MILITARY: War of 1812 Pension: Martha widow of George Cameron (1871); Jackson Co., IA This file was contributed for use in the USGenWeb Archives by Marilyn Morgan < marilynmorgan1@home.com >. ************************************************************************ * USGENWEB NOTICE: In keeping with our policy of providing free information on the Internet, data may be freely used by non-commercial entities, as long as this message remains on all copied material. These electronic pages may NOT be reproduced in any format for profit or presentation by other organizations. ************************************************************************ War of 1812 Declaration of a Widow for Pension--State of Iowa County of Jackson- -On this 14th day of April, 1871, personally appeared before me, E. J. Holmes, Clerk, of the District Court, a court of record in and for the county and State aforesaid Martha Cameron, aged 89 years, a resident of Maquoketa, County of Jackson, State of Iowa, who being duly sworn according to law, declares that she is the widow of George Cameron, who served the full period of sixty days in the Military service of the United States in the War of 1812; and who was the identical George Cameron who, Enlisted in (blank) at Pittsburgh Pa, on the last Sep 1814 and was honorably discharged at Pittsburgh Pa, on the first day of January, 1815 that I want to say to the Hon. Commissioner that I am so old that I can not recollect all the particulars but about one year before the service above named my husband was called in the same company and served in 1812 guarding prisoners at Pittsburgh, Pa and he went there and served in Jan or Feb. he was called two __months at the Garrison at said place then he went out about a year after that I can not now be definite to dates my husband sent his papers to Washington to___land__and they were not returned that she was married under the name of Martha Casteel to said George Cameron on the 9th day of May 1808 by Abraham Whitiker a JP at Washington Co., PA nearest village was McKeesport, there being no legal barrier to such marriage; that her husband died at the house of I. S. Cameron near Maquoketa, IA on the 2nd day of April, 1864, and that she has not remarried since his death; that at no time during the late rebellion against the authority of the United States, did she or her husband adhere to the cause of the enemies of the government, giving them aid or comfort; or exercised the functions of any office whatever under any authority, or pretended authority, in hostility to the United States; that she will support the Constitution of the United States; that she is not in receipt of a pension under any previous act; that she makes this declaration for the purpose of being placed on the pension rolls of the United States, under the provision approved February 4, 1871, and hereby constitutes and appoints, with full power of substitution and revocation, Benjamin F. Thomas of Andrew, Jackson Co., Iowa her true and lawful attorney...to prosecute her claim and obtain the pension certificate that may be issued; that her post office is at Maquoketa, County of Jackson State of Iowa; that her domicile or place of abode is now Maquoketa, Jackson Co., Iowa signed Martha X (her mark) Cameron Applicant Attest: ? O' Brien, EJ Holmes W C Gregony Also personally appeared Rachael Gearhart residing in Fulton, Jackson County in the State of Iowa...They were present and saw Martha Cameron, the claimant, make her mark... Rachael X (her mark) Gearhart; Missona X (her mark) Myer; Sworn to and subscribed before me, this 14th day of April A. D. 1871... Pension rejected Jan 10, 1872. Claim of A person who has never before had a Land Warrant or made a Declaration thereof State of Iowa--County of Jones On this __day of September A. D. 1874, before me, the undersigned, a (1) a Notary Public duly authorized by law to administer oaths within and for the county and state aforesaid, personally appeared Mrs. Martha Cameron aged 92 years, a resident of Centre Junction, in the county of Jones and State of Iowa, who, being duly sworn according to law, declares that this is the identical Widow of George Cameron who was commanded by Captain Staley in the War of 1812 that he (2) Enlisted or interred Service in Washington County, Penn, on or about (empty) I Martha Cameron....signed Martha X (her mark) Cameron We Margaret Ann Gearhart residents of Centre Junction, in the State of Iowa, ... Martha X (her mark Cameron); Daniel X (his mark) Gearhart; Witnesses: signed Margret Gearhart & B. B. Henderson--dated 10 September 1874 Supplementary Declaration On this 30th day of September 1874 personally appeared before me, a Justice of the peace in and for the County and State aforesaid Mrs. Martha Cameron, aged 92 years, who being duly sworn by me according to law Declares the she is the surviving widow of George Cameron, dec. of Washington County Penn. that her said husband died in Jackson Co., Iowa on the 2nd day of June 1864 that her said husband served over 60 days in the War of 1812 in Captain Peter Stilley Co. of Pennsylvania Militia that he was called out and served thirty days in said War, that he was at home on the 29th of June 1814 and that on or about the last day of September he was again called out, and that he did not return home from said last service until the month of December following; that other Soldiers of the same company returned prior to her said husband of whom she inquired the cause of her husband's longer absence that She was informed that he was detailed on extra duty to guard prisoners and that after his return home at the time aforesaid. She was informed by him her said husband that he was detailed for said service causing his longer absence that she knows her said husband George Cameron served more than sixty days in said two calls that her knowledge of the facts stated in regard to said service is derived from the fact of his being at home at the time of the birth of her daughter Nancy Jane which occurred on the 23 of June 1814 that said daughter was three months old when he left home on said second call on or about the last day of September 1814 and that at said time she had all of the business of the farm to attend to that her memory was assisted and reviewed by referring to her family record for the correct dates and from the amount of labor She accomplished and hardships she endured in order to secure the crops of the farm and from said dates in her family record, that ___after the passage of the Act of Feb. 14, 1871 granting pensions to survivors of the War of 1812. She employed one Thomas of Andrew, Jackson Co., Iowa to prosecute her claim under said act that she has applied frequently to said Attorney as to the condition of her claim that said attorney put her off with evasive answers at one time telling her claim is all right and at another saying she must have all of her children sworn to their ages. that she has lost all confidence in said attorney and that she fears that her said claim may have been rejected by reason of the inability or ___of said attorney. that therefore she hereby annuls and revokes all former Power of attorney that may have been given heretofore to said attorney and that she respectfully requests that her claim may again be taken up and brought to a final settlement. that she hereby appoints B. W. McClure of Centre Junction her true and lawful attorney to prosecute her claim that her address is Centre Junction, Jones County, Iowa P. O. Box 58. signed Martha X (her mark) Cameron Witness: Margret Gearhart; J. C. McCormick Certified Copy the family Record of George Cameron, late of Washington County Penn Marriages George Cameron married to Martha Casteel on the 9th day of May 1808. Samuel Cameron was married to Mary Thompson on the 8th of June 1835. Nancy Jane Cameron was married to Jet Billingsby 1836. Isaac S. Cameron was married to Mary M. Oakley on the 27th Aug. 1849. Allen A. Cameron was married to Almira Pangburn 20 Dec. 1850 Margaret A. Cameron was married to Daniel Gearhart Aug. 31, 1847. Grizzy Cameron was married to Hiram Vanhorn on the 17 day of Apl 1851 Births George Cameron was Born Feb 9, 1784 Martha Cameron was Born June 26, 1783 Elisebeth Cameron was Born Apl 9, 1809 Samuel Cameron was Born Aug. 5, 1811 Nancy Jane Cameron was Born 1814 Allen A. Cameron was Born May 14, 1818 Rachie Cameron was Born Apl 4, 1821 I. S. Cameron was Born Nov 26, 1823 Margaret A. Cameron was Born Dec. 10, 1825 Grizzy Cameron was Born Sept. 19, 1829