Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty Land Warrant Application File B.L.Wt. 2281-300, for Andrew Nixon, Virginia

SERVICE
NUMBER
Va.
Nixon, Andrew
B.L.W. 2281-300.
CONTENTS

Andrew Nixon
N. 2281.

STATE OF NEW-YORK, CITY AND COUNTY OF NEW-YORK, } ss.
I, NATHANIEL JARVIS , CLERK of the City and County of New-York, and also Clerk of the Court of Common Pleas for the said City and County, DO HEREBY CERTIFY, That Miles Parker whose name is subscribed to the Certificate of the proof or acknowledgement of the annexed instrument, and thereon written, was, at the time of taking such proof or acknowledgement, a Justice of the Peace in and for the said City and County, dwelling in the said City, commissioned and sworn.
And further, that I am well acquainted with the handwriting of such Justice, and verily believe that the signature to the said certificate of proof or acknowledgement is genuine.
IN TESTIMONY WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand, and affixed the seal of the said Court and County, the 2 day of June 184 7
Nath Jarvis
Clerk.

The affidavit of Mrs Frances Colladay formerly of Philadelphia now of New York, affiant being now in the fifty first year of her age states that she is the grand daughter of Captain Andrew Nixon of the Revolutionary war, and the same individual to whom the State of Va issued a military warrant for 4000 acres of land. She states that all she knows of her grandfather having been in the service of the Revolutionary war is from information, and all she knows of his past in any way is from information. She says she is informed & believes that Capt Nixon was by birth an Irishman and that he intermarried with her grand mother in Dublin & sailed from there before the Revolutionary war & landed in Phila, and that he said Andrew Nixon entered the service of said war and served to the close of it as a capt of Dragoons, that after during the war her grand mother lived in Phil a as will appear from a letter herewith attached marked (A) which remained in her possession as delivered to her from her grand mother dated 1778 Bedford Va, that altho he served in the war in the State of Va yet his said Nixon family never lived out of Phil a until about the year 1788 when her grand father seems to have purchased property & did intend removing his family to Richmond, but must have died in Richmond shortly after 1788, as she now has no letter of her said grand father after 1788. She states that her grand father had only two children John & Martha that John went to sea & was never heard of for upwards of fifty years say from 1788 to the present time, that he was in minority and never married, that Martha Nixon the affiant's mother intermarried with Stephen Mershon and had three children Anne Stephen & this affiant said Anne & Stephen died one at four years old and the other about two years old, that this affiant

is the only grand child of said Andrew Nixon that she is the only living heir at law or blood relative of Captain Nixon. Affiant states that she is informed & believes that her grandfather lived for some years previous to his death at the corner of Callowhill & Front Streets Phil and kept an Inn, and that from that place his family moved to Chancery Lane in said City & there lived when Capt Nixon went to Richmond Va & was preparing to remove his family & died; that her grand mother was by the name of Jane & died in Germantown with this affiant  Philadelphia & that her mother has been dead for upwards of forty years. That all the letters of said Andrew Nixon directed to my grand mother by are with attached & marked (B & C) and a small memo of the 4000 acres of land surveyed on green River marked (D) that all these letters came to her from the hands of her grand mother Jane Nixon who raised this affiant after the death of her own mother Martha Mershon with whom she lived until her death; that she is now a widow of Charles Colladay. decd. This affiant claims land due her in virtue of the services of said Andrew Nixon from the United States & all additional bounty due from the State of Va under & by various Statutes both of the General & State governments. That in addition to all the documentary evidence herewith attached she has heard persons now dead who have spoken of Capt Nixon as having served in the war, & of his brave & chivalrous conduct, during the time further this affiant saith not.
Frances Colladay
Sworn to before me
June 2 nd 1842
City of New York Set
I Milton Parker Justice of the peace in & for the City aforesaid & hereby certify that and by virtue of my official powers to administer an Frances Colladay came before me and made oath on the whole ever said of all mighty god that the aforesaid affidavit was true to the best of her knowledge & belief given under my hand this 2 day of June 1842 Milton Parker

Know all men by these presents that I Frances Colladay only heir at law of Capt Andrew Nixson decd. now of New York late of Phil a Constitute and appoint W m H Todd of Phil a late of Ky my true & lawful attorney in fact with power of Substitution, to Sue for all my lands to which I derive title as heir to Captain Andrew Nixson of the Revolutionary war, to whom the State of Virginia issued 4000 acres to have any portion of said land carried into grant lying in Ohio, to sell convey & dispose of all my lands thus claimed, for such price as they will bring taking such payments therefor as is reasonable & equitable, to Compromise with any one holding a tax or other title on said lands, and on Sale or Compromise to make good & sufficient deeds for the same, to grant acquittances for all dues to me arising from said sales, To prosecute before the State of Pa Va or the United States all Claims I have for bounty land due for the Military Services of Capt Andrew Nixson & for said Military warrant or warrants procure Scrip to sell assign or locate the same to petition Congress for all dues coming if any for said services, to receive all monies due me for said services either from the State of Penn y . Pa or the United States for any such receipts give acquittances as are required for the same In witness whereof I have hereunto set my name & affixed my seal this day of June 1842
Witness
Frances Colladay
C. H. Colladay N. H. Kinghart

State of New York Set
I Miln Parker a Justice of the peace in & for the city aforesaid hereby certify that Francis Calliday came before me & made acknowledgment to the foregoing power of attorney with the  the  to  to  the  the In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal this 2 day of June 1842
Miln Parker

180 130
single
6
Mr Wm H. Lodd No 370 North Broad St Philada

Before me Jacob Reaver Esquire Justice of the Peace, dwelling in Germantown, personally appeared the subscriber, John F. Watson of the same place to me well known, who on his solemn oath did declare as say, that he is the owner of the first Directory published in Philadelphia, done by Francis White, a broker bearing the imprint of Young, Stewart & McCulloch of the year 1785, wherein is published, among others, the name of "Andrew Nixon, winekeeper, corner of Callowhill & Front-street," and in a "Philadelphia Directory" of the year 1802, by James Neblett, bearing the imprint of W. Woodward, owned by the deponent, there appears the name of "Jane Nixon, shopkeeper, 7 chancery lane", and no mention of the aforementioned, "Andrew Nixon", who may be then in person, to be deceased, or moved away - and further, the deponent saith not, save that he hath no other early directories in his possession.  In testimony whereof he hath hereunto set his hand and seal & made his deposition at Germantown, aforesaid, this eighth day of June A.D. 1842.
cost 25 cents per
Sworn & subscribed before me this 8 th day of June A.D. 1842 Jacob Reaver
John F. Watson
Pennsylvanian Philadelphia County
I Samuel Hart Esq. Prothonotary of the Court of Common Pleas of said County Do certify that Jacob Reaver, J. Snyder and Mordecai T. Bryant Esquires before whom the foregoing and annexed affidavits were signed and whom their own proper hands writing have thereunto severally subscribed their names, were at the time of so doing and now are the said Jacob Reaver Justice of the Peace in and for said County, the said J. Snyder an alderman in and for the City and the said Mordecai T. Bryant an alderman in and for the County of Philadelphia and of official notice of the Peace duly Commissioned and qualified to all whose acts as such Justices of the Peace and aldermen full faith and credit are and ought to be given as well in Court of and elsewhere as thereof.
In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand and affixed the seal of the said Court at Philadelphia this 11 th day of June A.D. 1842. S. Hart Prothonotary

The deposition of Rebecca Gaskill Taken at her own house on the 7th day of June 1842, to be used as evidence on the behalf of Mrs Francis Colladay of New York. deponent now being in or about the fifty fourth year of her age States that she is the half sister of Mrs Francis Colladay but no way interested in the Claim set up by said Mrs Colladay. She States that Martha Nixon intermarried with her father a widower Stephen Mershon, about fifty one years of age, that she was about two years old by a former wife of said Mershon, as she is now enabled to judge from the age of Mrs Colladay, that Stephen Mershon had by Martha Nixon three children, two of whom died in infancy say 23 or 4 years old and Mrs Colladay of New York, that they were raised up together until Martha wife of Mr Mershon died about forty four years ago, that then Francis Colladay went to him with her grand mother Jane Nixon, when she lived until she married a Mr Colladay who has long since died, That during the time she lived in her fathers family with said Martha & her father, Mrs Jane Nixon the mother of Martha Mershon came to see them living in Shoemaker Town Montgomery County Pa, (She deponent being then about five years old), when a great degree of grief and distress pervaded the whole family, as Mrs Jane Nixon had (as deponent understood) just returned from Richmond Va. Capt Andrew Nixon having died a short time before at Richmond where this deponent understood said Nixon had gone to reside a short time before his death, this de- ponent never was acquainted with Captain Nixon but has been informed by his widow Jane Nixon and her step mother that he was once the a resident of Belleville Front Street St Phil a & was an in Raper, & that he was a capt in the Rev in the Va. line, that he had only two Martha Nixon this deponent step mother as his child, that Jane Nixon the reputed widow of Capt Nixon after she returned from Va she went to him in Chancery Lane, & lived there for many years & for some years she lived with this deponent, and lastly lived & died with Mr Francis Colladay in

German Town, and while Mrs Nison lived with this deponent she learned from her and from others conversing with her the name rank & circumstances of Capt Andrew Nison her husband. She learned from her that her then husband sailed from Philada before the Rev war. She now finally says that Mrs Frances Colladay of New York is the only blood relation of said Andrew & Jane Nison that she has ever heard of from any source, except the children of said Frances further she deponent states that her father has been dead for many years. She states she never heard of any other Andrew Nison living in Phila. She states nothing further not being further interrogated
Rebecca Gaskill
State of Pennsylvania } City & County of Philadelphia } Set
I Jacob Garisier Ex officio Justice Peace an alderman in & for the City & County aforesaid, duly authorized to administer oaths, and take acknowledgments, hereby certify that Mrs Rebecca Gaskill came before me, and made solemn affirmation that the foregoing deposition as therein stated is true to the best of her knowledge & belief I further certify that my acquaintance with the lady enables me to say she is of an irreproachable character & veracity Given under my hand & seal this 9th Jan 1844
J. Garisier Ald. (Seal) Ex officio Justice Peace

The Depositions of Joseph Burn and Hannah his wife taken at their own house in Phil a a few doors above Callowhill Street on front Deponent Joseph being now in the eighty fourth year of his age & said Hannah in the sixty first year of her age, State that they have each lived in Philadelphia for eighty years or upwards, and have married previous to 1785 and between the years 1785 & 1788 have and done business near the corner of Callowhill & front streets, and about this time they were acquainted with Capt Nason who lived at the South West corner of Callowhill & front streets, that said Nason kept an Inn at that place, and had a daughter by the name of Martha that he had no other children as they ever saw or heard of, that said Nason left the neigh- -borhood shortly after never having paid for some little articles of wearing apparel which he purchased of these affiants, which appear to be charged to him on a recent examination of their books. Said Nason was called Captain, they know nothing of his claim to the title only that they have heard him called Capt, affiants have been informed that said Nason moved from front street to Chancery Lane, they are of the impression that the family appeared to be of Irish origin, But these affiants lost sight of Capt Nason after he left front & Callowhill St & after that they only know of them from information & belief, they would further add that he is charged with items on their books some times as Captain sometimes as A Nason & some items are charged to Patty or Martha Nason the only daughter of said A Nason
Joseph Burn Hannah Burn

State of Pennsylvania } Set County of Philadelphia }
I, Andrew J. Bryant, Alderman in the Northern Liberties in the County aforesaid, duly commissioned and qualified to administer oaths. Hereby certify that Joseph Burns and Hannah wife of Joseph Burns before me and solemnly affirmed on the evangelist of Almighty God that the statements contained in the foregoing affidavit or deposition so far as made from their own knowledge are true to the best of their information they believe to be true, and the said deponents are also citizens and have always had the most reputable character for order, truth & morality. Given under my hand at this 6th day of June 1842.
Andrew J. Bryant, Alderman.
County of Philadelphia
Andrew J. Bryant

Be It Remembered That at a Court of Common Pleas held at Philadelphia on the Eleventh day of June A D 1842 before the Honorable J. R. Jones and James Campbell Esquires Judges of said Court
Due proof being exhibited to the satisfaction of the said Court by the Testimony of Joseph Burn Hannah his Wife & Rebecca Gaskill and by other Testimony, that Mrs Francis Colladay of New York is the Only Heir at Law of Captain Andrew Nixon reputed to be of the Revolutionary War of the Virginia Line; and it is thereupon Ordered by the Court to be Certified accordingly to all to whom it may Concern.
In Testimony whereof I have hereunto set my Hand and affixed the Seal of said Court at Philadelphia this Eleventh day of June A. D 1842.
J. Hart Prothonotary

Pension Office, June 16. 1842.
Sir,
The papers which you sent here in the case of Captain Andrew Nixon, deceased, are here with returned. For his revolutionary service he received land from the State of Virginia. There is no claim on the U. States for pension, land, or any other gratuity whatever, on account of his service.
I am, very respectfully, Your ob t Servant. J L Edwards
W. H. Todd, Esq. No 370, North Front Street, Philadelphia.

Phila July 1 st 1842
Dr Sir
I sent by the hands of Mr Derringer the claim of Frances Colesday of New York for the land claim of 300 acres due from the U States for Capt Andrew Nixon services in the War. She is the only heir at Law of Andrew Nixon decd. Since that time I have not heard from the claim please inform me as early as possible.
Very respectfully
W H Todd Admrs fact

Phil a . June 17 th 1842
Dr Sir
Herewith is enclosed papers in order to draw a 300 acre Va land warrant due Andrew Nixon for his services in the Va Line during the Revolutionary war. in the Capacity of Captain of Light Dragoons. As appears from a report made to Congress in 1828. I am informed that his Computation Account has been settled at the War office, tho I do not know the fact. if so this is Conclusion in his favor. Please address me at Phil a touching this subject,
Very respectfully Wm H. Todd
To the Bounty Land Office Washington D.C.
The papers fell into the hands of Mr Edwards Com r of Pensions & a report made by him which if his attention was called to this subject overlooked this claim.

Junior M as
P o Junior
P o Junior Junior
@

Andr. N. Wilson
No 90 4000 Acres of
Land Surveyed on Green River Capt. Crownglass informed me it was a Very good survey ~

My D r
Bedford October 21 st 1770
I take this opportunity of Mr. Harper to inform you how I am, I thank god I never was in better health, and in high spirits of seeing you very soon, I expect to be in Phil a by the 20 th November. I expect we will be going to winter Quarters by that time. My dear I have nothing to tell you of news more than the discontents is every day coming out of New York, and they all say that that the Enemy is going to leave New York very shortly, Col o Temple presents his Compliments to you and begs the favour of you to get some cotton wave in to stockings for him he has sent it by bearer, have it done in the best manner

I believe you need not think of writing to me while I lie here, as it is quite uncertain how long I may continue here. My love to Mary and Compt. to Mr. & Mrs. Maffet & family. And I am my dear with the greatest respect your very affectionate Husband
To Mrs. Jane Vixen
And to Vixen Adg. & Light
(A)

divert
Mrs Jane Nixon living (6) in Lombard alley Philadelphia

My Dear Sinny Richmond Jan y 28 th 1788
I embrace this opportunity of knowing how you, and my D r Spatty are, I rec d your agreeable letter by Cap t Morgan, & likewise Cap t Ventus, which give me a great deal of satisfaction, But, Still am unhappy to think you oblige me with neglect, I give you my Honor this is the seventh letter I have wrote since I left you, and still in hope of an opportunity of sending them, but I hope this will go safe, as the gen l gives me his Honor he will deliver it himself, But if the River was once open again I can have opportunities every day, I am afraid you have a very severe winter in Phila its the hardest here that has been experienced the twenty years excepting 80 & 81, which is a loss to me even in my Station, I thank my God I have been very lucky ever since I left you, I got relief in Alexandria, and never wanted Money or a friend since, Col o Hopkins, Temple & Clark, and Eggleston, were all that signed my petition, Col o Hopkins, was the Man that drew it, and I handed it in myself, there was a good many solicited for it, but they stood no chance, I had the governed and Council all in my favor, and the assembly, and from the Character

They give me, and in the manner I was recommended to Council, I think, I ought to perish if I don't do my in davour to discharge my duty to the best of my knowledge, Capt. Lawson desires his Comp. y to you and Paty, and likewise all the rest of the Gen. t before mentioned, poor Lawson was very unlucky here, he had his vessel seized and condemned, but it was not by me, but my brother officer, he purchased her himself. he got her very cheap, he had just come in from the West Indies and is gone there again, he has his lady along with him. My Jewel I beg you may be preparing to come here in the Spring, I think you and Paty could do much better here than in that damned infernal place, that was my ruin, I beg neither of you may have an objection against this place, if you don't like living here, you may take a choice of either Richmond or Petersburg. It costs me more now at board for myself than would support the family, My dear son in perfect good health at present and wants for nothing to make her perfectly happy.

But your dear Company, Patty I am afear'd will have an objection against this place, if she has she is very wrong There is anumber of Ladies here that wishes to see her
her again and

Mrs Jane Nixon (B)
Hon. by } Philadelphia (Capt. Morgan)

My Dr
Richmond 25 September 88
I rec d yours by Capt t Morgan which gave me infinite pleasure to hear you are all well. But as to disappointments I think you need say nothing about, for be good you have affectionately disappointed me I first rented a House in a good old stand and spoke to Merchant for goods which he very readily complied with till such times as the money could be made of them that, I intend for you and Miss Patty to follow whilst I minded my own business and if anything was to happen in my post it would be a good retreate. But there was some annoying difficulties in the way it would not answer, you like wise all the cry was that you were afraid I would be moved I suppose should that be the reason you were not so heavy but you could be more like wise, but you throwing that first House out of my hand occasioned me to buy a House at my station its a small House its 16 by 12 with a small stable and kitchen & a very large garden well pailed in that did not show

that I was not afraid but you have a bus- ness here without you intend staying for here I intend spending the remainder of my days but I think I know the detention I thank my god I have payed for the place which has left me without one shilling yesterday I walked 25 miles to see Capt. Morgan and has to return to Morrow if I am able I paid 30 pounds for the place and don't expect money more till the 20 th of January without I borrow it, but thank god I cant want any thing here tho I am not in Phil a . Mr. Thompson tells me that that he was seeing you a few days before sailed and has promised to deliver this you are much obliged to him likewise the Capt the ware going past in full sail when Mr. Thompson jumped in a boat with some hands to deliver your letter I think its an off with patty whether she would chuse to come to virg a or not. I have made my self ridiculous in this place by telling that my family was come in the day tomorrow or next day but that shant be the case for the future for I cant fix no time

But as things has turned out as they are at pres't. If you are boath happier there than here you had better, you had better boath remain till the Spring of the year and then if she thinks that it if Mrs. Nixon thinks proper to come to see a Man that loves her and see the Country, then she may give her opinion of the place.
I am with the greatest Sincerity your affectionate Husband Andr. Nixon