Powhatan County (Va.) Declarations for Revolutionary War Pensions, 1820-1849

Access and use

Location of collection:
Library of Virginia
The Library of Virginia
800 East Broad Street
Richmond, VA 23219
Contact for questions and access:
POC: Archives Reference Services
Phone: (804) 692-3888

Summary

Extent:
.15 cu. ft. (1 box)
Creator:
Powhatan County (Va.) Circuit Court
Language:
English

Background

Scope and content:

Powhatan County (Va.) Declarations for Revolutionary War Pensions, 1820-1849 primarily record the declarations of individuals seeking to obtain Revolutionary War pensions provided by various acts of Congress. The applicants present detailed testimony of their time of service during the Revolutionary War. Information found in the declarations include date and location applicants entered into service, names of military companies they served in, names of military commanders they served under, names of fellow soldiers they served with, length of service, their age, and their place of birth. The predominant portion of the declarations are narratives of their tours of duty during the Revolutionary War with emphasis on battles they fought. The declarations also include affidavits from witnesses who could verify information provided by applicants.

Applicants in this series reported to have served in various military units, including the 1st Virginia Regiment, 5th Virginia Regiment, 10th Virginia Regiment, Virginia Regiment of Dragoons, Class No. 2 Virginia militia, Amherst County militia, Chesterfield County militia, Powhatan County militia, Prince Edward County militia, and the Virginia militia in general.

Applicants also gave accounts of being present during several military engagements, including the Battle of Camden, Battle of Guilford Courthouse, and the Siege of Yorktown.

Significant materials in this collection include the pension declaration of a free Black soldier, Reuben Bird.

Biographical / historical:

Context for Record Type: In 1818, Congress passed the first of three major Revolutionary War pension acts. The act granted lifetime pensions to all men who had served as regular army soldiers in the Continental Line and who could demonstrate financial need. Prior to the passage of this act, pensions had been restricted to former soldiers who were no longer able to support themselves due to injuries sustained while in service. The second act, passed by Congress in 1820, required applicants to provide more concrete evidence of this financial need in the form of a certified inventory of his property and income. They also had to include an account of all members of the applicant's family, including their health and ability to contribute to household income. In 1832, the third act extended pension benefits to include soldiers who had served in the state troops or militia. Congress also passed a related act in 1836 granting pensions to the widows and orphans of Revolutionary War veterans.

Locality History: Powhatan County was named for the paramount chief of the Powhatan Indians in the tidewater of Virginia in the late sixteenth and early years of the seventeenth century. It was formed from Cumberland County in 1777, and part of Chesterfield County was added in 1850. The county seat is Powhatan.

Acquisition information:
These items came to the Library of Virginia in a transfer of court papers from Powhatan County.
Arrangement:

Arranged chronologically.

Physical location:
Library of Virginia