Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty Land Warrant Application File W. 20497, for Valentine Locus, North Carolina
Page 1

[illegible] SERVICE

Locus, Valentine Rachael

NUMBER: W. 20497

CONTENTS
Page 2

agent to pay 
1838
Terrale 15 Aug '39
9 Sept 1839
14 Oct 1839
order to pay 25$

May 16 '46

Carolina 23/5

Rachael Locus,
widow of Valentine Locus,


who died on the 1812 
of [Mark?] in the State of N. Carolina
who was a Piv in the company commanded by Captain Emmates of the Regt Commanded by _ in the N.C line for 2 years 

Inscribed on the Roll of N. Carolina at the rate of 80 Dollars - Cents per annum to commence on the 4th day of March 1834. 

Certificate of Pension issued the 12th day of Sept '38 and [?] and [ Rido Sante Raleigh ?] N.C

Arrears to the 4th of Sept $600
Semi-annual allowance ending $40.00

$640.00

{ Revolutionary Claim, Act July 4, 1836 Section the ]

Recorded by R. [Burdian?] Cleark
Book: A Col: 2 Page 169
Page 3

4 
3485

Rachel Locus
wid of Valentine
NC

Act 4 July 1896

Married 1774
died 1812

Allow 2[?] as pri
in the NC Cont line 
$80 [?]


{?] William Montgomery
Page 4

State of North Carolina
Wake County

Be it remembered
that at a County Court of [?] and Decatur [?]
began and held for the County of Wake afore
said at the Court House in the City of Raleigh
on the third Monday in May in the year of Our
Lord One thousand eight hundred thirty eight,
the following declaration was filed in these
words and figury to [?].

The declaration of Rachael Locus a free wo-
man [woman] of Color – in order to obtain the benefit of 
the [?] section of the act of [?] of the 4th
of July 1836
State of North Carolina
Wake County

On this 24th day of
May 1838 formally appeared in open Court, the above
named Rachael Locus of the County and State aforesaid, aged eighty years, who being first 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
[?] July 4th 1836. That she is the widow of
Valentine Locus, who was a [?] solider in [?]
[?] Company of the 3rd Regiment in the Revo-
lutionary [Revolutionary] War, and that he enlisted and served
two and half years. She further declares that
she was married to the said Valentine Locus
on or about the fall of the year 1777; that her
husband the aforesaid Valentine Locus died in
the year 1812, as well as she can recollect to the
best of her knowledge, the precise day not now recollected, but it was about a month before [?]
in the year aforesaid, in the County of Wake
And that she has remained a widow ever
Page 5

since that period, as will more fully appear by sep-
erence to the proof [?] accompanying this
declaration–
Rachael Locus
x her mark

Given to [?] in
Open Court in the day year
above written–
A. Williams [?]

State of North Carolina
Wake County
I Alfred Williams
Clerk of the County Court of [?]
for the aforesaid County of Wake, [?]
Certify that the foregoing [?] containing
a true and perfect Copy of the declaration
filed by Rachael Locus, and on recor in
the Clerk Office.
On Testimony whereof I have
[?] offices the due of said
Court and set my hand at Office
in Raleigh this 24th day of May
[?] 1838
Alfred Williams [?]
Page 6

[handwritten]

Raleigh 25th May 1838
Honoble. [honorable] Wm. Montgomery
The applicant of the within request me to enclose you her claim, which you will have the goodness to lay before the Pension office, and an answer is requested as early as practicable
In another envelope you will find the Scety. [secretary] of States Certificate of his Services & the Land he was entitled to. He died before the Pension Law was passed - Please file all together when rc'd [received] in the office
very respectfully your most [?]
Richard Smith
She request your attention on her behalf
RS
Page 7

[handwritten]

State of North Carolina Wake County
The affidavit of Bartlet Pettiford who is a person of respectability; who first being by me duly sworn according to law; to testify & the truth to say in relation to the marriage of Valentine Locus with his wife Rachel Locus, who was before their marriage Rachel Pettiford, & sister to this deponent. 
Deposeth & saith that he was present at the Wedding and saw them married, at the House or dwelling of Col. John Dickinson who was the magistrate that married ^[insert] them & whose residence was in the County of Granville in the State of North Carolina near Tar River, that he went with his sister & the said Valentine to the House of the s'd [said] magistrate, & after they were married he returned with them, and he is certain they were lawfully married, and always lived together as man & wife, and that they had Eight Children, to wit, Martin, Phereby, Kinchen, Nancy, Ruthy, Polly, Jordan & Absalom, - And that the above Marriage took place on a Thursday on or about the middle of the month of November 1774 - at the place aforesaid, & by the afores'd [aforesaid] Col. John Dickinson
Sometime after which say, on or about the month of April 1776, the said Valentine Locus enlisted as a soldier in the Revolutionary War for two & a half years, and it was always said & reported of him that he served out the full term of his enlistment and was honourably [honorably] discharged; that he stayed with his sister a good part of his time, while the said Valentine Locus was from home, in the Army, and that they lived near each other in the s'd [said] County of Granville, at that time and afterwards in the County of Wake, where he died: to the best of this deponents recollection about 25 or 30 years ago: And that his said sister Rachel Locus, has never since her husbands death, and still lives the widow of the
Page 8

[handwritten]

aforesaid Valentine Locus in the County of Wake & State aforesaid, and is now very old & infirmed & some upwards of 80 years of age
& further he saith not. Sworn to & Subscribed before me, one of the acting Justices of the Peace in & for the County of Wake afores'd [aforesaid] on this 24th day of August 1838.
Bartlet his X mark Pettiford ['x' between first and last names]
Wm Thompson JP

I Certify that the above named Bartlet Pettiford is a person of credibility & respect
Wm Thompson JP

State of North Carolina}
Wake County} I Alfred Williams Clerk of the Court ['of the Court' duplicate lined out] of Pleas & Quarter Sessions for the County of Wake aforesaid, do hereby Certify that William Thompson whose name appears to the foregoing affidavit & certificate is any acting Justice of the Peace in & for the County aforesaid -
In Testimony whereof I have hereunto affixed the seal of said Court & set my hand at Raleigh this 24th day of August 1838
A. Williams Clk
Page 9

[printed form with handwriting]

Revy
WIDOW, &c.
File No 20497
Rachel Locus
Widow of Valentine Locus
Priv. Rev. War
Act: July 4th 1836
Index: - Vol. A, Page 443
[Arrangement of 1878.]
Page 10

[handwritten]

X
Rachel Locus
W [widow]
Sis - Hon W Montgomery
June 7th 1838
[illegible lined out]
same June 23 1838
Page 11

[handwritten]

FREE [stamped]
James L Edwards Esquire
Commissioner of Pensions
Washington

NOV 8 [stamped]

[written vertically]
Jn at Nov 14
Rachel Locus
N.C. [illegible]
Page 12

[handwritten]

Pension Office
Fayetteville. Nov. 7th 1838.
J. L. Edwards Esqr
Commissioner of Pensions
Sir-
On the 16 Oct. [?] that application had been made at this Office by the Attorney of Rachael Locus for payt. [payment] under a Certificate dated the 13 Sept 1838 - as of sd [said] pension Act of 1838.
Having received no instructions, on this last past & having [?] applied to a [?] time, I beg here to [?] the notice
very respectfully
your Obt Srvt [obedient servant]
Jno Huske
Agent
Page 13

[handwritten]


State of North Carolina
Secretary of State's Office
I William Hill Secretary of State in and for the State aforesaid, do hereby certify, that it appears of record in this office that Valentine Locus a private Soldier of the revolutionary war, obtained for his services as such a Warrant for 228 acres of land on the 30th April 1784 No. 782 - being the quantity of land allowed by law to a Soldier for two and a half years service.
Given under my hand this 19th May 1838
W. Hill
Page 14

[handwritten]

RALEIGH AUG 25 N.C. [stamp]
Aug 28
NC
Add: [?]
Rachel Locus
3485
[written vertically]
FREE [stamp]
Pension Office
City Washington
Page 15

[handwritten]

Raleigh 25th Augt. [August] 1838
At the request of the applicant, I enclose you herewith the affidavit of Bartlet Pettiford proving the marriage of the Parties, as required by your letter, heretofore addressed to Sect. Montgomery the representative from this district, - please give as early a reply as practicable - and address your answer to your most obedt [obedient] & humble Servt. [servant]
Richard Smith
PS. It is hoped the evidence will now be sufficient, & satisfactory
RS.
Page 16

[handwritten]

State of North Carolina}
Wake County} Personally appeared before me John Hayes one of the Justices of the peace for the County aforesaid Henry Hill & Thomas Bovers Witnesses of Credibility and made oath in due form of Law that they are and have been for many years past well acquainted with Rachel Locust [Locus] and [illegible lined out] she has [illegible lined out] past as the Widow of Valentine Locust [Locus] who died aboute [sic] Twenty five years past and that at the time of his ^[insert] death they resided in the County of [illegible] & State aforesaid and the said Thomas Bovers, further saith that his death was caused by a rising on the back and the said Rachel Locust [Locus] has lived the widow of the said Valentine Locust [Locus] ever since having never since married and they have been well acquainted with Valentine Locust and Rachel Locust and they lived together as man and wife for aboute [sic] Twenty five years and when they came to this County they came as man and wife Sworn to and Subscribed to this 5th day of May 1838
Henry his \\ mark Hill ['\\' between first and last names]
Thomas his B mark Bovers ['B' between first and last names]
John Hayes JP
I Certify the above named affiants are persons of Credibility & fully intitled [sic] to credit upon there [sic] oaths
John Hayes JP
Page 17

[handwritten]

State of North Carolina}
Wake County} I Alfred Williams Clerk of the County Court of Pleas & Quarter Sessions for the aforesaid County of Wake, Certify that John Hayes before whom the foregoing affidavit was made & who signed the Certificate thereunto annexed is an acting Justice of the Peace in and for said County and was at the time of signing the same, that he is duly Commissioned and qualified, and that all his official acts as such are entitled to full faith and credit - 
In Testimony whereof I have hereunto affixed the seal of said Court and set my hand at Office in Raleigh this 24th day of May A.D. 1838 -
A. Williams Clk
Page 18

[handwritten]

State of N. Carolina}
Wake County} Personally appeared before me Peleg S. Rogers one of the acting Justices of the peace for the County aforesaid Bartlet Pettiford a witness of Credibility and made oath in due form of law that he is and has been for many years past well acquainted with Rachel Locus and well know her to be the widow of Valentine Locus that She married him in Granville County N. C. by a Mr. Dicason [Dickinson] about the time of the war that he enlisted and served two years & six months in the revolutionary war in the Northern Army afterwards was drafted and Seved some months in the South after the war ended he moved to Wake County where he lived and died and that the Said Rachel Locus Still lives in Wake County and that She remains the widow of Said Valentine Locus having never Since married and is about eight years of age
Bartlett his X mark Pettiford ['x' between first and last names]
Sworn to and Subscribed before me the 28th day April AD 1838}
Peleg S. Rogers JP

I certify the above named affiant is a free person of Colour of as much credibility as common of his colour and entitled to credit upon his oath of the 28th April AD 1838
P. S. Rogers JP
Page 19

[handwritten]

State of North Carolina}
Wake County}
I Alfred Williams Clerk of the County Court of Pleas & Quarter Sessions for the aforesaid County of Wake, Certify that Peleg S. Rogers before whom the foregoing affidavit was made & who signed the certificate thereunto annexed is an acting Justice of the Peace in and for said County and was at the time of signing the same, that he is duly commissioned and qualified & that all his affiant acts as such are entitled to full faith and credit -
In Testimony whereof I have hereunto affixed the seal of said Court and set my hand at Office in Raleigh this 24th day of May A.D. 1838
A. Williams Clk
Page 20

[handwritten]

State of North Carolina
Guilfor [Guilford] County 
June the 18th 1838
this day came before me one of the Justices of the peace for said county Laurance and Martha - Pettiford and made oath in dew [due] form a law persons of credability [sic] Vallentine [Valentine] and Rachel Locus and they state that they saw them going to and from the place whears [sic] they wear [sic] said to have been marred [married] wich [sic] they suppose was about one mil [mile] from thear [sic] fathers and they lived to gether [together] as man and wife untill [sic] the said vallentins [Valentine's] death and that they had none children they futher [further] state they have no doubt of thear [sic] having been marred [married] though they did not see them marred [sic] they state they cant say as to the date of the mariage [sic] but it was sum [sic] time in the revolutionery [sic] war 
Sworn to and subscribed the day and date above wrtten [sic]
Laurence his X mark Pettiford ['x' between first and last names]
Martha her X mark Pettiford ['x' between first and last names]
George Albright JP [signature]
The above evidences are person of credability [sic]
G Albright JP
Page 21

[handwritten]

State of North Carolina}
Guilford County}
I, John M. Logan Clerk of the Court of pleas and Quarter Sessions for the County of Guilford, do hereby Certify that George Albright Esqr whose name appears to the witness affiant was acting magistrate for said County that his Signature is genuine and that full faith and credit is due his official acts as such.
In Testimony Whereof I have hereunto set my hand and affixed the seal of our said Court at office in Greensboro, the 18th Day of June AD 1838.
John M. Logan clk
Page 22

[handwritten]

State of North Carolina}
Wake County} ss.
Be it known, that before me John Ligon a Justice of the Peace in and for the County aforesaid, personally appeared, Rachel Locus, and made oath, in due form of Law, that she is the Identical Person and the same Rachel Locus named in an original pension certificate, now illegally withheld by Thomas Edwards her former Agent -
Who had a power of attorney made and filled up to James Huske Esqr of the Town of Fayetteville, and which she did sign seal & deliver, to draw her said Pension, it being the first draw she made, and which was due to her on the 4th Septr. 1838 or thereabouts, all of which was executed in good faith and the money was paid to the said Thomas Edwards, as her Agent, and he has retained nearly the whole of it, together with her Original Certificate and now refuses to give it up to her, and she is determined never to let him draw it again, & has demanded her Original Certificate and all the papers relating to it -.
That she is entitled to a pension she believes of Eight dollars per month, or thereabouts, an Amount of the services wounds and disabilities for the Services of her deceased husband Valentine Locus rendered to the United States., during the Revolutionary war. That he served in Capt. [blank] name cannot now recollect, nor to which company of [blank] in the Regiment, but refers to the documentary evidence now on file, for that, That she now resides in Wake County, and has resided there for the space of forty years past; and that previous thereto she resided in Granville County, N. C. 
Sworn and Subscribed this 4th day of October 1839 before me 
Rachel her X mark Locus ['x' between first and last names]
John Ligon JP
Witness Wm H Terrell
State of North Carolina
Wake County ss. October 4th 1839 ~
conformably to the Regulations of the War Department, of the 27 of October 1832 I John Ligon a Magistrate in the County above named do Certify, that I have the most satisfactory evidence, from my own personal knowledge, that the statement & affidavit made as above stated by Rachel Locus, a pensioner & the widow of Valentine Locus is just and true, and that she the said Rachel Locus who this day appeared before me to take the oath of identity, is the
Page 23

[handwritten]

the identical pensioner she declares herself to be, in the annexed affidavit; and I am also satisfied that the statement made by her, in relation to the pension certificate is true -.
Given under my hand at Raleigh the day and year above written. - .
JH Ligon JP

Signed Duplicates
John Ligon JP

I Alfred Williams Clerk of the Court of Pleas & Quarter Sessions for the County of Wake, Certify that John Ligon is a Magistrate as above, and that the signatures purporting to be his are genuine -
In Testimony whereof, I have hereunto affixed the seal of said Court & subscribed my name at Office in Raleigh the 4th day of Octr. 1839 -
A. Williams Clerk
of the Court of Wake County
Page 24

[handwritten]

FREE [stamp]
RALEIGH [stamp]
The Secretary of War
City Washington
[written vertically]
Augt 10
Aug OW [old war]
Mr Evans [underlined]
Pension Office
Page 25

[handwritten]

State of North Carolina}
Wake County} The affidavit and Declaration of Rachel Locus a United States Pensioner taken & made before the undersigned, one of the acting Justices of the Peace in & for the County aforesaid. The said Rachel being duly sworn according to Law, Doth upon her Oath declare and affirm, that One certain Thomas Edwards of the County & State aforesaid, hath gotten possession of her Original Pension Certificate issued to her, Some time in the year 1838. from the War Department for the Services of her deceased Husband Voluntine [Valentine} Locus in the war of the Revolution. And that the said Thomas Edwards doth now refuse to deliver up to her, the said Certificate by which she is deprived of the means of drawing her said Pension from the Pension Office in Fayetteville N. Carolina
And the manner of his obtaining it she states to be as follows. That she had soon after obtaining the said certificate full confidence in his honesty, & by his insinuating promises to act as her agent or attorney. He thereby obtained her consent to appoint him as her agent & attorney to draw her said pension, and to which she consented & did at his suggestions & advice, full up the said power of attorney to James Huske Esqr. of Fayetteville to draw her said pension, who executed the said Trust & power in good faith, & remitted to the said Thomas Edwards the full amount, who upon obtaining the same refuses to pay over to her the same. And doth also refuse to give up to her, the said Certificate, by which she hath been deprived of drawing her pension on the 4th day of March last, & will again she verily [underlined] believes, be deprived of drawing it on the 4th September next, which she attributes & charges to his deceit & treachery. - and altho. [although] she has frequently demanded of him ,to give it up to her, he has as stoutly refused, and declares that he will not give it up to her, alledging [sic] that if he does not draw it, no other person shall; And this deponant [sic] states that she is advised to make application to the Secretary of War for a New Pension Certificate, as she has already been deprived of drawing her Penson, as aforesaid, having
Page 26

[handwritten]

never drawn it, but the first time, as states aforesaid She decares [declares] upon her Oath, that he the said Thomas Edwards withholds the same, without her consent nor wish, and that he hath proved himself to be untrue & a faithless agent, and being as she is informed, entirely insolent, she cannot obtain any thing from him nor is he able to pay her & on that amount she has & now does utterly refuse to execute to him or to any person for him, any further, or new power, to draw her said pension.
And that she now has the same due her on the 4th March last & will be again due on the 4th Septr. next, & for which she wishes to make preparation to draw, on the 5th September next, by appointing a new & faithful agent;
She therefore prays & petitions the Honoble [honorable] the Secretary of War to issue to her a new Certificate, hereby annulling and declaring, the original as void, & if no use to her [?] & further she saith not. Sworn to & Subscribed before me on this 6th day of August 1839 -.
Rachel her X mark Locus ['x' between first and last names]
Sworn and Subscribed before me the date above
James D Newsom J.P.

State of North Carolina
Wake County}
I Alfred Williams Clerk of the Court of Pleas & Quarter Sessions for Wake County, Certify that James D. Newsom whose signature appears above, and before whom the foregoing affidavit & declaration was made is an acting Justice of the Peace in and for said County.
In Testimony whereof, I have hereunto affixed the seal of said Court & subscribed my name at Office in Raleigh the 6th of August 1839
A. Williams Clk
Page 27

[handwritten]

Raleigh August 7th 1839
Dear Sir
If you issued a new certificate for me please enclose the same to Mr. Wm H. Terrell Raleigh North Carolina .- also if you have any form of a power of attorney to suit my drawing of my pension from John Husk Esqr at Fayetteville please also enclose a form &c as he may not have one suitable - & oblige -
Rachel her X mark Locus ['x' between first and last names]
Witness
Smith Pennington
Page 28

[printed form with handwriting]

THE NATIONAL ARCHIVES
Form VAM-51
12-5-41
BOUNT LAND WARRANT RECORD CARD*
Division of Veterans' Administration Archives
NAME Lodder, William GRADE Private LINE New York
WARRANT NUMBER 7381 ACREAGE 100 ISSUED April 6, 1791
to Theodorius Fowler &c, assignees