Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty Land Warrant Application File S. 2,382, John Bonner, Va.

SERVICE
NUMBER
Va.
Bonner, John
S2382
CONTENTS
carded.

See letts to Pensions & Pen aft. ap. 14, 1836.
Order to pay 17. Oct 1833. Letter to J. S. Bonner 17 1/2 Oct 1833.
Dead
Paid at the Treasury under the Act 6. April 1838 from 4 Sep 1842 to 15 Feb 1843. Agent Notified 24 Oct 1844
7671 West Tennessee
John Bonner of Wilson Co. in the State of Tennessee who was a private in the company commanded by Captain Smith, of the regt commanded by Col Barker in the M. D. Mil tary for 9 months for 1788.
Va. Line Records corrected Jan 4 '04 Inscribed on the Roll of West Tennessee at the rate of 30 Dollars — Cents per annum, to commence on the 4th day of March, 1831.
Certificate of Pension issued the 13 day of May 1833 — and sent to Roll Mr. Burton. Sebaun.
Arrears to the 4th of March 1833 $60 — Semi-ant. allowance ending 4 Sep 33 15 — $75.
{ Revolutionary Claim, } { Act June 7, 1832. }
Recorded by H. H. Allison Clerk, Book 6 , Vol. 7 , Page 72

State of Tennessee. Circuit Court (1) Wilson County. October Term 1832.
on the 25 th day of October 1832 personally appeared in open court being a court record, before the honorable James C. Mitchell one of Judges of law & equity in & for the County & State aforesaid John Bonner aged about sixty eight years Resident of Wilson County & State of Tennessee. who being 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 the 8 th 1832. That he was born 20 th of August 1764. in the County of Sussex Virginia & was placed on the Muster Role in a few days or weeks, after I was sixteen years old & went in to the service as a substitute for a few weeks in the place of Daniel Malone I believe in January 1781. & was at Cabin point & was marched from thence to Babb's old field and remained there until Siad Malone came and took his his own place. This service was performed in Capt. F. Dixon Company. I then returned home & in about ten days was called in my own place under Captain Laurence Smith. but changed officers with a man to be with the Captain that I mustered with before called out (say Capt. Richard Harwell) after which time Capt. James Vaughan took

his place till the Lower ended at which time Declarant was mustered Murreathers was Col of Sterlingburg General Some time in the summer I was called out again under Capt. Sturtevant Sturtevant, Blunt & Parker was our Col. This Lower was mostly consumed in moving from place to place on the south side of James River from Halls bridge on black water to a small distance from Portsmouth often moving from place to place until the fall of the year, & in a few weeks was called on to parade at Surry and court house to march over the James River to York County to join in the siege at Little York, but was discharged from that Lower as I had been so much in service that year. I also turned out as a Volunteer under the proclamation of our Col and was to have a credit for a Lower of duty for that service but the war ended before it availed me any thing. & I also done some other little services with out orders from the government such as to cover about a dozen at a time & scour the road leading to Petersburg through the lower part of Dinwiddie County Virginia. The first Lower spoken of in the act set was performed in part below the Great Bridge I believe in about four weeks and was marched back & forth from a place called Edmond Hill to northwest
Landing from Thrice to Passapatanzy & from thence on logs or trees fallen making only a foot path for about eight miles across the great dismal swamp, thence to the burnt mills near Suffolk in Virginia by Cabin point and up to within about six miles of Petersburg from which place I was discharged for that Lower. our Lower of duty were three months tho in some instances we were relieved before the three months would expire. I have no distinct recollection of the length of the several services done by me but was in service almost constant from Jan'y 1781 till October 1781. - Declarant was a minute man during the whole of his service time  months service he moved from the State of Virginia to Wilson County Tennessee where he has resided for the last twenty five years he hereby relinquishes every right to a pension except the present and his name is not on the pension roll of any state in the Union Sworn to and subscribed in open court John Bonner This 26th day of Oct 1838 Fullerton clerk of the court circuit court for Wilson County
Charles Cantu a citizen of Smith County in the State of Tennessee aged 71 years he hereby certifies that he has been acquainted with John Bonner the applicant from early life up to the present time - he knows that he was a soldier of the Revolution he affiant was with him in the service and while he served as a minute man in the militia

of the state of in the year 1781 Virginia, he believes from the knowledge that he has of applicants service that he must have served as much as nine months - the applicant has always maintained a good character for truth and honesty and he has no doubt but that he served as stated in his declaration.
Charles Lester { Sworn to and subscribed in open court This 26th Oct 1832.
Wm. H. Martin Clerk of the circuit court for Nelson County
Thomas Bonner aged 63 a citizen of Nelson County Tennessee hereby certifies that John Bonner he is a brother of the applicant John Bonner they were both raised together in Sussex County Virginia although he was young he has a distinct recollection of his brother John Bonner, being in the service of the united states as a private man in the Revolutionary War - he was almost constantly in actual service from the time he first entered the army - and when not in actual service every hour liable to be called on - he thinks from his frequent absence from home that he must have served as much as nine months if not longer
Thomas Bonner { Sworn to and subscribed in open court 26th Oct 1832.
Wm. H. Martin Clerk of the circuit court for Nelson County

(7) TREASURY DEPARTMENT,
SECOND COMPTROLLER'S OFFICE,
Sept. 3 d , 1844.
Sir:
Under the act of the 6th of April, 1838, 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," and the third section of the Act of August 23, 1842, extending the time within which pensioners may receive their pensions from the pension agents, The widow of John Bonner, dec d ; a Pensioner on the Roll of the Nashville, Tenn. Agency, at the rate of — Thirty — Dollars and — Cents per annum, under the law of the 7 th June 1832, has been paid at this Department, from the 4 th of Sept. 1842, to the 15 th Feb'y 1843.
Respectfully, yours,
William H. Parris
Comptroller.
To the COMMISSIONER OF PENSIONS,
Present.

1876/9 John Downer
From 1781, private 69 months. $30
Robt. M. Burton Lebanon, J.

WAR DEPARTMENT,
Pension Office,
Sir:
The evidence in support of your claim, under the act of June 7, 1832, has been examined, and the papers are herewith returned. The following is a statement of your case in a tabular form. On comparing these papers with the following rules, and the subjóined notes, you will readily perceive that objections exist, which must be removed, before a pension can be allowed. The notes and the regulations will shew what is necessary to be done. Those points to which your attention is more particularly directed, you will find marked in the margin with a brace, (thus: { ). You will, when you return your papers to this Department, send this printed letter with them; and you will, by complying with this request, greatly facilitate the investigation of your claim.
A Statement, shewing the Service of John Bonner of Wilson County Ten;
   Period when the service was rendered. Duration of the claimant's service. Rank of the claimant. Names and Rank of the Company officers under whom he served. Names and Rank of the General and Field officers. Battles in which the applicant was engaged. Country through which he marched. Place of abode when he entered the service, and age at the present period. Evidence by which the declaration is supported.   Years. Months. Days.     Substitute 1781 in 10 days. in Sumpter again not States. — 10 pr. Capt D. D. D. D. Capt D. D. D. D. none. Va. 68. Super. Frady H. H. H. H. who swear that he must have served nine months —   " " " " Capt Smith Capt Smith " " "   " " " " Capt Randall Capt Randall " " "   " " " " " " "   "In all 9 months"  
I am, respectfully,
Your obedient servant,
J. L. EDWARDS, Commissioner of Pensions.

REGULATIONS UNDER THE ACT OF JUNE 7, 1832.
The following regulations have been adopted:
This law has been construed to extend, as well to the line, as to every branch of the Staff of the Army, and to include under the terms "Continental Line," "State troops," "militia," and "volunteers," all persons enlisted, drafted, or who volunteered and who were bound to military service, but not those who were occasionally employed with the army upon civil contracts, such as Clerks to Commissaries and to Store Keepers, &c. Teamsters, Boatmen, &c. Persons who served on board of Private Armed Vessels are also excluded from the benefits of the law, as well as persons who turned out as patrols, or were engaged in guarding particular places at night, and were not recognized as being in actual military service.
Four general classes of cases are embraced in this law:
 1. The Regular Troops.  2. The State Troops, Militia, and Volunteers.  3. Persons employed in the Naval service.  4. Indian Spies. 
As rolls of the regular troops in the Revolutionary War exist in this Department, all persons, claiming the benefit of this law as officers, non-commissioned officers, musicians or privates, will in the first instance, make application by transmitting the following declaration, which will be made before a Court of Record of the County where such applicant resides. And every Court having by law a seal and Clerk is considered a Court of Record.
DECLARATION,
In order to obtain the benefit of the Act of Congress of the 7th of June, 1832.
State, Territory, or District of } ss. County of }
On this _____ day of _____ personally appeared (a) before A. B. a resident (b) of _____ in the county of _____ and State, Territory or District of _____ aged (c) _____ 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 provision made by the act of Congress, passed June 7th, 1832. That he enlisted in the Army of the United States in the year (d) _____, with _____ and served in the _____ (e) regiment of the _____ line, under the following named officers:
[Here set forth the names and rank of the Field and Company Officers; the time he left the service; (and if he served under more than one term of enlistment, he must specify the particular period, and rank and names of his officers;) the town or county and State in which he resided when he entered the service; the battles, if any, in which he was engaged, and the country through which he marched. [This form is to be varied so as to apply to the cases of officers and persons who belonged to the militia, volunteers, navy, &c.]
He hereby relinquishes every claim (f) whatever to a pension or an annuity, except the present, and he declares that his name is not on the Pension Roll of any Agency in any State, or (if any) only on that of the Agency in the State of _____
Sworn to and subscribed the day and year aforesaid.
A. B.
[And then will follow the certificate of the Court.]
And the said Court do hereby declare their opinion (g) that the above named applicant was a revolutionary soldier, and served as he states.
I _____ of the Court of _____ do hereby certify (h) that the foregoing contains the original proceedings of the said Court in the matter of the application of _____ for a pension.
In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal of office (i) this _____ day of _____ &c.
If, on examination of the proper record the names of applicants, making such declaration, cannot be found, they will produce such proof as the rule given in note (j) points out.
Every applicant who claims a pension by virtue of service in the State Troops, Volunteers or Militia, except those who belonged to the New Hampshire Militia and State Troops of Virginia, will make and subscribe a declaration similar to the foregoing, with the following additions, viz:
(k) We, A. B., a Clergyman, residing in the _____ and C. D. residing in (the same) _____ hereby certify, that we are well acquainted with _____, who has subscribed and sworn to the above declaration; that we believe him to be _____ 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.
Sworn and subscribed the day and year aforesaid.
[And then will follow the certificate of the Court.]
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 A. B.
who has signed the preceding certificate, is a clergyman, resident in the _____ and that C. D., who has also signed the same is a resident in the _____ and is a credible person, and that their statement is entitled to credit.
I, _____ Clerk of the Court of _____ do hereby certify that the foregoing contains the original proceedings of the said Court, in the matter of the application of _____ for a pension.
In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand and seal of office, this _____ day of _____ &c.
Every applicant will produce the best proof in his power. This is the original discharge or commission; but if neither of these can be obtained, the party will so state under oath, and will then procure, if possible, the testimony of at least one credible witness, stating in detail his personal knowledge of the services of the applicant, and such circumstances connected therewith, as may have a tendency to throw light upon the transaction.
If such surviving witness cannot be found, the applicant will so state in his declaration (l) and he will also, whether he produce such evidence or not, proceed to relate all the material facts, which can be useful in the investigation of his claim, and in the comparison of his narrative with the events of the period of his alleged service, as they are known at the Department. A very full account of the services of each person

will be indispensable to a favorable action upon his case. The facts stated will afford one of the principal means of corroborating the declaration of the applicant, if true, or of detecting the imposition, if one be attempted; and unless, therefore, these are amply and clearly set forth, no favorable decision can be expected. All applicants will appear before some Court of Record in the County, in which they reside, and there subscribe and be sworn to, one of the declarations above provided, according to the nature of his case.
The Court will propound the following (m) interrogatories to all applicants for a pension, on account of service in the Militia, State troops, or Volunteers, except the Militia of New Hampshire and the State troops of Virginia.
 1. Where and in what year were you born?  2. Have you any record of your age, and if so, where is it?  3. Where were you living when called into service; where have you lived since the Revolutionary war, and where do you now live?  4. How were you called into service; were you drafted, did you volunteer, or were you a substitute? And if a substitute, for whom?  5. State the names of some of the Regular Officers, who were with the troops, where you served; such Continental and Militia Regiments as you can recollect, and the general circumstances of your services.  6. { To a Soldier. } Did you ever receive a discharge from the service, and if so, by whom was it given and what has become of it? { To an Officer. } Did you ever receive a commission, and if so, by whom was it signed, and what has become of it?  7. State the names of persons to whom you are known in your present neighborhood, and who can testify as to your character for veracity, and their belief of your services as a soldier of the Revolution. 
The Court will see that the answers to these questions are embodied in the declaration, and they are requested to annex their opinions of the truth of the statement of the applicant.
The applicant will further produce in Court, if the same can be done, in the opinion of the Court, without too much expense and inconvenience to him, two respectable persons -one of whom should be the nearest clergyman, if one lives in the immediate vicinity of such applicant, who can testify, from their acquaintance with him, that they believe he is of the age he represents, and that he is reputed and believed in the neighborhood to have been a Revolutionary soldier, and that they concur in that opinion. If one of these persons is a Clergyman, the Court will so certify, and they will also certify, to the character and standing of other persons, giving such certificates.
The traditional evidence of service is deemed very important, in the absence of any direct proof, except the declaration of the party. And the Courts are requested to be very particular in the enquiry whether the belief is general, and whether any doubts have ever existed upon the subject.
Applicants unable to appear in Court by reason of bodily infirmity, may make the declaration before required, and submit to the examination, before a Judge or Justice of a Court of Record of the proper county, and the Judge or Justice will execute the duties, which the Court is herein requested to perform, and will also certify that the applicant cannot, from bodily infirmity, attend the Court.
Whenever any official act is required to be done by a Judge or Justice of a Court of Record, or by a Justice of the peace, the certificate of the Secretary of State or Territory, or of the proper Clerk of the Court or County, under his seal of office, will be annexed, stating that such person is a Judge or Justice of a Court of Record, or a Justice of the Peace, and that the signature annexed is his genuine signature.
No payments can be made on account of the services of any person, who may have died before the taking effect of the act of June 7, 1832; and in case of death subsequent thereto, and before the declaration herein required is made, the parties interested will transmit such evidence as they can procure, taken and authenticated before a Court of Record, showing the services of the deceased, the period of his death, the opinion of the neighborhood respecting such services, the title of the claimant, and the opinion of the Court upon the whole matter.
[a] The declarant must appear in open Court, unless prevented from doing so by reason of bodily infirmity; in which case the declarant will follow the rule laid down for his guidance.
[b] The declarant must make his declaration in the county where he resides. If he should fail to do so, he must assign a sufficient reason for not conforming to the rule.
[c] The age of the claimant must invariably be mentioned.
[d] The declarant must mention the period or periods of the war when he served.
[e] Every continental officer or soldier must give the name of the Colonel under whom he served; otherwise a satisfactory examination of the claim cannot be had. Every claimant must state, 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. 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 that 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 shown 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.
[f] The law makes the relinquishment indispensable.
[g] The opinion of the Court is always required.
[h] The Clerk must give his certificate in every case.
[i] The Clerk must affix his seal, and if it has no device or inscription by which it can be distinguished from any other seal, or if he 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.
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 papers 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.
Proof of Service.
[j] 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 claimant's 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.
[k] The notes from [a] to [i] are all equally applicable to the cases of Militia men, Volunteers and State Troops. The proof required by rule in note [j] applies to continental troops only.
[l] This traditional evidence is indispensable in militia cases.
[m] If a witness cannot be found, the declarant must state the fact.
[n] The answers to the interrogatories must all be written, and sent to the War Department, with the declaration. }
W. L. Williams Ex Clk

Rev War
2382 INVALID
(9)
File No. 2382
John Bonner Priv Rev War
Act: June 7, 1832
Index:—Vol. A , Page 36
V a Case [Arrangement of 1870.]

(6) Union Bank of Tennessee Nashville 6 th October 1837
J. L. Edwards Esq
Dear Sir
At the request of Mr. John S. Bonner the son and attorney of John Bonner a Revolutionary Pensioner under the act of the 7 th June 1832 and to whom there is one years Pension due, up to the 4 th Sept. 1837. I herewith transmit you his Pensioner's Identity for your examination and permission of his payment.
Please to return the papers in this case either to the Pensioner or his attorney to Lockport Post Office Wilson County Tennessee with your instructions and so forth oblige Sir
Yr. obedt. Servt John M. Bap P.R. By J. Cantrall

State of Tennessee
(2)
Wilson County
John Jones aged sixty years a clergyman of Wilson County hereby certifies that he has known the applicant John Bonner for about twenty four or five years who has subscribed and sworn to the above declaration that he believes him to be sixty eight years of age - he is a man of good character for truth and honesty and he has no doubt but that he has served as stated in his declaration in the Revolutionary War
John Jones { Sworn to me and subscribed in open court this 31st Oct 1832
W. Martin clerk of the circuit court of Law and Equity for the county of Wilson.
And the said Court do hereby declare their opinion after investigating 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 said Court further certifies that it appears to them that John Jones who has signed the preceding Certificate is a clergyman resident in the County of Wilson and that Charles Baxter and Thomas Bonner are citizens of Smith and Maury Counties in the State of Tennessee and that they are all creditable persons and that their statements are entitled to full credit
J. H. Mitchell Presiding Judge

I William Sellart Clerk of the Milford Circuit Court do hereby certify that the foregoing contains the original proceedings of the said court in the matter of the application of John Bonner for a pension.
In testimony whereof I have hereunto my hand and seal of office at Lebanon This 2nd day of November 1832.
Wm Sellart
John Bonner 1832
[Faint, mirrored bleed-through text from the reverse side of the page]

Mr. Borneo Tenn.
7671109
Humble
J. J. Edwards
Commission of Pensions
Washington City
FREE

John. Bonner's application for Pensions.
Hon. Lewis. Kap. Secretary of War. Washington City
1899
Mar. 19. Mail
FREE

(4) Lebanon Nov 3 — 1832
Honble Lewis Cass-on the E Awards —
Sir Sir
Inclosed I send you the declaration of John Bonner for a pension — You will let me know the result as early as convenient if the action of the department is favorable he requests a draft on the United States Bank at Nashville —
Yours &c
Robert M. Burton

State of Tennessee Wilson County
(5)
This day personally appeared before me George H Bullard — an acting
Justice of the Peace for the County of Wilson in the State of Tennessee John Bonner (a Citizen of said County of Wilson where he has resided for the last twenty nine years) and made oath in due form of law that he is the identical John Bonner named in a Pension Certificate dated the 13th day of May 1833. That he is entitled to thirty dollars per annum during his natural life for services rendered in the Revolutionary War which will appear from the annexed Pension Certificate and from his declaration on file at the War Department. Declarant makes oath that he has not drawn one cent of the Pension to which he is entitled by virtue of said Certificate either by himself or allowing for the last two years — viz since the 4th of March 1834 — up to the present time — he has within the last few days made application for his pension to the Pension Agent at Nashville by the same has been refused in consequence of no application having been made for the last two years — The reasons that prevented Declarant from making application for his pension on two occasions was the prevalence of diseases considered contagious at Nashville at one time the Cholera and at another time the Small Pox — at other times the infirmity of Declarant & his family together with the smallness of the sum prevented his making more frequent applications — Declarant

prays to be reinstated on the Pension Roll that he may have the benefit of the charity extended to him by his country. John Bonner
Sworn to and subscribed before me this 30 th March 1836
W. A. Bussard
State of Tennessee Wilson County
This day personally appeared before me George H Bullard an acting Justice of the Peace for the said County of Wilson Robert M Burton an clerk Jackson and made oath that the above named John Bonner is the identical John Bonner named in the annexed Certificate of Pension dated the 13 th day of May 1833.
Robert M Burton Mark Jackson
Sworn to and subscribed before me this 30 th March 1836
W. A. Bussard
State of Tennessee Wilson County
I Josiah M c Clain clerk of the county court of said Wilson County hereby certify that George H Bullard is an acting Justice of the Peace as above and that the foregoing signature purporting to be his is genuine In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand & affixed my seal office this 30 th day of March A D 1836
J M c Clain Clerk of the county court of Wilson