Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty Land Warrant Application File R. 17,386, for Matthew Rhea, Virginia

SERVICE
NUMBER
Va.
Rhea, Matthew
R 17,386
CONTENTS
Va. Half Pay.
Bd. H 2451-200

In the name of God Amen
Be it remembered that I off Mother Rebeca of Secllison in the State of Tennessee being through the mercies of God of sound and disposing mind and memory calling to mind the uncertainty of life and that is appointed for all men to die do make ordain publish and declare this last my last will and testament as followeth that is to say I Commit myself to God the merciful father of all trusting in him for salvation through Jesus Christ my Lord an Soverous and I do direct that this earthly body of mine shall be decently intered and returned to earth trusting that at the resurrection it will by Almighty power be restored a glorious body to me. In respect to the things of this world herewith it has pleased Almighty God to bless me I do deise and bequeath them in the manner following that is to say. It is my desire and I do direct that all my just debts shall be paid by my Executor herein after named out of my personal estate. And I do give and bequeath to my son Joseph Rebeca the sum of ten dollars. I do bequeath and give to my son Robert Rebeca the sum of ten dollars I do bequeath and give to my daughter Margaret Rebeca ten dollars and one Walnut Cupboard now in my house and I do devise and direct that my tract of land of 478 acres more or less in the State of Ohio be sold and conveyed by my Executors and the money arising therefrom be divided as followeth herein after specified I do give and bequeath to my beloved wife Martha my dwelling house and the use of one third part of all my out house and one third part of my orchard and one third part of my cleared lands that are in my tract of land where and now live in Secllison County a fore said for and during her natural life And I do also give and bequeath to my said wife Martha for and during her natural life my negro man Sam and negro girl Lids and the negro child Soply to be my said wife during her natural life and I do give and

bequeath to my said wife Martha one half of all my household and kitchen furniture and one third part of all my horses Excepting my grey riding horse and one third part of all my cattle and sheep and hogs together with all her wearing apparel to be to her sole use and behoof - And I do bequeath and devise to my son Matthew Phea all my tract of land with the appurtenances whereon I now live in Sullivan County subject over the top to the reservation and disposition made as above set forth to and on behalf of my wife Martha during her natural life to be to him his heirs and assigns forever and I do give bequeath and devise to my said son Matthew Phea my negro man Lomene and negro woman Pall and Nance and Hannah with their increase to him and his heirs and assigns forever and also I do bequeath devise and give to my said son Matthew Phea my said negro man Sam and negro girl Lude and the negro child Sopho after the decease of my said wife Martha to be with their increase to him his heirs and assigns. And I do further give devise and bequeath to my son Matthew Phea my grey riding horse and watch and all my books and all the residue and remainder of all my real and personal estate of what nature or kind soever to him his heirs and assigns forever In regard to my tract of land in the State of Ohio before mentioned it is my will and desire that when the same is sold my said wife Martha shall receive from the sale thereof Two hundred and fifty dollars and my daughter Margaret also two hundred dollars to be paid them soon as may be after sale also I will and bequeath unto my grand children Linnup & Amy Pheasant hundred dollars each to be paid from said sale when they arrive at at full age with lawful interest thereon It is further my will and desire that should my daughter Margaret be dissatisfied with what I have bequeathed her above that she receive no part thereof by virtue of this my will and I do hereby nominate constitute and appoint

My son Matthew Rhea to be the executor of this my last Will & Testament hereby vesting him with full power for that purpose and I hereby revoke all and every other last will and testament by me heretofore made and ratify and confirm this to be my last will and testament to every intent and purpose therein whereof I have hereunto signed my name and affixed my seal this eighth day of March one thousand Eight Hundred and sixteen
Matthew Rhea
signed sealed published and declared by the said Matthew Rhea to be his last will and testament in the presence of us
William Rhea Joseph Rhea
State of Tennessee Sequoyah County I the undersigned Clerk of the County Court within and for the County and State aforesaid do hereby certify that the within is a true copy of Matthew Rhea's last will and testament as found on record in Book first Page H 31 & 2 in testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand and affixed the seal of my office at office in Blountville Tenn 4 day of January 1838 Thos P. Flood

Matthew Rhea, dec d
N o . 2451.
Hon d . Andrew Johnson
H o . of Rep s .

Pension Office
Aug. 15 th 1880
Sir,
The letter of Mr. Rob t P. Rhea, which you referred to this Office is herewith returned, and in reply thereto, have the honor to state that, there is a bounty in land of 200, Acres, still due in right of Matthew Rhea, dec d , who was a Lieutenant in the Virginia Continental line, and a Warrant for the same will issue in favor of his Son Matthew Rhea, who, it is stated, in the within letter, is the sole Divisee, or Legatee of his deceased Father, upon the production at this Office of an attested Copy of the last Will of Lieut. Matthew Rhea, dec d , and a compliance on the part of the applicant with the enclosed printed form for Declaration and Power of Attorney. The Hon ble G. P. Stanton made application in the above case in December 1847, but the previous Law relating to Revolutionary bounty lands had then expired, by its limitation, and the same was not revived until the 26 th June 1848.
I have the honor to be Very Resp ly Y r Ob. Sub t J L Edwards
Hon ble . Andrew Johnson Ho. of Representatives

DEPARTMENT OF WAR.
Regulations for the heirs of Officers and Soldiers of the Revolutionary Army, who were slain by the enemy, or who have died since the war, and have not received land from the United States.
By an act of Congress of the 16th September, 1776, it is provided that the Officers and Soldiers who engaged for, and continued to serve during the war, or until discharged by Congress, and the heirs of such Officers and Soldiers as shall be slain by the enemy, shall receive land in proportion to their rank.
N. B. Those who engaged for three years, or for any other period than during the war, or who died of sickness, fatigue, or casualty, are not entitled to land from the United States.
The following declaration (and enclosed blank form of heirship ) must be filled up and signed by the proper authorities.
State of Pennsylvania County of Dauphin }
I, Matthew Rhea , heir at law of Matthew Rhea, deceased , do, upon oath, testify and declare, to the best of my knowledge and belief, that the said Matthew Rhea did enter the service in 1776, for the term of the war and served as a lieutenant in the Regiment No. _____ under the command of Colonel unknown , of the Virginia Continentals line; and that he continued in the service aforesaid until the close of the war .
I further declare that I have never received a warrant for the bounty land promised to Matthew Rhea , on the part of the United States; nor do I believe that he ever received it, or transferred his claim to it in any manner whatsoever: therefore,
Intending before signing
Know all men by these presents, That I, Matthew Rhea aforesaid, do hereby constitute and appoint The Hon. Andrew Johnson to be my true and lawful attorney, for me and in my name to demand and receive from the Secretary of War of the United States, a warrant for the quantity of land due to me as aforesaid; and my said attorney is hereby fully authorized and empowered to constitute and appoint one or more substitutes or attorneys under him, for the special purposes above expressed.
M. Rhea
Attest,
Wm C Coyner
Personally appeared the abovenamed Matthew Rhea subscriber to the foregoing declaration, and made oath to the same, and in my presence acknowledged the power of attorney thereto subjoined to be his free act and deed, for the purposes therein mentioned.
Attest,
this 9th day of Decr 1850 Isaac Jones Justice of the Peace.
In testimony that the above written Isaac Jones was a magistrate authorized to administer oaths, and take acknowledgments, &c., in the State of Pennsylvania at the above date, and that his name there subscribed appears to me to be his usual signature, I have hereunto affixed the county seal, and subscribed my name and quality, at Sommerville this 10th day of December 1850
J. Roane C. Clerk, &c. for W. J. M. Lean Deputy Clerk

Rev. and 1812 Wars Section B.L.Wt. 2451-200
MCS/HMM
May 9, 1930.
Matthew Rhea R. 17286
Mrs. J. W. Farthing Boone North Carolina.
Dear Madam:
I advise you that from the Revolutionary War records of this bureau it appears that Matthew Rhea entered the service in 1776 and served as lieutenant in the Virginia Line until the close of the Revolution.
In March, 1816, he was a resident of Sullivan County, Tennessee, and he then referred to his wife, Martha, his children, Joseph, Robert, Matthew and Margaret Rhea, and his grandchildren Jenness and Amy Rhea.
In December, 1850, Matthew Rhea (son of the soldier who was then dead, date of death not given) was living in Fayette County, Tennessee, and on January 17, 1851, Warrant 2451 for two hundred acres of bounty land was issued to him on account of the Revolutionary War service of his father.
This is the history of the only soldier by the name of Matthew Rhea that is found on the Revolutionary War records of this bureau; and said records fail to afford any information in regard to any soldier from Virginia surnamed Rivers, and David Watson as described by you.
Very truly yours,
E. W. MORGAN Acting Commissioner.
From information available in this bureau could not determine whether the half pay claim under Act July 5, 1832, was allowed or not, as made no reference to this claim W.C.S.

ACT OF FEBRUARY 14, 1871.
WAR OF 1812
3265
Mathew Rhea
Revolution
Discharged _____, 18_____.
PENSIONER:
Cif. No. _____
N o Pay - Act of July 5-1832 5269
Received _____, 187____.

Wm Phillips Knapp H R
Ref to Mr Anderson
June 17
New Room
Mr Johnson will please answer the latter portion of this and hand it to Col Anderson, who will attend to the case of Rhea Rev - year
Matthew Rhea
Gen - Suppl
Hon J. P. Rhea

Home of Reps Washington June 13 - 56
Hon J. Minot
Dear Sir
Taken out of Albany
Enclosed please find the petition of Daniel Webb for bounty land - Will you please enclose to me the papers in case of Matthew Rhea filed with you by me a few days weeks since. It is an application for pay for services rendered by his father in the revolutionary war -
Yours Sincerely J. P. Richardson
If not contrary to your rules will you advise me what has been done with petition of my father Edmunds Rivers filed more than 12 months since for bounty land for services in war of 1812. I do not know the No of his application but fear if he does not get his warrant soon that the warrants will so depreciate in value and to be worthless -
Respectfully Thomas Rivers

Mathew Rhea

The papers referred to below were returned to Hon Thomas Rivers. June 23/56.
Treasury Department Third Auditor's Office May 6 th 1836.
Sir.
I have the honor, agreeably to your request, to return the papers in the case of Matthew Rhea dec'd, left by you at this office on the 3 rd inst. They appear to relate to a claim for half-pay under the act of 5 th July 1832, if so, they properly belong to the office of the Commissioner of Pensions, & should be sent there, & are now returned to you because you request it.
I have the honor to be Very Respectfully, Your obed t Serv t , W. J. Harrison Auditor
Hon: Thos. Rivers House of Reps.

Boyd N. E. Apr. 28, 1935.
Mr. E. W. Morgan Washington, D.C.
Dear Sir:
In compliance with your request to ask for the record of only two Revolutionary soldiers, I should like to get an authentic record of the presentation of a sword to Maj. Matthew Rhea for bravery in action at the Battle of Guilford Court House. Maj. Rhea Rhea served with the Pa. Continentals. Married Jane Preston and lived at Clarkburg West Va., at least part of his life, after the war.
We are hunting for the war record of David Watson, who married Mollie Hamby (date not known) and settled in Wake Co. N.C. later moving to Salinas Ford of Wilkes Co. N.C. According to vague tradition he served in the Revolutionary War.
And perhaps you won't mind to inform us whether or not a Rivers from Pa. served in the Revolution. The D. A. R. of Washington inform us that they have records of two men surnamed Rivers, both from S.C. But we are looking for one from Va. Our ancestry came from that state.
In seeking you, I am
yours very truly
Mrs. J. W. Farthing
This David Watson was probably from S.C. might have been from Georgia.
A David Watson of S.C. Rev. soldier, married Mary McCord, he is not the one whose record we want.

Rev. & 1812 Wars Section ILL
UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR BUREAU OF PENSIONS
WASHINGTON
April 22, 1930.
Mrs. J. W. Farthing Boone, North Carolina.
Dear Madam:
I advise you that due to the very large number of requests similar to yours, and lack of a clerical force available for the purpose, the bureau is unable to make a series of investigations and reports pertaining to soldiers of the Revolution for one person or organization.
Kindly designate two soldiers whose histories you most desire, give their full names and as much as possible of the following data in regard to each: approximate dates of birth and death, place of residence before and after service and given name of widow, and their records will be furnished if on file.
Very truly yours,
E.W. MORGAN Acting Commissioner.

C O P Y .
May 17, 1856.
Hon. Thomas Rivers House of Representatives,
Sir,
I have received and examined certain papers transmitted by you apparently for the purpose of sustaining a claim for half pay under act 5" July 1832. These papers as well as the records in this Office, show that Matthew Rhea was an Officer in the Virginia Continental line. No case is, therefore, presented under that act, which provides half pay only for such Officers as served in the regiments of state troops , designated by the act itself.
Whether any pension is due would depend upon the date of his death; and whether he left a widow; and if so, when the marriage took place, and when she died.
He received, under the resolves of Congress commutation in 1785, and his heirs received land in 1851, in virtue of his service.
I have the honor to be J. Minot Com.
C O P Y .
June 23d 1856
Hon. Thomas Rivers House of Representatives,
Sir,
Agreeably to the request contained in your letter of the 13th instant I have the honor to return herewith the papers filed by you in support of a claim for half pay under act of July 5" 1832, in virtue of the services of Matthew Rhea in the Revolutionary War.
Very respectfully J. Minot Com.