Monday, July 25, 2011

Amanuensis Monday - Widow's Pension Allowed in Joseph Oatley's Revolutionary War Pension File

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Genea-blogger John Newmark (who writes the excellent TransylvanianDutch blog) started a Monday blog theme many months ago called Amanuensis Monday. What does "amanuensis" mean? John offers this definition:

"A person employed to write what another dictates or to copy what has been written by another."

The subject today is a card awarding a pension to the widow of  Joseph Oatley (1756-1815) of South Kingstown, Rhode Island, and included in the Revolutionary War Pension File.   His widow, Mary (Hazard) Oatley (1765-1857), filed for the pension in 1838 based on Joseph Oatley's Revolutionary War Service (File W. 21862).



The transcription of this document is (handwriting is in italics)

Rhode Island
------------------
Mary Oatley
widow of Joseph Oatley decd
who was a pensioner under the Act of ~ ~ ~
and who died on the 28 Nov'r 1815,
of Washington Co. in the State of R. Island
who was a private in the camp commanded
by Captain ______ of the regt commanded
by ________ in the R.I. militia
line for Coventry [???]

--------------------
Inscribed on the Roll of R. Island
at the rate of 20 Dollars ____ Cents per annum
to commence on the 4th day of March 1836.
--------------------
Certificate of Pension issued the 12 day of October
1839 & sent to Wm R. Noyes
Newport, R. Island
-------------------
Arrears to the 4th of Septr 1839 $70.00
Semi-annual allowance ending 4 Mar '40 $10.00
.....................................................-------
..................................................... $80
.....................................................-------
................................................. {Act July 7, 1838}
Recorded by D.McCurdy, Clerk
Book A. Vol. 23. Page 18.

This document provides a death date of 28 November 1815 for Joseph Oatley.  The South Kingstown RI Town Records list his death date as 29 November 1815, one day different.  The latter is probably the more accurate since it was written soon after the death.

The widow was eligible for the pension by the Act of 1838, and was awarded $70 for the time between 4 March 1836 and 4 September 1839 (three and one half years).   The pension was awarded on 12 October 1839. 

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