REV. WAR PENSION: Mary MAY widow of Charles MAY (1840); Fayette Co., PA

Contributed by: Barbara Allen (theoldentrimes@aol.com)


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The following pension file (MAY, Charles, no. #R7055) was obtained from the 
National Archives in Washington, D.C.. It includes 3 separate handwritten 
documents, all of which are transcribed to the best of my ability, and which 
appear below.

Please be aware that I have transcribed this ver batim from records that were, 
at times, very difficult to decipher! The spelling is original to the 
documents...

I do not have any further information on these individuals.

********************************************************
DOCUMENT NO. 1:

State of Pennsylvania
Fayette County

"On this Ninth day of March one thousand eight hundred and forty personally 
appeared before the Court of Common Please of Fayette County Mary MAY, a 
resident of Pennsylvania in the County of Fayette, aged seventy nine years who 
being first duly sworn according to law doth on her oath make the following 
declaration in order to obtain the benefit of the provision made by the act of 
Congress passed July 7, 1838, entitled 'an act granting half pay and pensions to 
certain widows.' That she is the widow of Charles MAY who was a private and 
inlisted as a Substitute for James Paull for the purpose of releaving Fort 
Lawrance then infested by the Indians, that he was in this service about four or 
six weeks -

That in the year 1781, the said Charles MAY was enlisted under Lieut. James PAUL 
of Capt. Benj. WHALEY's Company under the command of General George Rogers CLARK 
and descended the Ohio River to the falls. This service was six months service.

She further declares that she was married to the said Charles MAY on the last of 
September in the year seventeen hundred and eighty two or three that her husband 
the aforesaid Charles MAY died on the seventh of February A.D. 1832. That she 
was not married to him prior to his leaving the Service, but the marriage took 
place previous to the first of January, seventeen hundred and ninety-four viz at 
the time above stated. Sworn to and subscribed on the day and year above written 
before in open court. Mrs. Mary MAY (her mark)
Rick [?]
March 9, 1840"
******************************************************

DOCUMENT NO. 2:

Fayette County
Pennsylvania

"Be it remembered that before me...Henry FETZ a ... who being duly sworn did
depose...that he has...for twenty five years on the adjoining farm to that of 
Charles MAY dec'd. that he knew him and his wife & now his widow Mary MAY to 
live together as man & wife to the time of his death on the 7th day of February 
1832 that they were ... citizens pious & correct ... That they raised a family & 
their marriage was never doubted by any one That he has a perfect recollection 
of having frequently seen a certificate of the Marriage of the said Mary MAY to 
Charles MAY in the ... of said Mary it was dated in September 1782 or 83, but is 
not certain which year this certificate was signed by a clergyman by the name of 
"Passmore ...." dated Newark New Jersey. That he understands from Mrs. Mary MAY 
hat this certificate was lost the... he saw it was in December 1835. That the 
maiden name of said Mary was PARKINSON as appeared by said certificate and that 
she still remains the widow of said Charles MAY and survives and that the ....

Henry FETZ

Sworn & subscribed before me this 9th day of March 1840.
James LINDSAY"
*******************************************************

DOCUMENT NO. 3:

Fayette County
Pennsylvania

"Be it remembered that before me this a Justice of the Peace in the foresaid 
County Thomas MAY a credible witness being duly sworn did depose and say that he 
is a son of Charles MAY and Mary MAY that he is about fifty four years of age 
that his mother Mary MAY had in her possession a certificate of her marriage 
which he frequently saw but which was lost or destroyed about three years ago 
and that upon the most diligent search it cannot now be found that he well 
recollected that the certificate showed that the marriage of the said Mary & 
Charles MAY was solemnized by a clergyman of the name of "Passmore EDWARDS" of 
Newark New Jersey in September 1783 that his mothers maiden name was "Parkinson" 
that he often heard his father speak of being ... in the revolutionary war in 
CLARK and McINTOSH's companies against the Indians that his said father Charles 
MAY died the 7th of February 1832 and that his mother Mary MAY still remains his 
widow & unmarried.

Thom [may be middle initial "A"] MAY

Sworn & subscribed before me this 9th March 1840
James LINDSAY"