CLAIM OF WIDOW FOR SERVICE PENSION

Under the provisions of Sections 4736 to 4740, inclusive, Revised Statues,

and the Act of March 9,1878.

State of Kentucky County of Harlan, s.s.

On this 14th day of August, A.D. one thousand eight hundred and eighty,

personally appeared before me E.M. Howard, same being a court of record

within and for the county aforesaid, (1) Elizabeth Roark, aged 69 years, a

resident of Leslie County, in the state of Kentucky, who, being duly sworn

according to law, declares that she is the widow of (2) John Roark deceased,

who was the identical (3) John Roark, who served under the name of (4) John

Roark as a (5) Private in the Company commanded by Captain Ambrose Arthur in

the__________ regiment of Kentucky, commanded by ____

In the war of (6) 1812 ; that her husband (7) was drafted at in Harlan

County, KY on or about the _____ day of _____ A.D. 1812 for the term of six

months, and continued in actual service in said war for the term of (8) six

months and whose services terminated by reason of (9) expiration of term at

_____ on the _______day of _______A.D.________.

She further states that the following is a full description of her said

husband at the time of his enlistment, viz: (10) About twenty years of age a

farmer born in the State of Tennessee about five feet & nine inches high

dark

hair dark colored eyes fair complexion. She further states that she was

married to said John Roark, at the city of Mt. Pleasant in the county of

Harlan, and in the State of Kentucky on the ______day of ____

A.D. 1831 by one (11) Luke Noe, who was a (12) Magistrate; and that her name

before her said marriage was Elizabeth Brock, and that she has not remarried

since the death of said John Roark; and she further states that (13) The

said

John Roark had been previously married to Nancy Slone who deceased from the

said John Roark about one year before the marriage of this claimant and that

her said husband (14) John Roark died at in Clay County in the State of

Kentucky, on the 27th of May A.D. 1844; and she further declares that the

following have been the places of residence of herself and her said husband

since the date of his discharge from the Army, viz: (15) The said Elizabeth

and John Roark have resided in Harlan Clay and Leslie Counties since

discharged. She makes this declaration for the purpose of obtaining the

Pension to which she may be entitled under Sections 4736 to 4740, inclusive,

Revised Statutes, and the Act of March 9, 1878, and hereby appoints, with

full powers of substitution and revocation, C.D. PENNEBAKER & SON of

________

her true and lawful attorney to prosecute her claim.

And she further declares that she has heretofore made _______

application for (16)__

And that her residence is No.________ street, city (or town) of_______

county

of _____

State of _______ and that her post office address is __________

Her

[Two attesting witnesses who can write their names] Elizabeth X Roark

Mark

Jacob Caldwell

Wm L? Helton

Also personally appeared Edward Brock, aged 66 years, residing at No. Harlan

County street, in _________, and Robert Helton, aged 73 years, residing at

No. Leslie County

(Page 2)

street, in _____. ________, persons whom I certify to be respectable and

entitled to credit, and who being duly sworn, say that they have known the

said Elizabeth Roark for _____ years and for _____ years, respectively; that

they were present and saw her sign her name (or make her mark) to the

foregoing declaration; that they have every reason to believe, from the

appearance of said claimant and their acquaintances with her, that she is

the

identical person she represents herself to be; and they further say that

they

are able to identify her as the person who was the wife of the identical

(17)

John Roark, who rendered the service alleged in the above application (in

the

company of Ambrose Arthur, in the regiment of Kentucky in the war of 1812)

by

the following named facts and circumstances, viz: (18) The said Edward Brock

and Robert Helton state that they have both been neighbors and known

Elizabeth Roark and John Roark all their lives and they know that she has

not

remarried since the death of John Roark her husband, and that they have no

interest in the prosecution of this claim.

If affiants make mark, two witnesses who write sign here:

Al------ Dezarn

Edward Brock (His Mark)

John Saylor

Robert Helton

Sworn to and subscribed before me this 14 day of August, A.D. 1880; and I

hereby certify that the contents of the above declaration, & c., were fully

made known and explained to the applicant and witnesses before swearing,

including the words ___________, erased, and the words ____,

Added; and that I have no interest, direct or indirect, in the prosecution

of

this claim.

E.M. Howard

Official Character:

C.H.C.C

(Cover reads)

WAR OF 1812

APPLICATION FOR SERVICE PENSION

ELIZABETH ROARK

WIDOW OF

JOHN ROARK

OF CAPT. AMBROSE ARTHUR

CO.____ REGIMENT OF KY MIL

Died 27th May 1844

(Stamped by PENSION OFFICE Nov 1 1882)

(Page 3)

(OLD WAR AND NAVY DIVISION)

Department of the Interior,

PENSION OFFICE

Washington,D.C., March 24, 1884

Sir:

You are respectfully requested to inform this office, if you can do so

without inconvenience, whether Mrs. Elizabeth Roark who resided in your

neighborhood in the year of 1882 is still alive, and, if so, whether she is

the reputed widow of John Roark, and was he generally believed by neighbors

to have served in the War of 1812.

If Mrs. Roark has deceased, can you furnish the date of her death.

Please return this letter with your reply in the enclosed envelope, for

use

in the widow's claim No. 42490, under Act of March 9,1878.

Very

respectfully,

Wm. W.

Dudley, Commissioner

Postmaster: Barbourville, Harlan Co., Ky

(Stamped PENSION OFFICE Jul 22 1884)

(Page 4)

Barbourville, Ky July 17, 1884

Hon. Commissioner of Pensions

Washington, D.C.

Sir,

I cannot find out any information in regard to Mrs. Elizabeth Roark.

Respectfully,

Thomas L.

Pitzer??????

(Page 5)

State of Kentucky County of Harlan

On this day the tenth day of March 1887 personally appeared before me John

W.

Forester, Deputy County Clerk of Harlan County duly authorized to administer

oaths John S. Blanton aged seventy five years a resident of Wallins Creek in

the County of Harlan and the State of Kentucky well known to me to be

reputable and entitled to credit.

Affidavit says that he was acquainted with John Roark who was a Soldier of

the War of 1812 that Elizabeth Roark applicant for pension No. 42490 is the

widow of said Soldier affiant states from the best of his recollection that

the said John Roark have been dead about forty years. That his first wife's

name was Nancy Sloane that she has been dead about fifty years it may be

more

he further states that the said Elizabeth Roark have and still remains the

widow of said John Roark up to this present and that he is not concerned in

the prosecution of this claim.

John

Blanton

(Stamped PENSION OFFICE Apr 5 1887)

(Page 6)

State of Kentucky County of Harlan, so sworn and subscribed before me this

by

the above named affiant and I certify that I read the said affidavit to said

affiant and acquainted him with it's contents before he executed the same I

further certify that I am in nowise interested in said case nor am I

concerned in it's prosecution and the said affiant is personally known to me

and that he is a credible person.

John

W.

Forester D.C.

W.C.L.

Huff clerk H.C.C.

I certify that John W. Forester who hath signed his name to the foregoing

declaration and affadavit was at the time of so doing my duly authorized

deputy clerk that all his official acts are entitled to full faith and

credit

and that his signature thereunto is genuine.

Wtness my hand and seal this 15th March 1887

W.C.L.

Huff Clk

(Page 7)

State of Kentucky County of Harlan

On this tenth day of March 1887 personally appeared before me, John W.

Forester Deputy County Court Clerk of Harlan County duly authorized to

administer oaths John C. Howard

Aged eighty years old a resident of Wallins Creek in the County of Harlan

and

State of Kentucky well known to me to be a respectable person and entitled

to

credit and after being duly sworn declares in relation to said claim as

follows The affiant John C. Howard sayd that he was well acquainted with

John

Roark who was a Soldier of the war 1812 That Elizabeth Roark applicant for

pension No. 42490 is the widow of said John Roark, affiant says that the

said

John Roark have been dead about forty years. That he was acquainted with

his

first wife Nancy Slone that she has been dead fifty years or upwords.

Affiant states that he lived a near neighbor to the said John Roark and

Elizabeth Roark from their marriage until his death they lived in credit and

commanded the respects of good people she still remains his widow and that

he

is not concerned in the prosecution

(Page 8)

of said claim.

John C. Howard (His Mark)

Elijah Brock, signed

Mary Howard, signed

State of Kentucky County of Harlan

Sworn and subscribe before me this day by the above named affiant and I

certify that I read the said affidavit to said affiant and acquainted him

with it's contents before he executed the same I further certify that I am

in

nowise interested in said case nor am I concerned in it's prosecution and

the

said affiant is personally known to me and that he is a credible person.

John W. Forester D.C.

W.C.L. Huff Clerk

I certify that John W. Forester who hath his name to the foregoing

declaration and affidavit was at the time of so doing my duly authorized

deputy clerk that all his official acts are entitled to full faith and

credit

and that his signature thereunto is genuine.

Witness my hand and seal this 19th day March 1887

W.C.L. Huff Clk

(Page 9)

Claim No. 42490

Act of March 9, 1878

Cert. No. ________

Original Case

SERVICE PENSION

WAR OF 1812

WIDOW'S BRIEF

Elizabeth Roark, widow of John Roark Rank: Private

Captain:

Ambrose Arthur

Regiment:

Militia

State:

Kentucky

Post Office: Salt Trace, County of Harlan, State of Kentucky

Attorney: C.D. Pennebaker & Son P.O.: Pres????

Fee: $25

Application filed November 1st, 1880

Alleged service. Service alleged in Capt. Ambrose Arthur's Co. Ky Militia

War

of 1812

Record evidence of service. Discharge in Bounty land case and on which

warrant was granted shows John Roark served in Capt. Ambrose Arthur's Co.

six

months and twenty five days

Parol evidence of service._____________

Length of service. Six months and twenty five days

Proof of identity. Identifying witnesses. Age residence and signature by &

identifies claimant as the widow of John Roark for whose service in the war

of 1812 she got --- land.

Proof of loyalty. ______________________

Admitted April 14th, 1887, to a pension of EIGHT DOLLARS per month from

March

9, 1878 to the date of the Act and from March 19, 1886 at the rate of $12

per

month.

No pension previously applied for ________________________________

Wm

L.

Cooke, Pension Searcher

________________ Bounty Land claim W 44050 80 55

Wm

L.

Cooke, Bounty Land Searcher

H.M.

Clinton, Examiner

April 18, 1887

(Page 10)

SUMMARY OF PROOF

Marriage. Date March 15,1831, of John Roark to Elizabeth Brock shown by

claimant's warrant and certified copy of marriage filed in bounty land

claim.

Proof as to capacity to marry. Presumed claimant not previously married but

20 years of age at the time of the marriage to soldier. John C. Howard &

John

S. Blanton testify they were well and personally acquainted with the soldier

and his first wife who died over 50 years ago and that John Roark died over

40 years ago. Evidence in bounty land claim shows soldier died May 25,

1844.

Widowhood. John C. Howard & John S. Blanton testify to claimant remaining

the widow of the soldier.

INCIDENTAL MATTER

Auditor reports Nov. 10,1856 that the signature to soldier's discharge

appears genuine

(page 11)

Salt Trace,

Kentucky

March

19th,1887

C.B. Pennebaker & Son

In the matter of Elizabeth Roark widow of

John Roark applicant for pension for the war of 1812. I enclose the

affidavit

of John S. Blanton and John C. Howard. I have not been able to prove the

drawing of the Bounty land warrant I drawed the land warrant and sold it to

Robert Helton and he sold it to John G. Crump. Crump lade? the warrant in

Arkansas. I wrote to get his affidavit up to this time have not got an

answer please let me know what I will have to do next . Address

Elizabeth Roark Salt Trace

Harlan County, Ky Rsply

Elizabeth Roark

(Stamped by Pension Office Apr 5,1887)