Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty Land Warrant Application File S. 32426, for Mason Owens, Virginia

SERVICE
NUMBER _____
Dr.
Owens, Nason
S. 32426
CONTENTS

Illinois 19.924
Mason Owens of the State of Ill. who was a Private in the Co. commanded by Captain Rogers of the Reg. by Col. Shinker in the Virginia line for 2 months!
$76. 66 100
Inscribed on the Roll of Illinois. at the rate of 76. Dollars 66. Cents per annum, to commence on the 4th day of March, 1831.
Certificate of Pension issued the 25 day of Sept. 1833 and sent to M. L. D. Vandalia. Ill. Arrears to the 4th of Sept. 1833. 191. 65. Pension allowance ending Sept. 34. 38. 33.
$29.98
{ Revolutionary Claim, } { Act June 7, 1832. }
Recorded by M. Palmer Clerk, Book 8 Vol. 8 Page 60,

In the matter of Mason Owens a Revolutionary soldier

State of Illinois } Fayette County } Sec.
On this third day of November in the year eighteen hundred and thirty two personally appeared in open court, before the Judges of the County Commissioners Court of the County and State aforesaid, now sitting, the said Court being a Court of Record, Mason Owens a resident of Montgomery  Band County and State aforesaid (which county adjoins the said County of Fayette) aged seventy two years, who being first duly sworn according to law, doth on his oath make the following declaration in order to obtain the benefit of the Act of Congress passed June 7 th 1832. That he was born in the County of King George in the state of Virginia on the eighth day of September 1760; that he has no record of his that according to the best of his recollection, sometime in the year 1776, he volunteered as a private in the company of Captain Joseph Rogers, which company was attached to the Regiment under the command of Colonel John Skinker, that he was employed with said troops sometimes on the Potomac and sometimes on the Rappahannock Rivers, in guarding the said rivers and preventing the British troops from landing and committing devastations in the country. that he was frequently engaged in skirmishes with the British in their attempts to land, but does not recollect particularly any engagement in which he was concerned while employed on the said rivers. He states that Captain Rogers was wounded at Boyd's hole on the Potomac river & that Captain George Shatto took command of his company until Captain Rogers recovered, but he was ordered to that place and stationed on the side of the river opposite to Yorktown where he remained until the surrender of Cornwallis. that he was then employed to guard the prisoners taken at that place to Fredericksburg, where he was discharged. He states that he received a discharge from Captain Rogers for the service abovementioned, but that owing to

the burning of his house while a resident of Fayette County in the state of Kentucky, he lost all his papers among which was his said discharge. He states that sometime about the year 1807 he removed from Virginia to the state of Kentucky - he resided in Mason County in said state about one year, he then removed to Bourbon County where he lived about two years, then to Fayette, how long he resided in said county he cannot precisely recollect, from Fayette County he removed to Henry County where he resided until about five years ago, when he removed to the state of Illinois where he has resided up until the present time. He further states that he knows of no person whose testimony he can procure, nor has he any documentary evidence, to prove his aforesaid services. He states that Samuel Bartlett a resident of Montgomery County, which county adjoins the county of Fayette aforesaid and James White a resident of Bond County, state aforesaid have been acquainted with him for a considerable length of time; but that owing to the remote parts of the county in which he resides he is not acquainted with any minister of the gospel. He hereby relinquishes all and every claim whatsoever to a pension or annuity, except the present and declares that his name is not on the Pension Roll of the agency of any state.
Sworn to & subscribed in open court this third day of November 1832. J. W. Berry Clk
Mason Owens
We Samuel Bartlett, residing in Montgomery County and state of Illinois and James White residing in Bond County in said state, hereby certify that we are well acquainted with Mason Owens, who has subscribed and sworn to the above declaration; that we believe him to be seventy two

years of age; 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.
Sworn to and subscribed } in open court the day } + year last aforesaid.
Samuel Bartlett James H. White
Jas W. Berry Clk.
And the said Court do hereby declare their opinion, after the investigation of the matter, and after putting the interrogatories prescribed by the War Department, that the above named applicant was a Revolutionary soldier and that he served as he states: And the Court further certifies, that it appears to them that Samuel Bartlett who has signed the preceding certificate is a resident of Montgomery County in the State of Illinois, and that James White who has also signed the same is a resident in the County of Bond in the said State, and an credible persons, and that their statement is entitled to credit.
I James W. Berry Clerk of the County Commissioners Court of Fayette County & State of Illinois do hereby certify that the foregoing contains the original proceedings of the said Court in the matter of the application of Mason Owens for a pension.
In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand and affixed the seal of my Office at Vandalia the 3 d day of November 1832 year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and thirty two, and of the Independence of the United States, the fifty seventh
Jas W. Berry Clk.

January 12, 1923
BA-J/MCS
Mason Owens, S. 32426
James Rains, R. 35600
Miss Sarah C. Owens 206 Jacob Street Danville Kentucky
Dear Madam:
Reference is made to your request for the records of Revolutionary War soldiers named Joshua and Mason Owens and James Rains.
The Revolutionary War records of this office fail to afford any information in regard to a Joshua Owens.
The data which follow were obtained from papers on file in pension claim, S. 32426, based upon the Revolutionary War service of Mason Owens, the only soldier by that name that is found in the Revolutionary War records of this office.
He was born in King George County, Virginia, September 8, 1760. The names of his parents were not given.
He enlisted, place not given, and served from sometime in 1776 at various times until after the surrender of Cornwallis, amounting to twenty-three months in all, as private with the Virginia troops under Captains Joseph Rogers, George Strother and William Punbury and Colonel John Skinker.
In 1807 he moved from Virginia to Kentucky and lived in Mason County one year, in Bourbon County two years then moved to Fayette County. From there he moved to Henry County, Kentucky, where he lived until about 1827 when he moved to Illinois.
He was allowed pension on his application executed November 3, 1832, at which time he was living in Montgomery County, Illinois.
The papers in this claim contain no data relative to the soldier's family.
*****

The data which follow were obtained from papers on file in the pension claim, S. 35600, based upon the military service of James Rains.
He enlisted in August, 1777, place not given, and served as private in Captain Peter Grant's Company in Colonel William Grayson's Virginia Regiment until he was captured in May, 1780, at the siege of Charleston. He was held a prisoner until July 1, 1781, when he was exchanged.
He applied for pension September 1, 1829, at which time he was a resident of Oakley Township, Sevier County, Arkansas. His claim was allowed.
In 1830 he was living in Mercer County, Kentucky, and stated that he was then seventy-two years of age, that his wife was sixty-six years of age and that he had a daughter in her forty-fifth year and one in her forty-third year but he did not give any names.
The names of the soldier's parents were not given and there are no further data relative to the soldier's family.
Very truly yours
A. D. MILLER Assistant to Administrator

32426 Rev INVALID.
File No. 89, 296
Mason Owens
Ali Rev War
Act: June 1 st 89 th
Index:—Vol. 2 , Page 306
[Arrangement of 1870.]
1914. Oct 10. History to Miss.
Alice Owen M-136
1914 Dec. 7. Miss Alice Owens request for date of last payment forwarded to End. Dept. Ad 1933 Jan. 12. Let. to Miss Sarah C. Owens. WES

27. Oct. 19. 1924 Mason Owens Illinois
Adm 1. year 11 Months
40.00 36.66 $76.66
M. L. L. Erving Nantia Illinois

State of Illinois
Fayette County ss.
On this day, to wit: the 10th day of July 1832, personally came before me W m Hodges a justice of the peace in for the County of Fayette & State of Illinois aforesaid. Marion Owens a resident of Montgomery County State aforesaid which County adjoins the S o County of Fayette of the age set forth in his Declaration & eight months, who being first duly sworn, doth on his oath, make the following additional Declaration viz:
That this Declarant made his declaration in the County of Fayette instead of the County of Montgomery in which he resides, because he was not aware of there being any person in the said County of Montgomery who was prepared with the necessary forms & instructions to make out a correct declaration of his service to the proper Department, but was informed I did believe that there were persons in the County of Fayette aforesaid, at Vandalia in said County who were so prepared and there only being five miles difference in the distance to those places.
That this Declarant truly believes that he was engaged in active service under Capt. Joseph Rodgers referred to in his original Declaration for the period of Eight Months - From the time until the termination of the siege of Yorktown alluded to in the Declaration but when this service was performed - that is to say, in what year, the

Declarant's memory is so imperfect that he cannot possibly recollect — That about thirty-five miles below Boyd's hole referred to in his original declaration at the mouth of a large Creek (name forgotten) he served four months & a few days under the command of Capt. George Stothert, referred to in this Declarant's original Declaration — This Declarant was then discharged by Capt. Stothert until further orders. In the Spring following (year forgotten) He was ordered to march to the heights some distance above Falmouth at the head of Tide Water on the Rappahannoc River where we were garrisoned six months expecting attacks from the enemy daily as it was then expected they were about to or would attack Fredericksburg on their passage from North Carolina into Virginia — He was again discharged for further orders — When in a few weeks after this the Declarant was ordered (during all the time a private soldier) to march to Little York River on the opposite side of the river from where Lord Cornwallis was besieged by the American & French forces, where I was engaged in constant & arduous service for the period of at least five months and until the surrender of Cornwallis & the Army under his command, to the united American & French forces. This Declarant served on this latter expedition under Capt. William Burnberry, by whom he was discharged —
This Declarant has but recently — say nine months, in this State, and has not been in the State when

he made his original Declaration more than one week - I am lived far from the scenes of his services so long that he knows of no one by whose direct testimony of his Revolutionary services could be proven.
The persons who certify as to their acquaintance with the Declarant & their belief of his Revolutionary services are both respectable members of the Baptist Church, but who have no other knowledge of the Declarant's services than their belief in his veracity & his own representations & the opinion of the opinion of those who know him.
That this Declarant had it not in his power to obtain the Certificate of a Chieftain Not being acquainted with any in this Country who have had any opportunities of becoming ac- -quainted him so as to enable them to make the required Certificate sworn to and subscribed before me this 10th day of      Mason Owens July 1833 -
Hodge I.P.F.B.
State of Illinois
Fayette County } ss.
I James W Berry clerk of the County Commissioners Court for the county of Fayette aforesaid do hereby certify that Wm Hodge whose name is subscribed to the foregoing attestation, is, and was, at the time of signing the same an acting Justice of the peace, within and for the County aforesaid, duly commissioned & qualified; and that full faith & credit is, and ought to be given to all his offi- -cial acts as such.
In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand and affixed the seal of said Court, at Vandalia this 12 th day of July A.D. 1833. J. W. Berry Clk

J. L. Edwards

In.
I again return Pownall's declaration, amended so as to meet your objections.
I take the liberty to remark in relation to Mr Owens that from my acquaintance with him, I have no hesitation in recommending him as a most worthy object of relief.
His connections in Kentucky are respectable and his standing in this State that of a moral & strictly upright man.
I have the honor to be Sir Yrs. most oblt. Servt.
Wm Lloyd Irving July 29. 1833

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR, BUREAU OF PENSIONS.
Washington, D. C., _____, 19_____
In reply to your request of _____, received _____ for a statement of the military history of Mason Owens 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. L. 32426.
   DATES OF ENLISTMENT OR APPOINTMENT. LENGTH OF SERVICE. RANK. OFFICERS UNDER WHOM SERVICE WAS RENDERED. STATE.   CAPTAIN. COLONEL.     ✓ 8 mos. Pvt. Joseph Rogers John Skinner Va.   ✓ 10 mos. George Stratton   1781 5 mos. Wm. Burdour  
Battles engaged in, Siege of Yorktown; in fight at Skinker's Residence of soldier at enlistment, ✓ Date of application for pension, Nov. 3, 1833. His claim was allowed. Residence at date of application, Montgomery Co. Ky. Age at date of application, 75 in King George Co. Va. Sept. 8, 1760.
Remarks: There is no family data on file. Moved from Va. in 1807 to Ky. Resided in Mason Co. 1 year, Bourbon Co. 2 years, Jayette Co.; Henry Co. until about 1827 when he moved to Ky.
Respectfully,
Commissioner.

M 73 H 11/11
Rev. War Section.
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR BUREAU OF PENSIONS WASHINGTON
October 2, 1914.
Miss Alice Owen, 423-71-Williams Boulevard, Springfield, Ill.
Madam:
In reply to your letter dated the 28 th , _____, and received the 30 th . Ultimo , you are advised that the Revolu- tionary War records of this Bureau fail to afford any information in regard to Moses Owen . The only Revolutionary War pensioner of similar name of Montgomery Co. Ill. is Mason Durns , and if a history of his service is desired you should so state.
Very respectfully,
G. M. Satterg
Commissioner.

206 Jacob Street Danville, Kentucky December 30, 1932
Veterans Administration Bureau of Pensions Washington, D. C.
Gentlemen:
In November 1931 you sent me some valuable information concerning the Owens family and, as I am still interested in establishing a complete family record, I am again coming to you for data.
I should like to know if you have a record of the date of birth of Joshua Owens who was a Revolutionary War soldier . He was born in Warrenton, Fauquier County, Virginia, and was the son of Jeremiah and Jane Kenton Owens.
Can you determine the birth date of Mason Owens (brother of Joshua Owens) and was he a Revolutionary War soldier?
Also, I should like to find out who James Rains' parents were. I am especially interested to know if he was a son of Cornelius and Mary Kenton Rains. We understand that James Rains applied for a pension from Harrodsburg, Mercer County, Kentucky, but he lived from the time of his marriage in the 1780's on a farm given him and his wife by Simon Kenton, his wife's uncle, in what is now Boyle County, Kentucky, and is located about eight miles west of Danville, Kentucky.
I shall appreciate any information you can give me.
Yours truly,
Sarah C. Owens (Miss) Sarah C. Owens

M N
423 West Williams Bl-vd Springfield, Illinois.
My dear Sir:-
Evidently I was misinformed regarding the given name. I will appreciate the information regarding the Rev. war record of Mason Owens who resided in Montgomery county Illinois..
Thanking you in advance for kindness, I am
Sincerely yours.
(Miss) Alice Owens
Oct. 6, 1894.