Person:Benjamin Perkins (26)

Military Service

American Revolutionary War Veteran

Revolutionary War Pension Information

Information from “Virginia/West Virginia Genealogical Data from Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty Land Warrant Records”, Vol. 4, compiled by Patrick G. Wardell, Lt. Col. U.S. Army Ret. :

Perkins, Benjamin - entered service in 1780, ensign in 1st Virginia Regiment; died 12/1/1815 or 12/2/1815 abt. age 89 [?] in Garrard County, Kentucky; Last Will and Testament of 12/11/1808 there listed wife Mary, son Edmund, son Joseph, son Benjamin H., daughter Mary Akin, daughter Sally Crump, daughter Betsy Chaplin, daughter Franay C. Bowman, daughter Ann Williams Perkins & grandson Stephen W. Perkins; children living in 1851: Edmund, Joseph, Benjamin H., Mary A. Curd, Elizabeth/Betsy Chaplin/Chapin, Frenay C. Bowman, & Ann/Nancy Williams Akin; son Benjamin H. applied for Pension 1851 in Boyle County, Kentucky, as only surviving executor of father's Last Will and Testament, for all of soldier's heirs; heirs granted Pension due father; Nancy Merritt made affidavit 1850 age 85 in Garrard County, Kentucky that she was born in Virginia & resided in Virginia during Revolutionary War when she knew soldier; John B. Akin (no kinship given), Boyle County, Kentucky Court Clerk in 1851; query letter in file in 1912 from great grandson W.B. Curd of Hannibal, Missouri says soldier's middle name was Hughes. F-S11223, R1910.

1. ↑ ^1.0 1.1 Ancestry.com. Public Member Trees: (Note: not considered a reliable primary source).

   http://trees.ancestry.com/tree/54096469/person/13613279102

2.   Graves, William T. Southern Campaign Revolutionary War Pension Statements & Rosters.

   Pension application of Benjamin Perkins S11223 f39VA
   Transcribed by Will Graves 10/11/12
   
   State of Kentucky County of Boyle: Sct. June Term 1851
   On this the 16th day of June 1851 personally appeared in open Court Benjamin H Perkins, who is a resident of the County and State aforesaid, who being duly sworn according to law doth on his oath make the following declaration in order to obtain the benefit of the provision made by the Act of Congress passed June 7th 1832 (as Executor of Benjamin Perkins). That he is the only surviving Executor of his deceased Father Benjamin Perkins, who died in Garrard County Kentucky about the first day of December 1845 [prob. s/b 1815] who was when he died about eighty-nine years of age and who this affiant is informed entered the Army of the United States in the year 1780 and served in the First Virginia State Regiment of Eighteen months men. This affiant does not know the names of the officers under whom his deceased Father served – though he often heard his Father speak of them nor does he know whether, or not his service was all performed without any intermission, or at different times. He often heard his Father speak of Lord Cornwallis who commanded the British forces at the time he was in the American Army – and of his being the most humane and generous officer in the British service, and of many little incidents which happened to him while in the service aforesaid. He also remembers of hearing his Mother say that while his Father was out in arms [?] Lord Cornwallis was passing through the Country that his troops were on ahead of him and when they got to his Father's house they stopped and commenced taking such articles as they wanted – and tried to make her tell where her husband had gone – and that she had to tell them that she was a widow to prevent their outrages on account of her husband being in the American service. That when Lord Cornwallis came up he treated her with much respect, and even kindness ordering the soldiers out of the house, and took dinner and after dinner she put up some butter and other little things for him, all of which he received with seeming pleasure and many thanks. This affiant states that his father was a very careless man about his business and particularly his papers – that in removing from Virginia to this State most of the papers that he then head were lost – And he supposes his any discharge was lost about that time – that his Father often spoke of applying to the Government for Pension on account of his services – but always neglected doing so – that some ten years before his death his mind and memory were greatly impaired so much so that he was rendered unfit for any kind of business. He states that so far as his knowledge extends his Father never in his lifetime drew a Pension or Pay in any other form from the Government.
   This affiant would make reference to the affidavit of John Sneed1 and others now at the Department at Washington City – and upon investigation as for the amount that was due his Father at his death and now owing to him as his Executor.
   
   S/ B. H. Perkins
   [f p. 25]
   State of Kentucky County of Boyle: Sct.
   On this the 14th day of September 1850 personally appeared before me the undersigned a Justice of the Peace for the County and State aforesaid John Sneed a credible witness and a person to whom for faith and confidence may be given to any statement he may make and who is a Revolution Pensioner and personally known to me, He being duly sworn according to law declare that he was a Sergeant in the first Virginia State Regiment eighteen months men who served in the Revolutionary War and that Benjamin Perkins Deceased was an Ensign in same Regiment he states that to the best of his recollection the Regiment served from about the 4th day of September 1782 about the 4th day of March 1782 at which time they were disbanded by reason of Term of service having expired and that said Benjamin Perkins served out his full term in said Regiment also that he makes this affidavit from disinterested motives.
   S/ Jno Sneed
   [f p. 6: copy of the last will and testament of Benjamin Perkins in which she makes reference to his wife Mary Perkins; son Edmund Perkins (to whom he gave a Negro boy named Isaac); son Joseph (to whom he gave a Negro boy named Jacob); son Benjamin H Perkins (to whom he gave a Negro boy he named James); grandson Stephen W Perkins; daughters MaryA. Curd; Sally Crump; Betsey Chaplin, Frances C. Bowman and Ann Williams Perkins. He named his 3 sons as the executors of his estate.]
   [f p. 27: Order dated July 14, 1851 in Boyle County Kentucky in which the court entered a finding that Benjamin Perkins died leaving Nancy W Akin, Mary A. Curd, Elizabeth Chaplain, Benjamin H Perkins, Edmund Perkins and Joseph Perkins his children and heirs at law.]
   [Veteran was pensioned at the rate of $180 per annum commencing March 4th, 1831, for service as an Ensign for 18 months in the Virginia Continental line.]
   ------
   1 John Sneed S30711