Martin Woody Pension Declaration
(Transcribed by Dave Woody at the National Archives from a microfilm of the original document)
Virginia Franklin County to wit,
This 6th day of May 1833 personally appeared in open Court before the court of Franklin County now acting Martin Wooddy born in Goochland County Va and this time a resident of the county of Franklin – aged seventy five years the last day of the last month - who being first dully sworn according to Law doth on his oath make this amended declaration in order to obtain the benefit of the act of Congress passed the 7th June 1832 that during the revolutionary war he served under officers and in manner stated herein. that during the war he was drafted in Amherst County and marched under the orders and in a company commanded by Capt Dawson to Albemarle county where he was with the other ???? in service one month and fifteen days guarding prisoners taken with Gen Burgoyne to the north from loss of memory he cannot state the year this service was preformed - he believes it was 1777 or 78 – but will not be positive on his discharge – he went to Bedford County Va whither his father had removed in the absence of this applicant – some time after his arrival in Bedford he was drafted into a company of Militia commanded by Captain John Trigg and marched under said Trigg to Cabbin Point Va where the company commanded by said Trigg – and four or five other companys marched at same time from Bedford to Cabbin Point were formed into a Regiment, commanded by Col Meriweather and a Majr McClaumet a Frechman on being formed into a regiment they were marched to Portsmouth Va where they joined the army commanded by Genl Mulingberg where they remained late the spring of the year when he was discharged having served three months. Some time after his discharge as aforesaid – on returning home to Bedford he was drafted a third time into a company of militia commanded by Capt John Trigg & marched to James Town Va thence to little York – the company of Capt Trigg to which he belonged was attached to other companys and formed into a regiment commanded by Col Tucker in the whole army being under the orders of his Excellency Genl George Washington – this applicant during the siege of York was stationed near the marquee of the commanding Genl – after a service of three months this applicant was discharged – The three several discharges the applicant got from service - have long since been lost or mislaid & he has no documentary proof - This applicant is well known to the Hon Judge Saunders of the general court of Va to Noah H. Claiborne – member of congress from this district and Col Samuel Hancock Presiding justice of Bedford county – and to them he refers for his character for veracity and uprightness - He avers that in the whole he served his country faithfully as a Soldier during the war of the revolution this full term in ??? of Seven months and fifteen days about the close of the War of the revolution he moved from Bedford to Franklin where he since resided. – He exhibits the affidavats of Randolph Wooddy and Isaac Cundiff to sustain his declaration – He relinquishes every claim whatsoever to a pension or annuity except the present and declares that his name is not on the pension role of the agency of any state.
Sworn to & subscribed this day & year aforesaid
Martin Woody, his mark
We Moses Greer a clergyman residing in Franklin county Va and Stephen Preston residing in same county do hereby certify that we are well acquainted with Martin Wooddy who has sworn to & subscribed the above declaration that we believe him to be seventy five years of age that is ??? and ??? in the neighborhood where he resides to have been a soldier of the revolution and that we concur that opinion sworn to & subscribed this day & year aforesaid.
Moses Greer Jr
Stephen Preston
And the court do hereby declare their opinion after an investigation of the matter and after ???? to the applicant the interrogations prescribed by the War department that the above named applicant was a revolutionary soldier and served as he states and the court hereby certify that the said applicant - is esteemed a man of strict worth and integrity and they further certify that it appears to them that Moses Green Jr who has signed the prescribed oath ???? is a clergyman residing in the county of Franklin & that Stephen Preston who has also signed the same – is a resident of the same county & is a ??? person and that their statement is ??? to ???. and that the interrogation prescribed by the department of war were put to the applicant in open Court.
State of Virginia
Franklin County
I Caleb Tate clerk of Franklin County County the same being a Court of record , do hereby certify that the forgoing contains the original proceedings of the said in the matter of the application of Martin Woody for a pension.
In testimony whereof I have hereto subscribed my name and affixed my seal of office this 8 day of May 1833 in the 37 year of the commonwealth.
Caleb Tate
Please click here to email me.
Created April 1, 2006
Revised Jan 14, 2012