Thanks for that info Ed. I did not know this either. That would explain why my Rev War Ancestor does not have records of his service as a Col of Lighthorse. Family records indicate he did serve, as well as his brothers. These records are excellent for leads however. Jackie David Armstrong wrote: > Wow, I didn't know all that about the lost pensions. > > I might add one thing - a pension claim (i, e. "I served with Col > Cross in 1778 and marched to Fort Dawson") is not primary evidence, > despite many believing otherwise. It is especially nice when > contemporary documentation can be found to support the info given in > the claim. > > Here in WV we were dealing with the "Lewis Speculating Gentry", a > group of hucksters who were hunting down old, illiterate pioneers and > drawing up false pension claims for them and having them sign them, > the operator then getting a portion of the proceeds. They finally > sent a federal investigator in here to break up the ring. So if you > are looking at West Virginia pension records BE CAREFUL. > > Best Regards > > David ARmstrong > Elkins WV > ----- Original Message ----- From: "Ed St.Germain" > <[email protected]> > To: <[email protected]> > Sent: Wednesday, June 01, 2005 11:08 PM > Subject: [AMER-REV] Re: no pension > > >>> That would explain not pension record being >>> found. >> >> >> I think I missed the beginning of this thread, so if I'm repeating >> info, I >> apologize in advance. >> >> The usual reason a pension isn't found is because most pension >> records have >> been long ago destroyed. >> >> Most of the records of the American Army in the custody of the War >> Department were destroyed by fire on November 8, 1800. When the British >> burned Washington in 1814 most of the remainder were destroyed. >> >> It wasn't until 1873 the Army started collecting the surviving records, >> which were by then scattered among several government agencies, and it >> wasn't until 1889 that the Army started a pension and record >> division, and >> not until 1892 that Congress gave them any money for record keeping. >> >> Best regards, >> Ed >> For Revolutionary War Info on the Internet, your first choice should be: >> www.AmericanRevolution.org >> >> >> ==== AMERICAN-REVOLUTION Mailing List ==== >> To unsubscribe from the AMERICAN-REVOLUTION list, send the command >> "unsubscribe" to >> [email protected] (if in mail mode) or >> [email protected] (if in digest mode.) >> >> ============================== >> New! Family Tree Maker 2005. Build your tree and search for your >> ancestors at the same time. Share your tree with family and friends. >> Learn more: >> http://landing.ancestry.com/familytreemaker/2005/tour.aspx?sourceid=14599&targetid=5429 >> >> >> > > > > ==== AMERICAN-REVOLUTION Mailing List ==== > To unsubscribe from the AMERICAN-REVOLUTION list, send the command > "unsubscribe" to > [email protected] (if in mail mode) or > [email protected] (if in digest mode.) > > ============================== > Find your ancestors in the Birth, Marriage and Death Records. > New content added every business day. Learn more: > http://www.ancestry.com/s13964/rd.ashx > > > > -- *"A people without a history is like wind on the buffalo grass" * *Crazy Horse - Oglala Sioux * *County Coordinator Ripley Co MO GenWeb* <http://www.rootsweb.com/%7Emoripley/> *Moderator HarringtonGen* <http://groups.yahoo.com/group/harringtongen/> *Owner/Breeder Tanimara Great Pyrenees - Livestock Guardians* <http://www.geocities.com/tanimara_2000/>

Pensions are definitely great leads. Interestingly enough sometimes it is things said in passing that are the best. My uncle Adam Bush gave testimony for a pension in 1832. No contemporary record of the service he claimed has been found, however. This does not mean that he did not serve as in the 1770s this area was a war zone and the records are sketchy. Hence my work trying to reconstruct them. But I digress. My other uncle, Adam Flesher testified to Adam Bush's service and in the deposition he stated that Bush was his (Flesher's) uncle. Since that information would in no way further Bush's entitlement to a pension there would be no motive to lie and that tied together some loose ends in the family in PA before they came out here. Best regards David Armstrong ----- Original Message ----- From: "Tanimara" <[email protected]> To: <[email protected]> Sent: Thursday, June 02, 2005 3:52 PM Subject: Re: [AMER-REV] Re: no pension > Thanks for that info Ed. I did not know this either. That would explain > why my Rev War Ancestor does not have records of his service as a Col of > Lighthorse. Family records indicate he did serve, as well as his > brothers. > > These records are excellent for leads however. > > Jackie > > David Armstrong wrote: > >> Wow, I didn't know all that about the lost pensions. >> >> I might add one thing - a pension claim (i, e. "I served with Col Cross >> in 1778 and marched to Fort Dawson") is not primary evidence, despite >> many believing otherwise. It is especially nice when contemporary >> documentation can be found to support the info given in the claim. >> >> Here in WV we were dealing with the "Lewis Speculating Gentry", a group >> of hucksters who were hunting down old, illiterate pioneers and drawing >> up false pension claims for them and having them sign them, the operator >> then getting a portion of the proceeds. They finally sent a federal >> investigator in here to break up the ring. So if you are looking at >> West Virginia pension records BE CAREFUL. >> >> Best Regards >> >> David ARmstrong >> Elkins WV >> ----- Original Message ----- From: "Ed St.Germain" >> <[email protected]> >> To: <[email protected]> >> Sent: Wednesday, June 01, 2005 11:08 PM >> Subject: [AMER-REV] Re: no pension >> >> >>>> That would explain not pension record being >>>> found. >>> >>> >>> I think I missed the beginning of this thread, so if I'm repeating info, >>> I >>> apologize in advance. >>> >>> The usual reason a pension isn't found is because most pension records >>> have >>> been long ago destroyed. >>> >>> Most of the records of the American Army in the custody of the War >>> Department were destroyed by fire on November 8, 1800. When the British >>> burned Washington in 1814 most of the remainder were destroyed. >>> >>> It wasn't until 1873 the Army started collecting the surviving records, >>> which were by then scattered among several government agencies, and it >>> wasn't until 1889 that the Army started a pension and record division, >>> and >>> not until 1892 that Congress gave them any money for record keeping. >>> >>> Best regards, >>> Ed >>> For Revolutionary War Info on the Internet, your first choice should be: >>> www.AmericanRevolution.org >>> >>> >>> ==== AMERICAN-REVOLUTION Mailing List ==== >>> To unsubscribe from the AMERICAN-REVOLUTION list, send the command >>> "unsubscribe" to >>> [email protected] (if in mail mode) or >>> [email protected] (if in digest mode.) >>> >>> ============================== >>> New! Family Tree Maker 2005. Build your tree and search for your >>> ancestors at the same time. Share your tree with family and friends. >>> Learn more: >>> http://landing.ancestry.com/familytreemaker/2005/tour.aspx?sourceid=14599&targetid=5429 >>> >>> >> >> >> >> ==== AMERICAN-REVOLUTION Mailing List ==== >> To unsubscribe from the AMERICAN-REVOLUTION list, send the command >> "unsubscribe" to >> [email protected] (if in mail mode) or >> [email protected] (if in digest mode.) >> >> ============================== >> Find your ancestors in the Birth, Marriage and Death Records. >> New content added every business day. Learn more: >> http://www.ancestry.com/s13964/rd.ashx >> >> >> >> > > -- > > *"A people without a history is like wind on the buffalo grass" * > > *Crazy Horse - Oglala Sioux * > > *County Coordinator Ripley Co MO GenWeb* > <http://www.rootsweb.com/%7Emoripley/> > > *Moderator HarringtonGen* <http://groups.yahoo.com/group/harringtongen/> > > *Owner/Breeder Tanimara Great Pyrenees - Livestock Guardians* > <http://www.geocities.com/tanimara_2000/> > > > > > ==== AMERICAN-REVOLUTION Mailing List ==== > To unsubscribe from the AMERICAN-REVOLUTION list, send the command > "unsubscribe" to > [email protected] (if in mail mode) or > [email protected] (if in digest mode.) > > ============================== > Census images 1901, 1891, 1881 and 1871, plus so much more. > Ancestry.com's United Kingdom & Ireland Collection. Learn more: > http://www.ancestry.com/s13968/rd.ashx > >

I was doing lookups the other day and found mention that Col Phillip Alston of NC (one of my collateral lines) was taken prisoner during the Rev. War. Did not have that info. And it was not my family info where it was found. You never know do you? Jackie David Armstrong wrote: > Pensions are definitely great leads. Interestingly enough sometimes > it is things said in passing that are the best. My uncle Adam Bush > gave testimony for a pension in 1832. No contemporary record of the > service he claimed has been found, however. This does not mean that > he did not serve as in the 1770s this area was a war zone and the > records are sketchy. Hence my work trying to reconstruct them. But I > digress. My other uncle, Adam Flesher testified to Adam Bush's > service and in the deposition he stated that Bush was his (Flesher's) > uncle. Since that information would in no way further Bush's > entitlement to a pension there would be no motive to lie and that tied > together some loose ends in the family in PA before they came out here. > > Best regards > > David Armstrong > ----- Original Message ----- From: "Tanimara" <[email protected]> > To: <[email protected]> > Sent: Thursday, June 02, 2005 3:52 PM > Subject: Re: [AMER-REV] Re: no pension > > >> Thanks for that info Ed. I did not know this either. That would >> explain why my Rev War Ancestor does not have records of his service >> as a Col of Lighthorse. Family records indicate he did serve, as >> well as his brothers. >> >> These records are excellent for leads however. >> >> Jackie >> >> David Armstrong wrote: >> >>> Wow, I didn't know all that about the lost pensions. >>> >>> I might add one thing - a pension claim (i, e. "I served with Col >>> Cross in 1778 and marched to Fort Dawson") is not primary evidence, >>> despite many believing otherwise. It is especially nice when >>> contemporary documentation can be found to support the info given in >>> the claim. >>> >>> Here in WV we were dealing with the "Lewis Speculating Gentry", a >>> group of hucksters who were hunting down old, illiterate pioneers >>> and drawing up false pension claims for them and having them sign >>> them, the operator then getting a portion of the proceeds. They >>> finally sent a federal investigator in here to break up the ring. >>> So if you are looking at West Virginia pension records BE CAREFUL. >>> >>> Best Regards >>> >>> David ARmstrong >>> Elkins WV >>> ----- Original Message ----- From: "Ed St.Germain" >>> <[email protected]> >>> To: <[email protected]> >>> Sent: Wednesday, June 01, 2005 11:08 PM >>> Subject: [AMER-REV] Re: no pension >>> >>> >>>>> That would explain not pension record being >>>>> found. >>>> >>>> >>>> >>>> I think I missed the beginning of this thread, so if I'm repeating >>>> info, I >>>> apologize in advance. >>>> >>>> The usual reason a pension isn't found is because most pension >>>> records have >>>> been long ago destroyed. >>>> >>>> Most of the records of the American Army in the custody of the War >>>> Department were destroyed by fire on November 8, 1800. When the >>>> British >>>> burned Washington in 1814 most of the remainder were destroyed. >>>> >>>> It wasn't until 1873 the Army started collecting the surviving >>>> records, >>>> which were by then scattered among several government agencies, and it >>>> wasn't until 1889 that the Army started a pension and record >>>> division, and >>>> not until 1892 that Congress gave them any money for record keeping. >>>> >>>> Best regards, >>>> Ed >>>> For Revolutionary War Info on the Internet, your first choice >>>> should be: >>>> www.AmericanRevolution.org >>>> >>>> >>>> ==== AMERICAN-REVOLUTION Mailing List ==== >>>> To unsubscribe from the AMERICAN-REVOLUTION list, send the command >>>> "unsubscribe" to >>>> [email protected] (if in mail mode) or >>>> [email protected] (if in digest mode.) >>>> >>>> ============================== >>>> New! Family Tree Maker 2005. Build your tree and search for your >>>> ancestors at the same time. Share your tree with family and >>>> friends. Learn more: >>>> http://landing.ancestry.com/familytreemaker/2005/tour.aspx?sourceid=14599&targetid=5429 >>>> >>>> >>>> >>> >>> >>> >>> ==== AMERICAN-REVOLUTION Mailing List ==== >>> To unsubscribe from the AMERICAN-REVOLUTION list, send the command >>> "unsubscribe" to >>> [email protected] (if in mail mode) or >>> [email protected] (if in digest mode.) >>> >>> ============================== >>> Find your ancestors in the Birth, Marriage and Death Records. >>> New content added every business day. Learn more: >>> http://www.ancestry.com/s13964/rd.ashx >>> >>> >>> >>> >> >> -- >> >> *"A people without a history is like wind on the buffalo grass" * >> >> *Crazy Horse - Oglala Sioux * >> >> *County Coordinator Ripley Co MO GenWeb* >> <http://www.rootsweb.com/%7Emoripley/> >> >> *Moderator HarringtonGen* <http://groups.yahoo.com/group/harringtongen/> >> >> *Owner/Breeder Tanimara Great Pyrenees - Livestock Guardians* >> <http://www.geocities.com/tanimara_2000/> >> >> >> >> >> ==== AMERICAN-REVOLUTION Mailing List ==== >> To unsubscribe from the AMERICAN-REVOLUTION list, send the command >> "unsubscribe" to >> [email protected] (if in mail mode) or >> [email protected] (if in digest mode.) >> >> ============================== >> Census images 1901, 1891, 1881 and 1871, plus so much more. >> Ancestry.com's United Kingdom & Ireland Collection. Learn more: >> http://www.ancestry.com/s13968/rd.ashx >> >> > > > > ==== AMERICAN-REVOLUTION Mailing List ==== > Hoaxes and Urban Legends on the Internet > http://www.snopes.com/ > <A HREF="http://www.snopes.com/">Snopes.com</a> > > ============================== > New! Family Tree Maker 2005. Build your tree and search for your > ancestors at the same time. Share your tree with family and friends. > Learn more: > http://landing.ancestry.com/familytreemaker/2005/tour.aspx?sourceid=14599&targetid=5429 > > > > > -- *"A people without a history is like wind on the buffalo grass" * *Crazy Horse - Oglala Sioux * *County Coordinator Ripley Co MO GenWeb* <http://www.rootsweb.com/%7Emoripley/> *Moderator HarringtonGen* <http://groups.yahoo.com/group/harringtongen/> *Owner/Breeder Tanimara Great Pyrenees - Livestock Guardians* <http://www.geocities.com/tanimara_2000/>