Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty Land Warrant Application File W. 11,710, William Watkins, Penn. Sea Service Privateer

SERVICE
NUMBER
Penn. Sea Service
Watkins, William
No. 11,710
Privateer
Ann
CONTENTS

Pennsylvania - 2408
Ann Watkins,
widow of William Watkins
who died on the 20 th Oct r 1807 - of Ph a - in the State of Penna - who was a Captain in the County commanded by Captain _____ of the Reg t commanded by _____ in the Penna - line for 7 m s
Pa
Inscribed on the Roll of Penna - at the rate of 140 Dollars - Cents per annum, to commence on the 14th day of March, 1831.
Certificate of Pension issued the 1 st day of Nov r 38, as to said Land C. I. Land Ph a
Arrears to the 14th of Sept - $1050.00 Semi-annual allowance ending 70.00 $1,120.00
{ Revolutionary Claim, Act July 4, 1836, Section the }
Recorded by R Burdin Clerk Book A Vol. 2 Page 148

These are to certify all those whom it may concern, that William Watkins & Ann Fisher were joined together in Holy Matrimony, according to the Form of the Church of England by Law established, on the third Day of July in the Year of our Lord 1767, by me
Jacob Duché, Assistant-Minister of Christ-Church & St Peter's, Philad a .

State of Pennsylvania County of Philadelphia S.S.
Declaration of Mrs Ann Watkinson Personally appeared Before the Honorable John  John  Richard  Richard James  James  Scott  Scott one of the Judges of the Court of Common Pleas in and for the City & County of Philadelphia on this twenty first day of September A.D. 1838 My Ann Watkinson a resident of the District of Southwark in the County of Philadelphia aged Ninety one Years who being first duly sworn according to Law, do hereby 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 Wil- iam Watkinson who was a Captain in the Naval Service of the State of Pennsylvania in the Revolu- tionary war as will fully appear from His Commis- sion here to attached - That She entered into said Service May 29. 1776. and immediately took charge of the Armed Boat Rebecca then and one fire raft and enlisted Men for said Service as the original articles of Shippings also here to attached will show That in said Service was at first under the Command of Commr Am Seymour and subsequently under Comr Mr Am St. Clair Wood. That at the time the British came into Philadelphia She was actively engaged in defence of the City upon the Delaware and so contin- ued until the Captain of Fort Mifflin when He was directed to go up to Burlington and sink the gallies or armed Boats which were there by her husband who put the rigging of said Boats upon long poles and had them carried to Lancaster in Pennsylvania - They were early in the Year 1778. Her husband remained

at Lancaster in charge of the Store, until the British evacuated Philadelphia in June 1778. When he returned to the City, and continued to hold his Commission until the end of the war. - after the evacuation of Philadelphia a Privateering Reprisal was fitted out against the British called the Fair American Commanded by the Father of the late Governor Decatur, the Old Captain Stephen Decatur. She took in the Year 1780. and her husband went with him in said Privateer. - During the attack of the British upon Fort Mifflin, her husband was the Commander of a Fire Ship or Raft, and helped to blow up the British Frigate Augusta, where he was wounded in the arm. - She further declares that she has the proof that her husband was to receive the sum of fifty Dollars per month, and the privateer seven Dollars. - She further declares that she was married to the said William Walting on the Third day of July in the Year Seventeen hundred and sixty Years at Philadelphia by the Reverend Jacob Leech Assistant Minister of Christ Church & St. Peter's Philadelphia, and that the Paper herewith attached is his Original Marriage Certificate. That her said husband the aforesaid William Walting died on the twentieth day of October, 1807 - and that she is still his widow here having married again -
Sworn & subscribed before me on the day and year aforesaid the said Mrs. Ann Walting being from her great age and bodily infirmity unable to appear in open Court John Richter Jones
his Mrs. Ann X Walting Mark

I for this certify that I made the altera tions therein Judge Randall not being able from public engagements in Court to take the said alterations.
J. Richter Jones
Pennsylvania Philadelphia County ss.
I Robert Morris Portnoy of the Court of Common Pleas of said County do certify that the Hon. John Richter Jones Esq. before whom the foregoing declaration on oath was made and by whom the foregoing certificate was made and before whom the annexed affidavit of Miller was taken and affirmed and which in his own proper hand writing has thereunto subscribed his name was at the time of so doing and now is one of the judges of the said Court (which is a Court of Record) duly commissioned and qualified to all intents as such full faith and credit are and ought to be given as well in Courts of India as in this Court.
In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand and affixed the seal of the said Court at Phila- delphia this 22 d September A.D. 1838.
Robert Morris Portnoy

   Time of Entry Seamen's Names Quality Bounty Name of the Boat or Captain Enlisted for     1776 June 1 st Isaac Griffith Dead Private 30/ armed Boat Brimstone for Capt William Watkins   # 3 Francis Griffith Dead Private 30/ Time shipped for expired 3. Jan y 1777   # 6 William Orton his mark Private 30/ d o - - d o 6. d o -   # 6 William Haywood Private 30/ d o - - d o 6. d o -   James Graham Private 30/   June 8 William Knowles his mark Private 30/ Continued -   12 Joseph Marshall Private 30/ Time shipped for expired 12. Jan y 77   June 12 John Smith Robinson Private 30/ d o - - d o 18 d o -   July 14 Levi Griffith Private 30/   # 17 Robert his mark Dowing Private 30/ 6 d   August 10 Christopher Graff his Private 30/ Shipped on board the Sloop Defiance on Mar. 21. Nov r 1776 - Discharged  
   the 10 John his mark Michel Private 30/   the 11 Richard Wright Private 30/  

Arin Watkins Pennsylvania
Suspended
Permit 15 Oct: 1838
To C. I. Jack
do. 27 Oct. 1838
Act 4 July 1836

IN COMMITTEE OF SAFETY FOR PENNSYLVANIA.
WHEREAS the arbitrary and tyrannical proceedings of the British Ministry, in attempting to reduce the good People of America into a state of abject SLAVERY and VASSALAGE, have met with a righteous and spirited opposition from the Thirteen United Colonies, by their Delegates in CONGRESS, who by their Resolves of the 18th of July recommended to the Assemblies or Conventions, or in their recess to the Committees of Safety, to devise and provide such means for defending the Lives, Liberties and Properties of their respective inhabitants, as may to them seem best: In compliance with this Recommendation, and in consequence of the powers vested in this Committee by Resolve of the Assembly of this province, they have caused sundry Ships, Boats and Fire Rafts to be built and armed for the defence of the same, and the protection of its commerce, which being now ready for service, it is necessary that they be immediately manned and equiped—Therefore, to encourage good and brave men to engage freely in this glorious service, the following RULES and REGULATIONS are offered by the said Committee:
I. All officers and privates, in or belonging to the Provincial Armed Ships, Boats, or Fire Rafts, being guilty of profane oaths, cursing, drunkenness or other scandalous actions, shall incur such punishment as the nature and degree of the offence shall deserve, at the discretion of a Court-Martial.
II. Any officer or private who shall strike the Commander in Chief, or other his superior officer, or draw or offer to draw, or lift up any weapon, or use any violence against him, or shall behave himself with contempt or disrespect to him, them, or either of them, being in the execution of their office, shall be punished according to the nature of his offence, at the discretion of a Court-Martial.
III. If any person in or belonging to the Provincial Armed Ships, Boats, or Fire Rafts, shall raise or endeavour to raise a mutiny on any pretence whatever, or shall disobey any lawful commands of his superior officer, he shall, on conviction thereof, suffer such punishment as shall be ordered by a Court-Martial.
IV. Any officer or private who shall, without leave of his Commanding Officer, absent himself from the Ship, Boat, or other vessel or Raft to which he belongs, or from any detachment of the same, or shall advise or persuade any other officer or private so to do, shall be punished at the discretion of a Court-Martial.
V. Every person in the fleet who shall mutiny in time of action, or who, through cowardice, disaffection or negligence, shall at such time withdraw, or keep back, or not come into the fight or engagement, or shall not do his utmost to take or destroy any ship, boat or other vessel, which it shall be his duty to engage, or shall endeavour to persuade or deter others from doing their duty at such time, shall suffer death.
VI. Every person who shall desert to the enemy, or shall intice others so to do, shall suffer death, or such other punishment as the circumstances of the offence shall deserve, and a Court-Martial think fit.
VII. Any officer or private who shall be convicted of holding any correspondence with, or giving intelligence to the enemy, either directly or indirectly, shall suffer death, or such punishment as shall be ordered by a Court-Martial.
VIII. Every officer or private who shall be convicted of having designedly or carelessly wasted or imbezzled the ammunition, arms, stores or provisions belonging to any of the Ships, Boats, or Fire Rafts, shall suffer such punishment as a Court-Martial shall think proper for the offence.
IX. Whatever officer shall be found drunk on guard or under arms, shall be cashiered, and any private so offending shall be punished at the discretion of a Court-Martial.
X. No person in or belonging to the Provincial Armed Ships, Boats, or Fire Rafts, shall sleep upon his watch or forsake his post, on pain of such punishment as a Court-Martial shall think fit to impose.
XI. Any officer or private who shall, by discharging fire arms, beating of drums, or by any other means occasion false alarms, shall suffer such punishment as shall be inflicted by a Court-Martial.
XII. All officers of what condition soever, shall have power to part and quell all quarrels, affrays and disorders, though the persons concerned should belong to another Ship, Boat, or Fire Raft, and order officers to be arrested, and non-commissioned officers or privates to be confined till their proper superior officers shall be acquainted therewith, and whoever shall refuse to obey such officer, though of an inferior rank, or shall draw his sword, or lift up any weapon against him, shall be punished at the discretion of a Court-Martial.
XIII. If any inferior officer or private shall think himself wronged by the Commander of the Ship, Boat, or Fire Raft to which he belongs, he may apply to the Commander in Chief, who is to redress his grievance.
XIV. All officers shall take rank from the date of their commissions.
XV. All ships and other vessels, and their cargoes, ammunition, artillery, cloathing, or other articles taken from the enemy, shall be disposed of or distributed as the Provincial Assembly shall hereafter think proper.
XVI. If any officer or private shall commit any crime deserving punishment, he shall, by his Commanding Officer, be put under arrest, if an officer, or if a non-commissioned officer or private, be put in confinement till he shall be tried by a Court-Martial, or discharged by proper authority.

XVII. If any officer under arrest shall leave his confinement before he is set at liberty by the officer who confined him, or by proper authority, he shall be cashiered.
XVIII. Any officer who shall presume to discharge any prisoner committed to his charge without proper authority for so doing, or shall suffer any prisoner to escape, shall be punished at the discretion of a Court-Martial.
XIX. If any commissioned officer shall be convicted before a Court-Martial, of behaving in a scandalous, infamous, cruel, oppressive, or fraudulent manner, unbecoming the character of an officer, he shall be dismissed from the service.
XX. All crimes not capital, and all disorders and neglect, which officers and privates may be guilty of, to the prejudice of good order and military discipline, though not mentioned in these articles, shall be taken notice of by a Court-Martial, and punished according to the nature of the offence.
XXI. No person to be sentenced by a Court-Martial to suffer death, except in the cases expressly mentioned in the foregoing Articles, nor shall any other punishment be inflicted at the discretion of a Court-Martial other than degradation, cashiering, drumming out of the fleet, whipping, not exceeding thirty-nine lashes; fine not exceeding six months pay, and imprisonment not exceeding one month.
XXII. The Commanding Officer of each Ship, Boat, and Fire Raft, shall appoint some suitable person to receive all such fines as may arise within the same, for breach of any of these Articles, which fines shall be accounted for to the Assembly or Committee of Safety, and by them appropriated for the relief of the maimed and disabled in the service, and the support of the widows and families of such as may be killed.
XXIII. No Court-Martial, for the trial of offences, under the degree of capital, shall consist of less than five officers, except in cases where that number cannot be conveniently assembled, when three may be sufficient, who are to determine on the sentence by a majority of voices; and in all trials for capital offences, the Court-Martial shall be composed of thirteen officers, and the sentence be determined by at least two thirds.
XXIV. All persons belonging to the Ships, Boats, or Fire Rafts, called as witnesses in any case before a Court-Martial, who shall refuse to attend and give evidence, shall be punished at the discretion of a Court-Martial.
XXV. All members of a Court-Martial are to behave with calmness, decency and impartiality, and in giving their votes are to begin with the youngest or lowest in commission, and all officers of different Vessels are to rank in Court-Martial according to their commissions.
XXVI. All members sitting in a Court-Martial shall be sworn or affirmed by the President of said Court, which President shall himself be sworn or affirmed by the officer next in rank in said Court. The oath or affirmation to be administered, previous to their proceeding to the trial of any offender, in form following, viz. "You A. B. swear that you will well and impartially determine the cause of the prisoner now "to be tried, according to the Rules framed for the Regulation of the Pennsylvania Fleet. (if an oath add) So "help you God."
XXVII. The President of the Court-Martial shall administer the following oath or affirmation to all persons called to give evidence. "You swear, or affirm, that the evidence you shall give in the cause now trying, shall be "the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth. (if an oath add) So help you God."
XXVIII. No person shall suffer death agreeable to the sentence of a Court-Martial (except in the cases mentioned in the 5th article) till the sentence is confirmed by the Assembly, or in their recess, by the Committee of Safety.
XXIX. The Commander of each Ship, Boat, or Fire Raft shall, in the beginning of every month, make a faithful return to the Committee of Safety of the men employed in his Ship, Boat, or Raft, to be signed by himself; and upon being convicted of having made a false return, shall be discharged from the service; and if he neglect to make a return within the month, shall be fined at the discretion of said Committee.
XXX. No officer or private shall be tried a second time for the same offence.
XXXI. The officers and privates to enter into the service for six  seven months, and until they shall be discharged by the Assembly or Committee of Safety. subject to a discharge from the Assembly or Committee of Safety, if they shall choose to dismiss them sooner from the service
We, the underwritten, having seen and distinctly heard the foregoing articles read, and fully understanding the contents thereof, DO freely and voluntarily subject ourselves to all and every of the Rules, Regulations and Restrictions therein contained. IN WITNESS whereof we hereunto subscribe our names. of are to have
four Dollars Monthly each of Seven Dollars per month
Willm Watkins
Commander
may 17: 1776 Joh. Gardner
Gunner
Wm. Watkins Pa. Sea Service

N o 1
N o 2
N o 3
In Committee of Safety.
Philadelphia, May 27 th 1776
To William Perkins Esquire
WE reposing especial Trust and Confidence in your Patriotism, Valour, Conduct and Fidelity, DO by these Presents, constitute and appoint you to be Captain of the Guard Boat (Brimstone & Fire) Tier of Sine Rafts
in the Service of this Province for the Protection of the same, and the Commerce of the River Delaware, against all hostile Enterprizes, and for the Defence of American Liberty. You are therefore carefully and diligently to discharge the Duty of Captain
N o 4
by doing and performing all Manner of Things thereunto belonging. And we do strictly charge and require all Officers and Soldiers under your Command, to be obedient to your Orders as Captain . And you are to observe and follow such Orders and Directions from Time to Time, as you shall receive from the Assembly, during their Sessions, or from this or a future Committee of Safety for this Province, or from your superior Officer, according to the Rules and Discipline of War, pursuant to the Trust reposed in you. This Commission to continue in Force until revoked by the Assembly, or by this or any succeeding Committee of Safety.
Wm. Lloyd Smith
By Order of the Committee.
Rob t Morris Vice Presid t
N o 5
N o 6

Rev WIDOW, &c.
File No. 11710  one
Ann Watkins
Wid of
William Watkins
Capt. Rev War
Act: July 4 th
1836.
Index:—Vol. M
Page 308
[Arrangement of 1870.]

J. L. Edwards Esq
Mr Sir.
In the case of Mrs Watkins, her friend Humble has called on me to know if there is any answer - She is upwards of Ninety Years of age, and very in firm and poor - Your early atten- tion to this Enqr. is respectfully desired
by Your Obedt Servt
C. J. Satchell
Oct 13. 1838

1945 5 (3863) Ann Watkins of Pa. Pennsylvania
to be allowed for service as a Captain from 1 June 1977 to 1 June 1978
admitted Capt 7 mo. $140.-

Personally appeared in open Court of Common Pleas, before the Honourable John Richter Jones on this Twenty second day of September 1838. Ann Miller who being duly sworn according to law, doth depose and say, That She is well ac- quainted with the above named Ann Watkins — and also with William Watkins — her husband now deceased; that said parties lived together and were generally reputed to be man and wife for Fifty years, to this deponent's knowledge; That the said Ann Watkins wife of the said William Watkins — is still his widow, never having married again to deponent's knowledge—That the said Ann Watkins — is a woman of truth and veracity, worthy of belief upon her oath.
Sworn to and subscribed before me, in open } Court as aforesaid.
Ann Miller
John Richter Jones

CERTIFICATE OF JUDGE
I John Richter Jones ————— Judge of the Court of Common Pleas, for the City and County of Philadelphia, do hereby CERTIFY, That the above named Ann Watkins — has been duly proved before me, to be a woman of truth and veracity, and worthy of belief upon her oath.
Witness my hand this Twenty Second day of September
Anno Domini 1838 —
John Richter Jones

Mrs. William Cass
C. J. Jack, Philad. Oct 29 '38.

Mrs Ann Watkins Case
I Certify that I John Richter Jones one of the Judges of the Court of Common Pleas for the City and County of Philadelphia do hereby certify that Ann Miller is a woman of truth and Credibility and that she is worthy of Belief upon her oath in this my hand this twenty seventh day of October in the Year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and thirty Eight -
John Richter Jones
Pennsylvania
Philadelphia County } ss.
I Robert Morris Prothonotary of the Court of Common Pleas of said County do Certify that the Hon John Richter Jones Esq. by whom the aforegoing Certificate and attestation were made and given and who in his own proper hand-writing has thereunto subscribed his name was at the time of so doing and now is one of the Judges of the said Court of Common Pleas for which is a Court of Record duly Commissioned and qualified to all whose acts as such full faith and Credit are and ought to be given as well in Courts of Jurisdiction as elsewhere.
In Testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand and affixed the Seal of the said Court at Philadelphia this 27th day of October 1838.
Robert Morris