Monday, December 17, 2012

Amanuensis Monday - Martin Carringer's Revolutionary War Pension File: Post 3 - the Widow's Declaration

Genea-blogger John Newmark (who writes the excellent TransylvanianDutch blog) started his own Monday blog theme several years 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 document from the Revolutionary War Pension File of Martin Carringer (1758-1835) of Mercer County, Pennsylvania (accessed on and digital image obtained from www.Fold3.com):




The transcription of this document is:

State of Pennsylvania
Mercer County Ss

On the Sixth day of February in the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and thirty nine personally came before the subscriber a Judge of the Court of Common Pleas in and for said County being a Court of Record of Pennsylvania, Molly Carringer a resident of Sandy Creek Township Mercer County and State aforesaid, age Seventy one years who having first duly sworn according to Law doth on her oath make the following declaration in order to obtain the benefit of the provisions of the Act of congress passed July Seventh One thousand eight hundred and thirty Eight, entitled "An Act granting half pay and pensions to certain Widows."

That she is the widow of Martin Carringer who was a private in the regular Army of the United States in the Revolutionary War, that for some time before and up to his death he was on the pension roll of the United States drawing a Pension of Ninety Six Dollars per Annum.  She further declares that she was Married to the said Martin Carringer in the Month of May One thousand Seven hundred and eighty five, that her husband the said Martin Carringer died on the twenty fifth day of January One thousand eight hundred and thirty five that she was not Married to him prior to his having the service but that their Marriage took place prior to the first day of January 1794 and at the time above stated and that she still remains his widow.

Sworn to and Subscribed  ............................................ her
on the day above written ................................... Molly X Carringer
before ........................................................................... mark
James R. Wick

This document provides several pieces of vital information - the marriage date of Martin Carringer and Molly [Hoax] in May 1785 (but it doesn't say where they were married) and the death date of Martin Carringer on 7 January 1835 (again, it doesn't say where he died).  

Martin Carringer received a pension of $96 per year ($8 per month), and Molly is applying for half of that - $48 per year.

The URL for this post is:  http://www.geneamusings.com/2012/12/amanuensis-monday-martin-carringers.html

Copyright (c) 2012, Randall J. Seaver

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