Person:William Royal (8)

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. :

Royal, William - entered service as Captain in Virginia line & ended Revolutionary War as Major; granted Virginia Bounty Land Warrant issued 1/21/1815, married 11/18/1797 to Ann/Anne Newport, Botetourt County, Virginia; widow granted Pension at abt. age 79 in Washington, D.C. in 1848, she having previously applied for Pension but Pension application was rejected, since earlier pension laws barred pensions for widows who married Revolutionary War soldiers after 1794. F-8566, R2095.

Will Transcript

In the Name of God Amen

i William Royall of Monroe County Do make & ordain this my last Will & Testament in manner and form following Viz.

I give unto my wife Ann the use of all my Estate both Real & personal (Except One Tract of Land) during her Widdowhood.

I also give unto Ann Malvina Cowan when she comes of age Eighteen one bed & furniture, One Cow and Calf & One Tract of land lying and being at the mouth of Elk River as __ patent bearing date &c. ____ pound in the County of Dennahway* or Four hundred in lieu thereof if she Chuses to her & her heirs forever.

After my wifes decease I give all my Estate unto William Archer son of John Archer to him & his heirs forever.

That my lands or so much of them will discharge all my Debts be sold for that purpose.

I do appoint my Wife Ann Royall Executrix & William Archer Executor of this my last Will & Testament revoking all others dated this 4th day of Novr. Eighteen hundred & Eight.

[Signed] W. Royall [Seal]

Signed &c in presence of

James Wiley

Mary Butler?

At Monroe March Court 1813

This last will and Testament of William Royall dec'd was proven in Court by James Wylie & Mary Butler witnesses thereto and is ordered to be Recorded And on the motion of Ann Royall Executrix named in the said Will who made ^oath and entered into Bond with security in the penalty of Nine thousand Dollars conditioned as the Law directs certificate is granted for her obtaining probat thereof in due form (it appearing to the Satisfaction of that William S. Archer Executor named in the Will aforesaid), refuses to take upon himself the burthen of the Execution thereof.

A Copy Test. Isaac Rutheson C.M.C.

• Note: there is no "Dennahway" County in the area, but there is an Elk River that runs through Kanawha, Pocahontas, Randolph, Webster, Braxton and Clay Counties in current West Virginia, which appears to be the likely river referenced in the will listed above.

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

   Pension Application of William Royall W8566 Anne Royall VA
   Transcribed and annotated by C. Leon Harris. Revised 25 Apr 2015.
   
   [The following are from the bounty-warrant papers in the Library of Virginia:]
   I certify that William Royall was a Captain in the 2ndVirginia regiment on continental establishment I knew him in service in the year 76 and I know he was in command to the Northward and I believe in most most of the war perhaps the whole war but of this I am not certain.
   Given under my hand this ninth day of October eighteen hundred & eight.
   John Bell [pension application X943], 1stLieut in the Sixth virg’a Regt
   Signed in presence of us. Edw’d. Adams/ Elijah Folkes/ Rarley Vaughan
   
   I do hereby Certify that William Royall was a Captain in the revolutionary army of the united States I knew Him in Service about the year 1777 or 78 tho’ He might have been in earlier and I believe was, but I cannot speak with certainty not having been intimately acquainted with him sooner but He continued in service untill the end of the war. Given under my hand this [?]st day of august 1808.
   C Minnis [Callohill Minnis] Captain in the 1stVirginia Regiment
   
   [From Library of Virginia Legislative Petitions Digital Collection/ Monroe County]
   
   The Honourable Speaker and Gentlemen of the House of Delegates of Virginia
   The Memorial of William Royal of the County of Monroe; residing near the Sweet Springs, most
   respectfully represents to your honable House that in the late Revolutionary War he actually served seven years, during which time he defrayed his own expenses, for which he has received no retribution; that for the greater part of the abovementioned time he was entitled to seven rations per day, on account of the different posts which he filled, as Judge Advocate to the Regiment, Judge Advocate to the Brigade, as well acting as Pay-master to each of those Corps – as also bearing a Captain’s commission in the Continental Army. That he brought a company of men from Hillsborough in North Carolina to Prince Edward County in Virginia, and that too at his own expense And your Memorialist further states that whilst he was in the Army, and upon duty, he was ordered by the then Commander to wit – the Marquis de laFayette, to remove the American horses, and so secure them if possible from the depredations of the British Army; that although the best exertions on
   the part of your Memorialist to accomplish the requisition made by the s’d commander, yet so it unfortunately happened, that they unavoidably fell into the hands of the enemy – and he himself in a manner surrounded by them, so that with much danger and difficulty, he effected his escape with only one horse, which was afterwards delivered by him to the Quarter Master, being first duly appraised according to orders. That your Memorialist thought himself exonerated as to that matter, but so it was that Edward Ruffin[?] the owner of the horse brought suit against him a few years ago for the s’d horse and your memorialist in the [undeciphered word] of that suit was subjected to, and did actually pay one hundred pounds, this too, was unavoidable on the part of your memorialist, for he had employed able counsel to defend him against s’d suit, to wit Mr Wm B. Giles [William Branch Giles, later Governor of Virginia], but unfortunately for your memorialist the indisposition of his counsel at the time of the trial prevented him from attending to the proper defence so that your memorialist remained in a manner undefended and of course he was unjustly cast.
   Your memorialist cherishing the fond hope that should the utmost spirit of enquiry go forward it will be found upon investigation that his best exertions, zeal and patriotism, were exercised in promoting the great cause of his country; for all which he has in a manner received little, or no remuneration; that although his present claim has lain dormant for upwards of thirty years, yet he humbly trusts that that lapse of time will rather tend to augment, than impair the justice of his claim. Nor should it ever have been exhibited upon any public stage, had the circumstances of your memorialist continued to him in the same manner that they were at the conclusion of the Revolutionary War, but so it is may it please your honorable house, that it has pleased Divine Providence to afflict your memorialist with debility and sickness – which with a consideration of untoward circumstances in this his grand climacteric of life, has in some measure already, and may without the timely interposition of your honorable house reduce him to abject penury and want. That your memorialist means not to detail not[?] to your honorable house all the circumstances that relate to his situation in life; but to supply any deficiency from such credible proofs as at this distant period of time can be brought forward to support the justice of his claims. That your memorialist thinks himself within just limits when he expresses and declares that his claim at this day would certainly amount to more than two thousand dollars – yet he is willing to accept of such part thereof as may in the wisdom and justice of your honorable house be deemed right to extend to him, or such further and other relief as your honorable house may think proper to devise.
   And your Memorialist as in duty bound will pray Ann Royall in behalf of Wm Royall
   Virginia – Nov’br 29th 1812
   Memorial of Major Wm Royall Dec’r 14th 1812 ref’d to Claims
   Rejected Jan’y. 1st 1813
   
   [The following are from the federal pension file.]
   Washington D.C. Decr 30th 1839
   Hon J. Q. Adams [former President John Quincy Adams, Member of Congress]
   Most valued friend Once more I trouble you with a petition to congress! To you who have known me since the first week I came to this city it must be painful to see my unsuccessful, but [illegible word] struggles to obtain my money from congress! whilst millions of dollars are session after session appropriated for other uses of doubtful utility I have the honor to be/ your grateful friend &c
   NB I should be happy if convenient to you sir, to let the petition be the first offerd this morning
   [Signed] A.R [Anne Royall]
   
   General Land Office/ March 3d 1840.
   Madam [“Mrs. Anne Royal”] In answer to your note of yesterday I have to inform you, that it does not appear from the Records of this Office that any Patent was ever granted to your deceased husband William Royal for his Military services in the Revolutionary War.
   It however appears that he was entitled to 4889 acres under the laws of Virginia for his services as a Captain in the Virginia Line on Continental Establishment and that a warrant issued for the same on the 21st of January 1815 for that quantity to him and Benjamin W Ladd, the one half in his own right, and the other half to said Ladd as his assignee.
   In 1816 Locations and Surveys were made in his name on said Warrant in the Virginia
   Reservation Ohio, to the full amount of his interest in said Warrant being 2444½ acres, 2040 acres of which were patented on the 16th July 1819 to Thomas Gwynne and William Renick as tenants in common, and 404½ acres to Cadwallader Wallace, as assignees of Anne Royal Executrix of the Last Will and Testament of the said William Royal dec’d., and also as assignee of Wm S. Archer devisee of the said William Royal deceased.
   Very Resp’y, Your Ob’t Ser’t/ Jas. Whitcomb/ Commissioner
   Hon Hugh A. Garland CHR [Clerk of the House of Representatives; no date]
   
   Will you Dear Sir have the goodness to dispose of my claim as you may see by the enclosed note is at your disposal Why it was not put on the Calendar I cannot imagine & more surpriseing still that Mr. [John] Taliaferro did not apprize me of its backward state Shall send some of the members to you to see about the matter early in the morng
   I have the honor to be &c
   [Signed] Anne Royall
   
   To the Honorable the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled:
   The petition of Anne Royall showing that she is the widow of Major William Royall, deceased,
   who served during the whole period of the Revolutionary War. He went in a Captain with his own company and came out a Major, for which he never received one cent and bore his own expinses.
   Your petitioner humbly prays your honorable body to grant a pension in lieu thereof and your petitioner will ever pray
   Washington City D.C.
   Dec’r 23d 1841
   [Signed] Anne Royall
   
   WIDOW OF CAPTAIN WILLIAM ROYALL, DECEASED.
   To accompany bill H.R. No. 450./ MAY 26, 1842.
   
   Mr. FORNANCE, from the Committee on Revolutionary Pensions, submitted the following REPORT:
   
   The Committee on Revolutionary Pensions, to whom was referred the petition of Anne Royall, report:
   That the committee have carefully examined the claim of the petitioner, who is the widow of
   Major William Royall, an officer in the army of the Revolution. This claim, with all the papers and evidence, has been before Congress for some years, and has been reported against several times. At the 26th Congress there was an adverse report; and at the 25th Congress, Mr. Bond, from the Committee on Revolutionary Pensions, reported that “the evidence submitted to the committee fully establishes the alleged service of the said William Royall, and it is satisfactorily proved that the petitioner is the widow.
   The marriage of the parties, however, was not solemnized until the month of November, 1797, and consequently is not embraced within the provisions of the present pension laws, which do not include cases of marriage after 1794. The committee deem it inexpedient to extend the provisions of the laws thus referred to, and therefore report against the prayer of the petitioner.”
   Notwithstanding these adverse reports, the fact has ever been admitted that William Royall
   served as a captain in the revolutionary war, suffering many privations without compensation; that the petitioner was married to him previous to the year 1798, and that she is now his widow: and, as there are now many application to extend the pension laws with reference to widows who married previous to 1798, as also to soldiers who served between the years 1783 and 1798, this committee, for the purpose of obtaining the opinion of the House, report a bill granting to Anne Royall a half-pay for ten years.
   
   IN SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES.
   JANUARY 20, 1843./ Ordered to be printed.–To accompany bill H.R. 450.
   
   Mr. PHELPS made the following REPORT:
   
   The Committee on Pensions, to whom was referred the bill for the relief of the widow of Captain William Royal, deceased, report:
   
   The purpose of this bill is to grant a pension to Anne Royal, the widow of said William. His
   services are sufficiently established, as is the fact that Anne Royal is his widow. But their marriage was not solemnized until the month of November, 1797. Here case, therefore, is not within the provision of any law allowing pensions to the widows of revolutionary officers.
   No reason is shown to the committee for placing this case upon a different footing from others of a similar character. Should it be deemed expedient to extend the allowance of pensions to widows whose marriage took place as late as 1797, the case of Mrs. Royal would be thus provided for; but if such should not be the sense of Congress, the committee could not recommend the establishment of a precedent which would subject Congress to the inconvenience of introducing a new class of cases for special legislation.
   In all events the action of Congress should be, in the opinion of the Committee, uniform in
   respect to these cases; and unless they are prepared to extend the pension system, by a general rule, available to all who may be similarly situated, the committee can not advise its extension in particular cases as a matter of special favor or partiality. They therefore recommend that the bill be indefinitely postponed.
   To the Honorable the Senate and House of Represenatives of the United States of America in
   Congress assembled. the petition of Anne Royall, humbly showing, that your Petitioner is the Widow of William Royall deceased, who served as a Captain during the whole of the Revolutionary War, at his own expences. That he never received a dollar in Compensation for his Services. That your Petitioner being now aged and destitute She humbly prayes your Honorable Body to allow her a pension, or grant her what other and farther relief your Honorable body may deem proper. and your Petitioner will ever pray. Dec 19th 1844
   [signed] Anne Royall
   
   To the Honorable the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress Assembled,
   The Petition of Anne Royall humbly sheweth, that she is the widow of William Royall, deceased, a Revolutionary Officer, of the American army, and served during the war of said Revolution without any compensation, for whose meritorious and gallant services the petitioner now claims a pension, and hopes that a bill may be passed by your honorable bodies for her relief, [the neat handwriting up to this point changes] She being Aghed & indigent & your petitioner shall ever pray
   December 27 th 1845.
   [signed] Anne Royall
   Dist of Columbia }
   Washington County }
   
   On this eighth day of September 1848 personally appeared before T. Hartley Crawford Judge of
   the Criminal Court of the District of Columbia Mrs Anna Royal a resident of Washington City in the District of Columbia aged 79 years who being first duly sworn according to law doth on her oath make the following declaration in order to obtain the benefits of the provision made by the act of Congress passed on the 2d of February 1848 granting pensions to widows of persons who served during the revolutionary war. That she is the widow of William Royal who was a Captain in the Virginia Line. She further declares that she is still a widow.
   [signed] Anne Royall
   
   NOTES: There are other petitions in the file that add no new detail.
   
   In the file is a copy of the following record:
   Married in the County of Botetourt by the Rev’d. Wm. P Martin on the 18th day of November 1797
   William Royal to Ann Newport as per Certificate of said Martin dated the 4th of May 1798.
   Anne Royall (11 Jun 1769 - 1 Oct 1854) was a noted writer often said to be the first professional woman journalist in the United States.
   
   https://revwarapps.org/w8566.pdf

2. ↑ American Genealogical - Biographical Index. (Middletown, Middlesex, Connecticut, United States|Middletown, Connecticut: Godfrey Memorial Library).

   Name William Royall
   Birth Date 1750-1759
   Birth Place Virginia, USA
   Volume 150
   Page number 297
   Reference Heads of Fams. At the First U.s. Census. Va. By U.s. Bureau of the Census. Washington, 1908. (189p.):11, 23, 82, 87

3. ↑ Ancestry.com. Public Member Trees: (Note: not considered a reliable primary source).

   https://www.ancestry.com/family-tree/person/tree/26306144/person/13919029485/facts