Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty Land Warrant Application File R. 7081, for Jonas Meador, Virginia

SERVICE
NUMBER
Va.
Meador, Jonas.
P. 7081
CONTENTS

No 21052 Jonas Meador Smith County Tennessee
Rejected - did not serve six months See letter to April 1833 to J. Pickett.
Jonathan Pickett Clerk North Smith County Court Tennessee

BRIEF in the case of  Jonas Headen  County of Smith  in the State of Tennessee  (Act 7th June, 1832.)
 1. Was the declaration made before a Court or a Judge? a Court  2. If before a Judge, does it appear that the applicant is disabled by bodily infirmity?  3. How old is he? 74  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.     Drafted In 1781 Oct 3 Discharged 5th April 1782 Priv Capt Rees    he hired a Substitute 6 weeks before his time expired
 5. In what battles was he engaged? None  6. Where did he reside when he entered the service? Bedford Co. Tenn  7. Is his statement supported by living witnesses, by documentary proof, by traditional evidence, by incidental evidence, or by the rolls? Traditional evidence  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.
Oyer Castor
Examining Clerk.

State of Tennessee } Smith County }
On the 30 day of November 1832 personally appears in Open Court before the Worshipful John Chambers said A. M. M c Guire & M c Pherson holding the County Court for Smith County, Jonas Meador, a resident of Smith County Tennessee, aged 74 the 3 day of Feb 1832 - who being first duly sworn, according to law, doth on his oath make the following declaration in order to attain the benefit of the provisions made by the act of Congress passed June 5. 1832 - That the interval the service of the United States under the following named Officers & Servts as herein stated. He was born in Bedford County Virginia & lived there until called into service. He was drafted in Bedford County Virg. for a six months term & entered the service on the 3 of October 1861 - He was mustered into service under Capt. Nathan Rice - The company assembled at Prince Edward Court House & then marched to Richmond - it was then stationed as a guard sent out on many parties of fatigue. The company to which he was attached was sent down James River 60 or 70 miles to unload a ship with ammunition & carried down boats & lighted the ship. He returned with the boats & ship to Richmond & was there discharged & received the written discharge of Capt. Rice which discharge was given on the 5th of April 1862 - He has lost his discharge & thinks he gave it to a member of the Virginia Legislature for the purpose of trying to procure him some remuneration for his services. He was born in Bedford County Virginia where he lived where he lived until 1809 - when he moved to Smith

Leovanty Tennessee where he has lived ever since He was born in Bedford County Tenn on the 3 day of February 1758 - He has no record of his age but has often seen it on his fathers bible he can prove his services by Isham Meador & Joel Meador respectable citizens of Smith County who served with him - The company to which he was attached was under march to join the main Army when Cornwallis was taken - they were near enough to hear the Cannon but did not reach until the battle was over - He was never in a battle & after Cornwallis defeat was kept as a guard until his term expired -
He omitted to mention that about six weeks before his service expired he hired a substitute by the name of Andrew Elders to finish his term. after the 8 months expired the discharge was given the substitute in this applicants name, and the substitute brought it to him - He gave the substitute forty Dollars as a soldiers blanket. He got the discharge to a Dept. to try to draw something & has since then it since. He hereby relinquishes every claim whatever to a Pension or bounty except the present - & declares that his name is not on the Pension Roll of any State -
Jonas Meador Approved to in open Court 50th Decr. 1852 J. Sickett Clerk -
We Joel Meador & Isham Meador citizens of Smith County Tennessee hereby certify that we are well acquainted with Jonas Meador who makes the above application. We have known him from his infancy & were with him in the Revolutionary War. We know he performed the services as therein stated & procured a substitute to finish his time as therein described. We believe him to be 74 years of age. All the circumstances set forth in his

Declaration as known personally to us I am true - Joel Meador is 73 years of age & Isham Meador is 31 years of age -
Sworn to in open court the 30th Nov. 1852
J. Beckett clerk
Isham Meador Joel Meador
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 deemed as he states. And the Court further testifies that it appears to them that Isham Meador Joel Meador who has signed the preceding certificate are residents in Smith County Tennessee and are credible persons and that their statement - is worthy to credit. We are also of opinion that they are of the ages they represent themselves to be -
John Chambers
J. W. Leffler
Samuel Bell Murray

State of Tennessee Warwick County.
I, Jonathan Pickett Clerk of the Court of Pleas and Quarter Sessions for said County do hereby certify that the foregoing con- tains the original proceedings of the said Court in the matter of the application of James Meadow, for a admiral .
In Witness whereof I have here unto set my hand and affixed the seal of said Court at officio Warwick, this 12th day of December 1832. and 57th year of our Independence
J. Pickett Clerk
James Meadow 227052

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR,
BUREAU OF PENSIONS.
R File 7081
Washington, D. C., _____, 19_____
In reply to your request of _____, received _____ for a statement of the military history of Jones Meador a soldier of the REVOLUTIONARY WAR, you will find below the desired information as contained in his (or his widow's) application for pen- sion on file in this Bureau.
   DATES OF ENLISTMENT OR APPOINTMENT. LENGTH OF SERVICE. RANK. OFFICERS UNDER WHOM SERVICE WAS RENDERED. STATE.   CAPTAIN. COLONEL.     Oct. 3. 1781 Nathan Rice Va.   hired a substitute to finish his time.        
Battles engaged in, none stated
Residence of soldier at enlistment, Bedford County, Va.
Date of application for pension, Nov. 30. 1832
Residence at date of application, Smith County Tennessee
Age at date of application, born Feb'y 3. 1758 in Bedford County, Va.
Remarks: There is no data on file as to his family. He was rejected on the ground that he did not render 6 mos. service as required by the Act of June 7. 1832 under which he applied for pension.
Respectfully,
Commissioner.

Jonas Mead
Tennessee
Rejected did not before six months see letter of April
1833 v. of Pickett
7081

1919 Sept. 10, First to Mrs. E. F. Walden
Acts of July 14, 1862, and March 3, 1863.
REJECTED
7081
P. O. _____
James Wendore
Service: _____
Enlisted: _____, 18 .
Discharged: _____, 18 .
Application filed: _____, 18 .
Alleges: The printed list of 1852 gives cause of rejection
Re-enlisted: as follows: "not six months service"
Attorney: _____
P. O. _____
_____
_____ Recognized. _____ Contract
_____ Cert. of Dis. Searched for _____, 18

BRIEF objections to the admission of Pension Claims , of which those answered in the negative, in red ink, will apply to the claim of Jonas Mearns 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?

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? No
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?
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?
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 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.

J. Pickett
April 4, 1833
or
Rec. vol. 25
Page 22

War Department Pension Office April 4, 1833
Sir,
The papers of Jonas Meador have been examined. He states that he entered the service for a term of six months and that about five or six weeks before the expiration of his time he hired a substitute. The act of June 7, 1832, under which he claims, provides for none who did not serve themselves some at least six months. His claim has therefore been rejected and the papers will be placed on the files in this office.
Jonathan Pickett Esq Carthage, Tennessee.
W.V.

E. F. WALDEN DEALER IN General Merchandise.
✓ 2 - 1 ct stamps enclosed EFW
Bureau of Pensions Washington D.C.
Rev. Sec asw
MOREHOUSE, MO., Aug 27 1919.
Dear Sirs- I have been seeking a source of finding out my pedigree. I think I have my lineage all traced but want it looked into to make sure and to find out if any of my ancestors are of Revolutionary fame. I want to be a D.A.R. but do not know for sure if I am eligible. I understand that you are the one to whom I should write. Please look into this for me and let me know. Also let me know if either of my ancestors were of 1776 fame? The "Meador" family is the one I am tracing. I -Mrs Susie Walden-nee-Meador" Born in Cumberland County Virginia- am the daughter of Merritt - Singleton Meador -son of Jonas Meador - son of William Meador -son of Jehu Meador -Son of Jonas Meador - son of Jehu Meador, Sr. All these "Meadors" seem to be of Cumberland County Virginia. The will of this Jehu Meador Jr was made in 1820. The records at Cumberland C.H. Va., show it. Please reply to this as soon as this is looked into. Thanking you in advance I am Very Truly Yours- Mrs E.F.Walden.
Please return this letter with reply