Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty Land Warrant Application File [BLANK], Joseph Waters, Phila, Penn. Agency

SERVICE
NUMBER
✓
Waters, Joseph
Dis
No papers
Phila. Penn. Agency
CONTENTS

LAW OFFICE A. E. ANDERSON BESSENER BUILDING PITTSBURGH, PA. SIX PHONE
Rev. & 1812 Wars Section.
OFFICIAL PENSION OFFICE NOV 30 1925
And Am
November 30, 1925.
A. E. Anderson, Bessemer Building, Pittsburgh, Penn.
Joseph Waters - Dis. no papers
Sir:
I have to advise you, that the Revolutionary War records of this Bureau fail to show a claim for pension on file for the children, or Margaret Riley, the former widow, of any soldier named Joseph Waters.
There is no provision of law that would entitle the descendants of soldiers of the Revolution to pension, or bounty land.
Respectfully,
Winfield Scott
WINFIELD SCOTT, Commissioner.

Rev. & 1812
Rev. and 1812 War Section.
November 27, 1925
Winfield Scott, Commissioner, U.S. Department of Interior Bureau of Pensions, Washington, D. C.
Sir:
Your favor of the 23rd instant is received with appreciation of the work your Bureau has done in the Waters matter, and the fact that Joseph Waters appears as a private of the Revolutionary Army, pensioned at $60 per annum, from March 4, 1801, under the Act of June 7, 1785, as reported from Philadelphia, Pa., Agency, and that destruction of papers in 1801 or 1814 by the British invasion of Washington prevents further information.
However, to finish inquiries as in view at present, data at hand show that Joseph Waters married Margaret Morrow in 1803, and they had four children, John born, 1804, never married, Nancy Fletcher, 1806, Joseph, 1807 or 1809, and Benjamin, 1810. Therefore, at the death of private pensioner, Joseph Waters, he left his widow, Margaret Morrow Waters, and these four children ranging from 7 years of age downwards, and if pensions were then allowed to widows and children up to a certain age, you may have some record thereof. Sometime afterwards the widow, Margaret Morrow Waters, married a Mr. Riley, whom she also survived giving him one son, Eakin Riley - said to be his name although he would not be entitled to anything from the Waters fund if any. I take it that if you had found any such data you would have set it out, but I am now meaning to cover every possible point as the widow as Margaret Morrow Waters and Mrs. Riley lived to 1854, being about 75 years of age at her death.
The next point is: There being no record of Federal Land Grant to Joseph Waters as a private in the Revolutionary Army, does the Land Law as at present formulated by Congress and President, permit application by the present descendants of Joseph Waters as such soldier to make application for such a grant to be taken from lands now open to choice in the West or Southwest or elsewhere, or would additional act of Congress and President be needful? Superficial inspection of present statutes seem to leave such possibility but as your office and the General Land Office are in close touch with interpretation of the statutes and regulations, I am inclined to advise according to your views as skilled in such details. I enclose a copy hereof to the Commissioner of the General Land Office for his opinion also.
With appreciation again expressed, I remain
Yours very truly,

Rev. & 1812 Wars Section.
aw
Nov. 23, 1925.
A. E. Anderson, Bessemer Building, Pittsburg, Penn.
Sir:
I have to advise you, in regard to Joseph Waters, a private of the Revolutionary Army, who was pensioned at $60 per annum, from March 4, 1801, under the Act of June 7, 1785, as reported on the list of invalid pensioners of the Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Agency, whose residence could not be ascertained in consequence of the destruction of papers of the War Office in 1801 and 1814; that, there are no papers on file relative to said soldier, as the papers in his claim were destroyed, when the War Office was burned, either in 1801, or when the British burned the City of Washington in 1814.
It is regretted that this Bureau is unable to aid you further in this matter.
Respectfully,
WINFIELD SCOTT, Commissioner.
The War Office was really burned in Nov. 1800 (see Gen. Scott Papers) but as the pensioner's name is not on the list of 1801, I think not worth to confuse the matter further with this correspondence as to question the list

November 20, 1925
Winfield Scott, Commissioner, Bureau of Pensions, Department of Interior, Washington, D. C.
Sir:
Your favor of the 18th received and noted. In Penna. Archives, 3rd Series, Vol. 23, p. 497, there appears a list of Invalid Pensioners through the Philadelphia Agency, Pa.,
"Whose residence cannot be declared because of the destruction of papers of the War Office in 1801 and 1814:
*** **
"Waters, Joseph, pr. R. Army, unknown, March 4, 1801".
Kindly see what may be found in some place as to where this Waters came from. As our Joseph is said to have died in 1811, this may be his record.
In the same volume, is a list of Pensioners under Act of Congress of March 18, 1818, from Allegheny County, Pa., but no Joseph or John Waters appears.
In Penna. Archives, 6th Series, Vol. 3, 1078, appears
"Muster Roll of Captain Wm. Stuart's Company, 5th Battallion, First Brigade, Pennsylvania Militia, under command of Major Wm. M'Farlan, now is the Service of the United States, York, Sept. 5, 1814.
Commencement of Service, Sept. 5, 1814 Expiration of Service, March 5, 1815 Place of Rendv- York Distance of mileage, 60
No. 35 Waters, Joseph".
This is of interest, but as our Joseph Waters is said to have died in 1811, this is another Joseph. The list does not give where Joseph came from and is incomplete.
As to Penna grants, I have taken that up with Secretary Woodward as stated in the letter to him of the 18th, and I await his reply.
Yours very truly,
M. Anderson
no pub for this but see neg. slip for Joseph Waters 1872.
also Joseph John Waters Rev. in neg files, with correspondence from M E Anderson

LAW OFFICES A. E. ANDERSON, BESSEMER BUILDING PITTSBURGH, PA. BELL PHONE
This matter answered Nov. 23. + this letter written on that date. They crossed - informal explanation needed
November 23, 1925
Winfield Scott, Commissioner, Bureau of Pensions, Washington, D. C.
Sir:
Kindly note attached memo as to Joseph Waters on pension list of 1789 made up in 1812, supplementing my letters of the 11th and 20th.
Yours very truly,
A. E. Anderson

Act of Congress Sept. 29, 1789, directed that payment of Pensions which had been granted and paid by the States respectively to the invalids who were wounded and disabled during the late War shall be continued and paid by the United States from the 4th of March 1789, U. S. Laws, Vol. 1, p. 116
This was continued for another year at the next Session. It was not until the Act of March 18, 1818, that pensions were allowed for service per se during the Revolution, and then only to such as by reason of their reduced circumstances in life were in need of assistance from their Country for their support.
The following is therefore a list (though necessarily incomplete in consequence of removals from the State) of the wounded and disabled soldiers and sailors of the Revolution resident in the State in 1789, and the dates fixed being those to which they were paid and may be regarded as approximate to those of their deaths. This list was made out in 1812.
"List of Pensioners of the Pennsylvania Line taken from the Pension Books of the United States commencing March 4, 1789, with dates to when paid:
p. 759      Waters, Joseph
As no date is given, Joseph seemed to have been alive in 1812, or news of his death had not been sent to the Department.
Washington, D. C. Aug. 31, 1812
I certify the foregoing to be a correct abstract from the Register of Invalid Pensioners remaining in this Office. Benjamin Rush, Comptroller.
Penna. Archives 2nd Series, Vol. 11, p. 761, recites Penna. Act of Feb 28, 1813, granting additional pensions for those soldiers and sailors who did not get sufficient from the United States pensions. Pension List is without date of making up, and the name of Joseph Waters does not appear, and would not if he died in 1811 or 1812.