Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty Land Warrant Application File W. 6507, Peter Williams, Ga
Page 1

3 -- 179
SERVICE
Ga

Williams, Peter
Nancy

NUMBER
W. 6507

CONTENTS
This Envelope lncludes
FINAL PAYMENT VOUCHER
Received from GAO
Page 2

2215.
Alabama
Nancy Williams
widow of Peter Williams
Geo:
who served in the Revolutionary
war, as a Private in the Revolution

Inscribed on the Roll at the rate of
50 Dollars
Cents per annum, to commence on
the 4th day of March, 1848.

Certificate of Pension issued the
24th day of Oct. 48
and sent to
Alex. McCormick Esq.
Present

Recorded on Roll of Pensioners under act
February 2, 1848, Page 35, Vol 3

[Rejection]
Date of death not on AB
Page 3

Alabama 25.842
Peter Williams
of Pickens Co in the State of Ala
who was a Pr
in the Company commanded
by Captain Calley of the Reg commanded
by Col Law in the [S. Carolina-crossed out]
Georgia line for [Militia ?]
1 yr 3 Mo  per$50.00
---
Inscribed on the Roll of Alabama
at the rate of 50 Dollars & Cents per annum
to commence on the 4th day of March, 1831.

Certificate of Pension issued the 17th day of Jany and sent to [illegible]
Hon W R King

Arrears to the 4th of Sept 1833 
Semi anl. allowance ending 4 Mch '34 
$125.00
 25.00
________
$150.00

Revolutionary Claim,
Act June 7, 1832.

Recorded by J.T. Sprague  Clerk
Book E  Vol. 8  Page 53
Page 4

order to pay 17th A.1836
Pen Agent May 24, 1837.

Paid at the [passing] under the
act of the 6th April 1838 from
the 4 March 1837 to the 4 Sept
1837. Agent notified 17. July 1832

Letter to 3rd Auditor 31. May 1839.

Paid as above from 4 Sept 1837
to 4th Sept 1838. Agt Notified
15 Sept 1839

Letter to  F. W. Bostwick & 3d Aud
18. Oct 1841.

Paid as above from 4 March to 4th
Sep 1839. Agt Notified 10 Nov. 1841.

Letter to Third Auditor & Pension
Agent, Tuskaloosa 12 Jany 1842

Paid as above from 4 March to 4  Sept 1842 
12. Agt notified 10 April 1844

Letter to 3 Aud. 6 April 1848
Page 5

The State of Alabama - Pickens County
Personally came before me W. E. Traylor
A Justice of the peace for the
County of Pickens and State of Alabama, Col.
Thomas Williams, a credible person who
being first duly sworn says on his oath
that he is sixty years of age having been
born in the year 1787 in the State of
North Carolina. This affiant states that he is
well acquainted with Nancy Williams, widow
of Peter Williams, late of Pickens County, and
an applicant, as his widow, for a pension
under the act of July 7th 1838, and was well
acquainted with her husband, and that he has
known them both ever since his recollection, or
ever since he can remember any thing-- that he
knew them both in Georgia to what state
his parents removed when this affiant was an
infant aged six months. This affiant
was raised near them in the same neighborhood
where they resided as husband and wife, and
is acquainted with their children named in
the annexed record of their births, being the
[conform] and playmate of the three or four
eldest of said children, and having been
raised with them in the same neighborhood.
That he knew them then and has ever known
them as the children belonging to the family
of the said Nancy & Peter. Said affiant
knew this prior to 1794. being himself three
yrs older than the eldest child named
in said record. And he knew of their living
together as husband and wife from the time he
first knew them in the State of Georgia
until the death of Peter Williams in Ala.,
a period of about fifty five years.
The said Nancy & Peter were ever recognized
Page 6

in all the communities in which they
time since lived as husband and wife.

Thos.  Williams (seal)

Sworn to & subscribed
before me this the 23 day
of August 1848.
W. E. Traylor J.P.
Page 7

The State of Alabama 
Pickens County
I, Frances W Bostick,  Clerk of the County Court
for said County do hereby certify that W.E. Traylor,
whose names appears to the foregoing
certificate is an acting Justice of the peace
in said County and that full faith and
credit are due to all his acts as such.
Given under my hand and
the seal of said Court at office
this 24th day of August 1848
Frank W Bostick Clerk

The State of Alabama
Pickens County
I, Lemuel A Gilkey, Judge of the County Court for
 Said County do hereby certify that Frances W
 Bostick is the acting Clerk of the County Court
 for said County and that his attestation is in due
 form of law.
Given under my hand and the seal
this 24th day of August 1848
Lemuel A Gilkey (Judge)
Page 8

['ney' from prior page] to be her act and deed,
In testimony whereof, I have hereunto
set my hand the day and year last above
mentioned,
Lemuel Gilkey Judge (seal)

State of Alabama
 Pickens County
Be it known, 
that on the 8th day of January 1843 before me,
Lemuel A. Gilkey, Judge of the County
Court of the said County of Pickens
personally appeared Nelson Smith, the
attorney named in the foregoing power
of attorney, and made oath that he has
no interest whatever in the money he
is authorized to receive by virtue of
the foregoing power of attorney, either
by any pledge. mortgage, sale, assignment,
 or transfer, and that he does not
in or believe that the same has been
 so disposed of to any person whatever.
Nelson Smith (seal)
Sworn to and subscribed before me
the day year last above mentioned.
Lemuel Gilkey Judge (seal)

The State of Alabama 
Pickens County  I, Francis W. Bostick, Clerk of
the County Court for said County hereby certify that
Lemuel A. Gilkey is the Judge of the County Court
of said county and that his attestation is in
 due form of law.
Given under my hand and
the seal of said court at office
this 26th day of August 1848
Francis W. Bostick Clerk
Page 9

Know all men by these presents, that I
Nancy Williams of the County of
Pickens and State of Alabama, A
pensioner of the United States by
virtue of the revolutionary services
of my late husband, deceased, do
hereby constitute and appoint
Nelson Smith my true and lawful attorney,
 for me, in my name to receive [crossed out - from the agent of the
United States for paying pension of in Tuscaloosa & State of Alabama]
all the arrears of the pensions of my
said late husband, unclaimed by him
in his life time, and also my own pension from the time
 of its commencement to the present time, and
are to receive for me, in my name,
my pension semi annually, until such
time as I may revoke this power of attorney.
Witness my hand and seal this sixth day of Jany 1898
Nancy Williams her mark (seal)

Sealed and delivered in the presence
of Lemuel A. Gilkey Judge of the County
Court of the aforesaid County of Pickens.
Lemuel A Gilkey, Judge (L. S.)

State of Alabama
Pickens County
Be it known that on the 6th day of January 1898, before the
 subscriber, Lemuel A Gilkey, Judge of the County
Court of said County, personally appeared
Nancy Williams, above named, and acknowledged
the foregoing power of attorney
Page 10

['ney' from prior page] to be her act and deed,
In testimony whereof, I have hereunto
set my hand the day and year last above
mentioned,
Lemuel Gilkey Judge (seal)

State of Alabama
Pickens County
Be it known,
that on the 8th day of January 1843 before me,
Lemuel A. Gilkey, Judge of the County
Court of the said County of Pickens
personally appeared Nelson Smith, the
attorney named in the foregoing power
of attorney, and made oath that he has
no interest whatever in the money he
is authorized to receive by virtue of
the foregoing power of attorney, either
by any pledge. mortgage, sale, assignment,
or transfer, and that he does not
in or believe that the same has been
so disposed of to any person whatever.
Nelson Smith (seal)
Sworn to and subscribed before me
the day year last above mentioned.
Lemuel Gilkey Judge (seal)
Page 11

State of Alabama. Pickens County
Personally came before me C. K.
Donehoo, a justice of the peace for said
County & State, Nancy Williams, widow
of the late Peter Williams of said
County who being first duly sworn
saith on her oath that the leaves
hereto attacked marked "A" contain a
true record of the births of her children
born to her in wedlock with said
Peter Williams, her late husband, who
was a revolutionary pensioner at the
time of his death.X [left margin footnote].  That said record
was made at the time of the births of
the children therein named & has been
carefully preserved in the family bible,
that is to say in the bible which
belonged to the family, and is the same
record which was transcribed & sent to
the Commissioner of Pensions with the
papers filed in his office under the act
of Jun 7th 1838, as will appear by a
comparison.
Nancy Williams her mark

Sworn to & subscribed before me this 5th day of July 1848,
C. K. Donehoo J.P.

[left margin footnote]
X and is the only record of a possible
or private [notate] ever made which
has any bearing on the times of their
marriage
Page 12

Sarah Williams was Born the 12 of April 1790
Mark Williams was Born the 10 of  September 1791
Hezekiah Williams Was Born the 10 of Febuary 1793
James Williams was Born the 20 of October 1794
Elijah Williams was  Born the 4 of April 1796
George Williams was Born the 3 of March 1798
Page 13

Benjamin Williams was Born the 22 of Desember 1799
Mary Williams Was Born the 31 of October 1801
Nancy Williams was Born the 25 of September 1804
Sealey Williams Was Born the 8 of February 1807 [‘November 1808’-crossed out] 
Rebeca Williams Was Born the 21 of Febuary 1809
Page 14


Betsey Williams was Born the 9 of March 1811
Lidia Williams was Born the 3 March 1808
Sarah Williams wars born of 16 June 1822

“A”
The two last, Lydia and Sarah are grandchildren
N. Smith
All but the last appear to be in 
the same handwriting
N. Smith
Page 15

29. 111
Peter Williams
Adm 1 year & 3 months

Hon W. R. King
Page 16

The State of Alabama
Pickens County
County Court Decr Term
AD 1833.
On this the 1st Day of December personally appeared
before the Honorable George H. Flournoy, Peter Williams
a resident of the County of Pickens and State of
Alabama aged 77 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 17th 1832. That he enlisted in the Army of the
United States in the year 1778 or 9 with Col Few &
Served in the ______  regiment of the ____ line
under the following named officers: the 1st Tour
which lasted Six months this applicant states
that he volunteered and that his officers were
Col Benjamin Few,  Majr Candler & Capt Ca[r]tle[d]ge. 
 The 2d Tour this applicant states that he was drafted
served 3 months under Gr Clark, Col Few and
Capt Richeson, he was again drafted under the
same officers as above mentioned except his
Capt who was changed from Richeson to Ellison-
this was the 3d Tour & lasted 3 months. The 4th
 tour he drafted and served another 3 months. 
under the same officers as above mentioned. 
This applicant states that he was living near Augusta, 
Georgia, when he was called into the service. That
he does not recollect the Regiment or the line
in which he served.  That their principle object
 was to guard the frontiers against the
incursions of the Enemy, which was principally
the hostile Indians. That he was 15 months in the
Service of his country for which he claims a pension.
That he received discharge from Capt Catlege
Page 17

for the first six months that he served, and if
he received any discharge for the remainder
of the time he was in the service he does not now
distinctly recollect. He further states that
he knows of no person living that can testify
to his services in the revolution. He hereby relinquishes
 every claim whatever to a pension or annuity except the
 present and he declares that his name is not on the pension
 Role of the agency of any State.
Peter Williams his mark
Sworn to and subscribed the day & year aforesaid
Test Francis W. Bostick Clerk

To the 1st 2d 3d 4th 5th 6th & 7th Interrogatories propounded
to this applicant by the court he answers on oath
in substance as follows (viz) to the best of his knowledge
 & belief he was 77 years of age last Oct - has
no record of his age-- was living the State of Geo
when called into service about 25 miles from
Augusta, - lived since the revolution in
the State of Georgia except about six mo. in Camp
Pendleton Dst. And about 16 years he has been
living in this State. Now resides in Pickens County Ala.
States that the 1st Tour rec’d 
a discharge from his commanding officer
Catledge which he afterwards lost. Thinks he was
drafted the other tours. The names of his
regular officers is detailed in his declaration.
Received a discharge from Capt Catledge which
afterwards lost-- never received any com. [commutation?]
States that the Revd Richard Wilkins & Jonathan Kelly
can testify to his character for truth & veracity
as well as their belief of his having served as a
soldier in the army of the United States
 during the Revolution of
Page 18

We, Richard Wilkins a clergyman residing the
County of Pickens and Jonathan Kelly residing
in (the same) hereby certify that we are well
acquainted with Peter Williams who has subscribed
and sworn to the above declaration, that we believe
him to be 77 years of age, that he is reputed
& believed in the neighborhood where he resides
to have been a soldier of the revolution & that
we concur in that opinion. 
Sworn & subscribed the day & year aforesaid
Richard Wilkins
Jonathan Kelly
Test Frances W. Bostick Clk

And the said Court do hereby declare their opinion that the
above named applicant was a revolutionary soldier and
served as he states and also the court doth further certify
that it appears to them that Richd Wilkins who has signed
the preceding certificate is a clergyman, resident in the
County of Pickens and that Jonathan Kelly who has also
signed the same is a resident citizen in the same county
is a credible person & that their statement is entitled to
credit.
G H Flournoy, Judge of the County Court of Pickens County

The State of Alabama 
Pickens County
I, Francis W Bostick, Clerk of the County Court for said
County do hereby certify that the foregoing contains
the original proceedings of said Court in the matter of the
 application of Peter Williams for a pension.
In Testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal
 of office this 11th day of December 1833
Test Francis W Bostick Clerk
Page 19


Act 44 [history] 

No 13554
Nancy Williams
wid of Peter
Ala
Act 7 July 1838
married 1792
husband died 12 Feby 1843

Rejected
[allowed] act 17 June 44
$50.00  per annum
frm 12 Feb. 45
[arrears] 2 July 48
$50.00 [Man]
frm 4 March 1848

Alexander McConnick
Present
Page 20

1
State of Alabama
Pickens County  ss
Personally appeared before me Lemuel  A. Gilkey,
 Judge of the County Court of said County of 
Pickens. Nancy Williams, who being first
duly sworn according to law, maketh
oath that she is and continues to be
the widow of the late Peter Williams of
said County, who was a pensioner of
the United States and who was entitled
to a pension of fifty dollars per annum
by the law of Congress of June 7th 1832.
As will appear more fully from the accompanying
 certificate of Hon. Lewis Coss and
that her husband the said Peter Williams
 deceased, received by virtue of said
 law his semi-annual pension up to the
fourth day of March 1844 and that
her said husband departed this life the
twelfth day of February 1845 and that her said
husband did not receive or apply for the
two last semi annual installments of his
pension for the reason that he was afflicted
 with a chronic and distressing disease
which entirely disabled him for all business
during the last year of his life, and
which confined him to his house and bed, and
rendered his life so uncertain that he
could not, he may months previous to
his death, reasonably expect to live to receive
 those installments,  even had they
been applied for, that he was wholly
unable to attend to the preliminaries requisite
to obtain said pension.
Nancy Williams her mark (seal)
Sworn to and subscribed before me, this
Page 21

2)
the 6th day of January 1848, as witness my
hand and seal.
Lemuel A. Gilkey Judge (seal)

State of Alabama
Pickens County
 This is to certify that
Lemuel A. Gilkey before whom the above
affidavit was made is now and was at
the time of the date thereof Judge of the
County Court of the said County
of Pickens. In testimony whereof I have
hereunto set my hand and affixed the seal
of the said Court at office this the 8th day of
January 1848.
Frances W Bostick Clerk

State of Alabama
Pickens County
Personally came before me, Lemuel A. Gilkey
Judge as aforesaid, James Gregg, a person
 of respectability and entitled to credit
upon his oath says that he was well
acquainted with Peter Williams in his life time,
 that Mrs. Nancy Williams whose affidavit is
hereto attached is the widow of said Peter &
 is still a widow, & that he has personal
knowledge of the facts set forth in her
said affidavit.
James Gregg (Seal)
Sworn to and subscribed before me this the
6th day of January 1898
Lemuel A Gilkey Judge (Seal)

State of Alabama
Pickens County  I, Lemuel A. Gilkey Judge
as aforesaid do also certify of my
personal knowledge & from facts which came
 to my knowledge officially in the settlement
of the estate of Peter Williams that the said
Nancy William is and continues to be his widow.
This the 8th of January 1848.
Lemuel A Gilkey Judge (L.S.)
Page 22

3)
Mrs. Nancy Williams respectfully submits
 to his excellency, William L. Marcy
Secretary of War, an application to
obtain the benefit of the act of Congress
  of July 7th 1838 entitled "an act
granting half pay and pensions to
certain widows" to which she is entitled
 as she will proceed to show.
I.
From the certificate of Honorable
Lewis Coss Secretary of War, herewith
returned to the department, it will
appear that her late husband Peter
Williams was entitled to and did receive
 fifty dollars per annum in conformity with the
 law of the United States of June 7th 1832.
II.
The act of July 7th 1838 and the joint
resolution of same date & year to the same
pensions to those widows who were married
 before January 1st 1794, that their husbands
 would have had or did have, in five years from
the 4th March, 1836. that is till 1841.
III.
The act of March 3 1843, granted or
continued the same pensions one year. 
IV.
The act of June 17th 1844, continued the
same pensions four years longer, or “from
and after the 4th of March 1845,” 
or till March 4th 1849.,

Certificate of death Identity [do]
the State of Alabama - Pickens County 

J. Lemuel A. Gilkey Judge of the County
Court, a court of record of said County of
Pickens, being informed of the feeble state of
 health of this Nancy Williams and therefore
Page 23

4)
unable to appear in court, do hereby certify
that I have attended at the home of her abode
on the 6th day of Jan. A.D. One thousand eight hun.
 forty eight and that satisfactory evidence has
been exhibited in me that her late
husband, Peter William, was a pensioner
of the United States at the rate of fifty
dollars per annum; as will conclusively appear
 from the accompanying certificate of Hon Lewis
 Coss,  Secretary of War;
that said Peter Williams was a resident
of the County & State aforesaid, and died
in said County of Pickens on the 12th day of
February 1845; that he left a widow to viz
the said Nancy Williams who yet remains
a widow; that her marriage with
the said Peter took place previous to
the first of January 1794 Viz on the
___ day of July 1789
In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand & seal this sixth day of January
1848 at, to wit: in the County & State above written,
Lemuel A. Gilkey Judge (Seal)

Declaration-
State of Alabama - Pickens County,
On this 6th day of Jan 1898, personally appeared
before the subscriber, Lemuel A. Gilkey, Judge
of the County Court of the said Pickens
County, being a court of record,
Mrs. Nancy Williams aged about 80 years,
who being first duly sworn according to
law, doth, on her oath declare that
she is not able to attend personally in Court
by reason of old age and qreat bodily
Page 24

5)
infirmity, and the said affiant doth 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; and the benefit
of the acts amplifying and extending said
act to wit, the acts of March 3rd 1843, and
June 17th 1844; that she is the widow of
Peter Williams who was a pensioner
under the law of Congress of June 7th
1852, as will more fully appear from
the accompanying certificate of Hon Lewis
Cap. Secretary of war, said affiant
further saith that she was lawfully
married to said Peter Williams on the
___ day of July in the year 1789, that
her husband, the aforesaid Peter Williams,
 died on the 12th day of February 1875.
That the said marriage took place
previous to the first day of January
1799 Viz: at the time above stated, and
that she remains a widow.
Nancy Williams her mark (seal)

Sworn to and subscribed on the day above written, before
 me Lemuel A. Gilkey Judge &c. as aforesaid 

Certificate of Judge of applicant infirmity.
Lemuel A. Gilkey, Judge of the County
Court of Pickens County, State of Alabama
holden in and for the County where the
above named declarant resides, do hereby
certify that the above named Nancy Williams
is from old age and not bodily infirmity
and for several years hath been as I
Page 25

am credibly informed, unable to attend the
Court of which I am Judge, and I do not
think she ever can be able to travel the
distance to said court. This is held more than
twenty miles from the place of her
abode. I have therefore attended at her
place of residence and administered the
foregoing oath
Lemuel Gilkey Judge (Seal)

The State of Alabama - Pickens County,
I, Francis W. Bostick, Clerk of the County
Court of Pickens County and State of Alabama
 do hereby certify that Lemuel A Gilkey, before
 whom the above affidavit of this Nancy Williams,
 who is unable to appear in open court, was made, is
Judge of the Court aforesaid &I was
at the time of the date of said affidavit. In
testimony whereof I have hereunto
set my hand and affixed the seal of
the said Court at office this 8 day of
January A.D. 1898.
Francis W. Bostick (seal)

Affidavit of Hezekiah Williams
State of Alabama
Pickens County  ss
Personally came before me Lemuel A. Gilkey,
 Judge of the County Court of the said County
of Pickens at the place of the residence of
Mrs. Nancy Williams, Hezekiah Williams
aged 55, who being first duly sworn
according to law, upon his oath doth
say that he is the son of said
Page 26

7)
Nancy Williams and her late husband
Peter Williams. That said Nancy & Peter
were married to each other before the year
1794, to wit, in the year seventeen hundred
and eighty nine, as appears from the
records kept in the family from the earliest
 period of his recollection. That his
father, the late Peter Williams, was a
pensioner of the United States at the rate
of fifty dollars per annum and that
his mother, the said Nancy Williams, is
the identical person named in the declaration
 hereunto attached.
Hezekiah Williams (seal)
Sworn to and subscribed before me the 6th day of January
1848.
Lemuel A Gilkey Judge (seal)

The following record kept and written upon
the original leaves of an ancient family
bible which seemed to have all the evidences
 of genuineness and particularity,
and bearing marks of antiquity and
careful preservation, was exhibited to
me, the said Lemuel A. Gilkey, Judge &c,
as aforesaid, at the residence of the said
Nancy Williams this the 6th day of January
1848. To wit, "Sarah Williams was born the 12 of April 1790, Mark
Williams was born the 10th of September 1791, Hezekiah Williams was born
the 10th of February 1793. James Williams was born the 20th of October 1794,
Elijah Williams was born the 4th of April 1796. George Williams was born the
3rd of March 1798, Benjamin Williams was born the 22 of December 1799,
Mary Williams was born the 31st of October 1801, Nancy Williams was born 25th
of September 1804, Sealy Williams was born the 8th of November 1808, Rebeca
Williams was born the 21 of February 1809, Betsey Williams was  born the 9th of March 1811.”

And the said Selah Williams, one of the
Page 27

8)
persons named in said record being examined
 under oath says that she is the identical Selah
 Williams named in said record, and that her age is
[thirty-crossed out] forty years, that she has always
resided at home with her parents the
said Nancy & Peter Williams, and still resides with
 her mother. That the 
said record has been kept as a family
record ever since her recollection, and
the said Hezekiah Williams being also
examined upon his oath says that he is
the identical Hezekiah Williams named in
said record as the son of the said
Peter & Nancy Williams, that he is aged
fifty five years, that the said record has
away been kept as the family record of
Births [&] deaths of his father's family, that
he is the third child of his parents and was
born in the year 1793. that he has never
seen a record of the marriage of his said
parents and is informed and believes there was
none kept, but from the history and tradition
of his family he believe their marriage to
have taken place in the year seventeen
hundred and eighty nine, that the marriage
took place in the near State of Georgia.
That he now reside about two miles from
his mother Nancy Williams & is personally
knowing to all the facts set out in her
declaration & affidavits with the exception
of the date of the said Marriage. In testimony
to which statement the said Selah and
Hezekiah Williams, for themselves respective
hereto set their names this the sixth day of
January 1848.
Hezekiah Williams (seal)
Selah Williams her mark (seal)
Page 28

9)
And the said Nancy Williams the said widow
of the said Peter Williams being examined
upon her oath says that she intermarried
with her said husband Peter William
in the State of Georgia, that she think
the part of Georgia where she resided at
the time of her marriage was not laid
out into counties, that she then resided
about thirty five miles from Augusta upon
“big Chioca Creek”, that there was no record
 made of her said marriage in Georgia,
nor does she think there was any law at
that time requiring license, or a record
to kept of mariages. That no record had
 been kept in her family, that she was
married to her said husband, the said
Peter Williams, by one Walter Deane a
Magistrate of the neighborhood in which
 she then lived. She also says up on oath
that the record which I have transferred
above is a true record of the births of her
children, that the said Hezekiah William
is her son born to her and the said
Peter William in lawful wedlock in the
year there set down, to wit: the year
seventeen hundred & ninety three, and that
her other two children born before that
time do not reside in this County that
she was married as stated in her [in] affidavit
 before the year 1796. 
Nancy Williams her mark 
the above statements of the Hezekiah Williams and Selah Williams were made under oath and
subscribed in my presence, and the above Statement of Mrs Nancy
Williams was made under oath and reduced
to writing in my presence and subscribed this the sixth
day of January one thousand
Page 29

eight hundred and forty eight.
In testimony whereof I have hereto set my hand
 and seal this the 6th day of January 1848
Lemuel A. Gilkey Judge (seal)

State of Alabama
Pickens County ss
I, Francis W. Bostick, Clerk of the County Court 
of the saidCounty of Pickens, do hereby certify
 that Lemuel A. Gilkey before whom all the
affidavits were made and the proceedings were
had which are contained by these three
sheets which are attached and connected
by this green ribbon passing through all
the sheets, to wit, the affidavits of Nancy
Williams, Hezekiah Williams, Selah Williams
 and James Gregg, is Judge of the
said County Court and was at the
time of the date of said affidavits and
of the said proceedings before him, and
that the signatures properting to be his are his
genuine signatures.
In Testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand and
the seal of said Court at office the 8th day of January 1848
Francis W. Bostick Clerk
Page 30

the warrants or drafts for the arrears may
be addressed to “Mrs Nancy Williams, 
 Carollton,  Pickens County Ala. Care of
Nelson Smith.” If the claim for the
arrears were first investigated and paid
it would offer immediate relief to the
applicant who is in a very destitute condition.
The Certificate may also be sent to
same address when ready.
Pages 1 & 2 contain the evidence of the applicant
 being entitled to the arrears of her late
husband’s pension, whose last application was
made March 9th 1899. He was entitled to the
 installment of Sept. following. 25 dollars, on to
a prorate up to Feb 12th 1891, about 21 dollars,
 that is, the arrears is forty six dollars.
Page 31

CERTIFICATE OF THE COURT AS TO THE DEATH OF A PENSIONER.

STATE OF Alabama
COUNTY OF Pickens

Lemuel A Gilkey Judge of the County Court of Pickens
do hereby certify that satisfactory evidence has been exhibited to me at
her place of abode, which I attended in pursuance of the act of Congress
 of the *[text inserted here is written vertically in the left margin] 

*First March 1823 on the sixth day of January last said, Nancy Williams, being
 from extreme old age & bodily infirmity unable  to attend the court above named of which I am
 Judge, & not likely to be able ever to do it, test said court, 

that Nancy Williams was a pensioner of the United States at the rate of fifty [dollars]
dollars per annum; was a resident of the County of Pickens, in the State of Alabama
 and died in the said County in the State of Alabama, in the year 1865
on the day of 12th [Mayis crossed out]  February, 
that he left a widow, whose name is Nancy Williams.
In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand and affixed my
seal at office this the 15th day of May in the year of our Lord 1848
Lemuel A Gilkey Judge (seal)

State of Alabama
Pickens County 
This is to certify that Lemuel A. Gilkey whose signature is
set to the certificate last above is now and was at
sixth day of January last, Judge of the County Court of
Pickens County, and also I do certify that William E.
Traylor & Ezekiel, Daniel whose signatures are set to
the foregoing several instructs-- to wit, the signature of
“Ezekiel Daniel” to the oath of identity & the acknowledgement
of power of attorney & “W. E. Traylor” to the affidavit of
Nelson Smith, were both of them duly commissioned Justices
of the peace for said Pickens County on the fifteenth day of
 May instant, and as such that their acts are entitled to all due weight
 & credit, and I further
Page 32

certify that I, Francis W. Bostick, am the Clerk of
the County Court of Pickens County, of which the
Said Lemuel A Gilkey is Judge, & and am also the
person, who by the laws of this State, officially
 [bring] who are Justices of the Peace within my
County, in testimony whereof I have
hereunto set my hand and affixed the official
seal of said county court at office this the
Sixteenth - day of May 1848.
Francis W. Bostick Clerk

[rubber stamp]
FINAL PAYMENT VOUCHER
Received from GAO

I do hereby certify that the said Nancy Williams is
the widow of the said Peter Williams dc’d, which I
know officially, his will having been proved
in my Court and Letters of administration issued
[then former], soon after his death.
Lemuel A Gilkey
I also certify to the facts set forth in the above
certificate of L A Gilkey as Clerk I Know these facts.
Francis W Bostick
Page 33

OATH OF IDENTITY FOR THE WIDOW OR CHILD OF A DECEASED PENSIONER.
STATE OF Alabama
Pickens County
BE IT KNOWN, that before me,
a Justice of the Peace, in and for the County aforesaid, personally appeared Nancy
Williams and made oath in due form of law, that she 
is the widow of Peter Williams, the identical person who was a pensioner, and is
 now dead, and to whom a certificate of pension was issued, which is surrendered.
& is now on file in the office of the First Auditor, Washington

[rubber stamp]
FINAL PAYMENT VOUCHER
Received from GAO

That the deceased pensioner resided in Pickens County in the State of Alabama
for the space of twenty two years before his death; and that previous thereto he resided
in Richmond County Georgia, thence removed to Warner, thence to Jackson & there
 to Walter county in same state & thence to Tuscaloosa, afterwards to Pickens County
 aforesaid in Alabama.
Sworn and subscribed, this the 15th day of May 1848 before me.
Nancy Williams her mark

NOTE. -- The above deposition must be signed by the deponent. Where the pension has been increased, since the certificate has been given, the magistrate will note the fact
I will state that I sent the Justice of the Peace to
the residence of Nancy Williams. N. Smith
Page 34

2
POWER OF ATTORNEY FOR THE WIDOW OR CHILD OF A DECEASED PENSIONER
Know all men by these presents, That I, Nancy William of Pickens
county and State of Alabama a Revolutionary  Pensioner of the United States, do
 hereby constitute and appoint Nelson Smith 
my true and lawful Attorney, for me, and in my name, to receive from
the Agent of the United States for paying pensions in Tuscaloosa
State of Alabama, the balance of said pension from the 4th day of Mar
1844, to the Twelfth day of Feby 1845, being the day of his death.
Witness my hand and seal, this the 15th day of May 1848.
Nancy Williams her mark (seal)

Sealed and delivered
in presence of
James Gregg


STATE OF Alabama
Pickens COUNTY,
Be it known, That on the 15th of May 1848, before the subscriber,
a Justice of the Peace in and for said County, personally appeared Nancy Williams,
above named, and acknowledged the foregoing power of attorney to be her
 act and deed. In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand the day and year last
above mentioned.
Ezekiel Daniel J. Peace

STATE OF Alabama
Pickens County,
Be it known, That on the 15th day of May 1848, before the subscriber
a Justice of the Peace in and for said County, personally appeared Nelson Smith, 
the attorney named in the foregoing power of attorney, and made oath that the same
 was not given him by reason of any sale, transfer, or mortgage of the pension, or
 arrears of pension, therein authorized to be received by him.
Nelson Smith 
Sworn and subscribed the day and year last
above mentioned, before me.
W. E. Traylor J.P.

Note. - This affidavit must be signed by the Attorney
(a) In this blank insert the word Invalid, or Revolutionary, as the case may be
Note. - Any other officer duly authorized to administer oaths, may be substituted
 for a Justice of the Peace.
Having sent Daniel to her house, I myself went before another J.P. at Carrollton. 
N. Smith
Page 35

June 24, 1940
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
PETER WILLIAMS
W. 6507
BA-J/B

Honorable Will M. Whittington
226 House Office Building
Washington, D. C.

My dear Mr. Whittington:
You are furnished herein the record of Peter Williams
as found in the papers of the claims for pension under file
No. W. 6507, based upon his service in the Revolutionary War.
Peter William was born in October, 1756; the place
of his birth and names of his parents were not stated.

While residing about twenty-five miles from Augusta,
Georgia, Peter Williams volunteered and served at different
times, amounting to fifteen months as private in the Georgia
troops under Captains Catledge, Richeson and Ellison, in
Colonel Benjamin Few's regiment, engaged in guarding the
frontiers against incursions by hostile Indians, no dates or
service were given.

After the Revolutionary War, the soldier lived in
the State of Georgia, with the exception of six months which
he spent in Pendleton District, South Carolina. About 1817,
he moved to Pickens County, Alabama, where he was residing
when he was allowed pension on his application executed
December 11, 1833. He died there February 12, 1845.

Peter Williams married sometime in July, 1789, in
Georgia, Nancy _________, who resided about thirty-five miles from
Augusta, Georgia, on "Chicoa Creek”. The date and place of
her birth, maiden name or names of her parents are not shown.

Nancy Williams was allowed pension on account of the
Revolutionary War service of her husband, Peter, on her application
executed January 6, 1848, at which time she was aged
about eighty years and residing in Pickens County, Alabama,
Page 36

with post office at Carrollton, that county, in care of one
Nelson Smith, no relationship stated.

The following names of children of Peter Williams and
his wife, Nancy, are shown in the claims:

Sarah Williams born April 12, 1790
Mark Williams born September 10, 1791
Hezekiah Williams born February 10, 1793
James Williams born October 20, 1794
Elijah Williams was born April 4, 1796
George Williams was born March 3, 1798
Benjamin Williams born December 22, 1799
Mary Williams born October 31, 1801
Nancy Williams born September 25, 1804
Selah or Sealey Williams born February 8 1807; always lived with her parents.
 Rebeca Williams born February 21 1809
Betsey Williams born March 9, 1811

Grandchildren of Peter Williams and his wife, Nancy,
are shown in the claims as follows; names of their parents not given:
Lydia or Lidia Williams, born March 3, 1808
Sarah Williams, born June 18, 1822.

In 1848, one Thomas Williams, who was born in North Carolina,
 in 1787, stated that he had known Peter and Nancy
Williams in Georgia, to which state he (Thomas) moved with his
parents (their names not designated) when he was only six
months old, that he had lived near Peter Williams and was a
playmate to their children, but he did not know whether or not
he were related to the family. In the same year, one Thomas
Williams was referred to as Colonel, with no explanation.

In order to obtain the date of last payment of pension,
the name of person paid and possibly the date of death of
Nancy Williams, soldier's widow, Mrs. Denton should address the
Comptroller General, General Accounting Office, Records Division,
this city, and cite the following data: Nancy Williams, widow
of Peter, certificate #2215, issued October 24, 1848, rate $50
per annum, commenced March 4, 1848, Act February 2, 1848, Alabama
Agency.
Very truly yours
A. D. HILLER
Executive Assistant
to the Administrator
– 2 –
Page 37

544
Alabama
Nancy Williams
Widow of Peter Williams
Who was a Private
In the Revolution
Husband Dc’d 12 Feb. 1845

Inscribed on the Roll at the rate of
50 Dollars per annum, to commence on
The 12th day of Feby, 1845

Certificate of Pension issued the
24th day of Oct 1845
sent to Alex. McCormick
Present.


(Act of JUNE 17, 1844.)
Recorde in Book A
Vol [2]  Page 232


Reported
Page 38

544
Alabama
Nancy Williams
Widow of Peter Williams
Who was a Private
In the Revolution
Husband Dc’d 12 Feb. 1845

Inscribed on the Roll at the rate of
50 Dollars per annum, to commence on
The 12th day of Feby, 1845

Certificate of Pension issued the
24th day of Oct 1845
sent to Alex. McCormick
Present.


(Act of JUNE 17, 1844.)
Recorde in Book A
Vol [2]  Page 232


Reported
Page 39

[rubber stamp-left and right margins]
FINAL PAYMENT VOUCHER
Received from GAO


Carrolton Ala
25 Mar. 48
Nelson Smith
as to pen’n of
Nancy Williams
Rec’d 3 Apl ‘48
Amn’d [5 &7]

[Request] informed
to the Com‘r of
Pensions & Mr.
Smith so informed

3’d Auditor’s Office
April 5th 1848

W. Randall

[circle stamp]
CARROLLTON ALA
MAR 25

Peter Hagner, Esq.
Third Auditor
Washington, D. C.
Official Business
Page 40

Carrollton Pickens County Ala
March 25, 1848.

Peter Hagner Esq.
Third Auditor

Dear Sir,

I have been instructed
to refer to you on application in behalf
of Mrs. Nancy Williams of this County
In the arrears of pension due her
late husband Peter Williams at the time
of his death. Blank forms and directions
 were enclosed to me by the Commission
of Pensions. Mr. Geo. Crump, containing
all requisite instructions.
But Sir, I have already forwarded all the
 necessary vouchers for that
purpose as must be seen by a careful
inspection of the papers on file in the
pension office in this case. The Commissioner
of Pensions in examining the application
 must certainly have overlooked the
case made out for arrears. The main
object was to be placed permanently upon the
pension list, but a distinct case was
also made out for the arrears due to her
husband at his death. By inspection of the
papers you will see that every formula &
Page 41

every paper is in its place, sworn to, certified
& authenticated. The papers were filed under the
act of 7th July 1838.
Before we are obliged to do all
the work over again,  I would respectfully
ask you to examine the first sheet of the papers
& see if the vouchers are not all there.
 The widow is an invalid, lives 20
mile from the court house and I cannot get
the Judge of our country to go such a
distance again for so small an interest as
some 46$, the amount in question.

The oath of identity, the proof of her
husband’s death & the certificates of the Clerk
as to the official character of Judge Gilkey are
all there. My power of Atty. I did not
send to Washington, supposing that was for the
agt at Tuscaloosa. thereon. If the [name] is
sent to the Pension agent I shall, of course,
present my identity to him.

Respectfully
Yr Obt Srvt
Nelson Smith

N.B I had before me the large pamphlet
printed last year from the department in
reference to the rules & forms to be
observed, when I made out the papers and
that I complied in every [condition].
Page 42

[rubber stamp-twice]
FINAL PAYMENT VOUCHER
Received from GAO
Page 43

[rubber stamp]
FINAL PAYMENT VOUCHER
Received from GAO

Carrollton

15 May ‘48
Nelson Smith
 this Claim of
Peter Williams
Rec’d 26 May’48
Am’d
Page 44

Carrollton Ala. Pickens Co.
May 15th 1848.

Peter Hagner Esq.
Sir,
Enclosed are the vouchers for the arrears
of Pension of Nancy Williams widow of
Peter Williams late of Pickens County Ala.
whose claims have been referred to your office.
I hope all will be found right this
time. I did not know as it was [necessary]
to fill out the “Certificate of the death of
Pensioner” in addition to the papers hereby sent,
but have done so. Judge Gilkey was so kind
as to go to her house some 20 miles last
Jan., to certify to the papers sent before, & he
has now only certified to what was then
proved. Besides he knows officially that Peter
Williams is dead, her husband, he being
Judge of the County Court,  that is also the
probate court in Ala,& he [illegible insert] knows that
Peter Williams is dead, his estate has been
 administered* [see footnote] that this old
lady is his widow. I did not think it
necessary that he will go to see her again.
in fact it is not possible for him to go.
An inspection of the papers in the Commissioner’s
office will show the fact of his decease.
I am, with respect, Yr. Obt. Servt. 
Nelson Smith

*The judge states this is his own handwriting, or see-
Page 45

Peter Williams Ala. act 7 June 1832 $50.00
To what time was he last paid?
GWA

Pension Office
October 20, 1848

Died 12 Feby 1845 paid to that time
W. Tyron
Page 46

NO. 13.554

Nancy Williams
Ala
Let. to Hon S..W. Sage
Jany 31 ‘48
Let. to Same March 13’48
Let. to Nelson Smith Sept. 20th ‘48

Act of July 1838
Page 47

TREASURY DEPARTMENT,
Second Comptroller's Office,
October 23, 1841.

Sir:

Under the act of the 6th of April 1848, entitled "An act directing the transfer of money remaining unclaimed by certain Pensions, and authorizing the payment of the same at the Treasury of the United States," Peter Williams, a pensioner on the Roll  the Tuscaloosa Agency, at the rate of Fifty______Dollars and __________Cents per annum, under the law of the 7th June 1832, has been paid at this Department from the 4th of March, to the 4th Sept. 1839.

Respectfully yours,
Albion K. Parris
Comptroller 

To the Commissioner of Pensions,
Present
Page 48

1940, June 24, Hist to Hon W[illegible]
Whittington (ltr in incase of John
Williams, S. 14874 ) MLB

Revy WIDOW, &c.
File No. 6507

Nancy Williams
Widow
Peter Williams
Prvt Rev War
Act: Feb. 3d 1848
Index: -- Vol. M, Page 338
(Arrangement of 1870.)
Page 49

TREASURY DEPARTMENT
Second Comptroller's Office,
June 3d 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, Peter Williams,
a Pensioner on the Roll of the Mobile, Ala. Agency, at
the rate of fifty Dollars and —Cents
per annum, under the law of the 7th June 1832, has
been paid at this Department, from the 4th of Sept. 1837.
to the 4th Sept., 1838. 1 year-
Respectfully, yours,
Albion K. Parris
Comptroller.

To the Commissioner of Pensions,
Present.
Page 50

TREASURY DEPARTMENT
Second Comptroller's Office,
June 3d 183[9].

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, Peter Williams,
a Pensioner on the Roll of the Mobile, Ala. Agency, at
the rate of fifty Dollars and —Cents
per annum, under the law of the 7th June 1832, has
been paid at this Department, from the 4th of Sept. 1837.
to the 4th Sept., 1838. 1 year-
Respectfully, yours,
Albion K. Parris
Comptroller.

To the Commissioner of Pensions,
Present.
Page 51

Carrollton Pickens Co. Ala. Aug 26th 1849
Hon George W. Crump
Commissioner of Pensions
Sir,
I have the honor herewith to transmit
such additional evidence of the date
of the marriage of Nancy Williams widow
 of Peter Williams, applicant for a
pension as such widow under the act
of July 7th 1838 as may prove satisfactory.
The applicant swears in her affidavit
herewith sent that no public record of the
marriage was made. Now how can we
prove this negative but by her own
oath? But I refer you to the laws of
Georgia, in which state she declares the
marriage took place. ( Col. Williams
 Corroborates this fact to wit that the
 marriage must have been in Georgia if
 at all.) I refer you to the lows of Georgia.
 where you will find that the first act requiring
marriages to be recorded was passed
December 6th 1805. Penising that you
will be satisfied for the affidavits of the
applicant and of Col. Williams that the
marriage took place in Georgia if at all.
I produce the statute of that state above
referred to in proof that there could be
no public record.
The only private record we are able
to produce, or which we ever knew
of, is the one herewith transmitted, being
the same copied out in the certificate of
Judge Gilkey, sworn to as correct and as
genuine by the petitioner. Next are the two
leaves which I myself saw in their bible &
Page 52

which I have had cut out and sent to me to
be transmitted.  It is the same sworn to by the
witness & by her daughter Sealey as will
offer by a comparison with the copy made
by Judge Gilkey on file in your office.
I have from the family that the
record upon these two leaves was copied from
still older bible by a Joseph
Landrum, a preacher, in Georgia, some
forty years ago, so that the "children could
take the older bible to school” & the record
be preserved in the new bible. The bible from
which these two leaves were taken
was printed in 1808. Sealy, the tenth
child, says in her affidavit on file in your
office, that this latter record has been
this bible ever since her recollection.
She was born in 1807 Sep. 8. as see record.
In your letter dated January 31st
1848 to Hon S. M. Page of the House of Representatives,
 you say, [the record-crossed out]  “Judge Gilkey’s
certificate, as regards the family record,
cannot be received as evidence. The original
from which his certificate was made
should be transmitted to this office. It
may upon inspection furnish the proof
required’.
It seems, then that this record,
though it does not state the marriage, but
only the births of their children prior to
1799 may be considered proof sufficient as
to the date of the marriage. But it now
appears this is not the original record, but
was copied some 40 years ago. This fact I
did not know last January, but I now
admit it is not legal evidence, as it
stands, insufficient by other proof. But
Page 53

then, there are the affidavits of the Petitioner & 
of her son Hezekiah Williams born in
1793, as see record. & of Sealey her daughter
 born 1807, all confirming the facts set
forth in the record.
The substance of the extract [I]
have from your letter is that proof
of their living together as husband on
wife and of having children all prior to
1794 would be satisfactory as regards
their marriage. Seems to me this record,
though an old copy, sustained as it is by
these affidavits, furnishes this evidence,
The [several] prove all this by the testimony
 of Col. Thomas Williams.
He says he knew Nancy & Peter
Williams prior to 1799 living together
as husband &  wife, and knew the
three or four children born prior to 
1794 named in this record.
He is acquainted with all the
children named in said record, but
as that was not material I did not
insert in the affidavit only those born
prior to 1799.
It is proper to say that Col.
Thomas Williams does not know that he
is at all related to Peter Williams
Col. W. is a respectable gentleman of
standing, as informed, having several
times represented this county in the State
Legislature.  I could have referred  you to
[Hon. S. W. Ingam] as regards Col. Williams, 
but I notice Congress has approved,
Believing the proof sufficient, I
have not been at the [office] to get an
Page 54

additional affidavit from M Davidson of Tuscaloosa
County Ala. aged about 75, or 80, who writes me
he knew both Peter & Nancy before their
marriage [at Savannah]. I know Mr. Deane,
a Justice of the Peace, who is said to have
married them as have their children, but
was not at the wedding. He lived near
then and knew them wed. He would
prove positively their marriage is genuine.
& prior to 1794. as positively, i.e. as a man
could who did not see it take place.
I transmit a power of Atty made last Jan,
 in presence of Judge Gilkey, as I
suppose that sent to Mr. Hagner 3d Auditor
would not do.
The original Certificate of Gen. Lewis 
Coss is in the office of M. Magee 3d Auditor, if
it is necessary to have it back in your office.
Authorities 
“For civil purposes reputation & cohabitation are sufficient
evidence of marriage”: Senser vs Bover 1 Pa 450.
"In Detinue by husband & wife, proof of actual
marriage is not necessary; reputation of marriage
cohabitation is sufficient” Crosier vs Gano 1 [Biblo. 25/p.87]
“Cohabitation & reputation of an ancient date
are sufficient to prove marriage in an action of
Dover” Chambers vs Dixon QS & R. 475.
“Upon a question of settlement, a marriage
may be presumed from a long continual cohabitation
 of a man & woman as husband and
wife” Newburyport vs Boothbay 9th Mass. 414.
I could easily bring a multitude of said
[authorities]. I have established the marriage
of these parties sufficiently for all legal purposes,
 What more can be required?
Respectfully submitted,
Nelson Smith

[left margin, written vertically] 
If a pension is allowed her, she will now be entitled to $177.60, i.e.
She has just received her arrears of $47.40,  up to the 12th Feb. 1845
Page 55

Carrollton, Ala. Pickens Co.
Oct. 9th 1898,

George W. Crump Esq.
Sir
About six weeks ago I sent to you, addressed
 “George W. Crump. Commissioner of Pensions”, 
a letter enclosing additional testimony in
the case of Nancy Williams applicant for a 
 pension under the act of July 4th 1838.
Yesterday received a letter from
“J. L. Edwa’s Commissioner of Pensions”,
in reply to a letter of mine of 19th
March last, which, as it makes no
mention of that additional testimony,
I fear it has miscarried.  I was led
into an error as to who was Commissioner
of Pensions by one of the letter of
M. Inge last written enclosing a
letter of yours and speaking of it as a
letter of  the Commissioner of Pensions.
The content of this letter to you are very
valuable, being the original forms rec’d
& I have write[n] to you at the same time
Page 56

that I do to the Commissioner of Pensions, 
Wishing to take every step to trade out the
Papers &I have them sent to the right
office. Plan to inquire after them &
if already received you will confer a
favor [to] me and he doing an act of
kindness to a [illegible]. I need old versions
by placing them in the hands of the
proper office.

Very respectfully,
Yr Obt Srvt
Nelson Smith
Page 57


Official business
Pension Office

J. L. Edwards Esq.
Commissione of Pensions
Washington
D. C.
Page 58

[Con-Case?] of Nancy Williams
Carrollton Ala Pickens Co.
October 4th 1848

To Commissioner of Pensions
Sir,
Your favor of the 20th
of September in reply to mine of the 19th
March last came to hand yesterday.
It appears that a communication
of mine enclosing additional evidence
and the Family Record has not been received
at your office. It was mailed about six weeks
 ago at this P.O. addressed to George W. Crump
Commissioner of Pensions: I was
led into an error as to who was the
Commissioner by a letter of Mr Inge, 
M. C. for this district, who sent
me a letter of Mr. Crump's calling 
it a letter of the Commissioner of Pensions last winter.
As the record referred to has been
sent, and, as it is proved to be over
30 year old, and may therefore, according to
you suggesting, prove sufficient on inspection.
I will await your decision before
I am at the expense of procuring the
testimony of the Georgia County Court
Page 59

Clerk. It is probable that by this time
the papers sent to Me. Crump have
come to your office. If not, they can be
found in the possession of Mr. Crump,
undoubtedly.
It will be recollected that the
original certificate of “Lewis Coss
Secretary of War” was sent to the office
of the third Auditor, Treasury Department, 
where it can without doubt, be found
if required, and where it will be no
longer needed, arrears having been
obtained.
If the papers now at Washington
 in this case can be got together, I
have no doubt the evidence will be
 found sufficient. I mean the papers first
set to your office & those lately sent
to Mr. Crump, the original record, or
rather the Copy made from the original
 record more than 30 years ago out of 
an old into a new bible.
Permit me to say with all due
feelings of respect I had no idea the press of
 business upon the pension Office was
such that I would have to wait six
months to receive a reply to my letter of
Page 60

the 19th March last, though I recollect an
application was made last [spring] for additional
clerks, and I feel sure they ought to
have been granted rather than that our
poor soldiers & their widows should
suffer.

I have the honor to be
Very respectfully
Yr Obt Svt
Nelson Smith

for Nancy Williams
Pension Applicant,
under the act of 7th July 1838
Page 61

Washington Jan 17th 1848
Sir
I herewith send you the
papers in the case of Nancy
Williams.
Permit me to call your attention
 to her application; 
Please acknowledge receipt.
Very respectfully
Your Obt Srvnt
S W Inge

Col Edwards
Page 62

GIDEON, PRINTER.

TREASURY DEPARTMENT
SECOND COMPTROLLER'S OFFICE,
Jan'y 19.1844.
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
, and the third section of the Act of August 23, 1842, extending
the time within which pensioners may receive their pensions from the pension
agents, Peter Williams, a Pensioner on the Roll of the Tuskaloosa, Al.
Agency, at the rate of fifty Dollars and —Cents per annum, under the law
 of the 4th July 1832, has been paid at this Department, from the
4th of March to the 4th Sept. 42.
Respectfully, yours,
Albion K. Parris
Comptroller.

To the COMMISSIONER OF PENSIONS,
Present.
Page 63

[to arrears]

[circle stamp]
CARROLLTON ALA
OCT 5

Official Bus
Pension Office

J. L. Edwards Esq
Commissioner of Pensions
Washington
D. C.
Page 64

[Con-Case?] of Nancy Williams
Carrollton Ala Pickens Co.
October 4th 1848

To Commissioner of Pensions
Sir,
Your favor of the 20th
of September in reply to mine of the 19th
March last came to hand yesterday.
It appears that a communication
of mine enclosing additional evidence
and the Family Record has not been received
at your office. It was mailed about six weeks
 ago at this P.O. addressed to George W. Crump
Commissioner of Pensions: I was
led into an error as to who was the
Commissioner by a letter of Mr Inge, 
M. C. for this district, who sent
me a letter of Mr. Crump's calling 
it a letter of the Commissioner of Pensions last winter.
As the record referred to has been
sent, and, as it is proved to be over
30 year old, and may therefore, according to
your suggestion, prove sufficient on inspection.
I will await your decision before
I am at the expense of procuring the
testimony of the Georgia County Court.
It is probable that by this time the papers
sent to M. Crump have come to your
Office, if not they can be found in the
Page 65

possession of Mr. Crump, undoubtedly.
It will be recollected that the
original certificate of “Lewis Coss
Secretary of War” was sent to the office
of the third Auditor, Treasury Department, 
where it can without doubt, be found
if required, and where it will be no
longer needed, as the arrears have been
obtained.
If the papers now at Washington
 in this case can be got together, I
have no doubt the evidence will be
 found sufficient. I mean the papers first
set to your office & those lately sent
to Mr. Crump, to wit. the original record, or
rather the copy made from the original
 record more than 30 years ago out of 
an old into a new bible.
Permit me to say, with all due
feelings of respect, I had no idea the press of 
 business upon the pension Office was
such that I would have to wait six
months to receive a reply to my letter of
the 19th March last, though I recollect an
application was made last [spring] for additional
clerks, and I feel sure they ought to
have been granted rather than that our
poor soldiers & their
Page 66

widows should suffer.

I have the honor to be
Very respectfully
Yr Obt Svt
Nelson Smith

for Nancy Williams
Pension Applicant,
under the act of 7th July 1838
Page 67

May 20.48
case of Nancy Williams
Act 1838.

[circle stamp]
CARROLLTON ALA
MAY 11

Official Business
To
G. W. Crump, Esq
Commissioner of Pensions
Washington, D.C.
Page 68

Carrollton Pickens Co. Ala.
May 9th 1848.

G.W. Crump Esq.
Commissioner of Pensions
Sir, 
In your letter to the Hon S. W. Inge of the
 House of Representatives
 of 31th last [Jan],  you say, “the date of her [footnote marked with x
 and written in left margin as follows] 
x Nancy Williams, widow of Peter Williams, whose voucher, [illegible]
 & pension were lately filed under act of 7th July, 1838.

marriage should be established
by record or documentary proof, or if
such cannot be obtained, that fact
must be made to offer before the
testimony of individuals can be received”.
I beg leave to call your attention
to the fact that Mrs Nancy Williams swears
that there was no record public or private
(or to that effect) of her marriage. Is not
her own oath sufficient proof in order to let
in secondary evidence? It would be
sufficient to by the foundation for
secondary evidence in any court of justice.
The papers filed prove the marriage
took place in Georgia, Now it is a fact
that no public records of marriage were made in
Georgia before 1794. the time when they
must have been married in order to
drew a pension as a widow &c. But I
Page 69

do not know how this can be made to
‘appear’ to the satisfaction of the department
in any other way than by referring to the
first statute of Georgia in this subject.
The law of Georgia (as I am informed by
a distinguished Georgia lawyer to whom I
have written on this subject), passed 6th
December 1805, makes it the duty of the
Clerk of the Court of [Ordinary] to record
marriages & that is the first law in the
subject, as will appear by a reference
to the Georgia Digest. The law of another
state can be proved by a good lawyer. I
would refer you to either of the gentlemen
in Congress for that state, how he can
show the negative - that there was not
(because there could not have been) a
 public record of the marriage.
A private record could be in
the family, but she makes oath that there
was no private record kept. The only
record is the family record of her own
family, of the births of her own children, 
not the marriage. And the births of three
of her children, by that record was before
1791.
The object of this letter is to enquire
in what way we can prove there is not
Page 70

never was a public or a private record
of the marriage of Mrs. Williams the applicant.
Will proof that the marriage took place
in Georgia before the passage of the law
referred to be sufficient, as to public record?
And will her own oath & the oaths
of her children be sufficient as to there never
having been kept a private record?
The interest I feel after having
undertaken & been of much pains to benefit –
the old lady, who is very poor, alone
induces me to persevere in a case where
so much has to be done.
I am most respectfully
Yr obt. Svt,
Nelson Smith

PS
The matter of arrears is so far in
progress with Mr Wagner that we [life] soon
to [receive] our object.
Page 71

[circle stamp]
CARROLLTON ALA
MAR 18

To
G. W. Crump, Esq
Commissioner of Pensions
Washington, D.C.

Mch 29/48
Nelson Smith for 
Nancy  Williams, wid
of Peter
Page 72

[circle stamp]
CARROLLTON ALA
MAR 18

To
G. W. Crump, Esq
Commissioner of Pensions
Washington, D.C.

Mch 29/48
Nelson Smith for 
Nancy  Williams, wid
of Peter
Page 73

Carrollton Ala. March 19, 1818.
Sir
M. S. W. Inge has forwarded
to me a letter from you to him
of 31st January last relating to the
case of Nancy Williams, Widow of Peter
Williams, applicant for a pension under the
act of 7th July 1838.
I do not know in what way we
can make it appear that there is no
documentary proof-- how we can prove
a negative of that kind, except by the
oath of the past. The marriage took place
in Georgia prior to the passage of registry laws
& it is not in our power to discover a
record. Would it not satisfy the department
to know that there was at that
time no law for the registry of marriage?
 In a digest of the laws of Georgia
I find the first law for the registration of
marriages &c, was passed after the marriage
of Mrs. Williams.
As regards the family record, I
now find that it is not the original
record, but a copy transcribed from
the original by a clergyman in Georgia
Page 74

some thirty years ago from the old to
 a newer bible, so that the “children
might use the old bible at School.”
Judge Gilkey's certificate therefore is but
a copy of a copy, but if it will be
evidence, I will send in the leaves
of this bible together with the affidavits
of two or three of the family as to the
parts of the record. The extreme poverty
of the old lady induced Judge Gilkey &
myself to go 20 miles to her house to
prepare the papers & we cannot go again
at uncertainties, but if we could know
it would be of use we would not care
the travel & time so much.
It does not appear from your
communication to Mr. Inge that your
attention was directed to the case which 
the applicant made out for arrears
of pension. For that purpose the time of
the marriage is not material.  The widow
 or the heirs of a pensioner are entitled
to arrears. I this by inspection of the
papers you will be satisfied a clear
case is made out for arrears & the
reports of Capt. James Dearing pension
agent at Tuscaloosa Ala. will corrob[orate]
Page 75

[from prior page-corrob]orate
 the affidavits. Peter Williams
did not receive the two last
 installments of his pension. These
arrears would be some relief to the applicant while
 we are making further investigations in
relation to the other part of the case.
Very respectfully
Yr obt. Svt,
Nelson Smith


G. W. Crump Esq.
Commissioner of Pensions


N. B.
I wrote Mr. Inge some time since &
requested him to lay my letter before you.
The reason why I do not direct this
to him is that I am unwilling to put
M. Inge to so much trouble, as I
know he takes much labor on himself in
 any thing relating to the interests of any of
his constituents
Respectfully &c
N. S.
Page 76

29 Feb 1848
Revl'n Mrs. Williams
D'o C.

Free
Mr. Inge
MC.


Col. J. L. Edwards
Com'r of Pensions
Washington
D. C..
Page 77

Washington Feb 29th 1848
Sir
I enclose you a letter from the
agent of Mrs Williams, whose claim
for a pension was rejected some time
since on the ground that her marriage
was not proved to have been prior to
the year 1794. Mr Smith very truly
suggests, that this question does not
arise upon her application for the
arrears of her deceased husband’s
Pension.
Will you do me the honor
to give this matter your immediate
attention & give me a reply.
Very respectfully
S W Inge

Col J. L Edwards
Com’r of Pensions
Page 78

June 24, 1940
BA-J/M2HF:MLB
Honorable Will M. Whittington
House of Representatives Room 226
House Office Building
Washington, D. C.
My dear Mr. Whittington:
Reference is made to your letter of June 20, in behalf of Mrs. Charles E. Denton, Shelby, Mississippi, whose letter you enclosed and which is returned herewith. Mrs. Denton requests the Revolutionary War records of Isaac Whilliams, Captain of Cannon's regiment, enrolled as a pensioner in 1818, in Greene County, Alabama; John Williams, enrolled as a pensioner in 1833, in Mobile County, Alabama; Peter Williams, enrolled as a pensioner in 1834, in Pickens County, Alabama, and Samuel Williams, enrolled as a pensioner in 1836, in Covington County, Alabama.
The pension records of this office show that Captain Isaac Williams of Alabama, cited above, received his pension for service in the War of 1812. As Mrs. Denton is interested in compiling Revolutionary War data, it is assumed that she would not be interested in the War of 1812 record. The records of the Revolutionary War soldiers cited above are furnished you, herewith.
Very truly yours
A. D. Hiller
Executive Assistant
to the Administrator
Page 79

Payments to be made
at Mobile, Ala
by [Just B Hale BR]
Agent for paying Pensioners
in the Agency of Ala

Recorded in the Pension
Office, in Book E Vol 8.
Reg 53 by
John T. Sprague Clk
Page 80

[printed firm with handwritten entries]
WAR DEPARTM [DEPARTMENT]
REVOLUTIONARY CLAIM
I certify that, in conformity with the law of the United States of the 7th June, 1832, Peter Williams of the State of Alabama who was a Private during the Revolutionary War, is entitled to receive Fifty dollar and cents per annum, during his natural life, commencing on the 4th of March, 1831, and payable semiannually on the 4th of March, and 4th of September in every year.
Given at the War Office of the United States, this 17th day of January one thousand eight hundred and thirty four
Lewis Coss
Secretary of War.
Examined and Countersigned.
J L Edwards
Commissioner of Pensions.
Page 81

[rubber stamp]
FINAL PAYMENT VOUCHER
Received from GAO


No 5783 Ent.

Acct
Peter Williams
(Wid of)
Pen Tuscaloosa roll
Per Act 7 June 1832
$47.40

May 31. 1848.
June 2  " [1848]
Req'n No 3579, dated
3rd & sent to Treasury
5th June 1848
Page 82

The United States
[Dr]
To the Widow of Peter Williams
late a Pensioner on the
Tuscaloosa Ala roll for Act of
7 June 1832.
For his pension from 4 March 1844
to 12 February 1845, the day he
died, being 346 days at $50 per
year, as per vouchers filed herewith $47.40

Treasury Department
3’d Auditor’s Office
May 31. 1848.
Stated by
A B. Thurston

Treasury Department
Comptroller's Office
June 2 1848.

[Ens.] by Wm Flinn
Page 83

THE NATIONAL ARCHIVES
Form VAM-51
12-5-41	
Division of Veterans' Administration Archives

BOUNTY LAND WARRANT RECORD CARD*

NAME Williams, Peter
GRADE Private
LINE New Jersey
WARRANT NUMBER 8871
ACREAGE 100
ISSUED June 11, 1789
to Jonathan Dayton, assignee


The information concerning the issuance of warrants carded on this form is found in volumes 2 to 4 of “Land Warrants Issued Prior to 1800” which are
registers of bounty land warrants issued to non-commissioned officers and privates under congressional resolutions of September 16, 1776, and subsequent dates. Other records relative to the applications for warrants appear to have been destroyed in the War Department fire of November 9, 1800.
Information concerning warrants surrendered to the Federal Government is to be found in General Land Office records in The National Archives.