Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty Land Warrant Application File S. 14,598, for Samuel Stidham, North Carolina

SERVICE
NUMBER
Nb.
Stidham, Samuel
S.14.598
carded
CONTENTS

Kentucky
Samuel Stidham
of Perry — in the State of Ky. who was a Pvt. in the Company commanded by Captain Gilders of the Regt commanded by Col: Armstrong in the A.G. line for 9 months from 1780
Inscribed on the Roll of Kentucky at the rate of 10 — Dollars — Cents per annum to commence on the 4th day of March, 1831.
Certificate of Pension issued the 19 th day of Jan: 33 and Sear Hon. R.P. Letcher. House of Rep.
Arrears to 4th of Sept 1832 45.- Pension allowance ending 4 th Mar: 33 15.-
60.-
{ Revolutionary Claim, } { Act June 7, 1832. }
Recorded by Nathan Rice Clerk, Book (2) Vol. 9 Page 60

State of Kentucky Perry County Kentucky
On the this 12 th day of December 1832 personally appeared in Open Court before the Justices of the County Court of the County of Perry now sitting Samuel Hildham a resident of the County and State aforesaid aged Eighty five 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 Capt. James Giddens Lieutenant David Humphreys & Ensign Benjamin Humphreys - Col Martin Armstrong & Maj. John Armstrong & Genl. Rutherford at Surry Court House North Carolina, & at that time he was a resident of the 1 st County of Surry that he was with the Company stationed at Surry Court House aforesaid as a guard of the Magazine at that place - the tour was for three months and during the time it was said that the Tories were rising about the mulberry fields on the Adkin the with others were marched there after them but the Tories had fled & the Company returned back to the Magazine - at the end of the 3 months, he was discharged - afterward he was drafted & was again placed at the Magazine where he served 3 months and was discharged - He

State that he was as soon drafted and taken to the same Magazine as where where he was detained a part of the time of 3 Months that the Company commanded by the same officers were marched near on to Sorey more, mile on Dutch Buffalo Creek in Rowan County, same state where the Company joined the main Army & where they met Genl. Rutherford - That the Company took down to the main Army Ammunition - They then marched on towards Genl. Gates Army about one day and night and took up Camp on Long Creek where a man got killed by the falling of a tree on him - that himself and another soldier was left to bury the dead man which they done & started on in pursuit of the army the next day met the Company returning after delivering the Ammunition as they said & that he then returned with the Company they having been discharged - That he got Discharge but does not know what has become of them -
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 Sworn to and subscribed the day and year aforesaid
Samuel his  Stidham mark

Personally appeared in Open Court Stephen Coddle and after being duly sworn states that after conversing the with Sam J. Hildham and hearing his declaration is fully convinced that what he has stated is true and that he himself was at present when the man was killed as described in the Declaration
his Stephen X Coddle mark
We Daniel Duff a Clergyman and Jesse Bowling residing in the County of Perry State of Kentucky hereby certify that we are well acquainted with Sam J. Hildham who has signed & sworn to the above declaration; that we believe him to be 85 years of age; that he is reputed & believed in the neighborhood where he lives to have been a soldier of the Revolution and that we concur in that opinion.
Sworn and subscribed the day and year aforesaid
Daniel Duff Jesse Bowling
219 Duff

And the said Court do hereby declare their opinion after the investigation of the matter & after putting the interrogatories prescribed by the War Department that the above named applicant was a Revolutionary soldier & served as he states; and the Court further certifies that it appears to them that Danl. Duff who signed the preceding certificate is a clergyman resident in Perry County Ky. and that Jesse Bowling who has also signed the same is a resident in the same and is a credible person & that their statement is entitled to credit. That Stephen Codell who signed the Certificate before the other is a credible person & entitled to credit.
I Jesse Combs Clerk of the County Court of Perry County do hereby certify that the foregoing contains the Original proceedings of the said Court in the matter of the application of Samuel Stidham for a Pension In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand and affixed my private seal there being no seal of Office this 10 th day of December 1832.
Jesse Combs CLB
I now Jesse Combs to be the Clerk of the County & Circuit Court of Perry Co. Ky and that the above signature Letcher is genuine.
17 th Jany 1873 R. P. Letcher

6 Samuel Stedham,
from 1780. pri- vate 9 months. $30.
all then cash. enter on new order

BRIEF in the case of  Samuel Stidham  of  Perry Co.  in the State of  Kentucky  (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? 85  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.     In 1780 3 " private N. Carolina Gen. Rutherford, Capt. Giddens, Col. Armstrong   " 3 " " "   " 3 " " "  
 5. In what battles was he engaged? none,  6. Where did he reside when he entered the service? Surry Co N.C.  7. Is his statement supported by living witnesses, by documentary proof, by traditional evidence, by incidental evidence, or by the rolls? witness & traditional, documentary ,  8. Are the papers defective as to form or authentication? and if so, in what respect? no public seal of office, 
I Certify that the foregoing statement and the answers agree with the evidence in the case above mentioned.
Examining Clerk.

Rev. Mr.
14598 ✓ INVALID.
File No. 14598
Samuel H. Hildreth Miss. Rev. Mr.
Act: June 7 th 1852.
Index:—Vol. 1, Page 361
[Arrangement of 1870.]

BRIEF objections to the admission of Pension Claims, of which those answered in the negative, in red ink, will apply to the claim of Samuel Statham which require further proof or explanation.
I. Does the declaration show where the applicant resides? II. Did the declarant make the declaration in the county where he resides? 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? 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? VI. Has he given the names of the officers under whom he served, in conformity with the regulations? VII. Has he made a relinquishment of every claim to any other pension than the one under the Act of June 7, 1832? VIII. Has the Court given their opinion? IX. Has the Clerk given his certificate? 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? no

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? 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 has produced a witness or witnesses as to his service, has the magistrate who administered the oath certified that he, she, or they are persons of credibility? Has the official character and signature of the magistrate been certified by the proper officer under his seal of office? 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? XVII. Are the seven interrogatories prescribed by the War Department answered satisfactorily? And, if not, which of them is not so answered?
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 the 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.
†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 authenticated 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 end 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.
Official character & sig of clerk must be certified by proper officer.