Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty Land Warrant Application File W. 3935, Norman Burroughs, Md.
Page 1

(3 - 1776)
SERVICE
Md.

CONTENTS
Burroughs, Norman
Esther Turner

NUMBER
W. 3935
Page 2

Maryland
6695
Esther T. Burroughs
widow of Norman Burroughs
who was a Private Md.
in the Revolution
Inscribed on the Roll at the rate of
33 Dollars 66
Cents per annum, to commence of
the 4th day of March, 1843.
Certificate of Pension issued the
3d day of March 1845
and sent to Hon W. D. Merrick
Senate U. States
Act of March 3, 1843.
& June 17-1844
Recorded in Book A 
Vol. 2.
Page 251.
Page 3

Date of death not on A. B.
Page 4

8297-
Esther T. Burroughs
Md.
Act of July35
Roll.
10m/3dy
[on right side]
No 8297
Affidavit of
Mrs Burroughs
Page 5

State of Maryland S.S.
on this this thirtieth day of
March in the year of our Lord one
thousand eight hundred and forty-two personally appeared before me the subscriber Associate Judge of Charles County Court, Esther Turner Burroughs, a resident of the State of Maryland, in the County of Charles, aged seventy-eight years, who first being duly sworn, according to law, doth on her oath, make the following declaration in order to
obtain the benefit of the provision made
by the act of Congress, passed July 7th 1838
entitled "An act granting half pay and
pensions to certain widows:" That she is
the widow of Normand Burroughs, a soldier
of the War of the Revolution.
She further declares that she was married
to the said Normand Burroughs to the
best of her recollection in the year seventeen hundred and eighty four, and
that her said husband died in the year
eighteen hundred and twelve;
that she was not married to him the said
Normand Burroughs, prior to his leaving
the service but the marriage took place
previous to the first of January seventeen
hundred and ninety four - She further
states that she was never afterwards
married.
To the best of her knowledge and
belief she further declares, the said
Normand Burroughs did not receive
a pension either from the Goverment
Page 6

of the United States or from the State of Maryland for the services he rendered in the War of the Revolution, but that she, the said Esther Turner Burroughs,
has annually received
a pension from the State of Maryland
for said service, since the year eighteen
hundred and thirty nine 
E. T.  her X mark  Burroughs
Sworn to and subscribed on the day
and year above written before
Edmund Key
Maryland Charles County Sct
I hereby certify that it appears by the records
and proceedings of Charles County Court that the Honorable Edmund Key who appears to have taken certified and signed
the above affidavit was at the time of doing
associate Judges of the first Judicial District
of the State of Maryland comprehending the Counties of St.
Mary Charles and Prince Georges duly commissioned and Sworn and that to all acts by him done in that capacity
full faith and credit are due and ought to be given as well in Courts of Justice as thereout
In Testimony whereof I have hereunto
subscribed my name and affixed the
Seal of Charles County Court this thirty first
day of March in the year of our Lord
one thousand eight
hundred and forty two
John Barnes Clk of
Chas County Court
Page 7

certificate of
Jo Harris
Page 8

Saint Marys County to wit
I hereby certify that there does not appear
from any record in my office that a marriage license was ever granted to Norman Burroughs & Esther Turner Burroughs to be married and that the record of marriage Received now in my office [illegible] bearing date the fourteenth
day of September Seventeen hundred and ninety four.
In Testimony whereof I have hereunto set
my hand and affixed the seal of my
office this fourth day of April Eighteen
hundred and forty two
Jos. Barns
Saint Marys [illegible]
Page 9

July 29, 1931
Mrs. A. D. Torreyson
545 S. Palm Avenue
Sarasota, Florida.

Rev. & 1812 Wars Section
AWF

Dear Madam:
You are advised that it appears from the papers in the Revolutionary War pension claim, W. 3935, that Norman Burroughs, while residing in St Marys County, Maryland enlisted
Maryland, enlisted May 30, 1778 and served as a private
until April 3, 1779 in Captain John Davidson's Company in the second Maryland Regiment.

He died in 1812, no definite date given.

The soldier married in 1784 in King and Queen Parish, St. Mary's County, Maryland, Esther, who was born in King and Queen Parish, date of birth not given.

She was allowed pension on her application executed March 30, 1842, then a resident of Charles County, Maryland, and aged seventy-eight years. She was referred to
as Esther Turner Burroughs.

One John C. Burroughs testified in 1842 in St. Mary's County, Maryland, no relationship shown.

Very truly yours
A. D. HILLER
Assistant to Administrator
Page 10

certificate of
Geo Mackubin
Page 11

Western Shore Treasury of Maryland
Annapolis, 29 April 1842
Esther Turner Burroughs, as of St Marys County and
Widow of Norman Burroughs a Soldier in the Revolutionary War
, has received from Maryland a Pension of Forty
dollars per annum from 1 January 1839 to 1 January 1842,
in virtue and pursuance of Resolution No 35 of the
General Assembly of Dec. Session 1838-
George Mackubin
Treas W. S. Md.
Henry W Thomas Esq
Dear Sir
I furnish the above certificate, in
Compliance with the request of your letter of yesterday
and am very respectfully
Your obt Servt
George Mackubin
29 April 1842
Page 12

Maryland 9069
Esther T. Burroughs
widow of Norman Burroughs
who was a pensioner under the Act of
and who died on the -- 1812
of Charles Co. in the State of Maryland
who was a Private in the company
commanded by Captain --
of the
regt. commanded by --
in
the Maryland Troops line for 10 months & 3 days
Inscribed on the Roll of Maryland
at the rate of
38 Dollars 66
Cents per annum, to commence on the 4th day
of March, 1836.

Certificate of Pension issued the 3d day of
March 1845, and sent to Hon W.D.
Merrick, Senate U. States

Total amount, $168:30
([Act July 7, 1838.])
Recorded by D Brown Clerk,
Book D. Vol. 1 Page 251
Page 13

State of Maryland Saint Marys County to wit
on this twelfth day of March in the year of our Lord one thousand Eight hundred and forty two before me one of the Justice of the peace of the said State for the County aforesaid
appears George Dent a very old man and deposeth and saith that he is well
acquainted with the present Mrs Esther T. Burroughs widow of Norman Burroughs Deceased that the said Norman Burroughs her husband served as a soldier in
the Revolutionary War of the United States with Great Britain nine months in the second maryland Regiment under Captain Davison, and during
service marched from Annapolis to the head of
Elk to Philidelpha and through new Jersey
and to new York &c and back again to new
Jersey where he was Regularly Discharged, that he recollects when the said Esther T. Burroughs was married to her said husband, and this deponent further saith, that he himself was married some time
in the year of one thousand seven hundred and Eighty Seven: this deponent further saith that the aforesaid Esther J. Burroughs widow of Norman Burroughs Deceased was married to her said husband some time prior to his own marriage in the [struck through-aforesaid]
year aforesaid, Sworn to, [struck through - and subscribed] by the said deponent before me
John Greenwell of [illegible] J P

Maryland
Saint Marys County [illegible]
I hereby certify that John Greenwell of Philip
Gentleman before whom the foregoing affidavit appears to have been
made
Page 14

[continued from previous]

made and who hath thereto subscribed his name was at the time of
so doing and still is a Justice of the peace of the State of Maryland
in and for Saint Mary County aforesaid duly Commissioned and
Sworn and to all acts by him done in that Capacity full faith and
Credit are due and ought to be given as well in Courts of Justice as thereout
[seal attached]
---
In Testimony whereof I have hereunto set
my hand and affixed the Seal of my office this
fifteenth day of March in the year of our Lord
Eighteen hundred and forty two
 JO Harris clk
St Marys County Court

I hereby certify that the within named deponent
George Dent, who is now decd,
was esteemed & held during his life to be an
honest & truthful man
Wm D Merrick
February 22d 1845
Hon W. D. Merrick
Senate U.S.
Page 15

Revy
WIDOW, &c.
File No. 3935
Esther Burroughs
Wid.
Norman Burroughs
Pvt. Rev. War
Act: Mch 3rd/43, June 17/44
Index:-- Vol. A., Page 161
([Arrangement of 1870.])

[written vertically to right]
1931- July 29 [illegible]
see letter to John Sheets vv. 17042 [illegible]
Page 16

[struck through-Acts of July 14, 1862, and March 3, 1873.]
1498
[stamped] REJECTED

P.O. Esther T. Burroughs
Normand, Maryland
Service: Widow of Normand

Enlisted: ,18
Discharged: ,18
Application filed: ,18
Alleges:
Re-enlisted:
Attorney:
P.O.
Page 17

28th Cong}
1. Sess}

Documents
relating to the claim of
Esther Turner Burroughs
the widow of Normand
Burroughs, to be allowed
a pension
____________
1844 Feb. 8. Refered with
Res of Mr Merrick to the
Com: on Pensions.
" [1844] April 9. Report adverse
Page 18

State of Maryland, Charles County
May 1st 1842
To The Honorable
The commissioner of Pensions:
The undersigned begs leave
most respectfully to represent, that she is
the widow of Normand Burroughs, late
of Saint Mary's County in the State of Maryland, a soldier in the War of the Revolution, and at the same time to ask, that the provisions of the act of Congress, passed
July 7th 1838 be extended to her.
All the testimony necessary to establish her claim to a pension, in consideration of the services rendered by her deceased
husband in the War of the Revolution,
as prescribed by the War Department, it is
believed has been obtained, and is herewith
transmitted. The best evidence that the
nature of the case will admit of she
has procured. In some instances, it is
true, in which record evidence would
seem to be required she has failed to
obtain it, but that failure is [struck through but illegible]
Page 19

satisfactorily accounted for, and the facts
proved by the affidavits of persons whose
respectability and veracity are attested
by the Magistrate before whom those
affidavits were made
For instance: by an act of the Legislature of Maryland passed in the year
1777 it is made obligatory upon the
parties, before the solemnization of
matrimony, to obtain from the Clerk
of the County in which they reside a
License for that purpose or to have
the bans published in manner and
form therein prescribed.
It will be seen from the certificate of Joseph Harris, Clerk of Saint Mary's County Court, where the undersigned and her said husband
resided from their earliest youth
to the period of his death that the
records of marriage license in his
possession extend back only to the
year 1794. Those of a prior date
having been destroyed, it is presumed,
when the Court house of that County
was burned.
Page 20

It will also be seen by the certificate of George F. Maddox, Register of
King and Queen Parish in Saint Mary's
County where the undersigned was born
and resided, that he has not in his possession
any of the books or Registers of
that Parish prior to the year 1799, and
that he does not know that any such
are in existence; and further, that it
appears from said Books and Papers
that in the year 1799 Normand Burroughs
was one of the Churchwarden's
of said Parish.
Hence the undersigned is compelled
to resort to other testimony and
obtained the deposition of Captain George
Dent.
He swears positively and clearly
to the fact of the marriage between
the said Normand Burroughs and the
undersigned as a matter known to himself, and it is scarcely necessary for her
to add that it has never yet been questioned in the County in which she and
her said Husband resided from the time
of their marriage until his death.
Page 21

At the same time that she established
the fact of the marriage, she proves
that she was married within the time
prescribed by the act ^of Congress^ under which she claims, and she further refers
to the affidavit of Jesse C. Burroughs
proving that her said husband died
in the year 1812.
The name of Normand Burroughs
does not appear on the muster rolls at Annapolis; but it is a
well known fact that many who were
in active service of the country during the War of the Revolution and
who have subsequently received pensions
from the General Government,
never were enrolled, particularly
if they were volunteers or substitutes
as was the can with the husband of
the undersigned. (For a corroboration
of this statement see the letter of
Thomas Karney)
Captain Dent however himself a soldier in the War of the Revolution, and for many years
past a pensioner of the State of
Page 22

Maryland as well as of the General Government,
swears that he was well acquainted with
Normand Burroughs and [underlined] served with him in the Army during a part of the War of the Revolution [end underline]; that the said Burroughs entered the Second Maryland Regiment under Captain John Davidson on the 5th day of June 1778 in Saint Mary's County Maryland, and was, to the best of his recollection, a private; that the said Burroughs was in the Regiment commanded by Genl Lafayette, served under him six months and was afterwards regularly discharged under
Baron De Calb; that the said Burroughs
was in the service about nine months, but
that he the said deponent cannot say in
what engagements he participated, if any;
that the said Burroughs resided in Saint
Mary's County Maryland when he entered the
service, and that he is under the impression
that the said Burroughs told him that he
entered as a volunteer; that after the said
Burroughs entered the service he marched
from Saint Mary's County to Annapolis, thence
to the Head of Elk River, thence to Philadelphia, thence to Trenton New Jersey where he joined his regiment.
Page 23

The undersigned does not know,
nor does she believe, that her said husband
received a pension either from the State of
Maryland or from the Government of
the United States for his services in the
War of the Revolution, but it will be seen
from the certificate of George Mackubin,
Treasurer of the Western Shore of
Maryland, that the undersigned has
annually received a pension of forty dollars from the State of Maryland, in consideration of those services, by virtue
of an act of the General Assembly of
Maryland passed December Session 1838
In view of these facts, she cannot doubt that her petition will be
granted, and solicits as early attention
to the subject as the nature of circumstances will permit. Being old, infirm
and destitute, she asks for the full
amount now due her, and as in duty
bound she will ever pray &c
Esther Turner Burroughs
Page 24

The Hon'ble
Richard Thomas
Pres'dt Senate of Md.
Page 25

Land Office, Annapolis, 31st January, 1843.
Dear Sir,
In reply to your note of this morning, I have to state,
That the Muster and pay rolls of the Revolution in this office, have
been very carefully examined, and they do not afford any evidence
of the service of Normand Burroughs, a soldier of the Revolution.
It is alleged that he enlisted as a private, in a company commanded by Captn. John Davidson, - Captn Davidson,
Commanded
a company in the 2nd Maryland Regiment, and I find upon the Muster roll of that Regiment, the name of one Normand
Burris, who enlisted as a private, for the term of nine months
on the 30th day of May, 1778, and was discharged on the 3d
day of April, 1779. I am therefore inclined to believe, that
this Normand Burris, must be the Normand Burroughs, [illegible due to torn page]
applicant for a pension, and that some mistake has been [illegible - torn]
recording his name upon the rolls.-- The Records [illegible - torn]
Revolution are very imperfect, they have been in my [illegible - torn]
ever since the abolition of the office of Auditor General of the State. Major Karney, the late Auditor, informed me that
many of the original rolls were sent to Washington, for the
purposes of adjusting and settling the accounts between the State
and General Government, and were never returned. -- [struck through illegible words]
It is said they were destroyed by the British in the late war,
when they took possession of Washington City
I am very respectfully,
yr. obt. s.
G. G. Brewer
The Honble.
Richd. Thomas
[flourish underlining]
Page 26

Normand Burroughs-
Capt. Dents
certificate
Esther Turner Burroughs
Page 27

This is to certify that Norman Burrough
late of St Mary's County deceased was a
common soldier in the second Regiment
of the Maryland army of the Revolutionary
war and, that he served out his
full term of service and was honorably
discharged- That his widow is now
living and very aged -
George  his X mark  Dent
Test. Richd. Thomas

Saint Marys County to wit
on this 26th day of July 1837 before me the subscriber one of the Justices of the peace of the State of Maryland in and for the County aforesaid personally appeared
George Dent and made oath on the holy Evangely of Almighty God that the above certificate is strictly
true to the best of his knowledge and belief
Sworn before
J. H. Milburn
[underlining]
The name of the widow is Esther Turner Burroughs
Page 28

feb 4. 1843
Maryland
[circular postmark, obscured by handwriting]
E.T. Burroughs
[address written at right angle to above]
The Commissioner of Pensions
Washington City D.C.
Page 29

Baltimore, Feby 3d '43
To
The commissioner of Pensions,
Sir:
I have just recd.
the accompaning papers
from Annapolis & hasten
to transmit them to you
as establishing the claim
of Mrs E. T. Burroughs to a 
pension for the service
rendered by her husband
in the War of the Revolution - There
can be no doubt
that the name ^ "Normand^ [underlined] Burris" [end underline]
Page 30

to be found on the muster ^rolls^
of the 2nd Regiment was
intended for Normand Burroughs, as the time of his enrollment and discharge
corresponds precisely, if I
recollect correctly to that mentioned by
Capt Dent.
I also send you the certificate of the President
of the Senate of Md. and of the representative
of St Mary's County as to the
character of Capt Dent.
If the petition be granted, please send to me,
at this place, all the papers that are necessary
Page 31

[struck through-for her to] to enable her to draw the money.

Very respectfully
Henry W. Thomas
Page 32

State of Maryland, Saint Mary's County Sct
Be it remembered and it is hereby certified that
on this fifth day of September in the year
of our Lord one thousand eight hundred
and forty-two before me the subscriber a
Justice of the Peace of the State of Maryland in and for the County of Saint Mary's
personally appeared George Dent a soldier
in the war of the Revolution and made
oath on the Holy Evangely of Almighty God
that he was well acquainted with Normand Burroughs late of Saint Mary's
County and served with him in the
second Maryland Regiment [underlined]nine
months continuously [end underline], that he the said Burroughs Marched from Saint Mary
County together and missed together whilst
they were in the service - of the
fact that the said Burroughs served
[underlined] nine months continuously [end underline] in the War
of the Revolution this deponent has
a perfect recollection and from the
nature of the case cannot be mistaken
and to the best of his belief lost
as little time during those nine months
as any other man in Regiment. This deponent
[illegible] to repeat what he has stated in
a previous deposition. Sworn before
John Greenwell of [illegible]

I hereby certify that that aforesaid George Dent is a man of high respectability and
in every way entitled to credit and belief
and that this deposition is interlined with the

-
Page 33

"he and" on the fifteenth line from the top
on the preceding page
John Greenwell of [illegible]
Maryland, St. Marys County to wit:
I hereby certify that John Greenwell Gentleman
before whom the aforegoing affidavit appears to have been made and who hath thereto subscribed his name was at the time
of so doing and still is a Justice of the peace of the State of Maryland in and for Saint Marys County aforesaid duly commissioned
and sworn and that to all acts by him done in
that capacity full faith and credit are due and ought to be given as well in Courts of Justice as thereout
In testimony whereof I have hereunto
set my hand & affixed the seal of St. Mary
County Court Office this 6 September 1842
Jo Harris
[seal attached]
Page 34

8297
Esther T. Burroughs
of Normand
Maryland
Rejected
See let: 3 June 1842
to H. W. Thomas
let: to same 9 June 42
let to same 22 Sept 42
do. to H. H. Dent Jan. 17. 1843
do: to same March 18. 1843
husband did not
serve six months.
1498
Act 7 July 1838
Page 35

[handwritten address]

J L Edwards Esquire
Commissioner of Pensions
Washington City D.C.

[circular postmark]
BALTIMORE
JUN 8

[handwritten date]
June 9- '42

[stamped above address]
FREE

[handwritten]
In [struck through-ab]
& particular [illegible word]
Page 36

Baltimore June 8th 1842
Sir:
Your favour of the 3d inst informing me that the petition of Esther
Turner Burroughs, widow of
Normand Burroughs, for a pension
in consideration of the services of
her deceased husband in the war
of the Revolution had been examined and rejected for want of sufficient evidence, has been received
I can obtain from Capt Dent a certificate that Burrough's service was
for at least nine months continuously
and if he has not stated that fact
in his deposition it was the error
of the magistrate who drew it up.
I think, however, upon further examination, you will find that he states
that he served six months under Capt
John Davidson, and the remainder
of the time under Genl Lafayette
and Baron DeKalb. It is a matter
of history that those gentlemen were
attached to the Maryland
line, the latter of whom fell at their
Page 37

head at the siege of Charleston. But I presume
it is not material that he should have
been one of that line, provided he served
the time prescribed by the act of Congress and
which his widow claims
By reference to the letter of Thomas Karney
which accompanied the other papers in relation to this case, it will be seen that the military rolls of that period are not complete, particularly in the case of volunteers or substitutes, and a certificate can be obtained from the proper officer to that effect, if it be
of any importance. The fact, therefore, that
Burroughs' name does not appear upon them,
altho' that of the witness who testifies to his
service does, is no evidence of want of
service. It will also be seen from that letter
that pensions have frequently been granted
where the name of the claimant had never
ben enrolled, but where the service was proved
by respectable persons. Hence I infer that
sufficient credibility is not attached
to the testimony of Capt'n. Dent. If so, please
inform me what other evidence of his character
for veracity than that which accompanied his deposition be necessary and it
shall be obtained.
Page 38

may I ask the favour of an early answer
to this letter, in as much as I wish to obtain
all further testimony that you may deem
necessary as soon as practicable -
-
I regret to trouble you this much, but
I am certain you appreciate my motive
very respectfully
yr obt servt
Henry W. Thomas

To J. L. Edwards Esq
Commissioner of Pension
Page 39

[handwritten address]
Sept 22. 1842
Maryland
To
The Honorable,
The Commissioner of Pensions.
Washington City D.C.

[circular postmark]
BALTIMORE
SEPT 21

[written at bottom, inverted]
Burroughs
Page 40


Baltimore Septr. 21st 1842
To
J. L. Edwards, Esqr
Sir:
In your communication to me some weeks since, in relation to the claim of Mrs E.T.
Burroughs for a Pension in consideration of the services of her deceased
husband in the War of the
Revolution, you informed me that
her petition was rejected for want
of evidence of [underlined] sufficient [end underline] service
I am happy to be able to show by the
deposition of Capt. Geo Dent, which
has just been transmitted to me
that Normand Burroughs served
in that war [underlined] nine months 
continuously [end underline],
 and that he and Captn. Dent
[underlined] messed together [end underline] during that period, which places the matter,
if the witness is to be believed,
beyond doubt. He states positively
and emphatically that he has a
[underlined] perfect [end underline] recollection of [illegible]
Page 41

Burroughs was in the service.
Of his respectability and credibility
there cannot be a question, as will
be seen by the certificate of the
Magistrate before whom the affidavit
was made. From the published rules
of the war Department it appears that record evidence ^of service^ is not required
if the facts can be proved by the
"affidavits of persons of known
respectability."
May I ask the favour of as
early attention to this matter as
circumstances will permit.
Very respectfully
Yr. obt servt
Henry W. Thomas
P.S.
Inclosed is the Deposition of
Capt Dent above alluded to
H. W. T.
Page 42

Deposition of
Geo F Maddox
Page 43

Be it remembered and it is hereby certified that
on this twelfth day of April in the year of our
Lord one thousand eight hundred and forty two
before me the subscriber a Justice of the Peace
of the State of Maryland in and for the County
of Saint Mary's personally appeared George F. Maddox
he being known to me to be the Register of King & Queen
Parish and made oath on the Holy Evangely of
almighty God that he has not in his possession any of the books or papers or registers of said Parish prior to the year seventeen hundred and ninety nine nor does he know that there are any such in existance. And the said George F. Maddox further testifies that it appears from a register now in his possession that [struck through-Normand] in the year seventeen hundred and ninety nine Normand Burroughs
was one of the church wardens of King & Queen Parish- In testimony whereof I hereunto subscribe my name on the day and year first above written
Sworn to before [signature] H D Swann J.P.
Maryland, St. Mary's County Court

I hereby certify that Horace D Swann
Gentleman who appears
to have taken and signed the above affidavit was at the time of so
doing and still is one of the Justices of the peace of the State of
Maryland in and for Saint Marys County aforesaid duly commissioned and qualified and that to all acts by him done
in that capacity full faith and credit are due and ought to be given as well in Court of Justice as thereout
[seal attached]
In Testimony whereof I have
hereunto set my hand & affixed [struck through-my] the
seal of my office this 15th day of
April 1842
Jo Harris
St. Mary Co Court
Page 44

Esther T. Burroughs
widow of
Norman Burroughs
Private
Maryland Troops
[struck through- 9 months]10 mos. 3 days
$33.60 per annum
[struck through-illegible]
acts 38}
43 &} 6981
44} 434
Maryland Roll
married in 1784
husband died 1812
______________________
Hon. W. D. Merrick
Senate U.S
Page 45

[address]
[stamped] PAID
[handwritten] 18
Henry W. Thomas Esq.
Baltimore
[circular postmark]
ANNAPOLIS Md
FEB 2
[remnants of a seal]
Page 46

Senate of Md.
Feb 7. 1843.
Dear Henry,
Your letter of the 22 ult.
reached Annapolis in my absence,
whence I had gone on a short visit
to my family in St Mary's.
on my return, I sought the earliest
opportunity of collecting such facts
in the case of Mrs. Burrough as you
thought important in the prosecution
of her claim in Washington, and I
herewith transmit it to you. Normand
Burris, whose name appears on the
muster rolls of Maryland, is no doubt
the individual referred to, and the
name is spelt Barrows in the resolution 
placing the widow on the pension
list of the state-
Affy
Richd. Thomas.
Page 47

Letter of
Th: Karney

[obscured] Thomas, Esq
[illegible] Lawe
Baltimore
Page 48

Annapolis, 27th April 1842
My Dear Sir
Immediately after its receipt, I placed
your letter in the hands of the Register of the Land Office
in whose custody are the Military Rolls &c of the Revolution, who, after a careful examination, informed
me that the name of Normand Burrough was not to be found on any of them. These rolls, as I learn from him, are imperfect; i.e. the names of all attached to the troops of Maryland, do not appear on them.
In some cases the names of those who were regularly draughted are not to be found on them. - If Burroughs was either a volunteer or substitute these rolls would
afford no evidence of his service.
---
The General Assembly, in repeated instances,
have granted pensions to soldier (or their widows) whose only evidences of service were certificates of Officers well known to have participated in the war of the Revolution. A knowledge of this fact
led me to hope (after having found that Res. No. 35 of 1838 granted Mrs Esther Turner Burroughs a pension in consideration of the services of her husband)
that the files of the general assembly might furnish testimony calculated to further your views, by the
Page 49

exhibition of certificates, such as I have referred to submitted to the Genl. Assembly to fortify Mrs. T's application. In this
hope, I had examinations made in the archives of the Md. [illegible]
houses by their respective clerks, but regret to say that their examinations have discovered no such evidence or any other in this case. It is
possible however that if such papers were filed at all that having accidentally
or otherwise been misplaced among
other paper, they may yet be found.
The Clerk of the House promises me, if in such examination as he may hereafter make, he may chance to find
them to let me know of it. The senates file being less numerous than those of the house I am sure
that they have not escaped his scrutiny [illegible]
I looked to the Journals of '38, '39 & '40 to ascertain if they had been withdrawn from the files of the
House, but failed to find any order authorizing their withdrawal--Possible they may have been withdrawn during the
last session, and if so it cannot well be
learned until after the publication of the Journal
I omitted to say that in examining
the file of the House the order directing the proper committee to enquire into the Expediency of granting
Mrs. T. a pension was found.
This order was submitted by Dr Shaw
of St Mary's, from whom you no doubt, may learn the character of the testimony upon which the committee reputed favorably on Mrs. T's application
Page 50

At the Treasury Office I learned that Mrs.T draws her pension annually on the 7th of Jany. and further that
name of Norman Burroughs was never on the pension list.
It has given me pleasure to attend to your request
and will at at time be glad to render you what service I can. -- I would have written sooner, but for the delay the examination of the Clerk caused.
Very truly
Yr. friend
Th. Karney
Page 51

feb 17. 1843
To
[circular postmark]
BALTIMORE Md.
FEB 1[unsure of second digit]
The commissioner of
pensions
Washington Cy. D.C.

Maryland
E. T. Burroughs
Page 52

Baltimon Feby 15th 1843
To
The Commissioner of Pensions
Sir:
[illegible] time
since I transmitted to you by
mail several papers in relation
to the claim of E.T. Burroughs for a pension, and among them a letter from Mr.
Brown, in accordance with
your suggestion, in which he
states that the name of Normand Burris appears upon
the muster rolls & that he
enlisted about the time, if
rightly recollected, that Capt
Dent said Burroughs enlisted
There was also a letter from
R. Thomas, President of the senate
of Md. in which he states that
in the act of the Legislature of Md.
giving Mrs. Burroughs a pension
his name is spelt Burrus &
also a certificate of the Rep
Page 53

Representatives in the Legislature
from St Mary's County as to the
standing of Capt Dent - when
he lived - Not having heard
from you on the subject I have fear that those papers were not received & that is the
cause of my now addressing
you -- May I ask the favor
of you to inform me at your
earliest leisure, whether
those papers have reached
you in order that I may
obtain others without delay
Yr. Obt. Servt.
Henry W. Thomas
Page 54

Esther T. Burroughs

The Hon. Mr Bates
Ch. Com. on Pensions
Page 55

In the Senate of the United States
February 8th 1844.
On motion by Mr. Merrick,
Resolved, That the Committee on Pensions be directed to inquire into the expediency of allowing to Esther T. Burroughs, widow of  Normand Burroughs, a
revolutionary soldier, the benefit of the laws of
Congress granting half pay and pensions to certain widows of those who served in the revolutionary war.

Attest
Asbury Dickins
Secretary.
Papers.
Page 56

We hereby certify that we were
acquainted with the personal
character of Capt Genge
Dent, a soldier of the Revolutionary war, and who was on the pension list of Maryland,
late of St Mary's County, and we
take pleasure in stating that he
was a man of high standing integrity and honor, and that his statements
were entitled to the fullest credit.
Annapolis
Feby. 1. 1843.
Richd. Thomas
Sen. Md. for St Marys Co.
John M. S. Cousin
Delegate from St Mary's. 
W. H. Thomas}
[illegible]}
Delegates from St. Mary's
Page 57

Deposition of
J. C. Burroughs
Page 58

Maryland, St. Mary's County, to wit:
the 17th
day of March 1842. Then came
Jesse C. Burroughs [struck through-and] before me the subscriber a
Justice of the peace of the said State, in and
for the County aforesaid, and made oath on the Holy Evangels of Almighty God, that Normand Burroughs died during the year 1812.
Sworn before
G.J. Spalding

Maryland
St. Marys County Court
I hereby Certify that George J. Spalding gentleman before whom the above and annexed affidavit appears to have been 
made and who hath thereto subscribed his name was at the time
of so doing and still is one of the Justices of the peace of the State of Maryland in and for Saint Marys County aforesaid
duly Commissioned and sworn and that to all acts by him done in that capacity full faith and credit are due and ought
to be given as well in Courts of Justice as thereout
In Testimony Whereof I have hereunto
set my hand and affixed the seal of my office
this Seventeenth day of March Eighteen
hundred and forty two
Jo. Harris
St Marys Co [illegible]
Page 59

Deposition of 
Captn Geo Dent
Page 60

State of Maryland Saint Marys County to wit,
[illegible] it remembered and it is hereby certifyed
that on this 15th day of April 1842 before
the subscriber a justice of the peace of the
State & County aforesaid personally appeared
George Dent aged eighty five years and made
oath on the holy evangely of Almighty God that he was acquainted with Norman Burroughs and served with him in the Army during a part of the Revolutionary War. That the said Norman Burrough entered in the second Maryland regiment under Capt. John Davidson & that he entered the service the 5th
June 1778 in Saint Marys County Maryland
& was, to the best of his recollection, a private
He was in the regiment commanded
by Marcus De Lafayette and served under him
six months and was discharged under Barron
De Calb. Norman Burroughs was in the service about nine months but this deponent
does not recollect that he was in any engagements. Burrough resided in Saint
Marys County Maryland when he entered the
service & this deponent thinks he told him
that Burroughs entered as a volunteer. After
Burroughs entered the service he went to
Annapolis and from thence to the head of
Elk River, from thence he marched to Philadelphia and from Philadelphia he marched
Page 61

to Trenton New Jersey where he joined the
regiment. This Deponent was invited to the
wedding of the said Normand Burrough but did not go therefore did not see him married
but has no doubt that he was lawfully
married. Mrs. Burroughs has never been
married since the death of her said husband
sworn to before the subscriber
on the day & year above written
John Greenwell of the J P
I hereby certify that I have known the above
named George Dent for upwards of twenty years
and from an intimate acquaintance with him
no less than the high character which he has
always bore, take great pleasure in
saying that any statement made by him
is worthy of the most implicit confidence
John Greenwell of [illegible]
Maryland, Saint Mary's County to wit:
I hereby certify that John Greenwell of Philip Gentleman before whom the aforegoing affidavit appears to have been made
and who hath thereto subscribed his name was at the time of so doing and still is a Justice of the peace of the State of Maryland
Page 62

in and for Saint Marys County aforesaid duly commissioned and
sworn and that to all acts by him done in that capacity full
faith and credit are due and ought be given as well in courts of Justice as thereout.,
In Testimony whereof I have
hereunto set my hand and affixed
the seal of my Office this twenty
Second day of April in the year
of our Lord one thousand eight
hundred and forty two
Jo. Harris Clk
St Mays Co Ct