Administrative Information

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Preferred Citation

Arlington County   (Va.) Declarations for Revolutionary War Pensions, 1818-1834. Local government records collection, Arlington County   Court Records. The Library of Virginia, Richmond, Virginia.

Acquisition Information

This item came to the Library of Virginia in shipments of court papers from Arlington County  .

Historical Information

On 1832 June 7, Congress enacted pension legislation extending benefits more universally than under any previous legislation. This act provided for full pay for life for all officers and enlisted men who served at least 2 years in the Continental Line, the state troops or militia, the navy or marines. Men who served less than 2 years but at least 6 months were granted pensions of less than full pay. Benefits were payable effective March 4, 1831, without regard to financial need or disability and widows or children of Revolutionary War veterans were entitled to collect any unpaid benefits due from the last payment to a veteran until his death.

Alexandria County   was named for the town of Alexandria, which in turn was named for John Alexander, an early owner of the tract in Fairfax County   on which the town was located. It was formed from a portion of Fairfax County   that Virginia in 1789 ceded to the federal government for use as the site of a new national capital. In 1801 the area officially became part of the District of Columbia, although Congress named it Alexandria County  . By an act of 9 July 1846, Congress returned the county   to Virginia, and the General Assembly extended the commonwealth's jurisdiction over the region effective 20 March 1847. By an act of assembly of 16 March 1920 the county's   name was changed to Arlington County  .

Arlington County   was originally named Alexandria County  . It was formed from a portion of Fairfax County   that Virginia in 1789 ceded to the federal government for use as the site of a new national capital. In 1801 the area officially became part of the District of Columbia, although Congress named it Alexandria County  . By an act of 9 July 1846, Congress returned the county   to Virginia, and the General Assembly extended the commonwealth's jurisdiction over the region effective 20 March 1847. By an act of assembly passed 16 March 1920, the county's   name was changed to Arlington, the name of the Custis family mansion (the home of Robert E. Lee  ), which is located in the county  . An urban county  , Arlington contains no incorporated towns or cities. The county   courthouse is in the county  .

Scope and Content

Arlington County   (Va.) Declarations for Revolutionary War Pensions, 1818-1834, record the declarations of individuals seeking to obtain Revolutionary War pensions under an acts of Congress passed 1818 March 18, 1820 May 1, and 1832 June 7. The applicants present detailed testimony of their time of service during the Revolutionary War. Information found in the Declarations include date and location applicants entered into service, names of military companies they served in, names of military commanders they served under, names of fellow soldiers they served with, length of service, their age, and their place of birth. The predominant portion of the declarations are narratives of their tours of duty during the Revolutionary War with emphasis on battles they fought. The declarations also include affidavits from witnesses who could verify information provided by applicants.

Arrangement

Alphabetical by surname of pension applicant within each year.

Related Material

Additional Arlington County   Military and Pension Records can be found on microfilm at The Library of Virginia web site. Consult "A Guide to Virginia County and City Records on Microfilm" .

Index Terms

Corporate Names:

• Arlington County   (Va.) Circuit Court

Subjects:

• Military pensions -- Virginia -- Alexandria County  
• Veterans -- Virginia -- Alexandria County  

Geographical Names:

• Alexandria County   -- History.
• United States -- History -- Revolution, 1775-1783
• Virginia -- History -- Revolution, 1775-1783

Genre and Form Terms:

• Affidavits -- Virginia -- Alexandria County  
• Declarations -- Virginia -- Alexandria County  
• Local government records -- Virginia -- Alexandria County  

Adjunct Descriptive Data