Edward B. Walker applied for and received a pension
based on his service in the American Revolution; after
his death, his widow applied for a widow's pension based
on his service but was denied because she was unable
to prove that she was married to Edward before 1794,
the cut-off date at the time she applied for the pension.
Revolutionary War pensions have been microfilmed and
are available widely. I have also scanned the file,
though it is too large to place on this Web site at
this time. There are a few records, such as the final
pension payment, which are related to the pension which
are not included in the main file; when cited below,
their actual locations are also included. The order
in which the records were microfilmed appears to have
no relevance and is not maintained below.
1832
June 2:
New Pension Act passed. Although
Congress had passed a number of pension acts before
7 June 1832, the 7 June 1832 act was the first one
that broadly covered the vast majority of Revolutionary
War soldiers and was the first under which Edward
Walker would have been eligible. This act allowed
full pay to all officers and people who served in
the line or a state militia until the end of the
war but also allowed anyone who had served less
than two years but more than six months to receive
partial pay.
$20 paid as Edward's pension. The
Federal Register of Payments for Revolutionary War
Pensions at the National Archives shows that Edward
received all expected payments.
1835
March 4:
$20 paid as Edward's pension
September 4:
$20 paid as Edward's pension
1836
March 4:
$20 paid as Edward's pension
September 4:
$20 paid as Edward's pension
1837
March 4:
$20 paid as Edward's pension
September 4:
$20 paid as Edward's pension
1838
March 4:
$20 paid as Edward's pension
July 7:
New Widows Pension Act passed. Congress
passes a law making widows of pensioners eligible
for half pensions if married to pensioner before
1 January 1794.
Congress passes a new pension law.
Just a few months after the last correspondence,
Congress passes a new pension law and lifts are
requirements on the date of marriage. Jane Walker
had most likely already died and would have not
been eligible retroactively under the law.
