Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty Land Warrant Application File R. 9,978, for Spencer Lewis, Virginia

SERVICE
NUMBER
Va.
Lewis, Spencer
P 9978
CONTENTS

Accomack County State of Virginia
On this the 14 day of April — 1853 personally appeared before me a justice of the peace for the County offices and Spencer Lewis , who being so old and infirm to appear in Open Court, who is about ninety years of age to the best of his knowledge and belief, but has no record of his age he knows them also but little difference between himself and his brother Thomas Lewis, who has received a pension for his revolutionary services the said Spencer Lewis being first duly sworn maketh the following Declaration in order to obtain the the benefit of the act of Congress passed June 7 1832. He says during the revolutionary war, in the year 1778 he entered the service of the Virginia Militia, a folio in the County of Accomack and continued in the service to the end of the war, under the following named officers, first under the Command of Capt. William Drummond. & Col Thomas Snead, and others but from the long lapse of time and consequent loss of memory has forgotten some of his officers, and his services, but recollects he served a large portion of three, or four, years, at a place called "Willetts Hill", under the Command of Capt. John Lewis, and at other times under the Command of W m Drummond at a place called "Pies Field", and at other, and different places, under other Captains of the Militia in the said County but cannot at this late stage in the very "winter" of his life and poverty give his services in detail, as the Militia of Accomack were all the time subject to repeated calls on guard and alarms. throughout the war

And Spencer to the best of his knowledge, and belief, he served in said war over two years, but knows of no one at this late day to know his services as his brother and all those who served with him are dead. He was also well acquainted in the war with Col. John Cropper, Col. Southy Simpson, Col. Lewis Lyons, Col. Parker & Col. Sneed of Armstrong.
And he is now acquainted with the Hon. Henry Oliver judge Pugh, the Rev. George H. Evers, Littleton A. Himmell Esq. and all the prominent men of the County. Who can testify to his credibility up to recently he has been able to support himself, but & misfortune  recently affliction has caused him to claim a pension for his services which he thinks his country will not withhold longer from him he  had would have applied earlier, but his brother's pensions which was for similar services not paid until recently.
He hereby relinquishes every claim whatever to a pension or annuity except the present and declares that his name is not on any pension roll of the agency of any state. He moreover states in war well acquainted with Custus Bule Robert Chase Henry Sumner Richard Sumner and the rest of the infantry soldiers in said war.
Given under my hand this 19 day of April, 1853.
Spencer his + Lewis mark

We George H Ewell a clergyman residing in the County of Brunswick & State of Va. & John Parker, Residing in the same County , hereby certify that we are well acqu- ainted with Spencer Lewis who has subscribed and sworn to the above declaration that we believe him to be 90 years of age that he is respected and beloved in the neighbourhood where he resides to have been a soldier of the of the Revolution and we concur in that opinion
Given under our hands 19 day of April 1853
George H Ewell
John Parker
Brunswick County State of Virginia
This day Spencer Lewis, who by reason of old age and bodily infirmity could not appear in open Court personally appeared before me a justice of the Court for the County aforesaid and made oath in due form of law to the truth of the foregoing declaration, and after having put the interrogatories prescribed by the War Department, believing that the Applicant Spencer Lewis was a Revolutionary soldier, and served as he states, and that I concur in that opinion, and I further certify that I am well acquainted with the Rev. George H. Ewell who is a clergyman, and resides in Brunswick County who has signed the preceding Certificate and that the said John Parker is a credible person and that their Statements is entitled to full credit. and moreover the said Applicant Spencer Lewis is well known to me as a man whose oath is entitled to full faith and credit and believe him to be the age he describes himself to be.
Given under my hand 19 April 1853 Wm A. Helms J.P.

Peace Office Declaration
21 st of June 1832
Filed by J. Gillet Clerk
State of Virginia, } to wit:- Accomack County,
I, Geo. W. Gillet, Clerk of Accomack County Court, in the state aforesaid, certify, that Littleton S. Newman, who has subscribed the within certificate, was, at the time of subscribing the same, a Justice of the Peace in and for the said County, duly commissioned and qualified according to the Constitution & Laws of the said state, and that his signature thereto is genuine.
In Testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand and affixed the seal of the said Court, this the 21 st day of April, A. D., 1833. -
M c Gillet C.S.O.

Henry Marshall Deposition
Filed by V. Ellis atty

Accomack County State of Virginia } ss.
Henry Marshall of the County of Accomack aged 82 years of age being first duly sworn Deposeeth and saith that he is the son of Sampson Marshall who was one of the Militia of Accomack County in the Revolutionary war (but died before the pension act took place) that he has frequently heard his Father and Samuel Marshall who was a Revolutionary pensioner and Absalom Lewis of Linn County frequently say that Spencer Lewis was one of the Accomack Militia and served on duty with them in the Revolutionary war herein mentioned and also many others. He further states that altho a boy he recollects the war and the time his father was on guard distinctly recollects of seeing the shipping and the Barges near where he then resided. He further states that he has always regarded, and so has the community generally Spencer Lewis as a Revolutionary soldier his brother Thomas Lewis who served with him has drawn his pension and that the said Spencer and his brother Tom were nearly the same age and served together as he has always understood and verily believes.
Given under my hand this 19. April 1953
Henry his Marshall mark
Accomack County State of Va } ss
This day the above Henry Marshall to me well known personally, appeared before me a justice of the peace for the County of Va? and made oath to the foregoing. The said Marshall is a disinterested and credible witness. Given under my hand this 19 th day of April 1953. J. M. A. Newman J.P.

July 14, 1852.
App. of Spencer Lewis, Virginia.
Ad. 9 th June, 1832.
Original
V. Ellis,
Present.
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR, PENSION OFFICE, OFFICIAL BUSINESS
Commissioner

REJECTED
9978
P. O. _____
Lewis Spencer
Service: Spencer Lewis
Enlisted: _____, 18
Discharged: _____, 18
Application filed: _____, 18
Alleges: _____
Re-enlisted: _____
Attorney: _____
P. O. _____
_____ Recognized. _____ Contract
_____ Cert. of Dis. Searched for _____, 18

Sumner County State of Vt
The deposition of Robert Chase a Revolutionary Pensioner being first duly sworn deposes and saith that during the war of the revolution altho he and Spencer Lewis lived in the same County they did not serve on duty together, but that he allways understood, and believes, that the said Spencer Lewis , was one of the Sumner Militia in the Revolutionary war, and kept guard and done about the same duty as myself and the rest of the Militia of Sumner Co. His brother Thomas Lewis who served with him has recently received his pension and I have no doubt the said Spencer Lewis is equally entitled
Robert his X Chase mark
Sumner County State of Vt } 0
This day Robert Chase who signed the above deposition personally appeared before me a justice of the peace for the County afo d . and made oath to the foregoing deposition. who is now in the receipt of a yearly Pension given under my hand this 19 th day of April 1853 -
Wm H. Holman J. P.

No. 38,596.
Louis Spencer (Va.)
Let. to V. Ellis - Sep. 9/53
9978
Recd June 7. 1882

Washington 13 July 53 Court Pensions
Sir. I herewith enclose the application of Spencer Lewis for pension under act of June 1832 together with depositions of Robt Chase & Henry Marshall sustaining the same.
The account for militia stands on a different footing from those who served in other parts of Virginia.
See cases of Curtis Bull, Benson Snead, Robert Chase, David Watts & others from the same county.
See also decision of Secretary of the Interior p 532 of May & Monthly edition of the pension laws. Under this decision all the surviving soldiers

of Newark County who have ever applied for pensions have been allowed full pensions or similar proof to that now presented.
In the case of Curtis's Bull before referred to the various laws &c &c showing the services of the Newark Militia will be found cited. Respectfully submitted
William Ellis