Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty Land Warrant Application File B. L. Wt. 2121-300, John Hunter Holt, Va.

SERVICE
NUMBER _____
Holt, John Hunter
B.L.Wt. 2121-300
CONTENTS

Recd Dept.
Norfolk September 4 th 1835
Herewith I send a receipt for Land Warrant N o 2121 issued to the Heirs of Elizabeth Oswald dec d and received by me yesterday
I have the Honor to be Sir Yours &c
Eleazar C. Balfour
My in fact of C. H. Balfour one of the heirs
To the Hon d Lewis Cass Secy. of War
Recd of the Hon d : the Secretary of War a Land Warrant N o 2121 for Three Hundred Acres of Land issued to and in the names of the heirs at law of Elizabeth Oswald dec d sole devisee of Capt: Geo H Holt of the 1 st Virginia State Regiment commanded by Col s Gibson of the Army of the Revolution
Norfolk September 5 th 1835
Eleazar C. Balfour My in fact of C. H. Balfour one of the heirs
300 Acres of Land

Norfolk Borough
At a Quarterly Session Court. Continued and held the 27 th day of August 1835
The Court doth Certify that it has been made appear by the will of Eleazar O'Balfour, that Elizabeth Oswald the sole devisee of John H. Hook a Captain in the Army of the Revolutionary War, died intestate leaving six children her only surviving heirs at Law Vizt First Elizabeth H. Balfour. Secondly Sarah Oswald, Third Ann L Oswald Fourth Rebecca Glenn (which four are now alive) formerly Oswald (who intermarried with Hamilton Glenn, since deceased). Fifth William H. Oswald also since deceased leaving two children Vizt Richard Oswald and William Oswald her only surviving heirs at Law and Sixth John H. Oswald also since deceased leaving three children her only surviving heirs at Law Vizt John Oswald, Elizabeth Oswald now Elizabeth Urban, the wife of Lewis Urban and Caroline Oswald now the wife of Israel H. Kurtz.
I John Williams Clerk of the Court aforesaid in the State of Virginia do hereby Certify that the foregoing is a true Copy from the Records of said Court. In Testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand and affixed the seal of the said Court this twenty eighth day of August in the Year Eighteen hundred and thirty five in the 60 th Year of the Commonwealth.
W. Williams Clk

John H. Holt N. 2121.

State of Virginia Corporation of Norfolk } sc.
I Elizabeth Palfour one of the heirs at Law of John Holt do upon oath testify and declare to the best of my knowledge and belief that the said John H. Holt did enter the service in 1776 or thereabouts for the term of        Years and served as a Captain in the Regiment No. 1. under the Command of Colo: George Gibson of the Continental line; and that he continued in the service aforesaid until he became supernumerary in consequence of the dissolution of said Regiment. I further declare that I have never received a warrant for the bounty land promised to the said Holt on the part of the United States: nor do I believe that he ever received it, or transferred his claim to it any manner whatsoever, nor that any of the other heirs ever hath received the same, therefore I now all men by these presents that I Elizabeth Palfour aforesaid do hereby constitute and appoint Eleazer O'Palfour to be my true and lawful attorney for me and in my name and for my use and for the use of the other heirs of the said John H. Holt to demand and receive from the Secreta- ry of War of the United States a warrant for the quantity of land due to me and the other heirs 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. Witness my hand Seal this 20 th day of August 1835. at Norfolk. Elizabeth Balfour Attest.
James B. cc B. Stanley
Norfolk Borough.
Personally appeared the above named Elizabeth Balfour Subscriber to the foregoing declaration and made oath to the same and in my presence acknowledged the power of attorney thereto subscribed to be her free act and deed for the Purposes therein mentioned. August 20 th 1835.
M. King Mayor.
In testimony that the above written M. King — was a Magistrate authorized to administer oaths and take acknow- ledgements &c. in the State of Virginia for the Borough of Norfolk at the above date and that his name there subscribed appears to me to be his usual signature I have hereunto affixed the seal of the Borough of Norfolk and subscribed my name and quality at the Borough aforesaid on this 20 th August 1835.
Geo Williams 6. A. B.

Received of the Secretary of War the land warrants referred to in the annexed Power of Attorney August 28 1835.
Fele. M c Whirter
Eleazar P. Balfour Attorney in fact for Mrs. Elizabeth Balfour

John H. Holt Grille
Richmond City Court
1788
Mr. Justice Austin
[Faint vertical text, likely bleed-through from the reverse side]

In the name of God, Amen, I John Hunter Holt, of the City of Richmond, printer, being sick in body, but at the same time in my perfect senses. It is my desire that all my wearing apparel, and two pair of pistols be given to my cousin John Dixon Junr, a mourning ring to my aunt Dixon, and my sister Barbour, which I hope they will accept and keep for my sake, all the rest of my worldly property, that I may be possessed of at the time of my decease. I desire may be given to my dear sister Elizabeth Oswald. I should be glad if my friends John & Henry Dixon would qualify as executors to this my last will and testament, and do desire the Court will allow them to qualify as such, without giving any security, for their administration, knowing the trouble attending that kind of business, and being satisfied they will do justice to my Estate. Witness my hand, this twenty fourth day of December 1786.
Sealed Signed and acknowledged in presence of
John H. Holt
Alexander McMillan.
Daniel Baxter.
At a Court of Hastings, for the City of Richmond, held at the Public Buildings, on Monday the 28th of April 1788. This last will and testament of John H. Holt, dec d was presented in Court and proved by the oath of Daniel Baxter, a witness thereto, & ordered to be recorded. And on the motion of John Dixon, one of the Executors therein named who made oath according to law, and entered into and acknowledged his bond, in the penalty of one thousand pounds, conditioned as the law directs, a certificate was granted him for obtaining a probat thereof in due form: Liberty being reserved to the other executor named in the said will to join in the probat, when he shall think fit.
Feste,
Adam Craig C.C.
A copy test W. C. Housard, Clk

Norfolk August 25 th 1835
I have now the honor to enclose a certificate of heirship such as is required by the forms of the Department as stated in your letter. You will perceive that it was made before the Court of this Borough, which being in session, I thought it best to have it done at once as it is understood here that no warrants will issue after 1 st next Month, and to have written for the session of the Court of the County which does not sit till the last of next Month would perhaps have prejudiced our claim, if it be true that warrants will not issue after 1 st Sept. The discrepancy you point out between the statement of heirship before the Court at Richmond and the Court of this County is very easily explained. At Richmond there was no proof as to who were the heirs. But Mr. Maudough merely stated that the persons were to whose names appeared on the Certificate of Administration, he not knowing any thing about it farther than he was told. It will be perceived that the husband of Rebecca Glenn (one of the children of the devisee Mrs. Dewald) is stated to be one of heirs, and that Mrs. Dewald, Elizabeth Alband, and Caroline Kurtz are stated as three more heirs, when in point of fact and in law these three make but one heir, being the children of Mrs. Dewald. When the name of Sarah A. Kurtz came forward as one of the heirs I don't know as to certain there is no such heir for I am personally acquainted with all of them being my cousins. I presumed that such was intended for Sarah A. Kurtz the husband of Caroline Kurtz and thus the seeming discrepancy is entirely explained.

The statement of the heirs at Richmond was very informal and was intended merely in relation to the half pay not that these persons are recognised as distributees and not as heirs, and hence the widow Sarah B. Waldo of one of deceased heirs Mr. A. Waldo is stated to be one, and also the husband of Rebecca Hems and Caroline Kuetz, because the half pay being personal estate these persons were entitled - I should be glad if the present Certificate should be found conformable to the requisitions of the Department -
Very Resp. Eleazar C. Balfour
M rs Gordon Capt. Bounty Land Office