Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty Land Warrant Application File S. 31,871, for Nathaniel Morris, Virginia

SERVICE
NUMBER
Continental Va.
Morris, Nathaniel
8 31.871
CONTENTS

Georgia - 12. 243
Nathaniel Morris - of Jones - in the State of Geo: who was a private in the Company commanded by Captain Mason of the Regt - commanded by Mason in the Va line for 2 years -
Inscribed on the Roll of Georgia at the rate of 80 - Dollars - Cents per annum to commence on the 14th day of March, 1831.
Certificate of Pension issued the 19 th day of March 1839 and Link Pensioner Clinton Jones Co Geo
Arrears to the 14th of March 1839 160 Semi-ant. allowance ending 4 Sept - 40
200
{ Revolutionary Claim, Act June 7, 1832.
Recorded by Nathan Rice Clerk Book 6 Vol. 6 Page 97-

State of Georgia On this 16th day of October James County & personally appeared in open court before the Superior Court Joseph A. G. Lamar now in the Nathaniel Morris resident of Jones County State of Georgia aged 77 years and being first duly sworn according to law and on his oath make the following declaration in order to obtain the benefit of the act of Congress passed June 7th 1832 that he entered the service of the United States under the following named officers and served as herein stated. His application entered the service of the United States for six & twelve months as a private man in a volunteer the month of September 1775 under Capt James Mowat from Brunswick county Virginia Lieutenants Robert Morris & David H. Hays and James Mowat all from the same county & state. This applicant lived in Brunswick County at the time of his entering the service. After serving the 18 months faithfully he then enlisted for three years at Little York under Capt William Brant & Lieutenants Zachariah & William Smith and James Charles Davis

he served out this time of five years and then enlisted in the State of Delaware for 18 months in the Horse company under Capt William Washington Lieutenants Lewis G. Jones and Ensign George Hicks and served out this time and returned home to the County of Brunswick and State of Virginia and entered the service again as a volunteer until the capture of Lord Cornwallis at York Town Virginia. This applicant was acquainted with the commander in chief of the United States Army Genl George Washington and knows he served four years & six months. He went from Little York to head quarters in the State of Delaware. He marched through New York, Philadelphia, Baltim- ore and many other places not recollect- ed . He was in the following battles to wit, The Battle of Brandywine the battle at Red Bank the battle at the Cloudy Bridge in the State of Delaware and the siege of Little York Genl. Washington, Lafayette and Greene were in command. This applicant was born on the 26 th June 1756 and is now in his 77 th year.

and has a register of his birth at home in the family bible. He has been residing in Griffin Grady county and has been in the  city of  Atlanta which was soon after the close of the war. This applicant states he received a regular discharge from Capt William Washington which has been destroyed by fire, there are no persons living whom bestow he can procure to prove his service and the justice of his claim to the benefits of the government that this applicant's record of this applicant is well known to more than two thirds of his fellow citizens of Grady county. Judges Wiser, Wade, Moore Northrop, & Betton. Dots. Barner & Fleming Gen. Flowerdew. Major Hardiman. Major Smith. Saunders Lawson, Mims, Pounds. Mathew Marshall. James & Henry Fleming The undersigned states and affirms that the many individuals who can testify to the authenticity of the applicant is the direction of the Department. The undersigned may claim whatever to a pension or annuity on account of the present and declares that he never is entitled to

roll of the jury of any state. Jurors to and subri- bute the day and year aforesaid, Lucius O'Brien Lucius O'Brien  1860. The Superior Court of the State of Georgia, and Matthew A. Marshall residing in the same place, do hereby certify that we are well acquainted with Nathaniel Morris, who has subscribed and sworn to the above affidavit. That we believe him to be 32 years of age, that he is respected and beloved in the neighborhood where he resides, to have been a soldier of the revolutionary war, and that his conduct in the pursuit of justice has been upright and honorable.
And the said Superior Court do hereby declare its opinion, after the investigation of the matter and after hearing the testimony prescribed by the department, that the above recited applicant was a revolutionary soldier, and served as he states and the last part thereof certifies that it appears that Hudson Mason, who has signed the preceding certification, is a clergyman residing in the State and is a respected person and that Matthew A. Marshall who has also signed the same is a resident in the State and is entitled to credit. Lucius O'Brien Charles Hutchinson Clerk of the said Superior Court do hereby certify that the foregoing contains the original proceedings of the said court in the matter of the application of Nathaniel Morris. In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal of office. Charles Hutchinson Clerk The day & year as aforesaid.

Oct. 24 th 92 Ga.
Nathaniel Morris 18978
The Secretary of War Washington City Columbia District U.S.A.
Free
The Secretary will send the money in a letter directed to me, in Clinton Jones County Georgia and confided to the care of Messrs Lowther & Lewis my Attorneys.
Hattie Morris

No 16, 978
Nathaniel Morris Georgia
at the S d end his line
Admiralty for 2 d of a c private 5 80 per ann. from 1775.
Comp d money for the same —
And certificate to claimancy case Messrs Lowther & Lewis, Attorneys for the C ty Georgia —
Clinton — Chas. Hutchings Esq r At the court of Jones Co Georgia

BRIEF in the case of Nathaniel Morris County of Jones in the State of Georgia (Act 7th June, 1839.)
 1. Was the declaration made before a Court or a Judge? Court  2. If before a Judge, does it appear that the applicant is disabled by bodily infirmity?  3. How old is he? 77 years.  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.     Vol In 17 75 1 6 — Private Gen. Washington   Enlisted  2 3 — — Private Capt Mason   Vol  3 1 6 — Horse Capt Crump   4 time Not Stated — — — Capt Washington Not mentioned  
 5. In what battles was he engaged? at Brandywine Monmouth Long Bridge Siege of York R  6. Where did he reside when he entered the service? Brunswick Co Virginia  7. Is his statement supported by living witnesses, by documentary proof, by traditional evidence, by incidental evidence, or by the rolls? Traditional  8. Are the papers defective as to form or authentication? and if so, in what respect? Arrest 
I Certify that the foregoing statement and the answers agree with the evidence in the case above mentioned.
#2 says he enlisted for 3 years but served 5 years —
M. Clagett Examining Clerk.

Rev. and 1812 Wars Section.
QMS October 23, 1933.
Rosa T. Lane, Altavista, Va.,
Madam;
I have to advise you that from the papers in the Revolutionary War pension claim, S. 17919, it appears that Jonathan Davis was born in Prince George County, Maryland, and while residing in Caswell County, North Carolina, enlisted November 1, 1778 and served as a private in Captain White's company, Colonel Thornton Yanoy's North Carolina regiment and was discharged April 10, 1779.
From July 1780, he served six or seven weeks as a teamster, by order of Colonel Parks.
He was allowed pension on his application executed March 19, 1833, while a resident of Greenville District, South Carolina, aged seventy four years.
There is no data on file as to his family.

From the papers in the Revolutionary War pension claim, S. 31871, it appears that Nathaniel Morris was born June 26, 1756, and while residing in Brunswick County, Virginia, enlisted September 1775 and served as a private under Captain James Mason, at the expiration of this service, he enlisted and served in Captain William Crump's Virginia company.
He again enlisted and served in a company of Horse under Captain William Washington and served until the capture of Cornwallis. He was in the battles of Brandywine, Monmouth, Long Bridge and at the Siege of York.
He was allowed pension on his application executed October 16, 1833, while a resident of Jones County, Georgia.
There is no data on file as to his family.
Respectfully,
Commissioner.

31871 Buy INVALID.
File No. 31,871
Nathaniel Morris Li Rev War
Act: June 7 th 1822
Index:—Vol. 9, Page 285
[Arrangement of 1870.]
1973-Oct. 23. Hist to Rose J Lane - see letter in Jonathan Davis S. 17919-Aut. 1932 - Jan. 15 - Mrs. John E Lane advised no family data - see letter R.W. Levin Handy - W 9475 - JSL

BRIEF objections to the admission of Pension Claims, of which those answered in the negative, in red ink, will apply to the claim of Nathaniel Morris — 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? Yes
XIV. † If the applicant's name is not found on the rolls of military service, has he produced a witness or witnesses as to his service? —
If he has produced direct proof as to service, has the magistrate who administered the oath, certified to the credibility of the witness or witnesses? —
Has the proper officer certified to the official character and signature of the magistrate as the regulations direct?
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? —
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? Unrecorded
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 each 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. Some persons who apply for pensions merely state they served two years in the militia, &c. without specifying the tours; the names of the officers, and other particulars respecting their service. This form of a declaration is highly objectionable. It must in every case be clearly shewn under what officers the applicant served; the duration of each term of engagement; the particular place or places where the service was performed; that the applicant served with an embodied corps called into service by competent authority; that he was either in the field or in garrison; and for the time during which the service was performed, he was not employed in any civil pursuit.
†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 authenticates 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 ends 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.
¶ In every case where the clerk of the court, or other certifying officer, has no public seal of office, the certificate of a member of congress, proving the official character and signature of the certifying officer, should accompany the papers.