Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty Land Warrant Application File R. 4689, Zephaniah Harrison, Va.
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Va.                   Harrison, Zephaniah          R. 4689
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V Zephaniah Harrison
Kentucky
Rejected
See letter 16 Dec 36
Hon L. Boyd
let 22 Dec '36 Hon. L. Boyd
did not serve in a regularly organized corp for the general defense of the country
Service on the Indian frontier
4689
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V Zephaniah Harrison
Kentucky
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H or Reps
Dec 21st 1836

Dear Sir  Some time in September last of inclosed you the declaration of William Green for a pension, informing you at the same time that other testimony would be forwarded -- after receiving your letter advising Mr. Green to seek for testimony in S. Carolina, I immediately wrote to the Secretary of State for S.. to procure it --
Will you please inform me fully, whether any additional testimony has been forwarded, or whether any thing further, is necessary to be done, on the part of Mr. Green, to secure him his pension.
-- As the claim of Mr.
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Zephaniah Harrison has been rejected by the department I will thank you to forward his declaration, that I may refer the subject to Congress --
I am very Repslty
Your OB. St.
J. L. Edwards Esqr
[signed] Lynn Boyd
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[handwritten on a pre-printed form]
crossed out: Acts of July 14, 1862, and March 3, 1873.
[oar written on right side of page]
REJECTED
4689.
P. O.
Zephaniah Harrison
Service:
Enlisted:   , 18.
Discharged:  , 18.
Application filed:  , 18.
Alleges:
Re-enlisted: 
Attorney:
P. O. 
Recognized.
Contract.
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H of Reps
Der 18th 1836
Der Sir Inclosed is the declaration of Zephaniah Harrison for a pension, I hope his claim may be found to be a just one Resptly
Your Obt Servt
[signed] Lynn Boyd
J. L. Edwards Esq
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[copy handwritten in pencil at top of page]
War Dept, Pension Office
Dec. 16, 1836.
Sir-
The declaration of Zephaniah Harrison has been examined (?) He alleges a number of tours of from two to three months and one tour of six months as a Militia man of Virginia.
It is alleged that he was drafted with his company for six months to take charge of a party of recruits destined to serve in the regular army. The Militia were at no time drafted for that length of time, and the statement as to his being drafted for the purpose alleged is entremely improbable.  The other alleged service consisted principally in watching against the hostile attacks of the Indians. In the early settlement of our wester frontiers it was indispensably necessary in many instance to the safety of the inhabitants that the able bodied men of every age should arm themselves in self defence against the savages of the wilderness. It is well known that for this purpose block houses were erected, and that the people were oblighd to resort to them for protection. This description of predatory warfare, however, was never considered of such a character as to place the persons engaged in it on the footing of soldiers drafted or enlisted for the general defence of the Country, and such persons therefore are not provided for by the pension laws. The applicant for such service can of course have no lawful claim to a pension. The claim has accordingly been rejected and the papers filed. 

Hon. Lynn Body,
H. R.