Pension Payment Problems in Dearborn County, Indiana

I discovered this letter in the Revolutionary War pension file of John Shoemaker from Dearborn County, Indiana. Shoemaker is not my ancestor, but I found this letter after searching Footnote.com for my ancestor Nathan Ricketts. I was hoping to find that he gave testimony about the service of other soldiers' service. Although I found that he vouched for a Robert Ricketts (a brother or cousin, but relationship unknown), I also came across this interesting letter from the Dearborn County pension office to the pension office in Washington D.C. Apparently a lot (or all) of the pensioners in Dearborn County were not able to get their pensions. I don't really understand why. Did the pension commissioner not have their address correct, did the pensioners not pick up their pensions at his office, or was the pension commissioner incompetent?

Included with the letter is a list of pensioners in Dearborn County and the date they were last paid. I'd like to submit this letter and list to the Indiana Genealogical Society's Quarterly. If anyone would like to check my transcription or comment on what they think was going on with the pensions, I'd appreciate the help. Please leave a comment or send me an email at genwishlist@gmail.com.

Here are the links on Footnote to the letter and the list. You need a subscription to view them. If you don't have a subscription, email me and I'll send you a copy.

Transcription of Letter and List (as of 5 Jan 2011)

Lawrenceburgh Branch

15^th March 1838

L Edwards Esq^r

Commiss^r of Pensions

            Where payments to Pensioners has been deferred (not being called for) for one year & upards [sic] The voucher for such payments have frequently been returned to me for example the enclosed vouchers in this case of John Shoemaker which you will herewith receive

            In all such cases I require additional testimony to the oath of the Pensioner as to his identity as intended by the Treasury department but it seems that is not sufficient as the papers in those cases would not be returned to me. Will you have the goodness to give me defenite [sic] instructions for my Government in all such cases that may arise in further.

            On the other side of this sheet I give you a list of names of our Pension Roll of such as have not call’d for their Pensions for upwards of one year. Please say whether I shall pay them or not a some [sic] of those have equally called for payment which I have defered until I receive your instructions.

                                                            Very Respectfully yours

                                                            E D John Cash^r

Washington City

Samuel Alley	Pr	Revey	last pay	4 Sept. 1834
John Boyer	“	“		4 “ 36
Wm Collins	“	“		4 “ 34
Philemon Davis	“	“		4 “ 34
Jacob Falcombury	“	“		4 “ Mar 35
John Gray	“	“		4 “ 36
Wm Henderson	“	“		4 “ 36
Wm Knight	“	“		4 Sept 36
John M King	Invalid			4 Mar. 35
David King	not called for
Moses Losey	Revy	Pr		4 Mar 35
John Masters	“	“		4 Sept 36
Wm Meserves	“	“		4 Mar 35
Spencer Menefee	“	“		4 “ 34
Ebenezer Roberts	Invalid			4 “ 35
Robert Ricketts	Revy	Pr		4 Sept 34
Nathan Rickets	“	“		4 Sept 34
Wm Robins	“	“		4 “ 34
John Sia	“	“		4 Mar 35
John Shaver	“	“		4 Sept 34
James Scott	“	“		4 “ 35
Peter Vanbibber	“	“		4 “ 35
John Ward	Invalid			4 Mar 36
John Williams	“			4 “ 36
Mason Watts	Revy	“ Artillery		4 “ 35