Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty Land Warrant Application File S. 31484, William Wills, Va.

SERVICE
NUMBER _____
Wills, William Wells
NUMBER S. 31484
CONTENTS

7362 Kentucky
William Mills
of _____ in the State of Kentucky who was a private in the company commanded by Captain _____ of the Ky. Vols. commanded by Major Mucklow in the _____ time for 18 months
Inscribed on the Roll of Kentucky at the rate of 60 Dollars & 00 Cents per annum, to commence on the 4th day of March, 1831.
Certificate of Pension issued the 2 day of April 1833 and South in Harris Mount Sterling Kentucky
Arrears to the 4th of March $1200 Semi-ant. allowance ending 300
$1500.
{ Revolutionary Claim, Act June 7, 1832.
Recorded by Daniel Cook Clerk Book _____ Vol. _____ Page 32
Died Aug 9, 1834

19229
William Willis
K
See a Roll
on Roll
5, 156
for 1779 period
18 months.
p. 60.
Ch. Harrison CLK
M t Sterling
Montgomery Co
K

BRIEF in the case of William Wills of in the State of (Act 7th June, 1832.)
 1. Was the declaration made before a Court or a Judge? Court  2. If before a Judge, does it appear that the applicant is disabled by bodily infirmity?  3. How old is he? 67  4. State his service, as directed in the form annexed. 
   Period. Duration of Service. Rank. Names of General and Field Officers under whom he served.   Years, Months, Days. As a Gen.     Sub — In 1779 — not stated cook Gen. M c lellaine    he states he was cook for his Major, and for Gen l Washington & was discharged by his Major his Father was drafted for 18 mos, & he was taken in his place.   
 5. In what battles was he engaged? None  6. Where did he reside when he entered the service? not stated  7. Is his statement supported by living witnesses, by documentary proof, by traditional evidence, by incidental evidence, or by the rolls? traditional  8. Are the papers defective as to form or authentication? and if so, in what respect? correct 
I Certify that the foregoing statement and the answers agree with the evidence in the case above mentioned.
Chas. Forrester Examining Clerk.

Wm Wiles Will 19229 Heck

State of Kentucky Montgomery county ss
On this 8 th day of Nov. 1832 personally appeared before the Justices of the Montgomery County court now sitting William Mills resident of said county & State aged 67 years who being first duly sworn accor- -ding to Law doth on his oath make the following declaration in order to obtain the benefit of the act of 1832 passed the 7 th Jan y 1832 That he entered the service of the U.S. under the following named officers and served on here in stated. The State that he was born in the State of Virginia on the 16 day of Apr l 1765 in the County of Albemarle. And further states that his father entered the service of the U.S. in the year 1779 same time in the summer of that year but cannot say with certainty what Maurit. Was very young. I am also unable to say what were the names of the officers But I well remember of having to convey to My Father some many soon after he commenced his ma- -rch I recollect I overtook the army same where near Richmond And My Father offered Me if I would take his place he would give Me a negro girl. I declined having been so young. Not exceeding 14 years My Father however told me that I should stay and perform the duty assigned him But on My Father's conducting Me to Major Muckelvoir and asking him if he would accept of Me in room of My

factor for the term for which he was dis- -ted which I think was under a draft for 18 Mo. The Mayor immediately observed he would. That he would not give me for two of him. I was then taken by the Mayor as his cook & so continued some times cooking for him and at other times for General Washington until the term had expired for which my father was drafted. I then continued with the army Marching through Virginia and Pennsylvania. He states he well remembers the time the American Army had a siege at York. That he then was a cook for the same Mayor which took place in 1781 same time in the fall. I then staid at the Barracks for two Months and was discharged by my Mayor. But have lost it. He states he has no record of his age but that his father had one and he well remembers his age from his records He states that Henry Carroll and James Wilson knows me which will certify for me agreeably to the directions of the near apartment. He states he has no documentary evidence and knows of no living witnesses by whom he can prove it. He states he moved to Ky.

Saw forty years since in Montgomery County and no reside there We hereby relinquish all and every claim what- ever to a pension or annuity except the present and declare his name is not on the pension rolls of the agency of any state
Sworn to and subscribed the day and year above and his Mark W. H. Wells
Mr. Harrison Clerk
We Henry Darnell a clergyman residing in Mo- ntgomery County and state of Kentucky and Samuel Williams residing in same hereby certify that we are well acquainted with William Wells who has subscribed and known to the above declaration that we believe him to be of the age of the states and that he is re- sided and believed in the neighborhood where he resides to have been a soldier of the revolution and that we concur in that opinion
Sworn to and subscribed the day and year above and Mark Mr. Harrison Clerk
Henry Darnell Sam. Williams
And the said court do hereby declare their opinion after the investigation of the matter and after putting the interrogatory proposed by the war department that the above named applicant was a soldier of the revolution and served as he states. And the said court further certifies that it appears to them that Henry Darnell who has signed the preceding certificate is a clergyman and Samuel Williams who has signed the same both residing in Montgomery County Kentucky and is a credible person and that their statement is entitled to credit.
W. H. Wells N. Collier Brown John Berry

State of Kentucky Montgomery County 30ct.
I Meicajah Harrison clerk of the county court for the county aforesaid, Do hereby Certify that the foregoing contains the original proceedings of the said court in the matter of the application of William Mills for a Pension —
In Testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal of office, this 13 th day of November 1832. — W. Harrison clerk

January 28, 1935
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
Mrs. W.E.Bach 163 Bell Court West Lexington, Kentucky
BA-J/NEL CL William Wills-S.31484
Dear Madam:
Reference is made to your letter in which you request the pension record of William Wills, of Montgomery County, Kentucky, a soldier of the Revolutionary War. You ask, also, for the record of this soldier under General Braddock and in the War of 1812.
The data which follow were obtained from the papers on file in Revolutionary War pension claim, S.31484, based upon the military service of William Wills in that war.
William Wills(the name also appears as Wells) was born April 16, 1765, in Albemarle County, Virginia. The names of his parents are not shown.
William Wills enlisted, place not shown, in the summer of 1779, served as a substitute for his father as a private under Major Muckelwain in the Virginia Troops and acted as cook for the major; length of service about eighteen months.
He was allowed pension on his application executed November 8, 1832, while residing in Montgomery County, Kentucky, where he had resided for about forty years. His certificate was issued April 2, 1833.
The soldier died August 9, 1834, place not stated.
There are no data as to soldier's wife or children.
As soldier was not born until 1765, it is obvious that he could not have served under General Braddock, and there is no statement in the claim that he ever served in the War of 1812.
Very truly yours
A. D. HILLER Executive Assistant to the Administrator.

314-84 Keep INVALID.
File No. 31, 484
William Mills
Prd Rev War
Act: June 7 th 32 nd
Index:—Vol. 2 , Page 455
[Arrangement of 1870.]
(1922 Feb. 13 hith to B. J. Alexander Esq Letter in W 10227 Thos. Price 1935 Jan 28 - Hist To Mrs F. C. Bach - Esq

BRIEF objections to the admission of Pension Claims , of which those answered in the negative, in red ink, will apply to the claim of William Wells 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? IV. Has the declarant mentioned the period or periods of the war when he served? yes 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? no VI. Has he given the names of the officers under whom he served, in conformity with the regulations? no 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

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? yes 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? Has the proper officer certified to the official character and signature of the magistrate as the regulations direct? 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? XVI. ‡ Are the papers authenticated as the regulations direct? yes XVII. Are the seven interrogatories prescribed by the War Department answered satisfactorily? And, if not, which of them is not so answered? 2, 3, 6,
 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, deposeth 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.

Fayette Mo. 8. Feb.
Revolutionary Claims
Richard Rush Secretary at War Washington City

Fayette Howard County, Missouri
February 5 th 1829.
Sir
Inclosed I send you my declaration & proof according to the form prescribed by you under the Act. for the relief of the officers & soldiers of the Revolution, which is satisfactory to you, which I have no doubt, you will be so good as to forward the amt. due from time to time to the Post office at this place, under cover to me, Yours with great, respect.
Randolph White

January Sixteenth 1935.
Veterans Bereau, Washington, D.C.
Dear Sirs;
Will you please send me statement made by William Wills when he applied for a Pension as I am trying to gather some genealogy facts about him.
I found him listed on "The Kentucky Pension Roll" as being a Private-Service in the Virginia Line Listed in Montgomery County, Kentucky. Placed on the Pension Roll April 2, 1833.
May I also ask for his War Record in the Revolutionary War serving under Gen. Braddock-He came to Kentucky from Virginia about 1800 and I believe his parents were located in Campbell Co., Va. Also his War Record in the War of 1812 under Gen. St. Clair.
Thanking you, I am,
Very truly,
Mrs. W.E. Bach.

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR,
BUREAU OF PENSIONS.
Washington, D. C., Feb. 13, 1922
In reply to your request of _____, received _____ for a statement of the military history of Wm Willis a soldier of the REVOLUTIONARY WAR, you will find below the desired information as contained in his (or his widow's) application for pension on file in this Bureau. S. 31484
   DATES OF ENLISTMENT OR APPOINTMENT. LENGTH OF SERVICE. RANK. OFFICERS UNDER WHOM SERVICE WAS RENDERED. STATE.   CAPTAIN. COLONEL.     Summer 1779 18 mos. Pvt. ✓ Major Buckelmain Va.                                                   
Battles engaged in, ✓
Residence of soldier at enlistment, ✓
Date of application for pension, Nov. 8 1832 at
Residence at date of application, Montgomery Co., Ky.
Age at date of application, Sept. 11 1765 in Alleghany Co., Va.
Remarks: No fam. data.
Respectfully,
Commissioner.
As to how service for which pensioned, nothing more definite given, and