Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty Land Warrant Application File R. 2,972, William Dixon, Del.

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[printed form with handwriting]

SERVICE
Del
Dixon, William
NUMBER
R 2,972

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[handwritten]

32.692
William Dixon
Declaration [underlined]
[?]
Report to the Honourable John J Allen [?]
va
Hon J J Allen
J W Camp
&
Wm L Mitchel}

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[handwritten]

State of Virginia}
Wood County (ss} On this third Day of December 1833 personally appeared before me William Mealy a Justice of the peace in and for the said County of Wood William Dixon a resident of Said County aged 78 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 of th7 June 1832 that he entered the service of the United States and served under the following named officers as herein stated that in the year 1777 he thinks about [?] day of October of that year at Wilmington in the State of delaware he volunteered his service for a tour of six months under Capt. John James in a company of Delaware troops subaltern officers names he cannot recollect he does not recollect the Na. of the regiment to which he belonged neither does he recollect the name of the Cols Commandant of the regiment but does

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[handwritten]

recollect he was marched by his said Capt. James from Wilmington to a place called Dover remained here some considerable length of time affiant cannot state how long from thence to New Castle he now thinks march 1778 he now thinks his first tour had Expired it being March or April 1778 he states that he again forthwith volunteered under the same Capt. James for another six months tour and was engaged this summer of 1778 in guarding and defending the vicinities (New Castile Dover Newport) (Brandy Wine Christiana and Whileley rivers & creeks declarant thinks Philadelphia was evacuated and also thinks the battle of Monmouth was fought during his second tour some time in the summer of 1778 he recollects there was much excitement among the troops in consequence of these events but he is so infirm in both Body and Mind he cannot  recollect the most important transactions of the revolution so as to relate them with precission[sic] but he states that he was in the service when the above events took place declarant states he does

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[handwritten]

marched to many different places the names of which he cannot recollect he was more particularly kept and stationed at and about the touring creeks and rivers Before named he states that he cannot recollect the names of all the points that he was ordered to [illegible lined out]  guard and defend Declarant states that he recollect of being stationed at or near Wilmington during the winter of 1778 and he further states that he was prevailed uppon [sic] by his said officer Capt John Hames to remain in the service during the momentary period of the revolution and from a pure devotion to this countrys cause he did remain a volunteer soldier of his own free will and accord a full period of time for upwards of twenty nine months a volunteer private soldier in the service of the United States in the delaware) line or militia (under John James his said Captain and that he served and performed the duties of a good and faithful soldier during the two years and upwards in the war of the revolution and declarant further states that he was not sooner discharged after he had first volunteered his service he thinks October 1777 he

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[handwritten]

is not certain of the fact that he entered the service precisely at that time - declarant thinks he did to the best of his recollection declarant states that the whole of his services were rendered at and about Wilmington Newcastle Newport Dover and Brandywine Creeks Christiana and Whiteley Creeks or rivers and he further states that he was marched to and fro in the vicinity of all the above named places and further that all his services were performed in and near the before mentioned places and declarant feels confident that putting all his service together he served upwards of two years in the war of the revolution to wit - from October 1777 untill [sic] about April 1780 at which time he was discharged by his said Capt. John James having served about 28 or 29 months a volunteer private soldier at all the places - before mentioned and many other places the names of which he has forgotten during a lapse ^[insert] of fifty years and further affiant is so very infirm in body and mind he cannot make [illegible lined out] scarcely an intelligable [sic] declaration at all declarant does not even enjoy

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[handwritten]

the use of his limbs affiant has been confined to his mansion the consequence of old age and bodily infirmity for the space of about five years past is very poor and has no means of sustenance except the gratitude of his children the before mentioned services were all that declarant performed in the war of the revolution he does not recollect the the [duplicate] number of any regiment whatever he recollects of seeing General Washington at Newport in the State of Delaware he cannot recollect at what time precisely but during his service he served with Delaware troops he cannot recollect well enough to classify and distinguish regulars from militia or state troops but he distinctly recollects he served among and with the Delaware troops he has no documentary evidence of his service he does not know of any person living that he can prove his service by he is two [sic] old and infirm to attend

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[handwritten]
court he hereby relinquishes every claim whatever to a pension or annuity except the present and he ^[insert] declares that his name is not on the pension roll of the agency of any state -
Sworn to and subscribed the day and year aforesaid
William his X mark Dixon

The several interrogatories prescribed by the war Department declarant answereth as follows -
1 I was born in the year 1760 as I always heard and believed ^[insert] in New Castle County Delaware [illegible] I know nothing further in regard to my age
2 I have no record of my age
3 I was living when I entered the service at Wilmington) Delaware (I have lived since the war in) Delaware (and) Virginia (where I now reside in the County of) Wood (and state of Virginia) on Hughes River
4 all my services were those of a volunteer private soldier and I served as such
5 I knew and have seen General Washington at Newport in the State of Delaware I do not recollect

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[handwritten]
the No of any regiment whatever I have seen many officers whose names I have forgotten I served with the delaware troops I have detailed circumstances of my service in my declaration as well as I can recollect
6 I did receive a discharge from the officer under whom I served my discharge is lost or mislaid many years ago
7 I am known to Allen Calhoun and Edmond Taylor who can testify as to my character for veracity and their belief of my service as a soldier of the revolution
Sworn to and subscribed the [illegible lined out] day and year aforesaid
William his W mark Dixon

We Allen Calhoun and Edmond ^[insert] Taylor residing in the county of wood and state of Virginia do hereby certify that we are well acquainted with William Dixon who has subscribed and sworn to the above declaration that we believe him to be 73 years of age that he is reputed and believed in the neighborhood where he resides to have been a soldier

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[handwritten]

of the revolution and that we concur in that oppinion [sic]
Sworn to and subscribed the day and year aforesaid
Allen Calhoun
Edmond Taylor

And I the said Justice of the peace do hereby declare my oppinion [sic] after the investigation of the matter and after putting the interrogatories prescribed by the War Department that the above named applicant was a revolutionary soldier and served as he states and I the said Justice of the peace do further certify that it appears to me that Allen Calhoun and Edmond Taylor who have signed the preceeding [sic] certificate are residents of Wood County and state of Virginia and are Creditable persons and that their statements are entitled to Credit and I the said Justice of the peace do further certify that there is no Clergyman residing in the neighborhood of the above named applicant and I the said Justice do further Certify that the above named applicant from Bodily infirmity is unable to travel

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[handwritten]

to the Court house of the said County of Wood from which he lives forty five miles and I the said Justice of the peace do further certify that the foregoing contains the original proceedings of my-self in the matter of the Application of William Dixon for a pension 
In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal this 31st day of December 1833
William Mealy JPeace Seal [hand circled]

State of Virginia ss
I John Stephenson Jr. Clerk of the County Court of Wood County do hereby certify that William Mealy Esqr. before whom the foregoing declaration was taken of William Dixon, is and was at the time of taking the same, an acting Justice of the peace in and for said County, duly commissioned & qualified according to the Constitution and Laws of said State and that the signature purporting to be his is genuine
In Testimony whereof I hereto subscribe my name and affix my seal of office at the Court House of said County this 28th day of April 1834 and 58th year of the Commonwealth. -
Jno Stephenson Jr. C. H. C.

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[handwritten]

William Dixon
Va sus or [?] 1832

Samuel Butcher
Newark
Wirt County
Va

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[handwritten]

Know all men by these present that I Mary Dixon of Ritchie County and State of Virginia have constituted and appointed and by these present do constitute and appoint Samuel Butcher of the county of Wirt and State of Virginia my true and lawful Attorney, irrevocably, for me and in my name to receive from the United States the bounty land certificate and all such sum or sums of money due me and coming to me for and on account of the services of my late husband William Dixon [?] decease, who was a soldier in the army of the United States, and served as such in the revolutionary War, on account of arrears of pay three months extra pay, forage mileage, for horses and other property lost or destroyed in the military services, expences [sic] incured, [sic] or money expended for organizing volunteer companies before being mustered into the service of the United States, or any money or moneys, which may be due me by the United States on any account, whatsoever, and generally to do all lawful acts and things whatsoever, touching the premises, and and [duplicate] Attorney or Attorneys under him for the purpose aforesaid to make and at his pleasure to revoke, hereby confirming all and whatsoever my said Attorney shall in my name legally do or cause to be done in and about the premises. In testimony whereof I have hereto set my name and seal this 18th day of November 1854
Mary her [scribble] mark Dixon seal [hand circled]
Lester Coosrod
Loo Thoman
Peter Reed

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[handwritten]

Acknowledged and subscribed before me a Justice of the Peace, in and for the County of Ritchie and State of Virginia this 18th day of November 1854
Jacob Cantz JP

State of Virginia viz
I hereby certify that [blank] before whom the aforegoing [sic] power of Attorney was made and who has thereunto subscribed [blank] name was at the time of so doing a Justice of the Peace in and for the County aforesaid, duly commissioned and sworn, and that his signature thereto is genuine. In testimony whereof I have hereunto signed my name and affixed the seal of the [blank] Court for the County aforesaid, this [blank] day of [blank] 1854

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[handwritten]

Wm L Mitchell & James W Camp Agents

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[printed form with handwriting]

Acts of July 14, 1862, and March 3, 1873. [lined out]
2972
William Dixon

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[handwritten]

William Dixon
Virginia
Rejected
(see ltr inclm. R9168 of Jonathan [?])
Ltr 21 March 1835
J. M. Steed
Ltr 4 April 1835 N Goffs
Saml Butcher Jny 181835
2972
Act 7th June 1832

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[handwritten]

William Dixon Appl.
Wood County
Not Entitled

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[handwritten]

William Dixon Applicant
Joseph Peck (of Wood County) a man of character stated to the undersigned on this 10th day of December 1834, that he had been acquainted with William Dixon for five years, and has lived a neighbor to him all that time - that Dixon has for its last three years been quite childish. - his mind is almost uterly [sic] gone. - that he happened [?] at the [?] of [?] when William L. Mitchel & William J. Souther called to write a declaration for said Dixon - Dixon attempted to detail his services. - but could not recollect in what year or years he served, where he served, or under whom he served or any thing about his services. - Mitchel & Souther asked him a great many questions, such as, sure you [were] not in such a battle, - did you not serve under such an officer & were you not at the Battle of Brandewine [sic] & &c - to all of which questions the old gentleman ^[insert] answered in the affirmative - [?] knowing what he said - Mitchel [?] something for the old man, and may have lead it - but Peck does not now recollect whether of was said or not - 
Mrs. Martin, also states, that the wife of Dixon had frequently told her within the last [?] three years, that her husband had to be watched like a child - that his mind was entirely gone -
James Martin also stated that, Dixon had been quite childish - his mind was gone.
Not having learned that Dixon was incapable of detailing his services (even if guided he [?]) I decided it useless to call on him - no one with [illegible] any thing about Dixon's Revolutionary Services. - the Declaration was written by William L. Mitchel, against when then several [illegible] - Mitchel has left the county
Dec 10, 1834 W. G Singleton

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Rhodan Rogers

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[handwritten]

Wood County Virginia
March the 21 - 1835
the falliing[sic] statement I do certify to be as near the truth as I can recolect [sic] I was called on some time in the winter of 1834 to quallifi [sic] William Dixson [illegible lined out] as to his Statement as to his servises [sic] in the revelutionery [sic] war [illegible lined out] in which Statement he said he had sarveed [sic] some what near two year in the state of dellaware [sic] under a Captain James this I think was the name of his Captain that he had received a ragular [sic] discharge wich [sic] he had lost the date of his [his lined out] servisses [sic] I do not recolect [sic] but I think it was in the years of 1777 - 1778 [illegible lined out] he has mad [sic] the same Statement to me at different times [?] somthing [sic] like twenty years ago this is as near as I can recolect [sic] the Statement made in the declareation [sic] was the same that he had always made given under my hand the day and date above writen [sic] 
William Mealy JP

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[printed form with handwriting]

THE NATIONAL ARCHIVES
Form VAM-51
12-5-41
BOUNTY LAND WARRANT RECORD CARD*
Division of Veterans' Administration Archives

NAME Dixon, William
GRADE Private "in the artillery"
LINE Maryland
WARRANT 11167
ACREAGE 100
ISSUED June 11, 1790 to - not shown