Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty Land Warrant Application File S. 8,809, for John Law, Virginia

SERVICE
Va.
Law, John
NUMBER
S.8809
CONTENTS
carded.

3498 Virginia
John Law
of Franklin in the State of Virginia who was a Private in the Comp y commanded by Captain Herd of the Reg t commanded by Col: Armstrong in the Virginia line for 10 months from 1778
Inscribed on the Roll of Virginia at the rate of $4.33 Dollars 33 Cents per annum, to commence on the 14th day of March, 1831.
Certificate of Pension issued the 24 th day of Dec r 1832 and sent to Hon N. H. Claiborne, House of Rep s .
  Arrears to 14th of Sept 1832  64.99    Semi-annual allowance ending 4 Mar: 33  21.67     $86.66  
{ Revolutionary Claim, Act June 7, 1832. }
Recorded by Nathan Rice Clerk, Book D Vol. 7 Page 104

9947
John Law
from 1778 print 1 yr 1 m.
net $43. \frac{33}{100}
Q
14-
Int 127,
Dec 8-
M c H. Claiborn H. of Reps
 43.33  21.66   64.99 
43.

9947  BRIEF in the case of John Law County of Franklin in the State of Virginia (Act 7th June, 1832.)
 1. Was the declaration made before a Court or a Judge? Justice  2. If before a Judge, does it appear that the applicant is disabled by bodily infirmity? yes  3. How old is he? 85  4. State his service, as directed in the form annexed. 
   Period. Duration of Service. Rank. Names of General and Field Officers under whom he served.   Years, Months, Days.     enlisted In 1778 1 — — private Gen. Capt. Jesse Horrocks Col.   Drafted '81 — 1 — " Armstrong Gen. Davidson Capt. James Pertute Col. Skipworth Gen. Washington  
 5. In what battles was he engaged? near York  6. Where did he reside when he entered the service? Henry Cty. Va.  7. Is his statement supported by living witnesses, by documentary proof, by traditionary evidence, by incidental evidence, or by the rolls? Traditionary witnesses  8. Are the papers defective as to form or authentication? and if so, in what respect? Correct 
X  Certify that the foregoing statement and the answers agree with the evidence in the case above mentioned.
J. Waugh
Examining Clerk.

Washington City
I know Lewis Davis & Brownell have the wishes within they are considered men of truth & respectability and so is John Lewis the applicant as considered
Nathl. Claiborne ms
Washington 21 st Dec r 1832
9947 John Lewis Dept. for a Pension

State of Virginia
County of Franklin
{ 88
On this 18 th day of July 1832. personally appeared before me John M c Collum a Justice of the peace for said county, John Spain f. a resident of the county and state aforesaid, aged eighty-five years, who being first duly sworn according to law, doth on his oath, make the following declaration; in Order to obtain the benefits of the act of Congress passed June 7. 1832.
That he entered the service of the United States, under the following named Officers, and served as herein stated - That in the year 1778 or there about, he enlisted under Captain John Hays as a volunteer in a company of Cavalry in the County of Henry State of Virginia, for the purpose of guarding against, and quelling the Tories, and to be held in readiness to march to any other place, or on any other service when called on That they marched through the Counties of Henry and Bedford different times, dispersing the Tories and disaffected - that they marched into the state of North Carolina, at the fall of  and toward  Colonel Brimsontown, he thinks in the County of Surry, for the purpose of suppressing the Tories, - that they found General  General Davidson of this state, and was commonly sent out on reconnoitering parties - and march into South Carolina - from thence Return to North Carolina, where the Captain and Lieutenant of our Company was discharged, and from the service in that quarter, and we march home, and continued to be held in readiness for further service, that he was in actual service twelve months, and he thinks more, as above stated, under the above named Captain John Hays - That he was then drafted in the year 1781. under Captain James Portee, and march from the County of Henry (now Franklin) in the State of Virginia to Yorktown in the above named state, and was discharged on the 10 th of October, as well as he recollects, - he obtain a written discharge, which has been either lost or mislaid - signed by said Capt. Portee - that he was in service at that time one month - That the Col, to whose Regiment he belonged was

Named Shipwreck, to the best of his Recollection, that General Washington was the Commander in Chief - that he has resided in the County of Henry, that part which is at present Franklin, and on the same plantation in the above named County, in Virginia since and during the Revolutionary War -
He hereby Relinquishes every claim whatever to a pension or annuity except the pension, and declares that his name is not on the pension Roll of any the agency of any state.
John Law Jr -
Sworn to, and subscribed, the day and year aforesaid
John M Holland J.P.
We M c os Green & a Cergymen residing in the County of Franklin and state of Virginia, Pleasant Dickinson of the same County and state aforesaid, hereby certify, that we are well acquainted with John Law Jr, - who has subscribed and sworn to the above declaration, that we believe him to be eighty five years of age, and that he is reputed and believed in the neighborhood where he resides, to have been a soldier of the Revolution, and that we concur in that opinion
M c os Green J.P. P. Dickinson
Sworn, and subscribed, the day and year aforesaid
John M Holland J.P.
Virginia Franklin County 83
I do hereby declare my opinion, after the investigation of the matter, and after putting the interrogatories prescribed by the War Department, that the above named applicant was a Revolutionary soldier and served as he states, and that he is unable from bodily infirmity to attend Court, to claim his attain pension and I do further certify, that it appears to me, that M c os Green who has signed the preceding Certificate, is a clergyman, residing in the same County of Franklin, Virginia, and that Pleasant Dickinson who has also signed the same, is a resident in the same County and state aforesaid and is a credible person, and that their statement is entitled to credit. Given under my hand this 4 day of Sept. 1837 John M Holland J.P.

Franklin County to wit
This day came before me John W Holland a justice of the peace for said county, Walter Burnet of lawful age, who after being first sworn on the holy Evangelist of Almighty God sayeth, that he enlisted in the Center Company of Captain Wm Reed and served in that company with John Lawf - and that the declaration made by said John Lawf - and sworn to as above - is substantially correct, as it regards the service and time under said Reed - and further sayeth not
Walter Burnet
Sworn to, and subscribed, before me, this 18 th July 1832
Franklin County to wit
John M Holland J.P.
This day came before me John M Holland a justice of the peace for said county Burnell Law Jr of lawful age who after being first sworn on the holy Evangelist of Almighty God sayeth that he was about sixteen or seventeen years old when the above named John Law marched into the service of his country under Capt Jesse Reed I know he said Law was gone a very considerable length of time, and as to the tower he states he served at York greatest part of his marching there and further Burnell Law Jr mark
Sworn to and subscribed before me this 3 rd day of Sept 1832
John M Holland J.P.
Franklin County to wit This day came before me John M Holland a justice of the peace for said county Lewis Davis of lawful age who after being first sworn on the holy Evangelist of Almighty God sayeth that he was in the service of the United States at Little York in Virginia and saw John Law Jr and the declaration made by John Lawf and sworn to as above is substantially correct as it regards the service and time at York and further saith not
Subscribed and sworn to this 4 th day of Sept 1832
John M Holland J.P.

Virginia Franklin County Ye.
I Caleb Tate Clerk of the County Court of Franklin do hereby certify that John M. Holland whose name appears to the within Certificate is a magistrate in said County duly Commissioned and qualified as such, and that the signatures purporting to be his are genuine.
In testimony whereof I have hereunto subscribed my name and affixed my seal of Office the 10 th day of September 1832 in the 5 th year of the Common Wealth.
Caleb Tate.
John Law Debt for a Pension
Washington City I know Law is Lewis & Russell Law the wife brother They are connected men of truth & respectability and so is John Law the applicant was concurred N. A. W. H. Clayton Washington 21 st Dec r 1832

In reply to your request of _____, received _____ for a statement of the military history of John Law a soldier of the REVOLUTIONARY WAR, you will find below the desired information as contained in his (or his widow's) application for pen- sion on file in this Bureau. S. L. 8809.
   DATES OF ENLISTMENT OR APPOINTMENT. LENGTH OF SERVICE. RANK. OFFICERS UNDER WHOM SERVICE WAS RENDERED. STATE.   CAPTAIN. COLONEL.     1778. 12 mos. Pvt. Jesse Herd Va.   1781 1 " James Pertee Skipwith        
Battles engaged in, ✓ Residence of soldier at enlistment, Henry Co., Va. Date of application for pension, July 18, 1832. No c. was al. Residence at date of application, Franklin Co., Va. Age at date of application, 85 yrs. date and place of birth not stated. Remarks: There is no data relative to family
Respectfully,
Commissioner.

Rev. War
8809
INVALID.
1917, Feb. 12. History to Mrs. J. E. Law. Letter with cl. Henry Law. S. 31196 Tr
File No. 8809
John Law
Pre Rev War
Act: June 1st 82
Index:—Vol. Rev , Page 215
[Arrangement of 1870.]

adm blank
No. N. H. Claiborn Station, wind by W E AAS

BRIEF objections to the admission of Pension Claims , of which those answered in the negative, in red ink, will apply to the claim of John Law 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? witnesses 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? No 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? yes XVI. ‡ Are the papers authenticated as the regulations direct? yes XVII. Are the seven interrogatories prescribed by the War Department answered satisfactorily? And, if not, which of them is not so answered? 1 2
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.