Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty Land Warrant Application File R. 10,919, Ephraim Vaughan, Va.

SERVICE
NUMBER
Va.
Vaughan, Ephraim
R 10,919
CONTENTS

Ephraim Vaugn's Declaration for a Pension
15410
V

State of Virginia, Dinwiddie County, to wit
On this 31 st day of January 1834, personally appeared before the subscriber a Justice of the peace in and for the said County of Dinwiddie, John Flanders a respectable inhabitant of said Dinwiddie County aged seventy six years, who being duly sworn, according to law then , deponeth and saith, that some time in the summer of the year one thousand seven hundred and seventy eight Ephraim Vaughan and himself were called into the service of the country in the Army of the revolution the the said Ephraim Vaughan as a private in Captain John Nicholas Company and Colonel Joseph Jones Regiment of Virginia Militia, and during which term of service the said Ephraim Vaughan and himself were in the battle which was fought between the Americans and British at Hoods on James River in the state aforesaid, and that the said Ephraim Vaughan continued in the said service as a soldier for and during the space of six months, and that the said Ephraim Vaughan and himself were, during the said term of six months, in the battle fought between the contending armies at Petersburg on the Appomattox River in the said state. — And afterwards, to wit — in the year one thousand seven hundred and seventy nine the said Ephraim Vaughan was again called into, and entered the service of our Country as a private in Captain William Lewis Company of Virginia Militia, (believed to be in Colonel David Walker's Regiment) but what length of time the said Ephraim Vaughan continued in this last tour of duty, this deponent cannot with entire certainty say, but he understood and believed that the said Ephraim Vaughan continued in the said last term of service at least six months, he does not recollect the precise time that the said Vaughan was called out to serve in the tour last above mentioned, but believes that it was in the early part of the year. — Also that he has no doubt, but on the other hand, from reports and circumstances he believes that the said Vaughan did serve in the Army of the Revolution as he has stated.

in his declaration dated 20 th day of May 1833. and 15 th of October 1832. he has known the said Ephraim Vaughan from his youth, that he always understood the said Ephraim Vaughan was born born in this County of Dinwiddie, and knows that he has resided therein from his first acquaintance with him, except when he was in the service of the country or casually out of the same —
an interlineation in 6 th long line from the top on 1 st page an erasure and an interlineation in 11 th long line from the top on 1 st page an interlineation in 14 th line from the top on 1 st page an erasure in 5 th line from top in 2 nd page — and an erasure in 4 th line same page
John Flannery
Sworn to and subscribed before me the day and year first within written. — Benj u Johnson, J.P.
State of Virginia Dinwiddie County set 3
I John P. Cannup Clerk of the County Court of Dinwiddie County, in the State of Virginia aforesaid, do hereby certify that Benjamin Johnson is a Magistrate as above, and that the foregoing signature pur- porting to be his, is genuine: —
In testimony whereof, I have herunto affixed my seal of Office, and subscribed my name this 11 th day of February one thousand eight hundred & thirty four. —
J.P. Cannup C. Clerk.

State of Virginia Dinwiddie County
Personally appeared before the Justices of the County Court of Dinwiddie in open Court this 20th day of May 1833 Ephraim Vaughan who in addition to his former Declaration states that by reason of his age, and the consequent loss of memory he cannot swear positively as to the precise length of his service, More explicitly than he has already done, but according to the best of his recollections he served not less than two years and six months , as a private, all the time, for which service he claims a pension. What he finds himself from the loss of memory aforesaid unable to state the names of any regular Officers who were with the troops where he served or other continental or militia Regiments in the same services further than he has done - nor can he state the names of any other persons in his present neighbourhood who can testify to his character or revolutionary services further than he has already done. (Sworn to and subscribed the day and year aforesaid.)
His Ephraim Vaughan Mark
And the Court doth hereby certify that the foregoing additional declaration and Certificate of Ephraim Vaughan, was subscribed and sworn to in open Court, examined, by the Court, and ordered to be certified to the Department of War: - I John P. Crump Clerk of the County Court of Dinwiddie, do hereby certify that the foregoing contains the addi- tional proceedings of the said Court, in the matter of the application of Ephraim Vaughan for a pension.
In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand & affixed the seal of my Office, this 20th day of May 1833, in the 57th year of the Commonwealth. -
J. P. Crump B. C.

State of Virginia } County of Dinwiddie } ss:
On this 15 th day of October 1832 personally appeared in open court, before the Justices of the County Court of Dinwiddie County now sitting, Ephraim Vaughan a resident of the County and State aforesaid, aged sixty four years, who being first duly sworn according to law, doth, on his oath, make the following 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 officers, and served as herein stated, to wit; That at different periods during the revolutionary war he served under the following Captains of Militia Compa- nies as a private, to wit Capt. John Nichols - Capt. Russell Goodwyn - & Capt. Wm. Lewis, each of whom resided in the County of Dinwiddie, as this applicant then did, & was since has, & from which County his services were performed, having in the nature of numbers when drafted, drawn No. 7 & having had to perform a tour of duty of three months, when ever that number was called on from the time when he became eighteen years of age to the termination of the war. That he served several different tours under each of the three Captains aforesaid. He recollects Col. David Walker having been the Commandant of his Regiment during a portion of his services, but can not

now recollect - how long - nor can he recollect to his recollection the names of the other Colonels. - That his services were performed principally in the neighbourhood of Appo- -matux & James River - that he was occa- -sionally at Petersburg - in the trenches about the coal pits - at Bottom's bridge below Richmond - many other positions below Richmond or Petersburg. That at the engagement between the British & the V a militia at Broadway he was present & fired, as he well remembers seven rounds - From that point the company marched, with other troops to Babi's Old field - From thence to Petersburg, where Gen l Lafayette was in Command and where we had a skirmish with the British there under Phillips & Arnold, where the declarant assisted in firing on Mr s Bollings house in which Gen l Phillips was believed to be. -
The declarant states that he was in actual service in the militia in the revolutionary war, altogether nearly three years, that he was in no engage-
ment other than those above detailed & rec d no wound. That he never rec d any written discharge, & has no documentary evidence of his services. That he has no written register of his age, but from information always received, he doubts not that it is what he has above represented it. That he was born & has always resided in the County of Dinwiddie, performed his services in drafts in the militia from that County. That most of those with whom he lived are dead long since,

He the said Ephraim Pugh hereby relinquishes every claim whatever to a pension, or an annuity, except the present, and declares that his name is not on the pension roll of the agency of any state.
Given to, and subscribed, the day & year aforesaid.
Ephraim Pugh
*(Here insert Ephraim Pugh's Certificate.)
We Isham Hargrave a clergyman residing in the County of Dinwiddie in the State of Virginia, and Henry Pugh  and Henry Pugh a clergyman residing in the same County, do hereby certify that we are well acquainted with Ephraim Pugh who has subscribed, & sworn to the above Declaration; that we believe him to be 64 years of age; that he is respected & believed in the neighbourhood in which he resides to have been a soldier in the Revolution, & that we concur in that opinion.
Given to, & subscribed the day and year aforesaid.
Isham Hargrave E. A. Pugh Henry Pugh Benj. Pugh
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 Isham Hargrave who has signed the foregoing certificate, is a clergyman resident of Dinwiddie County & is a creditable respectable person.

to whose statements full credit is due. And That  That  Henry  Henry  Seagram  Seagram  to  to  whom  whom  the  the  same  same , are residents of the same County, are credible respectable persons, that their statement is entitled to credit.
I John P. Crouch Clerk of the County Court of Lincoln Co., do hereby certify that the foregoing contains the original proceedings of the said Court, in the matter of the application of Ephraim Vaughan for a Pension. —
In testimony whereof, I have here- unto set my hand, & the seal of my office, this 15 th day of October in the year of our Lord 1832, and of our Independence the 57 th .
J. P. Crouch C. D. C.

Lincoln County Court.
Personally appeared in open Court Ephraim Vaughan of the said County and State on oath that the said Vaughan & himself served several times of duty together during the rebellion of the war, & consequently that he knows that the said Ephraim Vaughan did perform Military Service in the war but he does not personally know of the other services he rendered - or the length of time he served in all - though he has no doubt he served as he has since of stated. Sworn to & subscribed the day & year aforesaid.
Ephraim Vaughan Mark

Acts of July 14, 1862, and March 3, 1873.
10,919  am
P. O.
Ephram Vaughan
Service: _____
Enlisted: _____, 18
REJECTED
Discharged: _____, 18
Application filed: _____, 18
Alleges: _____
Re-enlisted: _____
Attorney: _____
P. O. _____
_____ Recognized. _____ Contract.
_____ Cert. of Dis. Searched for _____, 18

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Ephraim Vaughan
Pa
Rejected, 2 Apr 34 J.P. Crump

BRIEF objections to the admission of Pension Claims , of which those answered in the negative, in red ink, will apply to the claim of Ephraim Vaughan which require further proof or explanation.
I. Does the declaration show where the applicant resides? Yes II. Did the declarant make the declaration in the county where he resides? Yes III. If the applicant did not make the declaration in the county where he resides, is there any reason assigned for his not doing so? X IV. Has the declarant mentioned the period or periods of the war when he served? No X V. * Has he mentioned with precision the length of his service, and the different grades in which he served, in language so definite as to enable the department to determine to what amount of pension he is entitled? Yes CTO - Rec Quere 6 VI. Has he given the names of the officers under whom he served, in conformity with the regulations? Yes VII. Has he made a relinquishment of every claim to any other pension than the one under the Act of June 7, 1832? Yes VIII. Has the Court given their opinion? Yes IX. Has the Clerk given his certificate? Yes X. Is the Clerk's seal affixed? And if so, has it a device or inscription by which it can be distinguished from any other seal? Yes
EXPLANATORY NOTES

XI. Has the applicant obtained the evidence of a clergyman and another respectable citizen as to their belief respecting his age and the general belief in his neighborhood relative to his revolutionary service? Yes
XII. If the clergyman's affidavit has not been produced, is there any reason assigned for not obtaining it?
XIII. If the applicant has no documentary evidence, and has not obtained the testimony of at least one living witness, has he stated in his declaration that such proof cannot be had?
XIV. † If the applicant's name is not found on the rolls of military service, has he produced a witness or witnesses as to his service?
If he has produced direct proof as to service, has the magistrate who administered the oath, certified to the credibility of the witness or witnesses? Yes
Has the proper officer certified to the official character and signature of the magistrate as the regulations direct? Yes
XV. Does it appear from any of the papers that the witness was in such a situation, or of such an age, as to have a personal knowledge of the applicant's service? Only part
X XVI. ‡ Are the papers authenticated as the regulations direct?  No - see Quere 1b
X XVII. Are the seven interrogatories prescribed by the War Department answered satisfactorily? And, if not, which of them is not so answered?  5. 7
EXPLANATORY NOTES.
* QUERE V. In a case where the applicant cannot, by reason of the loss of memory, state precisely how long he served, he should amend his declaration by making an affidavit in the following words:
"Personally appeared before me, the undersigned, a Justice of the Peace, &c. A. B. who, being duly sworn, deposeeth and saith, that, by reason of old age, and the consequent loss of memory, he cannot swear positively as to the precise length of his service, but according to the best of his recollection he served not less than the periods mentioned below, and in the following grades; For _____ year _____ months, and _____ days, I served as a _____ For _____ months and _____ days, I served as a _____; and for such service I claim a pension.

It is important in all cases to determine with precision the period for which each applicant served, and the particular rank he held, as the law directs the pension to be paid according to the grade of the pensioner and the length of his service. The use of the phrase about three or four months is too indefinite, and all such qualifying expressions are objectionable. Some persons who apply for pensions merely state they served two years in the militia, &c. without specifying the tours; the names of the officers, and other particulars respecting their service. This form of a declaration is highly objectionable. It must in every case be clearly shewn under what officers the applicant served; the duration of each term of engagement; the particular place or places where the service was performed; that the applicant served with an embodied corps called into service by competent authority; that he was either in the field or in garrison; and for the time during which the service was performed, he was not employed in any civil pursuit.
QUERE XIV.  Proof of Service.
In a case where the name of the applicant is not found on the records of the Department, he must prove his service by two credible witnesses, who are required to set forth in their affidavits the time of the claimants entering the service, and the time and manner of his leaving the same, as well as the regiment, company, and line to which he belonged. The magistrate who may administer the oaths must certify to the credibility of the witnesses, and the official character and signature of the magistrate must be certified by the proper officer, under his seal of office.
QUERE XVI.  Mode of authenticating papers.
In every instance where the certificate of the certifying officer who authenticates the papers is not written on the same sheet of paper which contains the affidavit, or other paper authenticated, the certificate must be attached thereto by a piece of tape or narrow ribbon, the ends of which must pass under the seal of office of the certifying officer, so as to prevent any paper from being improperly attached to the certificate.
In every case where the clerk of the court, or other certifying officer, has no public seal of office, the certificate of a member of congress, proving the official character and signature of the certifying officer, should accompany the papers.
# The applicant must specify his service as required - see above (This seems to be the only objection, if the officers have not been removed) - and no favorable decision can be had in his case, until he shall have set forth the number of tours, and the duration of each, as required above - The militia in Virginia were usually called out for 3 months at a time -