Declaration
In order to obtain the benefits of the Act of Congress of the 7th July 1838 entitled "An Act granting half pay and pensions to certain Widows"
State of South Carolina }
Abbeville District }
On this fourth day of September one thousand eight hundred and forty five personally appeared before me David Lesly Judge of the Court of Ordinary for the District and State aforesaid Agness Ashley a resident of the District and State aforesaid aged eighty three years who being first duly sworn according to law doth on her oath, make the following declaration in order to obtain the benefit of the provisions made by the act of Congress passed July 7, 1838 entitled "An Act granting half pay and pensions to Certain Widows." That she is the widow of William Ashley whose services in the Revolutionary War are on file as she believes in the Pension Office of the United States as he was a pensioner of the United States and that all the papers relative to the said pension are lost to which documentary proof she refers for the services of her deceased husband. She further declares that she was married to the said William Ashley in the month of January in the year seventeen hundred and eighty one that her husband , the aforesaid William Ashley, died on the third day of March one thousand eight hundred and thirty nine, that she was not (the preceding "not" was crossed out. See correction below) married to her said husband, William Ashley, prior to his leaving the service and that her marriage took place previous to the first of January seventeen hundred and ninety four viz at the time above stated, and that she has remained a widow since the death of her husband William Ashley aforesaid, that her third child, now living is sixty years of age , that she is poor and in destitute circumstances , and earns her support by her daily labor , that she desires to be admitted to the benefit of all arrears of pension due to her deceased husband as well as to the benefit of this and other subsequent Acts of Congress for the relief of the Widows of Revolutionary Soldiers.
The word "not" erased before signing } Agness (X her mark) Ashley
Sworn to and subscribed, on the day }
And year above written. }
}
Before David Lesly }
Judge of the Court of }
Ordinary for Abbeville District
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South Carolina }
Abbeville District } Personally appeared before me, William Wire and James Wire who made oath that they have been acquainted with William Ashley the dec'd pensioner and his wife Agness Ashley the applicant since the year seventeen hundred and ninety two, that the deponants were near neighbors of the said William Ashley and Agness Ashley his wife, and that during this long period of time, they the said William Ashley and Agness Ashley lived together as husband and wife and were so reputed and acknowledged by the entire neighborhood. That they the said William Ashley and Agness Ashley his wife had two or three children when deponants first became acquainted with them and these deponants further saith that the said William Ashley and Agness Ashley his wife were properly and legally married and that the said William Ashley was always regarded as a worthy soldier of the Revolutionary War and that the present application of his widow Agness Ashley is just and meritorious.
Sworn before me } Wm Wire
4 September 1845 }
David Lesly } James Wire
Judge of Ordinary }
Abb. Dist. }
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Transcribed by: Dennis Smith
hdennissmith@earthlink.net