I want to thank the researcher who, in recent weeks, gave this list the URL for ordering Revolutionary War pension records from the National Archives. It was something I had been wanting to "get around to" for years, but needed some inspiration. The NARA system is somewhat low-tech -- you order the paperwork online, but they then mail you forms to fill out (in triplicate, no less) and mail back. I did that a couple weeks ago. The package arrived sooner than expected from the National Archives, with the 1834 Revolutionary War pension application records of my ancestor William Jett of Fauquier County. He was certiifed to receive $20 a year, beginning August 29, 1834, and also received $70 retroactive benefits under the law enacted in June 1832. His original application was returned to him because the paperwork was not complete. I think the Fauquier County court, which had to certify it, left off some signatures and didn't include testimony of the required witnesses. The clerk of the Fauquier County court, who signed the certification, was Alexander J. Marshall -- no doubt a relative of Chief Justice (and Fauquier native) John Marshall, but does anyone here know the exact connection? There is also an Alexander Keith Marshall, who is not the same person, and an Alexander J. Marshall who was involved in an 1853 case before the Supreme Court, and who I believe is a different person. When the application was resubmitted, another county court official wrote, "There are not in the County of Fauquier more respectable men than [the witnesses] Captain Barber, John Gordon and George Monroe -- and none more so than the applicant himself -- he would long since have sent his papers down but being a man of some property and the time of his service being short -- and the amount of his claim very small -- he hardly deemed it worth the trouble." (Note: the Monroe surname is somewhat illegible; it might be Monson. I plan to research it further.) The court transcript, required to be submitted with the pension application, states that William Jett was born in 1764, and includes the following: "I was drafted under Captain John O'Bannon. Colonel Churchill commanded the regiment. We marched from Fauquier County, state of Virginia, through Fredericksburg to the city of Williamsburg, there we were stationed for some time until we were driven from that place by the British troops -- we were forced from the seaboard, and compelled to march in the interior of that country -- I was drafted for a tour of three months and served that time, it has been so long ago and I was quite young so that I have forgotten the year, but it was in the fall of the year. I was drafted again in the year of 1781. I was marched to Richmond and from thence to Yorktown. I was commanded by Captain Winn. Col. Elias Edmonds commanded the regiment, that tour we joined the Grand Army commanded by General Washington. I served during the siege of Yorktown. I was taken sick during the siege of Yorktown but never left the place. I served three months that tour also." The testimony is transcribed by a court stenographer, but signed by William Jett himself. The records also show that William Jett died in April 1851 (age 87). I ordered this $37 packet from the National Archives a couple weeks ago; they sent me a postcard last week telling me to expect an answer in 60 to 90 days. I think someone should investigate this government efficiency – I wonder if there's a Swiss mole somewhere. If any other descendants of William Jett want copies of this material, I will be happy to scan and e-mail it to you.