Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty Land Warrant Application File R. 8081, for John Pell, Virginia

SERVICE
NUMBER
Va.
Pell John Nancy
P. 8081
CONTENTS

Nancy Bell
To 3 declaration under the act of 1838
Pension offer
(1)

(1)
Declaration
State of Kentucky } County of Lewis } S.S.
On this Thirtieth day of August 1851 personally came before me, Thomas Henderson the the Judge of the Lewis County Court, in Common pleas and State of Kentucky; Nancy Pell a resident of said County & State aged Eighty Eight years, who being duly sworn according to law, doth on her oath make the following declaration, in order to obtain the benefit of the provision made by the Act of Congress passed July 7th 1838 entitled an 'Act granting half pay & pensions to Certain Widows', and the joint resolution of Congress, Approved July 7th 1838. — That she is the widow of John Pell, who was a private in Capt's (name not Recollected) Comp. in Col's (name not Recollected) Reg't that he enlisted in 1782 at Fairfax Court house in Fairfax County in the State of Virginia, & served over two years to the close of the Revolutionary War; that he came home in 1783 or 1784 from the War — that he was some of the time under Genl. Gates & most of the time under Genl. Greene, that he was at the Battles of the 'Cowpens' and the 'Eutaw Springs', that he received an Honorable discharge but since his death not supposing it would ever be of any advantage to her she suffer'd it to be lost or destroyed some Eighteen or Twenty years ago —
She further declares that she was married to John Pell on the XXXXX day of January in the year seventeen hundred & Eighty five at Alexandria in Virginia, by a Minister of the Gospel whose name she can not now recollect — That her Maiden name before Marriage was Nancy Harrison — that her husband, John Pell, died on the 13th day of July 1810 near Fairfax Court

beaut House in Fairfax County Virginia - that she was not married to him prior to his leaving the service; but the Marriage took place previous to the first day of January Seventeen Hundred and ninety four; viz: at the time above stated - that she has remained the widow of said John Pell ever since his death as will appear by the proof hereto Annex'd and that she knows of no Record of her said Marriage nor has she any in her possession —
Nancy Pell Mark
Sworn to and subscribed before me this 30th day of August 1881
Thomas Henderson } Clerk
a judge of the court of Common pleas in & for the County of Lewis & State of Kentucky
I Thomas Henderson the Judge within and above named, & before whom the Declaration of Nancy Pell, the Applicant for a pension within named and before whom the proceedings, were held, do hereby certify & declare my Opinion after the investigation of the matter & after putting the interrogatories prescribed by the War Department, that her said husband, John Pell was a Revolutionary soldier and I do further certify, that in my Opinion her declaration is true according to her best recollection & that she is totally unable from bodily infirmity and old age to attend Court for the purpose of making her declaration
Thomas Henderson
a judge of the County Court of Common pleas in & for the County of Lewis & State of Kentucky

State of Kentucky } County of Lewis } S.S.
On this second day of September 1881 personally came before me, Thomas Henderson the Judge of the Lewis County Court and State of Kentucky, Elizabeth Essex aged sixty six years and Richard Pell aged sixty four years, of the County and State aforesaid, who being duly sworn according to Law do Depose & say, that John Pell their father died on the 12th day of July 1810 near Fairfax Court House in Fairfax County Virginia as stated in Nancy Pell's Declaration & that we have known her intimately ever since her said husband's John Pell's decease, and that we personally know, that the said Nancy Pell has remained a widow ever since his death and they further say they have often heard their father talk of his engagements, Battles, Skirmishes, Manoeuvres, Marches, fatigues, &c. &c. during his service in the revolutionary war and we very well believe from the reports of himself & fellow soldiers then living now dead and his discharge which he then had that he was in the war & served as stated in the Declaration of Nancy Pell — Elizabeth Essex Sworn to and subscribed to Richard Pell before me the day & year above written
Thomas Henderson a Judge of the County Court of Lewis County Kentucky
I certify that I am acquainted with Elizabeth Essex and Richard Pell and that they are persons of Cred- ibility and veracity & respectable in their neighbor- hood.
Thomas Henderson The Judge of the County Court of Lewis County Kentucky

Nancy Pile
To Jeremiah Declaration under act of 1848
Pension Office Dept

Declaration.
In order to obtain the benefits of the acts of Congress of 2 d , of February 1848, entitled "an act making further provision for surviving widows & Holders of the Revolution."
State of Kentucky } County of Lewis } ss:
On this Thirtieth day of August 1851. personally appeared before me Thomas Henderson a Judge of the Court of Common Pleas in the County of Lewis & State of Kentucky, Nancy Pell, a resident of Guichon Prune in the County of Lewis & State of Kentucky, aged Eighty Eight years, who being first duly sworn according to law, after being sworn, made the following declaration; that she is the widow of John Pell who was a private in Capt. (Name not recollectd), in Col. (not recollectd) - in Regt. not recollectd - that he enlisted in 1780 at Fairfax Col. H. in Fairfax County in the State of Virginia - served over two years to the close of the Revolutionary War - that he came home from the war in 1783 or 1784 - that some of the time he served under Genl. Gates, & sometimes under Genl. Greene - that he was at the Battles of the "Cowpens", & of "Eutaw Springs". that he received an honorable discharge but since his death it has been lost or destroyed.
She further declares that she is still a widow.
Nancy his Pell  mark
sworn to & subscribed on the _____ day & year above written before me
Thomas Henderson, Judge
a Judge of the Court of Common Pleas of Lewis County, Kentucky.
I Thomas Henderson the Judge within & above named, before whom the declaration of Nancy Pell, the applicant for a pension within named, & before

whom the proceedings were held, do hereby certify and declare my opinion, after the investigation of the matter, & after hearing the interrogatories presented by the War Department, that her said husband, John Pell was a Revolutionary Soldier - & I do further certify, that in my opinion, her declaration is true according to her best recollection - & that she is totally unable from bodily infirmity to attend Court for the purpose of making her declaration.
Thomas Henderson a Judge of the Court of Common Pleas in the County of Lewis State of Kentucky. —

No. 14.576 Nancy Pell, widow of John Kentucky
July 7, 1838.
In name of John Pell - see Virginia Centinente Line p. 232.
N. L. Gage Present

State of Kentucky } County of Lewis, } S.S.
On this second day of September 1857 personally appeared before me John Harrison aged Eighty Seven years to me known to be a credible witness and a man of truth resident of Cabin creek and the County of Lewis and State of Kentucky who being first duly sworn according to Law do depose and say, that he was born and reared in the State of Virginia in fair-fax County and that he was intimately acquainted with John Pell then a Resident of said County & State from his Childhood that in the fall of the year 1780 I saw the said John Pell (since Deed) Enlist as a soldier in the Continental Service in the Revolutionary War with England in said Fairfax County near the City of Alexandria Virginia and that immediately thereafter in the said year of Seventeen hundred and Eighty the said John Pell Marched out to join the Continental Army then lying in the State of North Carolina near Camden as I understood which was destined for the Southern Campaign I saw no more of said John Pell till after the close of the war but frequently heard from him as being in the service under Genl. Greene soon after the close of the war about the year Seventeen hundred and Eightythree or four the said John Pell returned home to his friends in said Fairfax County with my Brother who had been in the same Campaign with said Pell they both had Honorable Discharges from the War Dept. but I cannot tell the date of the discharge nor the names of the Officer who signed it — said Pell enlisted for during the war as the witness understood and believes & it was not till after peace was declared as he now thinks thinks that he returned home as aforesaid

This Witness was not in the same department of the Army with Pell but was well acquainted with many of the Circumstances in Connexion with it they says he has often heard said Pell soon after his return home in Connexion with his other fellow soldiers then living, now dead, tell of being in the Battle of the "Cowpens" and of the "Eutaw Springs" and they have repeatedly heard said Pell speak of his "Marches" "Patrolling" "Maneuvers" "Skirmishes" and "Engagements" things which the witness knows actually transpired within his own personal knowledge and from which he verily believes said Pell was then engaged as a Soldier as he stated to them — The witness is certain that said Pell was in the army from the time he enlisted & marched out in 1780 until his return in 1783 or 1784 as above stated — The further states he was well acquainted with Nancy Pell before her Marriage to said John Pell that she was a Sister to the witness and her maiden name Nancy Harrison that said Nancy Harrison and said John Pell were Married in the City of Alexandria in Virginia soon after said Pell's return from the war he thinks in the year 1785 in the winter and he says that after Pell's Marriage he being still a single man lived apart of his time with said Pell & his Sister but subsequently and Shortly afterward he at an Early day moved out west and settled in Kentucky where he yet lives about the year 1810 he heard of the death of John Pell and in the year 1816 the said Nancy Pell with her family of sons & daughters moved out also into Kentucky and settled not far from the witness she the said Nancy Pell living alternately with her children for the last 16 or 18 years she has been a cripple and unable to leave her rooms and has been still living with one of her children on Guelph Run not far from the residence of this witness

She has remaind a widow ever since the death of her husband John Bell deceased John Harrison
Sworn to and Subscribed before
me a Judge of Lewis County Court
Thomas Henderson } H. B. C.
I Thomas Henderson certify that I am acquainted with John Harrison who is a very old & Respectable citi- -zen of said Lewis County and that he is a man of the utmost credibility and veracity September 2nd 1851- Thomas Henderson } H. B. C.
State of Kentucky Lewis County set I Joseph Robb Clerk of the Lewis County Court do hereby certify that Thomas Henderson whose name appears to the foregoing certificates & Declaration is now & was at the time of signing the same the acting Judge of the Lewis County Court and Judge of the Lewis County Quarterly Session Court for Lewis County duly Commissioned & qual- -ified as such whose Commission bears date on the 22 nd day of May 1851- and that I am fully authen- -ted with his signature & believe the same to be genuine that full faith is due all his official acts as such
In testimony whereof I have hereunto set hand & affixed the seal of said Court at Clarkesburg this 15 th day of Decr
Joseph Robb Clerk Lewis County Court By D. Pliny Robb Dy. clk

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR,
BUREAU OF PENSIONS.
Washington, D. C., _____, 19____
R. 8081
In reply to your request of _____, received _____ for a statement of the military history of John Pell a soldier of the REVOLUTIONARY WAR, you will find below the desired information as contained in his (or his widow's) application for pension on file in this Bureau.
   DATES OF ENLISTMENT OR APPOINTMENT. LENGTH OF SERVICE. RANK. OFFICERS UNDER WHOM SERVICE WAS RENDERED. STATE.   CAPTAIN. COLONEL.     1780 2 yrs Pvt. names of Capt & Col. not stated         
Battles engaged in, Cowpens Eutaw Springs
Residence of soldier at enlistment, enlisted at Fairfax Co. Va.
Date of application for pension, Aug. 30. 1851
Residence at date of application, Lewis Co. Ky.
Age at date of application, She was 88 years old.
Remarks: Soldier married in Jan'y 1785 at Alexandria, Va. Nancy Harrison. He died July 13 1810 in Fairfax County, Va. Children are referred to - In 1851 Elizabeth Essex 66 yrs old and Richard Pell 64 yrs old are the only children whose names are stated. Her claim was rejected on the ground of insufficient proof of service, as required by the Act of July 7, 1838 for widows who applied.
Respectfully,
Commissioner.

State of Kentucky } County of Lewis } S.S.
On this second day of September 1857 personally appeared before me Thomas Harrison aged Eighty-Six years to me known to be a credible witness and a man of truth resident of Cabin Creek and the County of Lewis and State of Kentucky, who being first duly sworn according to Law doth depose and say that he was born and reared in Fairfax County State of Virginia - and that he was intimately acquainted with John Pell now deceased from his earliest recollection that said John Pell died on or about the Fall of year Seventeen hundred and Eighty one Enlist in the Continental service of the United States against Great Britain and that soon after said Pell's enlistment as above stated in the same year said John Pell March'd out with the my brother and Jonathan Jackson and others to join the Main Army then lying near
Camden North Carolina as the witness understood, the witness was not in the war at that time but there was from occasional reports from their friends and acquaintances in the Army which gave them at home information of their progress there with accounts of their Marches and Hardships they had to endure which was in the Southern Campaign - The witness knows that said Pell was at this time absent from his County and friends and it was the understanding of all that he was in the Continental Army - The Victories & defeats of our Army was a Matter of Interest and conversation at that time among all classes, and every engagement and skirmish was talked of and conjectures as to the fate of our friends and acquaintances were often indulged in especially of those above mentioned men who had gone out from our County & neighbourhood the witness states however that he saw nothing of said John Pell until the war was ended and that soon after

This transpired or about the year Seventeen hundred & Eighty Three or four at any rate he thinks that said Pee was gone out something over two years that said Pee and others had Honorable discharges when they came home from the War That after said Pee had returned as Above stated to his friends in Fairfax County the witness was very intimate with him who was often at his father's house to gether with many others of their neighbor Soldiers who had been out to gether that on these occasions he often heard said Pee speak of his Marches  fatigues  Skirmishes and Engagements while in the Service things which all conceded to be true and which the general History of that day yet fresh in all our minds corroborated all of which induced me to believe said Pee was actually engaged in them as a soldier as he stated he was - Among the engagements which the witness has heard Pee & his comrades speak of being in was the Battles of the Cowpens and of the Eutaw Springs Pee often told the witness that so severe was his thirst in this engagement that he stopped in a Retreat to drink Pond water in his cap while balls were falling in the water around him; and he is as certain that Pee was in the engagements above alluded to as he could be of any fact which he did not actually see
The witness states that soon after Pee returned as above referred to that he was married to Nancy Harrison his sister, about the year (1785) Seventeen hundred & Eighty five, in the winter, he was not present at the ceremony but they left home for the purpose of returning and it was always understood they were married - They, said Pee & Wife, lived together in Virginia Fairfax County as man and wife, had several sons and Daughters, before the witness left Virginia for the West which took place in 1794, at which time he paid said Pee a visit

On his way to the west that he saw no more of Pell ever after, but understood that he died about the year 1810 - in 1816 his sister Nancy Pell then a Widow with her sons & Daughters came out to Ken- tucky and settled not far from where this wit- ness lives he has known her ever since and she has remain'd a widow until now. She has been unable to leave her room for some 16- years or more from the effects of a his spinal fracture reci'd by a fall
Thomas Harrison mark
Sworn to and subscribed before me the day & year first above written
Thomas Henderson } H. C. B.
I. Thomas Henderson certify that I am acquaint- ed with Thomas Harrison the above witness and know him to be a man of Credibility and undoubted Veracity given under my hand the 2nd day of September 1851.
Thomas Henderson } H. C. B.
State of Kentucky } S.S.
On this second day of September 1851
personally came before me Thomas Henderson a judge of the Lewis County Court, John Smith aged eighty nine years a Res- ident of said County and a man of truth who being duly Sworn doth depose and say that he was born in Loudoun County Virginia and that in the month of July 1780 he volunteered in the United States Service against Great Britain at Fredericks- Burg and march out under Capt Williams in Brig. General Stephens Militiamen to join Genl. Gates then lying at the Cross Roads on the border of North Carolina. That they arrived at a place call'd Clermont near Camden about the first of Aug. -ust when they had a skirmish with the British soon after

this junction with the main Army here the witness states he became acquainted with John Pell of Fairfax County Vir- -ginia then under Genl. Gates and he thinks under Col. Howard but he does not recollect anything of Pell's Capt. he was in the Militia & Pell was a Regular and he had but a few inter- views with him he had been slightly acquainted with Pell in Virginia - he does not recollect how long it was after he united with Gates or the Main Army before he saw Pell but he thinks it some Months, or Two. He states Greene took com- mand of the Army that winter while they lay at a Town called Charlotte that soon after this Pell was sent off under Genl. Mor- gan who was detached from the main Army on a scouting Expedition - at any rate he saw no more of Pell until the main Army had March off towards Virginia to a place called Salisbury soon after which we were joined by Genl. Morgan's Detachment and soon the whole Army Marched into Virginia and John - the next spring my term of service had almost expired and having been sick and unable for duty I was discharged & returned home leaving said Pell in the Army the witness states he saw nothing more of Pell until after the war was ended in 1783 he saw him several times after this but knows nothing of his Marriage or Death
John Smith
Subscribed to and sworn to before me on the day first above written
Thomas Henderson J.P.

1917 Feb. 17 H. S. to Nancy M. Pell 1917 Apr 23. Nancy M. Pell, advised date & place of Soldier's death not stated. aw
REJECTED
80 81
P. O.
Nancy Pell
Service: _____
Enlisted: _____, 18
Discharged: _____, 18
Application filed: _____, 18
Alleges: _____ _____ _____
Re-enlisted: _____ _____
Attorney: _____
P. O. _____ _____ _____
_____ Recognized. _____ Contract
_____ Cert. of Dis. Searched for _____, 18

April 28 th 1852.

Pension Office, June 28, 1857.
Sir,  The application of Nancy Pell, widow of John, for the benefit of the act of July 7, 1838, has been examined and filed. The date of the marriage and the alleged service are not established. The fact should be shown established by a copy of the marriage bond, or license, — the last by evidence from the Books of the Auditor of Richmond and the testimony of persons who are themselves conversant, which the witnesses to sustain the same do not appear to be.
The name of John Pell is borne upon the list of soldiers of the Virginia Continental Line who received certificates for the balance of their pay; but even if it now shown  admitted that he was the husband of claimant, we would not be able, without the testimony required, to determine the length of his service.
A. S. Gage, Esq. Present.

Jan 24/1852
copy of Maudslay Peel's view of John
Lowell
Count. of Pius Washington D.C.
A. S. Gage H. P. sent White
Pygmal

Washington Jan'y. 23. 1852
Hon: Comt. of Pensions
Sir:
I have the honor herewith to enclose the papers of Nancy Pell - an applicant for a Revolutionary Pension. There are two declarations - one claiming under act of 1838, the other under the act of 1848. Action is asked as soon as convenient.
I am Respectfully Yr Obedt. Servt. A. L. Gage

No. 14,576 Nancy Pate Mary John
Kentucky.
Let it be Gage Apr 28/52
8081
July 1 1838.

mw Rev. War Section.
April 23, 1917.
Nellie M. Pell, 139 W. Maryland St. Indianapolis, Ind.
Madam:
In reply to your letter of the 20" instant, you are advised that the date and place of birth of John Pell are not stated in the rejected Revolutionary War pension claim File No. 8021, of his widow Nancy Pell.
Very respectfully,
Commissioner.

Rev sect 1 ll.
A Quality Print Shop 139 West Maryland Street INDIANAPOLIS
3-2-1917
Commissioner, Revolutionary War Dept., Dept. of the Interior, Washington, D. C.
My dear Sir:
Will you please send me a copy of the war record of John Fell, whose name is given in the Record of Revolutionary Soldiers,--Virginia State Library, with this reference War 4-305, and greatly oblige
Very respectfully yours,
Nellie M. Pell, 139 W. Maryland St., Indianapolis, Ind.

✓ Rev 1 EPW.
A Quality Print Shop 139 West Maryland Street INDIANAPOLIS 4-20-17
Commissioner, Department of the Interior, Bureau of Pensions, Revolutionary War Records Section, Washington, D. C.
My dear Sir:
IN RE your V.L.M., R 8081, Rev. War.....March 17, 1917 JOHN PELL, of Virginia.
Will you please advise if in application for pension the date of birth of John Pell is given or further information, and greatly oblige
Respectfully,
Nellie M. Pell.
Nellie M. Pell, 139 W. Maryland St., Indianapolis.
PS---I should like to take this occasion to tell you how very much I appreciate the courteous replies received from your de- partment, and the careful consideration you have given my inquiries.