Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty Land Warrant Application File R. 2167, Isham Coley, Va.

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SERVICE: VA.
Coley, Isham or Jsam 
NUMBER: R 2167

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Acts of July 14. 1862, and March 8, 1879
2167
P.O.
Isham Coley
Service:
Enlisted: REJECTED ;18
Discharged: ;18
Application filed: ;18
Alleges:
Re-enlisted:

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240 84
Va
get to Hon. W. O. Goode January 3:11
act 7. June '32

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State of Virginia
Mecklenburg County Sect
On the day of March 1833 personally
appears in open court before us Robt R Rogers, Jos B. Clausel, Jno Hutch
Erson Alexander S Jones of Mecklenburg now sitting Isam Coley
a resident of Mecklenburg County and State of Virginia
aged sixty nine appears being first duly sworn accor
ding [according] to law doth on his oath make the following
declaration in order, to obtain the benefits of the act
of Congress passed June 7 1832 that he enforces the
service of the United States under the following names, officers and service as herein states. In the month
of June in the year ... he resided in Mecklen
burg county and state of Virginia he was then drafted
detailed to march: [“to” crossed out] in the lower part of Virginia he
rendezvoused at Dinwiddie court-house and their was
discharged this law was performed under Capt William
Green. Then under the command he was under Capt Robert
Smith, May Hubbock, Col Mumford. He marched to
Shepweth Ferry, thence to Treylors Ferry and crossed front
thence to Hillboro [Hillsborough] in N.C. Thence to Guilford Court house
battle thence he was sent Guard to the Fosage Waggon
from thence he was discharged. and came home
he hereby relinquishes every claim whatever in a pension
or annually but the present and declares that his
name is not on the pension roll of the agency of any
state he has no documentary evidence of his having
entered the service or of his having been discharged from
the service he knows that he was drafted and served
two three months tours sworn to and subscribed
the day and year aforementioned.
Isam Coley

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Mecklenburg County Set.
This day came Bartlette Cox
before John Hutchinson a Justice of the Peace for
said county and made Oath that he became acqu
=ainted [acquainted] with Isam Coley of Mecklenburg County Va
while they were in the United States service on this
March from Taylors Ferry to Guilford Courthouse
in North Carolina and has every reason to believe 
that said Coley was in the battle at said Courthouse
at which time I was wounded and saw no more
of said Coley and furthermore he believes Isam
Coley to be an honorable man deserving of 
Credit given under my name this 16 day day
March 1832.
John Hutchinson JP

Mecklenburg County set
This day comes before me John Hutchinson
and Benjamin W Coleman and made oath that they
have known Isham Coley for many years and
we believe him to be a man deserving of credit
given under my hand this 18 day March 1833.
R R Rogers J.P.

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Virginia, Mecklenburg County to work.
I do hereby certify in addition to what I have cer=
tified [certified] before that I am well acquainted with Isham
Coley who has subscribed and sworn to the foregoing De=
claration [Declaration]: that I believe him to be at this time about
eighty years of age. That he is reputed and believed
in the neighborhood where he resides to have been a
soldier of the Revolution and further certify that
Bartlett Cox whose affidavit was taken before
me, is, as far as I know, a credible person –
and that upon an acquaintance [ink blot] the said Isham 
Coley for forty years standing, I have always. un=
derstood [understood] That said Coley was a soldier in the
Revolution, and do honestly believe him to be
entitled to a pension Given under my hand this 15 day
November 1842.
John Hutchinson JH

Virginia
Mecklenburg County Clerks Office S. C.
I Richard B. Baptist, clerk of the county
court of Mecklenburg County in the state of Virginia
do hereby certify that John Hutchinson is an acting Justice
of the Peace, in the county and that the foregoing
signature purporting to be his are genuine
In testimony whereof I hereto
set my name and office,
my seal of office at office this
15 day of November, 1842
in the 6th year of the commonwealth.
Test Richd B Baptist Cl

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and the said Court do hereby declare their appearance after the knowledge 
[ ] of the [ ] , and after pulling the investigations prescribed by the 
War Department that the above named applicant is a Revolutionary
soldier and served as he states. 
I John G. Baptist, Clerk of the Court of Mecklenburg Country do hereby
certify that the foregoing contains the [ ] proceedings of the said court
in the [ ] of the application of Isam Coley for a pension
In testimony whereof I have hereunto [ ] 
my hand and seal of office the 24th day 
of March 1833-
J Baptist

amended declaration---
Virginia: Mecklenburg County to [ ]: 
a justice of the peace in and for the county and State as 
foresaid , Isham Coley , who being [ ] duty sworn [ ] 
and said, [ ] by season of old age, and the [ ] [ ] 
of memory he cannot swear positively as to the [
] length of his service; but according to the best of his 
recollection, he served [ ] [ ] thou the periods [ ] =
and below, and in the following grades: Fro either 3 or 
6 months in the year 1780. he served as a private under
Capt Green: for 3 months he served under Capt Smith
for 6 months service in the whole- That he was born 
in Amelia County, Virginia; he thinks in March 1762, and 
upon due [ ] he finds that all who served [ ]
that the family register has been lost on [ ] matter
him and is the dead or unmoved to parts unknown - mat he 
believes he is now about 80 years of age that he knows
and no written discharge thus no resident 
in neighborhood. 
Isham Coley
Sworn to subscribed before [ ] this 15 day of
november 1842
John Hutchinson gH

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No24084
Isam Coley
Mecklenburg Co
Virginia
2167
l:m
Hon. P. G. Goode
HR
Dec 16. 1842
Ino G. Baptist Cobb
Mecklenburg Co
Virginia

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WAR DEPARTMENT
Pension Office, 
May 11, 1833
Sir: 
The evidence in support of your claim, under the act of June 7, 1832, has 
been examined, and the papers are herewith returned. The following 
is a statement of
your case in a tabular form. On comparing these papers with the following rules, and the 
sulycined notes, you will readily perceive that objections exist, which, must be removed, 
before a pension can be allowed. The notes and the regulations will show what is 
necessary to be done. Those points to which your attention is more particularly directed, 
you will find marked in the margin with a brace, (thus: }). You will, when 
you return your papers to this Department, send this printed letter with them; and
you will, by complying with this request, greatly facilitate the investigation of your 
claim. 

A Statement, showing the service of Isham Coley  Mecklenburg Co. Virginia

Proof when the service was rendered.
Duration of the claimant's service.
Years. Months. Days. 
The long year not dates, nor private 
terms of service
her father states he served two & tours. 

Rank of the claimant.
Private

Names and rank of the Field of-ficers under whom he served. 
Captn Greene
Captn Smith
Col Hutchinson
Col Mumford

Age at present and place of abode when he entered the service. 
69 years
Mecklen
berg Co,
Virginia

Proof by which the declaration is supported. 
One living writing & traditional witness

I am, respectfully, 
Your obedient servant, 
J. L. Edwards, 
Commissioner of Pensions.

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2
REGULATIONS UNDER THE ACT OF JUNE 7, 1832.
The following regulations have been adopted: 
This law has been construed to extend, as well to the line, as to every branch of the Staff of the Army, 
and to include under the terms "Continental Line," "State troops," "militia," and "volunteers," all 
persons enlisted, drafted, or who volunteered and who were bound to military service, but not those who 
were occasionally employed with the army upon civil contracts, such as Clerks to Commissaries and to
Store Keepers, &c., Teamsters, Boatmen, &c. Persons who served on board of private armed vessels are 
also excluded from the benefits of the law, as well as persons who turned out as patrols, or were engaged
in guarding particular places at night, and were not recognized as being in actual military service. 
Four general classes of cases are embraced in this law: 
1. The Regular Troops.
2. The State Troops, Militia, and Volunteers.
3. Persons employed in the Naval Service.
4. Indian Spies.
As rolls of the regular troops in the Revolutionary War exist in this Department, all persons claim-
ing the benefit of this law as officers, non-commissioned officers, mucicians or privates, will, in the first
instance, make application by transmitting the following declaration, which will be made before a Court of 
Record of the County where such applicant resides. And every Court having by law a seal and Clerk is 
considered a Court of Record. 
DECLARATION, 
In order to obtain the benefit of the Act of Congress of the 7th of June, 1832.
State, Territory, or District of } 83.
County of
On this  day of  personally appeared (a) before
A.B. a resident (b) of  in the county of  and State, Territory or District
of aged(c) years, who being first duty sworn, according to law, doth on his oath make the 
following declaration, in order to obtain the benefit of the provision made by the act of Congress, passed
June 7, 1832. That he enlisted in the Army of the United States in the year (d)  , with   anol
served in the   (e) regiment of the   line, under the following name officers:
[Here set forth the names and rank of the Field and Company Officers: the time he left the service: (and if he serv
ed under more than one term of enlistment, he must specify the particular period, and rank and names of his officers:) the 
town or county and State in which he resided when he entered the service : the battles, if any, in which he was engaged, 
and the country through which he marched. - This form is to be varied so as to apply to the cases of officers and per-
sons who belonged to the militia, volunteers, navy. & c. ]
He hereby relinquishes every every claim (f) whatever to a pension or an annuity, except the present, and he 
declares that his name is not on the Pension Roll of any Agency in any State, or (if any) only on that of 
the Agency is the State of
Sworn to and subscribed the year day and year aforesaid.
[And then will follow the certificate of the Court.]
And the said Court do hereby declare their option (g) we that the above named applicant was a revolu-
tionary soldier, and served as he states. 
I                                of the Court of 
do hereby certify (h) that the foregoing contains the original proceedings of the said Court in the matter of
the application of 
In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand and seal of office (i) this 
day of            &c.
If, on examination of the proper record, the names of applicants, making such declaration, cannot be 
found, they will produce such proof as the rule given in note (j) points out. 
Every applicant who claims a pension by virtue of service in the State Troops, Volunteers, or Militia, 
except those who belonged to the New Hampshire Militia and State Troops of Virginia, will make and 
subscribe a declaration similar to the forgoing, with the following additions, viz.:
(k)We, A.B., a Clergyman, residing in the and C.D. residing in (the same)
hereby certify, that we are well acquainted with
subscribed and sworn to the above declaration; that we believe him to be
years of age; that he is reputed and believed, in the neighborhood where he resides, to have been a soldier of the Revolution, and that we concur in that opinion.
Sworn and subscribed the days and years aforesaid.
[And then will follow the certificate of the Court.]
And the said Court do hereby declare their opinion, after the investigation of the matter and after 
putting the interrogatories prescribed by the War Department, that the above named applicant was a Revo-
lutionary Soldier, and served as he states. And the Court further certifies, that it appears to them A.B. who has signed the proceeding certificate is a Clergyman, resident in the 
and that C.D., who has also signed the same is a resident in the 
and is a credible person, and that their statement is entitled to credit. 
I, Clerk of the Court of do hereby certify that the foregoing
contains the original proceedings of the said Court, in the matter of the application of
for a person. 
In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand and seal
of office, this day of & c. 
Every applicant will produce the best proof in his power. This is the original discharge or commis-
sion; but if neither of these can be obtained, the part will so state under oath, and will then procure, if 
possible, the testimony of at least one credible witness, stating in detail his personal knowledge of the ser-
vices of the applicant, and such circumstance connected therewith, as may have a tendency to throw light 
upon the transaction. 
If such surviving witness cannot be found, the applicant will so state in his declaration. (l) and he will 
also, whether he produce such a evidence or not, proceed to relate all the material facts, which can be useful
in the investigation of his claim, and in the comparison of his narrative with the events of the period of his 
alleged service, as they are known at the Department. A very full account of the services of each person.

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will be indispensable to a favorable action upon his case  The facts stated will afford one of the principal 
means of corroborating the declaration of the applicant, if true, or of detecting the imposition, if one be at-
tempted ; and unless, therefore, these are amply and clearly set forth, no favorable decision can be ex-
expected. All applicants will appear before some Court of Record in the County in which they reside, and 
there subscribe and be sworn to, one of the declarations above provided, according to the nature of his case. 
The Court will propound the following (m) interrogatories to all applicants for a pension, on account of
service in the Militia, State troops, or Volunteers, except the Militia of New Hampshire and the State 
troops of Virginia. 
1. Where and in what year were you born?
2. Have you any record of your age, and if so, where is it?
3. Where were you living when called into service;  where have you lived since the Revolutionary 
war, and where do you live now?
4. How were you called into service; were you drafted, did you volunteer, or were you a substitute?
5.State the names of some of the Regular Officers, who were with the troops, where you served; such
Continental and Militia Regiments as you can recollect, and the general circumstances of your services. 
6. {To a Soldier. {Did you ever receive a discharge from the service, and if so, by whom was it giv-
en, and what has become of it?
6. {To an Officer. { Did you ever receive a commission, and if so, by whom was it signed, and what 
has become of it?
7. State the names of persons to whom you are known in your present neighborhood, and who can tes-
tify as to your character for veracity, and their belief of your services as a soldier of the Revolution. 
The Court will see that the answers to these questions are embodied in the declaration, and they are
requested to annex their opinions of the truth of the statement of the applicant.
The applicant will further produce in Court, if the same can be done, in the opinion of the Court, 
without too much expense and inconvenience to him, two respectable persons--one of whom should be
the nearest clergymen, if one lives in the immediate vicinity of such applicant, who can testify, from 
their acquaintance with him, that they believe he is of the age he represents, and that he is reputed 
and believed in the neighborhood to have been a Revolutionary soldier, and that they concur in that opinion. 
If one of these persons is a Clergymen, the Court will so certify, and they will also certify to the character
and standing of other persons giving such certificates. 
The traditionary evidence of service is deemed very important, in the absence of any direct
proof, except the declaration of the party. And the Courts are requested to be very particular in the 
enquiry whether the belief is general, and whether any doubts have ever existed upon the subject. 
Applicants unable to appear in Court, by reason of bodily infirmity, may make the declaration before 
required, and submit to the examination, before a Judge or Justice of a Court of Record of the proper 
county, and the Judge or Justice will execute the duties, which the Court is here in requested to perform, 
and will also certify that the applicant cannot, from bodily infirmity, atttend the Court. 
Whenever any official act is required to be done by a Judge or Justice of a Court of Record, 
or by a Justice of the Peace, the certificate of the Secretary of State or Territory, or of the proper 
Clerk of the Court or County, under his seal of office, will be annexed, stating that such person is a 
Judge or Justice of a Court of 'Record, or a Justice of the Peace, and that the signature annexed is his genuine signature. 
No payments can be ma.le on account of the services of any person, who may have died before
the taking effect of the act of June 7, 1832; and in case of death subsequent thereto, and before the
declaration herein required is made, the parties interested will transmit such evidence as they can pro-
cure, taken and authenticated before a Court of Record, showing the services of the deceased, there period
of his death, the opinion of the neighborhood respecting such services, the title of the claimant, and the 
opinion of the Court upon the whole matter. 

]a] The declarant must appear in open Court, unless prevented from doing so by reason of bodily infirmity; in which case the declarant will o
tow the rule laid down for his guidance. 
[b] The declarant must make his declaration in the county where he resides. If he should fail to do so, he must assign a sufficient reason for not conforming to the rule.
[c] The age of the claimant must invariably be mentioned.
[d] The declarant must mention the period or periods of the war when he served.  3
[e] Every continental officer or soldier must give the name of the Colonel under whom he served; otherwise a satisfactory examination of the claim cannot be had. Every claimant must state, with precision, the length of his service, and the different grades in which he served, in language so definite as to enable the Department to determine to what amount of pension he is entitled. In a case where the applicant cannot, by reason of the 
loss of memory, state precisely how long he served, he should amend his declaration by making an affidavit in the following words:
"Personally appeared before me, the undersigned. a Justice of the Peace, & c. A. B. who, being duty sworn, deposeth and saith, that, by reason of the of old age, and the consequent loss of memory, he cannot swear positively as to the precise length of his service; but, according to the best of his
recollection, he served not less than the periods mentioned below, and in the days following grades: --For _____ year _____ months, and _______
days, I served as a _____________. For ___________ months and _________ days, I served as a __________; and for such service I claim a  pension."
It is important, in all cases, to determine with precision the period for which each applicant served, and the particular rank he held, as the law
directs the pension to be paid according to the grade of the icusioner and the length and the length of his service. The use of the phrase about three or four months, 
is too indefinite, and all such qualifying expressions are objection. Some persons who apply for pensions merely state that they served two years
in the militia, &c. without specifying the tours, the names of the officers, and other particulars respecting their service. This form of a declaration is 
highly objectionable. It must, is every case, be clearly shown under what officers the applicant served; the duration of each term of engagement ; 
the particular place or places where the service was performed; that the applicant served with an embodied corps called into service by competent au-
thority; that he was either in the field or is garrison; and for the time during which  the service was performed, he was not employed in any civil 
pursuit. 
[f] The law makes the relinquishment indispensable.
[g] The opinion of the Court is always required. 
[h] The Clerk must give his certificate in every case. 
[i] The Clerk must affix his seal, and if it has no device or inscription by which it can be distinguished from any other seal, or if he has no pub-
lic seal of office, the certificate of a Member of Congress, providing the official character and signature of the certifying officer, should accompany the 
papers. 
Mode of authenticating papers.
In every instance where the certificate of the certifying officer who authenticates the papers is not written on the same sheet of paper which con-
tains the affidavit, or other papers authenticated, the certificate must be attached thereto by a piece of tape or narrow ribbon, the ends of which must
pase under the seal of office of the certifying officers, so as to prevent any paper from being improperly attached to the certificate.
Proof of Service. 
[j] In a case where the name of the applicant is not found on the records of the Department, he must prove his service by two credible witnesses
who are required to set forth is their affidavit the time of the claimant's entering the service, and the time and manner of his leaving the same, as well
as the regiment, company, and line to which he belonged. The magistrate who may administer the oaths must certify to the credibility of the wit-
nesses, and the official character and signature of the magistrate must be certified by the proper owner, under his seat of office.
-The notes from [a] to [,] are equally applicable to the cases of the Militia men, and Volunteers and State Troops. The proof required by rule in 
note [j] applies to contintal troops only.
[k] This traditionally evidence is indispensable in militia cases.
[l] If a witness cannot be found, the declarant must state the fact.
[m]The answers to the interrogatories must all be written, and sent to the War Department, with the declaration.  189
John H Atkin