These documents are in the databases of Heritage Quest and Mocavo.com, both of which are paid sites.
-[start page samuel-bowman01.gif]-
SERVICE NUMBER
Continental BOWMAN, Samuel W.27,663
New York Dorothy
CONTENTS
[rest of the page is blank]
-[start page samuel-bowman02.gif]-
-[start page samuel-bowman03.gif]-
-[start page samuel-bowman04.gif]-
Virginia P[?]
At a Court held for Ohio
County on the 6th day of October 1823.
Samuel Bowman presented to the Court
his declaration under oath together with a
Schedule of his property and the Court
having examined the said Samuel Bowman,
Benjamin [Manning?] and Daniel Terrell wit=
nefses produced in Court by the said Samuel
Bowman who are of Opinion that the value of
the property contained in the said schedule is
just and true, and the Court doth order that
the declaration, together with the said schedule
and the Testimony that the said Samuel
Bowman did serve in the Revolutionary War agai=
nst the common enemy, be certified by the clerk
of this court, to the Secretary of the department of war,
The declaration of Samuel Bowman made
under oath before the County Court of Ohio County in
the Commonwealth of Virginia, which said Court
is a court of record, The said Samuel Bowman,
doth declare and set forth, that sometime in
the month of November in the year of our Lord 1782,
he enlisted in the Continental Service for three
years, in the Company of Captain Cornelius Swart=
hout, in the second regiment of New Yor [sic] Artilery
commanded by Capt John Lamb, and that he
served the whole time of his enlistment, at the
expiration of which time he received an honour=
able discharge from service in the said Regiment,
that about six months after his discharge, while
he lived in the State of New York his pocket book,
containing his discharge was stolen from him,
which renders it out of his power to produce said
discharge
-[end of page]-
-[start page samuel-bowman05.gif]-
discharge at the present time, to the court, that
he is poor and infirm and has a large family
of Children to support and that he stands in need
of that relief to which by law, he thinks himself,
from his former services and present distrefsed
situation justly entitled. The said Samuel
Bowman further states, that he is now a resident
citizen of the County of Ohio and State of Virginia.
[Signd] Samuel Bowman.
Schedule of Samuel Bowman, made to the
County court, of Ohio County on applying for a
pension from Government.
Property in pofsefsion of and belonging to Saml
Bowman. 132 acres of land bought of R Wood[?]
at $100.00 with interest untill paid, no title made
for the land nor any part of the principal or
interest of the purchase money paid
132 Acres of land -- $100.00
1 Mare 16.00
2 Cows 16.00
1 Heifer 4.00
2 Steers 6.00
1 Calf 1.00
13 Sheep 13.00
14 Hogs $8. 1 Shovel plow 1$ 9.00
2 hoes $1 1 Mathook $1.25 2.25
1 Ax $1. 1 Sett ge??? $1 2.00
2 Potts $1.50. ??? furniture 1$ 2.50
1 Loom $3.00. Note for 75 barrels
corn ??? from Jas Chambers $15.00 --- $18.00
Barrells ---------------------- 2.00
$191.75
Debts owing from Saml Bowman to }
Individuals }
One note $12.51 }
Owe Geo Howard $3.00 }
" Jos Sinclair $9.00 }
Owe Robt. Wood of 132 acs } 184.51
of land principal & interest $160.00 } $7.24
184.51} Balance in his farm
-[end of page]-
-[start page samuel-bowman06.gif]-
Samuel Bowman deposition[?] under the Law of 1818.
I the undersigned Samuel Bowman aged
Seventy eight years old [august next?] am a native of
the County Down in Ireland and imigrated with my father,
Robert Bowman and his family to the United States some
two or three years before the war of the Revolution. I can=
not tell in what year, we landed at the city of New York
and went directly after to Albany where we lived during
the war of the Revolution and for [many?] years after the
war closed. I [re?????] to this country about 40 yrs ago.
About two years before [Genl?] Burgoin and his army
were taken [??] I was drafted for 3 months. [I marched?]
from New Cambridge state of New York under Capt [John?]
Barnes to Fort Edward on the Hudson River. I remained
at Fort Edward and in its vicinity [for this?] 3 months all
the time in actual service. I can't tell [reason?] [how?] many
[???] there was at that station -- I think Genl [Shyler?]
commanded the fort until he turned tory -- Genl [Starke?]
also commanded the fort whilst I was in service the[re?]
[as above?] stated but whither Genl [Starke?] [it?] before
or after Genl [Skyler?] I cant now recollect -- nor can I recollect
who was my colonel nor to what Regt. I belonged -- I think
there was a Major M'Cracken in command -- I cant
tell the year in which the [pi??ing ?] [twice?] was [???].
The year before Burgoin [this?] army was taken (I can't tell
[at?] what year this was) I was drafted [again?] for nine months
[my?] [keeping?] [ready?] [????] at Cambridge [we?] marched from
there under Capt. John [Barry?], (this [????] under whom [I?]
send the [?????] my [letter?]) to Saratoga: [the?] getting there [???]
[front?] of Capt. [Barry?] company including my self when [???]
under [him?] [forces?] [undefeated?] [ti???] - the company [?????]
at [???] about Saratoga. [Scouting?] [foraging?] about until
Burgoin and his army was captured at that place. I was
in the Battle and at the Capturing of Burgoin & his army
at Saratoga. -- Genl Ga[??] commanded the American forces
in that engagement. I dont know who was my colonel or
-[end of page]-
-[start page samuel-bowman07.gif]-
or what Regt I belonged while I was serving the pry[mary?]
tour of duty. I think there was a Major McCrackin with
us but whether or not I belonged to his Batallion I cant say,
nor can I [even?] say when [it was?] that Burgoin and his
army were [taken prifoners?] as before stated, but I think it
was in October 1775 or 1776. I remained in service [this] time
until after Burgoin was taken, but I cant [???] tell [how?]
long I was in service. I [return?] [?????] as before stated for no
particular [time?] after the [expiration?] of the fighting [????] I returned
to my father, and was [immediately?] thereafter drafted
again for [nine?] months. I was marched to Saratoga
under a captain whose name I have [????] forgotten. Genl
[Gates?] [commanded?] the American army at Saratoga - from
Saratoga we were marched to West Point. A [second?[ [???????]
until my nine months expired. Cant now recollect who
commanded at West Point - after this [expiration?] [of the?] {Ca??????]
[four words illegible] of West Point (but I cant tell in
what year this was) I enlisted for three years [or?] during
the war. I was attached to Capt. [Cornelius?] [?????] camp
aign + Col John L[???] Regt of Artilery. (I think the 2nd Regt) [the?]
New York [????] - I remained at West Point for three years
after my enlistment. and until after the war closed - there
was no fighting at West Point after my Enlistment -
[I know?] my [names?] by Nataniel Price by whom I was
enlisted as before stated - my Declaration was written by --
[???] [Gale?] who is [now dead?] - I have been drawing a pension
[for?] eight or ten years perhaps longer. In writing of all
[which?] I have to [???cribe] my name. [June?] 29, 1838
Witnefs Samuel Bowman (signature)
Mathew Goff This copy W.G.Singleton? (signature)
Note -- I was called [in?} by Dennis M. Parriott, William
[Wilson?] John Parriott, Walter [Travis?] & Johnathan [Purdy?]
all of Ohio Cty and Gentlemen of high respectibilty and
[used?] by them to [????] the [????] of [???????], these Gentlemen
exprefsed their firm conviction that [?????] [was?] not
entitled to a pension f[or?] Revolutionary Services -- they have
-[end of page]-
-[rest of document is missing]-
-[start page samuel-bowman08.gif]-
To the Congrefs of the United States
The petition of Dorothy Bowman of
Marshall County Virginia respectfully
represents unto your honourable body that
she is the widow & relict of Samuel Bow-
man a soldier of the Revolution, late of [ad?]
County who departed this life on the day
of February last past (1840) - that said Samuel
Bowman in the month of November 1782
enlisted in the Army of the Revolution
in Continental service for three years in the
2nd Regiment of New York Artillery comman-
ded by Col John Lamb. That he served the whole
time of his enlistment & at the expiration thereof received
an honourable discharge from service, but that
in about six months after & while he was in the State of
New Yorke his pocket Book containing his discharge
was stolen from him. That being poor & in great
want of his County's bounty he in 1823 made his
ceclaration for that purpose before the County Court
of Ohio County, Virginia (Marshall County then being
a part of Ohio Co.) and laid the [s???] with other
evidence of his enlistment & service before the
proper Department of the Government, and thereafter
the said Samuel Bowman was in 1824 placed on
the pension Roll of the United States under [as the is ?]
[informed?] the act of the 18- of March 1818. To a
Copy of his original Declaration & other evidence & of
his certificate [????] him to be a [?????] from
the [???????] {department?] she [???] [???} & prays that
the service may be regarded as part of this memorial
-[end of page]-
-[missing pages?]-
-[start page samuel-bowman09.gif]-
him there for the said Samuel Bowman contin-
ued to draw his [new?] annual pension of $
half yearly til the day of 1834 when
the name was stoped, by as she contends the unlawful
act of some officer of the government & his
[????] name struck from the pension roll
and sent [???????] atainst him to recover
from him that which he had previously received as
the bounty of his Country for services in the revolutionary
war, on the alleged ground that he had practiced a
fraud upon the government. He said Samuel
Bowman then & to the close of his life in February
last denied the charge. He insisted he had served as
set forth in his declaration. He therefore defended the
[???t] & with much labour & expense by visiting his
[parents] at a long distance [????ed] additional testi=
mony that he was a soldier of the Revolution & had
[???ed] & lost his discharge as set forth in his declaration
and also that an original witnefs whose affidavit
accompanied his declaration but who was then
dead was a man of truth & veracity & always [??? ??]
[???] & [????ed] to be a Revolutionary Soldier.
In the fall of 1838 after many continuences the
the case came on for trial before the District Court
of the United States held at Clarksburgh, Virginia when
the jury found a verdict for [???] Samuel Bowman
upon which (not withstanding the Attorney for the States
made for a new trial) a final judgment was
rendered against the government & in his favour
She also sends herewith a copy of the d[???]t & judgement
& also of {?] depositions used {as? on?] {??] trial all certified by
[Graham?] Moore Esq Clerk of [?] court & requests that
the [??] may be read & appended as part of this petition
When this verdict & acquittal [?? ?] Samuel
-[end of page]-
-[start page samuel-bowman10.gif]-
Bowman supposed the proper officer or department
of the government would have entered him to
the pension roll: But so it is, it was not done
owing to ill health & other causes the said Samuel
Bowman was not able during the winter of 1838
-9 to apply to the proper department or to
petition your honourable body for relief. But
during the past winter a gentlemane who had
been his counsel visited Washington on other
businefs and at the request of [said?] Samuel
undertook to enquire into this matter.
Whereupon application was made to the Com=
mifsioner of pensions to restore [said?] Samuel
to the pension Roll but this he [refused?] in February
just past. {it?] will be seen by the accompan=
ying letters of J. L. E. Woods Esq. Commp=
[issioner?] of Pensions addrefsed to an honourable member
of your body. To these letters she also begs leave
to refer. In a few days after this time the
said Samuel Bowman departed this life
leaving your petitioner his widow & a large
family of children which he had by her, she
being the only wife he ever had. It will be
seen by these letters from Mr Edwards that he at
first [denied?] that [said?] Samuel Bowman's [name?]
was on the revolutionary rolls, but after[wards?]
[on?] the same day he discovered his mistake
having found his name on the rolls of the revolutionary
army list still he refused to restore him to the
penion roll, deciding that he was not entitled
to a penion under the Act of March 18-
1818, this he had been placed on the pension
-[end of page]-
-[start page samuel-bowman11.gif]-
roll by the Secretary at War on a slate of
facts no stronger in his favour of the petitioner.
[said Samuel crossed out]. For said Samuel's declaration stated
his enlistment at or about November
1782 whereas this letter of Mr. Edwards states it
as happening in October 1782. Your petition{er?]
is informed & contends that the Secretary at War
was correct & that the [said?] Commifsioner Edwards
is in error, and that [said?] Samuel on his declaration
& [proofs?], or on the facts stated in this letter of Mr
Edwards was entitled to a pension. She contends
that all soldiers [??] who
had previously elisted & [who?]
served to the close of the
Revolution are entitled to a pension under the
Act of March 18 - 1818, the Artillery regiment
[included?], and that it is not necefsary they
should have enlisted for nine months previous
to the end of the war. This she contends is the fair
[con??tanition?] of the Act of March 18-1818 & is the
same she supposes & [???] was given by the Secretary
at War when said Samuel was placed on the pension
roll. She now insists that she is entitled to the
pension of the said Samuel Bowman from the time
it was stopped or suspended in 1834 to the day of his
death with interest and that if she is not entitled to the whole
of it that she & her children by him are, and she
now prays your honourable body to grant her
relief in the [promises?] - and is in duty bound she
will every [pray?]
May 11 - 1841 Dorothy Bowman [signature]
of Marshall Co. Virginia
-[end of page]-
-[start page samuel-bowman12.gif]-
{1}
United States Distric Court for the [Western?] Districts of
Virginia [hold???] at Clarksburg on the 5 day of September 1838
United States
vs
Samuel Bowman
This day came [an ???] the District Attorney
as the Defendants by his Attorney and the Jury empanelled to
try the [???] in this [cau??] appeared in Court [p????] to their
adjournments on yesterday and again retired to their chambers
to consider of their verdict and after some time returned into
Court and upon their Oaths do say "We the Jury find for the defend=
ant" Whereupon the District Attorney moved to this Court to set
aside the said verdict and grant a new trial herein upon
the grounds that the verdict was contrary to the [guidance?]
which motion being argued this considered by the Court
that the said motion be overruled and that the plaintiffs
take nothing by their bill but for their false [claim?] [our?] be in
mercy [full?] and that the Dept go thereof without [day?]
====
The following are copies of the affidavits or Depositions used by
the Defendants in the trial of the above cause and are filed
with the papers in said cause
====
Brooke County State of Virginia July 24 1837
This day Nancy Mills personally appeared before me
one of the Commonweath Justices of the Peace and made Oath
as the Law directs, that having lived in the State of New York
with her Grandfather & GrandMother the parants of Samuel
Bowman from her earliest recollection, and do recollect the
following circumstances as to his age and his being in the
Army -- First I heard his parants say that he was sixteen
years old when he first went into the Army, that after serving
three months he came home, and in a short time went again
-[end of page]-
-[start page samuel-bowman13.gif]-
{2}
and staid another three months, he went a third time and was
gon three years and nine months. I well remember the circumstances
of his coming home with a soldiers uniform. {?????] time after he
came home I heard his Father and Mother mention his age when
talking about his missing his schooling or learning. his mother
said he is twenty one years of age and does not know his letters.
his Father observed he is almost twenty two years of age but it
cannot be helped, he must yet go to school. She further recollects
a man coming to GrandFather B[rest of line obscured]
and after he was gone in the morning - Samuel Bowman missed
his Pocket Book, he suspected that the man had stolen it, said he
and his brother Robert, persued him but did not find him, or overtake
him, Samuel said he did not care for the money so much as he did
for his discharge and other papers [?] And further this [deponent?]
saith not.
Nancy Mills [signature]
I do certify that the above deposition was taken before me Jefse
Lipon one of the Commonwealth Justice of the Peace for Brooke
County the day and year above written
Jefse Lipon [signature]
====
The United States } Actions [de???ding] in the United States Court
vs } for the Western District of Virginia at Clarksburg
Samuel Bowman } The Deposition of Robert Bowman
Be it known that on the twenty ninth day of July One thousand Eight
hundred and thirty seven I have caused to come before me at my Office
in the County of Mercer and State of Pennsylvania, the following
is the deposition of Robert Bowman "(This is to certify that he
bearer Samuel Bowman my brother, and that I remember the
following circumstances relating to his being in the American
Revolution. That he went away to the Army and was gone some
years and when he came home that he had a soldiers regimentals on him.
Some time after he came home a man came to Fathers and staid
all night and went away next morning. a short time after he
went away Samuel discovered that his Pocket Book was gone
We suspected that the man had stolen it. Samuel and I followed
-[end of page]-
-[start page samuel-bowman14.gif]-
{3}
him but did not catch him nor get the Pocket Book. Samuel said
that he did not care so much about the money that was in it as
his discharge and other papers. And from the best of my recollection
brother Samuel is at present is about Seventy two years of age.
The deponent Robert Bowman } [signed and delivered?]
is about Seventy four years of age } Robert Bowman [signature]
Witnefs on behalf of Defendant }
in the foregoing case }
--------------
The United States } Actions [de???ding] in the United States Court
vs } for the Western District of Virginia at Clarksburg
Samuel Bowman }
Be it remembered that on the twenty ninth day
of July One thousand Eight hundred and thirty seven I have caused
to come before me at my Office in the County of Mercer in the State
of Pennsylvania, the following Witnefses for Defendant Saml
Bowman [?????] The deposition of Samuel Bowman Junr, and
the said Witnefses being first duly sworn and cautioned by me
to speak the truth the whole truth and nothing but the truth as
well on behalf of the United States as of the said Defendant
did depose and say that the said Bowman defendant is aged
about Seventy two years, the deponent doth say he had his inform
=ation from his Father John Bowman a brother to the Defendant
and have frequently heard say that his (deponents) Uncle was
born in the year 1763 and also have heard his Father say that
the Defendant served several years in the Army of the Revolution
ary war. Sworn and Subscribed
Samuel Bowman [signature]
State of Pennsylvania
County of Mercer
Before me Thomas [Coulson?] an acting Justice of
the peace in and for the County and State aforsaid do certify
that the foregoing deposition of Samuel Bowman Jr. the deponents
Witnefs for Defendant Samuel Bowman and at his [?????]
in a certain [suit?] dep[???ing] the United States Court for the
Western District of Virginia held at Clarksburgh wherein the United
States is plaintiff and said Samuel Bowman is defendant.
-[end of page]-
-[end of available documents]-
| HOME | DOBIE | TOP |
|---|