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          Declaration in order to obtain the benefit of the Act of Congrefs,
                                        pafsed June 7, 1832.

State of Indiana
County of Owen } s.s.

On this 14th day of April 1834, personally appeared in open Court before the circuit
Court in and for the County of Owen aforesaid now held by and before the Hon'bl
Amory Kinney President Judge thereof and Alexander Esow and William Dunning,
Esquires his associates, Matthew Jones a resident of Wayne township in the county
aforesaid and State of Indiana now aged seventy six years on the 18th day of March
last who being first duly sworn according to law, doth on his oath make the following
declaration in order to obtain the benefit of the Act of Congrefs pafsed June 7, 1832
in answers to the following interrogatories propounded by the Court; - that is to say -

Question 1. Where and in what year were you born?
Answer. In Southampton County in the State of Virginia in the Parish of Nottoway on
the 18th day of March 1758.

Question 2. Have you any record of your age and if so where is it?
Answer. I have my age recorded in an old Common Prayer Book into which it was
transcribed from an old Bible once belonging to my father when I was about 27 years
of age. The Bible I think has been lost or destroyed for many years back while in
possession of my eldest son.

Question 3. Where were you living when called into service; where have you lived
since the Revolutionary war, and where do you now live?
Answer. I was first called into service in Southampton County Virginia, and I
continued to live in said County when at home until the 9th day of November, 1801,
when I removed to Montgomery County Kentucky from thence in about two years I
removed to Clark County Kentucky where I resided about eight years when I
removed back to Montgomery County aforesaid where I resided about three or four
years when I removed to Bath County in Kentucky until between six and seven years
ago (to the best of my recollection, when I removed from thence to Owen County in
the State of Indiana where he has since continued to live and where he now lives.

4. How were you called into service; were you drafted; did you volunteer; or were you
a substitute?
Answer. I was drafted into the militia service as before stated.

5. State the names of some of the Regular Officers who were with the troops where
you served; such Continental and Militia Regiments as you can recollect, and the
general circumstances of your services?
Answer. As before stated the first militia company into which I was drafted had
Edmund Tyler, for Captain, John Carr Staffney, Lieutenant and Arthur Bowen,
Ensign,; that he was out in such militia services at least six different tours of duty;
and he thinks one or two more such tours, but is positive as to but six tours; that in
his first tour he was marched to Portsmouth, thence to Fort Stephen on Wind Mill
point on reaching Portsmouth he found a considerable number of Continental troops
said to amount to 1500 or thereabouts which he thinks (but is not certain) was
commanded by a Gen. Nelson; Fort Stephen was commanded by a Capt. Booker; -
that he was six weeks engaged in said tour of service. That in the later part of May or
beginning of June following he again entered the service by draft, a Company being
then Commanded by Capt. John Rogers the names of the lieut. and Ensign not
recollected,that in such his second tour he was marched thro' the town of Suffolk to
the Enemy's lines and was frequently marched from point to point, as the movement
of the enemy who occasionally landed at different places along Elizabeth river
rendered necessary; that as before stated he was out (being drafted) on at least four
other tours of duty in the militia service during said war, but has no distinct
recollection, from his old age and consequent lofs of memory, of the order of events
during the said tours subsequent to the second and preceding the last two; that
Jefse Whitehead was his captain in one of those intermediate tours, in one of which
he was marched to the town of Smithfield in "Isle of Wight" County, at another time to
"Mead's Mill" in Nansemond County, at another time to a place then called "Burnt
Mill" at another time to "Sholders Hill" and at another time to "Murderer's Old Field";
that in his last tour aforesaid, his company under the command of Capt. Elias
Herring, (Lieut. not recollected) and Arthur Bowen, Ensign, joined the regiment to
which it was attached at Broad Water Bridge in the edge of "Isle of Wight" county on
the 15th April 1781, which Regiment was commanded by Col. Gaskins who had
commanded the regiment to which declarant was attached in all his said tours of duty
except the first tour, when it was commanded by Col. Wells, that his major's name
was ____ Duvall in all his tours; that Benjamin Blount was that Colonel of the resident
militia of said county of Southampton but seldom, probably never left said county on
actual service; that in one of said tours the detachment to which he belonged had an
action with the enemy commanded by Gen'l Arnold and Gen'l Phillips he does not
know which was the officer in command, that the American forces on that occasion
were commanded by Gen'l Muhlenburg and were compelled to retire. And for further
particulars under this interrogatory he refers to his first declaration herewith
returned, particularly as to another tour of service as a volunteer in a regiment
commanded by Col. Dick, and Major Boyce, which declaration is true in substance
and matter of fact as therein stated. That he served as a private in all his tours of
duty and served six weeks in each tour aforesaid, making altogether at least thirty six
weeks. Since making the first declaration he distinctly recollects that he was hired as
a substitute in the place of one ____ Bryant (whose Christian name was Nathan ( he
thinks but is not certain) to perform another six weeks tour of duty in addition to the
above six tours and served as a private in the same regiment commanded by Col
Gaskins as aforesaid for two weeks at least when the corps to which he belonged
was discharged honorably, making the whole length of such his militia service at least
thirty eight weeks.
6. Did you ever receive a discharge from the service? and what has become of it?
Answer. I did receive a written discharge from the service. It was given by Gen'l
Muhlenburg, and just before my first declaration was sent to the War Department. I
gave it to James Whitcomb, Esq to be enclosed and transmitted in it.

7. State the names of persons to whom you are known in your present neighborhood
and who can testify as to your character for veracity and their belief of your services
as a soldier of the Revolution?
Answer. John Jones and Robert M. Wooden whose testimony is annexed to my first
declaration herewith forwarded, and others may be procured if necefsary.
Sworn to and subscribed in open court the day and year first aforesaid.
                                                                  his
                                                           Matthew Jones
                                                                 mark

And the said court do hereby declare their opinion as the investigation of the matter
and after putting the interrogatories prescribed by the War Department that the
above named applicant was a Revolutionary War soldier and served as he states.
And the court further certifies that it appears to them that John Jones who signed the
certificate in the first declaration mentioned is a clergyman resident in the
neighborhood of said applicant in Wayne township, Owen County, Indiana, and that
Robert M Wooden who has also signed the same is a resident in the same
neighborhood and is a credible person; and that their statement is entitled to credit.

State of Indiana
Owen County, ssct

Before me Isaac Heaton a justice of the peace of said county, personally appeared
the said Matthew Jones who being duly sworn deposeth and saith that by reason of
old age and the consequent lofs of memory he cannot swear positively as to the
precise length of his service, but according to the best of his recollection has served
not lefs than thirty eight weeks as a private to wit, for the year 1778 six weeks; And
for the year 1779 18 weeks; For the year 1780 eight weeks; and for the year 1781
six weeks as a private, and for such service I claim a pension.
                                                                      his
                                                             Matthew Jones
                                                                     mark

Sworn to and subscribed before me as such justice of the peace this 14th day of
April 1834 as witnefs my hand and seal.

I Thomas C. Johnson Clerk of the Circuit Court of Owen County aforesaid do hereby
certify that the foregoing Contains the original proceedings of the said court in the
matter of the application of Matthew Jones for a pension heard at the April term of
said Court for the year 1834.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal of office as such clerk
this 14th day of April in the year of our Lord 1834. And I the said Thomas C, Johnson
Clerk as aforesaid do further certify that the said Isaac Heaton whose name and
signature appears on the foregoing affidavit of the said Matthew Jones was at the
time thereof, to wit, on the said 14th day of April 1834 and before and ever since
hath been a justice of the Peace of Owen County in the State of Indiana and that the
signature thereto is the said Heaton's genuine signature. Witnefs hand at the times
aforeseaid.