Rev. War Pension Application: Martha widow of George WALLS (1845); Prince George’s Co., Maryland Contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by Lonnie Walls ************************************************************************ 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 *********************************************************************** NOTES: George Walls' pension file can be found in National Archives and the number is Maryland 7142 under his wife's name Martha Walls (who was George Naylor's sister). Cover page lists "widow of George Walls, who was a private in the Revolution". "Inscribed on the Roll at the rate of 27 dollars 22__ Cents per annum, to commence on the 4th day of March, 1843". "Certificate of pension issued the 16, day of July 1845 and sent to L B. True, Act of March 3, 1843, Recorded in Book A Vol. 2 Page 256". Below is the information that I have typed from the original written depositions of Martha Walls and her son my gg grand father George Naylor Walls in National Archives that was taken and written by Edmund Key an attorney and neighbor of Martha Walls. The pension file also contains the pages of the Walls family Bible listing Marriages, Deaths, and Births of all of their children and other close relations. If you check the records on George Walls you will find that he first enrolled and was passed with the Maryland Flying Camp on July 20th, 1776 under Lt. Forbes. He was assigned to the 12th battalion of John Thomas' Company in 1777 in the regular Continental Army after Flying Camp. he served all of the war and was discharged in December 1781 with last duty at Nottingham, Maryland. He mustered out to St. Mary's County, Maryland. George Walls was born on February 14th, 1752 in St. Mary's County Maryland, the son of George and Alice Walls. He married Martha Naylor on February 28, 1784. She was born on February 14th, 1762 in Prince Georges County Maryland, the daughter of Batson and Margaret Naylor. George Walls died on May 11, 1831 and Martha Walls died on October 21, 1846, both are buried in unmarked graves in an unknown location in private grounds in Prince Georges County near Baden Maryland. Both attended St. Paul's Episcopal Church in Baden. George was a member of the Church Vestry for a number of years. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- On the twenty-first day of June in the year of our Lord, eighteen hundred forty- five, personally appeared before the subscriber one of the pledges or the Court of Record for the County of Prince George of said State, Martha Walls, a resident of said county and of said State, aged 83 years and 4 months, who being firs duly sworn according to law doth on her oath make the following declaration in order to obtain the benefit of the provisions made by the Act of Congress passed July 7, 1838. Entitled an Act granting half pay and pension to certain widows: That she is the widow of George Walls who was a soldier and sergeant in the Revolutionary Service; that he enlisted first as a private from Charles County, Maryland for six months in the Flying Camp Service under Captain Belaim Posey and at the close of this period of service he went on North to join the Northern army but never was to remember the particulars as I never expected to apply for a pension or anything of that kind. He did not return after going North to join the regular army there, which I believe was not later than 1777; that he went South with the army down to Little York as Yorktown was then called; that he was present at the Battle of Yorktown and saw Cornwallace when he surrendered his sword to Washington; that after the British had left he was detailed to cleanse the City and then took the small pox, and lost his discharge; that he was in several other battles, but cannot relate particulars being aged and so sick and feeble; that she remembers hearing him say that they fell all around him and of the officers cheering them on saying stand your ground the day is yours; that other times when retreating before the enemy the chain shot would down bushes and shrubs by them just like a scythe on a grainfield; that she knows he was a Sergeant from the impressions received from him; that he has often said his duties were to carry out fresh men and relieve the guard from time to time; that he always said he was a Sergeant in the army; that she was 83 years old the 14th of February last; was married to George Walls in the year 1784; that they were married in Prince Georges County Maryland in the year 1784 by Bishop Clagett; that she has often heard him speak of the officers her husband George Walls served under, but can only remember Capt. Gaither and Colonel Smallwood; that she is certain he served under each of these; that he has often spoken of losing some valuable paper or papers at the hospital where he was carried sick with the small pox directly after the Battle of Little York; that she never expected any use to be made of such information and thought so little of it; that owing to old age and long sickness and feebleness from confinement cannot remember to state the particulars more clearly or fully; said declarant further affirms that she was not married to said George Walls before the close of his services, but the marriage took place prior to 1st January 1794 namely on the 28th of March Seventeen hundred and eight four; that her husband the aforesaid George Walls died on the eleventh day of May in the year of eighteen hundred and thirty –one; that she had often heard him say that in into regular service he did not want to be dragged in that he volunteered; that she firmly believes he was out most of the war. Sworn to and subscribed on the day and year above written before me Edmund Key Martha (her mark) Walls I hereby certify that the aforesaid Martha Walls widow of George Walls is not able by reason of age, blindness, and infirmity is to attend court for the purpose of giving her deposition or for any other purpose, not having been able to be moved from her bed for a long time without much difficulty. The said Martha Walls a neighbor of mine has been blind many years and bedridden for several years past. Edmund Key Next Page Maryland, Prince George’s County Court I hereby certify that on this seventh day of April in the year 1845 personally appeared before the subscriber, a Justice of the Peace in and for the said county, George N. Walls and made oath on the Holy Evangelic of Almighty God that he had from his boyhood up heard his father speak of being in battles of the Revolutionary war; often of the engagement at Yorktown; that at another time when they were retreating, of his having to cross some boggy or murky run where he lost his gun, but on mentioning it to his Captain he had another presented promptly and in a way that seemed to compliment him for his bravery; another time when retreating he described that the chain shot of the enemy on passing as sweeping down or rather off the green briars as rye before a scythe. George N. Walls Sworn to and subscribed on this day and year above written, before R.A. Hyde I hereby certify that George N. Walls of Prince George County is a neighbor of mine, well known to me personally for his moral worth and excellence; that his testimony is entitled to confidence and credit. Edmund Key