Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty Land Warrant Application File S 32071, Peter Witham, Va.

SERVICE
Val.
Witham, Peter or Peter
NUMBER _____
NUMBER 8 32071
CONTENTS

Indiana 26.903
Peter William Ind. of Owen Co., in the State of Ind. who was a Pr in the Company commanded by Captain King of the Regt commanded by Col  Stoock in the Virginia Keyser  Militia
9/10 Pr $ 30.00
Inscribed on the Roll of Indiana at the rate of 30 Dollars 00 Cents per annum, to commence on the 14th day of March, 1834.
Certificate of Pension issued the 10 th day of July and sent to By  D. R. Edels , Spencer  Owen  cty , Indiana
Arrears to the 14th of Feb '34 90.00 Semi-ant. allowance ending 4  Apr '34 15.00 $ 105.00
{ Revolutionary Claim, } { Act June 7, 1832. }
Recorded by D. P. Sprague Clerk, Book 6 Vol. 1 Page 141

31. 250
Peter Withams
Declaration for a pension Indiana
p-1781 p-9- A 30.
D. R. deKels p. 9. Spencer Owen Cty. Indiana as.

State of Indiana Owen Probate Court May term 1834 Owen County ss
On this twelfth day of May 1834 personally appeared in open Court, before the Hon John Dunn sole Judge of the Probate Court of said County, and now sitting, Peter Witham aged 71 years, a resident of said County and State who being first duly sworn according to law, doth on his oath make the following amended declaration, in order to obtain the benefit of the Act of Congress, passed June 7 th 1832.
That he entered the service of the United States under the following named Officers and served as herein stated, to wit, That he was drafted in the Company commanded by Captain Fisher Rice, that said Company was attached to the Regiment commanded by Colonel Robert Hovek in the Brigade of Genl. Edward Stephens, on or about the first of March 1781 for a term of three months. That they rendezvoused at the Court House in the County of Culpeper in the State of Virginia being the same vicinity in which they were drafted as aforesaid, from thence they were marched to near James Town, and after they had been there a short period of time a skirmish took place, and we were ordered to retreat, that after this affair took place we were marched back in the direction we came down, stopping at different places for a short time at each and thence we were marched back to Culpeper, and our time having expired we were discharged, that there was a bridge at the place where the battle aforesaid was had the name of which applicant has forgotten.
That in a few days after his return home another Company was drafted as he was informed to take their place, that in this last named tour he hired as the substitute of James Murrell for a three months tour in the Company of Captain Abner Chapman  Laforce  Livingston , that said Company was attached to the regiment of Colonel Houghton, that the Regiment was a part of the Brigade of General Stephens, the Adjutant

was by the name of Welch, in this tour as in the first we rendezvoused at Culpeper Court House, thence to Richmond, crossing Rappahannock River at Raccoon-ford, thence southwardly to Mebon Hill, here a man was hung for deserting and robbing a house as this applicant was then informed, whose name was Allen, thence back to Richmond, thence to Williamsburg, and thence to Springfield where the term of service for which applicant hired came to a close and applicant cannot be certain at this time whether they were discharged from the tour, and they were detained as volunteers or how, this much however he distinctly recollects that they had no respite from the service but were still kept under the same officers, (Save one captain Hoagynes workhamp) Williamsburg in the direction of Yorktown, that they arrived in the neighborhood of Yorktown some days before the battle at that place, that a few days before the engagement applicant with many others were employed in ditching, and preparing for the battle, that he was in the battle from the commencement till the close of it, that during the battle the hearing of many of them was much affected by the firing of the cannons, applicant received no other injury from the engagement, here many prisoners were taken, that the company to which applicant belonged was marched to Winchester, as guards over the prisoners to the barracks at that place, and there remained as such, till the term of six months expired, from the time he so hired as aforesaid, when he was discharged, and returned home again.
That about the year 1794 or 1795 applicant thinks it was in the fall of that year, he was drafted in the County of Culpeper in the company commanded by Captain Robert Robuck, that the company was attached to the command of Colonel Campbell, Sherburne Taylor was Adjutant, that the reason he has for believing it was in the fall is that it was muddy and snow was on the ground part of the time, that they were marched northwardly to Fort Cumberland here applicant seen Genl. Washington for the last time, that from thence they were marched under the command of General  Genl Lee across the Mountains, and on to Beason town in the Western

part of Pennsylvania, and from thence back home, and were discharged, that applicant understood at the time that this trip was to make the people pay the tax on Whiskey called the excise, that in this town they had no engagement, That at the battle at York he saw Genl. Washington, Lafayette, Wayne and others, the most of whom came to them at Williamsburg, that being illiterate and young at the time, and his memory now much impaired he cannot be more certain and definite in this declaration in detailing the particulars of his service.
That he was born in Culpeper County in the State of Virginia on the 9 th day of March 1763. That he has no record of his age that his knowledge is traditional, That he lived in Culpeper County when called into the service and continued to live there for many years after the  the County was  was divided and applicant was thrown into that part of the County afterwards called Madison County, from thence he moved to Cumberland County in the State of Kentucky lived there between sixteen and twenty  years years and from thence moved to Owen County Indiana his present place of residence. That he was drafted and served as a substitute as here before stated, that he received written discharges for all his services, and that they are all lost or destroyed and have been for many years, that he does not recollect distinctly by whom his discharges were signed, the first he thinks was handed to him by his captain.
That he has served as a private as above stated for the term of one year, and for which he claims a pension or for so much as he may be entitled under the act of Congress passed June 7 th 1832. That the original declaration is not here with returned to the department for this reason, it was drawn up by Hough, L. Livingston and Thomas H. G. Adams upon whom he has called for it on several occasions, that they inform him, they do not know where it is, and applicant believes it to be lost or mislaid so that it cannot be found at this time.
That he has no documentary evidence of his service, and that he knows of no person, whose testimony he can procure, who can testify to his service.
He hereby relinquishes every claim whatever to a pension or annuity.

except the present and declares that his name is not on the pension roll of the Agency of any State in the Union.
Sworn to and subscribed the date first written
his Peter X Witham mark
Test P. C. Johnson CLK
We George W. Moore and Samuel Scott (there being no clergyman in the neighborhood whose certificate can at this time be procured) residing in the neighborhood and being well acquainted with said Peter Witham, who has subscribed and sworn to the above declaration do hereby certify that we believe him to be of the age he states, to wit 71 years of age, that he is reputed and believed in the neighborhood where he resides, to have been a soldier in the Revolution, and that we concur in that opinion. Sworn to and subscribed in open court the year above written
George W. Moore Samuel Scott
Test. P. C. Johnson CLK
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 Revolutionary soldier, and served as he states. And the Court further certifies, that it appears to them that George W. Moore and Samuel Scott who has also signed the same are residents of the same neighborhood with Peter Witham, and that their statement is entitled to credit.
Dunn Sole Judge of the Open Probate C!
I Thomas C. Johnson Clerk of the Probate Court of Owen County aforesaid do hereby certify that the foregoing contains the original proceedings of the said Court, in the matter of the application of Peter Witham for a pension.
In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal of office this day of May
1834.
T. C. Johnson CLK

32071 Ray INVALID.
File No. 32071 Witham* Peter Williams Rev Rev
Act: June 7 th 32 nd
Index:—Vol. 2, Page 455
[Arrangement of 1870.]
* W.W.G. June 11, 1907.