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Land Bounty, Warrantee: Jonathan Wood, PA Militia

Land Bounty, Warrantee: Jonathan Wood, PA Militia

Posted: 29 Mar 2010 4:03PM GMT
Classification: Query
Surnames: WOOD, WILCOX, JACKSON, MAGILL
Hello. Found a Land Bounty for a Jonathan Wood, Private, who served under Capt. Magill's Company, Pennsylvania Militia, War of 1812. I think this is Capt. William Magill of the Bucks County Rangers. The land was in Wisconsin. Jonathan's widow is Catharine Wood and the land was to go to her. But the land was assigned and granted to a George G. Wilcox & Andrew B. Jackson, July 1, 1872.
Can anyone tell me why Catharine wouldn't get the land bounty? She did not sign it over to the men mentioned above.

I am researching my ancestor, Jonathan Wood born abt. 1787 in Virginia. Married Catherine ?. Jonathan died in Vigo Co., Indiana abt. 1836. Catherine remarried in 1837 and dies in Vigo County, Indiana in Sep 1849. My Catherine was born in Ohio. I cannot not find where they were married or lived prior to 1830. They are in the Parke County, Indiana census in 1830. I am reaching out but, am hoping maybe some one might know about this Jonathan & Catharine land bounty. Thanks. Carla

Re: Land Bounty, Warrantee: Jonathan Wood, PA Militia

Posted: 22 Aug 2012 4:27PM GMT
Classification: Query
Catharine Wood, widow of Jonathan the 1812 soldier, did not get "bounty land". She did not get land at all, anywhere. What she got was a "bounty land warrant" for her husband's service. This was a paper certificate that could be used to patent 160 acres of land.

Jonathan had not served long enough, apparently, to qualify for a bounty land warrant immediately after the war, but in 1855 Congress relaxed the requirements and granted more bounty land to all veterans retroactively, as long as they or their widows or heirs could prove that the veteran had served for long enough and had been honorably discharged.

Catharine would have applied for this bounty land warrant in 1855, and she would have received a fancy warrant certificate. She had the choice to either used the warrant to get 160 acres of free land for herself, or she could sell the warrant to someone else. She apparently sold the warrant to Wilcox and Jackson, who then selected land in Wisconsin. Why do you think she didn't sign the warrant over to them? Most widows sold the bounty land warrants because they needed the cash.

In order to apply for and receive the bounty land warrant, Catharine would have had to prove her husband's service and honorable discharge, and prove that she had been legally married to him and was his heir.

If you need Catharine's maiden name, the bounty land warrant application file at NARA would have it, along with their wedding date and place. Also, the surrendered bounty land warrant file at NARA would have the actual bounty land warrant certificate, and on the back of the certificate would be where Catharine signed it over to the buyers.
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