Transcription of testimony by Peggy Rankin, Sixth Judicial Court, Republic of Texas, 22 Mar 1844, from the U. S. National Archives and Records Administration Revolutionary War Pension Files, File #W26365, Robert Rankin(s). (transcribed by Kevin Paul Thompson, 01 Mar 2007) The Republic of Texas, Sixth Judicial District On the twenty second day of March A.D. eighteen hundred and forty-four, personally appeared before the District Court Judge of the Sixth Judicial District Peggy Rankin, a resident of the County of Liberty within the said District in the Republic aforesaid; aged eighty-eight years on the sixteenth day of February last (1844), who being duly sworn according to Law doth on her oath make the following Declaration in order to obtain the provision made by the Act of Congress of the United States of America passed July fourth eighteen hundred thirty-six, to wit -- That she is the widow of Robert Rankin who was a Lieutenant in the army of the then Colonies during the War of the Revolution which ended in the establishment of the Independence of the United States. That during the continuance of the war he was in the battles of Jermantown (sic), Brandywine, Stony Point, and the Siege of Charleston. That at the latter place he was in command of one of the batteries, was taken prisoner, and remained a prisoner till the exchange of prisoners took place, when he was permitted to return home, on furlough, for a short time (she thinks sixty days). That on his return, having been previously engaged, their marriage was consummated on the first day of October just eighteen days before the close of the Siege of York and surrender of Lord Cornwallis. That on the fifteenth of the same month her said husband's furlough expired and he returned to the army and continued in the service till the close of the Revolutionary War, having been retained as a _____ officer, a Lieutenant after the fighting was over. That her said marriage took place at the time before stated nearly a year before her said husband's service expired, in the county of Frederick, in the Colony of Virginia. That they lived together as man and wife from the said period of their intermarriage till the thirteth (sic) day of November eighteen hundred and thirty-seven when he died as she supposes from old age and the exaustion (sic) and exposure of a life of much labor activity, having been at the day of his death eighty-eight years of age. That they had by their said marriage ten children, seven sons and three daughters, six of whom are yet alive, the oldest of which children was born the eighth of May seventeen hundred and eighty-three, and the youngest of which is now forty-four years of age. That her said husband died in Saint Landry Parish in the State of Louisiana, U.S.A and she soon after came to Texas to live with her children. That her advanced age and the infirmities consequent upon it, feeble and almost blind, make it impracticable for her to repair to the United States from which she is quite remotely situated -- there to make her declaration or even to attend the sittings of the courts of this Republic without the greatest inconvenience if not the risk of her life. That she has had the misfortune to lose all the papers and documentation of his services and his having been a pensioner left by her said husband. That the circumstances of her removal, her age of before stated, and supposed impossibility of obtaining the bounty provided by the munificence of the Representatives of the good people of the United States to persons in her situation as the reasons why an earlier application has not been made. And that she has been unable to procure from the archives of the County of Frederick, as yet, the record or a copy of the registration of her said marriage, if indeed the record is yet extant which, as it was in the hottest period of the war when it took place, may have been altogether omitted to be recorded, lost, or mislaid. That she has in consequence of these various misfortunes controlling her case, she has made this declaration as full of facts as her memory would enable her to do so that it may be seen by the various references which she makes whether or not it carries with it any satisfactory corroboration of the evidence which will accompany it. And in further support of her claim begs leave to refer the Department to further evidences on file in archives at the Seat of Government furnished with the Declaration of her late husband in further support of her claim and such other proof as may be furnished in case there is no record of her said marriage in said Frederick County, by oral proof there to be taken as to the intermarriage of Peggy Berry (which was her maiden name) to said Robert Rankin. She further declares that since the death of her said husband she has remained and still is a widow never having married or entertained the idea of marrying again. That the above declaration is correct and true in all things to which being herself too blind to write authorises and requests her attorney to write it for her. her Peggy X Rankin mark Republic of Texas, Sixth Judicial District Personally appeared before me (in chambers) Peggy Rankin the declarant in the foregoing declaration, to me personally known, who having heard the declaration read, made oath in due form of Law that it is in all things true in substance and fact. To certify which I have hereunto subscribed my hand and affixed my seal this 22nd day of March A.D. eighteen hundred and forty-four, and I do further certify that from her appearance as well as general reputation, the very advanced age of her children with several of whom I am personally acquainted, and her minute acquaintance with the occurrences of the Revolution, I do not entertain a shadow of a doubt that she is the widow of Robert Rankin decd. and that her said declaration is entitled to perfect faith and credit. PC Jack Judge of the Sixth Judicial District