Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty Land Warrant Application File S. 16450, for Paul Leathers, Virginia

SERVICE
NUMBER
Va
Leathers, Paul or Leatherer
S. 16450
carded
CONTENTS

5448 Kentucky
Paul Leathers of Scott Co in the State of Kentucky who was Sergeant in the Company commanded by Captain Thornton of the Regt commanded by Col Waden in the Virginia line for two years from 1776
Inscribed on the Roll of Kentucky at the rate of 120 Dollars — Cents per annum, to commence on the 14th day of March, 1831.
Certificate of Pension issued the 11 day of Febr - ary 1833 and sent to Hon: J. R. M. Johnson H. R.
Arrears to 14th of Sept. 32 — $180. — Semestral allowance ending March 33 60. —
$240. —
{ Revolutionary Claim, } { Act June 7, 1832. }
Recorded by Wm Allison Clerk, Book B, Vol. 9 Page 47.
Rate of stock not on file

Paul Seathus Declaration
free
Col R. M. Johnson
Wash. City
Pension papers

State of Kentucky - Scott County ss. On this 30 th day of October 1832 personally appeared before the undersigned a Justice of the County Court of of County & State, being a Court of record, the applicant being unable from bodily infirmity to attend the Court, Paul Leathers, aged about 86 years, a resident of the County of Scott & State of Ky. who being first duly sworn according to law, deposes on his oath deposes the following declaration in order to obtain the benefit of the Act of Congress passed June 7 th 1832. That he is about 86 years of age the 1 st day of next April. That in the Spring of the year 1776 he entered into the service of the U. States in Capt. Jno. Thornton's Company of rifle men. The Mayor he does not recollect, but the Col. was by the name of Weedon from Fredericksburgh, Spottsylvania County Virginia. That he surrendered his rifle as a Sergeant in Culpepper County under Capt. Thornton in the 3 rd Virg a Reg t by Weedon for the term of two years & at all times dischar- ged his duties as such. In the year 1777 he was promoted Captain in the same Reg t & acted as such until the end of the two years. The rightmen

of the 1 st Regt. were to find their own rifles & govt. was to pay twenty dollars per year for the use of them. He furnished three appraised to $20 each, two of which he never got back nor rec d pay for them; nor for the use of them. That he was at the taking of the Hessians in Trenton, New Jersey the 26 th Dec r . 1776 & got his feet severely frostbitten. He was at the battle of Brandywine & Germantown & many other skirmishes during 1 st two years. He soon after fell into the staff Department under the command of Genl. Peter Muhlenberg & acted as Dr. Master Providing commissary & issuing commissary, until the siege of Little York in Virg a - the 19 th Oct r . 1781. That land was promised them, but he has never rec d land nor pension. That he has no documentary evi- dence & that he knows of no person whose testimony he can produce who can testify to his ser- vice. He hereby relinquishes every claim whatever to a pension or an

unity except the present I declare that his name is not on the Pension Roll of the agency of any state of the U States -
Sworn to & subscribed the day & year aforesaid -
David Scott alias Paul Leathers
We, J. T. Johnson, a Teacher of the Christian Religion residing in Georgetown, Scott County & Jas. L. Lamon, residing in the same County, hereby certify that we are well acquainted, by reputation, with Paul Leathers who has subscribed & sworn to the above declaration. That we believe him to be about the age of the State 86 - that he is re- puted & believed, in the neighborhood where he resides, to have been a soldier of the revolution, stated stated by him & that we concur in that opinion
Sworn to & subscribed this 30 th day of Nov. 1832
J. T. Johnson - J. L. Lamon
And the a d Job Stevenson a Justice of the County Court of Scott County, being a court of record, doth declare his opinion

After the investigation of the matter & after putting the interrogatories prescribed by the War Dept. that the above named applicant was a revolutionary soldier & served as he states - And the J. Justice doth fur- -ther certify, that it appears to him that J. T. Johnson who has signed the preceding certificate is a Teacher of the Christian religion resident in the Town & County stated & that Dr. J. L. Lewis who has signed the same is a resi- -dent in s d County & is a credible person, & that their statement is entitled to credit. And I further certify that P. Paul Leathers is unable to appear in open court, by reason of bodily infirmity - In testimony whereof I have hereto set my hand & seal this 30 th day of Nov. 1832.
J. Stevenson /m
State of Kentucky
North County Jct.
I Ben B. Ford clerk of the court for the County aforesaid do certify that J. B. Stevenson esq. before whom the foregoing affidavits

purposes to have been taken was at the time of taking said affidavits and now as one of the acting Justices of the peace in and for the County of Peel regularly Commissioned and qualified and full faith and credit is due and ought to be given to all his official acts as well within as without this County
In Testimony Whereof I have hereunto set my hand & official seal the 30 th day of Nov 1832
All Ben D. Ingleth
Dear Brother, If you obtain the Certificate, enclose it to me - I cannot see why it should not succeed. Yrs J. T. Johnson

January 9, 1934
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
Paul Leathers-S.16450 BA-J/AWF
Mr. C. F. Leathers c/o The Louisville Trust Co. Louisville, Kentucky
Dear Sir:
Reference is made to your letter in which you request the Revolutionary War record of Paul Leathers.
The data contained herein were obtained from the papers on file in pension claim, S. 16450, based upon his military service in that war.
Paul Leathers was born April 1, 1747, place not stated, nor are the names of his parents shown.
He enlisted in the spring of 1776, "shouldered his rifle" in Culpeper County, Virginia, served as sergeant in Captain John Thornton's company, Colonel Weedon's Third Virginia regiment; he was in the battles of Trenton, Brandywine, Germantown, and other skirmishes, and served two years. After which he served as Quartermaster and Commissary of Issues under orders from General Peter Muhlenberg until the siege of Yorktown.
Paul Leathers was allowed pension on his application executed, November 30, 1832, then living in Scott County, Kentucky.
There are no data in this claim concerning the family of Paul Leathers.
Very truly yours
A. D. HILLER Assistant to Administrator

Paul Leathers

Department of War Pension Fund Office Feb 7 th 5 th 1833.
Sir
I herewith return the papers in the case of the claim for Pension by Mr Paul Seathers, and have to inform you that, his name cannot be found on the list of Officers of the Virginia line, on file either in this, or the Pension Office. Upon examination of the list of Noncommissioned Officers and Privates of that line, on file in the Pension Office. I find that a Certificate for fifty odd Dollars was issued by the State of Virginia, in 1783. to Paul Seathers for the balance of his full pay as a Sergeant of Inf ty in the Virg a . Continental line.
Mr Seathers having claimed Pension (in part) as a Captain, the list of Officers alone was referred to in the investigation of his case, and his name not appearing thereon, he was reported as "Not found on the Rolls"
I have taken the liberty to confer with Mr. Edwards on the subject of this claim, and he requests me to say to you, that a Pension will be allowed to Mr Seathers in conformity with the rank which the Rolls exhibit
I have the honor to be
With much respect Your ob st St
Army Gordon
Hon ble R. M. Johnson

Paul Seathers, from 1776 Sargent 12 years. $120.
on Roll.
Hon R. M. Johnson N. R.
Paul Seathers
The most rigid examination has been made & Paul tellers cannot be found on the Rolls. He must prove his services by one witness or he cannot succeed Wm. Johnson
Mr Gordon will please examine his Books & see if he can find Paul Seathers & return these papers with his answer to you Wm. Johnson

BRIEF objections to the admission of Pension Claims , of which those answered in the negative, in red ink, will apply to the claim of Paul Leathers which require further proof or explanation.
I. Does the declaration show where the applicant resides? yes II. Did the declarant make the declaration in the county where he resides? yes III. If the applicant did not make the declaration in the county where he resides, is there any reason assigned for his not doing so? IV. Has the declarant mentioned the period or periods of the war when he served? yes V. * Has he mentioned with precision the length of his service, and the different grades in which he served, in language so definite as to enable the department to determine to what amount of pension he is entitled? yes VI. Has he given the names of the officers under whom he served, in conformity with the regulations? yes VII. Has he made a relinquishment of every claim to any other pension than the one under the Act of June 7, 1832? yes VIII. Has the Court given their opinion? yes IX. Has the Clerk given his certificate? yes X. Is the Clerk's seal affixed? And if so, has it a device or inscription by which it can be distinguished from any other seal? yes

XI. Has the applicant obtained the evidence of a clergyman and another respectable citizen as to their belief respecting his age and the general belief in his neighborhood relative to his revolutionary service? yes
XII. If the clergyman's affidavit has not been produced, is there any reason assigned for not obtaining it?
XIII. If the applicant has no documentary evidence, and has not obtained the testimony of at least one living witness, has he stated in his declaration that such proof cannot be had?
Traditional
XIV. † If the applicant has produced a witness or witnesses as to his service, has the magistrate who administered the oath certified that he, she, or they are persons of credibility? yes
Has the official character and signature of the magistrate been certified by the proper officer under his seal of office? yes
XV. Does it appear from any of the papers that the witness was in such a situation, or of such an age, as to have a personal knowledge of the applicant's service?
Not on the Rolls.
XVI. ‡ Are the papers authenticated as the regulations direct? NO.
XVII. Are the seven interrogatories prescribed by the War Department answered satisfactorily? And, if not, which of them is not so answered? 1 2 6 7 not answered.
EXPLANATORY NOTES.
* QUERE V. In a case where the applicant cannot, by reason of the loss of memory, state precisely how long he served, he should amend his declaration by making an affidavit in the following words:
“Personally appeared before me, the undersigned, a Justice of the Peace, &c. A. B. who, being duly sworn, deposeth and saith, that, by reason of old age, and the consequent loss of memory, he cannot swear positively as to the precise length of his service, but according to the best of his recollection he served not less than the periods mentioned below, and in the following grades: For _____ year _____ months and _____ days, I served as a _____. For _____ months and _____ days, I served as a _____; and for such service I claim a pension.”

It is important in all cases to determine with precision the period for which the applicant served, and the particular rank he held, as the law directs the pension to be paid according to the grade of the pensioner and the length of his service. The use of the phrase about three or four months is too indefinite, and all such qualifying expressions are objectionable.
†QUERE XIV. Proof of Service.
In a case where the name of the applicant is not found on the records of the Department, he must prove his service by two credible witnesses, who are required to set forth in their affidavits the time of the claimants entering the service, and the time and manner of his leaving the same, as well as the regiment, company, and line to which he belonged. The magistrate who may administer the oaths must certify to the credibility of the witnesses, and the official character and signature of the magistrate must be certified by the proper officer, under his seal of office.
†QUERE XVI. Mode of authenticating papers.
In every instance where the certificate of the certifying officer who authenticated the papers is not written on the same sheet of paper which contains the affidavit, or other paper authenticated, the certificate must be attached thereto by a piece of tape or narrow ribbon, the end of which must pass under the seal of office of the certifying officer, so as to prevent any paper from being improperly attached to the certificate.

aw
January 31, 1925.
Honorable Clarence Cannon, House of Representatives.
My dear Mr. Cannon:
Mr. Cannon NR In response to your letter of the twenty-ninth instant, I have the honor to advise you that from the papers in the Revolutionary War pension claim, W.6721, it appears that Francis Cowherd was Lieutenant of the Second Virginia Regiment from January 1, 1779 to May 29, 1780, also acting as Adjutant from May 19, 1779 to May 29, 1780 when he was commissioned Captain of said regiment and he also acted as Adjutant to the Second Virginia Detachment from June 20, 1781 to January 18, 1782.
He was allowed pension on his application executed June 23, 1828, while living in Orange County, Virginia. He died March 25, 1833.
We married in August 1787 Lucy Scott who was born in March 1763. She was allowed pension on her application executed August 22, 1838, while living in Orange County, Virginia, where she died July 31, 1847, leaving four children, Francis K., John S., Mary S. and Lucy Cowherd.

The oldest child, Garritt H., was born April 15, 1788, ages of other children and of soldier not on record.
From the papers in the Revolutionary War pension claim, S.16450, it appears that Paul Leathers or Leatherer who was born April 1, 1747, enlisted in Culpeper County, Virginia, in the spring of 1776 as a Sergeant in Captain John Thornton's Company, Colonel Weedon's Third Virginia Regiment. He was in the battles of Trenton, Brandywine and Germantown and served two years.
Soon after he enlisted and served as Quartermaster and Commissary of Issues under orders from General Peter Muhlenberg until the siege of York.
He was allowed pension on his application executed November 30, 1832, while living in Scott County, Kentucky.
There is no data on file as to his family.
Very truly yours,
Hayes Haymaker
Acting Commissioner.
✓ Soldier's allegation as to serving as Captain was repudiated by the Pension Bureau and his claim allowed on length of service for 2 yrs. As he is not listed on Kentucky's Register where the officers of the Third Va. appear I have left it out. The Commissary service was included because it could not be disproved either then or now.

THE LOUISVILLE TRUST COMPANY
LOUISVILLE, KENTUCKY
December 27th, 1933
Department of Interior, Bureau of Pensions, Washington, D. C.
Gentlemen:
Please furnish me with what information you have in the department on Paul Leathers , who enlisted in Continental Army at Culpeper County, Virginia, sometime in 1776.
Any information furnished will be greatly appreciated.
Yours very truly,
A handwritten signature in cursive, appearing to read "C F Leathers".
C. F. Leathers, c/o The Louisville Trust Company, Louisville, Kentucky
CFL:M

1-24

Pushville Ind. Feb 18-1914
Commissioner of Pensions, Washington D. C.
My Dear Sir.
Can you give me any information about Paul Leathers who served in the war of the Revolution, from Va. Did he draw a pension, and was it from Ky. Also, can you give me anything about John Leathers.
Paul Leathers or Leathers.
John " "
Sincerely Leila N. Gilbert.

16.4.50
INVALID.
File No. 16.4.50
Paul Leathers
Serg. Gen. War
Act: June 7 th 39
Index:—Vol. D , Page 222
[Arrangement of 1870.]
1914 March 2: Test to Mrs G. H. Gilbert. M.B.H.
1925 Jan. 21. Test to Hon. Clarence Cannon M.C.
1934 Jan. 9 - Test to C. L. Geathers and