REVOLUTIONARY WAR WIDOW'S PENSION APPLICATION - MARY SHANKS

Contributed by: Delores Panzer (panzer@elknet.net)


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State of Kentucky
Madison County

this 12th day of September 1842 personally appeared before me C.? Fox one of the 
Justices of the County Court of Madison County. Mary Shanks who being first 
sworn doth upon her oath make the following declaration in order to obtain the 
benefit of the provision made by the act of congress passed July 7th 1838 
entitled an act "granting half pay and pensions to certain widows".
That she is the widow of John Shanks who was a private in the Army of the 
Revolution as was proven in his papers proving his service filed in the War 
Department which are ? as part of this declaration. That she was born in Halifax 
County Virginia on the 17th day of January 1769. That her father then moved to 
Mecklenburg County VA and then to Granville County N. Carolina. That soon 
afterwards she was married to John Shanks, who was a pensioner of the United 
States for many years and who was also know to her as a revolutionary soldier 
when she was married. That she was married on her birthday, when she was twenty-
four years old which was on the 17th of January 1793. That there was no preacher 
convenient in her own County and State and that she went over the line to the 
neighboring County of Mecklenburg where she was married by a man and preacher by 
the name of William Goodin. That she never did and does not now know where the 
license was obtained. That the marriage was recorded in her father's record but 
that she does not now know where that record now is. That by the advice of her 
Attorney she has made numerous inquiries and endeavored to ascertain where it 
now is, but that she has been unsuccessful and she supposes that the record has 
been lost. That she moved out to Kentucky with her husband in the year 1815 and 
settled in Madison County. When they ever afterwards lived. That her husband 
John Shanks died on the 5th day of April 1829. That he was a pensioner for many 
years and drew $96 a year up to the time of his death.
That she was not married to him prior to his leaving service, but the marriage 
took place previous to the first of January 1794 as at the time above stated. 
Her maiden name was Mary Christopher
Mary (herX mark) Shanks

The above declaration was subscribed and sworn to by the petitioner before me 
one of the Justices as aforesaid and I further certify that the said Mary Shanks 
is old and weak and it would be impracticable from her bodily infirmity for her 
to come to Richmond to attend the County Court and further that petitioner is a 
person whose recollection is good and her mind does not seem to be imparied as 
much as in the case with women of her age generally and that she is a woman to 
be believed upon oath and of good character
(signed) C. ? Fox