & 1780 and until Sept 1781
constantly under orders and liable to be called into service at a minutes warning.
I never received any written discharge. I know of no person now living except [illegible]
Walker who has any knowledge of my Revolutionary services. I hereby relinquish all [illegible] whatever to any pension or annuity but the present and I declare that my name is not on the Pension Roll of any agency in any state. Sworn to and subscribed the day and year aforesaid
Francis Walker [signature]

Middlesex County to wit
Personally appeared before me the undersigned a Justice of the Peace in and for the County of
Middlesex. Francis Walker who being duly summon [illegible] that by reason of old age
the consequently he cannot save herbury as to the [illegible] of his service but according to the best of his [illegible] he served not as than the [illegible] and in the following grades for one year eight months and twenty days I served as
a private militia man, and for one month I served as a substitute for Morely Nutt as a private and and for such service I claim a pension. Given under my hand this 17th day of January 1835
Blackburn [signature]

We George Northam a Clergyman residing in the County of Middlesex and State of Virginia and Moses Walker residing in the same county and state do hereby certify that we
as well accuainted with Francis Walker who has [illegible] [illegible][illegible] to be 71 years of age, that he is believed and [illegible] in the
neighborhood where he resides to have been a soldier of the Revolution; and that we [illegible] in that opinion.
[illegible] to and subscribed the day and
aforesaid before me
George Northam [signature]
Blackburn [signature]
Moses Walker [signature]
Question 1st where and in what year we you born?
Answer In Northumberland County State of Virginia in the year 1763
Question 2nd Have you any register of your age and if so where is it?
Answer I have not. There was one in my fathers family Bible. It is now destroyed
Question 3 where were you living when called into service? Where have you lived since the Revolutionary War? and where do you now live?
Answer I was living in Wicomico Parish Northumberland County and state of Virginia
when called into service. After the close of the Revolutionary war, I moved to
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Lancaster County Virginia where I lived four or five years. I then relocated to Northumberland and lived there until 1777 when I moved to the County of Middlesex Virginia where I have lived ever since and and am still living.

Question 4th: How were you called into service? Are you drafted, did you volunteer, or we you a substitute, and if a substitute for whom?
Answer: In the 1st 2nd and 3rd times I was ordered into service as a militia man with the
company to which I belonged, and in the 4th one I was a enlisted for money then.

Question 5th: State some of the names of the Regular officers who are with the troops where you served. Such continental and militia regiments as you recollect and the general
circumstances of your service?
Answer:  I recalled the names of Genl Weeden, Major Boyle and adjutant officers in Jefferson but whether they were regular or militia officers I do not recollect. They were officers at Gloucester Point. Col Gaskins, Major Nutt, Adjutant Beacher, Capts [illegible] and [illegible] were officer in the Militia regiment to which I belonged. I do not recollect the number of any of the Regiment. The general circumstances of my service if I understand what is required I have detailed in my foregoing declaration.

Question 6th: Did you ever receive any discharge from the service and if so by when was it given?
Answer: I never received any written discharge

Question 7th: State the names of persons in your present neighborhood to whom you are known and who can testify as to your character for veracity and their belief of your services as a soldier of the Revolution.
Answer: Mr Moses Walker, the Rev'd. George Northam, Robert Healy and Carter Brogdon Esq and I Blackburn a Justice of the Peace in and for the County and state aforesaid do hereby declare my opinion after the investigation of the matter and after putting the interrogations prescribed by the war department that the within named applicant was a Revolutionary soldier and served as he states, and I do further certify that it appears to me that George Northern who has signed the preceding certificate is a clergyman resident in the County aforesaid, and that Moses Walker who has also signed the same is a resident in the county aforesaid and is a credible person and that their statement is entitled to credit. And I further certify that the within named applicant  Francis Walker is infirm and unable to hand to the Court House of this County there to make in open court  the foregoing information. Given under my hand and seal this 17th day of January 1835
Blackburn JS

State of Virginia Middlesex County to wit: 
Personally appeared before me the undersigned a Justice of the Peace in and for the County and state aforesaid Moses Walker, who being duly so sworn deposes and says that he nearly 69 years old, that he remembers very well that his brother Francis Walker who has subscribed the foregoing declaration served in the Militia in Northumberland County in this state during the Revolutionary war during several years, but how long each year or under what officers he cannot recollect. He also knows that he went as a soldier with the drafted militia to Gloucester Point in 1787, and he fully believes that he served as he has stated. Given under my hand and seal this 17th day of January 1835
Blackburn JS
Page 17

State of Virginia Middlesex County to wit
I George Healy Clerk in & for the County Court of Middlesex, do hereby certify that Franklin Blackburn whose name appears to the within certificate, is a Justice of the peace, in and for the County aforesaid duly commissioned and acting as such and that full faith and credit are due to his acts as such, and that the subscribing of the name of said Blackburn to the several certificates hereon, is in his own proper hand. In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand and affixed the seal of said Court the 22d day of January 1835
Geo. Healy C.M.C
Hon. JW Chinn
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Acts of July 14, 1862, and March 3, 1873.
11.037
P.O. of Va
Hannah Walker
Service: Frances Va troops
Enlisted: , 18  .
Discharged: Rejected, 18  .
Application filed:  , 18  .
Alleges:
Re-enlisted:
Attorney:
P. O.
Recognized.
Contract.
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17.812
&
140 [unclear]
Page 20

Francis Walker
Virginia
----
Suspended
------
[unclear] 30 Jan: 1835
Hon. J.W. Chinn
Jas S. Bristow July 25/53
31.334
Page 21

No 3.418
Hannah Walker
widow of Francis
Va
J L. Bristow Oct 26/53
Hon G W Jones June 18 1856
11037
Act 3 Feby 1853
286026
Page 22

Frank Walker a soldier in the Revolutionary War State of Virginia applied for a pension. I wish to know whether his agent ever received it for him
Jas S. Bristow
Saluda Va
Page 23

Shackleford
July 21 1856
Hon. J Minot
Court of Pensions
Washington City
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Wish to see the papers of in the cases of
Hannah Walker wid. of Francis - 1832 and 1853
Alory Garland do[ditto] Christn[Christian] do[ditto] do[ditto]
note. These are both suspended cases
Mar 15, 1856
Ro. H. Gray [illegible]
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SENATE.
34TH CONGRESS 
1st Session.
REP. COM.
No. 215.

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES.
July 11, 1856. Submitted, agreed to, and ordered to be printed.

Mr. JONES, of Iowa, made the following
REPORT.
The Committee of Pensions, to whom was referred the memorial of Hannah Walker, widow of Francis Walker, a soldier of the revolution, praying to be allowed a pension and arrears of pension, beg leave to report:

That the petitioner prays a pension and arrears of pension on account of alleged services of her husband, Francis Walker, who was drafted into the service of the United States in the war of the revolution, but she offers no evidence of those services, except the affidavit of said Francis Walker, and by her own statement can bring no other proof. This evidence, unsupported by other proof, being thought insufficient to establish her claim, therefore the committee submit the following resolution:

Resolved, That the prayer of the petitioner be denied
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236026
Hannah Walker
Free
Honl J Minot
Com. of Pensions
Washington City
DC
Shae Kilford Za
Oct 23
Boyntons
Page 27

Near, Shackleford, King & Ind Va Octo 18th 1836
Hon J Minot

D[ear] Sir
Your report under date of 10th [illegible] in the case of the application of Hannah Walker for Bounty Land under act of 3d March, 1855, No 236,026, in which you inform me that the same is suspended for want of evidence of
her late husbands service in the Revolution
has been duly received; and in reply thereto I
most respectfully refer you to the papers
that were filed in your office by her husband
himself during his life claiming a Pension
under the act of 7th June, 1832, and also
to the papers filed by her in your office [illegible] the death of her husband claiming the pension to which her husband was entitled under the above law, and which claim was refuted because, as I understand, the evidence was not sufficient to prove her husband in service as much as six months. But that evidence does show him in service long enough to will the widow to the Bounty Land.

Very respectfully Yr[your] obt[obedient] Svt[servant]
R Saunders
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Pension Office
June 18 1856

Sir

I have the honor to enclose the papers in the cases of Hannah and Francis Walker of Virginia, and to inform you that the
statements of the petitioner Hannah Walker are substantially true. Her husband applied for a pension under the Act of 1832 and declared for about 21 month's service; but was unable to produce any satisfactory evidence to sustain his allegations. One witness swore he was in service but could not define the duration of his services.

The widow has not been able to add any thing to the testimony furnished by her husband.

There is clearly no such claim made out as could be allowed by this Office.

Very Respectfully, 
YrObtSevt{Your Obedient Servant]
R. McRae
for Commissioner

Hon GW Jones
Chairman of Pensions
US Senate
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Hannah Walker
wid of Francis

Triplett
Page 30

Hon J. Minot
Com Pensions
Sir
I am directed by said Geo. W. Jones Chairman Com Pensions to request you to furnish to this office any information you may be able, in regard to the enclosed cases of Ruth Phillips, Jno. G. [illegible] Hannah Walker,  E. A. Wood.

Respectfully yours
H. B. Cozzens
Clerk Com. on Pensions,

Washington D.C.
June 13 1856

 [illegible] to Broadus
Walker to Triplett
Wood to Wilson
Philips to Stewart
Page 31

Near Shackleford, King and Queen County Virginia
February 1st 1856

Dr[dear] Sir

You will receive herewith the declaration of Mrs Hannah Walker widow of Francis Walker a private of Militia in the war of the Revolution
claiming the benefit of the act of 3rd March, 1855.

for the evidence of the services of Francis Walker you will please to refer to his application for a pension under the act of June 7th 1832. The case stands as yrs  suspended for the [illegible] as I am informed of sufficient evidence to prove him in service as much as six months. I presume however that there is evidence of his having served
long enough to entitle his widow to the Bounty award.

Very Respectfully
Yr[your]Mo.[most]Obt[obedient] Sevt[servant]
R Saunders

Honl[honorable] J Minot
Com. of Pensions
Washington Cty
friends
Page 32

Saluda Va May 7th 1833

Dr[Dear] Sir
In the application of Hannah widow of Francis Walker dec'd a case on the suspended file under the act of 32 granting pensions to Soldiers of the Revolutionary war, which I filed the order of Court in the other day.

I rely upon the declaration of the soldiers in
his life time, corroborated as it is by the
positive evidence of his brothers of service
to the length of service is not proven it is
fully set forth by the claimant and seems to
have been rejected on account of there being no such periods of service of any regular
army during the years set forth in his declaration. But when it is recollected that the
claimant lived immediately on the Chesapeake bay & between the Rappahannock & Potomac Rivers, where the County was continually exposed to the British [illegible] for no doubt can be entertained that some of the minute men of those Counties were almost continually on guard & the periods of service different from other sections lost as they were during the war of 1812. The reasons therefore given to [illegible] Member of Congress, in the letters of 35 or 36 when taken in connection with these facts, were not sufficient to reject this claim.
Page 33

besides, there have been many relaxations  sanctioned by the department, since that decision on account of the rapid decrease of survivors of the Revolutionary army and as there are no rolls of the Virginia Militia to be found at the department, there is no presumption to be rebutted, as in cases where there are rolls and the parties names not found thereon.

In the regulations of the department, (see "Families Digest, By William Hunt page 42), 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 inquiry whither  the belief is general, and whither any doubts are entertained on the subject. To require from the applicants positive proof of service from a contemporary survivor, would, after the lapse of so many years be to deprive many of them of the
benefit of the law. In this case, proof of
service is made out, but not the length of service, and should be placed upon the same footing with a Black Smith or other Mechanics who keeps no Clerk to prove his accounts. It is simply necessary to prove that he did work for a Customer and his whole acct is allowed, without proof of each item not so, however with the merchant who has a Clerk; it is expected that he should prove every Item with regard to the fact that
Page 34

Mr. Walker lived some four or five years after making his declaration & not furnishing the proof. I would state that he did not know to the time of his death, what disposition had been made of his case nor did his widow up to 1852 when I examined for it on the file at the department. Proof can be furnished on
this proving if necessary.

If this case is not allowed it will be a great hardship on the widow for otherwise she cannot get a half pay pension under the act of 3rd July last and her condition is a needy one. I can but hope however that the  Com[missioner] will give this case his special attention & thereby be induced to allow the claim.

Very Respectfully
Jus. S. Bristow Atty
Page 35

32 Cong.?
1 Segr.?

Memorial of Hannah Walker, widow of
Francis Walker a soldier during the
revolutionary war, praying to be allowed a pension under the act of July 1853 and also arrears due her deceased husband under the act of 7 June 1832. Evidence of service having been lost, and the claim suspended by the Commissioner of Pensions.

1856, May 19. Referred to the Com[missioner]. on Pensions.
July 11. Adverse report (No.215) agreed to &
ordered to be printed

Triplett
Mr. Hunter
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To the Hon, the Senate and house of Representatives of the United States now setting. Your Petitioner begs leave to state that she is the widow of Frances Walker of the County of Middlesex in the State of Virginia, who was a soldier of the Revolution from the County of Northumberland in said State. 

That her husband, the said Francis Walker applied for a Pension under the act of 7th June, 1832 but in consequence of the loss of some of the most important testimony in regard to his service and the officers under whom he served, and in consequence of his men being either able to find said testimony or to get it [illegible] his claim was suspended by the Commissioner of Pensions. She would further state that since the death of her husband your Petitioner through an agent made another effort to get the claim allowed, but was unable to do so by reason of the same objections to want research of sufficient evidence to prove her husband in service long enough. 

She would now state that having in vain [illegible] to procure additional evidence of his services, she has no other recourse but to appeal to the magnanimity of an enlightened and [illegible] Congress. Your Petitioner would here remark that her husband was born and raised in the County of New Cumberland in this state and at an early period of the war was repeatedly drafted and made to serve in that County, Lancaster and other Counties bordering on the Rappahannock river, in order to prevent the British from landing their troops or doing other mischief along the shore. That she cannot state how often, or how long her husband was in service.
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but in as much as the drafts were frequent during the war, your Petitioner is under the impression that he could have have served up [illegible] some two years or more. Your Petitioner further states that her husband removed from the County of Northumberland several years ago to this County, where he continued to reside until the day of his death. That she, Your Petitioner is still a resident of the said County of Middlesex and is still the widow of the said Francis Walker. That she is now eighty [illegible] odd years of age and consequently unable to do but little towards obtaining a comfortable support. She therefore appeals to the liberality of your honorable body and prays that she may be placed upon the Pension list under act of 3rd February 1853, And that Congress will also allow her the Pension to which her husband was entitled under act of 7th June 1832 to the day of his death which pension your Petitioner humbly conceives him was justly entitled to, and thus conceiving she does not doubt will be allowed and for which, as is duty bound she will ever pray.

Hannah Walker