updated 06/16/2016

James A. McClelland's
War of 1812 Documents
and
Bounty Land Warrant Documents

Receipt of payment as member of General Court Martial, 1813

~source: Original document obtained at the National Archives, Washington, D.C., by Nancy Bleil
~transcription of the document (below) is by Nancy Bleil, gg-granddaughter of James McCleland

The United States
To James A. McClelland

To four days attendance as a member of a General Court Martial as per Certificate herewith ....
$4.00
Traveling 60 miles (Day) 2 days @$1 ...
$2.00
Allowance for transportation 400 [symbol] at 2$ per hun. for every hundred miles ...
$4.80
______
$10.80

I certify that the above account is acurate and just
(Signed Duplicates)
Jas A. McCleland Capt U.S.V.L.D.

The quarter master will pay the above sum of ten dollar and eighty cents $10.80
(Signed Duplicates)

Franklinton 14th June 1813 Will^m Henry Harrison [signature]

Received of John C. Bartlet Ten dollars & eighty cents in full for the above amount, having signed duplicates.
Jas. A McCleland Capt
U.S.V.L.D.

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Original Application for Bounty Land, 1851

~source: Original document obtained at the National Archives, Washington, D.C., by Nancy Bleil
~transcription of the document (below) is by Nancy Bleil, gg-granddaughter of James McCleland

State of Iowa
County of Clayton

On this day fourth day of February A. D. one thousand eight hundred and fifty one personally appeared before me Clerk of the district court within and for the County and State appeared James A. McCleland aged sixty one years a resident of the County of Clayton in the State of Iowa, who being duly sworn, according to law, declared that he is the identical James A McCleland who was a Capt. of a Troop of twelve month Volunteer Light Dragoons attached to the Squadron of Horse under command of Major James V. Ball (afterwards Lieut. Col. by Brevet) in the war with Great Britain declared by the U. States on the 18th Day of June 1812 that he volunteered for one year in Fayette County, Penn (and) in the fore part of the month of Sept. 1812 and received his marching orders from the war Department Sept 23rd, 1812, and left Pittsburg (the place of Rendezvous) on the 5th of October 1812 to join the Squadron under command of Major James V. Ball and that he continued in actual service in said war for the term of one year and was honorably discharged at the Town of Detroit State of Michigan on, or about, the 15th day of Oct 1813 as will appear by the muster rolls of said troop he makes this declaration for the purpose of obtaining the bounty land to which he may be entitled under the act, granting bounty land to certain officers and soldiers who have been engaged in the military service of the U. States [?dated] Sept. 28th 1850.

Jas. A McCleland [Signature]

Sworn to and subscribed before me the day and year above written. And I hereby certify that I believe the said James McCleland to be the Identical man who served as aforementioned and that he is of the age above stated.

In testimony whereof I have herewith subscribed my name and affixed the Seal of the District Court at my office in Garnavillo this 4 day of Feby 1851.

Frederick Andros Clk of the D C [Clerk of the District Court]
by his deputy H.S. Granger

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Original Bounty Land Warrant

This is the original Warrant that was issued to James. Written across the center in red is: “Cancelled Dec [deceased?] No. 14308 for 160 acres Febr 27/52.”

Juliet had to return this original document in order to receive the 160 acres in her name. See the letter dated Feb. 7, 1852, below.

~source: Original document obtained at the National Archives, Washington, D.C., by Nancy Bleil,gg-granddaughter of James McClelland

~*~*~

Juliet McCleland’s Verification of Death of James McCleland
(2 documents)

(document 1 - verification of death)

(document 2 - verification of death)

~source: Original documents obtained at the National Archives, Washington, D.C., by Nancy Bleil
~transcription of the documents are by Nancy Bleil, gg-granddaughter of James McCleland (see below)

(document 1 - verification of death)

Juliett McClelland (Widow of James A McClelland dec) States that she was married to the said James A McClelland Fayette County Pennsylvania on the fifteenth day of May A. D. 1815 by one James Dunlap Pastor of the Presbyterian Church and that her name before this said marriage was Juliett Oliphant That her husband died at Clayton County Iowa on the 20th day of April A. D. 1851 and that she is still a widow – J G McCleland Sworn to and subscribed before me this third day of May A D 1851

In testimony whereof I have hereunto subscribed my name and official
The seal of said District Court at my office in Garnavillo this 3rd day of May A D 1851

F. Andros Clk D. C. [Clerk District Court]
by H S Granger Deputy


State of Iowa
Clayton County

We the undersigned James Watson and Moses Davis upon our solemn oaths declare and say that we have been personally accquainted with the James A McClelland and Juliett McClelland his wife for several years and know them to have lived together as husband and wife to have been so reputed.

Sworn to and subscribed before me this day third day of May AD 1851

F. Andros Clk D. C. [Clerk District Court]
by H S Granger Deputy

~*~

(document 2 - verification of death)

Garnavillo Iowa May 12th 1851
James C. Heath
[Commissioner?]

Sir
I herewith enclose you the affidavit of Mrs. Juliette McClelland Showing the death of her husband & wishing that her husbands Land Warrent Should be filed in her name provided the Same has not allready been filed.

Please address the undersigned at the above place.

Respectfully yours
Samuel Murdock

~*~*~

Bounty Land Affidavit of Widow, Juliet G. McClelland

~source: Original document obtained at the National Archives, Washington, D.C., by Nancy Bleil

Transcription of above document by Nancy Bleil, gg-granddaughter of James McCleland:

State of Iowa
Clayton County

On this 7th day of February A. D. 1852 personally appeared before me Elias H. Williams county judge in and for said county and state aforesaid Mrs. Juliet G McClelland aged fifty three years a resident of Clayton county in the state of Iowa who being duly sworn according to law declares that she the widow of Capt. James A McClelland, deceased who was a Captain in the Pennsylvania mounted Militia or cavalry in the war with Great Britain declared by the United States on the 18th day of June 1812. That her said husband volunteered in Fayette County Pennsylvania on or about the 1st day of October 1812 for the term of one year & continued in actual service in said war for the term of one year and was honorably discharged at Detroit on or about the 1st day of November A. D. 1813 as will more fully appear by papers on file in the Department of the Interior in accordance with which Warrant No 11.057 was issued in the name of Capt. James A. McClelland on the 22nd day of November A. D. 1851. Which said warrant is now returned to the department that it may be canceled.

She further states that she was married to the said James A. McClelland in Fayette County state of Pennsylvania on the 25th day of May A. D. 1815 by James Dunlap a Presbyterian minister and that her name before said marriage was Juliet G. Oliphant that her said husband died at Clayton Co. aforesaid the 20th day of April A.D. 1851 and that she is still a widow.

She makes this declaration for the purpose of obtaining the bounty land to which she may be entitled under the act passed September 18 A. D. 1850

Juliet G. McClelland [signature]

Sworn to and subscribed before me on the day and year above written. [Feb 7, 1852]

Elias H. Williams
County Judge


State of Iowa
Clayton County

On this 7th day of Febrary AD 1852 personally appeared before Mr Elias H. Williams county judge in and for the county and state aforesaid [3 words crossed out here] aforesaid Mrs. Juliet G. McClelland who being duly sworn deposes and says that she has no certificate of her aforesaid marriage nor does she know of any public record thereof. She also states that she made on or about the 3rd day of May AD 1851 to the [pension?] department an application for bounty land which said application is probably now on file. J.G. McClelland

Sworn to and subscribed before me this 7th day of February AD 1852.

Elias H. Williams
County Judge

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Ammended Bounty Land Warrant issued to Juliet G. McClelland

Military Warrant Vol. 644, page 310 THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, To all to whom these Presents shall come, Greeting: Whereas, In pursuance of the Act of Congress, approved September 28, 1850, entited "An Act granting Bounty Land to certain Officers and Soldiers who have been engaged in the Military Service of the United States," Warrant No. 14,308 for 160 acres, issued in favor of Juliet G. McClelland, widow of James A. McClelland, deceased, Captain Pennsylvania Cavalry, War of 1812, has been returned to the GENERAL LAND OFFICE, with evidence that the same has been duly located upon the West half of the South East quarter, and the South West quarter of the North East quarter, and the South East quarter of the North West quarter, of Section nineteen, in Township ninety three North of Range two West, in the District of Lands subject to sale at Dubuque, Iowa, containing One hundred and sixty acres. according to the Official Plat of the Survey of the said Lands returned to the GENERAL LAND OFFICE by the SURVEYOR GENERAL: NOW KNOW YE, That there is therefore granted by the UNITED STATES unto the said Juliet G. McClelland, the tract of Land above described: TO HAVE AND TO HOLD the said tract of Land, with the appurtenances thereof, unto the said Juliet G. McClelland, and to her heirs and assignes forever. In Testomony Whereof, I, Millard Fillmore, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, have caused these Letters to be made Patent, and the Seal of the General Land Office to be hereunto affixed. Given under my hand at the City of Washington, the tenth day of December in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and fifty two and of the Independence of the United States the Seventy-seventh. By the President: Millard Fillmore By Alex McCormick, Asst. Sec'y E.S. Terry, Recorder of the General Land Office ~*~*~ ~note: the land described in the Warrant is located in Section 19, Clayton twp., Clayton county, Iowa ~source: https://glorecords.blm.gov/default.aspx ~transcription by S. Ferrall

See also: McCleland Family cemetery (opens in a new window)

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