Pension Info on Benjamin Ethell from Kentucky

[Note: the following transcriptions were provided by Bert Paredes]

State of Kentucky
Clarke Circuit Sct

On this 15 day of July 1820 personally appeared in open court being a court of record (expressly made up by the laws of the State of Kentucky which created it) for the said Circuit Benjamin Ethell sometimes called Athel aged sixty three years resident in Clarke County in said circuit who being first duly sworn according to law doth on his oath declare that he served in the revoluntary war as follows. He was enlisted on the 28th of March 1777. He was some time in Capt Francis Willes' company and afterwards belonged to Capt Nathaniel Mitchell's company and acted as corporel in both companies - He belonged all the time to the 16th Virginia Regiment in the continental establishment commanded by Col. William Grayson a while and afterwards he thinks by Col. Cox in the Brigade commanded by Brigadier Gen. Charles (?). The Division was commanded by Major General Stephens at first and afterwards by the Marquis dela Fayette. He served out the full term of three years, the time for which he was enlisted. He was in the battle of Monmouth and also that of Stony Point. He made his original declaration on the 31st of August 1818 but he has never yet received any pension which statement is annexed to this with the proofs therein taken. And I do solemly swear that I was a resident citizen of the United States on the 18th 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 "(illegable) act to provide for certain persons engaged in the land and naval service of the United States in the Revoluntionary War" passed on the 18th day of March 1818, and that I have not, nor have I put(?) 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 described. One horse and one mare and colt lent by me about six or seven months ago to one of my sons to go to Missouri but whether they are alive at this time or not I do not know.

(signed) Benjamin Ethell

And I do also swear that my occupation is that of shoe making but that I am not able to pursue it more than one third of the day, if that long from weakness and debility produced by age, and that whilst I am engaged at my occupation I can do very little. My wife is yet living who is about fifty years old and almost unable to do anything. I have no one to render me easy assistance in supporting myself and wife. My children have all grown up and left me.

Sworn to and declared by B Ethell on the 15th day of July 1820 before me Jas Clark one of the circuit Judges for the State of Kentucky in open court.

(signed) Jas Clark, Circuit Judge

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NOTE: Pension package contains many declarations from fellow soldiers and friends that Benj Ethell is who he says he is.

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Winchester, Clarke County Ky
October 1st 1825

Sir,

I applied on the 5th day of last Sept at the Branch Bank in Lexington for three years pension then due me for revolutionary services and was informed by the officers in Bank, that I had been returned to the war department as dead and would have to make application to be reinstated before I would be able to draw what is due to me. I have followed their directions, went into open Court and made a statement of facts on oath, a copy of which is herewith enclosed.

In a very few years my claims and myself will be no more, but for the little time I have yet to live, the frailty of old age makes the assistance of my country more than dear and doubly necessary. Hopeing that my application will meet with immediate attention, I will remain at this place until I hear from your department The Honorable Sec of War

Your Ob servant
Ben. Ethell

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Document which reads in part:

..............The declaration of Benjamin Ethel was sworn to in open Court by him on this day and the statement in writing of George Redman and James Simpson annexed thereto was also sworn to in open court by said Redman and Simpson, and both were ordered to be recorded and are in the following words and figures to wit- "State of Ky, Clarke Circuit Set on the 26th day of September 1825, personally appeared in open court being a court of record expressly made so by the laws of Ky which created it Benjamin Ethel sometimes called Athel, who made oath that he is the same man who is inscribed on the pension list roll of the Kentucky agency and to whom a certificate of his claim ___? a copy of which is as follows War Department Revolutionary claim I certify that in conformity with the law of the United States of the 18th March 1818 and 1st May 1820 Benjamin Ethell or Athell of Clarke County Kentucky late a corporal in the army of the revolution is inscribed on the pension list roll of the Kentucky agency at the rate of eight dollars per month to commense on the 31st day of August 1818. Given at the war office of the United States this 7th day of September 1820. J. C. Calhoun Secretary of War

Which certificate is endorsed on the back as registered in Book B, Volume 10, Page 40. He also made oath that he has drawn no part of his pension which fell due since the 4th Sept 1822 and that there is at this time three years of his said pension due to him. The reasons why he did not draw his pension since that date are these - shortly after he was placed on the pension list and had obtained said certificate he removed from the State of Kentucky to the State of Missouri, Boone County, where he has ever since resided. He got an opportunity in the fall of the year 1822 and sent to Kentucky by a friend who he authorised to get the money for him, and drew what fell due on the 4th of September 1922. Since that time only one opportunity has occurred being about nineteen or twenty months after said 4th of Sept 1822, when he again sent by a friend to whom he gave a power of attorney to draw the money for him but his said agent having by some casualty lost his pocket book in which said power of attorney was had to return without the money and he although from old age and debility badly qualified to travel the distance he lived from Lexington Kentucky made the attempt this fall and having reached Lexington on the 5th day of September 1825 applied at the branch Bank U.S. for the money due him when he was informed by the officers of said Bank that he had been reported to the war department as dead and could not get his pension without making application to that department, and the reason assigned for his being returned as dead was his failure to apply for his pension for two years in succession. He also stated that he has become so weak and has been so for the last three years, that he cannot ride from Missouri to Kentucky without great bodily pain and even some hazard to his life, and furthermore that he was ignorant that a failure to apply for his money for the period of two years would produce the result it has. He stated that it was on the 15th day of July 1820 that he in this Court made his last declaration on the subject of his pension.

(signed) Benjamin Ethell


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