Pension Application of Jacob Davis S17916
Transcribed and annotated by C. Leon Harris
Harrison County }
Virginia }
On the 7th day of March 1834 personally appeared before me Joseph Johnson a justice of the peace for the County & State aforesaid Jacob Davis aged 73 years who being duly sworn according to law doth on his Oath make the following Declaration in order to obtain the benefit of the act of Congress passed June 7th 1832 –
That He was born in the County of Sussex State of New Jersey in the year 1760 has no record of his age that about the year 1770 he removed with his parents to the County of Loudon [sic: Loudoun] in the State of Virginia that in September 1776 he volunteered in a company commanded by James Rattekin [James Ratican, according to pension application S7391 of William Robinson] marched from Leesburg Va to Winchester thence to Fort Pitt thence decended the River to Wheeling was commanded by Genr’l. [Edward] Hand & stationed there some time thence marched to the Forks of Wheeling Creek was stationed at a fort on the Lands of Col. Shepperd [Fort Shepherd, built by Col. David Shepherd] was discharged at the expiration of six months –
Again in the month of August in the year 1777 he volunteered in a company commanded by Capt Cox [possibly Samuel Cox] marched to Alexandria was stationed there to prevent the landing of the enemy was discharged at the expiration of One month & 5 days. again in the year 1778 He was drafted in a company commanded by Capt George Mason was stationed at Leesburg One month & discharged–
Again in 1781 he was drafted and commanded by the aforesaid Capt Mason was marched to Windchester [sic] to guard the prisioners which had been taken at York Town [19 Oct], thence to Shepherds Town [sic: Shepherdstown now in Jefferson County WV] was discharged having served one month –
From Loudon he removed to Harrison County where he still resides he is acquainted with Spencer Martin Esqr & Benj. Brice Esqr. to whom reference may be had he never received a discharge in writing but was discharged orally by his Capt. He hereby relinquishes every claim whatever to a penson or annuity except the present & declares that his name is not on the pension roll of the agency of any State. He has no documentary evidence nor does he no of any living witness by whom he can prove the above services except John Tetrick whose certificate is hereunto annexed Jacob hisXmark Davis
[The following report is by District Washington G. Singleton who investigated many pensioners from Harrison and other counties of present West Virginia. For details see pension application S6111 of David W. Sleeth.]
Jacob Davis —
On the 22nd July 1834 Davis made the following statement – is in his 76th year of age. – that he volunteered in Loudoun county. cant tell in what year. went to Alexandria – was gone one month – was under Capt. Cox. he afterwards, cant say in what year, volunteered in same county under Capt. James Ratican for 3 months and went to Fort Pitt – he was also at the Winchester Barracks guarding the prissoners – but cant tell how long he was in that service – this comprises all his services – In Witness that the forgoing statement contains the truth, I hereto subscribe my name July 22, 1834 Jacob hisXmark Davis
Witness N. Goff [Nathan Goff, pension agent at Clarksburg]
Not – I am informed that Davis has a certificate but has drawn nothing on it – how is this?
W. G Singleton Nov. 20, 1834
NOTES:
On his report for Davis Singleton wrote “Fraud.” The reason, if any, was not stated. Davis’s pension certificate shows that he was granted $27.22 per year and collected $95.27.
John Tetrick deposed that he was living in the family of Jacob Davis’s father at the time of his service.