DUNCAN, John, widow Ann,
of Jackson Co. AL
Revolutionary War
Pension Applications
 

Revolutionary War Pensions, Bounty Land Warrant Application Files; National Archives Microfilm Publication, Microcopy 804, Roll 863 and 864 and 867
      Duncan, Alexander to Duncan, Jesse (FHL film 970,863; National Archives Roll 863)
      Duncan, John to Dungan, Thomas (FHL film 970,864; National Archives Roll 864)
      Dunikin to Dunlap (FHL film 970,867; National Archives Roll 867)
      Did not copy envelopes or most requests for copies of documents.
 

JOHN DUNCAN, widow Ann, R-3125, VA, SC, TN, KY, AL: (FHL film 970,864; National Archives Roll 864; much of this file has been transcribed by Sammie Duncan and shared with me)
      (No certificate of Pension issued)
      Letter from Pension Office, 2 Jany. 1834 requesting further information about service of John Duncan.
      Declaration of John (X) Duncan, (blank day and month) 1834, before Judge of Jackson Co. AL County Court; in order to obtain benefit of Act 7 June 1832; that early in 1776 he enlisted the service of the US under General Lincoln Colonel Thompson Major Perdue Capt. Hopkins, and served 18 months in Continental Service and was stationed near Savana at or near the high hills of Santee, and at the end of 18 months the time for which he enlisted he was discharged, and entered service again under General Morgan Col. Shelby and Capt. Small & volunteered in State of VA, marched from thence to the Cowpens in as he believes near the line dividing North and South Carolina and was in the Battle of the Cowpens under the above officers with the Britans under Tarlton in which he Tarlton was defeated, and was discharged after serving 6 months, and entered again under Col. Preston and Capt. Chadwell and marched to Parnse's? Fort and was there stationed and after serving 3 months was discharged again and entered again under Pickens Col. Anderson and Capt. Key as a volunteer and was in a battle with the Tories under Major Williams and Capt. Cornett was a private in each campaign. He resided in the district of Camblin SC when he entered service, he enlisted the first campaign and volunteered the other campaigns, he has no documentary evidence to show his service. I hereby relinquish every claim whatsoever to a pension or annuity except the present and declare that my name is not on the pension rolls of the agency of any state. Where and in what year was you born? I was born Pitsylvania Co. VA on 10 June 1755. Have you any record of your age and if so where is it? My age was in my Fathers Bible and the house got burned shortly after the war. Where were you living when called in to service, where have you lived since the rev. war, and where do you now live? I was living in Camblin Dist. SC when called into service, I lived in said District about ten after the war, then removed to East TN Hawkins Co., thence to Green now Adair Co. it being divided, thence to Jackson Co. AL where I now live. How were you called into service, were you drafted or did you volunteer or enlist? I enlisted for the first campaign of 18 months, the others I served as a volunteer. State the names of some of the regular officers who were with the troops where you served such continental and malitia redgments as you can recolect and the general circumstances of your service. General Lincoln, Col. Thompson, Capt. Hopkins & Major Perdue who were the officers of the 3rd Ridgment which I was in, the other officers were militia and the number of the ridgments I can not recolect; I was in the battle of the cowpens under General Morgan and Shelby and also I was in a battle with the Tories commanded by Major Williams and Capt. Cornett. I was under General Pickens, Col. Anderson and Capt. Key in which we defeated them; I was also in a small scrimag with the Tories 15 of us under Major Perdue and Lieut. Carson, we persued 13 of Tories having with them 5 stolen negroes and 10 horses and some bagage we killed 12 of them, the other escaped we retook the plunder and returned it to the owners; I have stated the most singular circumstances of my service. Did you ever receive a discharge from the service if so by whom was it given and where is it? I received a written discharges from above officers at the end of each term of service which was burned in my fathers house shortly after the war before I married. State the names of persons in your present neighbourhood who can testify as to your character for truth and honesty and good behaviour and your service in the revolution war. I am acquainted with Col. Samuel McDavid, Henery W. Roads Esqr., John Reed Esqr, Wm. Chambers and Capt. Thomas McKerby? who I believe would testify to the above.
         Certification 12 Feb. 1835; We Stephin (/s/ Steven) Donathan, a clergyman residing in Jackson Co. AL, and Jesse McElyea, both residing in the county not far from John Duncan, certify that we are acquainted with Duncan ..., that we believe him to be 79 years of age, that he is reputed and believed in his neighbourhood to have been soldier of Rev. war and a man of honesty and truth and we concur in the same opinion.
         Certification by court that they agree. Certification by county clerk, afixed my private seal there being no seal of office.
      Affidavit of Peter (X) Duncan and David Chadwell, 20 Feb. 1835, before Jesse McElyea, acting JP of Jackson Co. AL, that early in the year 1776 John Duncan entered service of US as private in Continental Service under Gen. Lincoln, Col. Thompson, Major Purdue, Capt. Hopkins, and served 18 months which was the term of his enlistment and which was discharged by said officers, and that he served other tours in the militia but the length nor names of his officers not known.
         Certifications about Clerk's seal.
      Letter to Pension office from John Duncan (signed), 11 Aug. 1835, Larkins Fork, Jackson, AL. I have just received a few lines directing me to send up my original declaration. Sir I can only reply by informing you that as the old had been sent back requesting only the clerk's official seal or the certificate of a congress member with proof of my service which I procured by it costing me a great deal of trouble, and their was not room on the old papers for the proof with the necessary certificates, therefour it was thought best by my council & the Judge of the court to lay the old papers aside and draw new in their place with paper sufficient for the required proof and a paper accompanying the old papers you directed me to send no unnecessary papers and we thought the old would be of no service and would be encumbering the mail. Therefore the old papers was left in the office where the new declaration was drew and they have been mislaid or destroyed so that we can not find them, but I hope when you weigh the case you will see that the old could be of no service as the new is in the exact words of the old with the adition only of the proof & certificates. Therefore you could receive no information from them but such as you can receive from the new it was the exact way that Lewis Clarks case was managed who lives in this part and he is drawing. Sir I would not wish nor expect my present situation to cause you to over reach your duty but I have been for many years unable to do my labour and have to be supported by the charity of my county which way of living you may expect dont go down well with a man that has suffered for liberty as I have when ample provision has been made for us by the general government. I shall expect if my new papers is found diferent that you will send them back for amendment. Yours &c. John Duncan (no indication he signed by mark; signature in same handwriting as letter)
      Letter from Pension Office, 3 Sept. 1835, to Mr. John Duncan, Larkins Fork, Alabama. Your claim has been examined and rejected, and the papers have been filed in this office. The rolls of the SC line for the period of the alleged service under Col. Thompson are complete and neither your name nor the name of either of your witnesses is found thereon. You cannot therefore have performed the alleged service. The militia volnd? to aid Genl. Morgan were in service less than 3 months and your alleged service in Perises? Fort was not of the character provided for by the act of 7 June 1832.
      Declaration of John (+) Duncan, 27 March 1843, before Jackson Co. AL County Court (from Sammie J. Duncan) (Pages numbered to page 6)
         DECLARATION In order to obtain the benefits of the Act of Congress passed June 7, 1832. On this 27th day of March 1843 personally appeared before me, Thompson M. Rector, Judge of the county court for said county of Jackson and state of Alabama, at the residence of Elijah Hansborough in said county John DUNCAN, a citizen of said county, who from extreme old age and bodily infirmity is unable to appear in open court, aged 87 years, who being duly sworn according to law, doth on this oath, make the following declaration in order to obtain the benefits of the Act of Congress passed June 7, 1832.
         That he entered the service of the United States, under the following named officers and served as herein stated. He volunteered or as he then supposed, enlisted under one Capt. John Dooley at a place called "Bachelors" Hall in Pittsylvania Co. VA. The said Dooley as the declarant now recollects, came to said county of Pittsylvania to raise Volunteers or enlist soldiers for the service of South Carolina. This was as this declarant now recollects in the month of May or June 1779. Though he cannot state positively as to time. The time for which the declarant entered the service at this time was twelve months. He was marched by said Dooley through the State of North Carolina passing through a little town called Sallesbury in North Carolina to district 96 in the state of South Carolina, where he was placed under the command of Col. Thompson. He remained with the Army in detached bodies of troops under various Captains, counteracing the smaller Parties of the British and Tories until his term of service expired. When he was discharged at a place called Winsboro, in the state of South Carolina. And in the summer or fall of the same year, cannot recollect the month, but thinks it was October 1780, he again volunteered or enlisted, he cannot recollect which, and joined the Army under one Capt. Gaine Harvey at a point near Augusta, though in the state of South Carolina under the command of one Col. Hammons, for a further term of twelve months. He remained with the Army or detachment of the same in the State of South Carolina, until this latter term of service expired, where he was again discharged at a place or Fort called 96 or within a few miles of the same. He was in a number of skermishes with the British and Tories during the terms of his said services but from the great length of time, his extreme age and consequent loss of memory, he is unable to relate these with percission, though he will mention some facts as they now recur to him which in chief, he declares to be true and which may to some extent corroborate this declaration.
         At or near a place called White Hall in the state of South Carolina while under Capt. Harvey and Leiu. James Corsey in company with Capt. Key and his company, we went to the house of a noted Tory by the name of Capt. Roberts whom we had taken prisoner the day before and who we had set at Liberty on terms of neutrality to see if any Tories were there and if so, to dishonor them and in the mean time intending to get our breakfast. Our troops approached the house from different directions. Capt. Harvey and his command taking one route and Capt. Key and his command another. This declarant was of the party of Capt. Key. When getting to the house of said Roberts, we saw no Tories. We lit from our horses and went in. We saw a beef, which was being slaughtered which was well understood by our commanders to be preparation for the Tories. Our Capt. asked Mrs. Roberts if we could get breakfast, she replied, yes, before you (meaning us) wanted it perhaps. This was a caution or cause to suspect danger. We then made for our horses where we were waylayed by a band of Tories. One of our men killed and six wounded. Capt. Harvey and his company being on the opposite side, came to assistance, where after a severe conflict, the Tories under their Officers Majr. Williams and Capt. Cornett were repulsed. Capt. Harvey was shot through both thighs and in the shoulder. This declarant was afterwards sent with Capt. Harvey and his declarants brother who was also wounded, to a place for the sick at the house of a widow Lady by the name of Manfiss, as an attendant upon them. This was near the close or expiration of his second term of service and at this same place for the sick, were a number of the wounded from the Battle of the Eutaw Springs.
         When he first entered the service in the State of Virginia he marched to South Carolina on foot, where he was mounted and served as a mounted man during each term of his service. He was doing different times of said terms of service with many officers, some of whom he can recollect. Col. Shelby, Col. Cambell, Col. Hughs, Majr. Fields Perdew, Major Tutt, Col. Pervis. He was with Col. Shelby, Col. Clark, and Major Smith. The latter of whom was killed at a skirmish we had with the British and Tories at Ransawers Mill, where the Tory commander Iverlak was taken prisoner and one of the Americans, a true whig by the name of Cobb shot him and pretended it was accidental.
         Declarant states positively that he served in the two terms by him before mentioned two entire years in the War of the Revolution and thinks the time he first entered the service was in May 1779 & in May or June 1780 was discharged at Winnsboro in the state of South Carolina. Re-entered the service for another term of twelve months in the month of Oct. 1780 and served the entire term and was regularly discharged at a place or near a place called 96. He has no documentary evidence at this time of his said term of service. His discharges were burnt in the house of his brother Peter Duncan which was consumed by fire about 47 years ago in the county of Hawkins in East Tennessee. His said discharge being there in the possession of his declarant mother who lived with his said brother Peter and that he knows of no person living by whom he can prove his said service, except his said brother Peter Duncan who now resides in Marshall county Ala., who was of age suffient to recollect the same & by whom declarant can also prove the loss of his said discharges as above stated.
         Declarant states that in both of his said entire terms of service, he acted as a private soldier and during said entire terms of his said service, he was not employed in any cicil pursuit. Declarant states that in 1818 when he resided in Adair Co. KY, he made some exertions to obtain Pension & in 1826 in this State and county he also made an attempt to obtain the same & in the year 1832 or 1833, he made another attempt, this later attempt was also made in this county and state, in neither of the said attempts was he ever properly qualified neither does he know or believe his said declarations were ever properly authenticated or ever sent to the proper department.
         He hereby relinquishes every claim whatever to a pension or annuity except the present, and declares that his name is not on the pension Roll of the agency of any State. /s/ John (X) Duncan. Sworn to & subscribed before me the day & year first herein mentioned being the 27th March 1843. Thompson M. Rector, Judge of the County Court of Jackson County, Alabama.
      (MAD: No page found numbered 7, this may be the page of interrogations from Sammie J. Duncan dated 27 March 1843.)
         INTERROGATIONS (1) Where and in what year were you born? ANS: In Pittsylvania County in the State of Virginia, do not know what year, but think it was in the year A.D. 1756. (2) Have you any record of your age and if so where is it? ANS: I never had any record of my age. (3) Where were you living when called into the service; Where have you lived since the Revolutionary war; and where do you now reside? ANS: I lived when called into the service in Pittsylvania County Va. When or shortly after the Revolution I settled in Chester Co. SC, where I remained about ten years. Thence to Hawkins Co. East TN where I remained about eight or nine years. Thence I removed to Adair Co. KY where I remained about twenty years. Thence I removed to this Jackson Co. AL the neighborhood where I have resided for upwards of twenty years. (4) How were you called into the service; were you drafted, did you volunteer or were you a substitute; and if a substitute, for whom? ANS: On entering the first term of my service, I volunteered or enlisted as stated in my declaration here prefixed, and on entering my second term of service, I was a volunteer or enlisted, he can not recollect which. (5) State the names of some of the regular Officers who were with the troops where you served, such continental and Milita Regiments as you recollect and the general circumstances of your service. ANS: Shelby, Campbell, Perdue, Col. Hanseing, Col. Hammons, Col. Thompson, Major Tutt, Col. Anderson, Capt. John Dooley, Capt. Gaine Harvey, Capt. Key, Col. Pervis. Supposes they were Militia Officers. His service consisted chiefly in doing duty as a soldier in what was then called scouting parties to do which or all other duties as a soldier. He was either actively engaged or in constant readiness. (6) Did you ever receive a discharge from the service, and if so, by whom was it given, and what has become of it? ANS: He received two discharges one from each term of his said service. He does not recollect who signed them but thinks they were signed by Capt. Hopkins or Pervis or perhaps both. He can not read nor write. (7) State the names of persons to whom you are known in your present neighborhood & who can testify as to your character for veracity & their belief of your service as a soldier of the Revolution. ANS: Gen. Joseph P. Frazier, Col. Absalon Coffee, Thomas Wilson, Greenbury Middleton, Alva Finley and many others (and not of the same neighborhood) Clement C. Clay. /s/ John (X) Duncan; Sworn to & subscribed before me this 27th day of March 1843. Thompson M. Rector, Judge of the County Court for Jackson County Alabama.
      Deposition of Peter (+) Duncan, 8 April 1843, before Jackson Co. AL court. Resident of Marshall Co. AL; the application of John Duncan for a pension; that Peter Duncan is the brother of the whole blood to John Duncan and that he is aged about 77 years; that he has no documentary evidence of his sworn age, the register containing the ages of himself & family & also of the family of his father was burnt in Deponents house about 47 or 48 years ago in Hawkins Co. TN, and though wholly illiterate he recollects entirely? to have seen and heard read the two discharges of his said brother John Duncan, that they were each for one years' service, and that they were consumed by fire in the manner as stated by John Duncan; also Deponent well recollects that his brother John was in the army & joined the Army of the Revolution about the time he states and at the place he states, & that John Duncan was absent between 2 & 3 years & when he returned from the army he brot with him his discharges which were each for one year, & which were consumed by fire as John states in his declaration in deponents house in Hawkins Co. TN about 47 or 48 years ago. Deponent was about 10 or 11 years of age when his brother John entered the service of the US & he thinks about 13 years of age when he returned from the army. Deponent knows that in early life it was known by the community generally and not disputed? by any that John Duncan was a soldier of the revolution and served as he stated. (pages numbered 8 and 9, but blotted)
      Deposition of Greenbury (X) Middleton, 27? (29?) March 1843; age about 68 years, citizen of said county; he became acquainted with John Duncan about 40 years ago in Adair Co. KY; that during all this time he has been well acquainted with John Duncan and known him during said period of 40 years to have bourn the character of an honest good citizen; & that during all that period of time he, Middleton, knows that Duncan has been reputed & believed to have been a soldier of the Rev. and that in the earliest part of his acquaintance with Duncan, he has heard the Rev. Soldier declare & offtin speak of him, Duncan, as a Rev. soldier, & that they knew him in the time of the revolution & that this deponent fully concurs in that opinion. (page numbered 10)
      Deposition of Absalom Coffee, 28 March 1843, citizen of Jackson Co. AL, aged about 55 years; he has been personally and well acquainted with John Duncan for more than 20 years and that he has all that time to deponent's knowledge bourne the character & reputation of having been a soldier in the War of the Rev., that in the earliest part of his acquaintance with Duncan, he then heard other Rev. Soldiers say (who are now dead) that they knew him, Duncan, and were with him in the War of the Rev. & that they knew him while in the service to have been a true Whig & a brave soldier, and Deponent of his own knowledge knows that Duncan for more than 30 years has bourne the character of (blotted) an honest man & that now & for a number of years past said Duncan & his aged wife have been entirely helpless & wholly destitute in a pecuniary point of view. Deponent states his full belief that Duncan served as he states in his annexed declaration. (page numbered 11)
      Certificate of two neighbors, 8 April 1843, we, Daniel M. Martin and Philip H. Armbruster, residing in the neighborhood of John Duncan in Jackson Co. AL, certify that we are well acquainted with John Duncan who has subscribed and sworn to the annexed and foregoing declaration; that we believe him to be 87 years old; that he is reputed and believed in the neighborhood where he resides to have been a soldier of the revolution and that we concur in that opinion. (page numbered 12)
      Certificate of the Court, 8 April 1843. Certify & declare their opinion, after investigation of the matter and after putting the annexed interrogatories, which were signed ... by John Duncan as prescribed by the war department, that John Duncan was a Rev. soldier & served as he states & that from old age & infirmity he is unable to appear in Open Court, being wholly unable to walk without the aid of crutches and even then with much difficulty; that he is very poor and supported entirely by his children; and the court further certifies that there is no resident minister of the gospel in the immediate neighborhood of John Duncan, and the court further certies that it appears to them that Daniel M. Martin and Philip Henry Armbruster who have signed the preceeding certificates are resident citizens in Jackson Co. AL and that they are among the first & early settlers in said county, and that Greenberry Middleton & Absalom Coffey whose depositions are hereto attached are citizens of said county & state & that the deposition of Peter Duncan also hereto attached is a citizen of Marshall Co. AL, and that they are all credible persons & that their statements are, each, entitled to credit. (page numbered 13)
      Final Certificate of the Clerk, Jackson Co. AL, 15 April 1843 ... that the foregoing 16 pages contain the original proceedings in the matter of the Application of John Duncan for a pension, ... (page numbered 14?)
      Transmittal letter 1 May 1843 from R. Chapman, Jonesville?, AL. I beg leave to send you the declaration of John Duncan of Jackson Co. AL for a pension. I have added my certificate at the request of E. ??? whom I recd. the enclosed sheets as to the official character of the judges & clerk but as the seal of the court is attached, I presume it was unnecessary. I am also personally acquainted with most of the witnesses who have testified in behalf of the the applicant and believe they are reputable & entitled to credit.
      Letter from Pension Office, 7 June 1843, to Hon. Reuben Chapman, Lomerville? AL. I have the honor to inform you that the claim of John Duncan reported? for the first time has been examined & his papers filed. The narrative of his first term of service is obscure & omissive upon important points. He states that he was enlisted in Pittsylvania Co. VA in 79 for 12 mo. by Capt. John Dooly who came to that county to raise men to serve in 5th Co? (Va?), marched to SC, and was placed under Col. Thompson & served under various Captains till his time expired. To what state did Capt. Dooly belong? What Capt. or Capts. did he serve under? To what state did Col. Thompson belong? Was he an officer of the militia or regular army? are questions which should be answered on oath by claimant to supply the defects of his statement of the first term. With the respect to the other term of 12 mo. from fall of 1780 under Capt. Game? Harvey Col. Hammond in SC, the Dept. has no information of such a term of service in the militia & would infer from the names of his officers that it could not have been rendered in the Line of that State. He will be required to adduce the certificate of the Comptr. Gen. of S.C. shewing distinctly whether his records afford any evidence which other confirms or discredits the service of the claimant or of the officers named by him.
      Amended Declaration of John (X) Duncan, 30 Sept. 1843, of Jackson Co. AL, before JP; amendments to his declaration lately, in March of April 1843, made by him in order to obtain benefit of Act 7 June 1832; John Duncan wholly unable to appear in open court caused by bodily infirmity & advanced age, aged now about 88 years; Capt. Dooly informed his men (according to declarants recollection) that he resided in the State of GA but was at that time from SC; he was placed by said Dooly under one Capt. Hopkins who he thinks was a regular officer & who was as this declarant recollects afterwards made Col. Col. Thompson was to the best of declarants recollection of the regular army and belonged to SC. He does not recollect the names of the other Capts. under whom he was detached during his first years service. Col. Thompson was a regular officer he thinks. As to the declarants second term of service he only knows that he served as he states 12 months, principly under Capt. James Harvey? & Col. Housmons?; he does not now recollect whether they were militia, officers of the line of the State of SC, or whether they were regular officers. Such information as declarant can get from the office of the Comptroller of SC on this subject will be (blotted).
      Letter from Pension Office, 2 Jany. '44, to Hon. R. Chapman, H.R. I have the honor to inform you that the amended declaration of John Duncan has been examined & filed with his other papers. His statements are calculated to throw a doubt over his whole claim. The service to say the least is not consistent with any knowledge of this Dept. or such as has hitherto been claimed for. He should establish the service as required by my letter to you of 17 June last.
      Statement by William Duncan, 9 June 1854 before Jackson Co. AL JP; resident of Jackson Co. AL, who executed the foregoing power of attorney (MAD: not among papers I copied), that he is directly interested in said claim, and makes this affidavit to be filed with such additional evidence or arguments as my said attorney may use in prosecuting said claim.
      Statement by Absalum Coffey and Jane (+) Coffey, 17 August 1854, before Jackson Co. AL JP; Absalom Coffey and Jane Coffey his wife who is a granddaughter of John Duncan decd. late of Jackson Co. AL, appoint Charles C. Tucker of Washington City D.C. our attorney to prosecute the claim of John Duncan for any amount of (blotted) pension ... Wit. Georg W. Burous, David Jones.
      Declaration of Absalom Coffee, 16 May 1857, before Probate Court of Jackson Co. AL; Absalom Coffee, resident of said county & administrator on estate of John Duncan decd. late of County aforesaid; that John Duncan decd. was an applicant for a pension under Act 7 June 1832 and that he never obtained the same; he therefore makes this declaration for the purpose of obtaining the amount of pension which accrued to him John Duncan and also the amount of Pension which accrued to his widow Ann Duncan under Act 7 July 1838, for the use and benefit of the heirs of John Duncan and his wife Ann Duncan; that John Duncan departed this life in Jackson Co. AL on the 3rd or 4th day of May 1844, leaving surviving him Ann Duncan his lawful widow and relict, and that she also departed this life in Jackson Co. on 23 Nov. 1846, leaving surviving her David Duncan, Robert Duncan and Peter Duncan her only legal heirs and representatives as children, but since her death David and Robert are both dead, they also had other children not above named but all of whom died before John Duncan and his wife Ann did, and that their children are now all dead except Peter Duncan, he being the only surviving child of the deceased soldier and his widow or either of them; the marriage of John Duncan to his wife Ann took place in South Carolina about the year 1780 or 81, as he has learned from their own statements to him made while they were living and from their own statements to him made their oldest child if living now would be about 74 or 5 years of age.
      Certification by Judge of Jackson Co. AL Probate Court, 16 May 1857; that it has been made to appear to my satisfaction from the oaths of Elijah B. Liggin and Absalom Coffee, both of whom are highly respectable citizens of this county, that John Duncan formally a resident of this county who was an applicant for a pension on account of his services in the War of the Rev., departed this life in Jackson Co. on 3 or 4 May 1844; that he left surviving him Ann Duncan his lawful widow and relict to whom he was married in State of SC about the year 1780 or 81, and that Ann Duncan also departed this life in Jackson Co. on 23 Nov. 1846, leaving surviving her David Duncan, Robert Duncan and Peter Duncan his only surviving children, but that since the death of Ann, David Duncan and Robert Duncan have both died, leaving Peter Duncan the only surviving child of the soldier and his widow.
      Transcript certified 25 May 1857 by Judge of Probate Court of Jackson Co. AL; of Probate Court proceedings 16 May 1857; Absolem Coffey applied for letters of administration on Estate of John Duncan decd; it appearing to satisfaction of court that he is a proper person to administer the estate; ordered that letters of administration issue to Coffey. Letters of administration granted 16 May 1857; bond of Absolam Coffee as principal and E.B. Liggan and S.W. Davidson as securities, for administration of estate of John Duncan decd.
      Transmittal letter 29 May 1857, from Elisha King, Adairsville, GA. Enclosed please find the application of the Admr. of John Duncan for the amount of pension which accrued and fell due his intestate under Act 7 June 1832. Please inform me at once if not inconsistent with your custom what the objections heretofore have been to the allowance of the claim.
      Letter from Pension Office, 10 June 1857, to Elisha King. There are two respected? claims upon an Alabama files under the Act 7 June 1832 from parties named John Duncan settg? they were residents of Jackson Co. when they made their declarations. If you will state where the John Duncan represented by you resided when he entered the service, I will be enabled to reply with the request contained in your letter of the 27th ult.
      Letter from Elisha King, 22 July 1857. In reply to your favour of 10th June Ult. on the subject of the claim of John Duncan of Alabama for Pension under act of 7 June 1832. On the 18th I stated that the John Duncan whom I represent entered the service in SC, the District in which he resided when he entered the service his representatives cannot give but they think it was Camden District. They say they do not know that he entered the service in that District but he lived in that district immediately after the war as they understand it. To my letter of the 18th I have received no reply. I hope you will give the subject your attention.
      Statement by W.R. Gluntt?, Dept. Comp. Genl, Columbia, SC, 25 July 1857, certifying (following) is true copy from Indent and account No. 84, Book R.:
         Issued 9 May 1785 to Mr. John Dunkin Senr. for 37 lbs 11 shillings and 5 pence sterling for 526 days duty in the Militia in 1781 & 1782 as per account audited.
         State of SC to John Dunkin, Dr. April 2, 1781, to 280 days duty at 10 shillings per day; Feb. 5, 1782, to 246 days duty at 10 shillings per day; certified by Anderson Thomas, Capt.
         Before D. Hopkins, JP, Camden Dist. SC, 3 June 1784, appeared John Dunkin and made oath that the above duty charged of 526 days has been justly performed and that he has never received any pay for the same.
         Broad River, 14 Sept. 1784. Gentlemen. Please to deliver to Col. David Hopkins such Indent or Indents as may appear to be due to me from the State of South Carolina or from the United States, and this be your sufficient receipt for the same. John Dunkin. Witness Amos Davis, JP.
      Transmittal letter 10 Aug. 1857, from Elisha King, Adairsville, GA. Enclosed you have the certificate of Compt. Genl. of SC showing service rendered by John Duncan in the War of the Rev. which is offered in support of a claim for pension under Act 7 June 1832, as asserted by the said John Duncan in his lifetime from Jackson Co. AL and which has been recently reknewed by Absolem Coffee his admr. from the same county. This claim was suspended for want of proof from the SC records, which proof is now presented, and the Administrator is under the impression that the claimant Mr. Dunkin procured the Affidavit of John Jackson and possibly of Aaron Woosley in support of his claim. I hope this is so and that this claim will now be amply & satisfactorily established, and that you will be pleased to grant an allowance according to the record. I also send a transcript of the record of the appointment of Mr. Absolom Coffee as Admr. a copy of his bond &c. When I presented the Admr. Declaration in this case you called on me to know where the John Duncan I represented entered the service upon which I immediately informed you that he entered the service in SC & to this I recd. no reply, and on 23rd Ult. I wrote again & have still recd. no reply. I therefore go on to forward the proof hoping and believing it will so coroborate the facts on file as to satisfy you of the justice of the claim.
      Letter from Pension Office, 18 Aug. 1857, to Elisha King, Adairsville, GA. I have examined the Certificate of the Comptroller of SC which shows a record of 526 days in the Rev. Army of "John Dunkin Sr." This could not have been the man who in the name of "John Duncan" applied for pension from Jackson Co. AL in 1833 and again in 1844. That man was born in 1755, and was consequently but 26 years old when the certified service was performed. It is proper to add that a question is now before the attorney general involving the relative rights of children and grand children of rev. soldiers, and until it is decided claims of this description must remain suspended.
      Letter from Pension Office, 7 May 1860, to J.R. Rogers, Esqr., Washington, D.C. In response to the inquiries contained in the inclosed letter of Mr. Brewer, you are respectfully informed that John Duncan was not a pensioner of the US. He made application in 1833 but his claim was rejected on the ground that he did not perform a sufficiency of service in the Rev. War to entitle him to an allowance. The claim could not, however, be now recovered, even if additional evidence of service could be procured. Children of revolutionary soldiers cannot establish and secure such claims. They were? with the soldier and his widow. ....
 

Adair Co. KY Court Order Book D (FHL film 829,849)
      D-216 to 217: Court Tuesday, 6 Feb. 1821; On this 6th day of February 1821 personally appeared in open Court being a court of record proceeding according to the course of the common law for the said County, John Duncan aged about 66 years resident in said County, who being first duly sworn according to law, doth on his oath declare that he served in the revolutionary war, as stated in his original declaration of the 5th of October 1818 and his additional declaration of the 4th of October 1819 hereto annexed, that he has received no pension from the government.
            I do solemnly swear that I was a resident citizen of the United States on the 13th day of March 1818 and that I have not since that time by gift sale or in any manner disposed of my property, or any part thereof, with intent thereby so to diminish it as to bring myself within the provisions 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. John Duncan.
            To wit, one horse beast worth $20 and no more; one cow & calf worth $10 and no more; one sow and pigs worth $4 and no more; one oven & kettle and other articles of furniture worth $10 and no more, amounting in the whole to $44. His occupation is a tiller of the ground and he is illy able to pursue it. His wife is about 48 years of age named Ann, sickly & unable to labour, subject to various complaints, he has residing with him one daughter named Nancy about 18 years of age, one son about 17 years of age "named named" David, one daughter named Cassey about 13 years of age, one son named Peter about 12 years of age, one daughter named Polly about 8 years of age. John Duncan.
            It is the opinion of the court that the total amount in value of the property exhibited in the aforesaid schedule is $44.
 

END

 
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