George Collins

George settled on his father's farm in Harrison County, (W)VA in 1791, according to a William Prum who knew the Collins family as testified in George's Revolutionary War pension records.

On 18 Sep 1832, in a letter drawn up by a Weeden Huffman and signed by George, George claims to be age 76 and that he was in the Battle of Brandywine during the Revolutionary War, and at that time confirms seeing an Isaac Cox, also of Lewis Co., (W)VA. George states that he also saw Isaac Cox at the hospital in Elizabethtown, New Jersey, indicating that perhaps both George and Isaac were casualties at Brandywine. George also claims to have known Cox from when they both resided in Somerset Co., NJ, and guessed that Cox was about 89 years old. Isaac corroborates George's claims saying that he indeed knew George from Somerset Co., and saw him after the war as well. Earlier on 7 Aug 1832, George had also sworn before Warden Huffman that he knew a Philip Cox, Isaac's son whose age and service during the war came under scrutiny like George, as described below. [Note: Isaac Cox's claim to have served with Virginia Troops for six months was ultimately rejected as it was said that his actions were solely for the protection of his own land in Brooke Co., VA from Indians. He and his son Philip had received pensions for four years and two years service respectively with the NJ Militia, but both pensions were later cancelled due to lack of proof. Both claimed to have been born in Somerset Co., NJ.]

In a subsequent letter from J. Wamsley, Esq. of Weston, VA, on 12 Nov 1832, he writes that George's Revolutionary War pension claim under the act of 18 Mar 1818 was originally rejected because George had not serve at least a full nine month single term of enlistment. In this letter, he writes that George claimed that he entered service in May 1777 and was subsequently discharged on account of the wounds that he had received at the Battle of Brandywine, which occurred on 11 Sep 1777, which would be consistent with being in a hospital at Elizabethtown, NJ. George said that was or was to be paid 15 pounds 4 shillings for his service.

On 16 May 1833, George's Revolutionary War pension was then granted, certifying that he had served for nearly three years as private in the New Jersey Militia Infantry and Calvary, in Captain Lewis' Company under Colonel Morgan's Regiment, all according to his pension records. With this, George was to receive an annual pension of $85, and was to be paid a lump sum of $212.50, $170 in arrears up to 4 Mar 1833 and $42.50 semi annual payment to 4 Sep 1833.

On 6 Nov 1834 report by U.S. District Attorney W.G. Singleton had the testimonies of John and Susan Mitchel, Samuel Bennett, Henry Fletcher, Benjamin Copelan, Isaac Washburn, Nicholas Carpenter, William Prum, Asa Squair, John F. Singleton, and Peyton B. Byrne (all of Lewis Co.) - all claiming that they believed George to have been too young to have served as a soldier in the Recolutionary War. At least two individuals gauged his age to have been around 60, which would means he would have been born circa 1774. Another issue that casts doubt on George's service stems from the inconsistency between his 1818 and 1832 claims. The 1818 claim indicates only about four months of service vice three years accredited to him in 1833. Also the names Captain Lewis and Colonel Morgan of the New Jersey Militia does not seem to add up wither. For these reasons, other researchers believe that the evidence points to George fabricating his military service to fraudulently receive pension funds. If so, it seems that the aforementioned Philip and Isaac Cox were probably complicit, as they all vouched for each other during the pension investigations.