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Facts and Events
Revolutionary War Pension Information
Information from “Virginia/West Virginia Genealogical Data from Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty Land Warrant Records”, Vol. 5, compiled by Patrick G. Wardell, Lt. Col. U.S. Army Ret. :
- Stevens, Jacob - entered service 1777 in Montgomery County, Virginia in 7th Virginia Regiment; granted Pension abt. age 70 in Madison County, Kentucky, 1819; resided 1825 in Rockcastle County, Kentucky, when had son Stephen age 21, daughter Ann age 18 both single; soldier died Rockcastle County, Kentucky 6/6/1849; married 11/10/1786 to Rachel English/Inglish when she was age 15-16 (Marriage Bond 11/6/1786, signed by Jesse Richardson), Lincoln County, Kentucky; widow granted Pension 1849 in Rockcastle County, Kentucky when son English made affidavit that he was born 2/25/1811; older children mentioned but not named then; widow's last Pension payment in file was in 1850; query letter in file says soldier & brother mentioned but not named came to America from England. (
 Note: this is clearly in error!) F-W2019, R2284.
References
- Graves, William T. Southern Campaign Revolutionary War Pension Statements & Rosters.
Pension application of Jacob Stevens (Stephens) W2019 Rachel f55VA
Transcribed by Will Graves 4/22/12
[f p. 34]
The Commonwealth of Kentucky Madison County Sct.
On this 17th day of June 1819, before me the subscriber, one of the Judges of the Circuit
Court, in and for the state aforesaid, personally appeared Jacob Stephens aged 70 years; – who
being by me first duly sworn according to law, doth on his oath, make the following statement
and declaration, in order to obtain the provision made by the late act of Congress entitled, "an act to provide for certain persons engaged in the land and naval service of the United States in the Revolutionary war;" that he is a citizen of the State of Kentucky, and resident in the County of Madison; and that he was enlisted for twelve months at Montgomery Court house in the State of Virginia on or about the __ day of __ 1777 by one Captain Joseph Crockett and served in the company commanded by Captain Joseph Crockett of the 7th Regiment Virginia line on Continental establishment in the brigade of General Woodford that he continued to serve in the said Corps, or in the service of the United States, in the Continental Army, against the common enemy, until about the __ day of __ 1778 when he was honorably discharged from service at Middlebrook in the state of New Jersey; that he was in service one year and was in the battles of Monmouth [June 28, 1778] and that he is in reduced circumstances and stands in need of the assistance of his country for support; and that he has lost his discharge, and has no evidence in his power, of his services and discharge, other than that which is hereto transmitted.
Sworn and declared before me the day and year aforesaid.
[if signed, the signature is too faint to discern]
James Boggs states upon oath that he was well acquainted with the within named Jacob Stephens
before, during the time & after he was a soldier – that he saw him in the capacity & service of a soldier during the revolutionary war at the White Plains after the battle of Monmouth – that he remembers well his return from the Army after having served one year as he enlisted at the same time & for the same term & returned at the same time that a brother of his deponent's did – that he was in General Woodford's brigade when this deponent saw him.
[Attested by James Clark, Circuit Judge]
[f p 20]
State of Kentucky Rockcastle County
On the 31st of March 1826 personally appeared in open Court (the Rockcastle Circuit Court) it
being a Court of Record made so by act of Assembly of Kentucky and proceeding according to
the course of the common law and possessing the unlimited Jurisdiction – Jacob Stephens
resident of Rockcastle County aged about 73, who being 1st duly sworn according to law doth on
his oath make the following Declaration in order to obtain the provisions made by the act of
Congress of the 18th of March 1818 and the 1st of May 1820 and the 1st of March 1823. That
he the said Stephens enlisted for the term of one year on the __ day of __ 1777 (the day or the
month he does not recollect) in the State of Virginia Montgomery County in the Company
commanded by Captain Joseph Crockett in the 7th Regiment as he believes commanded by __
Heath in the line of the State of Virginia on the Continental establishment, that he continued to serve in said Corps until expiration of his term of service when he was discharged from the
service at Middlebrook in the State of New Jersey that his name has been placed upon the
pension list by virtue of his petition filed in the Madison Circuit Court on the 17th day of June 1819 but dropped on account of his property his certificate of pension being number 15701 his name is not on the Pension roll of any other State and he relinquishes all claim to any other Pension whatever Having resided a distance of 18 miles from his County Seat in Madison until he was stricken to Rockcastle County and in consequence of old age and bodily infirmity and being repeatedly informed that if the value of his property amounted to $150 in silver when he first filed his petition in Madison County as aforesaid he could not be restored as the cause why he did not apply to be restored to the Pension list – About three months past he was informed for the first time that he was laboring under a wrong impression and that his information aforesaid was incorrect, he would further state that by he did not apply to be restored to the Pension list that after he was suspended he was frequently informed that unless he could swear that his property was not worth more than $150 when the act of 1818 past it was useless for him to try to be restored, and being old and infirm and totally ignorant of the provisions of the Act of Congress he took it for granted that what was told him was correct until lately as aforesaid he was informed that her – And in pursuance of the act of the first of May 1820, I do solemnly swear that I was a resident Citizen of the United States on the 18th day of March 1818 and that I have not since that time by gift, sale or in any manner whatever disposed of my property or any part thereof with intent thereby so to diminish it as to bring myself within the provision of an act of Congress entitled “an act to provide for certain persons engaged in the land and naval service of the United States in the revolutionary war” passed on the 18th day of March 1818, and that I have not nor has any person in trust for me any property, or securities, contracts or debts due to me nor have I any income other than what is contained in the schedule hereto annexed and by me subscribed to wit one horse of the value of $55 one cow of the value of $10 and calf of the value $1 – all of the value of $66 – and no more he is indebted about the sum of $100 as well as he can recollect $__ of which is for doctors fees.
S/ Jacob Stephens
The following change has taken place in my property since the 18th of March 1818 his land 133 acres 40 acres part of which has been in cultivation about 28 years and much worn and the improvement but cabins and the land worth about $350 in silver and no more which he gave
to his sons Stephen and English for the title of which the following is a copy to wit:
"In consideration of love and affection I give to my sons Stephen and English Stephens the land on which I live and all my personal property except one gray stud horse and cow and calf and all my household and kitchen furniture I and to make a title to the land when called on.
Given under my hand and seal this 10th day of February 1825.
Test: E. Smith
S/ Jacob Stephens, X his mark"
When he gave his land to his sons he was confined sick in bed and remained so about 6 weeks he
labored under the belief that he certainly would die, and he is informed that such was the opinion of most of his neighbors while confined & believing that he should not live having 2 sons and both not perfectly healthy but who still lived with him possessed of weak constitutions and both subject to disease and his elder children being married and provided for salt he felt it his duty to give them the place on which he resided. He has no obligation or promise whatever on his sons for support for him or his wife, his occupation is that of a farmer but unable to support himself in consequence of old age and bodily infirmity. Indeed he is unable to do but very little work, his wife Rachel aged about fifty-five not able to support herself being long afflicted with a pain in her breast, his sons Stephen upwards of twenty-one years old illy able to support himself in consequence of a disease in his head which has [indecipherably faint words] several different times for the last 5 years, his son English illy able to support himself in consequence of a week Constitution and frequently sic. His daughter Ann 18 years of age able to support herself when he gave his land to his sons he gave up to his sons Stephen the whole control of the plantation and everything thereon, by the industry of his boys and/or he is supported gratis by Stephen unable to give his son Stephen anything in return, How long it may suit the convenience of his son Stephen who talks of selling his interest in the land (who is yet single) to support him he does not know, his daughter is likewise single –
Robert Blackwell and Samuel Wilford credible witnesses were introduced and sworn in stated that they had heard the foregoing petition and schedule of Jacob Stephens read and they have no doubt the same is correct, that they personally know of his being sick and it was the expectation that he would not recover. Said Stephens [several indecipherable words] mentioned a fair and [indecipherable word] character and they would not doubt his statement on oath. That the estimate put upon his property in the foregoing schedule from their own knowledge they believe to be correct.
It is therefore ordered by the Court that it be certified to the Secretary of War that it is the
Opinion of this Court that Jacob Stephens did serve in the revolutionary war as stated in the
preceding Declaration against the common enemy for the term of nine months and upwards under one engagement in the Continental establishment and that it is the opinion of said Court that the total amount in value of the property exhibited in the aforesaid schedule is $66.
S/ Joseph Eve
[f p. 10: On November 24, 1849 in Rockcastle County Kentucky, Rachel Stephens, aged near as
she can remember 78 years, filed for a widow's pension under the 1838 act stating that she is the widow of Jacob Stephens, a revolutionary war pensioner at the rate of $96 per annum; that she married him in Lincoln County Kentucky November 10, 1786; that she has forgotten the date on
which he was born but was married when she was between 15 & 16 years of age; that her husband died June 6, 1849 in Rockcastle County Kentucky. She signed her application with her mark.]
[f p. 37: On January 17, 1850 in Rockcastle County Kentucky, Rachel Stephens, [age not stated]
filed for a widow's pension under the 1848 act stating that she is the widow of Jacob Stephens a
revolutionary war pensioner; that she was married when she was 15, 16 or 17 years of age; that
she married her husband [date not stated]; that her husband died on the night of the 6th of June
1849. She signed her application with her mark.]
State of Kentucky Rockcastle Circuit Court: SS
At a Circuit Court Holden for the Circuit of Rockcastle on the 12th day of September
1832 Jacob Stephens filed in open Court his petition verified by his oath to avail himself of the Benefit of the Act of Congress of June the 7th 1832 which was ordered to be filed as matter of Record. And reads thus
State of Kentucky Rockcastle County & Circuit Sct.
I Jacob Stephens aged seventy-three as he believes a resident citizen of the County aforesaid do upon oath testify and declare that I entered the service of the United States in the year 1777 (in March) for the term of one year and that I served in the company of commanded by Captain Joseph Crockett in the Regiment No. 7 commanded by Colonel Heath [William Heth] of the line of the State of Virginia on Continental establishment and at the expiration of his term of enlistment he was honorably discharged; the time forgotten from the aforesaid Regiment commanded by his Colonel aforesaid I further declare that I have never received a warrant for the Bounty Land promised me on the part of the United States nor have I ever assigned or transferred my claim in any way or manner whatever. The foregoing application is intended to avail myself of the act of Congress of the 1828 in favor of the Continental and State troops of Virginia that he is a pensioner from Rockcastle County Kentucky in the Kentucky agency.
Therefore know all men by these presents that I Jacob Stephens aforesaid do hereby constitute &
appoint Elisha Smith to be my true & lawful attorney for me and in my name to demand and
receive from the Secretary of War of the United States a warrant for the quantity of Land due me
as aforesaid and the said attorney is hereby authorized and empowered to constitute and appoint
one or more substitutes or attorneys under him for the special purposes above expressed.
S/ Jacob Stephens
[Facts in file: the widow's maiden name was Rachel English or Inglish; the names of her parents
and the place of her birth are not shown.]
[Veteran was pensioned at the rate of $8 per month commencing June 17, 1819, for his service
as a private for one-year in the Virginia Continental line. His widow was pensioned at the rate of $96 per annum.]
https://revwarapps.org/w2019.pdf
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