Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty Land Warrant Application File W. 2,805, for Null Jacobs, Pennsylvania

The old lady is now 104 years old - your wife said her mother down on the last Census for Boston I think. May ask of you to go in person to the Department. I if they can suggest any matter regarding proof in any of the matters except the marriage, I will see if they can be remedied Could you get an act for her relief - if the Department refuse any aid
I hope you will have no time untended for this or other's unfortunate relies of the olden time. Write me soon on the subject
I am Most Respectfully Yours truly A. Wright
Will be 12 am July 10 1844

10) Bennett Gazerne (105543)
& Document Petition of Eliza Jacob widow of a Revolutionary Soldier praying for Relief —
FOR Jan 3 1834
For Claim,
(No Bill. Doc = 10 th ) 1834. H.B.M.
Additional Doc. presented & Pension & gratuity H.B.M.
Feby 4. 1835,

To the Hon the Senate & House of Representatives of the Commonwealth of Penna in General assembly met
The petition of Eliza Jacobs widow of John Jacobs late of Huntingdon County Pa. Respectfully represents that she was married to her said Husband in the year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred and seventy one — and that he was wounded in the breast in the Wyoming Massacre, that she is now ninety three years of age, and is poor & stands in need of the assistance of her country for support. She therefore prays you Honorable Bodies to grant her such relief as is usually granted to widows of Revolutionary Soldiers & as in duty will ever pray
Nov 1831, Witness present
Eliza her Jacobs mark

Giba Bennett Esq r Harrisburg Pennsylvania
Nanticoke                      18 1/2 Jan 21

By Bennett Luzerne Aok in Support of the claim of Eliza Jacobs
Pennorr
indiv. rights

Personally appeared before the subscribers one of the Subscribers of the peace in and for the County of Lycoming Nicholas Davis who on his solemn oath says that he was well acquainted with John Jacobs and that the said Jacobs served four months in the Pennsylvania -ia troops in the year one thousand eight hundred and eighty in the regular service that the war was over in 1861 he served in the New Jersey troops nine months the defendant further states that he the said Jacobs was a Marine man at the above stated time that he contin- -ued to live with the same wife until his death which was in March 1881 that his widow is still living and her first as given name is Eliza and further states that his present name is John Riffel - your County
Nicholas Davis
I have sworn and subscribed the nineteenth day of January one thousand eight hundred and thirty five Samuel H. Hance
Dear Sir I recd yours and am sorry that it was not drawn right at first it was a mistake -he is the Justice who drew the deposition if this should not answer let me know as soon as possible yours respectfully
As it is thanks since I wish you to let me know as soon as convenient John Jacobs January 19th 1835

I do hereby certify that I am well acquainted with the within named applicant Eliza Jacob & that she is poor very poor and stands in need of the assistance of her country for support.
Eliza Bennett July 2 1835

70
18/4
J. L. Canard Esq Comm miss. of Pensions Washington D. C.
Ap. 30 '42.
Ph.

So Sir
In your letter of 19 July 1822 to Mrs. H. A. Birdseye of H. B., on the subject of the application of Mrs. Eliza Jacobs, I gave say
"If the claimant is unable to make a declaration, a Committee should be appointed by the Court, to make a declaration, & draw up & authenticate as is required in the enclosed printed sheet."
The printed sheet alluded to contains only the usual forms. The situation of Mrs. Jacobs is precisely this - her eye sight is almost entirely gone, she is unable to hear, and her mental faculties, lost in old age - only momentary gleams of recollection - she has suffered much in the early settlement of the County, and is now upwards of 103 years old. It is therefore impossible to glean any information from her, and any such attempt would not only prove fallacious, but would be improper.
Her son, a poor old man of upwards of 60, hobbles down to see about his mother, pension every few days - tho' unable from his very limited means to support her as she should be, yet he makes shifts to provide for her, & it is only from his constant & kind importunities that I trouble you further.
You states in the letter alluded to, that

upon the Certificate of Mr Bidlack as to the "official character & signature" of the Magistrate, before whom the affidavits were made, they will be rec'd as evidence of the marriage, but the proof of service is not sufficient" - Mr B. informs me he has made that Certificate
His Son has been to New Jersey & Delaware to hunt up proof of his father's services, but cannot find any - he thinks his father's name may be alluded to in the application of one Dudder - Dotten or Dutier - who was a pensioner resident in this County, now dec'd - and who was in the Sacco Company during part of his services, with his father - he also thinks that his father once made application for a pension - at least he had his papers prepared and as he at that time had some property, he could not draw it - these papers may be on file in your Department - if they were filed it must be many years since - the family once had a good Estate, but are now much reduced, but sustain a good name, we can show to you full satisfaction, by his reputation among his neighbors, that he was a Soldier of the Revolution -
His Son could make a full statement, under oath of all the statements made to him by his father, if this would be rec'd at the

Department under the peculiar circumstances of the case - the Marmax having been proved we can easily show that she yet remains the widow of Mr. Jacobs - He was in many ways, my friend, & helped at the reference of John Mifflin -
A reference to Dutton's application may shed some light on the subject - or his own application may be found on file in your Office among the rejected papers - If no evidence can be found in your Department, will you be good enough to give me any suggestion that may arise to your mind after a perusal of the foregoing -
Yours truly
A. Wright
P.S. If Mr. Jacobs' papers are not on file in the office, would you receive proof of what his witnesses testified to - ? -

This is to certify that I am acquainted with the witnesses who testify in favour of the application of Mrs Black, also with Mr Bennett who testifies to her necessity, & with Saml Harrison, & Bateman during the Magistrates before whom the witnesses were sworn & know them to be officiating in that capacity, the witnesses are respectable & there is no doubt of the truth of their statement Miss Blackman & Bennett are two of the 3 survivors of the "Wyoming Massacre"
It may be deficient in consequence of the extreme age of the old lady 104 years to make the proof complete, but I remember to have established some years since before the State legislature I hope you will place this & the other papers on file, & further proof shall be obtained if it can be found Most Respectfully B. B. Bialark
July 21 1842

Luzerne County ss.
Personally Came before Bateman Downing one of the Justices of the Peace in and for said County. Elisha Blackman. whom after being by me duly sworn deposeth and saith that he was well acquainted with John Jacobs and also with his wife Eliza Jacobs and they were at Nicholas Depew's house in Northampton County, on or about the tenth of July, 1778. Said John Jacobs was wounded by a shot in his breast, I have known said John Jacobs and his wife Eliza Jacobs as Citizens of the Township of Hanover in Luzerne County, from the aforesaid July, 1778, to March 1831, when the said John Jacobs died, in sd. Hanover and left his wife Eliza a widow whom is now living, and that the said John Jacobs and Eliza lived together as man and wife in time of the Revolutionary war, and continued to live as such to the time of sd. Jacobs decease.
Sworn and subscribed before me Novr. 15 th 1834.
Bateman Downing J. Peace
Elisha Blackman
Luzerne County ss.
Personally Came before the Subscriber one of the Justices of the Peace in and for said County. Rufus Bennett whom after being by me duly sworn deposeth and saith that he was acquainted with John Jacobs and Eliza Jacobs his wife as Citizens of Hanover Township in Luzerne County, and that the said John Jacobs was in the action called the Wyoming Massacre on the third of July, 1778, and the said Jacobs rec d a wound in his breast by a shot, and I have known said John Jacobs and Eliza his wife at the time and after the close of the Revolutionary war, up to March 1831, when the said John Jacobs died and left the said Eliza a widow whom is now living and that the said John Jacobs and Eliza lived together as man and wife in the time of the Revolutionary war and since that time up to March 1831 at the decease of sd. Jacobs.
Sworn and subscribed before me November 15 th 1834.
Bateman Downing J. Peace
Rufus Bennett

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR.
O. W. & N. Div.
BUREAU OF PENSIONS
M. E. C.
WASHINGTON, D. C., July 27, 1894.
Sir:-
In response to your inquiry relative to the Revolutionary services of John Jacobs, I have to advise you as follows.
At the time of filing the application for pension for the the widow she was very aged and unable to make a statement of her husband's services. The declaration of a son, John Jacobs, (68 years of age) was accepted and the pension granted to the widow for six months actual service of her husband in the Pennsylvania line.
In his declaration the son states that he had often heard his father say that he served in the Revolutionary war and that he was in the battle of Sullivan's Island and the Massacre of Wyoming. At the time of the latter engagement the son was about four years old and his mother escaped with her child to Fort Allen where his father joined them after the battle. In this battle his father received a wound in the breast.
His father died on the 15th of March, 1831, and at the date of application, June 9, 1842, his mother, Eliza Jacobs, was 104 years of age, and residing in Newport, Luzerne County, Pa.,

The Scranton Trust Company Scranton, Pennsylvania
September 19, 1907
Commissioner of Pensions, Washington, D. C.
Sir:
Would you kindly give me a statement of the military history of John Jacobs, a soldier of the Revolutionary War, who died March 15, 1851, aged 83 years; leaving a widow, Elizabeth Fensil, who is said to have died December 6, 1848, at the age of 105 years. She is said to have received a pension after his death.
My understanding is that he was a private and was from Essex County, N. J.
Yours truly,
Wm A. Corlax -