Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty Land Warrant Application File S. 16967, for William Mitchell, Virginia

SERVICE
NUMBER
Va.
Mitchell, William
S. 16967
carded
CONTENTS

7. 783. Missouri
William Mitchell
of Franklin Co in the State of Missouri who was a Private in the Company commanded by Captain Cravens. of the Militia commanded by _____ in the Virginia line for six months.
Inscribed on the Roll of Missouri at the rate of 20 Dollars 00 Cents per annum. to commence on the 4th day of March, 1831.
Certificate of Pension issued the 2 d day of April 1833. and sent to W. G. Owens. Union Franklin Co. Mo.
Arrears to the 4th of Mar. 1833. 40.
Semi-ant. allowance ending 4. Sept. 11. 10.
$ 50.
{ Revolutionary Claim, Act June 7, 1832.
Recorded By W. G. Owens Clerk Book C . Vol. 8 , Page 85 .
Letter to C. Springer 25 Sept 1838. " to B d Auditor 8 March 1838.
Paid at the Treasury under the act of the 6 th April 1838 from 4 March 1836 to 4 March 1838 Age notified 22 March 1839.

9916. = 7783
William Mitchell.
Missouri.
Admitted for 6 Months From 1780
$ 20.00
Wm G. Owens To the Clerk of Franklin County Union P.O. Clairfont Missouri

BRIEF in the case of of
William Mitchell in the State of (Act 7th June, 1832.)
 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? Sixty Eight -  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. As a Gen.     In 17 80 - - 6 - private in the Militia a substitute. Capt. Robert Cravens. Lieut. Wm Smyth.  
 5. In what battles was he engaged?  6. Where did he reside when he entered the service? Rockingham, Virginia.  7. Is his statement supported by living witnesses, by documentary proof, by traditional evidence, by incidental evidence, or by the rolls? Traditional Evidence -  8. Are the papers defective as to form or authentication? and if so, in what respect? No 
I Certify that the foregoing statement and the answers agree with the evidence in the case above mentioned.
J. M. Duncan Examining Clerk.

State of Missouri County of Franklin ss.
On this 10 th day of September in the Year 1832 personally appeared in open Court before the Hon d David Todd Judge of the Circuit Court of said County Now sitting, William Mitchell a resident of Morameck Township in the County of Franklin and State of Missouri aforesaid, aged sixty eight Years; who being first duly sworn according to Law, doth, on his oath, make the following declaration, in order to obtain the benefit of the act of Congress passed June 7 th 1832 That he entered the service of the United States under the following named officers and served as herein stated. Robert Cravens had the command of the Company to which he belonged as captain , William Smyth Lieutenants and Daniel Nelson ensign that he entered the service on or about the first day of September in the Year seventeen hundred and eighty and served a tour as a Militia man of six months and left the service in the Month of March in the year seventeen hundred and eighty one, that he was a substitute and resided at the time in the County of Rockingham in the State of Virginia, that he marched from said County of Rockingham to Hillsborough in the State of North Carolina. that one Gen l Stevens Col o Lucas Majors Morris. Clayton & Williams were field officers, that one Captain Rinker from Shenadore County Va. Commanded a Company in the same Regiment. And the said William Mitchell further states that the army marched from Hillsborough to Pe De River and was stationed contiguous to General Greene's troops during the Winter; in the latter part of February in the Year seventeen hundred and eighty one.

The troop marched towards Virginia and on the Yadkin River was met by that part of the Army under the Command of Genl Morgan and there the troops were fired on by the British. and the said William Mitchell evidenced further states that he has no documentary, and that he knows of no person whose testimony he can procure, that can testify to his service - and the said William Mitchell further states that he was born in Chester County in the state of Pennsylvania in the year seventeen hundred and sixty four, that he has perhaps among some of his books or papers at his place of residence a record of his age, that he has lived since the revolutionary war in North Carolina, Kentucky, Tennessee, Indiana, Illinois and Missouri, that he was a substitute for one Darby Ragin, that he never received a discharge that he is known to the following persons at said James C. Blair, Thomas Blair Joseph Lunk, John Stanton residents of his neighborhood - 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 to the day and year aforesaid William Mitchell
We John H. Garvin a clergyman residing in the county of Franklin and James C. Blair Thomas Blair Joseph Lunk & John Stanton residing in the same county hereby certify

That we are well acquainted with William Mitchell who has subscribed and sworn to the above declaration that we believe him to be sixty eight years of age that he is reputed and believed in the neighborhood where he resides, to have been a soldier of the revolution, and that we concur in that opinion
John H. Garvin
Sworn and subscribed the day John Stanton and year aforesaid James C. Blair mark
Joseph F. Smith
And the said court do hereby declare their opinion after the investigation of the matter, and after putting the interrogatories prescribed by the war department that the above named applicant, was a revolutionary soldier and served as he states, and the court further certifies that it appears to them that John H. Garvin who signed the preceding certificate is a clergyman resident in the county of Franklin, and that James C. Blair Thomas Blair Joseph F. Smith and John Stanton who have also signed the same are residents in the county of Franklin aforesaid and are credible persons and that their statement is entitled to credit.
David Todd Circuit Judge
County of Franklin
William G. Owens Clerk of the

Circuit Court do hereby certify that the foregoing contains the original proceedings of the said Court in the matter of the application of William Mitchell for a pension.
In testimony whereof I hereunto set my hand and seal of office this day of September 1832
William G. Owens clerk
County of Franklin set
William G. Owens clerk of
the Circuit Court in and for the County aforesaid. Certify that David Todd whose name appears to a preceding certificate is the Judge of said Court and that the signature annexed is his genuine signature
In testimony whereof I hereunto set my hand and seal of office the day of September in the Year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and thirty two
William G. Owens clerk

TREASURY DEPARTMENT.
Second Comptroller's Office, March 9 th , 1839.
Sir:
Under the act of the 6th of April, 1833 entitled "An act directing the transfer of money remaining unclaimed by certain Pensioners, and authorizing the payment of the same at the Treasury of the United States," William Mitchell, — a Pensioner on the Roll of the Missouri Agency, at the rate of Twenty Dollars and Cents per annum, under the law of the 7 th June, 1832, has been paid at this Department, from the 2 nd of March, 1836, to the 4 th March, 1838, —
Respectfully, yours,
William B. Parry Comptroller.
To the Commissioner of Pensions,
Present.

16.967 INVALID.
can
File No. 16.967
William Mitchell
Dis Rev 1880
Act: June 7 th 88
Index:—Vol. 1 , Page 257
[Arrangement of 1870.]

Hoarske N'Benalt Sept. 3 rd 1838
Secretary of War, City Washington D.C.
Sir. - Being informed by the agent of the U.S. for paying pensions in St. Louis, Mo.: that when the applicant makes application for his pension of more than one year standing the certificates must be sent to the war department for examination: Therefore I, the undersigned in fact, of William Mitchell Senior, forward his certificates, & you will please make immediately the necessary examination & return them to me, with instructions also to the Pension Agent at St. Louis Mo. to pay the same
P. P. Poinsett } Secy. War }
Very Respectfully your most obedt. Servt Chas Springer
W. Direct to me at Hoarske N'Benalt Washington County, Mo.
Yours C.S.

51489. Sept 20 1835.
Pension Office.
Mr. Evans,
Dear Sir, I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of the 17th inst. and in reply to inform you that the same has been forwarded to the proper authorities.

by Springer P.M.
Col R. Poinsett, Sec. of War, War Dept.
City Washington D.C. Sept. 3 rd by Fourche & Kenall, Mss.

BRIEF objections to the admission of Pension Claims , of which those answered in the negative, in red ink, will apply to the claim of William Mitchell 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? yes.
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.