From: KyArchives Sent: Friday, December 12, 2014 10:53 AM To: Ky-Footsteps Subject: Watts.William.Warof1812.1836.Spencer.MILITARY-Pension Pension Request Warof1812 8th Inf. Reg., U. S. Army Spencer County KyArchives Military Pension Pension Request Bairdstown Ky 24 Jany 1836 Sirs Enclosed you will receive my discharge and certificates. One From the Legion of the 8th Regiment and one from Major Carey Nicholas paymaster; these papers I have once sent to the War Department pension office with a hope that my long service, Wounds received at the Battle of Recovery & at Lowery's defeat would have Entitled me to a pension from my Government. But instead of a pension my papers were returned because I could not produce Certificates of the wounds I had received in defense of my country. If I neglected to get Certificates the Records of the War department will show the term of my service & my old Officers some of which are yet living & some have died Gloriously fiting (sic) the Battles of their Country as the immortal Z M Pike, Wayne, Hamtramack, Wilkinson, Brock, Sedgwick & others. Genl Gibson can perhaps Testify on my Conduct etc Who is now at the City – I hope Dr. Lee York(sp?) Will lay my case before the Honorable Congress who I hope will make some provision for me and not suffer me to be forced to beg the scanty pittances that will support life after serving my country faithfully thirty six years in War in abstinence in toil & danger since 1794 -- Your compliance Sir will Confer particular favour on your very Obedient Suffering friend WWWatts Late Sergt Major 8th Infny Hon. Benj. Hardin Esq (Reply to pension request) Hon Benj. Hardin Application for a pension in favor of WW Watts, 8th Inf enlisted 1817 & discharged Referred to J. L. Edwards, Esq. Pension Office July 5 1836 (Note. After a diligent search of the pension payments made to both invalid (invalid as in physically disabled) former soldiers and their widows I have not found any evidence that William Watts or his wife ever received a dime of his pension. Perhaps I missed it or perhaps he never received it. Based on the above approval letter I cannot see why it should have been denied.) Submitted by: Robert Foster rfoster37@cox.net Additional Comments: 1840 census Spencer Co., Kentucky p. 226 W W Watts Free White Persons 2 males 5-9 (1831-1835) Henry P. and ? 1 male 15-19 (1821-1825) John 1 male 60-69 (1771-1780) William W. 2 females under 5 (1835-1840) ? 1 female 5-9 (1831-1835) ? 2 females 40-49 (1791-1800) Elizabeth and ? Persons Employed in Agriculture: 3 Free White Persons - Under 20 6 Free White Persons - 20 - 49 2 Total Free White Persons: 9 Total All Persons - Free White, Free Colored, Slaves: 9 (William did not own any slaves.) I have not discovered the names of all of his children. He had two sets by two wives. There are some Watts in the correct Kentucky counties who were born about the right time whose parents have never been conclusively ascertained. The children by his first wife are This file has been created by a form at http://www.poppet.org/kyfiles/