Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty Land Warrant Application File S. 39347, William Coff, Va.

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(3-1776)
SERVICE             NUMBER
Va. Coff, William S39347
CONTENTS

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19.959
Virginia
William Coff
of Botetourt Cy in the state of Virginia
who was a private in the Company commanded by Captain Strebling of the Regiment commanded by Colonel Davis in the Virginia line, for the term of 18 months from 1780 to 1782
Inscribed on the Roll of Virginia at the rate of eight dollars per month, to commence on the 4th day of August 1828
Certificate of Pension issued the 14th of August 1828 and sent to R. T. Woods, Esq. Rocky Mount, Va.
Arrears to 4th of Sept. 1828  $7.51
Semi-anl. all'ce ending
25/31 & 4/30 days                 $7.51

{Revolutionary Claim, \Acts March 18, 1818, and May 1, 1820.}
File Sept. 28

[second column]
Paid at the Treasury under THE ACT of the 6th April 1838, from 4 Sept 1839 to 4 March 1840. Agent, notified 30th March 1841.

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ren: to com: Aug. 7. 1828.
20,178.
Wm Coff
Botetout Co Va
Henry Bowyer
Fincastle, Va
Rec'd 18 Dec. 1826

Fincastle Va
16 Lcen

The Honble
The Secretary of War
Washington City

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State of Virginia Botetourt County To Wit
On this 11th day of December 1826 personally appeared in open court being a Court of record for the County aforesaid William Coff a free man of colour lately of Franklin County now a resident of the County of Botetourt aged about sixty years who being first duly sworn according to Law doth on his oath make the following declaration in order to obtain the provision made by the acts of Congress of the 18th of March 1818 and the first of May 1820 that he the said William Coff enlisted for the term of eighteen months on the     day of        in the year 1780 in the State of Virginia in the company commanded by Capt.  Strebbling in the regiment then commanded by Col. Davis, afterwards by Cols. Howes and Campbell in the line of Virginia on the Continental establishment that he continued to serve in said corps until the year 1782 when his time of service expired when he was discharged in the State of North Carolina having been present having his service at the Battle of Guilford Eutaw Springs and at several skirmishes that he hereby relinquishes every claim whatever to a pension except the present that his name is not on the role of any State as far as he knows or believes except as before mentioned and that the following are the reasons for his not making earlier application for a pension namely that he is poor old and illiterate and did not learn that he was entitled to one until long after the passing of the law aforesaid and has since 1 been prevented from presenting his claim in due form by the difficulty of procuring the necessary proof.
And in pursuance of the Act of the 1st of May 1820 he took in open court the following oath to wit I do solemnly swear that I was a resident citizen of the United States on the 18th day of March 1818 and that I have not since that time by gift sale or in any manner disposed of my property or any part thereof with intent thereby to diminish it as to bring myself within the provision of an act of Congress entitled an Act to provide for certain persons engaged in the land and naval service of the United States in the Revolutionary War passed on the 18th day of March 1818 and that I have not nor has any person in trust for me any property or securities contracts or debts due to me nor have I any income other than what is contained in the schedule hereto annexed and by me subscribed.  That since the 18th of March 1818 I have made no sales of property whatever that he is by occupation a Farmer and lives on rented land that he is lame from having one of his legs fractured and that his family consists of his wife between forty & fifty years of age and two sons the eldest 14 and the youngest eleven years old.  He also gave in on oath the following schedule of property independently of

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necessary clothing and Bedding to wit one blind horse worth ten dollars
William X Coff

Sworn to and declared in open court on the 11th day December aforesaid

Virginia Botetourt County (To Wit)
I Henry Bowyer Clerk of the County Court of Botetourt aforesaid do hereby certify that it appears to the satisfaction of the court now present by the affadavits of Daniel Burchet and Richard Pugh credible witnesses that the said William Coff did serve in the Revolutionary War as stated in the proceeding declaration against the common enemy for the term of more than nine months under one engagement on the continental establishment.  I also certify that the foregoing oath and the schedule thereto annexed are truly copied from the records of said Court and I do hereby further certify that it is the opinion of the said Court that the total amount in value of the property exhibited in the aforesaid schedule is ten dollars and no more?
In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand and affixed the Seal of the said Court on this 13th day of December in the year 1826
H J Bowyer
[seal]

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39347
INVALID.
Rvy
File No. 39,247
William Coff
Pri Rev War
Act: 18th March 18
Index: Vol. 3, Page 93
[Arrangement of 1870.]

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TREASURY DEPARTMENT,
Second Comptroller's Office,
 February 25th 1841.

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,"  William Coff, a Pensioner on the Roll of the Richmond, Va. Agency, at the rate of Eight Dollars per month  under the law of the 18th March 1818,  had been paid at this Department, from the 4th of Sept. 1839, to the 4th March 1840.
Respectfully yours,
Albion K. Parris
Comptroller.
To the Commissioner of Pensions, Present.

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Rocky Mount Va
9th August 1828
The Honble
The Secretary of War
Washington City
adm.
ren: to com: 7 Aug 1828
Free
Pension Office 14 August

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Rocky Mount August 6th, 1828
Sir,
Enclosed you will recieve the declaration of William Coff, made in order to obtain a pension from the U. States, together with the affadavits of Daniel Burchell & Rich'd Pugh in support of the facts stated therein.
This declaration was forwarded to your department a short time after it was made, & was rejected I believe[missing] for the want of sufficient evidence of the [missing] or service.
If the testimony now forwarded shall [missing] sufficient, please forward his warrant to me Rocky Mount Franklin Court House Virginia
I am with respect
Your [illegible]
Ro. T. Woods

The Secretary of War

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Rich'd Pugh's
affidavit

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Virginia Franklin County to wit,
Be it known that before me William B. Williams a Justice of the peace in the county aforesaid, personally appeared Richard Pugh of lawful age, a farmer and a pensioner of the United States and made oath, that he knew William Coff (who is now present and as he understands is about to make application to the General Government for a pension) that he was a soldier in the Revolutionary War in the first Virginia Regiment commanded first by Col. Hawes and afterwards by Col. Campbell, Continental line and in Capt. Striblings company.  That he became acquainted with the said Coff at Chesterfield Court House in this state where the eighteen months troops were ordered to rendezvous.  Then a soldier in the company regiment & line aforesaid in the summer of 1780.  That the said Coff marched with the army to Petersburg & Smithfield and from thence to North & South Carrolina (sic).  That they served in the same regiment and towards the latter part of the term were members of the same company & continued to serve together until they were discharged at Salesbury in the state of North Carrolina (sic) [begin lined out] in the winter of 1781 on the 16th day of January being a period of more than eighteen months.  This affiant [end lined out section] the 16th day of January 1782 being a period of more than eighteen months.  This affiant is positive that the said William Coff is the identical William Coff who served with him in the Continental Army & was discharged with him at Salesbury.  That among many other circumstances and occurrences, independent of those already mentioned, he well recollects at the time when Col. Malmedy a French man & a continental officer was killed in a duel at the High Hills of Santee by Ensign Sneed of North Carolina, That the said Cuff and three others [illegible under] the command of this affiant, who then acted as an orderly Sergeant, buried the body of the said Col. Malmedy.
Richard Pugh Senr
Sworn & subscribed this 6th day of August 1828 before me
Wm B. Williams (JP)

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Virginia Franklin County to wit
I William B. Williams a justice of the peace in the county aforesaid, do hereby certify that the within affidavit of Richard Pugh was taken by me at the request of William Cuff a free man of colour, & is entitled to full credit, from the credibility of the affiant.  Given under my hand this 6th day of August 1828
Wm. B. Williams (JP)

Franklin County Court
I Caleb Tate, clerk of the county court of Franklin in the state of Virginia, do hereby certify that William B. Williams, who subscribes the above certificate, and who administered the oath to Richard Pugh, is and was at the time of administering such oath and signing such certificate, an acting Justice of the peace in and for the county aforesaid, duly commissed (sic) and qualified according to Law, and that full faith and credit are due to his official acts as such in all the courts and offices in the United States or the Territories thereof.
In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand and affixed the seal of the said County Court, at the office this seventh day of August 1828, in the 53d year of the Independence of the United States.
[seal]
C. Tate, C. P. C.

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Rich'd Pugh's
affidavit

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Daniel Burchell's
Affidavit

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Virginia. Henry County Court
Be it known that before me, Geo. Hairston a justice of the peace in the county aforesaid, personally appeared Daniel Burchel of lawful age, a farmer & a pensioner of the U. States, and made oath, that he well knew Wm. Coff, (who is now present & as he understands is about to make application to the Genl. Govt. for a pension) that he was soldier in the Revolutionary war in the first Virginia ridgment (sic) commanded first by Col. Haws, then Col. Campbell, Continental line & in Capt. Striblen company - that he first got acquainted with said Wm. Coff at Chesterfield Court House Virg'a where the eighteen months troops were ordered to rendezvous.  They marched from there to Petersburg, Smithfield & thence to N. Carolina & S. Carolina where they served together until they were discharged at Salsberry N. C. in the winter of 1781-2 being a period of more than eighteen months.  All which this deponent well recollects as the said Wm Coff frequently assisted him in slaughtering Beef for the Army.
Daniel Burchel X his mark
Sworn & subscribed this 5th day of August 1828 before m Geo. Hairston (J. P)

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State of Virg'a Henry County to wit
I Geo. Hairston a justice of the peace in the County aforesaid, do hereby certify that the within deposition of Daniel Burchet was taken by me at the request of Wm. Coff a free man of colour, & is intitled (sic) to credit from the credibility of the deponant (sic).  Givin under my hand this 5th August 1828.
Geo. Hairston (J. P.)

Virginia Henry County Ss.
I Sanford Reamey clerk of the County Court of Henry do hereby certify that George Hairston whose name is affixed to the foregoing certificate is an acting Justice of the Peace in and for said County and that due faith and credit is and should be given to his official acts as such.
In witness whereof I have hereto set my hand and affixed the seal of my office at Martinsville this 5th day of August 1828 in the 53rd year of the Commonwealth
S Reamey C.H.C.