WAR OF 1812 PENSION APPLICATION, WILLIAM B. DOWDY ************************************************************************** USGENWEB 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 records for this work have been submitted by Angela M. Ruley, reddog@rockbridge.net, Natural Bridge, VA, unless otherwise indicated. [©1997 All rights reserved.] ************************************************************************** ************************************************************************** Submitted by Angela M. Ruley reddog@rockbridge.net National Archives Records Administration, Washington, DC. Abstract of William B. Dowdy's War of 1812 Pension Application War of 1812 Act of February 14, 1871 Brief of Claim for a Survivor's Pension William B. Dowdy, private of Captain William Fitzgerald's Company, Colonel Virginia Militia Regt. Residence: Rockbridge County, Virginia. Post Office Address: Longwood, Rockbridge County, Virginia. Enlisted Aug 3rd, 1814, Discharged Jan 24 1815. Declaration taken 27 March 1871. Service for sixty days shown as follows: Report from 3rd Auditor shows that William B. Dowdy served as a private, in Capt. William Fitzgerald’s Co., VA militia from the 3rd of Aug 1814 to the 24th of Jany 1815. Length of service 175 days. Claimant declares he is not a pensioner under any previous act. Name not on the list of Pensioners. Loyalty: claimant averment, and testimony of T. Short and Anderson Goosby. Character of witnesses certified by John J. Gillock Asst. Assessor 6th VA District. oath to support the Constitution of the US subscribed. Admitted September 22, 1871 to a Pension of eight dollars a month from February 14, 1871. Signed: B. D. Hyam W. E. Dulin Washington, DC Approval of Ex'r. Hauling Declaration For A Pension Under Act of February 14, 1871 WAR OF 1812 County of Rockbridge, State of Virginia. 21 March 1871, William B. Dowdy personally appeared before John C. Boude Clk of the Circuit Court. William B. Dowdy aged 77 years, resident of Rockbridge County, VA. He is not married. He served in the Militia service of the United States in the War of 1812. He is the identical William B. Dowdy who was drafted in Capt. Wm. Fitgerald’s company, Fourth regiment at Nottoway Co., on the August 1814 and was honorably discharged at Norfolk, VA in February 1815. He was a private in said service, lost his discharge & obtained his Land Bounty on an affidavit which is on file in the pension office. He at no time during the late rebellion against the authority of the United States, adhered to the cause of the enemies of the Government, giving them aid or comfort; or exercised the junctions of any office whatever under any authority, or pretended authority, in hostility to the United States; and that he will support the Constitution of the United States; that he is not in receipt of a pension under any previous act; that he makes this declaration for the purpose of being placed on the pension roll of the United States, under the provision of the act approved February 14, 1871, and he hereby constitutes and appoints, with full power of substitution and revocation, B.D. Hyam, of Washington, S.C., his true and lawful attorney to prosecute his claim and obtain the pension certificate that may be issued; that his post office is at Longwood, county of Rockbridge, State of Virginia, that his domicile or place of abode is Rockbridge.” Signed: William B. Dowdy, Applicant Also: Telford Short and Anderson Goosby of Rockbridge County, VA appeared and certified his credibility and respectability. From their acquaintance with him, they believe he is the person her represents himself to be. They state that at no time during the late rebellion against the US did he adhere to the cause of the enemies of the Government, and they have no interest in the prosecution of this claim. Signed: T. Short, Anderson Goosby Sworn to and subscribed before me this 21 March 1871... Signed: John Boude, Clerk of Circuit Court Treasury Department, Third Auditor's Office July 20th, 1871 The rolls of Capt. William Fitzgerald’s Company of Virginia Militia show that William B. Dowdy, private served from August 3rd, 1814, to Jan. 24th, 1815. Signed: Allan Rutherford, Auditor. Department of the Interior, Pension Office, Washington , D.C., Aug 11, 1871. "In the claim for pension of William B. Dowdy, a survivor of the War of 1812 under the Act of February 14, 1871, No. 3766, T. Short and Anderson Goosby testify to the claimant's loyalty." "You are required to show by the certificate of an officer of a United States Court, a united States Commissioner, as Assessor, Assistant Assessor, Collector, Deputy Collector or Supervisor of Internal Revenue, or a Postmaster to the satisfaction of this Office that, after careful investigation, he is convinced the above witnesses are men of undoubted good character for truth and veracity, and that their statements in the affidavit referred to are worthy of full faith and credit." Very respectfully, J. H. Baker, Commissioner. B.D. Hyam, Washington, D.C. Department of the Interior, Pension Office, Knoxville, TN Nov 18, 1885. Postmaster at Longwood, VA Sir: "You are requested to inform me at your very earliest convenience whether the pensioner Wm. B. Dowdy, War 1812 is living or dead; and, if dead, the EXACT DATE OF DEATH." "His last known address was at your place in Dec 82." "Your reply, ON THE BACK OF THIS SHEET, forwarded to me in the inclosed addressed official envelope, will be appreciated." Very respectfully, L. E. Browning Special Examiner. No. 5176, War of 1812, Survivor's Pension. Virginia, William B. Dowdy, Private Cap. Wm. Fitzgerald, Virginia Militia. Richmond Agency, Rate of Eight dollars. Commencing February 14, 1871. Certificate dated 26 Sep 1871 and sent to Pension Agent. Act of 14 February 1871. Vol. VA, Page 148 J. M. Kavanaugh, Clerk. William B. Dowdy's Bounty Land Warrant State of Virginia, County of Rockbridge 31 day of December April 1851. William B. Dowdy aged 52, years, resident of Rockbridge County, VA appeared before me, as Justice of the Peace, and was sworn according to law. He declares he is the identical William B. Dowdy who was a private soldier in the Company commanded by Captain William Fitzgerald in the Fourth Regiment of Virginia Militia commanded by Colonel Wooding in the war with Great Britain declared by the United States on the 18 day June 1812. He was drafted at Nottoway Court House, Virginia on or about the 8th of August 1814 for the term of six months and continued in service for the term of six months. he was honorably discharge at Fort Barbour, VA on or about 10 February 1815. His warrant and discharge have been misplaced or destroyed in some way and he has not seen it for some years. It will appear on the muster rolls of the said company. He makes this declaration for the purpose of obtaining bounty land which he may be entitled, under the Act granting bounty land to certain officers who have engaged in the military service of the United States, passed 28 Sep 1850. William B. Dowdy "Sworn to and subscribed before me, the day and year above written. And I hereby certify that I believe the said William B. Dowdy to be the identical man who served as aforesaid, and that he is of the age above stated." John S. Leech, J.P. State of Virginia, County of Rockbridge to Wit: "I Samuel McD. Reid Clerk of Rockbridge County Court in the State of Virginia do hereby certify that John S. Leech, Esquire whose genuine signature appears to the within certificate is and was at the time of signing the same, an acting Justice of the Peace in and for said County of Rockbridge duly commissioned and according to law." "In testimony whereof, I hereto sign my name and affix the seal of said court at Lexington this 3rd day of May in the year of the Commonwealth." Saml. McD. Reid, CRC William B. Dowdy in Capt. Fitzgerald's VA Militia Enlisted 3 Aug 1814, Discharged 24 Jan 1815. Warrant #31,700. B. F. Gallaher, Wm. W. Aud. Amt. for 80 acres, March 10, 1852, issued and sent March 13, 1852. Moore and Campbell, Lexington, VA. State of Virginia, Rockbridge County. 15 March 1855, personally appeared before me, a Justice of the Peace. William B. Dowdy aged fifty six years, resident of Rockbridge County, VA. William B. Dowdy was a Private in the Company commanded by Captain William Fitzgerald in the Fourth Regiment of Virginia Militia commanded by Colo. Woodin. He received a bounty land warrant for Eighty acres for his services under the act passed September 28, 1850. He makes this declaration for the purpose of obtaining the additional bounty land to which he is entitled under an Act passed 3 March 1855. William B. Dowdy Sworn to and subscribed before W. B. Willson, J. P. Witnessed by Wm. A. Mann and Wm. B. Willson. Sworn to and subscribed 12 April 1855. "I do hereby certify that I know the affiants to be credible persons and that I have no interest in this claim. Wm. C. Lewis, J.P. "I Charles Chaplin, Clerk of the County Court of Rockbridge in the State of Virginia do hereby certify that William B. Willson and William C. Lewis whose genuine signatures appear to the foregoing certificate are and were at the time of signing the same acting Justice of the Peace in and for said County duly commissioned and qualified according to law." "In testimony whereof I hereto sign my name and annex the seal of said Court at Lexington this 13th day of April 1855, and in the 79th year of the Commonwealth." C. Chapin