Pension Application of Dennis Ready: S39040
Transcribed and annotated by C. Leon Harris
Virginia to wit
At a court held and continued for the County of Giles on wednesday the 29th day of april 1818 on motion of Dennis Ready who intends to apply for a pension under the law of the united states It is ordered to be Certified to the Secritary of the department of war, of the united that It appeared to the satisfaction of this Court from the oath of the said Dennis Ready that he is at this time a Citizen of the united states and a resident of the County of Giles state of virginia that he the said Dennis Ready served in the virginia line during a long Portion of the Revolutionary war he the said Ready in the year 1778 inlisted as a Sargent under Insign John Steel in the company of Captain Kindal, that the said Ready served as Sargent for the term of three years when he was Regularly discharged which discharge was signed at Williamsburg the 28th day of July 1781 by William Johnston Comdt and by David Stephenson Major &c It also further appeared that the said Dennis Ready was in the battle of Stoney point [Stony Point NY, 15 July 1779] and in the battle at Chestnut hill [6 Dec 1777?] & that he was taken prisoner at Charlestown South Carolina [Charleston, 12 May 1780] by the British forces under the command of Lord Cornwallis [who was under Henry Clinton] & that he remained a prisoner with the British for the term of fourteen months when he was Exchanged It further appear’d that the said Ready after he had got his discharge as above stated a Copy of which is directed to be inserted in the record underneath this order that [several words missing] under one Captain Payne as a Sergent Major and sarved in that office untill he was Regularly discharged at the Conclusion of the war but which discharge is now mislaid so that the said Ready cannot obtain it. It further appeared that the said Dennis Ready is about Eighty years of age & very infirm & in necessitious & reduced circumstances, & that It further appeared that there is no person alive and known to the said Dennis Ready by which he could prove the above circumstances. It further appeared to the Court by other disinterested & Respectable Evidence that the said Dennis Ready is a moral & respectable man and that implicit credit ought to be given to his statements on oath all which is ordered to be Certified.
Discharge
I do hereby certify that Dennis Ready Sergent in Coln Russels detachment of the Virginia line has served the full term of three years for which he was enlisted and is now hereby discharged from the Service and that he has Received his pay in continental currency up to the first day of december one thousand seven hundred and seventy nine, since which he has only received two dollars in specie from the Commissary of prisoners in Charlestown: Given under my hand at williamsburg the 26 of July 1781 Wm Johnston Lt Comdt D Stephenson &c
Virginia Giles County towit
on this 27th day of June 1820 personally appeared in open court being a court of record for the said County Dennis Ready aged Eighty years resident in the said County who being first duly sworn according to Law doth on his oath declear that he inlisted on the [blank] day of [blank] 1778 under Insign John Steel in a company commanded by Kendal in the County of augusta in said state and that he belonged to & served in the regiment commanded by Colo. George Mathews [Matthews] and that he made a declaration of the circumstances consarning his inlistment &c on the 28th day of april 1818 and that he has Rec’d a pension certificate or warrant Number [blank] and I do solemnly swear that I was a Resident Citizen of the united on the 18th of march 1818 and that I have not since that time by Gift Sale or in any manner disposed of my property or in any part thereof with intent thereby so as to diminish it to bring myself within the provisions of an act of congress Intitled an act to provide for certain persons Ingaged in the land and navel services of the united states in the revolutionary war passed on the 18th day of march 1818 and that I have not nor has any person in trust for me any property or securities contracts or debts due to me nor have any income other then what is contained in the Schedule hereto annexed and by me subscribed to wit
one silver watch worth about twelve dollars money that I have Rec’d as a pension now on hand thirty dollars
my occupation was to teach a country School whilst I had my eye sight but now I am almost blind and deaf and not able to procure any thing and have no other property only what is stated above I have no family nor have I any blood relations on Earth that I know of
NOTE: According to a typed summary in the file, Ready died in October 1826.