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Looking for info on George Pownall

Looking for info on George Pownall

Posted: 31 Dec 2013 9:00PM GMT
Classification: Query
I found a pension application for Experience Pownall, widow of George Pownall. States that he was in "Capt S. Matthews Co. Pa. Mil."

Numbers listed on it are WO 5397 & WC4553... not sure what they mean.

Hoping someone may have more information on George Pownall or at least be able to tell me what regiment or company he was with. I am guessing PA militia but have not been able to find Capt. S. Matthews.

Thanks
- Jeff

Re: Looking for info on George Pownall

Posted: 4 Apr 2014 2:13AM GMT
Classification: Query
Hi Jeff

This was not a "Regular Army" soldier, this was a member of a state militia. In 1812, regiments were commonly identified by two commanding officers, usually a Colonel and a Captain, and many regiments did not have numbers associated with them, just the last names of the two commanding officers.

The numbers show that there was a widow's pension granted. "WO" is the "widow's original" application number. When there is an application only, it means pension was not granted. But since there is also a "WC" number, there is a "widow's certificate", which means the widow did receive pension. In order to receive pension, she would have had to have proven her husband's service, her legal marriage to him (which would include her maiden name), prove that she had remained his widow and not remarried, and if there were minor children involved she would have had to have proven that they were the legitimate children of the soldier. This would be a dandy little file.

Fold3 is slowly putting these 1812 pension files online, but I don't think they are anywhere close to the "P" surnames yet. You could either order the file from NARA, or from me or any other independent researcher.

Best wishes in your search!

Re: Looking for info on George Pownall

Posted: 4 Apr 2014 10:28AM GMT
Classification: Query
Thanks. Would this be the Federal Military Pension Applications - Pension Documents Packet NATF 85B that I would have to order?

- Jeff

Re: Looking for info on George Pownall

Posted: 4 Apr 2014 1:10PM GMT
Classification: Query
The "Pension Packet" as NARA calls it, gives you 8 documents--and not necessarily the best ones from a genealogical standpoint. It's all a matter of whether you really want everything that is in the file or not. The 1812 pension files are not large, so it's more of an issue with Civil War pensions. I can tell you, with a "pension packet" you would not get the more personal pieces in the file, if they exist. You would probably not get a copy of the original marriage certificate if it was sent in, nor would you get copies of original handwritten letters. Of course there's no way to know what's in a file ahead of time when you order from NARA. Since 1812 pension files are not usually very large (maybe 30-50 copies each), it may or may not be worth it to you to order the whole file. It's more of an issue with Civil War pensions, which might be 300+ documents. For very large pension files, even when you order "whole file", NARA will not copy all of a file if it involves several hundred copies. They figure you won't know what's missing anyway.

When I go after an 1812 soldier, I like to get the service record, pension file, bounty land file (if it wasn't filed in with the pension), and the surrendered warrant. If ordering from NARA, all this would cost you close to $100 (and NARA doesn't even list a price for the surrendered warrant, because they are difficult to copy and they don't want people to know about them)! If you hire an independent researcher, they can probably do it all for a lot less.

Your other option would be to wait a few years and maybe Fold3 will get up to the "P" surnames in their 1812 pensions database and you can look at it there.

Best wishes.
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