Person:Michael Kinser (1)

About Michael Kinser

THIS IS NOT the Michael Kinser that married Elizabeth Kettering 1803 in Wythe County, Virginia.

According to Michael Kinser's Revolutionary Pension file and the declaration of his wife Elizabeth, they were married on 4 September 1783, and that he pre-deceased her when he died in November 1823. This rules out this Michael Kinser, as the one that married Elizabeth Kettering on 30 January 1803 in Wythe County, Virginia [Source: Virginia Select Marriages 1785-1940]. A different and younger Michael Kinser (1783-1850), nephew of this Michael Kinser, married Elizabeth Kettering.

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

   Pension Application of Michael Kinser W8001 Elizabeth Kinser VA
   Transcribed and annotated by C. Leon Harris. Revised 20 Mar 2015.
   
   [The first five items are from pension files in the Library of Virginia:]
   Present. James McGavock William Davies } Gen’l Justices John Taylor & John Preston }
   
   Michael Kinser pensioner came into Court & proved by the oath of Samuel Saddles that he was wounded at Cambden [Battle of Hobkirk Hill near Camden SC. 25 Apr 1781] and that he belonged to Captain [several undeciphered words] Regiment and that the wounds he Rec’d was in the service of the united states. It also appears to the satisfaction of the Court that said Kinser is so disabled and remote from the seat of Government as to render his personal attendance their too Burthensome. whereon Thomas Hoff a Surgeon is order’d to Examine his Wounds and Certifie the same to the Governour.
   Teste Abram Trigg CMC
   
   [Copy from the transcript of records of Montgomery County certified by Trigg on 13 April 1787.]
   
   The above Michael Kinser was Draughted as an 18 months Soldier to serve in the Continental
   army and returned to the County of Montgomery Disabled by a wound said to be received in the service, having all the fingers of one of his Hands (I think the right) cut off, except the fore finger, which appears stiff and of little use. Walter Crockett
   Agreeable to an [undeciphered word] of the Worshipfull Court of Montgomery I have examined the wounds of Micheal Kinser & find that he is incapble of military duty or of obtaining his livelihood by labor or of undertaken a journey to the Executive Given under my hand this 28th Day of Nov’r 178[?]
   
   Thomas Huff I do with the advice of the Council hereby Certify that Michael Kinser, aged about Twenty seven years, late a private in the first Virginia Regiment whose pay was forty shillings per month, was disabled in the service of the United States by a wound which occasioned the loss of all the Fingers of his right hand except the fore finger, and that he is allowed the sum of Twelve Pounds yearly to commence from the first day of January, one thousand seven hundred and Eighty five.
   Given under my hand as Governor of the Commonwealth of Virginia at Richmond the 28th day of April 1787.
   T Meriwether Edm. Randolph [Edmund Randolph]
   1788 April 15th
   Then rec’d. of Major John Taylor Sheriff of Montgomery the sum of twenty four pounds
   in full of the within warrant. As Witness my hand Preston for Michael Kinser
   £24
   
   [The following three items are from Library of Virginia Legislative Petitions Digital Collection/ Wythe County]
   
   To the honorable General assembly of Virginia
   The humble petition of Michael Kinser sheweth. That during the war for the independence of the United States he was called to perform the duties of a soldier for the term of eighteen months, and while in the service in the company of Capt Bently [sic: William Bentley, pension application S37745] and in the Regement of Col. Haws [sic: Samuel Hawes] at the second battle of Campden he was cut to pieces and taken prisoner by the enemy He humbly states that while a prisoner he was plundered by the british soldiers of his money and a Tobacco note which had been given to him on the part of the Government of Virginia in consideration of his services. Your petitioner humbly states that having while serving the public lost the evidence of the debt due for that service justice would direct that the debt should not with standing be paid He cannot suppose that a powerful state will take advantage of an accident which an honest man would disdain to take advantage of. He humbly states that altho a pension of 40 is annually paid to him yet it is a very inadequate compensation for 5 sword cuts on his head the disability of his left arm and one of his fingers of his left hand and the entire loss of of the fingers of his right hand. And he is the more constrained to request justice from your honorable body as he is the father of 9 children. He further begs leave to state that being wholly illiterate the proper mode of proceeding relative to his claim was long unknown to him & that he did 2 or 3 years ago request a person to enquire into the matter for him who was negligent
   He therefore humbly prays such releif as his case requires
   Michael [his X mark] Kinser
   Wythe Sc
   
   This day Michael Kinser made oath before me that the facts stated in his petition are true given under my hand this 9th Sept. 1806
   Jas. Newell
   
   To Claims Ref. dec’r 6 1806
   Rejected Reported
   State of Virginia
   Wythe County on this 10th Day of June 1844 personally appeared in open court Elizabeth Kinsar a resident of the County and State aforesaid aged seventy eight years eleven months & twenty one days who being first duly sworn according to law doth on her oath make the following Declaration in order to obtain the benefit of the provisions made by the act of Congress passed July 7th. 1838 entitled an act granting half pay and pension to certain Widdows and in order to obtain the benefit of the act of Congress passed March the 3. 1843 granting one years pay and and pension to certain widdows that she is the widdow of Michael Kinsar who was a soldier in the Virginia Militia War of the Revolution that the aforesaid Michael Kinsar drew pension under the act of congress passed previous the year of 1823 of $90 for his said services She further Declares that she was married to the said Michael Kinsar some time in the year 1783 that her husband the aforesaid Michael Kinsar died in the month of November 1823 that she was not married to him prior to his leaving the service but the marreiing took place prior to the first of January 1794 viz at the time above stated
   Elizabeth [her X mark] Kinser
   
   State of Virginia
   Wythe County
   on this 21 st day of December 1844 personally appeared before the Subscriber a Justice of the peace Elizabeth Kinsar a resident of the County and State aforesaid aged seventy Nine years five months and twenty one days being first duly sworn according to law doth on her oath make the following declaration in order to obtain the benefit of the provition made by the act of Congress passed July 7th 1838 Entitled an act granting half pay and pensions to Certain widows that she is the widow of Michael Kinsar who was a Soldier in the Militia of Virginia War of the Revolution who enlisted in Wyth County in the State aforesaid for eighteen months, under Genrial Green [sic: Gen. Nathanael Greene] in some time in 1780 and then marched south and there was engaged at Camden – that is all that can be recollected he had 3 of his fingers cut of his right hand at that battle and his left arm disabled so that he was a misery[?] to himself the said Michael Kinsar drew a pension of $90 per year under the acts congress passed previos to the year 1825 for his said services She further declares that she was married to the said Michael Kinsar the 4th day of September 1783 that her husband the aforesaid Michael Kinsar died in the month of November 1823 that she was [not] married to him prior to his leaving the service but the marriage took place prior to the first of January 1794 vaz at the time above stated She futher declares to remain his widow up t this declaration written
   Elizabeth [her X mark] Kensor
   
   NOTE: A size roll compiled at Chesterfield Courthouse after 1 Sep 1780 includes the following: Michael Kinsor/ age 22/ height 5 4½/ planter/ born in Pennsylvania/ residing in Montgomery County/ hair dark brown/ eyes black/ complection fair/ enlisted 11 Sep 1780 for 18 months.
   
   http://revwarapps.org/w8001.pdf

2.   Find A Grave.

   Michael Kinser
   Birth 1760
   Lancaster, Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, USA
   Death Nov 1823 (aged 62–63)
   Crockett, Wythe County, Virginia, USA
   
   Dates listed agree with Michael Kinser's Revolutionary Pension Statement and the declaration of his wife Elizabeth.
   
   https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/84154408/michael-kinser

3.   United States. 1810 U.S. Census Population Schedule. (National Archives Microfilm Publication M252).

   Name: Michael Kinser
   Home in 1810 (City, County, State): Wythe, Virginia
   Free White Persons - Males - Under 10: 1
   Free White Persons - Males - 10 thru 15: 2
   Free White Persons - Males - 16 thru 25: 3
   Free White Persons - Males - 45 and over: 1 [b. 1765 or before]
   Free White Persons - Females - Under 10: 1
   Free White Persons - Females - 10 thru 15: 1
   Free White Persons - Females - 45 and over : 1 [b. 1765 or before]
   Number of Household Members Under 16: 5
   Number of Household Members Over 25: 2
   Number of Household Members: 10