Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty Land Warrant Application File R. 9,328, for John Scruggs, Virginia

SERVICE
Scruggs, John
NUMBER
R. 9328
CONTENTS

Virginia.
At a Court held for Buckingham County, at the Courthouse, on Monday the 12 th day of December 1853.
On this day Charles S. Scruggs produced a declaration in these words:
"State of Virginia } County of Buckingham } ss
Charles S. Scruggs a resident of the County and State aforesaid, who being duly sworn according to law, declares as appears from the records, that he is the Executor of the last will and testament of John Scruggs, who died on or about the day of A.D. one thousand eight hundred and thirty five, that he believes the said John Scruggs served as a private in the war of the Revolution for at least six months, and was entitled to receive a pension therefor under the Act of Congress passed the 7 th of June A.D. 1832, that it appears from the copy of a letter herewith filed (the original of which is on record in the Pension Office of the United States in the City of Washington) dated January 16 th 1837, that a certain J. W. Bouldin then a member of Congress from Virginia filed certain papers in the Pension Office in order to obtain a pension for the said John Scruggs for service in the war of the Revolution, that on the said 16 th day of January 1837, said papers were returned by the Commissioner of Pensions to the said J. W. Bouldin, with the intimation or declaration that unless the regulations of the department were more fully complied with, a pension could not be granted to the said John S. Scruggs for more than six months service, that it is evident from this, that at that time, the Commissioner of Pensions was satisfied from the evidence contained in the aforesaid papers that the said John Scruggs was entitled to a pension for at least six months service in the war of the Revolution - that the said papers have since been lost that all evidence of the service of the said Scruggs in the war of the Revolution is now unattainable, except that existing in the Pension Office at the City of Washington - that

he believes his testator John Scruggs is the identical person named in the Copy of the letter above mentioned — that the said John Scruggs his testator enlisted, volunteered or was drafted in the County of Buckingham State of Virginia, and that he resided there after his return from military service up to the time of his death, that at the time of his death he was about eighty nine years of age, and that he believes that his said testator received no pension whatever during his life.
The said Charles S. Scruggs as Executor makes this declaration for the purpose of obtaining from the Department of the Interior or the Commissioner of Pensions (for the benefit of the Estate of his testator) whatever pension the said John Scruggs de d may have been entitled to receive under any of the several Acts of Congress more particularly that of the 7 th of June 1832."
And the Court do declare their opinion from the evidence before them, that the above named John Scruggs de d . (of whom will Charles S. Scruggs is the duly qualified Executor) is the identical person spoken of in the letter mentioned in the foregoing declaration —
copy Teste R. Eldridge C.B.C.
I, Rolfe Eldridge, Clerk of the County Court of Buckingham do hereby certify that the foregoing contain the original proceedings of the said Court in the matter of the application of Charles S. Scruggs Executor of John Scruggs de d . for a pension in behalf of the Estate of his said testator.
In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand and affixed my seal of Office this 15 th day of December 1853.
R Eldridge C.B.C.

Palmyra Fluvanna County Va December 23 rd 1853.
To
The Commissioner of Pensions Washington City
Dear Sir.
Enclosed I send you the papers in relation to the claim of the representative of the estate of John Scruggs De d to a pension due him in his life time, which I hope you may find satisfactory. You will observe from a copy of a letter on file in your office, herewith filed, dated January 16 th 1837, that J L Edwards who was then Commissioner of Pensions, admitted that from the evidence then in his possession John Scruggs was entitled to a pension for at least six months service in the war of the revolution - the only disputed question then, seems to have been whether he was entitled for a longer period of service - the evidence then before the Commissioner satisfied him that the claim for 6 months service was good, and that he was so satisfied, will appear from the record of the letter aforesaid in your office which is the very best evidence that can be offered. Now if the evidence and papers then before the Commissioner have been lost or mislaid, (as it appears they have) unless they are in your office, it does seem to me to be right and proper that the claim for 6 months service should now be allowed on the admission made by the Commissioner in 1837. You will see from a letter herein enclosed addressed to me by J W Bouldin, that he is of the impression that the papers were never returned to him but are still in the pension office at Washington - I hope therefore if the admission of the former Commissioner on record in your office is not sufficient for the allowance of the claim, you will cause a thorough search to be made for the original papers in the case. Please give this application your earliest attention and inform me of the result of your investigation; as I intend in case your decision is adverse to bring the matter before Congress.
Yours very Respectfully,
Thos. H. Tutwiler

Acts of July 14, 1862, and March 3, 1873.
REJECTED
9388
P. O. _____
John Scraggs
Service: _____
Enlisted: _____, 18 .
Discharged: _____, 18 .
Application filed: _____, 18 .
Alleges: _____
Re-enlisted: _____
Attorney: _____
P. O. _____
_____ Recognized. _____ Contract.
_____ Cert. of Dis. Searched for _____, 18

State of Virginia } County of Buckingham } ss.
This day John S Scruggs personally appeared before me a justice of the peace in and for the county aforesaid, duly authorized to administer oaths, and made oath that all the children of John Scruggs De ce . are willing and desirous that Charles J Scruggs the Executor of the s d . John Scruggs should make application for, and receive whatever pension may be due to their father for services in the war of the revolution, that the said John Scruggs De ce . has no surviving widow, and that the said John Scruggs departed this life on or about the 5 th day of June, A D 1852.
Given under my hand this 12 th day of December A D . 1853.
Jno. C. Turner J.P.
State of Virginia } County of Buckingham } ss.
I Rolfe Eldridge clerk of the county court of Buckingham State aforesaid, do hereby certify that John C Turner — whose genuine signature appears above is and was at the time of signing the same a justice of the peace in and for the county and State aforesaid duly — commissioned and sworn; that all his official acts as such are entitled to full faith and credit; and that the aforesaid county court is a court of record having general jurisdiction.
Given under my hand and the seal of my Office this 15 th day of December in the year, one thousand eight hundred, and fifty three in the 78 th year of the Commonwealth.
R. Eldridge CBC

J. R. Scuggs Palmyra Fla. Co.
J. R. Scuggs Palmyra Fla. fee paid.

State of Virginia County of Buckingham } ss.
Know all men by these presents that I Charles T Scruggs Executor of John Scruggs D.C. of the County and State aforesaid do hereby make constitute and appoint irrevocably Thomas H Tutwiler my true and lawful attorney for me and in my name to demand and receive from the proper authorities of the United States, whatever pension may be due to the estate of John Scruggs D.C. on account of military service performed by him in the war of the revolution - hereby revoking and countermanding all former powers of attorney given to any person for the purpose aforesaid. In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand and Signed sealed & affixed my seal this 12 th day of December 1853. & delivered in presence of,
Charles T Scruggs
On this 12 th day of December 1853 personally appeared before me Ino. C. Turner a justice of the peace duly authorized to take acknowledgments for the County and State aforesaid Charles T Scruggs and acknowledged the foregoing power of attorney to be his act and deed.
Ino. C. Turner J.P.
I Rolfe Eldridge clerk of the county court of Buckingham in the State of Virginia do hereby certify that Ino. C. Turner whose certificate appears above is an acting justice of the peace in & for the said County duly commissioned & qualified that the above signature purporting to be his is genuine Given under my hand & the seal of the said county court this 12 th day of December 1853. R. Eldridge CBC

augst 1853 J. W. Boulton
Palmyra
Miss J. L. Leveque
5

Charlotte County Virginia August 7 th 1853
Dear Sir,
Your letter of the 18 th of July is before me. I have no recollection of the claim alluded to in your letter though I make no doubt such an one existed & the papers in the office at Washington. There could be no occasion for me to take them back complete or incomplete. I have was probably given to withdraw them with a view to present them again either before Congress or the Commissioner of Pensions. If they needed any thing (proof or such like) they would have been added to or returned to the applicant to be amended. I make no doubt the papers are in Washington & can be found on search.
Respectfully yrs.
James W. Boardman
To
Thos H. Tuckervile Palmeria

No 38.680 John Scruggs dec. Ya.
Letter to. J. H. Tutwiler 3 d Jany. 1854. Hon. T. S. Burch 15 th Ap l . 1854. Same Sep 3 1856-
9328
Act 7 th June 1832.

Palmyra v. Dec 23 G.
Free
No papyrus on file - supplied for a letter papyrus in the library
Commissioner of Pensions Washington City D.C.

(Copy)
War Department Pension Office January 16th, 1837
Sir:
The papers in the case of John Scruggs, deceased, have been examined, and they are herewith returned to you. The tours of service as a militia man of Virginia, are not specified as required by the enclosed printed regulations, nor are the witnesses sufficiently explicit, as to the duration of each tour of actual service performed by the deceased, and the officers under whom he served. Unless the regulations can be more fully complied with, a pension cannot be allowed, for more than six months service.
The widow should appear in open court, and prove her relationship to the deceased, and the time of his death.
I have the honor to be Very respectfully Your Obedt Servant.
(Signed) S. L. Edwards Commissioner of Pensions.
Hon. S. W. Gouldin. House of Reps. U.S.
20th June 1832
To be returned to Mr. S.