Bounty Land Warrant information relating to James Jennings VAS365 vsl 16VA
Transcribed by Will Graves 1/5/13
[From bounty land records in the Library of Virginia]
[p 1]
The affidavit of James Scates aged seventy-two years taken at the clerk's office of Westmoreland County the 23rd day of January 1840
This affiant being first duly sworn saith that when a boy he resided in the County of Richmond in the immediate neighborhood of the mother of James Jennings, that the said James Jennings, some five or six years (according to the best recollection of this affiant) before the close of the Revolutionary war left the neighborhood in which he resided, and as this affiant understood entered the service of the State of Virginia on board the ship Dragon. This affiant did not see the said James Jennings go on board the said ship, but it was the general understanding in the neighborhood and which this affiant has never doubted that, said Jennings did entered the service of the State on board said ship, and what impresses the circumstances more firmly on the mind of this affiant is the fact that the mother of said Jennings was greatly distressed at his leaving her onset service – this affiant believes that said Jennings remained in the Service of the State until the close of the war, at least he did not return home until about that time.
Further this affiant saith not.
S/ James Scates
[p 6]
The affidavit of John Davise [John Davis or John Davies?]1 a Soldier of the Revolution taken before me [illegibly faint name] a justice of the Peace of the County of Westmoreland this [illegibly faint text] day of [illegibly faint text] 1834; and taken by way of question and answer so as to render it the more [illegibly faint text] and comprehensive
1st Question did you know James Jennings, formerly a resident of Richmond County, & State of Virginia?
Answer – just as well as I know myself.
2nd Question. Did you know that he was in the Revolutionary service; how long he stayed, under whom he served; and the general circumstances connected with that service?
Answer. I know that he was. He enlisted under Elisha Callender [Eleazer Callender] who commanded the ship Dragon,2 the exact year and month I do not recollect, but it was after the British forces had commenced hostilities against our country. He stayed of my own knowledge three years the time I served myself; and served with me in the same Ship Dragon, during that time. After enlisting at Fredericksburg, he the said Jennings, and all on board the Dragon, stayed in the Rappahannock River for perhaps upwards of a year; then we proceeded down that River, and went round on the Eastern Shore of Maryland, at a place called Cherry Stones; & there laid in harbor & then stretched over to Hampton Roads; cruising about and trying to defend the Country against the British Shipping; and after a good while, saw the enemy's ships coming in to take us; and had to run up the James River to Richmond; there we stayed until the British went out of Hampton roads; and then proceeded from Richmond, round to the Chickahominy River, with rigging & other things to fit out a new Brig there, for service to be called the Jefferson; and while there, the three years service of Jennings, myself and many others expired. After the war was over, I saw Jennings when he first arrived from the War. He ran to me, and hugged me; and after much conversation, said that he had enlisted again after the three years service with me on board the aforementioned Brig Jefferson; & soon after she went out, was taken by the British, and he had been confined by them for many years; perhaps he said 7 – and further affiant saith not as regards the service of the said Jennings.
3rd Question. You think it possible for you to go into Court and testify to these facts?
Answer – no, my strength, and infirmity forbid it.
4th Question. Has there ever been any objection made to your oath in any Court, in Consequence of your not being as white as many others?
Answer. Never. I have proved the service of one John Chilton3 in Court, several years sent; and no objection was then made, nor do I imagine can now be made, to invalidate my testimony; for in my own case, I had no testimony except my own oath, and am now drawing my pension. My mother was a white woman, and my father was a red man, not entirely white, something near my own color.
5th question. Are there any other soldiers who enlisted as did yourself, & James Jennings for the 3 years, as stated herein, on board the Dragon; and who served as you and the said Jennings did, corresponding in any respect to the services as stated above?
Answer. – I did know may, and the names that I shall now repeat, every man of them, whether living or dead, or wherever they may be, Served faithfully the 3 years as mentioned, up to the time we were discharged, at the Chickahominy Ship Yard, as before repeated; and whether any or all reenlisted on board the Jefferson Brig, built and fitted out at Chickahominy Ship Yard, I can't say; as I made off for home, before the Brig sailed. The names alluded to in the 5th question & answer, are as follows. Viz. Containing fifty-seven including officers
Elisha Callender Capt. 1 [Eleazer Callender] 1 Stephen Mackaway 15
Jno [?] Hamilton, 1st Lieut. [John Hamilton?] 2 James McDaniel 16
Benjamin Rust [?] Lieut 3 Saml. Humphreys [Samuel Humphreys] 17
Richard Montague4 Ditto 4 James Humphreys 18
James Tutt Ditto 5 Darby Hall 19
Charles Bennett –private 6 Ezekiel Tapscott 20
John Toolick 7 John Tapscott 21
John Debuttenster 8 Iverson Nuttall 22
Peter Curyong 9 George Mahorn 23
Lawrence Giddeau 10 John Mahorn 24
Man Tyger 11 Joseph Ranger 25
Anthony Cracko 12 John Wood 26
Thomas Allen 13 Philip Wood 27
Ellick Hays [Elliott Hayes?] Boatmn [boatswain?]
Thomas Wood 28 Nathaniel Neakins 43
Philip Bingham 29 William Neakins 44
James Reavis 30 William Haw 45
James Winder 31 John Lucas 46
Joseph Angel 32 Ambrose Lewis6 47
Edney Coates 33 Charles Lewis 48
Rolly Coates 34 Isaac Fleetwood 49
Jesse Coates 35 John Laws 50
Thomas Coates 36 James Smith 51
Joshua Bowing 37 Allen Wilson Lieut 52
Wm Derham [William Durham?] 38 Woolen Smith Sail'g Master 53
Joshua Crowder 39 George Clendening [George Clendenin?] 54
Robert Crowder 40 Peter Vasey 55
Abm Sprigg 41 Philip Evans 56
James Neakins 42 Presley Pushaw 57
And many, many others in other ships; for there were three in company, viz., the Dragon, Tempest& Tartar, Wm Saunders (William Saunders) commanded the Tartar; and Cenly Saunders (Celey or Ceeley Saunders) his brother commanded the Tempest – Our Ship the Dragon had 160 men when they left Fredericksburg as they told me, and further this affiant saith not.
State of Virginia Westmoreland County
This day personally appeared before me James Jett one of the Commonwealth's Justices of the County aforesaid, John Davise, a resident of said County, aged about __ years, and made oath according to law, to every statement contained in the foregoing affidavit; affirming everything therein stated to be true in every particular – And I do hereby certify, that his infirm state of health forbids his attendance in Court to make this affidavit; and furthermore, that he is as far as I know a man whose character for honesty & veracity is entirely unexceptionable.
Given under my hand & seal the 7th day of February 1834.
S/ J. Jett
[p 16]
Virginia
At a court of monthly Session held for Richmond County at the Courthouse on Monday the 6 day of January 1840 Thomas Weedon and Thomas Bowing Credible and Confident Witnesses, this day made Oath in open Court that James Jennings who is reputed to have been a Seaman in the Service of the State of Virginia, in the Revolutionary War, died in the County of Richmond, and that said James Jennings and Smith Jennings, his children and George Jennings and Elizabeth Jennings, his Grand Children, are the only heirs at law of the said James Jennings. And the Court doth order it to be Certified that Thomas Yeatman and Nancy Yeatman who have given their Affidavits in support of the claim of the said heirs for the Revolutionary Services of the said James Jennings all persons of Credibility and that their evidence is entitled to credit.
A Copy Teste
S/ Jno. F. B. Jeffries, Clk
_______
1 FPA W19138
2 See: http://www.awiatsea.com/sn/VA/Dragon%20Virginia%20Navy%20Ship-
Galley%20%5BCallender%20Markham%20Singleton%20Travis%20Chandler%20Joel%5D.html
3 John Chilton VAS248
4 Richard Montague R77
5 Joseph Ranger S7352
6 Ambrose Lewis S36041
