A Guide to the Montgomery County (Va.) Declarations for Revolutionary War Pensions, 1834,

Administrative Information

Access Restrictions

There are no restrictions.

Use Restrictions

There are no restrictions.

Preferred Citation

Montgomery County (Va.) Declarations for Revolutionary War Pensions, 1834. Local government records collection, Montgomery County Court Records. The Library of Virginia, Richmond, Virginia, 23219.

Acquisition Information

These items came to the Library of Virginia in a transfer of court papers from Montgomery County.

Processing Information

Declarations for Revolutionary War Pensions, 1834, were removed from a collection of Montgomery County military and pension records and processed and indexed as a distinct unit by M. Long.

Encoded by M. Long: September 2024.

Context for Record Type: In 1818, Congress passed the first of three major Revolutionary War pension acts. The act granted lifetime pensions to all men who had served as regular army soldiers in the Continental Line and who could demonstrate financial need. Prior to the passage of this act, pensions had been restricted to former soldiers who were no longer able to support themselves due to injuries sustained while in service. The second act, passed by Congress in 1820, required applicants to provide more concrete evidence of this financial need in the form of a certified inventory of his property and income. They also had to include an account of all members of the applicant's family, including their health and ability to contribute to household income. In 1832, the third act extended pension benefits to include soldiers who had served in the state troops or militia. Congress also passed a related act in 1836 granting pensions to the widows and orphans of Revolutionary War veterans.

Locality History: Montgomery County was named for Richard Montgomery, who was killed in the American assault on Quebec late in 1775. It was formed from Fincastle County in 1776, and the county court first met on 7 January 1777. Subsequent additions were made from Botetourt (1790) and Pulaski (1842) Counties. The county seat is Christiansburg.

Fincastle County (extinct) was named probably for George, viscount Fincastle, Lord Dunmore's son; for John Murray, fourth earl of Dunmore, viscount Fincastle; or for the town of Fincastle, Virginia, which was established in 1772 and named for George, viscount Fincastle. The county was created from Botetourt County in 1772, and the county court first met on 5 January 1773. Fincastle County became extinct on 31 December 1776 when it was divided to form Montgomery, Washington, and Kentucky Counties.

Scope and Content

Montgomery County (Va.) Declarations for Revolutionary War Pensions, 1834, primarily record the declarations of individuals seeking to obtain Revolutionary War pensions provided by various acts of Congress. 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.