Wayne County, NC - Revolutionary War Pension Application ----¤¤¤---- Penny Mitchell Letter of Pension Claim Washington City Dec 17th 1845 Dear Sir: I enclose you papers to which you will percieve that PENNY MITCHELL as widow of her deceased husband applies for a pension under the act of July 1838. Not having examined the papers they are submitted to the Department with the regret that I may be favored with as early answer as is practible. One of my Court Lietenants Mr. LUTHER of CHATHAM County NC has requested me to call the attention of the Department to the case of SARAH McBAUL whose application has been rejected. As Mr. LUTHER informs me because the Department was of opinion that in NORTH CAROLINA a License from court or the Clerk of the Court was always required to make the marriage Lawful. A Marriage in NORTH CAROLINA is perfectly valid without a License- when the ceremony is performed either by a minister of the Gospel or a Justice of the Peace-- and they take place probably as often without as with a License. If any informers chooses to enforce the law the minister or Justice who officiates on such occasions without a License may be made to benefit a small penalty--but still the marriage is VALID and NOT ANNULLED the day. VERY RESPECTFULLY J C DOBBINS J L EDWARDS ESQ. ___________________________________________________________________ Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm This file was contributed for use in the USGenWeb Archives by K. Mitchell ___________________________________________________________________