Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty Land Warrant Application File R. 1442, George Burch, Va Sea Service

SERVICE
NUMBER
Va Sea Service Burch, George
R. 1442
CONTENTS

No 20050 George Furch Williamson County Tennessee
Rejected see letter 3 Apr 33 to Thos Hardiman clk Williamson County Court. Franklin Tenn
Thomas Hardiman Clerk Williamson Co Court Tennessee

County of Williamson  BRIEF in the case of  George Finch  In the State of Tennessee (Act 7th June, 1832.)
 1. Was the declaration made before a Court or a Judge? a Court  2. If before a Judge, does it appear that the applicant is disabled by bodily infirmity?  3. How old is he? 73  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.      Naval Service In 17-5-6  1777-8-   about 8  all his service would amount to two years   10-12  10 or 12-   As a midshipman   Capt. Harwood Col. Simonds  Counsellor Jameson   
 5. In what battles was he engaged? None  6. Where did he reside when he entered the service? King & Queen Co Va  7. Is his statement supported by living witnesses, by documentary proof, by traditional evidence, by incidental evidence, or by the rolls? Traditional is all we have  8. Are the papers defective as to form or authentication? and if so, in what respect? Not connected as the registration regime 
I certify that the foregoing statement and the answers agree with the evidence in the case above mentioned.
J. C. Castor Examining Clerk.

20050
George Burch
resignation for a pension
subscribed and sworn to the above
George Burch

State of Tennessee — October term 1832 account of Williamson County } pleas and quarter sessions
On this 9 th day of October 1832 personally appeared in open court now sitting before us Nicholas Perkins Wright Stanley and Sabey Seven Justices of the court of pleas and quarter sessions held for Williamson county Tenn.
George Burch a resident of said county aged 73 years who being first duly sworn according to law doth on oath make the following declaration in order to obtain the benefit of the provisions of an act of Congress passed 9 th June 1832 that he entered the service of the United States under the following named officers and served as as herein stated
I was born in King and Queen county Virginia in the year 1759 when I was raised and lived until after the revolution As soon as I arrived at the age of 16 years I was put on the muster list This was in the latter part of 1775 or first of 1776. About this time My father, being owner of a sloop called William and Mary, was pressed into the Naval service, together with myself by Commissary David Lamson. However it might not have been immediately after I was put on the muster roll I entered the Naval service, for I must serve a short time under Capt Christopher War- wood and Col William Linn, and Col Philip Pendleton. The first service, that I was employed in was about the time the Barracks was built at Williamsburg when the troops from King & Queen, King William, New Kent and Hanover counties, were conveyed in vessels to that place My Father's vessel in which I served was

employed in conveying the troops from my own King & Queen County to Williamsburgh. We also conveyed the provisions which was purchased by the Commissary, a man I think by the name of Norton.
In the year 1797 or 98 there was an order made to build a man of war at Frashers Ferry on ship yard in King and Queen  William county. The Sloop William and Mary, was then employed in conveying lumber and materials to the dock yard for the purpose of building the ship We went down river and up river to timber -countries. The name of this ship was the Tartar Man of War. This ship was 10 or 12 months in building during which time my father's Sloop in which I served was almost constantly employed in conveying materials. There were other vessels employed in the same service. After this ship was finished it was launched and 40 seamen besides soldiers entered service on board.
Immediately after this another large ship by the name of Tempest was built at the same dock yard. We in the same Sloop were employed as before in conveying materials for the ship. This ship was 10 or 12 months also in build- ing during which my father's vessel was employed as constantly as before, with my- self on board. This was a 64 gun ship and was launched with success.
The next year after the building of the Tempest there was a large Galley built at the Sheldons War House on Malta Ponca river seven miles

below my father and about 11 miles from the dock yard where the other ships were built. We were not so constantly employed in conveying materials for the building of this galley as for the other vessels above named. The hands were employed about one year in the building of this vessel which was named the Manly Galley.
After this ship was finished we remained mostly unemployed until the year 1781 When it was announced that the British fleet was expected soon in the Chesapeake Bay. Counsellor Jameson ordered us to convey the stores ammunition &c from York and Williamsburg to Rickmans up James River or up Powhatan to New Castle, which orders we endeavoured to obey, but when we arrived at York we saw the British fleet in full sail out of the mouth of Chesapeake of York out of the Chesapeake bay. When we saw this our only chance was to run our vessel up Wormley's creek, and taking off the rigging and sails we conveyed them to Counsellor Jameson's House where we left them, and traveled on foot home. After the revolu- tion I lived in King & Queen county Virginia until 1783 when I moved to Cazwell county North Carolina where I staid till 1822 when I moved to Williamson county Tennessee where I have been living ever since and now live

I have no record of my age; but know I was born in 1759. My father I have always been told was 27 years old when I was born and my father was born on the same day that Gen Washington was born, as I have been often told by my grand mother
I know of no person in this country who can prove my services. I have no documents of my service. I had certificates of my naval services signed by Councillor Jameson, which exempted me from the land service: I could not be drafted in the land service. I think all my services put together would amount to 2 years. All my certificates and papers were consumed in the burning of my house
I state Gomer McLeome, William D Sudbury, William Thomas and Gilbert Marshall Esqr who can prove my character for veracity and their belief as to my services in the war. I hereby relinquish every claim to an annuity or pension whatever and decline my name if not on the pension roll of any agency in any state. This the day and year aforesaid. Sworn to in open Court Oct 9 th 1832 Thos Henderson George Brinch
We Gomer McLeome is a clergyman resident in the county of Williamson on Tennessee and William D Sudbury, and William Thomas as also residents of Williamson county. Do hereby certify that we are well acquainted with George Brinch who has subscribed and sworn to the above decl

oration, that we believe him to be 73 years of age, that he is respected and beloved in the neighborhood where he resides to have been a sol- -der of the revolution and we con- cur in that opinion. This the day and year aforesaid
Sworn to in open court
Oct. 9 th 1832 Thomas W. Ward
Garnet M c Conico
William D. Sudbury
Samuel Thomas
And the said court do hereby declare their opinion after the investigation of the matter and after the putting of the interrogatories prescribed by the war department, that the above named appli- cant was a soldier of the revolution and served as he states, and the court further certify that it appears to them that Garnet M c Conico who signed the preceding certificate is a clergyman resident in Williamson on some and William D. Sudbury and William Thomas who also have signed the same are residents of Williamson county and are credible persons and that their statement is entitled to credit. This the day and day and year aforesaid
Huber Owens
Nicholas Perkins
Wright Stanley

...which I received was
I Thomas Hardenmon clerk of the court of pleas and quarter ses- sions held for the county of Wil- iamson Tennessee do hereby cert- ify that the foregoing contains the original proceedings of said cause in the matter of the application of George Bunk for a Pension
In testimony
whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal of office This the 11th day of July as aforesaid
Thomas Hardenmon

George Dureh
Samuel
Rejected see letter
3 p.p. 6839 not found.
To Thomas Heordeman
Charles Millington
Franklin Court
3
1442

Ex'r.
INVALID.
REJECTED
Acts of July 14, 1862, and March 3, 1872.
1442
P.O. George Duerch
Service: _____
Enlisted: _____, 18__
Discharged: _____, 18__
Application filed: _____, 18__
Alleges: List of rejected claims printed in 1852, shows cause
Re-enlisted: of rejection as follows: Service on board his father's Schooner, which was pressed into the Commissary's service.
Attorney: _____
P.O. _____

B R I E F objections to the admission of Pension Claims , of which those answered in the negative, in red ink, will apply to the claim of George Burch which require further proof or explanation.
I. Does the declaration show where the applicant resides? II. Did the declarant make the declaration in the county where he resides? 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? 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? VII. Has he made a relinquishment of every claim to any other pension than the one under the Act of June 7, 1832? VIII. Has the Court given their opinion? IX. Has the Clerk given his certificate? 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?

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? 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? 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? No XVII. Are the seven interrogatories prescribed by the War Department answered satisfactorily? And, if not, which of them is not so answered?
 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.

BOUNTY LAND WARRANT RECORD CARD*
NAME Burch, Isaiah GRADE Private LINE New York
WARRANT NUMBER 6826 ACREAGE 100 ISSUED Nov. 27, 1790 To Thomas Sears, assignee
*The information concerning the issuance of warrants carded on this form is found in volumes 2 to 4 of "Land Warrants Issued Prior to 1800" which are registers of bounty land warrants issued to non-commissioned officers and privates under congressional resolutions of September 16, 1776, and subsequent dates. Other records relative to the applications for warrants appear to have been destroyed in the War Department fire of November 9, 1800. Information concerning warrants surrendered to the Federal Government is to be found in General Land Office records in The National Archives.