Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty Land Warrant Application File W. 16,873, James H Biggs, Del.

Page 1

[printed card with handwriting]

SERVICE.
Del.
Biggs, James H. 
Mary
NUMBER
W. 16.873.

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[printed form with handwriting]

Albany 830
Mary Biggs
widow of James H Biggs
who died on the 12 Feb. 1804
of Rensselaer Co. in the State of N. York
who was a Pr. & Sergt. in the [blank] commanded by Captain
Del of the Brigade commanded by Gen. Smallwood in the Delaware line for 
5 months & 22. days Pr. 18.12
18 " & 8 " Sergt. 91.33 [underlined]
$104.45
Inscribed on the Roll of Albany at the rate of 109 Dollars 45 Cents per annum
to commence on the 4th day of March, 1831.
Certificate of Pension issued the 6. day of May 1837 and sent to Dr. John Cole,
Lansingburgh, N. Y. 
Arrears to the 4th of March 37. 656.70
Semi-anl. allowance ending 4 Sep: 54.72 [double underline]
$711.42
{Revolutionary Claim, Act July 4, 1836, Section the 3}
Recorded by D. Brown Clerk
Book A. Vol. 1 Page 127

Let to Dr Jno Cole & Notn. of Jnscn. to P agent May 19 1837

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[handwritten]

State of New York}
Rensselaer County} SS:
On this [illegible lined out] tenth day of April AD. 1837 personally appeared before the subscriber First Judge of the County Courts of the County of Rensselaer aforesaid. Mary Biggs a resident of Lansingburgh in the county aforesaid aged Eighty four years of age who being first duly sworn according to law doth on her oath, make the following Declaration in order to obtain the benefit of the provision made by the act of Congress passed July 4. 1836 - That she is the widow of James H. Biggs who was a Sergeant in the army of the Revolution - and was in the Commissary Department and was in the Brigade commanded by General Smallwood of the Delaware line - That she does not recollect the names of any other officers there in command - That her first acquaintance with her said husband commenced a few weeks before their marriage at Wilmington Delaware. That he came to Wilmington with a number of other soldiers to see on Colonel Wade in respect to some provisions and according to my best recollection with an order for provisions - said Wade then boarding in a house where I then resided - That he was there in the service - and after our marriage he remained with me about three weeks at Wilmington, - (this was early in the year of 1779-) He then left me at Wilmington and departed to join the army then in the Jerseys - After the expiration of about three months. I went to see him and found him with the army which was then stationed at a place called Bond brook I think in the Jerseys - A few days after he left with the army for the south - & I remained with a brother in the vicinity of Bond brook - He was absent at that time in the service about nine months at the south when he returned to me again & soon after we ['returned to Delaware' lined out] removed to a place on Delaware river the place I do not now recollect - He was afterwards in the service, but for how long & at what place I cannot reccollect. [sic] Before their marriage, her said husband had been in the service of the Revolution for some years - had been taken prisoner and was confined a prisoner in a Sugar house in the city of New York for about one year, where he endured great sufferings as he often related to me - & from which he was released by an exchange of prisoners -

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[handwritten]

She further declares that while here said husband was in the service as aforesaid he received a severe wound, while engaged in battle, from a splinter, which struck his thigh, & in consequence of said injury, he lay in a hospital for many weeks - at what battle or what particular time she cannot now remember -
She further declares that she was married to the said James H. Biggs on the sixth day of March 1779 by the Reverend W Gerelis at Wilmington aforesaid: That her husband the aforesaid James H. Biggs died on the twelfth day of February 1804: and that she has remained a widow ever since that period as well were fully appear by reference to the proof hereto annexed
Sworn before me on this 10th day of April 1837} Mary her her / mark Biggs
H. Knickerbacker Just Judge of Rensselaer County

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[handwritten]

I do hereby certify that I have Examined the Records of Trinity Church Trinity Parish in Wilmington State of Delaware, and that there found therein Recorded in the Record Book, the marriage of Mr James Biggs to Mary Gordon on the first day of March in the year of our Lord one thousand Seven hundred and seventy nine 1779. [underlined] by the Revd. W. Geselius the then minister of Trinity church at Wilmington aforesaid.
Sworn & subscribed to May 4 1837 Before}
H Adams Rector of Trinity Church -
Tho Mc Dowell

State of Delaware New Castle County SS
Before me Thomas M Douell a Justice of the peace in and for said county personally appeared the Revd. Hiram Adams Rector of Trinity church in Wilmington who being duly sworn according to Law doth depose and say that the above certificate, contains a just and true statement from the church Record, and that the above signature is his proper signature, and hand writing, and I do further certify that the said Revd. Hiram Adams is the regularly stated minister for Trinity church in Wilmington and that his certificate is entitled to full faith and credit. 
Given under my hand at Wilmington city aforesaid the fourth day of May AD 1837 -
Tho Mc Dowell
Justice of the Peace

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[handwritten]

State of Delaware}
New Castle County SS}
I, John Gordon Clerk of the Court of General Sessions of the Peace and Gaol Delivery for the County of New Castle and State aforesaid, Do hereby Certify that Thomas McDowell before whom the within Certificate was taken and acknowledge, was at the time of doing the same, and now is a Justice of the peace, duly commissioned, and that full faith and credit is justly due to every lawful transaction done by him as such, as well in Courts of Law as otherwise -
In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand and caused the Seal of the said Court to be hereunto affixed at New Castle in said County of New Castle this fourth day of May A. D. 1837;
John Gordon Clerk per Peter B. Vandever

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[printed form with handwriting]

WIDOW, &c.
Rev.
File No. 16,873
Mary Biggs
Widow of James H. Biggs
Sergt Rev War
Act July 4th 36
Index: Vol. a, Page 63
[Arrangement of 1870.]

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[handwritten]

Mary Biggs, widow &c.
$
Sergt. 18 mo. 8
Pv. 5 Mo. 22
Cut: to Dr Jno. Cole
Lansingburgh
N. Y-

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[handwritten]

War Dept.
Pension Office
April 24. 1831
In answer to your letter of the [illegible] to inform you that the Wd. Abigail Prior, [lined out] pension granted [illegible] of July 4. 1836. [illegible] up according to in [illegible] the Agency at amount due up to the will be paid.

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[handwritten]

Secretary's Office Dover Del
29 April 1837 -
I certify that in looking over the Rolls of the Delaware Malitia [sic] I find that on the twenty sixth day of January 1776 James Biggs inlisted [sic] as a private in Capt Joseph Stedhams' Company - And that in September 1778 I find him second sergent [sic] in Col: David Hall's Muster Roll, and he continued 2 sergent [sic] ^[insert] in said Company until the twenty seventh day of April 1780 -
Ch: Marcin Sec. of the State of Delaware. -

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[handwritten]

State of New York}
Rensselaer County} Ss: We, Stephen Gaston now being in the 68th year of my age and John Lockwood now being in the 64th year of my age, & both of Lansingburgh (formerly a part of the town of Schaghticoke) in said county: do severally certify, depose & say that we were well acquainted with James H. Biggs, the husband of Mary Biggs now residing in said Lansingburgh, and who has made the foregoing Declaration - That our acquaintance with said James H. Biggs as also with said Mary his wife commenced about forty years ago, and at about which time they said James & Mary his wife came to this place to reside - that they then and until his death, which took place about five years thereafter lived & cohabited together as man & wife, and were always reputed & believed to have been married while he was in the service of the Revolutionary War - That said James H. Biggs was also, always reputed and believed in this neighborhood to have been for several years in the service of the revolution - was during our acquaintance with him in his conversation & conduct a very zealous friend of his country, especially in relation to its struggle for Independence - and further that said Mary his wife, has since the death of her said husband, continually resided in this neighborhood, is no & for most of that period, has been, supported at the public expense, & by private charity - being in very needy circumstances - Ad that since the death of her said husband James H. Biggs, she has continually remained & is now unmarried - Stephen Gaston [signature]
Sworn before me on this 10th day of April 1837
H. Knickerbacker
Just Judge of Rensselaer County

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[handwritten]

State of New York Rensselaer County Ss
On this 10th day of April 1837 the above named Mary Biggs personally appeared before me the subscriber and made oath according to law & to the truth of the foregoing declaration by her subscribed And I certify that the said Mary Biggs from age and infirmity cannot attend Court personally And I further certify that I well knew said James H. Biggs Husband of said Mary that he and his said wife Mary resided in my Fathers family and in my neighborhood for twenty years or thereabouts and I always understood that he was in the service of ^[insert] the Country during the war of the revolution his character was that of an honest and industrious man and I further certify that I have been well acquainted with said Mary Biggs for about thirty five years last past and know her to be the widow of said James H. Biggs and that the said James H. Biggs died as stated in said declaration and I am fully of the opinion that her declaration is intitled [sic] to full credit 
H. Knickerbacker first Judge of Rensselaer County -

State of New York}
Rensselaer County} Ss
I Henry R Bristol do hereby Certify that Herman Knickerbacker Esqr before whom the foregoing declaration appears to have been sworn & whose name is subscribed to the two foregoing certificates was at the date of the said Declaration & Certificates First Judge of the County of Rensselaer - And I further certify that I am well acquainted with the hand writing of the said Judge & that his signature to said Certificates is genuine. Given my hand & the Seal of the said County this 11th day of April 1837 -
Henry R. Bristol

Page 13

[handwritten]

May 6
proof of Marriage
Mary Biggs
NY
[appears vertically]
J. L. Edwards
Commissioner of Pensions
Washington City
District of Columbia

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[handwritten]

Respected friend
I have got the papers fixed that you requested if there be no mistake in them, I wish that you would forward yours to me soon as possible after getting this from me -
Direct yours Lansingburgh
Rensselaer County
New York
Resp yours
Dr John Cole

J L Edwards

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[handwritten]

I do hereby certify that I have examined the church record of Trinity church Trinity Parish Wilmington Delaware, that I have found therein recorded the marriage of Mr. James Biggs to Mary Gordon on the first day of March in the year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred seventy nine married by the Revd. W Gerelius, the then minister of the church
H Adams Rector of Trinity Church - Wil - Del

State of Delaware
New Castle County ss
I Thomas McDowell notary Public of said State duly commissioned qualified and authorized rending in the city of Wilmington to hereby certify [illegible] the Reved. Hiram Adams is the regularly stated minister of Trinity church in Wilmington, in whose Hand and possession are the church records and that his certificate is Entitled to full faith and credit, that the signature also is his proper signature
In Testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand & seal at Wilmington April nineteenth Eight hundred and thirty seven
Tho McDowell
notary public

Page 16

[handwritten]

May 19
Mary Biggs
[ink stamp illegible]

J. L. Edwards
Washington City
District of Columbia

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[handwritten]

Lansingburgh May 16th 1837
I have called on the agent in Albany and I find that he has not received the Duplicate as yet therefore I would insist that you would soon as you possible can, for the old lady is very much in need
She has requested ^[insert] me for to write to you & received yours on the Eleventh of May, [?]
Dr John Cole
J L Edwards