Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty Land Warrant Application File R. 3498, Francis Fergus, Penn

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Penn    Fergus, Francis     R. 3498

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State of Virginia, County of Montgomery Ss.

At a Circuit Superior Court of Saw and chancery contained and held for Montgomery County at this court house on the 28th day of October 1834. Present James E. Brown Esquire Judge. 

On this 28th day of October 1834 personally appeared in open court before the Judge of the Circuit Superior court of Saw of chancery for the county of Montgomery now sitting. Francis Fergus of the county of Montgomery and State of Virginia aged eighty one years who bring first study person according to laws clock on His oath the following determination in order to obtain the benefit of the act of Congress proposed January of 1832. That he entered the services of the United States under the following named officers and served in herein stated.  applicant entered in the services of the United States as a volunteer on the 3rd day of August 1776 under the following named officers: Capt. John Miflin and the name of the ensign he has of my often, he served two months in the first and left the same sometime in October 1887 he was not in any engagement during this tour. he resided in Bucks county in the state of Pennsylvania at the time he entered the services he  from Bucks county Pennsylvania to Trenton from then on to Princeton from Chance to Perthambay where he was . Your applicant entered upon a second tour also as a volunteer some time in the month of March 1777 under Captain James Barclay, and Herndon he thinks was the name of the Gen'l the names of the officers he has forgotten, he remained in this second tour nine months and left the same some time in December 1777. he was engaged in the battles of Brandywine, the battle of the white horse or house, and the battles of Germantown, he resided in Bucks county state of Pennsylvania at the time he entered upon this tour, he marched from Buck county Pennsylvania to Morristown from there to West Chester and through many other places the names not recollected; Your applicant entered upon a third tour, as a volunteer sometime in the month of February 1778, under Gen'l. John Lacy, (no other officers recollected) remained two months and left the same, some time in the month of April 1778. he also resided in Buck county state of Pennsylvania when he entered upon this tour was stationed in Buck county, Pennsylvania &amp; remained there during the whole of his last tour; The whole of the time

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your applicant served in the three tours was thirteen months: he does not remember the names of any of the regular officers with whom he served, he has no documentary evidence of his service and knows of no person living by whom he can prove his services. He hereby relinquishes every claim whatever to a pension or annuity except the present and declares that his name is not on the pension rolls of the agency of any state. Swear to and subscribed the day and year aforesaid.

Francis Fergus.

We Samuel Shields and James Haly residing in the county of Montgomery and state of Virginia do hereby certify that we are well acquainted with Francis Fergus who has subscribed and swear to the above declaration that we believe him to be eighty one years of age, that he resides as reported and believed in the neighborhood where he resides to have been a soldier of the revolution and that we concur in that opinion. Swear to and subscribed the day and year aforesaid.

Sam'l Shields
James Haly

And the court doth hereby declare its opinion 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 the court further certifies that it appears that Samuel Shields and James Haly who have signed the preceding certificate are residents of the county of Montgomery and are credible persons and that their statement is entitled to credit and that there is a Clergyman residing in the immediate vicinity of the applicant.

I Rice D. Montague clerk of the circuit Superior court of Saw of chancery for Mongomery county to hereby that the foregoing contains the original proceedings of the said court in the matter of application of Francis Fergus for a pension. In  Les him any where of I have hereinto set my hand & seal of my office this 29th day of October 1834.

R.D. Montague

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March 10, 1937
BA-J/MOS
Francis Fergus, R.3498

Mrs. Lora Fergus P[letter missing]oyles
504 East Washington Street
Fairmount, Indiana

Dear  Madam:

The data furnished herein were obtained from papers on file in pension claim, R. 3498, based upon the Revolutionary War service of Francis Fergus.

While living in Montgomery County, Virginia, aged eighty-one years, he applied for pension October 28, 1834, and the following service was alleged: that while living in Pucks County, Pennsylvania, he enlisted August 3, 1776, served two months in Captain Jameson's company in Colonel Roberts' Pennsylvania  regiment; that he enlisted in March, 1777, served nine months as wagoner under Captain James Barclay and was in the battles of Brandywine, Germantown and White House or White Horse; that he enlisted in February, 1778, served months under General John Lacey, no other officers given.

The claim was not allowed as the pension law under which he applied required that he render at least six months service in a military capacity and his service as a wagoner was not considered as being in a military capacity.

In 1851, Jincy Ditty, daughter of Francis Fergus, was living in Tennessee and stated that her fatherwwas [father was] dead. The soldier had children living in Tennessee, Pennsylvania and Ohio, but no further data relative to his family were given.

Very truly yours

A.D. HILLER
Executive Assistant
to the Administrator

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Francis Fergus applied for pn [pension] in 1836 - Act 1832 - 
Robert Craig of Va was his atty - one of his children resides in Tennessee, one in Ohio. - Others in Penn. he probably resided in Penn. - (although not certain) when ap was made -

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I Jincy Ditty formerly Jincy Fergus daughter of Francis Fergus deceased who was a Teamster in in the Pennsylvania line of duty and afterwards joined the Dragoon in the Army of the Revolution hereby authorize Miller G. Wade of Washington City to examine into the papers or claims of my Deceased father for a Pension from the U.S. and to do anything necessary in the promises to draw the amount due the claim of said Fergus.

If said claim is allowed make the same payable at Nashville Tennessee.

Witness my hand Heal this 15th March 1851.
Jincy Ditty
Test 
Thomas Pope

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Francis Fergus
Virginia

Suspended
Dec 3 - 1834 [crossed out]
Feby 5 - 1835 [crossed out]

R.D. Montague

Red.  Feb 21 1838 til[crossed out]
Hon R. Craig
Rn -- Insufficient service
service
3498

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Feby. 4, 1835
Pension Office

FREE [stamp]

Jan 30[postmark stamp]
The Secretary of the
War Department of
The United States

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Virginia, Montgomery County Court

This day, Francis Fergus of the county aforesaid, an applicant for a pension for services in the war of the Revolution, personally appeared before the undersigned, a justice of the peace in & for the county aforesaid, and made oath that the following facts and circumstances explanatory of his second term of services mentioned in his declaration confirming a term of nine months are true --

That when he entered the service upon the said second tour, he was a volunteer, and it was understood that he should be employed as a waggoneer and that his term of services was to be two months. He was employed as a wagoneer to the end of the two months tour, and at that time was again prevailed to continue in that service, and did so continue in that service, without any understanding as to the duration of it, until, in the whole, he had served out the continuous time of nine months set out in his declaration, as his second tour of service.

Given under my hand and seal this 28th day of January 1835 --

Hamilton Wade J Peace

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State of Virginia, Montgomery County to wit.

I Rice D. Montague clerk of the county court of said county do hereby certify that Hamilton Wade Gov't[illegible] before whom the foregoing amended declaration was taken and sworn to in and for said county.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand & afixed my seal of office this 28th day of January 1835.

R.D. Montague C.

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Hon. R. Craig
Feb 21, 1838

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Depart of War
Pension Office
Feb 21 1838
Sir
Francis Fergus of Mongomery Co. Va. who claims a pension under the Act of [illegible] 1837, Set, full in his declaration, that performed two tours military duty of two months [illegible] @ nine months, as a volunteer teamster in the year 1777.

This last named service is not considered as military; and in the other same amount only at 4 mo. the claim is disallowed. The paper [illegible]

Thos Mc Hes
Hon. R. Craig
HR
OC
[illegible]
32195

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Rice D. Montague
4 Dec. 1834
OC

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Department of War
Pension Office
Dec. 3 1834

Sir

The declaration of Francus Fergus has been examined and is placed after the files of the Office.

The claimant alleges to have performed two tours of military duty during the war of two months each, and one tour of nine months.

I will here observe that the [illegible] tours in Penn. were [illegible] of two months duration. To allow [illegible] a claim of nine months actual and [illegible], would be to disregard the known historical facts in relation to the service is that Hath[illegible] --

An explanation on the point is required.

Rice D. Montague Esq.
[illegible] C.S.  Court
Montgomery Co.
[illegible]

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R.D. Montague
Feb. 1835
OC

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Department of War
Pension Office
Feb. 5, 1835
Sir
The explanation of Francis Fergus has proved fatal to his claim, as it appears that the alleged nine months tour named in his declaration was not military service, but simply that of a common teamster.
There lay only 4 months that were set forth, his claim does not come within the law it is therefore rejected and his papers placed upon file.

[illegible signature]

R D Montague Esq
Clerk Montgomery Ct.
[illegible]

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Nov. 8. 1834
Pension Office
Francis Fergus
Va
32195

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Acts of July 14, 1802, and March 3, 1873 [crossed out]
3498

Mar 1896 sold req'd
WD Blackburn
Mechanicsburg
Penna

P.O. Francis Fergus
1931 Nov 12 hist to Mrs. F.C. Burrill M.C.S.
1937 March 10 hist to Mrs. Lora Fergus Broyles. See letter in Rev. clm. John Fergus W.8807
M.C.S.

Application filed:
List of 1852 gives fol. reasons for suspension. "Claims four months as a military soldier and nine months as teamster - the latter not allowed."

[vertical stamp] REJECTED

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March 10, 1937

BA-J/MC3
Francis Fergus R. 3498

Mrs. Lora Fergus Broyles
504 East Washington Street
Fairmont, Indiana

Dear Madam:

Reference is made to your request for information relative to Revolutionary War soldiers, Samuel Francis Fergus and John Fergus.

Revolutionary War data furnished by this office are obtained from claims made to the United States for pension and bounty land based upon the military services of soldiers in that war. A careful search of the records fails to show such claim on file on account of the service of a Samuel Fergus or Samuel Francis Fergus.

You are furnished herewith, the records of the only soldiers named John and Francis Fergus, searched under all spellings, that are found in the Revolutionary War records of this office.

Very truly yours

A.D.  HILLER
Executive Assistant
to the Administrator

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November 12, 1931

BA-J/MCS

Mrs. F.C. Burrill
1218 34th Street
Longview, Washington

 Dear Madam:

Reference is made to your letter of October 24, 1931, requesting information in regard to Francis Fergus, a soldier of the Revolution.

The data furnished herein are obtained from the papers on file in pension claim, R. 3498, based upon the Revolutionary War service of Francis Fergus.

While living in Montgomery County, Virginia, aged eight-one years, he applied for pension October 28, 1834, and the following service was alleged: that while living in Bucks County, Pennsylvania, he enlisted August 3, 1776, served two months in Captain John Jameson's Company in Colonel Roberts' Pennsylvania Regiment; that he enlisted in March, 1777, served nine months as wagoner under Captain James Barclay and was in the battles of Brandywine, Germantown and White House or White Horse; that he enlisted in February, 1778, served two months under General John Lacey, no other officers given.

The claim was not allowed as the pension law under which he applied required that he render at least six months service in a military capacity and his service as wagoner was not considered as being in a military capacity.

In 1851, Jincy Ditty, daughter of Francis Fergus, was living in Tennessee and stated that her father was dead. The soldier had children living in Tennessee, Pennsylvania and Ohio, but no further data relative to his family were given.

The above noted is the history of the only soldier named Francis Fergus that is found in the Revolutionary War records of this office.

Very truly yours,

A.D. HILLER
Assistant to Administrator

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Rev.

October 24, 1931

U.S. Department of Pensions
E.W. Morgan, Acting Commissioner.

Dear Sir:

Will you be so kind as to investigate your Revolutionary War records and see if you have there the name of Francis Fergus of Rockbridge County, Va.

His wifes name was Mary Fergus. I hope from these details you can give me a reply to my request.

Yours very truly,

Mrs. F.C. Burrill
1218 34th St.
Longview, Washington

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Department of the Interior
Bureau of Pensions
Washington, D.C.

March13, 1893

Sir:-

In reply to your requests for the military record of Francis Fergus, a soldier of the Revolutionary war, you are advised that he made an application for pension on October 28th, 1834, at which time he was residing in Montgomery Co., Virginia, and 81 years of age. He alleged but four weeks service as a private in the Virginia troops, and as the Act of June 7th, 1833, (under which he applied for pension) required at least six months actual service, his claim was not allowed.

Very respectfully,

Commissioner,
Mr. W.D. Blackburn
Mechanicsburg, Penn.