Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty Land Warrant Application File W. 6242, for Henry Tatum, Virginia

SERVICE
NUMBER
Va
Jatum Henry Dorothea
W. 6242 and B.L. 11t. 316-2
Va. half pay.
CONTENTS

4502
Lucania, Richmond
Enoch Tatham
son of Henry Tatham
who was a Lieutenant
in the Revolution
Reported
Let. H. S. Tatham
March 25/44
Inscribed on the Roll at the rate of 320 Dollars — Cents per annum, to commence on the 4th day of March, 1843.
Certificate of Pension issued the 19 th day of Jan. 1844 and sent to Pensioner Richmond, Va.
(Act of March 3, 1843.)
Recorded in Book A Vol. 1. Page 153.

5775
183/4
Doct H. A. Tatum Norfolk Virginia

Virginia, to wit: The County Court of Augusta, held at the courthouse of said County on Monday the 22nd day of July 1839.
Present: James Bell, James T. Melton Percival H. Beisley David Griffiths
On this 22nd day of July eighteen hundred and thirty nine, personally appeared before the Court of the County of Augusta, Dorothea Patrum a resident of Henrico County and State of Virginia aged Seventy three years and two months to the 18th inst., who being first duly sworn according to Law doth, on her oath make the following declaration in order to obtain the benefits of the provision made by the act of Congress passed July 7th 1838 entitled "an act granting half pay and pension to cert- ain widows" - That she is the widow of Henry Patrum who was a Lieutenant in the continental army or continental service in the 5th Virginia Regiment in the Revolutionary War and late a pensioner of the United States - she further declares that she was married to the said Henry Patrum on the tenth day of July in the year seventeen hundred and eighty three; that her husband the aforesaid Henry Patrum died on the twenty second day of July eighteen hundred and thirty nine that she was not married to him prior to his leaving the service, but the marriage took place previous to the first of January seventeen hundred and ninety four, &c; at the time above stated. - all of which is ordered to be certified to the War Department of the United States of America.
For Testimony that the foregoing is a copy from the records of

The County Court of Augusta. I, Jefferson Kinney, Clerk of the said County Court hereunto affixed my seal of office and subscribed my name This 24 th day of July in the year One thousand eight hundred and thirty nine.
Jefferson Kinney, Clerk.

Dr Tatum
Sir
You will perceive from the enclosed that your mother's health was such as to enable her to go to Court & take the step you wished, I am in hopes now you will succeed in getting what is due, your mother goes down to Breakfast Dinner & Supper Ann presented me with a fine daughter on the 5 th inst Ann Tatum is her name, her health is now as good as could be expected her dyspeptic habit troubles her a little but nothing to what it was when she had James, she is now drinking mineral or Allum water which seems to have a good effect. I am in hopes she will recover entirely. how does the Morns Multicanalis fever come on with you & the crops in general let me hear from you soon. your Mother & Sister & children join me in love to you & Ladies & daughter.
Truly yours James M Boyd Staunton 25 th July 1839

Norfolk Nov: 6. th - 1839.
Honored Sir
My mother Dorothea Tatum widow of Lieutenant Henry Tatum of the 5 th Virginia Regiment in Continental service of the United States in the war of the Revolution Received in August last a certificate of Pension at the rate of $320 pr annum from Mr Edw Edwards Commissioner of Pensions at Washington for the United States.
Subsequent to the 4 th of last September she sent a power of attorney to Thomas Mearne of Richmond to receive the amt: then due from the day of her husband's death to the 4 th September last which is $996. \frac{43}{100} (without the interest which is refused to be paid) Mr Mearne the attorney applied to the agent appointed at Richmond and he gave to him a check on the Bank of Virginia for $996. \frac{43}{100} directing in that check the cashier to charge the pension fund with that amount and directing the cashier to pay it to the attorney; the attorney finding he could not get proper funds for it and as my mother had directed him to pay over the funds to me sent the original check to me I sent it to the bank for what it called for hoping that United States funds would have been paid for it but the cashier refused to give any thing for it but the notes of that bank and consequently the gentleman returned the check to me and I still hold it with great anxiety that that Executive will have it redeemed in proper funds, as the notes of the bank are ten percent below specie value and before my mother uses it all may be further below. In fact since it is no

bank at all by the laws of Virginia, it having forfeited its charter by refusing to redeem its notes in specie, and it may never redeem them fully, for it has been very unfortunate. The government of the United States will not receive its notes and does not acknowledge them as the currency of the country. The laws of Virginia do not recognize them as the currency of Virginia. The check reads thus (No. 33) Charge Pension Fund of the 1838 United States
Richmond October 12 th 1839.
Cashier of the Bank of Virginia Pay to the order of Thomas Mierce attorney for Dorothea Tatum (widow) nine hundred and ninety six dollars and 43 cents. $996.43 ct. Aulz Robinson
May I hope for your friendly interference in this case honored Sir. General Gasson would have had such a case attended to and I believe you will have it corrected forthwith. I await your answer Sir on your action Sir and you shall lose nothing by it I assure you Sir and in the mean time I remain very respectfully your humble servant and friend
H. A. Tatum M. D. " Norfolk
W. Cabaness President of B. S.
I forgot to give you above what is on the back of the it is as follows. Viz. Pay to the order of H. A. Tatum Mrs. Mierce att to for Dorothea Tatum H. A. Tatum Then comes my endorsement thus

Richmond Virginia January 30 th 1838.
This is to certify that William Goode Senior of the county of Chesterfield am in the 77 th year of my age, that I was acquainted with Henry Tatum late a pensioner of the United States from the time of my boyhood (tho' said Tatum was considerably the oldest), that we were born and raised in the same neighbourhood in the county of Chesterfield Va and that my acquaintance continued to near the close of his life, that I am also acquainted with Dorothea Tatum his widow who is now alive who was a Miss Blairborne of the county of Dinwiddie; and to the best of my recollection and the best evidence of facts brought to my mind that they were married before the final close of the war of the war revolution. Said Tatum & my self were magistrates in the same county & frequently acted as such together; that I received the commission of Major about the year 1805 that I have been acting as magistrate or high sheriff ever since 1801. and am now the presiding magistrate of the court of Chesterfield county. That I am well known to John Robertson Esquire the Representative in Congress from Richmond as a member of the Chesterfield court when he was a member of that bar. And that said Tatum was late a resident of Richmond. — Given under my hand the day and date above Witness Thos. V. Brooking Wm Goode sen

Hon. of Delegates Richmond Va. July 1 st 1858
I hereby certify that I am acquainted with William Goode the signer of the above appended certificate; that he is a justice of the peace in Chesterfield county, and ranks high as a gentleman of honor and integrity. My knowledge of the character of William Goode will justify me in saying that I would give credit to any statement he would make as soon as to that of any man living.
James H. Cox "

Evidence of Service

Henry Tatum is entitled to the additional proportion of land allowed a Lieutenant of the Continental Line for eight months service more than seven years. Council Chamber. Sam l Coleman. February 10 th 1808. W m H. Cabell.
Warrant No. 5419 for 295 acres &c. to Henry Tatum, and delivered to the said H. Tatum the 10 th of February 1808.
Virginia Land Office Richmond Jan y 23 rd 1855. I hereby certify that the foregoing is a copy from the Records of this Office. S. H. Parker. Reg. L. Office.

Copy Military voucher of Lieut. Henry Johnson, and a bill from Land Office.
Exam'd.
Feb 20 1860

Henry Tatum is entitled to the proportion of Land allowed a Lieutenant of Continental line for the war.
Council Chamber, Samuel Coleman Dec r 24. 1802.
John Page.
State of Virginia, to wit:
I William Selden, Register of the Land office, of the State aforesaid; Do hereby certify that the foregoing is a true copy of an Original Voucher, on file in this office, agreeably to which the following military land bounty warrants issued. Two for 1000 acres each N o 5023, 5024 and one for 666 2 / 3 acres N o 5025 the 24 th of December, 1802, to Henry Tatum, in consideration of his services as a Lieutenant for the war, on Continental Establishment.
Given under my hand, and Seal of Office at the City of Richmond, the 22 nd July, 1828.
Wm Selden, Register

I do hereby certify that in the year 1848 I practiced the Law in the County of Dinwiddie - About which time I became acquainted with Mr. Henry Tatum, and was well acquainted with Capt. Daniel Claiborne (who acted as a Justice of the Peace in s d Court), & frequently visited him - And I always understood both at that time & after from the family of the said Claiborne & from the s d Tatum, that he the said Tatum had married a Daughter of the s d Claiborne whose name (I believe) was Dorothea - I also remember that the s d Tatum acted as Deputy Sheriff about that time under the s d Claiborne, who was High Sheriff - Given under my hand this 29 th of January 1838 -
Rich d Gregory
P.S. I am now 80 years old R g
Dr. W.
The above certificate states all that I know about y r Father & G d Father, which I hope will be sufficient for your purpose -
Health & Respect -
Rich d Gregory

Certificate of the time of Henry Tatum's Death. —

Martha Tatum was borne September 12 th 1788 and Departed this Life the 22 nd day of July 1836
Borough of Norfolk State of Virginia (L. wit) This day Henry A. Tatum personally appeared me a justice of the Peace for said Borough of Norfolk and made oath that Lieutenant Henry Tatum of Continental service in the war of the Revolution late of the city of Richmond and State Virginia and late a Pensioner of the United States died on the 22 nd day of July 1836. — Given under my hand this 23 rd March 1839.
Thom Williamson also

Bolesville 6 th Jan y . 1807 W. John W. Epps
D r Sir
I take the liberty of requesting you will be so good as to procure the Warrant for the land allowed me by Congress as a Lieutenant in the Virginia line on the Continental establishment during the revolutionary War. The vouchers for my title were lodged in the War office some years since by Col. Thomas Claiborne whilst a member of Congress. It is but a few days I understood that the time allowed for lifting them will expire the first of February, hence you see the necessity of an immediate application as probably there may be something more required of me to enable you to obtain the same. should there be you will please to notify me thereof with your earliest convenience. when you have procured the Warrant be kind enough to forward it to me, together with my evidence of Claim.

That is lodg'd in the War office as it may be of use in an application I contemplate for the half pay or commutation allow'd by Congress to the officers in the Revolutionary War, unless the Door be now open to receive the same. in which case you will please lift that also. I shall be extremely thankfull for information on the sub- ject. I am dear sir with great respect your mt. Ob t H. ble serv t
Henry Tatum
Henry Tatum
Letter

The Bank
M. L. Archer
Recd & paid 8 15
Referred to my good son as requested by Mr. A. P.H.
New England
Peter Bryan Esq.

Washington Feb. 6. 1833
Sir Be pleased to inform me whether Henry Paton appears to be entitled to any pay or Commutation as an Officer in Revolutionary Service?
Respectfully
John L. Archer
W. Harper
P.S. Transfer this to the Exec. Com.

Hon. Wm. S. Archer
July 8 th 1833.
Henry Salton
316-
200 Acres

Dep t of War, Bounty Land Office Feb y 8 th 1833
Sir
In reply to the inquiry submitted in yours of the 6 th inst. address d to P. Hagner Esq r . and referred by him to this office. I have to state that, it appears by the records of this office, Land Warrant N o 316. for 200 acres on the 16 th Jan y 1807. in the name of Henry Tatum, a Lieut t of the Virg a line - and the same was delivered to J. W. Epps Esq r . I have the honor
W m Gordon
Hon ble W. S. Archer Ho s of Rep s

629.
H. Tatum.
rec d 25 July 1828
ack d 29 Aug t
Washington City
The Honorable Secretary of the U.S. Treasury
Revolutionary Claims

Major Henry Tatum's Declaration X
when the list fell on my department was promised to a supernumerary and for that commission at the close of the war, I did not receive the commutation allowed by law & was never on the pension list.
For the purpose of obtaining the benefits of an act entitled "An act for the relief of certain surviving officers and soldiers of the army of the revolution", approved on the 15 th of May 1828. I Henry Tatum lately of Chesterfield County, now of Richmond City and County of Henrico in the State of Virginia, do hereby declare that I was a Lieutenant in the Continental line of the Army of the Revolution, and served as such during the war. I further declare that in the year 1776 I marched under Captain Ralph Faulkner as a cadet, and in the latter part of that year I received an Ensigns Commission, was attached to the 5 th Virginia Regiment Charles Scott commander, which was reduced, and then was attached to the 3 rd Regiment and became supernumerary by casting lots. Given under my hand this 22 nd day of July 1828.
Henry Tatum
Before me Maryann Shipyard justice of the peace, duly empowered to administer oaths in the County of Henrico in the State of Virginia, personally appeared this day John Scott of Amelia and Thomas Underwood of the said County who did severally make oath, that Major Henry Tatum by whom the foregoing declaration was subscribed is generally reputed and believed to have been an officer in the army of the revolution, in manner as therein stated.
Witness my hand this 22 nd day of July, in the year 1828. Mary Shipyard

X I Lofin M. Elliott, clerk of the Court of the County of Henrico, in the State of Virginia, do hereby certify that Benj: Sheppard before whom the foregoing affida- vits were sworn, was, at the time a justice of the peace, and duly empowered to administer oaths. —
In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand, and affixed the seal of the said Court, this 28 th day of July in the year 1828.
Lofin M. Elliott B.H.C.

W.R.
Dear Sir,
Richmond 22. July 1828.
I sent on my commission and other papers some years ago to Congress for the purpose of getting payment of my claim against the United States and I apprehend they were deposited in the Office of the Rolls of Congress, or that they were sent to the War Office, and if so, possibly they were destroyed by the fire when that office was burnt, I now forward to you a copy of the voucher, upon which my full bounty in lands was granted me, I ask your attention to this business at as early a period as your convenience will permit, I now reside in this place and any communication made to me through the Post Office here will be immediately attended to.
I am Sir
Your Most Ob Servant.
Henry Tatum

V. 376.
Harry Tatum Lieut.
Whipped & Del. to Mr. Gyles.
[Faint, illegible handwriting]

May 15
Virginia, 370
Dorothea Tatum
widow of Henry Tatum -
who was a pensioner under the Act of 15 Mar and who died on the 22 d July, 1836 of Richmond in the State of Virginia who was a Lieutenant in the _____ commanded by Captain _____ of the _____ commanded by _____ in the Virginia line for 2 years
Inscribed on the Roll of Richmond - at the rate of 320 - Dollars - Cents per annum, to commence on the 4th day of March, 1836 & terminating 22 d July 1836 -
Certificate of Pension issued the 13 th - day of May 1843 and sent to Mrs Dorothea Tatum, Richmond - Va
Arrears to the 4th of _____ annual allowance ending
$122.86
[Act July 7, 1838.]
Recorded by W. H. Sturtevant Clerk, at - Vol. 2 Page 184
105

Henry Tatum's
Claim Me. B. Land
Lodged by himself
Jan. 29. 1862

Henry Tatum - Lieut. 3 d V a Regt. Claim for Mil. Bounty Land — lodged Jan y . 29. 1802 in Person

Norfolk Dec. 1 st — 1841.
Hon: Sir
I write for the purpose of enquiring most respectfully of yourself Sir whether you will pay the claim of the executor of Henry Tatum who was a supernumerary, which case has been acted on by the court of appeals of this state, as you will perceive by reference to the 9 th Vol 1 of Leigh's reports of the supreme court of appeals of Virginia page 56, where you will see that Judges Parker and Cabell were decidedly of opinion that the court should give a judgment allowing Tatum's claim of half pay under the act of May 1779. — Judges Brockenbrough & Brooke being opposed, Judge Tucker the President of the court gives it, his opinion coinciding with Judges Parker and Cabell that the act of May 1779 cannot be otherwise construed, than to place the continental officers on the on the same footing with the state line as to half pay, and to include not only those who became supernumerary afterwards but those also who had become so before the act. — "If this be so, the case stands upon the same principles as Lilly's case; and congress having provided for the payment of all claims & depending on the principles of the half pay cases already decided" in this court, and thus adopted the decision in Lilly's case, whether right or wrong, I presume the claim of payment under this Legislative grant would be available at the treasury of

the United States . The act here referred to is the act of congress of 1832, which directs the Secretary to settle these claims on the principles of the half pay cases already decided in the Supreme court of appeals in Virginia. — which you will perceive sir at a glance makes no reference to future principles, but to the principles already decided on at the passage of the act in 1832, by said court of appeals. — He goes on to disagree with judges Parker and Cabell as to the propriety of giving judgment against the state of Virginia though a fair claim on the treasury of the United States . He does not hold himself bound to give a judgment against the state of Virginia , for the petitioner though he admits the identity of Lilly's case with this. (Saturn's) which conclusion sir gives the majority of one against the claim as being 1 st on Virginia , and as a consequence secondarily on the United States treasury , and leaves the claim to fall primarily on the treasury of United States ; which I hope sir you feel yourself unquestionably authorized to settle. —
5 judges of the court 3 with sentiments of P.S. 3 of the court 3 high consideration
were of the opinion that it stands on the same ground as Lilly's case, which claims congress has decided to pay. —
I am your servant Thos. Saturn M.D.
To) The Hon: The Secretary of U.S. Treasury. —
* His conclusion that Lilly's case was decided wrong does not affect the act of congress.

The Petition of Dorothea Tatum
Sept. 25. 1837
to lie on the Table
Jan 8. 1838
Ref. to Com - Rev. Pensions
Blair committee
{ Rec from Clk to } 35 dis { Rep. Mar 28. 1839 } to lie
W. Robertson Resp.

Richmond Virginia September 16 th
1837.
To the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States in Congress assembled. The petition of Dorothea Saturn of Richmond Virginia humbly sheweth that where as she had understood that Congress had wisely and kindly provided by a law for the aged widows of revolutionary pensioners of the United States she addressed a letter to the proper department at Washington stating that she is the widow of your late pensioner Henry Saturn of Richmond Virginia who died on the 22 d day of July 1836: you will perceive by the letter which Mr Edwards the Commissioner of Pensions sent me in reply and which I herewith enclose to you that he says I am not entitled to any thing by the act of July 4 th 1836 because I was not a widow until the 22 d day of July 1836 thus you will see that by the wording of the law which was passed for the relief of the widows of Pensioners of the Revolution that I am excluded by 18 days and I am obliged to come before you in this way to obtain that which I am sure that Congress did not design to exclude any widow of a Pensioner from who was married to such Pensioner before his time of service expired in the war of the revolution, as the number who were to become widows after the 4 th of July 1836 of those married as long ago as the time of the revolution must be exceedingly limited or small: I pray you to remove this difficulty. — But on further reflection I am afraid that after you remove this difficulty another will present itself to the Commissioner of Pensions tho' he made no objection to that account, and that is that the act of the 4 th of July 1836 seems to provide only

for the widows of Pensioners who became pensioners by the act of 1832, and not for the widows of Pensioners under the act approved the 15 th of May 1828, the act under which my late husband became a Pensioner: This again I am sure of that, that gallant spirit which roused Congress to provide for the widows of that patriotic band the benefit of whose services we are now enjoying under Providence never could have intended to provide for widows of men of 2 years service and make no provision for the widows of officers & soldiers of 7 years service Has had you intended to make a difference it would most certainly have been in favour of the widows of those who bore the thickest and heat of the day us whose husbands belonged to the army throughout the whole war nearly or quite from its commencement up to its close by the ratification of Peace; if there be an obstacle here I pray you remove that also and pass such act specially for my benefit as will place me on the pension list to commence at the same time when you please that others pensions did under the act of the 4 th of July 1836. — Now my countrymen one matter of very great importance is that you will do it directly if you please, because I am very old and so infirm that I cannot expect to live but a short time and should you delay your relief will come too late I cannot in the course of nature be of much expense to any country a few more fleeting days & weeks and yet one of us who were married to the officers & soldiers before the close of the revolutionary war

will remain to receive any thing at the hands of our grateful country. To this veteran of yours this said Henry Tatum who drew his pension under the act of 1828 (with which fact the commissioner of Pensions can certify you) I had the honor of giving my hand in marriage on the 10 th day of July 1783 which was previous to the close of the war by the ratification of peace. There is but one person alive who was present at my marriage and that is my nephew Col. Butts of Petersburg Virginia and he was but 7 years old but nevertheless I herewith transmit you satisfactory evidence. Some of the battles in which my husband was engaged were those of Trenton Quibbletown Coo'smill, Brandywine, Germantown White Marsh, Monmouth and finally he was engaged in the operations at Yorktown which terminated in the glorious capture of Cornwallis; on one occasion his feet were very much injured. — your prompt attention will greatly oblige, and your Petitioner will as she always does pray in the sincerity of her soul for the salvation of her countrymen. Most respectfully
Dorothea Tatum
P.S. you will perceive by a reference to the pension list that my husband Henry Tatum drew his pension as a Lieutenant of the Continental line in the army of the Revolution as by the pay certificate of my husband's department of Revolutionary Claims at Washington which was given to Anthony Robinson the pension agent here when I drew the balance of pension at the time of my husband's death and which he returned to Washington
Dorothea Tatum

see letter to Dr H. A. Tatum. Sept. 11. 1839 - do. to same Sept. 17. 1839 - Letter to J. Micard & P. & A. gent 11. Oct 1839. Let. to H. A. Tatum, Nov. 9. 1839 " " Mr E. Davis Feb 29 1840. same March 14. 1840 - do. to H. A. J. Holloman H. R. July 10. 1840 - do. to same July 14. 1840 - copy of recd husband's letter under act 1838 sent to H. A. Mallory H. R. Feb. 7. 1841. do. to H. A. Tatum Oct. 16. 1841 - do. to same (relative to half-pay under act 5 July 1832) Dec. 8. 1841 -
Virginia 3735
Dorothea Tatum
widow of Henry Tatum
who was a pensioner under the Act of 15 May 1828 and who died on the 22 d July 1836 of Richmond in the State of Virginia who was a Lieutenant in the _____ commanded by Captain _____ of the _____ commanded by _____ in the Revolution time for 2 years
Inscribed on the Roll of Richmond, V a at the rate of 320 Dollars _____ Cents per annum, to commence on the 4 th day of March, 1836.
23. July
Certificate of Pension issued the 5 th day of August 1839 and sent to Dr H. A. Tatum, Norfolk, V a
Arrears to the 4 th of March '39 898 23 Semi-annual allowance ending 6 Sep. " 160 00
$1058 23
{ Act July 7. 1838. }
Recorded by D. Brown Book A. Vol. 2
Clerk.
Page 184

629. 646 M rs Original Pension 292 REVOLUTIONARY CLAIMS.
TREASURY DEPARTMENT,
Aug t 9. 1828.
Henry Tatum, of Richmond in the County of Henrico, in the State of Virginia has applied to the Secretary of the Treasury for the benefits of the act, entitled "An Act for the relief of certain surviving officers and soldiers of the army of the Revolution," approved on the 15th of May, 1828. He states that he was as an officer on the Continental line, and served as such until reduced by lot under the arrangement of 1780,
at which period he was a lieutenant in the 3 d regiment of the Virginia line; and that he has not received commutation certificates for the five years full pay granted by the resolve of 22 March, 1783; and, further, that he has received as a pensioner since the 3 d of March, 1826, nothing — dollars, paid to him by the agent in the State of
The Third Auditor is requested to report how far these several statements are corroborated by the records in his office.
By order of the Secretary, A. Dickinson.
TREASURY DEPARTMENT,
THIRD AUDITOR'S OFFICE,
14. August 1828
It appears by the records in this office, that final settlement certificates have been issued for the commutation of five years full pay to the line, amounting to dollars.
It further appears that Henry Tatum is now on the pension list of the any — agency, and has been since the 3 d March 1826 at the rate of per annum.
From the Book containing the names of officers, it appears that L t Henry Tatum, became a supernumerary officer, on the 30 th September 1778
Richd Hayner And
1000007

House of Reps Washington City Feb. 28/40
J. S. Edwards,
Will you please to inform me whether the name of Lieutenant Henry Fatum is inscribed on the pension roll; And what proof is on record in your office relating to the application of his widow Dorothea Fatum for a continuance of the pension to her,
Respectfully Yours O ff Secy E. Davies
792

Decision of Secretary

Copy, Original given Commissioned Sep 19/33
Sep r Interior
Aug 2, 1853
Sir,
Your decision upon the claim of the representatives of Henry Paton for half pay under the act of Aug 5, 1832, has been fully affirmed in conformity with your report thereon, that the claim same is not provided for by the provisions of said act.
I am &c
R W Cluett
Secy &c
Commission
&c

H. A. Tatum, M.D. Richmond, Va. - Jan'y 10, 1855
Respecting the claim of the children of Lieutenant Henry Tatum to half pay due him for his services in the War of the Revolution.
Yeddes
See keep on document
Respectfully referred to The Commr of Pensions for report to this Department
Dept Int Jan'y 11/55
W. A. Whiting Chf Clk
Pruchett 11 Jan'y 1855.

Declaration
In order to obtain arrears of Pensions due from March 4 th 1836, under the Act of July 7 th 1838.
On this 5 th day of May 1843 personally appeared before me, W m H. Randolph a justice of the peace, in the County of Henrico, & State of Virginia, Dorothea Tatum a resident of the County & State aforesaid, aged seventy six years on the 18 th of last May, who being duly sworn, according to law, doth on her oath, make the following declaration, in order to obtain the amount of pension which she claims from the 4 th of March 1836, to the 22 d day of July 1836, from which period she has been already paid under the Act of the 7 th of July 1838, And the declarant further alleges that she is still the widow of Henry Tatum, who was a Lieutenant of Infantry in the Virginia line of the Army of the Revolution, during the Revolutionary War; that her pension was allowed at the rate of three hundred & twenty dollars per annum, & was paid to her at the Agency in the City of Richmond, in the State of Virginia. And further she saith not. Dorothea Tatum sworn to & subscribed, on the day & year above written before me W m H. Randolph, a justice of the peace as aforesaid. Given under my hand & seal this 5 th day of May in the year 1843. W m H. Randolph (Q. S.)

Virginia, Henrico County to wit:
I of Virginia Loftus N. Elette, Clerk of the County Court for the said County of Henrico, in the State, do hereby certify that William B. Randolph, whose name is subscribed to the foregoing, was at the date of the same, and is now an acting Justice of the peace in and for the County aforesaid, in the State aforesaid, duly commissioned and qualified as such according to law.
In Testimony whereof I hereunto subscribe my name and annex the Seal of the said Court this 8 th day of May 1843.
Loftus N. Elette. C.C.H.C.

Ho of Reps July 12. 1841
Sir
The papers in the case of Lieut. Henry Tatum are denied by the son of the widow "with a view of getting a continuance of my (his) mother's pension. Complaint is also made that the pension of the widow should not expire until 6 th next whereas 5 th the decision of the Secy. it expires on 4 th 12 mo 41 next.
Res Yr Obedt McAllom.
L L Edwards esq
Comm. of Pensions
Washington Dec

House Rep July 8 to 1940
Dear Sir
Daughter Lature widow of Leont Henry Lature was allowed half pay for five years which it is said will expire on the 4 th March 1941. Her son who writes to me thinks the pension commences on July 1936 which would limit it to less than five years.
you will please inform me when the half pay commenced and when it will expire so as to know whether it is to be allowed for the full period of five years.
With respect yours
For J. L. Lature

House of Representatives Washington City Mar 11 1840
J. L. Edwards Esq.
Dear Sir, Will you please to furnish me with the proof and date of the marriage of Dorothea Fatum on record in your office.
Respt ly Yours E. Davies

Richmond Oct 8 th 1839
Mr Ed. Edwards
I enclose your Pension claim
By the direction of Mr Robinson I suggest he say your letter to him directs Mr Tatum the widow of Col. J. Tatum to be paid from the 24 th March 1836 in her Pension paper, she is only allowed to rec d her pay from 2 nd July 1836 I would be glad if you would give me Mr Robinson the necessary information her, wrote to your son some time ago Col. Tatum had this paper prepared by your direction, and Mr Robinson thinks it wrong by your letter him I am yours Sincerely
Thos Miley

H. A. Tatum M.D. Richmond-Virginia Feb. 6. 1853
Respecting the claim of the Heirs of his father Henry Tatum decd. to Half-Pay for his services in the Virginia Line, in the Revolutionary War under act of July 5. 1832.
Respectfully referred to The Comm. of Pensions for a Report! Dept Int Feb. 20/53 M c Ado Chf clk
Addis

Old. W.P. Div. J. S. P. Exr. No. _____ Co. _____ Reg't _____
Department of the Interior. BUREAU OF PENSIONS.
Address your reply to the COMMISSIONER OF PENSIONS with return of this letter.
Washington, D.C. Jan'y 7, 1891
Sir,
In answer to your claim, as one of the heirs, for the arrears of pension supposed to be due for the difference between the rank of Captain, and that of Lieutenant which was granted to Dorothea Patern, on account of the service of her husband, Henry Patern, in the war of the Revolution from Virginia, I have to state that the widow made no claim in her pension paper, or any allusion to a higher rank than Lieutenant, nor is there expressed in the correspondence made any objection to, or dissatisfaction with that rank. She was allowed the maximum rate per annum for her husband's rank as Lieutenant, which was the highest recognized by the State. Section 4742. R.S. will prevent the payment of arrear of pension, if any were due, to children or descendants of the soldier.
M James Lyons Richmond Va

Q. M. & C. DIV.
U.S.
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR,
BUREAU OF PENSIONS,
WASHINGTON, D. C.,
April 14, 1893.
Sir:-
In reply to your personal request of the 12th. ultimo I enclose herewith copies of certain papers on file with the application for pension of Dorothea Tatum, widow of Henry Tatum, a soldier of the Revolutionary war.
Kindly acknowledge receipt of same.
Very respectfully,
Lucien E. Tatum, Fed.,
Commissioner.
8 W. Franklin St.,
Richmond, Va.

N 5172 Dorothea Tatum widow of Lieut. Henry Tatum, { Virg or Roll }
act 7 July, 1838. $320 per annum Commence 23 July 1836 - (died 22 nd July, 36)
Served 2 years
Send cut: to B. H. A.
Tatum, Norfolk
March 18 1843 } Va. March 30 1843 } Letter to W. H. Tatum.

4031
Acc May 15 1828 No 762

State of Virginia
City of Richmond } To Wit
Oct. 25, 1838. This day personally appeared before me a justice of the peace for said City, Dorothea Tatum, and made oath, that she is the widow of Henry Tatum late a pensioner of the United States, that she was married to said Henry Tatum before the ratification of peace in 1783, and that she has not been married since his death, which occurred in 1836.
Rich d D. Sarsay J.P.
I do hereby certify that the above named Dorothea Tatum is a very respectable lady, and firmly believe that what she says may be relied on either on oath or otherwise so far as her memory serves her, she is now very feeble, being worn down by age
Oct. 25, 1838
Rich d D. Sarsay J.P.

State of Virginia } and City of Richmond } to wit:
October 26 th 1838. —
This day Robert H. Branch of said City personally appeared before me a justice of the Peace for said city, and made oath, that he has been well acquainted with Mrs Dorothea Tatum from his infancy to the present time; that she is the widow of the late Lieut. Henry Tatum who was a Revolutionary Pensioner of the United States, and who died (he thinks) about the latter part of July 1836; that she has never been married since his death, and is at this time alive and the infirm, tremulous, old widow of said Henry Tatum deceased. The said Branch believes that the said Henry Tatum became a Pensioner under the act of congress of 15 th of May 1828, for the benefit of officers and soldiers of the Revolution to the end of that war, and that his widow Dorothea Tatum is the applicant for a pension under the third section of the act of July 4 th 1836, and the joint resolution of 1838. Now the said Branch feels no hesitation in swearing that he believes the said Dorothea Tatum is one of the most worthy old ladies that lived during the Revolution; & from intimate acquaintance with her, he is confident that any statement she makes, may be relied on as most strictly true in every sense of the word. — The said Robert H. Branch is a respectable witness.
(Tho Mercer) J.P.

Virginia, City of Richmond I do hereby certify
I Charles Howard, Clerk of the court of Hustings for the said City, do hereby certify that Richard Sankey whose name is subscribed to the first and second certificate proceeding, and Thomas Meigs whose name is subscribed to the third certificate proceeding, are aldermen and of  officio justices of the Peace in and for the said City, and members of the said Court of Hustings, and I believe their said signatures to be genuine. In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand and affixed the seal of the said court of Hustings the twenty ninth day of October, one thousand eight hundred and thirty eight.
Chs. Howard.
State of Virginia { To wit City of Richmond {
I hereby certify that I have examined Thomas Johnson M.D. professor in the Medical college in this City on oath, and stated that he had examined Mrs. Dorothea Saturn, who is named to in the two foregoing certificates signed by me and that it was his firm belief that she was unable to attend, or appear at Court, with safety on account of bodily infirmity, in which opinion I fully concur. Given under my hand this 15th day of December 1838
Rich d D. Sankey M.D.

Linwiddie B. Ho. July 30 th 1839
Sir,
I have carefully examined the records of the county court of Linwiddie, in order to ascertain whether a marriage license was issued or the marriage solemnized between Henry Saturn and Dorothea Blackburne of this county, but no such record can be found; It may be proper to state that at the period of the alleged marriage, the records of this office were carelessly and loosely kept; Daniel Blackburne the father of Mrs. Saturn left a will which is dated the 7 th day of February 1790, in which he names his daughter Dorothea Saturn.
Respectfully yours Geo. P. Kennep Clerk of Lin. Cty Court.

I William Goode S r of the County of Chesterfield & State of Virginia do hereby certify that I knew Henry Tatum at the time of his marriage with Dorothea Globorn his present widow who is the applicant for a pension under the Act of the 4 th of July 1836 and that I also knew him before he married said Dorothea Globorn but the date of their marriage I cannot charge my memory with tho' I am certain it took place before November 1788 Given under my hand the 22 nd day of May 1839
Wm Goode S r
Chesterfield County & State of Virginia to wit This day the above certificate was sworn to before me a justice of the peace for said County by William Goode S r given under my hand and seal this 22 nd day of May 1839 Mark Goode
Virginia, Chesterfield county, court;
I Parke Poindexter clerk of the county court of Chesterfield county, do hereby certify that Mark Goode esquire whose name is signed to the above certificate, is, and was at the date of the same, an acting Justice of the peace in and for the said county of Chesterfield, being duly commissioned and qualified as such; that the said signature is the genuine signature of the said Mark Goode esquire:
In testimony whereof, I have hereto subscribed my name, and affixed the Official seal of our said court this 23 rd day of May 1839.
Parke Poindexter. C.C.
Virginia, Chesterfield county, court;
I William Goode senior providing Justice of the peace in & for said county, do hereby certify, that Parke Poindexter whose signature is subscribed to the above certificate of attestation, was at the date of the same clerk of the county court of Chesterfield county, and that all his legal official acts are entitled to full faith and credit: Given under my hand and seal this 23 rd May A. D. 1839
Wm Goode S r 

Dinwiddie Clk's Office April 23 rd 1839.
Sir
Your Note of the 11 th instant has been received, and in reply have to state, that I have made diligent search for the bond of which you ask a copy, but find none such, nor any other marriage bonds for the year 1783; the records of that day appear to have been very loosely kept, and if the bond was ever filed it has been lost; neither can I find a certificate of the marriage of Henry Tatum to Dorothea Claiborne in this office. — The Will of Daniel Claiborne was recorded the 20 th day of September 1790 in which he mentions his daughter Dorothea Tatum. Mary Claiborne qualified as Executrix and Henry Tatum was one of her securities. — Should the Will be of consequence to you as furnishing proof of the marriage, you will write to me and I shall take pleasure in forwarding you a copy. —
I am
Very respectfully W. F. Crump.

Virginia
At a Circuit Superior Court of law and Chancery held for the County of Henrico and City of Richmond - December 17 th 1838.
This Court doth certify under the seal thereof, to the War department, that it is proved to the satis- faction of the Court, that Mrs Dorothea Tatum of the City of Richmond, in Virginia, widow of Henry Tatum dec d late a Pensioner of the United States, and named in a certificate of Richard D Sawyer esq r now produced to the Court, has been unable from bodily infirmity, to attend any Court since the first day of this Courtmonth, and from that cause, is unable to attend here at this time.
State of Virginia - Henrico County City of Rich- mond, to wit:
I John Robinson, Clerk of the Circuit Superior Court of law and Chancery for the said County and City, do hereby certify, that the above is a true trans- cript from the records of the said Court.
In testimony whereof I hereto set my hand, and annex the seal of the said Court, at Richmond, this 17 th day of December

December in the year one thousand eight hundred and thirty eight
J Robinson

Virginia,
City of Richmond, to wit:
Dorothea Tatum, of said City, maketh oath and saith, That she is in the seventy-second year of her age. That she is the daughter of Daniel Claiborne, dec d of the County of Dinwiddie. That on the Tenth day of July, One thousand seven hundred and eighty-three, she was married to Henry Tatum, in said County of Dinwiddie. That the ceremony was performed by the Rev d Ebenezer Goss, of the Episcopal Church, and that her husband, Henry Tatum, was a Pensioner of the United States under the act of Congress passed in Eighteen-hundred and twenty-eight, and drew his pension during his life, which closed on the twenty-second day of July, Eighteen-hundred and thirty-five.
Dorothea Tatum
Sworn to, and subscribed, before me, in said City this 9 th day of September 1837.
Joseph Tate, Mayor of the City of Richmond,

In Richmond Hustings Court, June 20th. 1837.
The Court order it to be certified that it is proved to their satisfaction by the testimony of a witness, that Henry Tatum late of this city, died on the 22 nd day of July 1836, and that Dorothea Tatum of this city is the widow of the said Henry Tatum deceased.
Virginia, City of Richmond Court;
I Charles Howard clerk of the Court of Hustings for the said city, do hereby certify that the foregoing is a true copy from the records of the said Court.
In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand and affixed the seal of the said Court of Hustings this thirteenth day of September, one thousand eight hundred and thirty seven.
Chs. Howard.
Virginia, City of Richmond Court:
I Joseph Tate, mayor of the said city and presiding justice of the Court of Hustings for the said city, do hereby certify that Charles Howard whose name is signed to the above attestation, is clerk of the said Court of Hustings duly elected and qualified according to law, and that his said attestation is in due form.
Given under my hand, this 13 th day of September, one thousand eight hundred and thirty seven.
Joseph Tate Mayor of said city, & presiding Justice of the Court of Hustings thereof.

91.
Henry Tatum.
Rejected no letter 158.
Mr Dickins Grosvenor
for Mr T. a Dickins Grosvenor

Feb. 14. 1893.
Dr. Sir
Inform me whether the accompanying papers prove a title under the Virginia Bills of last year & what forms must be completed with if they do. —
In Dr Mc c Thurs case do the $300 carry interest?
Respectfully
W. S. Booker

Very Fateful
vac claim
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I believe that it appears by the records of the Land office of Virginia that four military land bounty warrants amounting to two thousand seven hundred & forty acres & 2/3 of an acre were issued by the state of Virginia to Henry Saturn for seven years and eight months service as a Lieutenant in the continental line of the revolution: as witness my hand & seal of office hereunto affixed this 4 Feb 1838
Wm. Lee 2nd off Virg

Department of the Interior, OFFICIAL BUSINESS,
Chief Clerk.
The Hon. Loren P. Waldo Commr of Pensions

Eugene B. Tatum.
Mar 15-92 9. W. Franklin St.
Richmond Va

The Honble
Richard Rush
Secy. Treas: of U. S.
Washington
1. S. H. 622. H. 622. Nov 25th 1828 Oct 9th 1828
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Executive Department Richmond July 23 1828
Sir, Your very polite favor of the 28 th of May was received in the due course of the mail, and I gave the most respectful attention to its contents. — It was submitted to the Executive Council, and is placed amongst its Archives.
Since its receipt, I have received application from two Old Revolutionary Officers, Lieutenants Gatum, and Scott, to assist them, by my representation to you, in obtaining the rewards for their services, voted to them by the last Congress. — Lieut. Gatum conceived, that no additional representation to the contents of his own papers, will be necessary to authorize you, Sir, to forward his claim to him at this place.
Lieut. Scott apprehends some difficulty may exist in his case, without some further explanation, which he thinks, is in my power to make — His apprehensions arise from the single circumstance, that he accepted a pension as Ensign, when in fact, at the end of the War, he was, and had been for some time, Lieut. and ranked as such — He states two reasons for his conduct in this respect — The one was, that he understood the pension was the same in both cases — The other was: That he had lost or mislaid the evidence of his dismission. — The certificate of the late General Scott, now forwarded, he had forgotten — or he says, was obtained by another, to whom he had transferred his

his land bounty; and he did not know of its existence, until his trip here a few days ago - when he accidentally discovered it in one of the Offices here. - Lieut. Scott reminded me at the same time, of his having put into my possession, two affidavits, which contained the complete evidence of his Lieutenantcy - The one, of the late Genl. Wood - The other, of the late Capt. Moore, in whose Company he acted as Lieutenant - I recollect well having papers to that effect put into my possession, whilst in the Senate of the United States, which I believe were stolen among other things in a trunk of mine, cut from behind a desk on my return from Washington - I have full recollection of the existence of both these papers - And an acquaintance with both the officers. Genl. Wood was Governor of this state - Capt. Moore was an officer of merit; and an honest, honorable man - I have also been well acquainted with Lieut. Scott from his boyhood, and consider him a man of truth and integrity - I knew him well, whilst an Officer in the Army; and particularly at the end of the war; when I understood and believed, as I now believe, he was a Lieut. in rank, and Com- mand. Be pleased Sir, to accept assurances of my respectful consideration &c.
The Hon. Richard Root Secy of The Treasury.
[Handwritten signature: J. D. [?]]

Mr. Scott is extremely poor, not and has two worthy, respectable daughters depending on him for support.
Direct to, Elk Hill Post Office
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to him

Dec 26 Nov 1825
[Faint, illegible handwritten text covering the majority of the page]

X Richmond November 22 nd 1828
Dear Sir, Your letter of the 13 th Inst. came to hand on yesterday, by which I perceive my claim under the act for the relief of certain surviving Officers and soldiers of the Army of the Revolution would have been admitted but for the doubts arising from the statement in my declaration of my becoming a supernumerary. And here I must inform you that, owing to my age and great infirmities rendering me unable to act in such things for myself, my declaration was not written by myself, but by another at my request, and the writer not being able to comprehend, from my inability clearly to explain what I wished him to write, produced a statement not entirely satisfactory to me; and when I objected to some expressions, and particularly concerning my being a supernumerary, he said it made no difference as it was clear that I had rendered the service, and my claim was sufficiently established by the proof, which accompanied the declaration, of Virginia's having recognised me as a Lieutenant in the Continental line, for the war. —
I will if possible, make myself better understood, by giving a brief statement of my services during the Revolutionary war. In March 1776, as well as recollection serves me, I joined the 5 th Virginia Regiment on Continental service; in the September of the same year I obtained an Ensign's Commission, which commission I have now by me; a short time after that, how long I do not remember, I received a Lieutenant's Commission, which I cannot now lay my hand on, but it has never been taken from me. Some time probably previous to 1780 our Regiment was incorporated with the 3 rd Regiment, and after continuing in it for some time, the Colonel seeing there was a redundancy of Officers, suggested the propriety

of some of the Officers retiring awhile from the regiment until their services should be wanted, and as we could not determine who should retire, we concluded to cast lots, and I with several others had to retire for a while, still holding my Commission and myself in readiness to act when called on. —
I remained in this situation til about or perhaps subsequent to the resolve of October October 1780 when I again entered the Brigade then Commanded by General Muhlenburg and continued in it till the end of the war. —
My having thus retired for a time, by permission of my Colonel, is the probable cause of an incorrect entry having been made of my being a supernumerary. And my having again, when called on, entered, and remained in service to the end of the war, accounts for my being recognised by the state of Virginia as a Lieutenant in the Continental line for the war; for in fact, (although for a time I might have considered myself as a supernumerary) I did belong to the Continental army during the whole war.
When I was called on after 1780 and re-entered the service under General Muhlenburg, (the Commissions not having for a long time been filled up) I acted as Brevet Major, though I only held a Lieutenant's Commission. So that in fact I rendered service in the Continental army both previous and subsequent to October 1780, for among the service which I rendered, I fought at the taking of the Hessian at Trenton, in the battles of Quibble Town, Coote's Mill, Brandywine, (where I was wounded,) German Town, White Marsh, Monmouth and several others of less note and finally at the taking of Cornwallis at York, in all which I trust I did my duty. —
The state of Virginia never hesitated to recognise me as a Lieutenant in the Continental line for the war ; nor did any one who ever knew of my services at all. (My ability to obtain evidence of these things is now

small; - nearly all chance of producing proof of them is gone; - even my own recollection is impaired by age and sickness and afflictions of almost every kind. Dates particularly are very imperfectly remembered. I am now 73 years of age and my constitution has for some years been sinking under a stroke of the Palsy; therefore you must not expect as clear a statement, - and as near fifty years have expired since the facts occurred, you must not expect such conclusive evidence as I could once have furnished. Many no doubt for want of evidence, which they might once have had, may now suffer. Oh! Let not this be my case. I thought that I could have rested my cause on the evidence procured by me from the land office in this City; - that I thought was the best evidence of my having been a Lieutenant in the Continental line for the war; - better evidence it is now out of my power to produce*. In conclusion I have to beg that you will not let the mistakes or forgetfulness of an old and decrepit soldier prevent his receiving that, which his country's gratitude has bestowed.
You will be pleased to excuse the length of this letter as the importance of my subject prevented my saying less.
I am dear Sir,
Very respectfully your obedient servant
Henry Tatum
To the secretary of the Treasury City of Washington
P.S. I must again solicit a speedy and if possible a favorable answer to this letter, which I send regardless of form merely as an explanation of my first communication H. T.
* Unless by chance I should discover some of which I am ignorant at present.

A. A. Tatem M.D. Richmond. Va Jan'y 27. 1853
Enclosing evidence of the claim of his Father Henry Tatem for Half-pay for his services in the War of the Revolution
Respectfully referred to The Commr of Pensions
Dept. War
Jan 29/53
Microfilm Encl
Gedney
Potomac 29 Jan. 1853.

Richmond Va Jan: 27 th = /55.-
Hon: Sir
There-with, send evidence of the government of Virginia's placing my father on that roll which only is entitled to halfpay. You will perceive, sir, that the state not only regarded him as belonging to the army to the end of the war, (as he certainly did) but it plainly shews that he was attached to it from an early period of the military operations. —
The General Government thus regarded him also, as is obviously shewn by the action of the Secretary of War, Mr. Roush who placed him on that pension list, under the act of Congress, passed 15 th May 1828, on which list none could go, but those entitled to halfpay. — We never had a better judge of those matters, than Mr. Roush, who was at that time secretary of War. — My father was physically afflicted after Mr. Roush put him on that list giving him full pay for life, or he might have applied to him for his halfpay. — I hope then, kind sir, as both the state government, and the General Government, have virtually passed his claim for halfpay, that you will not have any difficulty in allowing it. — Precedent is a mighty thing in our land. Here, you have from the

government of the State of Virginia one precedent; and from the general government, another precedent, in our favor: whilst in allowing our claim, no other can profit by your allowing it, or have the least pretension, to use it as a precedent favorable to them. For I think you will candidly admit, that you do not know of another occupying its peculiar grounds. — If so why my dear Sir, should we be made to wait with others, not standing on the same grounds. — Should there ever come up one before you, standing in an equal position, I am sure you would take an equal pleasure in admitting its justice. —
To save you the disagreeable necessity of considering and rejecting the claims of others, who do not occupy an equal position, I engage they never shall know through me, that my claim has passed. — That silence will prevent you from being pestered by those who have not equal merits .
I found that the gentleman who had the power of attorney, held our claim back, that it might enter at one common, or general door, which I would admit others, in which he is largely interested. — I urged him again, and again, to present our claim, for about 18 months; not dreaming, but that it was to be presented singly, and on its own peculiar merits . I did not know

that he had any others to present. — It is reasonable to suppose, that the cause of his not presenting ours singly, was that he thought if ours passed on peculiar grounds, which others could not stand on, it would injure those others. — I am truly glad that I have revoked the power of attorney, and that I make the application myself. — In this opinion I am sustained by my relation Lieut. M. F. Maury, who says to me that, "all that you have to do is to afford to the proper Department the evidence that the law requires, and then the case needs no advocate, or intermediate agency whatever."
Thus encouraged by my cousin at the observatory, to come unaided and alone, I approach with confidence; asking that you will obtain the evidence which is in Washington, of what I have informed you was done by the General Government, thro' its splendid agent, Mr. Roush, who was at that time Secretary of War. —
with great esteem, sir,
I am truly yours
H. A. Tatum M.D.
Robert McClelland Esqr Secretary of Interior

H. A. Tatum Richmond - Virginia Apr 30 th 1855
Respecting his claim for half-pay due Henry Tatum under act of July 5. 1832
Respectfully referred to the Comm ee of Pensions Sept 1 st 55 May 1/55 Geo. A. Tatum Chf Clk
Geddes
Pistol 10 1 May 1855

Richmond Va. Ap. 30 th 1855.
Dear Sir,
Your Hon: will allow me to call your attention to the following facts: viz. — To a letter, from the Commissioner of Pensions, to you, and filed in your office, under date of Jan. 30 th 1855, a copy of which you sent to me, and which reads as follows: — "Pension office, January 30 th 1855."
Sir, In reply to the communication of Dr. H. A. Tatum, referred by the Department, to this office, and which is herewith returned, I have the honor to state, that it appears from the papers filed by Henry Tatum, in his application for pension under Act of May 15, 1828, that he served, during the Revolutionary War, as a lieutenant in the Continental Line ; as, indeed, his being pensioned, under that Act sufficiently shows. His heirs, therefore, have no valid claim under the Act of July 5, 1832.
Very respectfully,
Your obt Servant
L. P. Waldo
Commissioner of Pensions

In this connection, kind Sir, I beg your favorable attention, to the following, published in connection with the act of July 5 th 1832 - viz:
"The following are the acts of the Virginia Legislature giving the half-pay which is assumed, by the act of July 5 th 1832. An act concerning officers, soldiers, sailors, and marines. All general officers, of the army, being citizens of this commonwealth, and all field officers, Captains and subalterns commanding or who shall command in the battalions of this Commonwealth on continental establishment , or serving in the battalions raised for the immediate defence of this state, or for defence of the United States, who shall serve henceforward, or from the time of their being commissioned, until the end of the war, provided Congress do not make some tantamount provision, shall be entitled to half-pay during life, to commence from the determination of their command, or service."
By which it appears that the commissioner of Pensions accidentally, and unintentionally, overlooked the fact, that the citizens of this commonwealth on continental establishment during the war, were included. I hope your Hon. will now per-

ceive that his only objection is clearly removed, my father being a citizen of this commonwealth, on continental establishment from (and before) the time he was commissioned, until the end of the war.
I have the honor to be
very respectfully,
Your obt serv't
G. A. Folsom, B.D.
Hon R. McClelland, Secretary of the Interior,

Norfolk Oct. 12 th 1841.
Sir
My mother Mrs Dorothea Tatum being by act of congress entitled to five years pay as the widow of Lieut. Henry Tatum an officer of the revolution, and her pay not commencing until the 22 d day of july 1836 of course it expires on the 22 d day of july 1841. She has only drawn to the 4 th of march 1841. when the pension agent at Richmond took her certificate to return to Washington as tho: the five years were out; I have deemed it unnecessary to apply to him for the balance from 4 th  March ultimus to 22 d of july ultimus without consulting you to know if it is to be obtained for her; your attention to this matter will confer an obligation on
very respectfully
your serv t !
H. A. Tatum
To the Commissioner of Pensions Pension office Washington

Norfolk Mar: 24 th - 1843.
Sir
With no desire to be troublesome I find myself under the necessity of making an inquiry to know whether my Mother Mrs Dorothea Tatum will have to transmit to the Pension Office at Washington the form which you sent when legally filled in order to obtain a certificate of arrears of pension, or will the pension agent at Richmond pay it on her presenting said form thus legally filled, at once, at any time, without a certificate of arrears of pension from your office.
I am now your pensioner asking about the arrears of pension due her. As to the late pension law passed and approved on the 3 rd Inst: you inform me that the 1 st payment will not be due until the 4 th of September proximo. - Is it so specified sir that she cannot draw any part earlier?
Be so kind sir as to give me the purport of the Resolution of the 16 th /42. the which has not been printed for distribution.
your attention will oblige Most respectfully
Your obt: servant H. A. Tatum

Henrico County State of Va
May 8 th 1843
Sir,
Enclosed is Mrs Dorothea Tatum's Declaration in order to obtain arrears of Pensions due from March 4 th 1836 to 22 nd July 1836 on which latter day her husband Henry Tatum died. Your early attention is respectfully solicited towards forwarding her pension certificate, addressed to her at the Richmond post office, that being most convenient to her.
Respectfully
Theo. Tatum
J. L. Edwards Esq. {

Norfolk
May 1st - 1839.
Dr. Sir
I have this day Received yours of the 27 th ultimo, and am sorry to find that the Rules of office go beyond or exceed the bounds of good faith. As you observed to me in your communication just before the last that there remained only to prove now that my mother Dorothea Tatum was married to Henry Tatum my father, your late Pensioner before November 1783 for which I thank you Sir I adueped a letter to Mr. Crump the Clerk of Simeidide County for such Record evidence of the date of marriage as his office would afford, his answer therewith inclose to you. I have also this day Received Major William Goodes affidavit  affidavit which I also enclose to you. you will be pleased to place them on your files with the papers in connection with this anomalous case and then be so kind as to inform me if this evidence is not sufficient to corroborate my Mothers oath when she will swear clearly and unequivocally to the day of the week, the day of the month and the year you have in Major Goodes sworn affidavit  certificate enough to make sure my Mothers oath and in his sworn affidavit you have it as particularly
With my best wishes for your good health and favorable consideration and conclusion remain your most obedient humble servant with respect R. D. Dutton

stated as you can expect any honest conscientious man to state the period of an event occurring 56 years ago in which he was not at all interested for my part I am surprised that he can be so particular. There are two circumstances or particulars to which I beg to call your attention and mature deliberation. The 1st: is the Major swears that Henry Tatum of the Revolutionary Army came home some time near the close of the war and married Deborah Claiborne which clearly means before its termination which is certain and clearly within your limit of November 1783. The second fact in connection with that and therefore strengthening to both as it confirms instead of contradicting is that from the best of his recollection, information and conversation in yea or nay of data and comparing dates &c &c it took place in the summer of 1783 and you know that November is not summer but from the concurrent circumstances in his mind it took place in the summer of 1783 he thinks in July. And if he could say it better than that it would prove one of two things, a miracle of memory about a matter of no consequence to him, or that he was a man who would swear to anything. and you have it under the hand of James H. Cox the Representative for Goodwin County

in the Legislature of Virginia that he is a man entitled to all credence in the papers which you found with the petition to Congress: and you yourself plainly perceive his regard for truth in the awkward but honest style used by him. were I a lawyer instead of a Doctor I could adduce a volume of evidence from his affidavit which would tell the truth upon your mind's ear stronger than sevenfold Thunder. Then take into connection that the highly respectable Richard Gregory says that when he went to Dinwiddie to practice law in 1784 that he found them man and wife but how long they were married before that he does not know, which is but a few months after your limit of November of the year before and if that evidence does not back Mother's oath that she was married to said Henry Tatum on the 10 th day of July 1783 in a satisfactory manner of the law there is something wrong in the requirements. Then take in connection Goode's affidavit to Mama's nevosity. If such a perfect compilation of evidence is not satisfactory then I could not prove that my father & mother were married at all and of course I must be illegitimate and must be branded bastard. I hope you will arrive at a satisfactory conclusion and that you will say it is enough. I need require no more. —

If any thing more can be required I can get it ordered to be recorded by the court of Richmond upon satisfactory evidence that my mother was married on the day month and year before mentioned and send you a certified copy by the clerk of that record. I can also if desired get the clerk of Chesterfield to certify that Mack Goode is a justice of the peace for that county and the court of that county to order it to be recorded that Major Goode is a respectable witness if desirable to you sir. — I hope you will say that enough of a good thing is better than too much. —
If after I will thank you sir to carefully file all the papers if after all you should not be satisfied, that if we should have to petition congress to admit her name to the pension roll upon the body of evidence in your office that the same may be easily furnished, which I shall do next session should I fail with you, which I cannot think will be. That is not a general rule which has no exceptions. —
If however you desire any thing more before you pass favorably on her claim will you be so kind sir as to suggest the modus operandi of getting at it as I am no lawyer please tell how I may satisfy you of this palpable truth: as where truth is I have no doubt you will suggest the means

Richmond Va Aug. 8 th 1855.- To the Commissioner of Pensions
Dear Sir
I am truly gratified to find that you have accepted the office you now occupy. — Before you, I now present my father's claim as Lieut t during the war, for half pay; hoping that you will agree with some of the sagest heads in the land, that he is manifestly entitled to it. He is admitted by your predecessor in every thing necessary to establish his claim according to the opinion of the best jurists in the land; but his own opinion differed with them . In his letter of 30 th January 1855 he says Sir In reply to the communication of D r R. A. Tatum referred by the Department to this office, and which is herewith returned, I have the honor to state that it appears from the papers filed by Henry Tatum in his application for Pension under act

of May 15-1828, that he served, during the war revolutionary war, as a Lieutenant in the continental line; as indeed his being pensioned under that act sufficiently shews,
He afterwards concludes that the during the war continental line, is not equally entitled with state line troops. — The judges of the Supreme court of Virginia say that there is no difference between continental, and state line as to half pay ,”
Now good Sir how can any thing be more clearly set forth that he is entitled, than the following which is the settled, and concluded, rule of action; viz: as The following are the acts of the Virginia Legislature, giving the half pay, which is assumed by by the act of July 5 th 1832. — “An act concerning officers, soldiers, sailors, and marines”. All general officers of the army being citizens of this com- =monwealth, and all field officers, captains, and subalterns commanding

or who shall command in the battalions of this commonwealth on continental establish- ment; or serving in the battalions of this commonwealth or contested raised for the immediate defence of this state, or for the defence of the United States; who shall serve henceforward, or from the time of their being commissioned, until the end of the war, provided Congress do not make some tantamount provision, shall be entitled to half pay during life, to commence from the determination of their command or service. —
I will not insult your judgement, by arguing this case, as you will see that it is settled by the opinions of high judicial heads, that the terms of the fifth paragraph (order) of the act above referred to which reads thus viz: or and for which said State would be bound, on the principles of the halfpay cases already decided in the supreme court of appeals of said States, decidedly not only include the Regiments

whose names are called, but all who stand on the " principles " of the half pay cases already decided in the supreme court of appeals of said State.
My Father stands before you on those " principles ", and they are also the eternal principles of justice; for the right administra- =tion of which there will soon be rendered an account in foro conscientia, and also at the supreme court of heaven, before which we all shall stand, very soon . — May God grant you For the justice of allowing it. —
with the highest respect for your principles and judgement
I am yr serv t
R. A. Tatum
M. D.
To the Commissioner of Pensions

Richmond Virginia Dec: 17 th 1838.
Dear Sir
As kindly intimated by you the papers have been thro: the court and you now perceive that in connection with what you have on file the whole ground is covered according to the law of Congress. Every thing being fully embraced; in the best manner that my dear old mother could have exactly have it done, without employing one of those men who charge from a third to half of what she will get, for their services; and as the law was not passed for their benefit but such Revolutionary worthies as her self, she has concluded not to pay a half or a third. This will reach you by tomorrow's mail and you will very much oblige the dear old widow by sending on the next day the thing so much needed for her comfort in her extreme age and debility and infirmity; for she is in such a condition that she does not leave the house in winter at all and you will also greatly oblige her friends and more especially your friend and humble servant
H. A. Saturn M.D. " "
Mr. James L. Edwards

J. 300 3 Nov 8.
November 8. 1839-
Prison Office.
Dr. Salum varm.
Wm. Old & P. Smith Secretary of State Washington

Norfolk Nov: 6 th 1839.
Dear Sir
My Mother an aged Revolutionary Widow recieved not long since a certificate of Pension which she gave Thomas Mearne a gentleman in Richmond a power of attorney to collect for her and then directed her attorney to pay the same to me; her name is Dorothy Tatum widow Lieutenant Henry Tatum of Revolutionary continental service. This is the amount due is $996 43 / 100 which has been applied for; Mr Anthony Robinson who is a sort of pension agent at Richmond gave a check for it on the cashier of the Virginia bank (which is now no bank) directing the cashier to charge the Pension fund with it but when the check was presented, the cashier refused to pay the United States Pension funds and would not agree to pay it in any thing but the depreciated paper of that bank which has forfeited its charter and were that to be recieved before she would use all or half or a quarter of the notes she would receive they might be of far less value than they now are. They are now 10 percent below par in our own

state. They are not equivalent to specie and the government of the United States will not receive them, and as the government will not receive them I suppose it means to pay in such funds as they receive, and acknowledge to be funds. Please inform me sir (as I still hold the check) how I am to get specie or its equivalent for it;
I have heard that a government agent at Washington having money to pay to an individual which was due by the government, not having specie paid the individual in notes and gave him as much over in said notes as made them equivalent to specie that would be satisfactory to me sir but the modus operandi I leave to your own election whilst I remain
Very Respectfully yours
H. A. Tatum M.D. " "
The Hon: The Secretary of War
P.S. Please give some order respecting it and greatly oblige your friend
I suppose the army funds are as good as any. I am sure you will not suffer an old

Revolutionary officers widow to be paid in that way that there is any thing better appropriated by congress for that purpose. When the government promises to pay dollars and cents it does not mean the common paper of a company which has no charter that being forfeited by their failing to redeem their notes in gold and silver & may never fully redeem them. My Father was in many hard fought battles and the pay his widow gets is small and she wants it in something substantial so that she can travel on any where in the united states without paying 12 or 15 per cent discount, and something that she can lay by in confidence that it will be good for what she wants six months hence and will not depreciate. I confidently believe that you see the propriety and will attend to this for me from your known sense of justice and write to me at Norfolk directly and further add to the high consideration in which you are held by your friend
Thos. A. Tatum N. D.

Norfolk Nov. 4 th — 1839.
Dr Sir
Mr Anthony Robinson the Pension agent at Richmond , has given to the attorney for Mrs Dorothea Tatum (widow of Henry Tatum) pensioner of United States a check which directs the Cashier of the Bank of Virginia to charge the pension fund with $996 23 / 100 (the amount of her pension) and then directs the Cashier to pay pay the same to Mrs. Tatum attorney for Dorothea Tatum. Dorothea Tatum your pensioner directed her attorney at Richmond (Mr. Meame) to pay it to me. he therefore sent the government agents (Anthony Robinson's) check to me for me to get the best funds that I could for it as the Bank on which it was given has failed and its notes ten percent below par; I sent it up to Richmond hoping as the government agent's check called for so much money (and not the depreciated paper of a bank which according to the laws of Va is no bank having forfeited its charter) that they would pay it in specie or its equivalent, but the Cashier refused to give any thing for it but the common brown

paper of the bank, which the government of the United States will not receive and therefore cannot expect it to be received of them; My Mother is about to travel and she wishes to lay by a part of this money and she does not know that this bank ever will be able to redeem its paper: It is thought that some of the banks will be compelled to wind up after the Legislature meets. — This is to request you sir to direct some department to pay said check to be paid by some of the government officers at Norfolk in specie or its equivalent or in some other way accomplish the object
please write by return
Very Respectfully yrs
J. L. Edwards
Commissioner of Pensions
H. T. Tatum
every body here government agents and all think it ought to be paid in specie. Dr. Galt the Post Master will redeem it if a proper order is sent I presume Mr Whittle says he would take instructions on it

Norfolk Nov. 4 th 1839.
Sir
Anthony Robinson has given a check to the attorney of Dorothea Tatum pensioner for the amt. of her pension & she directed the attorney to pay it to me: the attorney finding he could get nothing but the depreciated paper of the Bank of Va (which with its forfeited charter is no bank, whose notes are per cent below par & we do not know how much lower they will get) sent the original check to me at Norfolk where it said charge the Pension fund with $996 43 / 100 and then directs the Cashier of the Bank to pay that amt. to Dorothea Tatum's attorney Thos Mearne & he directs it paid to me. I sent it up for United States funds but the Cashier refused to give pay any thing but the common brown bank paper of that unfortunate bank as that is not way the united States or the heads of departments designs paying its debts I have thought proper to ask that you will give a special direction concerning this check as before this money is half

used the bank paper may be a great deal worse it is supposed some of them will have to be paid up pray write by return
very Respectfully
Mr. Levi Woodbury
H. A. Salem M.D.

My dear daughter attending my poor unfortu- nate mother
L. Edwards Esquire Commissioner of Pensions City of Washington L. E.
July 15.
Comr Dorothy Station

the the delay attending my poor unfortunate old mother
L. Edwards Esquire Commissioner of Pensions
City of Washington L. E.
July 15.
Came
Dorothy Latham

Norfolk Ba. July 12 th - 1839.
Dear Sir
Yours under date of 10 th inst. stating that the proof of my mother's marriage to Lieut. Col. Henry Tatham prior to November 1783 is satisfactory was received this morning. —
I am happy to inform you sir that if you will examine those papers again in which you have been innocently led into a mistake in supposing that my Father drew a pension to which he was not entitled you will find that you were led into the opinion by taking the first declaration which was sent to the Treasury Department in behalf of my Father which was improperly made out by an ignorant old man in Richmond who neglected to insert the after service after the year 1778 - my father being old and infirm having the palsy at the time from a previous apoplectic affection; and on that declaration the pension was denied him under the act of 15 th May 1828 but upon his making a new declaration and shewing that he belonged to the army eight years as he really did and that he was in actual service to the close of the war and end thereof, and in an accompanying

letter gave the Secretary of the Treasury entire satisfaction of the blunder which was made in the first declaration being disabled by the palsy he had to hire a man which he did for about two dollars to draw up a declaration. The secretary upon close reexamination and reconsideration gave him the pension under that act to which letter I refer you, as also to his last declaration. I have seen in the Land Office at Richmond where he drew land at 20 per acre for or about that more than eight  eight years service. That matter sir was duly investigated and the secretary in his wisdom discovered that he was clearly entitled to it and thereupon revised his action in the case and awarded him a reverse of judgment on the clear evidence furnished him by my father & brother; I therefore hope sir that you will take pleasure in changing your opinion and in giving by return of mail a certificate of Pension and thus let my dear mother enter upon that reward (in the shortest possible time) which was won for her by the arduous, long, very long service of her gallant husband, the trials of whose toils, conflicts, sufferings and self denials, we are all now enjoying. I have the honor sir, to be your devoted and humb: R. H. Saturn " " M.D.

P.S. my father acted as Captain and afterwards as major but owing to the difficulties of the times his commission was not made out or recieved or lost but he bore the title of Major Tatum and was a very active officer in the service of his country long after the period you mention and performed most efficient service for the United States in that capacity before the end of the war tho' he did not get a pension for a higher grade than Lieutenant. If I can prove those higher grades will you be so kind as to allow us to draw the difference between the pension he drew as a Lieutenant and what he would have drawn as a major
most Respectfully my your friend H. T. Tatum No. 2.
Please excuse this hasty scrawl I have not time to copy or re-write There was a very important record account at Washington by which he suffered no small loss and he was too old and inactive and infirm to hunt up evidence. he often said he did not serve his country for pay and he was satisfied with the pension he got.
most Respectfully Yrs H. T. Tatum U.S.A. Please Mr. Edwards send directly to my dear mother's effect

Norfolk Virginia Sep: 9 th 1839.
Dear Mr Edwards
After all the difficulties preparatory to your sending the Pension certificate for my mother Mrs Dorothea Tatum and the delays for months and years consequent thereon would you believe it sir that now, that she is in possession of the pension certificate that she is not yet in the enjoyment of the funds, no sir not one she has received yet, I got the best forms that I knew of and forms used by a pension agent in this neighbourhood who with success, and sent them to my mother who executed them before a justice of the peace the Clerk then under seal of office did all that he ought to do and my mother executed a power of attorney to a gentleman in Richmond as I could not leave my practice; and sir on his presenting it to Mr Robinson the agent he told him as he writes me, that me that it was not right stating to him that it had better be enclosed to Mr Edwards and get him to correct it and give the necessary information about it and farther saying that

he thought my mother should be entitled to receive my father's pension from the 4 th March 1836: he must be in his seventieth year for he himself paid me for my mother my father's (Henry Tatum) pension from 4 th March up to his death viz 22 d of July of that year. I cannot tell what the difficulty is but he says it will be upwards of a hundred dollars difference in favor of my mother. It may be because that he has my father's death down on his books as occurring on 22 d July and your pension certificate sent for my mother says she is to draw from the 23 d July 1836 be so kind as to send me all the forms and in such form that the most fastidious Mr Robinson can make no objection to, and be pleased moreover to write a line to him and enclose it to me. and send me also what is necessary in order to her drawing to the 4 th inst. which is now also due, and it may be if we can get things right Mr Robinson will let her have it up to that time: but whilst the grip is growing the sled is slowing please attend to this directly on account of my dear old mother. very respectfully H. T. Tatum

In continuance I have to request that owing to the extreme difficulty of proving the exact time of any thing which occurred so long ago that you will accept that evidence especially as you are convinced it is a meritorious case from the host of evidence you have in possession and on file: The glorious exceptions alone constitute a general rule, were it not for the exceptions it would not be a general rule, but a universal rule; and I hope you will not consider it too much trouble to trouble look for, and examine them certificates sent with the before mentioned petition as it is for a Lady of great age and merit; it will be serving the cause of humanity and save great trouble and expense in procuring them again, (if they will answer). — Since writing that there was no record evidence that I knew of I have found on the blank side of a leaf in my Mothers old prayer book given her by her father a record of the birth of Martha Tatum the third daughter of Henry and Dorothea Tatum which I here with send you but the record of the two older children I have not, and believe the girls erased them in older time to conceal their ages the elder is dead and the other an old grandmother and I now remember that there is a statement in a letter written by Elijah Gresham which may avail something, which letter was sent to Washington in

support of the said petition which petition prayed for the removal of the difficulty which was removed by the Joint Resolution of, I think the 7 th July 1838 that you know of her not being a widow until 18 days after 4 th July 1836 - circumstantial evidence when perfect is said by lawyers to be the best. -
Please be so kind as to examine into these things as soon as possible and let me know the conclusion or opinion you arrive at. - If I were in the neighbourhood of those old gentlemen whose certificates they are I would not trouble you to look up the papers sent with the petition, but I am now living at a great distance from them and it will be attended with but little trouble to you (I hope) to see them
with sentiments of great Respect I have the honor to be Your Ob t Serv t
Mr: James L. Edwards
H. A. Saturn M. D. " "
P. S. March 23 d 1839. I have just been to Mr Williamson the President of the Virginia Bank in place whose signature can be identified at any of your banks in Washington and qualified to the above enclosed certificate Henry Adams tho' you must have evidence of the time of his death in your office by the time his Pension stopped on account of his death Respectfully yr H. A. Saturn

Dear Sir
Norfolk March 22 d 1839.
Yours under date of the 15 th Inst t was not received until to day which accounts for my last to you of subsequent date. Had you been as explicit previously as you were in this communication the business between us could have been long since settled I presume before I removed to this place which renders it much more difficult. But knowing that my dear Mother ought to have a pension I shall never give it up whilst she continues to breathe and need it and Sir this is not said in a menacing manner at all; the which filial duty you no doubt approve. — You inform me in your last that the date of marriage must be proved; this is to request you to inform me by return of mail if the very day on which she was married must be proved or is it only necessary to prove that she was married to your late Pensioner Henry Tatum (whose widow Dorothea Tatum is) before the termination of the war of the Revolution which as your office shews terminated his service in that war; If the latter only be necessary I will refer you to two certificates sent to Congress the session before last in support of her petition that she might not lose the benefit of the act approved 4 th July 1836 because she was not a widow until 18 days thereafter and which request was attended to by the passage of the

of the joint resolution removing the difficulty; they you know went before the committee of Revolutionary Pensions and you know how to get hold of them: they are the certificates of Major William Goode of the county of Chesterfield certifying to the best of his recollection that Lieut. Henry Tatum was married to His present widow Dorothea Tatum before the end of the Revolu- -tionary war; said Major Goode was in the latter part of that war tho: much younger than my father who was nearly 81 years of age when he died. The respectability of which evidence is attested by James H. Cox a member of the Virginia Legislature from 2 d County whose certificate will be found with Major Goode's. The other is given by Richard Gregory formerly attorney at law in Dinwiddie County & he certifies that when he went to Dinwiddie to practice law in in 1784 he found they (Henry Tatum & Dorothea Tatum his present widow) were man and wife but how long before that time they were married he does not know; there is no other record evidence that can be obtained. I have made several efforts to obtain the recorded evidence from the clerk of Dinwiddie (in which county they were married) but that Col: Nicolas the former clerk who was a a beastly drunkard kept the office so badly

that it cannot be obtained he having thrown the papers into old flour barrels &c There is no Church, Parish, or family register now in a state of preservation with  setting that old fact Time having destroyed them or placed them out of my reach and nobody supposing that rigid proof could ever be required of that fact no care was taken to preserve them. The only old man now alive who was at the marriage is my Mother's Nephew Bob: Daniel C. Butts of Peterboro who was then a child and these old gentlemen Goode & Gregory to whose certificates I refer you cannot certify to the day as it has been forgotten by them greatly more than half a century past: is the treasury so low as to make it necessary to exclude so respectable an old lady because a rigid compliance with  your rules of office not the spirit of the acts cannot be had; and because fraud has been practised; It is the last debt that our gallant country should shrink from: far better would it be to err on the other side, to admit occasionally a fraudulent claim than to turn away one so meritorious; now that they have dwindled to so small a number visit in do not understand me as dictating to you: if you think it an imp- -rious duty thus to act I must succumb but I am sure not that is if you should decide that your mind is not satis- -fied that she was married before the end of the war in which event she will have to suffer on (if she lives) until congress sits again: It appears to me it is the last class that ought be dealt rigidly the few remaining widows who shared in the privations as my Mother did of the Revolutionary war

There is no question sir but that if you were to supply her wants and place her in the most comfortable situation with any money in the Treasury on your own responsibility and state the case to Congress it would approved unanimously, should there be a few disapproving they would be ashamed to acknowledge it. well sir that is what I ask you to do and I will submit it to the house or you may and if not approved any self will refund the money with interest; and in the interim you can let it go as an ex officio act.
As it regards the day on which Lieutenant Henry Tuttle of continental service died you have stated in your letter that it ought to be shown by satisfactory proof as her pension will then commence if granted; that proof you have sir in various forms on file in your office not only among the papers last sent but in those furnished by Mr. Anthony Robinson the Pension Agent at Richmond when my Mother drew my Father's pension from the time he drew it last to the day of his death viz: July 22 d 1836, the day of his death. I can qualify clearly to the day of his death as I was with him when he died and have never lost sight of it as I have been trying to get this pension ever since. The following fall and will send you a certificate to that effect with this letter which will one thank you to file with the other papers; and let me beg sir that if you should have every fact sufficiently brought to view to convince you that it is a bona fide case and not a fraudulent one that you will not let a little informality prevent your relieving her as there is no general rule without proper exceptions. Respectfully R. H. Tuttle

Norfolk Ap: 24 th 1839.
Respected Sir
Your kind letter under date of 28 th ultimo came duly to hand, (and I now sir write to express to you my thanks for the trouble to get the papers which were with my Mother's petition to congress. I also thank you sir for giving me the limit of time prior to which she must have been married in order to receive the pension viz: November 1783. As her marriage certainly took place before that period I am now doing the best I can to give such evidence as will satisfy you of that fact; which I hope from the host of evidence you already have will not now be very difficult, especially as now perceiving you believe she is entitled to the pension. I have written to Major William Goode (whose certificate in your possession goes as far or farther back in the date of marriage than the above limit) to request him to give an affidavit. I have written to Parson Gnaman who is to be here at the Episcopal convention on 15 th inst. To obtain if possible Parson Gannett's record as he married them, and I have again written to the clerk of Dinwiddie offering a good fee to find the license bond

But were you acquainted with my dear and honored and sainted Mother; could you know her long established reputation for piety, integrity, truth (and honesty); in testimony of which I could send the affidavits of 50 known Divines, of the Mayor of Richmond; the courts of Chesterfield County, (and city of Richmond, would order any thing to be certified as fact on her single oath, no matter how much she might be interested) and they would order it to be certified that she is entitled to credence in the particular case in view; as for myself I would safely swear that I was confident if her head was laid on the block and the axe uplifted to sever it from her body and she had the election to take the blow or all an instant she would choose the blow. —
A Good many others would take the same oath with a clear conscience. It is for you sir to decide whether (if we cannot do better) that will satisfy your mind when taken in connection with good and perfect circumstantial evidence. I do not know the form or spirit of your oath of office. Nevertheless I hope the Rev. John Grammar will bring me all that you require.
In the interim sir allow me to subscribe myself very Respectfully your most obedient servant
Mr. James L. Edwards
H. T. Tatum M. D.

Dorothea Salum aad. prof

Norfolk June 13 th 1839.
Dr Sir
This is the third communication from me to you since I have received a line from you; or in other words I have received no acknowledgment of the affidavit of Amelia S. Tatum which is properly authenticated by the check of Norfolk Borough which I sent you on the 1 st inst. As the Northern mail arrives here every day and not having received an answer I wrote you on last Saturday again. I had written to Major Goode before I knew that I could obtain the distinct and clear affidavit of Amelia S. Tatum and I have this day received by mail Major Goode's affidavit properly authenticated which as I have received I have with send you: tho': unnecessary. Hoping that you are equally pleased that this matter is matriculated for favorable action by your honor (myself being heartily tired of it) I subscribe myself your sincere & humb. Servt. R. H. Tatum

To Mr James L. Edwards Commissioner of Pensions
For Dorothy Tatum widow of Henry Tatum Lieut. of Continental service during the war, late a pensioner under the act of 1 st May 1838.

Aug 3
FREE
L. Edwards Esq. Commissioner of Pensions City of Washington D. C.

Norfolk Virginia
Jan August 1. 1839.
Br Sir
Inclosed is my Mothers declaration in your own form. Be so kind as to send me the certificate of Pension with the proper forms for drawing the money a form for a power of Attorney &c. &c. &c. Direct as usual to Norfolk Va.
Your most attention will oblige your Obedient Servant H. T. Turner

Norfolk Feb: 23 rd — 1839.
Dear Sir
Not having had any communication from you since one I received in Richmond about the 10 th of January ultimo, informing me that you had received my mother's papers since they had passed thro' the Court under sanction of the Judge (as was kindly intimated by you to me was necessary) but that owing to the great press of business in your office you had not been able to attend to it; I think it possible that the same cause still exists but as a considerable time has elapsed I hope you will not take it unkind that I request that you will send on to me at Norfolk the thing desired that I may go up directly to Richmond and draw the money for my Mother. — Your prompt attention to this matter will much oblige dear Sir your most
P.S. My Mother Dorothea { sincere friend and others Taturn you know resides { in Richmond but I am a { resident of Norfolk N.W. } H. A. Taturn "

4502.
Norfolk Feb. 23 d 1844.
Dear Sir
I received a message from my aged and infirm Mother Mrs. Dorothea Tatum widow of Lieut. Henry Tatum of continental Revolutionary service informing me that she had not received her pension which was due on the 4 th of last September - and now it is near the time for the payment of another half yearly amt. -
As there is no difficulty in her case she having been a pensioner on your five years list I am at a loss to know why it is she has not received it. -
Neither I suppose has she received her arrears of the five years. - I suppose if there is any difficulty, indeed it can be nothing but the want of funds
Be so kind Sir as to drop me a line explanatory directly and oblige your obedient
G.W.T. Re H. Tatum

Act 1028
Settled at
Prague
Covered with
At 000005
File #62 42
Signature

Sir
Not Richmond 8 th Septm 1828
I have waited a considerable time expecting, and hoping to hear from you upon the subject of my claim for services rendered my country during the Revolutionary War, and am disappointed in that expectation: I now ask the favor of you, (knowing the justice of my claim,) to send on my Semi annual payment, which became due the 3 rd Inst: together with the two years full pay due me as a Lieutenant for the War, who served faithfully, and was ready to render further service had I been called on.
I am Very Respectfully
Your Most Ob: Servant
P.S. Direct to me in Richm Virginia H.T.
Henry Tatum

W. B.
Richmond Va November 2 nd 1838
Sir, In consequence of an act passed during the last session of the Congress of the United States for the benefit of Revolutionary officers and soldiers; and in compliance with the requisitions of that act, I, as an officer of the Revolution, forwarded to you on the 22 nd of July last, as well as my recollection of the date serves me, a statement of the services rendered by me, and of the grade in which I acted while rendering that service, which statement was substantiated  substantiated by such testimony as could be conveniently procured by me at that time, and given in the form and manner which I understood the law required. This statement, with the testimony, was forwarded to you by W m B. Giles Esqr. who a short time afterwards received an acknowledgement by you of your having received it; since which period I have anxiously awaited some communication from you relative to that business, but as yet have heard nothing from you. This, to me, unaccountable delay and entire silence

on your part, have rendered me very uneasy. The delay on your part is possibly unavoidable; but whatever may have occasioned it, I would receive a communication of you as a particular favor, informing me whether I shall be eventually successful in my claim and when I may expect the money, as my situation in life makes it an object of much consequence to me. If my statement needs any further proof or form, pray inform me at immediately in what it is deficient that I may if possible supply the defect and be relieved from any present suspense. Please excuse me for urging a speedy reply to this letter.
I remain Sir, Your Obedient Servant,
Henry Tatum

Rev WIDOW, & Co.
File No. 6242
Dorothea Tatum
Wid
Henry Tatum
Lieut. Res't. W.
Act: Mch. 3/43
Index: Vol. 16 , Page 263
[Arrangement of 1870.]

1891
Party - James Lyons higher rank than referred to Section 47
1892 Apr of paper Palmer See letter
Widow did not claim Lt or objection to it 42 R 8
16 Copies to L B Simond J.S.

NOT OF FEBRUARY 14, 1871.
W B F 1812.
33 14
Henry Saturn
Vas Line
Revolution
Discharged , 18
6014
REJECTED
Ny Pay — Act 32

Henry Salumé Representatives claiming Half pay Pensions under Act of July 5. 1832.

28
Sept 16
Cam
Salton
FREE
L. Edwards Esqr. Commissioner of Pensions Washington

Norfolk Sep: 13 th 1839.
Sir
On comparing the form of Pension certificate which which you sent me to day with the copy in the mancher presented to Mr Robinson I find this difference in the verbiage. (So entitled To receive a pension at the rate of &c commencing on the day of and in case of the death or marriage of said widow before the 4 th of March 1841. The pension will cease on the day of said marriage or death.) (Five years pension is written on the top) your form recieved to day says (So entitled to receive a five years pension at the rate) &c and then instead of saying as above in case of the death or marriage of said widow before the 4 th of March 1841 your form says and in case of the death or marriage of said widow before the expiration of said five years now Sir I am very confident and entirely certain that the original certificate is worded 4 th of March 1841 instead of said five years therefore the original certificate be truly copied exactly as it is worded the form sent by you sir cannot be used by the magistrate for certifies that it is a true copy; now sir Mr Robertson percieving the copy of certificate is not worded the mancher as your form is will not act on it unless

instructed so to do by you Therefore have no request you sir either to instruct Mr Robinson to pay it by the form of the present original Certificate or to send an original certificate like the form you sent me is; the latter I should think would be best as it would put an end to all future difficulties, and might could grow out of it, you might mark it. duplicate origi- nal Certificate, or if declined the first will be returned on the reception of the second; (surely it can be managed some way) or send me a form worded as the present original certificate is, with the following words written somewhere on a form furnished by J. L. Edwards and the name J. L. Edwards written with your own hand. I do not like to give unnecessary trouble sir. Please inform me if there is no com- munication to the Pensioner, from your office semiannually it seems to me that my father used to have some communication by post from Washington about the 4 th March and September if there is any thing please send it.
There is certainly sir a difference between the verbiage of the original Certificate and the form you sent me in both the places mentioned on the 15 th page of this letter. will have the kindness sir to write me on the res- tion to remove the difficulty. Respectfully W. A. Tatum M.D.

P.S. I do not know what objection Mr. Robinson made to the vouchers myself Sir but I believe he does not mind causing delay without facilitating the removal of the difficulty unless he cannot well get off from it had he have made a little memorandum of what he required different from what the vouchers contained it would have been kind and manly
Respectfully, [Signature]
yr. servt.
The National M. A. D.

Richmond Sep: 20 th — 1837 —
Dear Sir I herewith transmit to you my mother's petition & other papers with the earnest request Mr. Robertson that you solicit the house to act upon it at once as future action in this case might avail nothing as my mother is extremely old and very infirm, consequently the case does not admit of delay; & it makes an appeal to the humanity of the House not being a case of cold policy; no doubt Sir as is the case in all legislative assemblies opportunities will offer as it will occupy but a few moments after the Committee reports on it. — Be so good Sir as to obtain a certificate from the Pension Office of my Father having been a pensioner & drawing his pension as a Lieutenant which amounted to $ 320 — per annum received semiannually in parts of $ 160 — also a certificate of his  which has been returned to the office in order to the balance certificate and mam a 's drawing the balance of pension due to him up to the time he expired Edw d  Her and lay them with the certificates herewith sent, and before the committee; and pray Sir do not let the House rise without acting on that one case if they take up no other business besides but the state of the currency & financial matters generally; the urbanity of the house is such that they will hear Mr. Robertson of Virginia in case like that; need I ask you Mr. Robertson if you are any winture in the case to make such a suitable appeal to the House as shall have that effect which your appeals are wont to have and very much oblige one who has always admired your truly old virginia deportment nor can I believe you will be wanting in chivalry when an opportunity like the present offers; truly I am glad it is yourself instead of Mr. Stevenson

having but little confidence in that man's sincerity. Please excuse the liberty taken and excuse me not sycophancy Because
I am Sincere
H. A. Tatum M. D.
P.S. When you send the petition and papers to the committee please get the consent of the house to require the committee to report thereon in two days
respectfully
Yrs H. A. T.
Mr John Robertson

Borough of Norfolk, State of Virginia.
I, Amelia S. Tatum, do swear and solemnly and most unhesitatingly assert with the fear of God before my eyes, that I have repeatedly heard Henry Tatum, the late pensioner of the United States, and Dorothea Tatum his widow, the present applicant for a pension, declare explicitly both he and she (without the slightest allusion to, or apparent expectation of any gain or benefit, that ever might accrue to them or either of them, by the date of their marriage) that they were married on the 10 th day of July 1783; this I heard them say as far back as 1827, which was about nine years prior to the death of said Henry Tatum. I have also repeatedly heard said Henry Tatum and Dorothea his wife declare from time to time, more recently before his death that they were married at the time above mentioned viz the 10 th July 1783. It was a subject that he, said Henry Tatum, particularly delighted to speak on, for the sake of the pleasure of the theme, and I can truly say, they used to tire me with it.
This I have heard them say, when there was not the slightest possibility in view, and I do not believe they had the most distant idea, that the date of their marriage would be of future benefit to them or either of them. I have heard them name that time as the date of their marriage, when they were both together talking about it, and I have heard them both, separate and apart, say, they were married to each other on the 10 th day of July 1783, the time and date before mentioned. All this, I do declare on oath on the holy Evangelists of Almighty God, from the most certain, clear and distinct recollection, knowing that I shall shortly have to answer at the Bar of God, for all I do or say on earth. This affidavit certainly contains the truth and nothing but the truth. Signed and sealed by me on this the 31 st day of May 1839
Amelia S Tatum
Borough of Norfolk and State of Virginia to wit
This day, the affiant Amelia S. Tatum personally appeared before me a justice of the Peace for said Borough and made oath to the truth of the foregoing affidavit. Given under my hand and seal this 31 May 1839
Thos Williamson cler
Sum over

I do hereby also certify that the within named Amelias S. Tatum the Affiant is a highly respectable witness. Given under my hand, seal this 31 st May 1839.
Thom Williamson also
State of Virginia, Norfolk Borough Court.
I John Williams Clerk of the Hustings Court of Norfolk Borough aforesaid in the State of Virginia do hereby certify that Thomas Williamson Esquire who hath given the two preceding certificates, is an alderman in and for the said Borough duly commissioned and quali- fied, that he is authorized to administer an oath - that full faith and credit is due to all his acts as such - and that the signatures "Thom Williamson" above are in his proper hand writing as I do verily believe. In Testimony whereof I hereunto set my hand and affix the seal of the said Court this thirty first day of May in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and thirty nine and of the Commonwealth the sixty third.
Jno Williams cc

State of Virginia & County of Henrico to wit
This eighth day of Novem- ber in the year 1843 personally appeared before me, Wm B. Randolph, a justice of the peace in the County of Henrico & State a- foresaid, Dorothea Tatum, a resident of Henrico County aforesaid, aged seventy seven years on the eighteenth day of May last, who being first duly sworn, doth un- der oath make the following declaration to obtain the benefit of the provision of the Act of Congress, passed the 3 d of March 1843 extending the pension of widows of Revolu- tionary Officers for one year from said 3 d of March, or during such portion of said term as said widow shall survive viz. That she is the widow of Henry Tatum who was a Lieutenant of Infantry, in the Virginia line of the Army of the Revolution, and that the annual amount of the pension she received under the Act of Congress of July 7 th 1838 was three hundred & twenty dollars, she further declares she is still a widow
Dorothea Tatum
I, Wm B. Randolph a justice of the peace in the County of Henrico & State of Virginia do here- by certify that Mrs. Dorothea Tatum who is personally known to me, was duly sworn to the truth of the foregoing declaration & subscribed the same in my presence
Given under my hand & seal this 8 th Wm B. Randolph day of Nov. 1843.

Virginia, Henrico County to wit:
I Loftin N. Ellett clerk of the County Court for the said County of Henrico, in the State of Virginia, do hereby certify that William B. Randolph, whose name is subscribed to the preceding certificate, was at the date of the same and is now an acting Justice of the peace in and for the aforesaid County of Henrico, duly commissioned and qualified as such according to law.
In Testimony whereof I hereunto subscribe my name and annex the seal of the said Court this 10 th day of November 1843.
Loftin N. Ellett. G.H.B.