REVOLUTIONARY WAR WIDOW'S PENSION APPLICATION - MARTHA McWILLIAMS Contributed by: Robert H. McClain, Jr. [TexMass@aol.com] *********************************************************************** USGENWEB ARCHIVES NOTICE: These electronic pages may NOT be reproduced in any format for profit or presentation by any other organization or persons. Persons or organizations desiring to use this material, must obtain the written consent of the contributor, or the legal representative of the submitter, and contact the listed USGenWeb archivist with proof of this consent. The submitter has given permission to the USGenWeb Archives to store the file permanently for free access. http://www.usgwarchives.net *********************************************************************** State of Kentucky } County of Hardin } S.S. On this 28th day of May in the year of Lord one thousand eight hundred and forty seven, personally appeared before the undersigned, Police judge of Elizabethtown, in the County and State aforesaid, Martha McWilliams a resident of the said County of Hardin and State of Kentucky aged eighty six years past? Who being first duly sworn according to law doth under oath make the following declaration in order to obtain the benefit of the pension made by the act of Congress, passed July 7th 1838, entitled "An act ______ ____pay and Pensions to Certain Widows" That she is the widow of James McWilliams who was a private in the Army of the Revolution and who drew a pension of Twenty dollars per annum, commencing on the 4th of March 1831, in accordance with an original certificate now in her possession bearing the date at the War Office of the United States and dated the 24th day of September one thousand eight hundred and thirty-three." That her maiden name was Martha Jamison and was married by publication by Michael Dillingham in Henry County, Virginia, by a Baptist preacher by the name of William Lovell on the 1st day January 1780. That her and said husband James McWilliams remained at the house of Hugh McWilliams, the father of the said James for the space of about seven months. That they afterwards commenced housekeeping for themselves in the said County of Henry and State of Virginia on the Waters of Smith's River. That her said husband was drafted, and entered the service of the United States at Patrick Court House in the said county of Henry, under Captain William Cowden in the spring of 1787. That he served about four months, but never was in any battle. He was stationed at Jamestown - that on one occasion he started with his company with the expectation of having an engagement with the British under Cornwallis, but before they reached the point of destination, he the said James McWilliams, was taken suddenly sick, and stopped by the way side. But as his strength would allow followed his company - When he overtook them they had had an engagement in which about forty of the American's were wounded, & were put into an old Church and he was appointed to guard them at that place, where he remained some days. That she does not distinctly remember the names of any of the officers except Captain William Cowden. She thinks one was Col. Washington & that others were by the name of Lawson & Buzan. That her said husband was discharged at Maupin Hills in the state of Virginia. That he received a discharge which he gave to his father Hugh McWilliams, who never returned it. That she had by her said husband ten children to wit; Mary, Jane, Samuel, Hannah, Elizabeth, James, Martha, Sarah, Anna who died and another who was born after the death of the last named, who was also named Anna. That they had a family record in a Bible, but it has been torn up and destroyed many years. That they lived in the said County of Henry about four years and then moved to North Carolina and settled on Durbins Creek and remained there about eleven months and then removed back to the said County of Henry in the state of Virginia. That they removed to the state of Kentucky in the year 1794 & settled in Madison County - _________________________ years, afterwards they resided about four years, ______________ Lincoln. Then they moved to Hardin County in the said state of Kentucky about 1801 and have resided there _______________ the said James McWilliams died at his farm on the waters Mill Creek in the said county of Hardin on the 26th day of August 1843. She states that she thinks before their marriage that ________ of North Carolina. That she had often heard him state his adventures during that term. She thinks he served und Captain Hodges and Col. Butler. That she was married to her said husband prior to his last term of service which was previous to the first day of January 1791 viz. or the time above stated. That she has remained a widow ever since the death of her said husband. She states that as a consequence of her ______ and great bodily infirmity she is unable to attend Court. her /s/ Martha X McWilliams mark Attest: ? Daniel C. Rice Sworn to and subscribed before me and in the presence of the two witnesses whose signatures appear above, on this day and year above written. /s/ E. S. Brown P. J. E. State of Kentucky } Hardin County }S.S. I do certify that I am personally acquainted with Martha McWilliams whose name appears above, and that she is a person of truth and veracity and that her statements are entitled to full faith and credit. Given under may hand this 28 day of May A. D. 1847 /s/ E. S. Brown P. J. E. I further certify that the said Martha McWilliams from great bodily infirmity is unable to attend Court. /s/ E. S. Brown P. J. E. The deposition of John McWilliams, taken at the office of Stephen Eliot in Elizabethtown Hardin County Kentucky on the 30th day of March 1846. The deponent being of lawful age and first duly sworn deposeth and saith ... That he is the brother of James McWilliams decd who was a Revolutionary soldier and drew a pension from the United States at the rate of twenty dollars per annum. That he the said James McWilliams died on the 26th day of August 1843. He was married to Martha Jameson sometimes in January 1780. This I could not of course state from my own knowledge for I was born in the following August. But my mother has often told me that Martha McWilliams, my brothers wife, suckled me when a child. She, Martha, has often told me the same thing. I can remember as far back as 1785, and know that my brother and his wife Martha were living together as man and wife at that time. And will state a circumstance which happened about that time. They then had only three children, Polly, James and Samuel. I had at that time a game rooster, or chicken cock, & had learned him to fight my hat. When I would crow at him and hold the hat to him. At that time Saml, the youngest child, named above was crawling about in yard, and came in contact with the rooster which flew at him and stuck his spur into his foreheard just above his right eye and came near putting his eye out. At the time this circumstance occurred my father and my brother James lived in the same neighborhood in Franklin County Virginia about two miles apart. About six years afterwards, (in 1782 or 1793_ I boarded with my brother James and went to school in the same neighborhood. I knew them as man and wife as far back as 1786, upwards of sixty years ago, and they lived together as man an wife until he the said James McWilliams died. His widow never married and still lives in Hardin County Ky, where her husband died. That had ten children Polly, Jane, Samuel, Hannah, ____, James, Sally, Anna (who died and they called Anna born afterwards by the same name), Anna, and Martha. I stayed all night last night at the house of James McWilliams, the son of the said Martha, where she is at this time staying and she told me she was now trying to get a pension. I do not live in this county. I live in Meade County Ky. about fifteen miles from this place. And further this deponent saith not .... John McWilliams Subscribed & sworn } to before me this 30th } day of March 1846. } (s) S Eliot J. P. H. C. I certify that John McWilliams who has subscribed and worn to the foregoing deposition is a credible witness. Given under my hand this 30th day of March 1846. (s) S. Eliot J. P. H. C. I Samuel Haycraft, Clerk of the County Court of Hardin County in the State of Kentucky do certify that S. Eliot whose certificate appears above is, and was, at the time of the signing of the same a Magistrate duly commissioned and qualified and that full faith and credit are due to all his official acts, as such, as well withourt as within this Commonwealth, and that the foregoing signatures purporting to be his are genuine. In testimony whereof of, I have Hereunto set my name & affixed The seal of said Hardin County Court at my office in Elizabethtown this 3rd day of April 1846 in the 56th year of the Commonwealth .... (s) Saml Haycraft, Clerk October 30, 1939 BA-J/AWF Mrs. William Blake John Clausen - R.2025 1031 S. Sixth Street James McWilliams - W3026 Louisville, Kentucky Dear Madam: Reference is made to your letter in which you request the Revolutionary War records of John Clausen of Pennsylvania, and James McWilliams of North Carolina. John Clausen -R.2025 The data which follow concerning John Clausen (Clousen) were obtained from claim for pension, R.2025, based upon his service in the Revolutionary War. The date and place of birth of John Clausen and names of his parents are not given. The date of his death is not shown. Michal Clausen or Clousen on December 31, 1853, aged seventy-seven years and living in Center, Perry County, Pennsylvania, applied for pension on account of the service of his father, then deceased, and alleged that his father served as a private in the Revolutionary War. The claim for pension was not allowed as proof of service was not furnished. The papers on file in this claim refer to other children, names not stated, nor is the name of the wife of John Clausen given, and there are no further discernible family data. ******************* James McWilliams-W.3026 The data furnished herein in regard to James McWilliams was obtained from papers on file in claim for pension, W. 3026, based upon his service in the Revolutionary War. James McWilliams was born in the year 1762, place not stated. He was the son of Hugh McWilliams, name of his mother not given. While residing in Orange County, North Carolina, James McWilliams enlisted in the fall of 1778, served three months as private in Captains McDonald's and Hodge's companies, Colonel Butler's North Carolina regiment, and was engaged in guarding the barracks at Cross Creek, North Carolina. He moved to Henry County, Virginia, and enlisted in the summer of 1781, served three months as private in Captains Thomas Doggard's and William Cowden's companies, Colonel Tucker's Virginia regiment. He was allowed pension on his application executed May 20, 1833, at which time he was living in Hardin County, Kentucky, where he lived since 1801. He died August 26, 1843, at his residence on the "waters of Mill Creek", in Hardin County, Kentucky. The soldier, James McWilliams, married January 1, 1780 or 1781, in Henry County, Virginia, Martha Jamison. The date and place of her birth and names of her parents are not given. James McWilliams and his wife, Martha, lived four years in Henry County, Virginia, then moved to North Carolina, and settled on "Durbin's Creek", lived about eleven months, and returned to Henry County, Virginia, and in 1794 moved to Madison County, Kentucky, and in 1801, moved to Hardin County, Kentucky. The widow, Martha McWilliams was allowed pension on her application executed October 11, 1843, at which time she was aged "eighty-two years and upwards", and residing in Hardin County, Kentucky. The soldier, James McWiliams and his wife, Martha, had ten children, three of whom were born prior to 1786, and in 1847, "some" were residing in Hardin County, Kentucky. The names of their children are shown as follows, ages not given - Mary or Polly, Jane, Samuel, Hannah, Elizabeth or Betsey, James, Martha, Sarah or Sally, and two named Anna, one having died. Reference was made in 1843 to a son aged fifty-two, and to a daughter aged fifty-eight years. John McWilliams, brother of the soldier, James McWilliams, was born in August, 1780, and in 1846, was living in Meade County, Kentucky. The papers on file in this claim contain no further discernible family data. In order to obtain the date of last payment of pension, names and address of person paid, and possibly the date of death of the widow, Martha McWilliams, you should apply to the Comptroller General, General Accounting Office, Records Division, this city, and furnish the following data: Martha McWilliams, widow of James McWilliams Certificate #3167 Issued January 19, 1847 Rate $20.00 per annum Commenced March 4, 1848 Act of February 2, 1848 Kentucky Agency Very truly yours, /s/ A. D. Hiller Executive Assistant to the Administrator (Papers in the National Archives, Washington, D.C., submitted in support of the pension request of James McWilliams and Martha (Jamison) McWilliams, which was granted. [W3026] Blanks are left in a few places where the words were not discernible. Included is a letter sent by a government agency in answer to a request for data.)