Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty Land Warrant Application File S. 32351, for Moses Justus, North Carolina
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Service Number
N.b. Justus, Moses S32351
VA
Contents
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Illinois 19684
Moses Justus
of Schuyler Co. in the State of Ills.
who was a Private in the Co commanded by Captain Fifer of the Rgt commanded by Col: Fifer in the North Carolina line for 11 1/2 months. 38 33/100
Inscribed on the Roll of Illinois at the rate of 38 Dollars 33 Cents per annum, to commence on the 4th day of March, 1831. 
Certificate of Pension issued the 14th day of Aug 1833 and sent to Hart Fellows Rushville, S. C. Ills.
Arrears to the 4th of March 1833. 76.66
Semi-anl. allowance ending 4 Sept 33. 19.16
$95.82 {Revolutionary Claim, Act June 7, 1832}
Recorded by Wm. R. Palmer Clerk
Book E. Vol. 8. Page 57.
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21252
Moses Justus
direct to Rushville Schuyler County Illinois
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State of Illinois, Schuyler County
Circuit Court, October term AD 1832

On this third day of October A D 1832 personally appeared in open court before the Judge of the circuit court of said county & state now sitting at Rushville (the same being a court of record) Moses Justus a resident of the County of McDonough and State of Illinois age seventy seven 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 Act of Congress June 7th 1832.
That he entered the service of the United State under the following named officers and served as herein stated: Entered the service as a volunteer in 1774 (month and day not recollected) in the County of Mecklenburg in the state of North Carolina under Capt. John Fifer, Lt. Samuel Patton, Ensign William Houston, as a volunteer served three months, march to Cross Creek in North Carolina about one hundred miles and was there discharged by Samuel Patton he being Captain. Capt. John Fifer having been promoted to Colonel.  
Soon after returning from Cross Creek aforesaid, the place of discharge to Mecklenburg aforesaid.
He entered the service again as a volunteer at the County of Mecklenburg aforesaid in July 1774 as well as he recollects under Capt. Caleb Fifer, Lieutenant William Houston, Ensigns name not recollected commanded by Col. John Fifer and marched to the Cherokee Nation at the valley towns. After serving three months, I returned to Salisbury in North Carolina about fourteen miles from Mecklenburg aforesaid and was there discharged and paid.
That he entered the service a third time as a substitute in Capt. Havens Company (Lt. & Ensigns names not recollected) in the Third Regiment commanded by Col. Tennon, General Lincoln, Commander in Chief, marched to Stone twenty miles from Charleston and was in a battle at Stone and was discharged these after serving three months.
Afterwards he removed to Virginia & entered the service a forth time in February following a new river in Montgomery County, Va.  Under Capt. James Newell, Lt. William Graves, Ensign Richard Muse, Col. Reston Commanding.  Marched to
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Han River in North Carolina below the Moravian towns had a skirmish at Whitesell’s Mills was defeated, then marched to Guilford Court House in North Carolina and was there discharged.
That he has no documentary evidence and that he knows of no person whose testimony he can perceive who can testify to his service, and that he hereby relinquishes every claim whatever to a pension or annuity except the present and declares that his name is not on the pension roll of the agency of any state.
Questions by the Court

1.	When and what year were you born
A.	In the year 1753 in the State of Maryland
2.	Have you any record of your age & if so where is it.
A.	I have a record of my age at my house where I now reside
3.	Where were you living when called into service where have you lived since the Revolutionary War and where do you now live.
A.	I was living at the time I volunteered inti the services in the State of North Caroline, afterwards removed to Virginia then moved to East Tennessee then to West Tennessee then to the State of Indiana an then to Schuyler County, Illinois and then to McDonough County in the State of Illinois where I now live.
4.	How were you called into service, were you drafted, did you volunteer or were you a substitute, and if a substitute for whom?
A.	I entered service as a volunteer minute man and served as a volunteer during the whole of my service except one term of three months which I served as a substitute for a man whose name I do not recollect under Capt. Havens
5.	State the names of some of the regular officers who were with the troops who you served.  Such continental and militia regiments as a volunteer, the genera circumstances of your service.
A.	 General Lincoln was with the troops among whom I served, also General Rutherford & McDowell and Cols. Preston, Tennon and Fifer of the Militia.
6.	Did you ever receive a discharge from the services and if so by whom was it given and what has become of It.
A.	I received a discharge from Capt. Fifer and one from Capt. Havens and have lost them both was not careful to preserve them thinking them of no consequence.
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7.	State the names of persons to whom you are known in your present neighborhood and who can testify as your character for veracity and good behaviors your services as a soldier of the Revolution
A.	I am acquainted with William Skiles, George Skiles and Samuel Bogart who can testify as to my character for veracity & behaviors but am not acquainted with any persons who can testify to my services in the Revolution from his own Knowledge.
Sworn to & subscribed this 3rd day of October A.D. 1832 - Moses Justice
Richard M. Young Circuit Judge of the 5th Judicial Circuit of the State of Illinois.

Mr. Samuel Bogart a clergyman residing in the County of McDonough and State of Illinois, George Skiles and William Skiles residing in the County of Schuyler and State of Illinois do hereby certify that we are well acquainted with Moses Justice who has subscribed and sworn to the above declaration that we believe him to be Seventy Seven years of age that he is refuted and believed in the neighborhood where residents to have been a soldier in the Revolution and that we concur in that opinion.
Sworn to & subscribed this 3rd day of October A.D. 1832 - Moses Justice
George (his mark) Skiles
William (his mark) Skiles
Samuel Bogart
. Richard M. Young Circuit Judge of the 5th Judicial Circuit of the State of Illinois.
And the said Court do hereby declare their opinion after the investigation of the matter and after putting the interrogations by the War Department that the above-named applicant was a Revolutionary Soldier and  served as he states and the court further certifies that it appears to them that Samuel Bogart who has signed the proceedings certificate as a clergyman resident of McDonough County and that George Skiles who have signed the same as a resident of Schuyler County as credible persons and their statements entitled to credit.
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I, Hart Fellows clerk of the Circuit Court of Schuyler County do herby certify that the forgoing contains the original proceedings in the matter of the application of Moses Justice for a pension.
In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal of office at Rushville this 1st day of December in the year of our Lord Eighteen Hundred & Thirty-Two

Hart Fellows clerk
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Revolutionary War Records Section 3--525
Department of the Interior
Bureau of Pensions
Washington, D. C., ____, 19___

In reply to your request of ____, received ___ for a statement of the military history of Moses Justus a soldier of the REVOLUTIONARY WAR, you will find below the desired information as contained in his (crossed out) application for pen-sion on file in this Bureau. S. 32,351

Dates of Enlistment or Appointment / Length of Service/ Rank /Officers under Whom Service was Rendered  Captain / Colonel / State

Summer 1774 (check) Minuteman John Fifer N.C
Mch 1775 3 mos Private { John Fifer "
                                      Samuel Patton John Fifer
July 1775 3 mos  __  Caleb Fifer John Fifer  "
June 1779 3 mos __ Havans or Havens  Tinnen or Tinnon  "
Feb 1781  3 mos __ James Newell Preston  Va

Battles engaged in, Stono + Wetzells Mills
Residence of soldier at enlistment, enlisted in Mecklenburg Co NC + New River Montgomery Co Va
Date of application for pension, Oct. 3, 1832. His claims was allowed.
Residence at date of application, McDonough Co., Ills, having recently (removed) from Schuyler Co., Ills.
Age at date of application, in 1755 in Maryland
Remarks: There is no family data on file
____
____
____
____
Respectfully, 
6--2856 + (Office note: Shono Ferry. June 1779)  Commissioner.
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2252
Moses Justus.
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Declaration in amendment of a Declaration hertofore made [illegible] not in the Schuyler County Circuit Court on the third day of October AD 1832 in order to obtain the benefit of the act of Congress of 7th of June 1832.
State of Illinois County of Schuyler On this third day of June 1833 personally appeared in open court before the Court of County Commissioners new setting. (the same being a Court of Record) Moses Justus a resident of McDonough County and state of Illinois aged now Seventy Eight years who being first duty sworn according to law doth on his oath make the following declaration in amendment to a declaration made by him on the said third day of October 1832 in order to obtain the benefit of the act of Congress passed June 7th 1832.  
That he entered the service of the United States under the following named officers and served as herein stated. That he volunteered as a minute man some time in the summer of 1774 (day and month not recollected) in the County of Mecklenburg in the State of North Carolina. That in the month of March 1775 he was called into actual service of the United State as a private under Captain John Fifer, Lieutenant Samuel Patton Ensign William Houston and served as a volunteer three months during which time he marched from Mecklenburg aforesaid to Cross Creek in Said State about one hundred miles and was there discharged by Samuel Patton then Capt. Captain John Fifer having been promoted to Colonel. That the statement made in his original declaration of having entered the service as a volunteer 1774, is the time when he volunteered as above stated, and not the time when he actually entered the service as stated [crossed out] and that he entered the service as stated in this his amended declaration.
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That he entered the service of the United States a second time at Mecklenburg aforesaid in July 1775 under Captain Caleb Fifer Lieutenant William Houlton (Ensigns name not recollected) Commanded by Colonel John Fifer and marched to the Cherokee Nation at the  Valley Towns and from Chena returned to the Salisbury in North Carolina and was there discharged having served three months that the statement made in his original declaration that he entered the service in July 1774 a seemed time is incorrect. and that he entered (underlined) the service in July 1775 as above stated. That he entered the service a [the] time at Meclenburg aforesaid in June or July 1780 a substitute and private in Captain Havans Company (Lieutenant's and Ensign's names not recollected) of the Regiment commanded by Colonel Tinnen. [Gonl] Lincoln commander in Chief and marched to Stono about Twenty miles from Charleston and was in a Battle at Stono and was then discharged having served three months; from Chince he returned to Meclenburg and soon after removed to Virginia. that he entered the service a fourth time for three months in February 1781 at New River in Mont-gomery County Virginia as a volunteer and private under Captain James Newell Lieutenanat William Glaves Ensign Richard Mase Col Preston Commanding and marched to Stawe River in North Carolina below the [Moravian] Towns had a skirmish with the British at Whitesell, ' Mill and was defeated. from there he marched to Guilford Court House in North Carolina and was there discharged having served the said term of three months. For reason that he did not make his declaration in the duty of McDonough he assigns the following. That at the time of making his said declaration he was not aware of the necessity of making it in the County of his residence, or of assigning a reason for not doing so and he now assigns as such reason that he had recently moved from [Schuyler
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county to the county of the McDonough. That his [mitneper] resided in Schuyler County that he himself was best known there and that it was most convenient for him: that McDonough county has been but recently organized and it appears by the certificate of the clerk that no public seal is yet provided for said McDonough County. Sworn to and subscribed the day and year aforesaid.
(signed) Moses Justice

We William Skiles and William Carr residing in the county of Schuyler and State of Illinois hereby certify that we are well acquainted with Moses Justice who has subscribed and sworn to the above declaration that we believe him to be seventy eight years of age that he is reputed and believed in the neighborhood where he resides to have been a soldier of the Revolution and that we concur in that opinion. Sworn and subscribed the day and year aforesaid 
(signed)  William Skiles
                 William Carr

And the said Court do hereby declare their opinion after the investigation of the matter of the foregoing declaration that the above named applicant was a revolutionary soldier and served as he states.   And the Court further certifies that it appears to them that William Skiles and William Carr. who have signed the pre-ceding certificate are residents in the County of Schuyler and are credible persons. and that their statement is entitled to credit. 

I Hart Fellows clerk of the county commipioners court of the said county of r do hereby certify that the foregoing contains the original proceedings of the said court in the matter of the application of Moses Justice for a pension. 
In testimony whereof I have [hescun] to set pay hand and seal of office this 5th day of June AD 1833. 
Hart Fellows clk
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WAR DEPARTMENT,
Pension Office, 
1 May 1833.

SIR:
I return herewith the papers in support of your alaises. 
These papers are in several respects defective. Your case is accompanied by a brief. The objections are contained in the negative answers, in red ink, given to the questions. 
Particular attention should be paid to the accompanying regulations and to the explanatory notes subjoined to the brief. 
The extraordinary press of business in this office, arising for the great number of claims under the act of June 7, 1832, has hitherto prevented us from attending to the applications sent by you. The investigation of the cases pre-sented under this law has been difficult and laborious, and notwithstanding the greatest exertions have been made by this Department, an earlier attention to your business has been found impracticable. 
This brief has been prepared to meet all cases, and thus to save the excessive labor which would otherwise be imposed upon the office, and which would consume so much time as to render the delay two fold greater than it now is in the investigation of claims and writing letters. Your case is considered correct in all respects except in relation to those questions to which a negative answer is affixed. No other alteration or addition will be required. 
I am, respectfully, 
Your obedient servant, 
J.L. Edwards

Moses Justus Esq.
Rushville.
Schuyler Co.
Illinois.
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BRIEF objections to the admission of Pension Claims, of which those answered in the negative, in red ink, will apply to the the claim of Moses Justus which require further proof of explanation.

I. Does the declaration show where the applicant resides? yes

II. Did the declarant make the declaration in the county where he resides? no

III. If the applicant did not make the declaration in the county where he resides, is there any reason assigned for his not doing so? no

IV. Has the declarant mentioned the period or periods of the war when he served? yes

V. *Has he mentioned with precision the length of his service, and the different grades in which he served, in language so definite as to enable the department to determine to what amount of pension he is entitled? no. last town

VI. Has he given the names of officers under whom he served, in conformity with the regulations? yes

VII. Has he made a relinquishment of every claim to any other pension that the one under the Act of June 7, 1832? yes

VIII. Has the Court given their opinion? yes

IX. Has the Clerk given his certificate? yes

X. Is the Clerk's seal affixed? And if so, has it a device or inscription by which it can be distinguished from any other seal? yes
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2
XI. Has the applicant obtained the evidence of a clergyman and another respectable citizen as to their belief respecting his age and the general belief in his neighborhood relative to his revolutionary service? yes

XII. If the clergyman's affidavit has not been produced, is there any reason assigned for not obtaining it?

XIII. If the applicant has no documentary evidence, and has not obtained the testimony of at least one living witness, has he stated in his declaration that such proof cannot be had? yes

XIV. (cross symbol) If the applicant's name is not found on the rolls of military service, has he produced a witness or witnesses as to his service? no (x out)
If he has produced direct proof as to service, has the magistrate who administered the oath, certified to the credibility of the witness or witnesses?
Has the proper officer certified to the official character and signature of the magistrate as the regulations direct?

XV. Does it appear from any of the papers that the witness was in such a situation, or of such an age, as to have a personal knowledge of the applicant's service? no (x out)

XVI. (double cross symbol) Are the papers authenticated as the regulations direct? yes

XVII. Are the seven interrogatories prescribed by the War Department answered satisfactorily? And, if not, which of them is not so answered?

_____

EXPLANATORY NOTES.
*QUERE V. In a case where the applicant cannot, by reasons of the loss of memory, state precisely how long he served, he should amend his declaration by making an affidavitt in the following words:
"Personally appeared before me, the undersigned, a Justice of the Peace, &c. A. B. who, being duly sworn, deposeth and saith, that, by reason of old age, and the consequent loss of memory. he cannot swear positively as to the precise length of his service, but according to the best of his recol-lectionhe served not less that the periods mentioned below, and in the following grades; For ____ year____ months, and ______ days, I served as a _____ For _____ months and _____ days, I served as a _______; and for such service I claim a pension.
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It is important in all cases to determine with precision the period for which each applicant served, and the particular rank he held, as the law directs the pension to be paid according to the grade of the pensioner and the length of his service. The use of the phrase about three or four months is too in-definite, and all such qualifying expressions are objectionable. Some persons who apply for pensions merely state they served two years in the militia, &c. without specifying the tours; the names of the officers, and other particulars respecting their service. This form of a declaration is highly objection-able. It must in every case by clearly shown under what officers the applicant served; the duration of each term of engagement; the particular place or places whee the service was performed; that the applicant served with an embodied corps called into service by competent authority; that he was either in the field or in garrison; and for the time during which the service was performed, he was not em-ployed in any civil pursuit. 
(cross symbol)QUERE XIV. Proof of Service.
In a case where the name of the applicant is not found on the records of the Department, he must prove his service by two credible witnesses, who are required to set forth in their affidavits the time of the claimants entering the service, and the time and manner (crossed out) of his leaving the same, as well as the regiment, company, and line to which he belonged. The magistrate who may administer the oaths must certify to the credibility of the witnesses, and the official character and signature of the magis-trate must be certified by the proper officer, under the seal of office. 
(double cross symbol)QUERE XVI. Mode of authenticating papers.
In every instances where the certificate of the certifying officer who authenticates the papers is not written on the same sheet of paper which contains the affidavit, or other paper authenticated, the cer-tificate must be attached thereto by a piece of tape or narrow ribbon, the ends of which must pass under the seal of office of the certfying officer, so as to prevent any paper from being improperly attached to the certificate.
(hand pointing) In every case where the clerk of the court, or other certifying officer, has no public seal of office, the certificate of a member of congress, proving the official character and signature of the certifying officer, should accompany the papers.

The service in 1774 are not considered [to] during the War of the Revolution.
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2.252  19684
Moses Justus
Clarin (crossed out)
Schuyler Co
Ill

Aom 11. Mo 15 days --


Hart Fellows
Rushville
Schuyler Co
Illinois
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Hon G. M. Saltzgaber  Rev SE

Dear Sir: -
Will you please give me the war record of Moses Justus (underlined twice) - or Justice, a Rev. Soldier who drew a pension in Schyler Co Ill 
Thanking you in ad-vance for the same
I am 
Yours truly
Mrs. H. W. Masters
Fennville
B.D. No L. Michigan
Aug 5th 1915
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32 351
Rey INVALID.
---
File No. 32,351
Moses Justus
Pin Rev War
---
Act: June 7th 32"
Index:-- Vol. 2, Page 215

[Arrangement of 1870.]


1915. Aug 12: History to Mrs. H.W. Masters M13H.