Morrison's Pensions
S5825 & R7583
Mary Nellis, widow of William Nellis applied for her husband’s pension on 29 January 1841. Congress passed a pension act July 7, 1838 which provided for half pay pension to the widows of veterans.
In her deposition, Mary stated that she is the widow of William Nellis, she was age 23 when she married him on April 28, 1786. Mary was the daughter of Lieutenant Colonel Peter Waggoner and sister of Joseph Waggoner. He was a private in the army of the Revolution and served as set forth in the accompanying documents.
Claimant is unable to produce her own personal knowledge to specify the particulars of the services of her said husband as she was not married to him until after the war of said Revolution but she has frequently and credibly been informed that he did serve on various occasions during said war and she has reason to believe that his service had to have been recorded at the War Department and the testimony herewith accompanying sufficient proof will appear of the services her said husband and on which she rests her claim for such an allowance by way of pension as shall be found just and equitable according to the provision of the said act of Congress.
She further declares that during said war her husband lived in the Town of Palatine aforesaid that she was married to him, the said William Nellis on the twenty eighth day of April Seventeen Hundred and Eight Six in the Town of Palatine aforesaid by the Reverend Mr. Rosencrantz that her maiden name was Mary Waggoner and that previous to her marriage she resided in said Town of Palatine that her husband the aforesaid William Nellis died on the twenty third day of June Eighteen Hundred and Twenty One.
That she was not married to him prior to his leaving the service but the marriage took place previous to the first of January Seventeen Hundred and Ninety Four at the time above stated.
Mary Nellis
State
of New York
Fulton County
On this 28th day of January 1841 personally appeared before the undersigned a Justice of the Peace in and for said County, Joseph Waggoner who being duly sworn doth appear and swear that he is Eighty One years of age and is a pensioner of the United States.
That he was with and acquainted with William Nellis in the Revolutionary War and from that time until the time of his death.
That the said William Nellis was several years older than him this deponent.
That at the commencement of the War of the Revolution he was a man of the age of about eighteen years and was enrolled in the Company of Captain John Hess and was engaged in the service of the United States from the commencement to the close of the war whenever ordered on duty as a private or non commissioned officer in the Militia but the particular tours of the said William Nellis he this deponent will not now pretend to specify but that he served in various towns and was a true friend to his country, he this deponent knows of his own knowledge, and this deponent further swears that he was also well acquainted with Mary Nellis as well before her marriage as since.
That the said Mary is sister to this deponent and was married to the said William Nellis shortly after the close of the said Revolutionary War and since his death has ever since to this day remained his widow and as he is credibly inform4ed now applies for a pension for the service of her husband the said William Nellis and further he says.
Joseph Waggoner
Sworn to and subscribed this 28th day of January 1841 before me.
Thomas R. Benedict Justice