REVOLUTIONARY WAR WIDOW'S PENSION APPLICATION - SARAH VASSER/VERSER

Contributed by: Reginald L. Vassar [rlv18@juno.com]

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In order to obtain the benefit of the Act of Congress of the 7th July 1838, 
intitled "An Act granting half pay and pensions to certain Widows--"
State of Virginia: Halifax County to wit:
On this 31st day of January 1839 personally appeared before me a Justice of the 
peace in and for the County and State Aforesaid Sarah Vasser or Verser (for the 
name is differently spelt) a resident of said County and State, aged 82 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 7th 1838, intitled "An Act granting half pay and 
pension to certain widows--".
That she is the Widow of Nathaniel Vasser or Verser, late of the said County and 
State, who was a Private of the Virginia Militia, in the war of the Revolution-
She declares that she has no personal knowledge of the service of her late 
husband in the Revolutionary War, excepting what she heard from him in his life 
time, and from others who served with him at the period-- She recollects 
distinctly hearing him repeat over and over again that he was a considerable 
length of time in actual service, was engaged in many battles, and suffered many 
hardships and privations-- that from bodily infirmity, old age, and the 
consequent loss of memory, she cannot call to recollection the history of her 
husbands service as detailed by him: and therefore prefers to depend on the 
statements of old soldiers who served with him, whose certificates accompany 
this declaration-- That for the same reason above stated, she cannot state with 
any degree of certainty, the exact length of time he was in actual service 
altogether, although he served three tours of duty, each of three months, and 
rendered other service besides-- Yet she will only claim a pension for nine 
months service altogether-- She farther states, that her said husband departed 
this life long before the passage of the Act of Congress of the 7th of Jany 
1832, and therefore has never drawn a pension of any sort or description, or 
recieved from his country any remunocation whatever for his service.
In support of her claim, she refers to the Army Records of the period, and the 
accompanying certificates of old and respectable soldiers--
She farther declares that she was married to the said Nathaniel Vasser or Verser 
in the County of Halifax by Parson Dodson by the publication of banns in the 
spring of 1782, the particular day and month not recollected: that said Parson 
Dodson is dead--that her husband, the aforesaid Nathaniel Vasser or Verser died 
on the 18th day of June 1823: that she was not married to him prior to his 
leaving the service, but the marriage took place, prior to the first day of 
January seventeen hundred and ninty four: to wit, at the time above stated.

Sarah XX Vasser [mark]
Sworn to and subscribed before me this 31st day of January 1839--

Matthew Rowlett, JP

The depositions of William Hudson & Charles Hudson taken before me Thomas 
Coleman a Justice of the Piece for Halifax County. _____ to being first duly 
sworn- on the holy _____ list of the Almighty God deposs and says that they were 
born and have been raised in this County- That they have known Mrs. Vasser's 
family for many years- previous to her marriage with Nathaniel Vasser that they 
have always been near neighbors,- and that during her entire marriage with the 
said Nathaniel Vasser- she had by him eight children, to wit Tabby Vasser, Levi 
Vasser, Peter Vasser, Elizabeth Vasser, Martha Vasser, Abraham M. Vasser, Susan 
Vasser, Rebecca Vasser; That Tabby Vasser was born about the year 1782, that 
Levi Vasser was born 1784, that Peter Vasser was born 1786, that Elizabeth 
Vasser was born 1789, that Abraham was born 1791, that Martha was born 1793, 
that Susan was born 1795, that Rebecca was born _____ _ [Signed] Charles XX 
Hudson [mark]

[Signed] William XX Hudson [mark]
Signed and sworn to before me
this 28 day of Nov 1839

Thomas G Coleman

Teste

Charles Allen

Thomas B. Hamlett
This is to certify that I am well acquainted with the _____ to William Hudson & 
Charles Hudson- and that the fullest reliance & confidence is to be placed in 
any statement they may make- and that I do not doubt for a moment the truth of 
the above deposition-witness my hand this 28 day of Nov 1839.

T.G. Coleman
I Charles Hudson of Halifax do hereby certify, that I was intimately acquainted 
with Nathaniel Vasser or Verser late of Halifax County, in the Revolutionary war 
and know the fact being a soldier with him at the time that said Nathaniel 
Vasser was in the month of January 1780 drafted in the Militia for the term of 
three months under Capt Joshua Powell from Halifax and marched to Portsmouth in 
Virginia- Charles Womack was Lieutenant in the Company-- He served the said 
three months faithfully and was honorably discharged from service--
That during the same year (1780) about June or July the said Nathaniel Vasser 
was drafted in the Militia a Second time for the term of three months under Capt 
Faulkner of Halifax and marched to the Point of Fork on the James River, which 
term of three months, he served faithfully, and was honorably discharged from 
service--
That the said Nathaniel Vasser during the year 1781 was drafted in the Militia 
the third time for the term of three months under Capt Roberts of Halifax and 
marched to Yorktown, and was engaged in the seige of that place-- He served the 
said term faithfully, and after the surrender of Cornwallis was regularly 
discharged from service- The said Nathaniel Vasser served in the whole nine 
months as coming within my personal knowledge and was a good soldier-- I am in 
the 79th year of age, and was a soldier of the Revolution.

Charles XX Hudson [mark]
This day Charles Hudson of Halifax came before me a Justice Of the Peace in and 
for the county and state aforesaid, and made oath that the foregoing certificate 
submitted by him in my presence contained the truth to the best of his knowledge 
and recollection-- I farther certify that he is a worthy, respectable and 
credible old soldier of the Revolution, and his statement intitled to the utmost 
confidence-- given under my hand this 31 day of January 1839.

(Signed) Matthew Rowlett JP