Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty Land Warrant Application File S. 16966, for William Miltear, Virginia

SERVICE
NUMBER
Va.
Miltear, William
S. 16966
carded
CONTENTS

Virginia
29552
Lib. Ho. Lo. Dec. 22 1834
William Miltear of Nansemond in the State of Va who was a priv: in the Company commanded by Captain Cole of the _____ commanded by _____ in the Va. Militia time for 15 mo: 7 days —
Enrolled on the Roll of Virginia the rate of 50 Dollars 75 Cents per annum, commence on the 14th day of March, 1831.
Certificate of Pension issued the 8 th day of Dec 31 and suit R. D. Webb Suffolk — Va
Airs to the 14th of Sept 31 218.30 Sem-ant. allowance ending Dec 31: 25.38 203.08
{ Revolutionary Claim, } { Not June 7, 1832. }
Recorded by Chas. Price Clerk, Book E Vol. 64 Page 27.

Virginia, County of Nansemond &c.
On this tenth day of April 1833 personally appeared before me a justice of the peace in and for the County of Nansemond William Millear a resident of Nansemond County and State aforesaid aged one hundred years (and who is now perfectly blind and very infirm) who being first duly sworn according to law doth on this oath make the following declaration in order to obtain the benefit of the act of Congress passed June 7, 1832. He says that he entered the service of the United States under the following named office and served as herein stated. That he entered as a militia-man on his own account on the
(time not recollected) day of under Captain John Cole in Nansemond County Virginia on one general muster-day, and was then marched away and that he served during the whole of the Revolutionary war (though not without intervals) and that when peace came he was under one Abraham Cole as a Captain. That said Abraham Coles was about to march away for Canada or elsewhere and peace came and that said Coles then soon thereafter died, that he Millear served in the whole more than two years in all in the said war, that he cannot now recollect the particulars, he was though in or about Norfolk Virginia when peace came that he recollects none of the officers of the regular army or troops, that he has no documentary evidence, that he knows of no one by whom he can prove this, that he has no discharge now having lost or mislaid them all (if any were ever given), that he has no

record of his age, it having been lost, that he was born in Nansemond County that he has always lived in Nansemond, that he was a stated a drafted militia-man, that he has stated all he knows, further he cannot recollect. He hereby relinquishes every claim whatever 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, and subscribed the day and year aforesaid.
(Signed)
his William + Miltear mark
We, John Harrell a clergyman residing in the County of Nansemond, and John Goodman residing in the same County hereby certify, that we are well acquainted with William Miltear who has subscribed and sworn to the above declaration, that we believe him to be one hundred years of age that he is reputed and believed in the neighbourhood where he resides, to have been a soldier of the Revolution, and that we concur in that opinion, and we further certify that William Miltear is too old and infirm to get to Court.
(Signed)
John Harrell John Goodman
Virginia, County of Nansemond ss.
The foregoing was signed and sworn to, by William Miltear, John Harrell and John Goodman on the day and year

aforesaid. Given under my hand and seal as a Justice of the Peace in and for the County aforesaid.
J. Riddick J.P.
Virginia, In Nansemond County Court 13 th day of May 1833.
Present
Josiah Riddick, Hardy Croft, Edward R. Hunter, and Edwin B. Sumner, the Court.
The declaration of William Millar as taken before Josiah Riddick, a Justice of the Peace for the County of Nansemond, is this day read in Court, and the Court hereby declare their opinion, after the investigation of the matter, that he served as a revolutionary soldier, as stated in the declaration.
I, John T. Kilby, Clerk of the County Court of Nansemond, in the State of Virginia do hereby certify that the foregoing declaration of William Millar, and the certificates of John Harrell, John Goodman, and J. Riddick, is a true copy of the original declara- -tion signed by said Millar, and the certificates signed by said Harrell, Goodman and Riddick, and that the foregoing certificate of the Court of Nansemond County, relative thereto, is a true copy, as taken from the records of my office: I moreover certify that Josiah Riddick (who has signed his name "J. Riddick") is a Justice of the Peace in and for the County of Nansemond

duly commissioned, qualified, and authorized to act as such, and that due faith and credit is, and ought to be given to his official acts as Justice aforesaid.
In testimony and faith whereof, I hereunto subscribe my name and cause the seal of my County to be affixed this 7 th day of June A.D. 1833.
John T. Kilby Clk.
Spears
Ms. 3.9.28

16.966 INVALID.
File No. 16.288
William Wilson
Pr. Rev Mr
Act: June 7 th 89
Index:—Vol. 1 , Page 252
[Arrangement of 1870.]

Further Amended declaration of William Milton State of Virginia, } County of Nansemond. }
I, William Milton of the aforesaid County and State, do declare and testify, that by reason of my advanced age, (being one hundred and two years old if I live to see the 9 th day of next April,) and loss of memory, I am unable to give a detailed statement of my services during the Revolutionary War — but, that I did perform at least, the length of service as set forth in my amended declaration of the 18 th September 1834, and under the officers then named, in the embodied Militia of this and the adjoining Counties, I am willing to testify even before the Altar of Heaven. — I was nearly one half of my time in service with a large proportion of the Militia of this and the adjoining Counties, for at least four or five years during the Revolutionary War — I have reason to recollect something about the length of time that I was in service; for I had a wife and six small children at home upon a small piece of land, who were almost entirely dependent upon my personal exertions for their support, and who often suffered for bread and meat to eat in consequence of my absence in the service of my Country. — I was in several skirmishes with the enemy on Nansemond river and in Norfolk County — One of these skirmishes I recollect took place in the lower part of this County at Pinner's Old Field: Colonel Brady Riddick commanded the whole Militia at the time and Captain Foster commanded the Company to which I was attached. — This I think was in the spring of 1779 and not long before the town of Suffolk was burnt. — We were compelled however to retreat before the enemy in consequence of their superior numbers and discipline — Most of our fighting was

done in the woods, and under cover of fences.
I was always drafted into service and generally to perform a tour of six weeks; but owing sometimes to the absolute necessity of the case, the particular situation of the enemy &c. we were called upon to perform tours of three tours before we were discharged, and in that event we were not compelled to stand the next draft that would be made upon our division. The service which I performed during the revolutionary war, was of that nature which the Militia of this particular part of the State was called upon to perform during that period of the Revolution when the British and Tories had possession of Norfolk and Portsmouth and afterwards when Cornwallis came through the Country, and whilst his head quarters were at Jersey in this County — We were marched about from one point to another according to the situation and movement of the enemy — Sometimes we would be in Norfolk County sometimes in this, and sometimes in Isle of Wight and Southampton — and sometimes it would become necessary to divide our strength into Companies or divisions with a view of annoying the enemy as much as we could. — Given to and subscribed this 21 st day of Octr. 1834.
William his Mittlear mark
State of Virginia } County of Nansemond }
Personally appeared before the undersigned, a justice of the Peace in & for the said County aforesaid, William Mittlear, who is blind, very old & infirm, and is reputed and believed in this County to have been a soldier of the Revolution, and made oath to the truth and correctness of the foregoing declaration to which he has subscribed his name. — I further certify that said William Mittlear is a man of credibility and good character.

Given under my hand and seal as a Justice of the Peace for the County aforesaid this 21 st day of Octo: 1834
Ro: H. Webb
State of Virginia, County of Nansemond ss: I certify.
I James P. Griffin Deputy for John T. Kilby, Clerk of the County Court of Nansemond in the State aforesaid, do hereby certify that Ro: H. Webb whose name is subscribed to the above certificate is a Justice of the Peace in & for the County of Nansemond, duly commissioned, qualified and authorized to act as such, and that the signature purporting to be his appears to be genuine.
In Testimony & faith whereof I hereunto subscribe my name, and affix the seal of my County this 21 st day of October A.D. 1834.
James P. Griffin D y for John T. Kilby Clk:

State of Virginia, County of Nansemond, } }
Personally appeared before the undersigned a Justice of the Peace in and for the County aforesaid, William Miltear, subscribed to the foregoing declaration, and made oath to the truth and correctness of the same: and I hereby declare it as my opinion that the above named applicant, William Miltear, was a Revolutionary soldier and served as he states. — I further certify that Dempsey D. Jones & John Baker — who have before me, signed and sworn to the preceding certificate, are residents of Nansemond County and are credible persons, and that their statement is entitled to credit. — Given under my hand and seal, as a Justice of the Peace in the County aforesaid, This 18 th day of Sept. 1834. —
Ro: H. Webb *
Seal

State of Virginia, County of Nansemond Seilick.
I James P Griffin, Deputy for John T. Kilby, Clerk of the County Court of Nansemond, in the State aforesaid, do hereby certify that Ro. H. Webb whose name is subscribed to the foregoing certificate, in the matter of the application of William Miltear for a pension, is a Justice of the Peace in and for the County of Nansemond, duly commissioned, qualified and authorized to act as such and that the signature purporting to be his appears to be genuine.
In Testimony whereof, I hereunto subscribe my name, and affix the seal of my County this 20 th day of September A.D. 1834.
James P Griffin D y For John T. Kilby clk.

Amended Declaration of William Miltear.
State of Virginia, } County of Nansemond, }
I William Miltear of the aforesaid County and State, being duly sworn according to law, doth, on my oath make the following amended declaration in order to obtain the benefit of the provision made by the act of Congress passed June 7 th 1832. — That by reason of old age, (being now the age of an hundred years of age, was a married man and had five children at the time I first entered the service under Capt: John Cole,) and the consequent loss of memory, I cannot swear positively as to the precise length of my service, nor do I believe that I can now recollect the names of all the Captains under whom I served during the Revolution; but according to the best of my recollection at this time, I served, as a private in the militia, during the Revolutionary War, a period not less than sixteen months and twenty four days; and for which service I claim a pension. —
That I performed this service in the years 1777, 1778, 1779, 1780 and 1781 in short tours of six weeks each, and under the following named Officers: I first entered the service on a general muster day in this County, in the year 1777, under Captain John Cole, and performed a tour of six

weeks under that Officer in this County — in a month or two after I was discharged, I again entered the service under Captain Henry Riddick and served two tours of six weeks each under that Officer on Nansemond River and in the neighbourhood of Suffolk — I next entered the service under Capt. Foster and served one tour of six weeks under him in the neighbourhood of Portsmouth in Norfolk County — I think the next Officer that I served under was Captain Abram Holland, under whom I served one tour of six weeks, mostly in the County of Isle of Wight — Soon after Suffolk was burnt, which I think was in the year 1779, I again entered the service under Captain Riddick Hunter and served two tours of six weeks each under that Officer in the Counties of Nansemond and Norfolk — I also served one tour of six weeks under Captain Mills Riddick, one tour of six weeks under Captain Christopher Riddick, and one tour of six weeks under Captain Riddick Duke — these three tours were performed principally in this County. — The last Officer that I recollect to have served under, during the Revolutionary War, was Captain Abram Cole, under whom I served two tours of six weeks each — This last service was performed in the same year that Cornwallis was taken at Little York — during these two last tours

of my engagement, we crossed the Black Water and were in the County of Southampton for a short time; the balance of these times I performed in the Counties of Hampshire and Norfolk. — I cannot recollect the precise month and year that I served under each of the above mentioned Officers, (excepting probably three or four of them,) nor can I assure positively that I served under them in rotation as their names are here mentioned; but that I served under each and every one of these Officers, at least the length of time here stated, during that period of the Revolution from 1777 to 1781, I am very confident. — Col: Willis, Riddick, Col: Book Wills, Col: Samuel Riddick and Major Daniel Pugh were the field Officers who commanded during the different terms of my engagement.
I was called into service by competent authority, (by the Col: Commandant of the County,) — my service was performed in the field, (excepting a part of two times at Portsmouth,) in the Counties of Hampshire, Southampton, Isle of Wight and Norfolk and in the Town of Portsmouth; and with that portion of the embodied Militia of those Counties which was generally kept in service during that period of the war that the lower part of Virginia was so much harassed by the

British and the Tories; and I was not engaged in any civil pursuit during the performance of This service. — Sworn to and subscribed This 18 th day of Sept. — 1834. —
William his Miltear mark
We, Dempsey D. Jones & John Baker residing in the County of Nansemond and State of Virginia, hereby certify that we are well acquainted with William Miltear, who has in our presence subscribed and sworn to the foregoing decla- -ration; that we believe him to be the age he represents, being probably the oldest man in This County; that he is reported and believed in the neighbourhood where he resides to have been a soldier of the Revolution, and that we concur in that opinion — We also certify, that the said William Miltear has been perfectly blind for a long time, probably for twenty years; and that by reason of old age and bodily infirmity he has not been from home nor walked one hundred yards in ten years. — Sworn to and subscribed This 18 th day of Sept. — 1834.
Dempsey D. Jones John Baker

ad P 1526 for 7 days for $50.77
J. L. Edwards, Commissioner of Pensions, Washington City.

Suffolk, Virginia, Oct: 22. 1834.
Honb: J. L. Edwards,
Sir: — I have the honor to enclose herewith the papers in the case of William Miltear together with the further amended declaration of the applicant, in which he has, as far as his memory enables him to do, removed the objections mentioned in your letter of the 7 th instant, to wit: that it should be shewn on what account he was called into service, and the nature of the service in which he was engaged. —
It must be known to you Sir, and to the Department, that owing to our contiguity to Norfolk and Portsmouth, (being the adjoining County,) when the enemy were quartered for a considerable time during the Revolutionary War, the militia of this County were necessarily called upon to render extraordinary service. — Pillaging and scouting detachments from the enemy were constantly in our County, and we were compelled to keep as many men in actual service as could possibly be spared from agricultural pursuits — one of these detachments of the enemy from Portsmouth came up and burnt this Town in 1779. —
It must also be known to the Department, that when Cornwallis came down from Charleston

he did not approach Norfolk nearer than Jerico in this County, where he quartered for several months — and after he left Jerico, he went higher up and quartered at Scott's Old field still in this County, where he remained about two months before he crossed James river to go to Little York — during these trying times, sir, nearly every able-bodied man in the County, who was not a Tory, was under arms. — Besides sir, it is universally understood and believed in the County, that this old man was a Revolutionary soldier and a true patriot — I have heard this of him ever since I was a youth. — I hope the statement of his services which he has been enabled to make will be satisfactory to the Department. —
I have the honor to be, sir, Your Obt: Servant, Rich d D. Webb.