Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty Land Warrant Application File B. L. Wt. 218-100, John Fling, Mass.

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(3-1776)
SERVICE
Mass.
Fling, John
NUMBER
B.L.Wt. 218-100.
CONTENTS

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Steubenville December 26.th 1805

The Honorable
Henry Dearborn, Esquire
Secretary at War

Sir,
Please to deliver to Zaccheus Biggs, Esquire Mr. John Flings Military Warrant for one hundred acres of Land.
[signed] Zachs. A. Beatty, att.
in fact for
John Fling

Witness
[signed] Peter Wilson

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No. 15 [crossed out] 44

John Flinge [e crossed out]
Sgt. Major
Massachusetts line

[Illegible] to Mr. Biggs
10. Jan of 18[illegible]
Lodged by Col. Worthington
Zach. A. Beaty Atty.

Mr. Fling's discharge from Gen. Washington was [crossed out] out of the files &
deliv. to Col. Worthington. 26. Feby. 1805  

[Opposite Page:]
John Fling 
to
Zaccheus A Beatty

Power of Atty

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Know all men by these presenes that I John Fling of Brook County state of Virginia do hereby constitute and appoint Zacheus A. Beaty of Jefferson county south-western territory my lawful Attorney for me and in my name to ask and receive from the Secretary of war office of United State of America a warrant for my quota of land that is or may be granted to me for service in the third Massachusetts Regiment during the war, and I do by these presence grant to my said Attorney my sole power and authority to pursue such legal measures for the recovery, receiving, and obtaining the said warrant, and to perform for me and in my name all singular thing or things or which shall ^ or may be necessary touching the said warrant as I in my own person could do.  I do also ratify and confirm whatever my said Attorney shall do for me in my name in and about the execution of the said warrant. in witness whereof I have set my hand and seal this ninth day of September in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and one and in presence of 
Zachs Biggs
John Brown

[signed] John Fling [handwritten] Seal

Acknowledged Before me the above date 
I moreover certify that I believe this to be the same John Fling mentiond in the inclosed discharge dated 10th June 1783 and have been personally acquainted upwards of two years.

Robt. Colwell

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Brooke County to wit,

[Large illegible seal]

I John Connell Clerk of the County aforesaid do certify that Robert Colwell Esquire, whose hand is affixed to the foregoing Certificate of acknowledgement, is a Magistrate of the County aforesaid and that due faith and credit ought to be paid to all his acts and deeds as such -

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand and caused the seal of my Office to be hereunto affixed, the ninth day of September in the year 1801 and in the twenty sixth year of this Commonwealth. 

William B. Herrsh for
John Connell C,B,C

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Brook C.H.
Sept. 10th. 
17.
Zaccheus A. Beaty
War Office
Federal City
Jno. Fling

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Charles-town Sept. 16th 188

Sir

Mr. Biggs has enclosed in his packet to you a piece of of business of mine, the execution of which I have put in your power as far and fully as I could here, being fully convinced you would do me the favor, But I have one more to solicit, viz. I bought from a soldier his quota of land granted to him by the United States for his services during the war, and received from him the power of an attorney accompanied with his discharge, but by some means which I cannot account for I have lost the discharge, and as you are at the source of this business please to enquire whether I can obtain the warrant, through what channel, and by what means. 

With Esteem and respect
Sir I Am Yours
[signed] John Fling

The postage I will pay you
Please to bring back my discharge

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To be acted on

[Multiplication in handwriting] 
 
 60
 15
____
300
600
____
900

Ansd Dec

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War Department
September 1st. 1803

Sir, 

Your favor of the 12th [illegible] has been duly rcd. Mr Fling having neglected to lodge in this office prior to the 1st day of January last, documents to prove the validity of his claim (as directed by law it is now foreclosed by an Act of Congress of the 3rd March 1803. 

I am respectfully yours
Hon. Sir.

Joshua Wingate [illegible] C. Clerk

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Ansd Dec 25th

The Honorable

Thomas Worthington Esquire
in the Senate of the United States

Washington City

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Steubenville, December 8th. 1803

Sir,

When I was in the City of Washington in the fall of 1801 the enclosed papers were forwarded to me by Mr. John Fling of Charlestown Brooke County Virginia. in order to obtain his land Warrant I went to the War Office and made application therefor, I was informed that the warrant could not then be obtained on account of the War Office having been burnt some time before, Mr. Newman (then Clerk in that Department) informed me it was probable that there would be provision made for such cases at the next Session of Congress, he at that time entered the application in the Books of the Office which he told me would be sufficient for that time and was all that could then be done, and that I need not have any of the papers there, but that on forwarding them after the next Session of Congress he thought the warrant could be obtained, I however neglected forwarding them untill some time in August last when put in mind of it by Mr. Fling then received the enclosed answer from Mr. Wingate Chief Clerk in the War Department, Mr. Fling has now requested me to forward the papers to some member of Congress to try If something could not be done for him. I have therefore taken the liberty to forward them to you not doubting but that you will do everything in your power to obtain the warrant for him, as Mr. Fling made application in due time for the warrant and could not obtain it for the reason mentioned. I think it very probable that Congress will grant him some relief, the enclosed power of attorney I have forwarded in order to show that I was properly authorized to make the application otherwise it might be urged that there never had been a proper application made in due time. The Certificate given by Robert Colwell Esquire is perhaps not

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not such a one as is required by the ^ late rules of the War Office, it would however be a difficult thing, for him to obtain a certificate from any of the Officers or Soldiers who served with him in the Army as he would have to go all the way to New England for it, which would cost him as much as the warrant would be worth, I have no hesitation in saying that I believe him to be the same John Fling mentioned in the enclosed discharge as I have been personly acquainted with him for several years past, and have always found him to be a man of strict honor and veracity & which I believe is his general Character, and have seen persons who knew him in the time of the War but there are none in this Country now from whom he could obtain a certificate that he is actually the same person mentioned in the Discharge, If there is any probability of his obtaining the warrant and there should be any other information wanting you will please to inform me thereof, and If there can be nothing done for him please to return me the enclosed papers, it may perhaps be supposed by some that I have purchased his warrant but least this should have some weight I hereby declare that I have not nor have I any other interest in it than to oblige and old soldier nor do I believe that he has disposed of it to any other person I merely mention this because Congress some times appear disposed to be more favourable to the original soldiers or persons who actually done the service than to those who have purchased up their rights for speculation -  I would be glad you would inform me whether in your opinion there is any probability that congress will make any provision for the locating of outstanding warrants

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my reason for asking this, is because there has been some warrants put into my hands to locate, some of them belonged to the original holders and the others to Gentlemen that purchase them second handed, they were put into my hands so late last year that I had not time to go out and view the lands in order to locate the warrants of the original holders before the winter would set in and it being the general opinion of the people at large and of all the members of Congress with whom I canvased on the subject that the laws would be continued in force another year & therefore concluded that I would not locate them untill this spring and I could then have a better opertunity of viewing the lands and of doing Justice to the holders of the Warrants and those that were purchased Second handed I could not locate because I had not sufficient to cover a quarter of a Township nor could I get any person to Join with me that could make up the quantity it is therefore extremely hard that in either of those cases [that crossed out] the Soldiers should be forever debarred.

Mr. Wells has this day started for [illegible] the other have gone on some time ago. I have no news worth relating - in a former letter I requested you to inform me when you thought it probable the land office would be opened at Lanesville, having received no answer it is probable the letter has never reached you

my respects to yourself and Mrs. Worthington.

I am very respectfully 
Sir
your Obt. Servant
[signed] Zachs. A. Beatty

The Honorable
Thomas Worthington, Esquire
Senator of the United States